A thousand apologies for being so late with this chapter! Had the biggest writers block ever and school (as always) gets in the way of everything else you want to do. I'm so glad and thankful that there are people out there who enjoyed my first chapter :) ...and I hope they still stuck around to seeif i had more. I was honestly going to give up and make it a one-shot, but one avid and sweet reader kept me going :) Thanks for giving me a kick start NaminexSoraLover! This one's for you! And dedicated to all my readers for the first chapter! So now, get comfy, cause this my longest work ever and Enjoy this next AU :)

Disclaimer: All rights disclaimed./

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(You all know the quotes don't have to add it.)

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"Uggh…"

"Uggh…"

I groaned some more and tapped my foot harder, hoping the loud padding of my soles would be heard through the open windows.

"Naminé!! Ughh… are all girls this slow or is it just you?!"

I heard her voice yell from inside the house though it was slightly muffled,

"Unless you want a shoe thrown at you through the window, I suggest you wait more patiently!"

I chuckled. I guess it be little while longer.

Great.

I let out a long breath then stepping to the side, I leaned against the pole of a tall, white streetlight beside me and looked up to the morning sky. Wispy clouds and puffy white ones drifted above me. Just looking at it made me feel sleepy. I began fiddling with my house keys in my pocket, then deciding to put the brief amount of time I had to good use before Naminé came, I tried pondering over all the things swimming through his mind.

After a while, I couldn't think of anything and it wasn't that long before I felt my face scrunching in deep concentration.

Guess waking this early in the morning doesn't really do any do much to wake up the brain.

Well, my brain at least.

I'm usually wide awake just before noon …when lunch is on everyone's mind.

With my head still up I closed my eyes and my mind still groggy, I started to daydream about today's menu.

I hoped to get there first.

Before I could react, I was knocked sideways and a light ringing rang through my ears.

What the hell was that?

I rubbed the side of my face where something I felt hit me. It left a throb to my high cheekbone.

Looking around (I was still in a slight daze, mind you), I bent down and pulled the only visible object from the ground I knew wasn't there from before.

It was a shoe.

A small, narrow, bleach-white, size 7 tennis shoe with clean light-blue shoelaces.

Girl's size.

The ringing continued.

But, where was that ringing sound still coming from?

I turned my head quickly to the open window of the house in front of me.

Oh…

…that was where the ringing was coming from.

Naminé was leaning with her elbows on the windowsill, giggling loudly from between her hands. Her giggles sounding like bells to me at first, I could've sworn.

But I was sure as heck if I were to tell her that.

I noticed her eyes twinkle despite my distance from her. She also had her school uniform blouse on, while the tie was laced between her fingers.

I made a face that I hoped looked like I was irritated, even though I wasn't.

"Hey! What d'you do that for??"

Naminé laughed but she raised her voice playfully to answer me.

"Why are you so impatient!?"

I blinked, baffled.

"Huh? But I wasn't even d--"

"You didn't look very relaxed for a minute before I hit you with my shoe! What were you thinking about? How late we'd be?"

"Wha? No! Uhm ..I..Ho--"

She laughed again.

"Yeah, whatever Sora! Heh, I'll be right down!"

When she moved away from the window and I saw the curtains beginning to pull close, I heaved out a long sigh. Wiping my forehead, I smiled and moved forward.

"Finally…"

I pushed open the gate to her yard and headed up to her front door.

I always love coming up to Naminé's house early in the morning. She lives in a simple white, Mediterranean home with her parents. It's moderately clean and it always smells great. Especially their gardens. They like to keep their gardens fresh and flourished with colours. I always assumed this was where her passion for art began. Living on this island probably added to her love also…

..and maybe even after she met m-…

I stopped and shook my head, smiling.

That's probably going a bit too far and untrue.

Reaching the steps leading up to the porch, I hoped two at a time and was met with the white screen door. I pulled it back and went for the doorknob on the next door that I opened with ease. I smirked. When Naminé knows I'm coming in the morning, it's the first thing on her morning to-do list to unlock the door for me.

And there's no worries. Everyone here on our island is pretty close like family and we've never had reports of theft or break-in.

Pushing the second door all the way, I left it open as the screen door mechanically pulled itself back to close. I didn't bother to take off my shoes but I placed my backpack on the floor near an oak side table close to the door. Noticing the vase on top, I noted it had one blue carnation sitting inside with fresh water filled to the middle.

Yeah, I know my flowers. Blame my mom.

The thought made me laugh.

Hearing some shuffling, I looked up to the stairs that lead to the bedrooms. Naminé emerged from the hallway with a frustrated look. I could hear her breathing heavily. When she turned to stare at me, a big smile broke on her face.

"Sorry!"

I smirked again.

"I'm trying to get ready as quick as I can! I hope you're not mad!"

I gave her the 'you-should-know-me-by-now' look with a raised eyebrow. She rolled her eyes and giggled.

"Right. Just let me get something from the kitchen to munch on, then we can go!"

I watched in amusement as she came down the stairs in the most awkward way. She was still fidgeting with the tie around her neck, trying to get it on properly and the schoolbag slung on her left elbow kept falling down her arm, causing her to pull it back up quickly. To top it off, she only had on one shoe so her balance was off, coming down each step. Her right foot only had a knee-high navy blue sock. Her other trainer was in my hand.

I couldn't resist the urge to laugh lightly. When she came reached the bottom step, I quickly when up to her and took her schoolbag in my hand.

"No need."

Before she could respond, I turned around walking to the table where my backpack was, throwing her shoe over my back without looking.

"I made an extra breakfast sandwich for you."

I looked over just in time to see her catch the shoe in both hands. I smiled. She looked up at me with wide smile and half-lidded eyes.

"Where do I get off being so lucky?"

I felt admired. A warm fuzz had come over me for a moment. Bending down to pick up my bag, I slung it over my shoulder and turned back to grin at her.

"Just keep smiling at me and you will be."

Once she put her shoe on she walked up to me and took her bag from my hand. She grinned back up to me with her eyes closed.

"Everyday."

Still smiling, I looked at Naminé fully since she had come down the stairs, taking in the specific details of her appearance.

Today, I noticed her golden hair shone in the morning sunlight through the window (it always did) and had been straightened. Part of it laid in front on her right shoulder, like it always did. Her face was washed clean and though I knew she didn't like to wear makeup like other girls, the natural gleam left her beautiful as always. She was close enough for me to inhale her perfume…

lavender. I began to wonder her hair smelled like.

Other than that, everything was the same. When I was done, I felt my face flush a little, but I kept on a smile so she wouldn't notice, then I went to open the screen door.

"Come on, let's get outta here."

She followed me in suit, quickly locking the doorknob of the second door and pulling it with her to close. But I stopped her before it closed all the way.

"Did you remember your keys this time?"

Naminé blinked up at me for a quick second before she went to pull the door all the way. When the click of the lock was heard, she looked back at me with a smile.

"Don't worry. I've always got it with me."

I looked as she lifted a little bit of a side of her uniform blouse. She showed me the small silver chain hidden that went from the back side of her hip to the front. Her keys lay comfortably against her blue-plaid kilt. I smirked as she giggled.

"I learned that from you."

-'.().'-

Man.

The walk to the school was long, far, and got increasingly warmer with the Sun rising high fast into the sky. I counted how many times I had wiped my forehead during our walk to school – five – and though we were walking a pretty moderate pace, it was hard to tread.

And that's saying something, considering I'm pretty strong when it comes to endurance.

But it was spent in smiles and laughter. With Naminé, I was never really bored and always amused.

Looking over to her, I saw her throw her head back in laughter to a joke I just made. I couldn't stop myself from grinning like a fool.

She brings out the idiot in me sometimes.

And she's not even afraid to admit it to my face when I am.

When she relaxed, I heard her take a bite out of the sandwich. I looked ahead at the trail we were walking. The path winded through some hills going up and down and the houses on top of them dotted the landscape. I could see light smoke rising lazily from their chimneys.

It was peaceful.

A couple munches and a small gulp, I finally heard her wiping her hands upon finishing the last bit of her breakfast. Her voice followed with a small 'Mmm'.

"You're getting better at making these, Sora! Thanks so much! Maybe I'll keep you waiting on purpose from now on."

"Hey!"

We both laughed. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her adjust the strap of her schoolbag on her right shoulder with her hand and then she began to conjure up a light conversation.

"I wonder how the Blitzball game with Tidus went? He told me yesterday wasn't really up to Runo's challenge but everyone was supposed to be there, even Wakka."

I heard her chuckle then she continued.

"Wish we stayed behind to see it. Could you imagine how mad he must've been not to see you involved? He says you're one the best players, you know? I think you were supposed to be part of it. Did you know that? I heard it from Selphie yesterday around lunch. She said he was rallying together all the best guys and that they were supposed…"

I nodded my head and mumbled in agreement whenever it sounded like she wanted an opinion, after that. I wasn't really following, so I started spacing out, my mind still filled with a morning daze. Eventually I realized Naminé had been calling my name.

"Sora?"

Breaking out of it, I blinked and looked down to her. I'm still taller than her. Actually, a lot of guys are…

…and I gloat about it to her a lot.

"Huh?"

"What do you think, then?"

She was looking back at me with a curious face.

"Wh…I mean, uhm…Yeah?"

Oh yeah, that proved I was listening.

Looking ahead quickly, I avoided her gaze, waiting for the lecture I was sure to get from her about ignoring people.

But it never came. And instead, I heard her giggle.

I felt my head whip back to Naminé's face, where I saw sympathy and happiness all play out in her smiling face. She sighed and turned her head to road in front of us.

"What?"

I had to question her actions.

Girls were so secretive all the time.

Then I noticed her eyelids fall over her eyes with a small smile.

"I was just thinking back to when we were younger, that's all."

Following her train of thought, I blinked quickly and laughed.

"Oh yeah…"

-'.().'-

'Okay remember children, just draw whatever you want! It could be a person, an animal, a thing, a place ..anything! Use whatever you can find today on the arts 'n' crafts table and just take your time!'

The teacher's words, still rung through Sora's ears. But they did nothing to help the flush growing on his face and the jumbledness in his brain.

He had been the first to rush over to the table covered in art supplies, once those finished passing over the teacher's lips, Then playing it safe, he grabbed a small box of crayons and a sheet of white paper. With a big smile, he ran over to the nearest available table, sat in a blue plastic chair. Once he had put the crayons and paper down on the wooden tabletop, he looked up to the ceiling.

'What should I…? Uhmm...'

After a moment, he went to look and stare at the other four-year-olds in the classroom, who were busy scrambling to grab crayons, pencils, paintbrushes, scissors, glue and other art supplies off the arts 'n' crafts table. He watched until one by one, they had all gotten something to use then ran running to the other tables, quickly beginning on ideas they had quick in their minds.

Feeling a little panicked, Sora groaned then looked down to his paper.

It was still blank with white.

'Uhhggh...'

He bit his bottom lip and fisted his left hand (his common sign to show he was nervous) as the teacher walked over to where he was sitting after, surveying over the other children.

She looked over his small shoulder then kneeled down to his height and placed a hand gently on top of his head. His spiky brown hair poked through her fingers. She smiled sweetly to him.

'Sora honey? Have you thought about what you would like to draw yet?'

'I…uh…well..th-…uhm...'

Sora looked up at her with a frustrated look and shook his head slowly.

'Would you like any help?'

He thought about it. As much as he would have liked to take the nice teacher's offer, Sora knew he wanted to do the task on his own and make her proud. He shook his head again, but this time with a hopeful grin.

'No thank you, Miss teacher. Don't worry, I'll think something great. I just need to think real hard!'

She laughed lightly at his response. She knew he would grow up to be a bright and happy boy.

'Alright then. I can't wait to see it!'

Sora nodded eagerly as she stood up and walked away to another part of the classroom. Once she was gone, the frustrated look played itself out on his face again.

What was he going to draw?

Looking around again, he saw all his other classmates working hard as their creations and drawings started coming out. He heard his kindergarten teacher praise them highly and watched as huge smiles burst on their faces.

He scratched his head and groaned louder than before, then he dropped his head to stare at his own paper.

Still blank.

Sora concentrated hard for the next couple minutes, ignoring the scratches and scribbles he heard from the other children around his table and around the room. After a bit, he dunked out all the crayons from the box and watched as they rolled little ways around his spot at the table. He sighed.

Giving up and thinking there was little time left to create something, he decided to draw a simple picture of the last time he was at the beach chasing a seagull. It wasn't what he had hoped to draw, but it was better than having a blank sheet looking back at him for the rest of the day.

Without even lifting his gaze from the paper, he reached his hand over to where he knew the blue crayon was.

Instead of touching the wax crayon however, he touched another hand.

Looking up quickly to where his hand had been, he noticed the other small hand quickly go for a green crayon. What followed was a quick, high-voiced,

'Sorry!'

Following the hand up to its arm and then to its shoulder, Sora met with the head of another kindergarten kid in his class. She looked at him with big, hopeful blue eyes, and a small smile on her face. Her blonde hair was tied in a ponytail on the right side of her head and she had on a light blue sundress. He blinked, just staring at her, almost forgetting she had said something.

She spoke again in a happy voice.

'You can use it first. Can I borrow it after you, please?'

Sora kept on staring. Normally, he would've just smiled, said 'Okay!' and went on with whatever he was doing, remembering to tell his Mom later that he talked to a girl thinking that she probably had cooties. But something made him speechless and he was left feeling flushed all over again in front of the new pretty girl who was still waiting for him to answer.

'Hello? Are you okay?'

She moved a bit closer to him and waved a hand in his face. Sora blinked quickly and shook his head when he had come to his senses.

The girl giggled and tried again.

'Are you okay?'

Face still flushed, Sora nodded slowly.

'Ah…ye- …uhh…'

Thinking his response was good enough, the little girl continued.

'So, is it okay for me to borrow the blue one? I'm making a picture of when I went to my auntie's house and I wanted to color her dress in blue. Did I bother you? What are you making?'

Not waiting for an answer this time, she went to look at his paper. Feeling embarrassed, Sora tried to cover his blank sheet with his small hands. She had already gotten a good look. She looked back at him and smiled some more.

'What are you drawing?'

Sora gulped.

'I …wa-…uhm…uhh…'

He was beginning to feel overwhelmed again. And just when he was about to get up, collect his crayons and walk over to a corner in the classroom to clear his head and get away from watching eyes (yes, he was shy when it came to his artwork.), she giggled lightly.

'Is that all you can say? You don't think I have cooties, do you?' She giggled again.

He snapped awake of his crazy thoughts and looked at her clearly for the first time since she'd spoken to him. He bravely spoke.

'N…no I don't. You're too nice to have cooties.'

She laughed and smiled at him.

'Good. Because I like you!'

She was infectious. Sora couldn't help but smile back at her.

'I'm Sora!'

She giggled and looked at him through bright, crystal blue eyes.

'And I'm Naminé!'

Without even stopping himself, Sora grinned and eagerly asked her,

'Naminé, do you wanna be my best friend?'

Her eyes grew wide for a minute. Sora felt nervous.

Had he been too forward? Would she hate him? Did he just scare away his first-ever best friend?

Before anything else afterwards, Naminé threw her arms around his neck in a tight hug and yelled loud enough for the rest of the classroom to hear,

'Yay! I've got a new best friend!'

Then she quickly released him and went back to her drawing, trying to pretend she was ignoring the embarrassing stares she felt herself getting.

Sora looked across the room; the others kids were staring before quickly going back to their work, talking amongst themselves. He also noticed the teacher look at him with a bright smile and a nod of her head. He scratched his cheek, smiling weakly before he dropped his head to stare at his paper again and at all the crayons around him.

He blinked. Were there suddenly more crayons on the table than he had before?

Looking to the side, he saw Naminé dumping all her crayons into his pile and merging theirs together. She looked at him with smile on her face.

'You wanna share?'

Grinning, he nodded.

'Okay!'

She let herself smile at him some more before going back to her coloring. Sora watched her do her magic. He couldn't believe it, her drawing was amazing! He blinked when he noted all the details she managed to draw out in her picture. It was great compared to his colourful blobs and stick people.

Sensing he was watching, Naminé looked up at him.

'What is it?'

Sora stared at her face. Her big smile was still there and there was a twinkle in her eyes. He suddenly felt inspired. Reaching down for the blue crayon he looked back up at her with a wider grin than he ever made before the morning started.

'I know what I want to draw.'

She blinked at him, waiting patiently.

Tilting his head to the side a little, he closed his eyes.

'I wanna draw you!'

Naminé blinked again but followed it with a big smile.

'Thank you, Sora!'

Sora quickly dove into the paper, drawing out Naminé's face. He was still grinning.

He somehow knew she didn't just mean to thank him for choosing her as his drawing vision.

Eventually after that day, the other kids in the kindergarten class got to Sora better, all wanting to be his friend after Naminé's outburst. And Sora became especially popular but Naminé was always the closest at his side. They were tight ever since.

-'.().'-

I heard Naminé laugh along with me. She turned to smile.

"You were so unsure about yourself back then. I was scared you'd end up having a speech disability …the way you kept responding to me."

I gave her a smirk then laughing lightly I scratched the back of my head.

"I don't really know, okay? I just …found it sorta hard to talk to you."

She giggled. The sound brought a slight blush to my cheeks.

Like bells again.

"Why? You weren't scared of me or anything, were you?"

I quickly turned to face her with my mouth slightly open. Her face fell in curiosity.

"O-of course not!"

When I waited for her to respond, she didn't. She blinked up to me with her bright blue eyes and a small smile found its way on her mouth. I could tell she waited to see if I had anything else to add.

I did.

But I stopped myself from saying something,

…something I wasn't ready to say to her.

It suddenly shocked and took me by surprise.

But what exactly was it? And what was the something?

I turned my head away from her face, fighting the heavy blush that was rising on my face.

Why was I suddenly so nervous?

Maybe if I tried to turn the subject around on her, I could recuperate from my sudden light-headedness and then things could go back to normal.

The thought made me chuckle nervously.

"I-I don't know…" I turned to grin at her weakly.

I felt my face heat up a little.

"I guess cause you were so cute back then, I didn't really know how to talk to you."

I wasn't sure if Naminé could see how pink my face was (as to how jittery I felt at the same). The sandy path we were treading to school was angled to the Sun and my head was to the back of it, casting a shadow over my front features. Naminé was in clear view of the sunshine as turned to look at me. I was lucky to see how her face flushed slightly after my response.

It somehow enlightened me.

My grin widened as I watched her turn her face away quickly from me with a small laugh. The sunshine danced on her blonde hair and I appreciated how it made her head glow in a soft way.

For a while, we were silent. Not that I found awkward. And neither did Naminé, because after a while, she began humming to herself. Picking up the tune, I whistled along with her…

..until I realized we were both moving along to the song of our school's anthem.

I stopped abruptly. Naminé turned to look at me quickly in curiosity. I slouched my shoulders forward and groaned slightly. A big, loud yawn escaped my lips before I could stop myself.

She started laughing at me, as if reading my thoughts.

"Aw come on, school can't be that bad!"

I turned to look at her with my face void of any emotion.

"You gotta be kidding, right?"

She laughed some more. Then walking closer towards me, she patted my head. We were walking nearly shoulder to shoulder after.

"Don't worry you lazy bum, we're almost there! But we've got eight hours left before you can leave, then you can be happy!"

I groaned even louder and she followed it with a chuckle.

-'.().'-

I opened my locker then threw my bag in, pulling out my uniform shoes then replaced them with the trainers on my feet. Man, I hated these shoes. They had no grip, they were an ugly color, and I couldn't tell if wherever the weird smell was coming from was off of them or from the locker beside mine.

I chuckled.

When I was done fumbling around with my books and papers, I closed the locker and set the lock to two numbers.

Hey, I like to open it fast and it's so much easier with the one-turn method.

I looked over my shoulder and smiled. A little ways down the hall on the opposite wall, I could see Naminé bent over, her head inside her open locker. Without even looking back, she threw a couple containers, some paper, and a few leftover coloured pencils into her bag beside her feet. She was standing in her socks.

I walked over to her, greeting and waving to friends I passed on the way, then I leaned on the locker next to her with my arms crossed. With a mischievous smile, I waited.

I don't think she knows I'm standing here yet.

"Sora, can you pick up the pencil for me? I think I heard it roll away when I threw it."

Damn.

Looking to the ground, I saw a purple pencil crayon rolling back and forth on the glossy white floor tiles. I bent down, picked it up and tossed it into her bag. I looked back at her with furrowed eyebrows.

"How d'you keep doing that?"

She shifted in her locker from a bent position to a straight one as she stretched on her toes to reach for something on the built-in high shelf.

"What? Knowing you there?" She giggled. "You easy to predict, you know."

I made a face, though she didn't see it. Then I smirked, moving over close to her side.

"What? No, I'm not! I'm actually the opposite!"

I stretched my own body behind hers, placing my left hand on the other locker to keep balance.

"You're about to grab what I can't reach, are you?"

I instantly stopped my hand from reaching the shelf and pulled it back.

She turned her head under me and gave me a smirk and a raised eyebrow.

I stepped away from her and went back to leaning on the locker, looking away from her. I pouted and she giggled at my actions.

"Did you even know what I was trying to get?"

Before I could stop myself, I said confidently,

"Your flute case."

I mentally slapped myself. It was a hook-line-and-sinker.

Naminé giggled louder.

"See? I didn't even tell you what I reaching for and you knew!"

She went to stretch higher and successfully grabbed the case off the shelf, before pulling down and turning to grin in my face. She was so darn cute…

Whoa, hit the brakes.

That was going too far.

With my head still turned away from her, I walked around her and went to rest on the other side of her locker as she was putting on her uniform shoes. I closed my eyes with a small smile on my face.

"Yeah well, that doesn't necessarily mean I'm always predictable. If I knew what you were going to get, then aren't you pretty predictable yourself?"

"N-not true!"

I smirked.

"I know for a fact that right now, your eyes are probably wide open and your mouth is hanging open."

I lifted open one eye to look at her. I laughed.

"Guess I was right!"

Before I knew it, her hand came to slap me on the arm. Naminé may not be the toughest girl, but she sure is one of the quickest (and strongest).

But I'd never tell her that; she'd hit me all the time just to make sure it hurt.

And when I was just about to come out with another cocky retort to her actions, she quickly planted kiss to my cheek. I stood there frozen as she pulled away with a grin and light blush on her face.

"How's that for predictable?"

Then I watched still dumbfounded as she picked up her bag, slung it on her shoulder and walked past me.

Coming out of my senses, I blinked and whirled around to see her retreating figure go further down the hallway. I fisted my hands gently and spoke loud enough for her to hear but not the entire hallway.

"You don't just hit me, then kiss me, then walk away!"

Naminé stopped and turned on her heel to face me. She chuckled and pointed at her locker.

"You mind closing that for me? I'll see you third period!"

With that she turned back around and began walking away, waving a hand back to me. I heard her giggle as she left.

For a second, I stood there speechless and bright-eyed.

Naminé left me in this state a lot lately. I hoped it wasn't a permanent-type thing. She left me all excited, confused and frustrated all at the same time.

Not that I'm complaining.

I scratched the back of my head and laughed nervously as I watched her go around the corner.

"Oh!"

I watched as her head popped out from the other end of the hallway near the wall.

"Again today after school, right?"

I blinked not getting it until I understood. I grinned and gave her a thumbs up.

She gave me a wide smile, another quick wave, then she left.

When she was completely gone, I was still smiling.

Looking back to her locker, I turned my head hearing noises and noticed a couple of my guy friends looking at me. Some of them were snickering and others rolled their eyes. It wasn't until one of them sighed and spoke to me.

"When, man?"

They smiled some more and walked away from me, leaving to their homerooms.

When they were gone, I rolled my eyes and closed Naminé's locker, then I proceeded to my own.

Was it so hard for others to think that a guy and a girl could be best friends without thinking that something more going on?

I sighed.

…I still think hard over that question.

-'.().'-

I yawned loudly as I walked out of my second class. Waving bye to my friends in the class, I walked backed to my locker to change textbooks. I rubbed my eye with the back of my left hand as I walked.

Though I was happy about there being one more class left before lunch started, I still felt dumped on by the events that happened previous.

Sleeping through the first class had earned me a week's worth of lunch clean up. (Even though I'm okay with that – I get to eat whatever meals are left under the heat lamps in the front when they're not looking and it happens during my free period after lunch.) And the nap I fell into during the second class had gotten me an extra assignment to do for homework.

Not that I worried. I get pretty good grades and my teachers all like me …at least I hope they do.

Mornings usually end up being like this, especially when I don't sleep enough the previous night.

But when you're fifteen, do you ever?

Upon reaching my locker, I opened it quickly and pulled out my needed textbooks, switching their spots here and there. When I was done, I pulled my body to its extent and expelled another big yawn. I hated being this tired this late in the morning.

"Hi Sora!"

Turning to the voice, I smiled.

"Hey Kairi!" I scratched the back of my head and chuckled,

"Sorry you had to see that."

She laughed lightly and looked up to me with her blue eyes.

"It's okay."

Kairi was a pretty close friend of mine, not as close as Naminé, but we were still as tight as any teens who hung out a lot. And no matter what, she always has this light about her.

"So, what's up?"

While I waited for her response, I went around piling and organizing things in my locker that I hadn't done in a while. I could hear the smile in her voice, even with my face turned away from her.

"Nothing really, I'm on my way to history when I saw you. So I'm just stopping by to add a little Kairi to your morning."

She laughed. I laughed along with her. When I was done, I turned back to her.

"Wow, that's very thoughtful you."

Still smiling, she nodded.

"And I also came over to ask if Naminé and you'd like to join us later by the shorelines after school. Wakka's got another one going on."

Thinking about it made me laugh.

"Like he doesn't?"

She giggled and looked up at me.

"So what d'you say?"

Blinking back at her, I gave a warm smile and fixed my backpack over my shoulders before I turned to close my locker.

"Wish I could Kai but I can't. Sorry, I already made plans."

I turned to see her grin at me as if understanding.

"Naminé?"

I nodded shyly.

"Don't worry then. I'll tell the guys you can brawl with them another time. Catch you later!"

With that she walked off down the hallway, humming the school's anthem.

What was it with the girls in this school?

Then I thought of something and turned to look after her.

"Hey Kairi?"

She whirled around, a smile still on her face.

"Yeah?"

I scratched the back of my head and laughed.

"What's your favourite fruit?"

I watched as she titled her head to the side looking up in thought, her eyebrows furrowed. Clearly, I had confused her with such a random question. Then with a chuckle she called out,

"Cherry" and continued on.

I laughed.

"Alright then."

-'.().'-

Naminé burst out laughing. With my eyes closed, I grinned back at her, trying to suppress my own laughter that was building up. I wanted to keep a calm face for the both us in public.

When she was done, she flicked a strand of blonde hair out of her eyes and continued to stare at me.

"Nine?"

"Yup, nine!"

"And people actually answered?"

"Uh huh!"

"Let me see it!"

"No!"

"Awh come on, please?"

"No."

"Please Sora? Let me see it!"

Not letting me argue, she ran behind me and before I could grab her, she quickly unzipped my backpack and pulled out a small sheet of paper. Reading it up to down, she giggled and held it arms-length away from me.

"So, two for apples, three for strawberries and one each for orange, apple, cherry and kiwi?"

I laughed and using my quick reflexes I ran around her and grabbed the paper, putting it back in my bag.

"And tomorrow, this survey will have even more votes!"

I watched as Naminé stopped walking. She smirked and placed her hands on her hips.

"Don't tell me this started back when I asked you what your favourite fruit was?"

I smirked back at her then continued walking.

"Okay I won't tell you."

She laughed lightly and started walking again at my side. I was smiling.

"Hey Naminé? Today I'm feeling for something different today."

I couldn't help but turn to see her reaction. She face slightly fell and she pouted her lips.

"Really?"

Feeling a bit guilty, I went to put my arm around her slender shoulders. She instinctively rested her head against mine. I loved how she responded to me.

"It's not that I don't want to eat strawberries. I can't get enough of them! But…how 'bout we try another type?"

She giggled and tried to lean more into me.

"Another type of strawberry? Aren't the other types poisonous?"

I chuckled and tightened my hold on her. Then I lifted my head away from her and titled it to the side, smiling warmly down at her.

"How about a …..a blueberry?"

"Blueberries? Hmm…" I watched Naminé from underneath my gaze as she tapped her chin in that adorable way when she thought about the options. Then she lifted her head to look at me with a smile on her face. The sun cast a bright glow on her cheeks.

I felt my own heat up.

"I like it!"

Trying to fight it, I nodded with a smile and let go Naminé, and I went to hold her hand instead as we walked a moderate pace to town market.

-'.().'-

And that's it pretty much goes twice a week.

Ever since I had discovered Naminé's little secret love for strawberries, I take her to the market after school to buy a basket. Of course, she's still not up to the fact that we leave before regulated school hours and persists that karma will come to get us one day, she's never once resisted to ditch each time we do. I think my devil-may-care attitude towards school is starting to grow on her.

We change the days every week so as to not create suspicion. But we're both extremely lucky to have gym as our last class; especially when our coach has eyes like a mole.

I chuckled.

It was secrets like Naminé's that kept me curious, thinking of what else my best friend hid from me that would end up turning good in my favour.

After we bought the blueberries, we returned to our regular spot on the edge of the botanical gardens that looked out to the centre of the island and sat there for a few comfortable minutes, eating our sweet fill.

The blueberries were just as delicious as the strawberries.

Naminé seemed to agree with my thought because at that moment, she let out an adorable squeal after swallowing a couple. She then went back to the small basket and scooped out a handful. She was sitting with her feet beneath her capris

I laughed as I watched her on my left. I was leaning back on my left hand with one leg stretched out and the other bent upwards. I had a blueberry in my right hand ready to eat.

"Whoa, relax! They'll still be there when you're done eating what you've got."

After munching on a few, she swallowed and giggled. Then she went back to filling her hand again, even though it wasn't empty.

"No they won't! Not when you and I are done with them in three minutes!"

I chuckled. I flicked the blueberry in my hand into my mouth and went to doing the same thing she was. She looked at me wide-eyed. I guess she wasn't ready for me to dive into them like she was.

Closing my eyes in amusement, I grinned at her. She gave me a raised eyebrow and a smirk before turning to smile at the sunset on the horizon. I followed her gaze. We stared ahead in comfortable silence for a while.

"I like this."

"Hmm?" I looked to her, tilting my head to the side.

She looked back at me with a warm smile. The cerise glow of the sun cast a soft, firey glow on her gentle, beautiful features. It made me feel fuzzy all over again.

"This. I like this. Just the two of us, …the sunset,…"

I smiled softly back at her, understanding where she was going.

"Yeah, …and a couple of blueberries."

She giggled at my response and went back to staring at the sun, nibbling on the little purple fruit. I kept my gaze on her for a bit longer before copying her actions. Then an idea popped into my mind and without turning to look at her, I voiced my thoughts.

"Let's try this,"

She turned to look at me with a curious smile. I continued.

"we'll try every berry, until we've tried them all!"

I grinned, and I knew it was infectious because Naminé grinned back.

"I'd like that! I've never tried all the berry fruits, that'll be a challenge. Some of them, probably won't even taste good!"

She giggled.

"So the next time, we try something new!"

I grin fell into a smile.

"Everytime we do this."

I turned to the sunset.

"Then,…"

Hearing her voice, I turned back to her curiously.

"…then can we go back to the strawberries?"

She smiled hopefully.

I smiled back and nodded my head.

Turning my head to look again to the horizon and thinking Naminé had done the same, I went to my own thoughts.

That was until I felt something small pelt me on the temple.

Naminé's giggle followed afterwards.

I turned to look at her mischievously and caught her with a cute, guilty look. A small smile crept to her lips.

"Sorry, I was trying to flick it into my mouth."

I chuckled and flicked a blueberry right back at her.

And as she gasped happily and went to retaliate, I felt my heart beat suddenly faster.

I was somehow beginning to know…

…what could be really going on.

--

There you have it! Hope you liked it :) and I added Kairi like the majority of my reviewers wanted. And I've decided switching the POV's to different people puts it more into perspective; though Sora isn't as descriptive :) Some things I may have left of detail but that's for you readers to wrap your minds around. Whatever your imagination brings, add it while you read :) I knew they're alittle OOC too but I think its a good change. Especially for Namine, I don't think she's the emo, quiet girl everyone thinks she is. She does talk to people like a regular happy person when she wants to :)

And now the rest is up to you, readers! This story will continue to follow the events involving other type of berries so send me a review :) Give the names of some berries you know, I'll using them to create the foundation of this story. I know some berries probably taste bad so tell me them too :) But not anything poisonous, I don't want our main characters dead. As the story grows on, Sora and Namine will continue to bond closer so stick around to see how it'll end, cause heck, I don't even know :) At least, that's what I'm telling you now. Thanks for reading! The next update I promise to make quicker but forgive me for the environment I live in; I won't be able to think it up so quickly. A month tops!
In this time I must add, the creation of another Namora story will unfold and I'm really all jittery about it :) It'll be dark, twisted, and most likely rated M for the adult themes. The plot's all planned out and its on the way so be ready to search and find!
That's all for now :) thank you again, guys!