Again, you guys are awesome!! And your reviews really help – real idea boosters. In contrast to my other Namora story with its darker, more mature content, I'm really grateful for the readers who've enjoyed this sweet, innocent taste as well. Heh, well here you go, what you've waited for. This chapter is a little wishy-washy because I worked on it like every three months, haha. Any who, here's Chapter five of,
Silk on Sky: Berry Bliss
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Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts is the property of Square Enix and Tetsuyo Nomura. I do not own the characters …but I do own this story. I'll never really understand why fan-creations need this kind of opening clause. Meh, oh well.
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Now sit back, relax, and I hope you enjoy!
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Being loved deeply by someone gives you strength;
Loving someone deeply gives you courage.
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I watched as Tidus jumped back a little to stand beside Sora. As they were talking, I noticed the big grin on Sora's face as he wiped a hand against his forehead. Then, Wakka went to stand behind them and gave Sora a pat on the back. From what I could see, after the congratulations were all in order, the three were beginning to discuss strategies for the next game.
I couldn't help but smile. Their eager and determined faces told me how bad they were into this and how much they wanted to win. They'd lost the first match, and weren't going to lose the second.
All of us were at the little island that sits little ways from the mainland. It's about 5 minutes by rowboat (Riku says twelve, if you swim it; he's risky but daring). We've been going here since we were old enough to swim and we usually save one day of the week to head over and play. As kids, we came almost everyday but with high school in the way and with us being lazy (Sora and I being the most), it's changed. But I'm never bored when we do head over.
So today, I, along with Sora, Kairi, Riku, Tidus, Wakka, Selphie, and our other friends all decided to be up for another game of Blitzball. We'd usually go in the school gym field because it's wider. But our coach is having the grass cut and the white lines re-outlined, so we headed for the island instead.
His arms were dripping with seawater and the sun bearing down on us made his sun-kissed skin glisten. I'm sure this type of the observation is stalker-ish or what Selphie calls it: fan-girl obsessed.
How creepy am I?
I put my head down in my hands and shook it back and forth slowly, even though I still had a little smile on my face.
When I raised my head again out of my palms, I gazed over at the boys again. Sora caught my eye in a flash before looking away. I couldn't help the little blush that rose to my cheeks.
It also didn't help that Kairi had been eyeing me at the same moment.
"Are you hot, Naminé? Your face is looking a bit red."
I was so startled by her outburst that I jumped a little in my seat on the wooden planks we were sitting on. I turned to face her with a smile.
"Don't worry, Kai. I'm alright."
She giggled. It must have been because of my nervous behaviour.
"You sure? We could always move out of the sun into the shade over there."
Kairi pointed her arm out and I followed it to a spot about ten steps away beneath a leafy tree surrounded by the pink bulbs of island orchids. The sand was overgrown with crabgrass and fixated with comfortable looking rocks that wedged together in smooth curvy shapes. I smiled distractedly as I gazed it over.
It looked good enough to draw.
Then I heard Kairi's voice again.
"What do you think?"
I blinked, coming back then I laughed lightly.
That was a little embarrassing. I pretended to cough to cover it up.
"Uhm, no it's alright. I like it here."
I turned my head back to stare at the guys, who were beginning to break up from the small circle they had formed.
What I didn't know was that if I had looked out of the corner of my eye, or even if I'd turned my head any seconds later, I would've noticed the sly look on my red-head friend's face.
That's Kairi; she's always quick to planning or thinking something up.
As I watched them get back into their positions, ready to start another game, Wakka came over to sit next to us. With a quick wave and greeting, he turned his attention back to the boys. I noticed he was rubbing his hands together in a circular motion.
I giggled quietly. Wakka always does that when he's nervous or excited. I'm guessing he feels both right now.
Then I turned my attention back to them as well. I could make out each boy on Sora's team and the guys on the other. My said best friend was positioned at the front of his team with the forwards. Like I told him, he was one of their best players, even a captain at some points, so they had him at the head.
With a wave of admiration I didn't even know I had, I loudly cheered out his name.
It was so random that nearly everyone looked over me. I grinned shyly.
"Sorry, guys."
Tense concentration that must have been building obviously broke with that one. Oops.
I was about to laugh lightly and brush it off when Sora perked his head up and with a warm smile, he threw me a thumbs up.
I grinned back and suddenly everyone was cheering. I heard Kairi shout out beside me and Wakka give a whooping victory cry. The guys in the game cheered and the ones watching like I was (most of them, girls by the way), were yelling their names, cries of support, and the occasional threats.
I had to laugh as I rolled my eyes. Silence is too much for everyone to handle – it was only a game for fun, after all.
And just as the yelling got louder, and as everyone distractingly looked out to each other, and when Sora and Riku were about to run head-to-head for the middle of the played-out field, Tidus intercepted with a question.
"Does, uh… anyone have the ball?"
Riku and Sora skidded to stop, pushing up sand between their toes and feet. They looked around on the ground confusedly. I watched with a lifted eyebrow as their other team members did the same. Even all of us watching, we looked around on the field. We'd all thought it was already there.
Leave it to Tidus to add more insanity to this already messed up game. Looking up to the palm trees above, I shook my head in mock shame. Then, I heard Riku grunt loudly from where he stood across from Sora.
"Tidus, why didn't you say anything before? I was so ready to start th-"
And just like that, I was laughing loudly, stopping him mid-sentence. Even with my eyes closed, I could feel all the stares on me. When I opened them, I immediately caught Sora's lifted-eyebrow gaze my way. He had an amused smile on his face.
Kairi leaned over to eye me directly, a smirk on her features.
"What? You found it?"
Not even able to say 'yes', I nodded quickly before pointing a finger above me. I watched as she, along with everyone else, followed my direction leafy canopy over us. It was shorter than most and its trunk curved in many ways, making it the ideal place to climb, sit on, and hang things from.
The latter of which was why I was pointing.
Seeing Roxas' long pants hung upside down to tie around the highest limb with the Blitzball sitting snugly between, made Kairi remember the prank and laugh along with me. The rest joined in. I looked to see Riku shake his head with a smile on his face, and Sora chuckle and begin to make his way over to the palm tree where I sat against.
I giggled as he shook his head too, running a hand through his damp brown hair. My heart almost fluttered, but I kept the gaze amused.
"Aw, why d'you guys always mess with my cousin?"
I saw out of the corner of my eye, Kairi tilt her head sideways with a grin. She closed her eyes in mischief.
"Because it's fun, of course."
When Sora reached us, he crossed his arms playfully and tilted his head too – but in the way he did, when he was curious.
"Does he even know?"
A guy friend of ours on Riku's team called out from the field to join in the conversation.
"Is he even here?!"
I heard Wakka chuckle beside, so I turned to face him with a smile on my face. He had a response to this coming up.
"I doubt it."
I chuckled to his comment, then turned back to face Sora. He was already climbing up the palm tree to where pants were hanging. I spoke loudly with warm confidence.
"Well, good thing. I was here to remember… his pants have been up there for days."
I heard Kairi giggle and Wakka scoff. I turned my head to face Riku as he spoke before quickly looking back up to Sora.
"You put it up there?"
"Yup."
As I watched Sora carefully, I felt Wakka pat me on the back. I guess he was sort of congratulating me. His pats almost pushed me forward. I inwardly chuckled. I'd forgotten how big he was.
"But, I thought you didn't like climbing trees, ya?"
I shook my head, but I didn't let my gaze leave Sora's climbing figure. I was worried he'd fall, even though I knew that'd never happen when it came to him. As he finally reached the top of the curved rim, he looked down for a moment, whistled at its height from the ground (it's short, but still a bit high), then proceeded to edge his way over to the pants that were hung close to the leaves. I heard him grunt in effort as he spoke from the perch.
"Nah, Naminé likes anything."
Once he reached the pants, he quickly swung his body over and hung upside-down by his legs. I nearly let out a gasp. I was always worried when he did that, even as a kid. With ease, I watched from below as he reached between the pant legs and took balls in both hands. And with less difficulty than most would have at his gravity-defiant level, he threw the ball directly to Riku's face – who cursed loudly after the impact.
With a smirk, I heard Sora chuckle and I looked back up at him, just in time to see him twist in the hang and jump down beside me. As he wiped his hands on his shorts, he stared at me with a soft smile. I watched his eyes glaze under his half-lids.
"Naminé does the unthinkable. That's what I like about her. Right?"
I blushed lightly. Too bad the sun was directly over us – I had nothing to cover my face. But I was touched by the compliment, so I ignored it. With a shy grin, I looked up at him. I knew my eyes were twinkling – that's what he did to me…I loved it.
"Sure, Sora."
And with a wink and a grin, he was off.
"Alright guys, let's play."
I watched his back as he ran back to the middle of the field. At this point, I didn't even care if Kairi was watching me or not. I rested my head in my left hand, the smile never leaving my face.
Naminé does the unthinkable…
That's what I like about her…
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'Alright, Naminé. Bend your knees a little more and lift that arm higher…… uh, better... Uhm, here. Let me help a bit.'
'You sure Sora? I thought I was doing right.'
'Uh, who's the better fighter?' There was a little chuckle. 'Trust me, kay?'
'You know I do.' A giggle followed afterwards.
With the light shuffle of sandals over the soft sand, the shadow of an eleven-year-old boy, nearing his best friends', cascaded over the grains from the afternoon sun. His outline stood close to hers in comfortable aid. In the movement of the figures, he raised both his arms to gently grab hold of her left. Though her body was stiff in its defensive position, she willingly bent into different points as he altered her certain poses.
When he was done raising her left arm and twisting her right hand a little more counter clockwise, he dropped his hands and placed them on her shoulders.
'There you go!'
'Thanks Sora.'
Even though the shadows couldn't outline their smiling faces, the happiness and energy radiated off both black figures on the ground. In their silhouettes, his body was an inch shorter than hers, but he grasped her foundations as she stiffened her body again. The outline of her head, turned to stare down at the shadows.
In an amused demeanour, Naminé noticed how much shorter the wooden sword looked in the shadow than it really was. The sun must have been very high up, probably already a little past lunch.
With that immediate thought, she relaxed her body again into a hunched position and with a big sigh, the girl wiped the sweat from her brow. The blonde hair over her forehead swished with the motion then allowed the sea's breeze to waft her heated skin, and cool her face.
With a refreshing breath, she turned in Sora's hold and grinned at him.
'Let's eat!'
Sora blinked rapidly. Was she for real? She'd been begging him all morning for another sword fighting practice once they reached the island. And after finally getting here, and practicing for less than 10 minutes, she was already hungry and ready to give up?
Despite his grin, acknowledging his love for food (to which she gratefully noticed), he inwardly questioned Naminé's sudden food cravings.
The thought had not so much lasted a second in his mind before he blurted it out.
'Naminé, what're you hungry for?'
She blinked her crystallized-sapphire orbs at him before giggling into her hand. Sora was so extroverted. From the day she'd met him in kindergarten, things had never changed. The wooden sword in her hand was already forgotten at her side, swinging lazily back and forth in her hold.
Sora took notice of this and shook his head disappointingly though he kept a small smile on his face.
"No Nami, come on! You gotta keep doing this until you get it."
Naminé stopped swinging the sword and tilted her head, pouting her face a little.
"Aw, Sora! You know I'll get it eventually." Like the good friend he was, Sora shook a finger in her face and regarded her angel expression with a mischievous glare.
"No, you won't. You'll just put it off like you always do every time we do this." Naminé blinked as her face flushed with red from immediate embarrassment.
"I do not!"
"Yeah, you do."
"Stop lying!"
"Nuh-uh! You always say I should teach you but when I try to, you give up so easily."
"No I don't!"
"Yes, you do! And ya know how many times we've started from the beginning? I'm sure you don't even want to learn this. That, or you don't have enough brain power to remember it!" He laughed lightly after saying this.
Naminé mock-gasped and punched him lightly in the shoulder.
"Stop talking bad about me, you blockhead!" She laughed afterwards.
'Hey!'
It was the start of those years when Naminé would begin picking on Sora. She felt so at ease and safe with him, that insults didn't even hurt. They were purely out of fun and both knew how special the other was to them. With minor, teasing fun, great friendship had been good to them over the years.
Hearing his quick defence, Naminé chuckled and pushed him lightly in the shoulder before linking her arm with his. Sora squirmed a bit in the hold. He was still getting used to all this touchy feeling.
When he was younger, he never really bothered long enough to care. Now he suddenly did, and it all felt weird.
'I'm not a dimwit!'
'I didn't say dimwit. I said blockhead!' Naminé giggled. 'Get it straight!'
Despite the angry retort, Sora was smiling devilishly. He quickly pulled out of her grasp and ran ahead to the shack. Naminé rolled her eyes playfully then jogged ahead to meet him.
Once they reached the shack, Sora waited a moment to let Naminé reach. Once she did, they pressed their hands on the door then the both of them pushed the shack door open with a loud yell – they had been doing this little action since they were seven.
Laughing lightly, Naminé ran in first and kneeled before her small backpack and began to unzip it. Still cheering, and awarding himself the praise he gave for his own strength, Sora plopped down next to his bag as well and pulled the Velcro apart to reach in. He spoke as they went to collecting their lunches.
'Nami, I don't think anyone knows someone better than themselves. Are you sure that's right?'
Despite his weird question, Naminé nodded her head, sending her blond tresses falling all over her face. With a puff of air, she blew them up and out of the way, before happily going back to her food retrieval.
'Mmm…maybe.' She giggled. That sounded like a stupid answer to give.
Sora threw his eyes up to the ceiling to the wooden ceiling with a confused look on his face. He thought so too.
'Well, whatever. But I think I know what you're in the mood for.'
Naminé threw her head over her shoulder to stare him. Her front and face had been facing away from him and in his exclamation, she turned to hear him curiously.
'Oh yeah? What?'
Flicking a grin to her, he jumped up and raced over to her with the speed of a cat and pounced on her backpack. She gave out a happy shriek as he began digging threw her contents, looking for her container. When he did, he pulled it out and waved it in her face, a grin on his own.
'Nothing! You don't want anything for lunch today, so I'm just gonna eat your lunch for ya!'
Blinking quickly, Naminé laughed lightly before swiping the container from his taunting hand and smacking playfully in the head.
'Don't put words in my mouth! And don't take my lunch!'
After rubbing his head on the spot where she nicked, he stared into her face hopefully. His eyes went all sparkly.
'Can I at least have some?'
Naminé rolled her eyes but obliged anyways. When Sora asked like this, she couldn't help but give in. She never could.
'Sure.'
After quickly thanking Sora for getting her food out of her pack, Naminé got up and headed for the door. Before pushing it open, she turned back to best friend.
'Come on Sora, I'm hungry.'
Her only response was his grumbling as he frantically went deeper into his bag.
'I'll uh, be there in a sec. Just find a good spot 'til I get out there.'
Naminé rolled her eyes.
'Okay, buddy.'
Putting a hand her hip with the familiar you-should-know-me-by-now look, she stared down at Sora for a couple more seconds. She remembered seeing his mom put his lunch in a bag in the front pocket. She shook her head.
It would be another five minutes before he stopped searching the back one. With a light chuckle, she turned back around to head out the door.
The moment she pushed it away, the familiar smell of cool sea salt water and hot sand filled both their noses. It drowned out the shack's smell of wood and damp sand. The heat that was decreased in density in the shack rushed back in and washed over her. Naminé found herself heaving a deep breath.
Some moments later, a triumphant yell was heard as Sora had finally succeeded in finding the paper bag. Pulling it out quickly with his head still down, he began another conversation with Naminé as he went to patch the Velcro shut.
'Hey, Nams! I found it, so you don't have to go out and look for a spot. I'm sure we can find a good one together, don' cha think?'
When silence followed his question, Sora whipped his head up and looked around the little wooden staircase. Realising that she had already gone out, he called out to her.
'Aw! You found a good spot already?! Hang on!'
Frantically, while keeping a tight clutch on his paper bag with one hand, Sora got up off the sand and after wiping his shorts with his free hand, he proceeded to head out the shack in search of his best friend.
'I'm coming!'
Even though Sora was a boy who liked to walk to the beat of his own drum like most other boys, he always felt a little lonely when he left Naminé by herself, watching her move around as she did her own thing. He assumed it was because they were so close for so long that this sense of drifting would now have some affect on him. Like an arm still attached to the body but in a cast to prevent it from working with the other.
Flicking his deep blue eyes around the beach, he couldn't spot her head of blonde hair anywhere. With a quiet huff, he took a step forward into the cool sand beneath him. The shack, being right up against an enormous fortification of rock, blocked out the sun's hot rays and shadowed his path in breezy comfortableness as he continued on in a straight line, while throwing his small head in all directions.
Coming up to the small platforms that lead up the fishing post, Sora's mind went reeling. Where'd Naminé get to so fast? He'd only been looking in his bag for a couple of seconds… right? As he pondered on it, how long had he actually taken? And how long had Naminé been waiting?
She lectured him about being this type of distracted. Sometimes he made her wait 10 minutes for a response, when all he was thinking about at the time was food or playing outside. It made her knick him on the head, tell him how much it annoyed her, and how much it made him a weirdo.
Coming to these thoughts, Sora grew a little tense. With a shallow breath and cautious eyes swirling around, he outwardly cringed as he began to walk slower on softer steps.
'U-uh… I-I'm sorry, Naminé! I didn't mean to, uh…uhm…y…ya know, make you wait so long! If I did, I'm sorry! Just… don't hit me again, okay?'
When more silence followed as expected, Sora gulped the thick saliva building in the back of his mouth and held his paper bag in front of him as his only line of defence.
Realising this action, he grumbled softly to himself.
'Shoulda brought the sword with me..!'
Sora clambered over the final platform that led to the fishing post and stopped momentarily to get a better view of the area around him. If Naminé wasn't beyond the platform he was on, and standing on the wooden walkway like he though she might, his guesses at where she went would come to a standstill and he'd have to go looking for her on the other end of the island.
And just as he was leaning his head carefully beyond the wall of the bedrock to see…
'Gotcha!!'
With a loud shriek, Sora pulled away instantly but wasn't quick enough to get his butt, arm and shin knocked by Naminé's wooden sword, and finally his lunch lifted out of his hands by the tip of her sword. Shocked for words, he watched dumbfounded as she caught it up in the air with her left hand. And when he looked to her face, he blinked at her mischievous eyes and cheeky grin she adorned. She then laughed loudly.
A sudden hot flush of pink rose to his cheeks as he was still at loss for words and by the time he regained his composure, Naminé was already over to his side, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and patting his back in a cheap friendly way. Her giggles still falling from her lips
'Awh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to freak you out that much! I actually thought you would see it coming!'
Pulling away from the hug, suddenly feeling awkward by it, Sora pouted.
'Yeah well, I-I did! I was just pretending.'
Immediately hearing this response, Naminé mimicked Sora's pout and put her free hand on her hip, giving him a look of incredulous.
'Oh yeah?'
Sora nodded his head frantically in a desperate attempt to cover up his embarrassment.
'Y-yeah! I was too busy worrying about where'd you'd run off to!'
With a little giggle once more, Naminé brought her defensive look down along with her hand on her hip and gave him a warm smile. She dropped her sword onto the ground beside her and reached down to grab her container.
'Well, you found me! So, come on! Let's go find a great spot to eat! How about on top that big platform on the other side? Ooh, yeah! Let's go there! Then I can go right back to trying to kick your butt again!'
Grabbing his hand and pulling him along, Naminé dragged Sora with as much force as she could muster, all the while ignoring his cries of letting her grasp go. She laughed wholeheartedly and rushed down the platforms bringing him with her.
And while Sora kept up his protests, despite the awkwardness he was feeling with her hand in his, at the same time, it still felt right.
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"Who got smoked?! You did, Riku!"
"Psh, yeah. Whatever, it's only a practice game."
"Yeah, a practice game where you got smoked!"
"Yeah, smoked!"
"Smoked yeah!"
Sora and Tidus along with three other boys from their team cheered loudly, clinking their bottles full of the popular fruit drinks they bought from the mainland. As I laughed loudly beside Sora, I felt the wind whip past me as Riku came up behind him and got him in a headlock.
Despite my inward concern, I giggled and stepped back, letting Riku do his damage. I guess I'm not as stealthy as I thought because Sora managed to incline his body in my retreating direction and yell with strained effort.
"H-hey! Where do you think you're going?! You're supposed to watch my back!"
Finally pulling up to stop beside the red-head, Kairi and I clinked our own bottles laughing as we watched Riku pull him away with the other guys for what looked like the makings of a wrestling match ready to break out.
I rolled my eyes. I couldn't believe all this was really happening in two hours.
The game went on for five matches – Sora's team winning three, and Riku's two. Even though I love both boys equally on playing terms, I can't help but admit that I bet my money on Sora almost all the time.
With that thought in my head, I chuckled softly to myself and look down into the transparent bottle where the light pink liquid swirled. I closed eyes after a minute of silent musing.
Why am I such a cheerleader when it comes to my best friend?
Despite all the weird thoughts running around in my head, I can't help but deny the fact that I am his best friend. I should always be supportive of his actions… even if it means he has to crush someone else in the process. That's not my style, but I'd rather watch Sora having all the physical attributes.
Wait, physical?
A sudden heat rushed to my cheeks. Where did that come from? With a quick reflex, I threw my hand to my forehead just as Kairi turned to eye me curiously. I pretended to be winded in the energy of the laugh.
"You alright?"
When I tried to keep my eyes locked with hers, Sora's spiky brown hair came into view from behind her, and I found myself averting my eyes to the ground. This was all happening way too quickly, and I couldn't help the shaky feeling I was start to form. I felt like a leaf in a strong breeze. But I couldn't let Kairi figure that out, so with a pretend whistle and light laugh, I answered her question in the best exhausted way possible.
"Y-yeah… It's just…whew, hot out here. Don't you think?"
Something in Kairi's face, the way it scrunched and lifted an eyebrow to me, told me she wasn't buying into my diversion and it made me feel uncomfortable. As I thought about it, I had to wonder – what was I diverting? And even more important, why didn't I want her to figure out whatever it was?
With a few more seconds, she turned her head back slowly to the boys and shrugged.
"Whatever you say."
When my face was completely out of her view, I expelled a breath I didn't even know I was holding.
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"Awh, come on guys! Don't tell me you're leaving now! We just got the party started!"
I watched as Sora's walked over to Tidus and slapped a hand on his bare shoulder, grinning as he spoke.
"Naw, we can't. Sorry, Tidus! Me and Nams haven't even started that project for English yet so we've gotta pull an all-nighter tonight. Get started early though, right?"
When Sora finished speaking to him and the rest of the guys that had started to surround them, he began walking over to me with a warm smile on his face. I assumed that after talking about me with them, he was really starting to look forward to the sleepover.
And as I really thought about it, it made me cringe inside. All-nighters with Sora only meant two hours of actually doing homework, and the rest of the nine spent bingeing on junk food, watching movies, and talking about nonsense until the sun came up.
I can't say I complain though – that's one of the many reasons that makes him Sora, and why I love him as my best friend. But in reality, I know there's something wrong with this picture here.
When he finally came back to stand beside me, I handed him his blue-striped button shirt and gave him a knowing look with my eyes. When he caught it, he knew exactly what I was thinking only moments ago. But nonetheless, he grinned and gave me wink.
"Thanks."
Thankfully, he turned back around to Tidus so quickly, he didn't notice the little flush that rose to my cheeks. I'm thankful no one did.
Hearing a dramatic sigh, I brought my gaze back to Tidus as he crossed his arms and gave us both a small smirk.
"Alright, fine. Leave. But don't be calling me up tomorrow with questions about what happened while you were gone!"
I grinned softly as Sora's laugh erupted beside me. A warm energy seemed to pour into my stomach and I found myself shivering softly with comfort – yeah, he has that affect on me. But then again, he has that affect on everyone. When Tidus' laugh broke out too, it proved my point.
"You know I will, Tidus."
"Yeah, yeah… well, see ya tomorrow buddy." As he turned to go return to the rest of the party, he threw his head back and gave me a little mischievous smile.
"See ya later, Naminé! Oh, and good luck with that, all night!"
I laughed as he indicated with a nudge of his head in Sora's direction. After Sora took a moment slower to process what he meant, he jumped on the spot and throw his fist at the tan boy.
"Hey!!"
I rolled my eyes and chuckled, and then with a light tug on Sora's arm, I pulled him in the direction of the rowboats.
"Come on, let's get going!"
Sora chuckled and went to walk beside me. He started a conversation as he began putting on his shirt.
"Man, you notice how fast it gets cold here on the island? I swear, we're going to have to bring long-sleeves more often… Aw, I can't believe that one shot we made! That was incredible saving by Marcus! Coach should really think of putting him on offence. Hey! You think I could talk to him about it since I'm the captain right now? I don't want to come off as pushy but I think it might be really cool if we go…."
Sora's words were going into my head, but I wasn't really paying attention as the seconds ticked by. Despite his cool character and calm leisurely lifestyle, when Sora got excited about anything, he could go on like an energized girl.
I've told him that too, and I would've told him that at the moment again. But I was too busy looking behind us as we retreated from the warm dying glow of the island's sunset party.
It was extremely picturesque, sketch-worthy if I'd had the time to draw it. Everyone who had come out in the afternoon still lounged about without us in their long-sleeves and dry t-shirts (just like Sora suggested), basking in the comfortableness of nothing and talking the evening away like any teenager. Sora and I would have desperately wanted to say, but unlike everyone else who finished their English assignments early, they didn't have Sora as a partner.
As I thought about everyone else, I realised I hadn't said goodbye to Kairi when we took leave. But when we saw each other tomorrow, she wouldn't mind. Kairi was very 'half glass-full' about everything – she never took anything to heart if she thought it wasn't intentional.
"…and that's why I told him I'd never put seaweed down my shorts. Heh, pretty weird eh?"
Blinking rapidly, I chuckled and rolled my eyes. There was nothing I could say to that response, even if I had heard everything he said up to this point. So instead I just elbowed him in the gut and proceeded to kneel down on the ledge of the dock. As I heard him make groan slightly from my little assault, I began to untie our boat for the ride home.
"Uhh…let's just get to the mainland before I hear what else you're planning to put inside your pants."
"B-but I said I wouldn't put it down my–!"
I laughed, getting him off the subject.
"Come on, Sora!"
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"So, we've got about a half hour of sunlight left. Where's the fastest place we can go to grab a couple of blackberries?"
Sora and I got to the mainland when we completely read each other's mind and remembered that we still had yet to try another type of berry for nearly the whole day and with the sun retreating, we had to be back at my house before my parents got worried.
Normally when we stay out late, I call them or tell them ahead of time so they don't worry – Sora does the same. But we figured we'd have been back way before the sunlight gave out and not waiting until tomorrow to try another berry with the whole night to look forward to, we both mentally scratched our heads and began thinking.
"I don't know… the market's probably already out of fresh fruit by now…"
From the corner of my eye, I watched Sora nod his head, his brown spikes bouncing around as we walked. It made me smile despite our current stress.
All around us, the warm and quiet buzz of the town lulling down for the night was drifting. Sora and I walked side by side, my arm linked with his in a modest friendly gesture. I could hear our shoes hit the concrete pavement in unison and I felt the sway in my hair be caressed by the cool breeze of the upcoming evening that flew through the streets. Orange and yellow lights flourished before my eyes, and as I was thinking of blackberries, I found myself looking around to all the distracting everyday antics of the townspeople. There was talking, laughing, the occasional yell and holler to another floating all about, and while I could hear Sora's reply, I was more preoccupied with the pleasant fuzz in my heart from watching the other people unlike him. I was certain no one else in the world would know how safe and wholesome it is to be part of community such as this.
"And it's too far and too late now to walk over to Baltic to their late-hour store. The parents would freak."
Hearing Sora finish, I blinked and pulled out of my daze. I instinctively felt myself tighten my arm with his and press my shoulder into him, closing the little gap in our walk. But to my relief, strange enough, Sora didn't react in any negative way. With a light chuckle, I heard him continue talking.
"You think we're actually going to get any work done tonight?"
I rolled my eyes and I giggled. Then leaning my head out to give him the old 'You-should-know-me-by-now' look, I smirked.
"What do you think?"
To my amusement, Sora laughed, bringing another kind of warmth to my heart that made it flutter.
"That's my girl!"
I watched him admirably as he smiled handsomely down to my face. In the glow of the street around us, it was contoured so wonderfully with shadow that it almost made it hard not to stare at him long enough.
But I'd never tell that to his face.
I laughed lightly and picked up our pace a little. Sora effortlessly caught up and we were walking in unison again.
"Come on, Sora… you made me put it off for so long! Now we have to suffer all night. The least you could do now is find me some blackberries to get over this misery."
Sora chuckled again.
"Alright, Naminé."
I inwardly sighed. Sora was so painfully easy-going that I was sure spending the rest of my life with him would mean an early death.
Wait…what? …Spend the rest of…?
The train of thought I was currently riding on wouldn't any further than to the station I had just arrived in. As I thought about it more, I realised my rational made sense.
Sora and I have been friends since kindergarten. Close friends. Best friends. We've slept in the same room for years up until today. We share secrets… buildings, skyscrapers of memories. Have our own jokes, nicknames, codes… the whole friendship works!
Heh, if I couldn't see him in my life later on in years, I'd have to wonder who I was. Being with Sora for all these years is like breathing air. He's always there, and I find myself feeling him everywhere even when he isn't.
When he isn't…
Despite the warm feeling I was still absorbing from our evening walk, I felt my eyebrows crease together.
Being with Sora… spending the rest of my life with him… and yet, the words had more emphasis on a different meaning.
And I wasn't stupid enough to understand what it meant.
Looking up to his face again, I watched as my best friend still deep in thought with a concentrated but soft look in his eyes. In deep thought of my own, I bit my lower lip softly.
Feeling like the little girl I was when I was four, hiding beneath his warm bed sheets as I cried with him sleeping on the floor beside me, my heart wretched.
I knew that no matter what, I would never lose Sora in the sense of a best friend. He'd be there for me forever, to my own comfort. But…
…would I be able to handle it in the different way when another opportunity… another girl… would arrive, and he would be there for her… in ways I would never experience with him?
At fifteen, I know it's wrong to think so far ahead and so intimately about someone this way. But in all fairness, he's my best friend.
I've known Sora to have multiple crushes on other girls throughout the years, just like I have. It's natural. And in the end, we're still the last two tied together so tightly.
Still… I…
"Naminé? Naminé, you okay? What's wrong?"
When I blink and come back to reality, I find Sora's face directly in front my own and he's holding my cheek in a gentle caress, shaking my head slightly. A warmth from where his fingers are brushing in soft contact is rising quickly and I widen my eyes in a very small interval so he doesn't notice my initial fluster. Pretending to be a little dazed, more than embarrassed, I look around slowly.
Sora's pulled me to the side of the street, near an open alleyway where lights from open homes and stores have their evening lights turned on already. I release my hold on his arm and smile.
"Nothing, nothing. Can't I just have a moment to myself?"
I close my eyes and grin in a tease. Unbeknownst, I miss Sora's knowing smile and mischievous glint in his eyes. When I do, something strange or wonderful always follows.
"Of course you can."
Hearing his slightly suggestive reply, I open my sapphire blue irises and watch him mildly curious. I don't say anything, but I still feel his left hand pleasantly holding my face. He smiles through half-lid eyes.
"That's what makes you my Naminé."
Hearing these words, I feel a light blush rising and with a small grin. I tilt into his lingering palm and hold it with my right hand. I'm unaware of the two middle-aged women who walk past us into the alleyway, who quietly cooed as they watched and heard us with warm eyes.
"Yours?"
With a firm nod, Sora grins back softly and starts rubbing my cheek with his thumb. I'm not sure if he knows he's doing it, but I could care less if he does. All that strikes me is the shiver it's causing to run up my spine.
"Yup!"
The assertiveness and beguine I hear in his voice, causes me to laugh warmly. As I drop my hand back down, Sora follows in suit with his own. There's a little disappointment in my stomach but I push it down and any more thoughts that are distracting me from the real problem. With my hands on my hips I smirk up at him.
"Alright then master, did you find a place for us to get my blackberries?"
Sora laughed to my retort and scratched his nose with a finger and looked down sheepishly.
"I didn't mean it when I said it like that!"
I giggled lightly and rolled my eyes.
"Then what did you mean by I'm yours?" It was just to tease and see where he would go.
But in a nonchalant way, he coughed lightly and stepped out of my path. Then swinging his left arm over my shoulder, he pulled me with him into the alleyway and we began waling again. I turned my head to stare at him again with a raised eyebrow.
Way to cover the subject, Sora. Heh.
"While you were busy having a moment, I came with the perfect place to get some blackberries!"
I chuckled.
"Oh yeah, where?"
With a sleek grin, Sora looked down to my face and eyed me slyly.
"But you're paying."
I rolled my eyes again and pouted.
"Where exactly are we going?"
Sora's grin widened and with a sharp turn into another back alley street that I hadn't noticed we were walking towards, he pointed his index finger to a little modest structure of a restaurant coming up towards us.
"I figured… hey, I'm hungry for cake too, so why not buy both? And then the immediate thought of cheesecake came to mind!" With a smile, I heard him laugh. "Don't worry. Their dessert's really good. Dad and I took mom there for her birthday last year."
My smile proceeded to grow wider as we approached the restaurant's windows and I viewed the activities on the inside.
There were a good amount of chairs and tables, probably about 40 sets, and many of them were still occupied by people, couples, families, old men and women getting together for a night out. Their voices, their laughter, carried out to me through the brightly lit windows. The waitresses and bartenders moving about looked cheerful and upbeat, seemingly happy that the work day was ending soon. Sora's voice picked up again.
"I can't believe I forgot about this place, since then… but then again, I haven't been down here a lot. Otherwise I would've taken you here sooner to try it out!" With a another chuckle, he looked to me, and raised an eyebrow.
"So, what do you think?"
With a bright smile, I patted the arm over my shoulder and nodded vigorously, already excited.
"It's perfect."
Sora closed his eyes, his smile still on his face.
"Don't worry, they always add the fresh berries to the flavours you ask for, so we'll still be getting the blackberries as long you remember to order it!"
I laughed lightly. "No, I won't. I might get a little distracted though… seeing as there's probably gonna be so many other choices!"
At this Sora perked up. "Oh, there is! They've got all the other berry flavours, and there are other fruits too that I can remember. Mango's one of them for sure, and chocolate! Even though, that's not a fruit, heh but I think there's also angelfood, and different syrups you can…"
But Sora's voice only got that far into my head. I was too busy loving this moment of warmth and happiness with him, and as we past two middle-aged women walking ahead of us, I couldn't help but blush and smile warmly as they watched us serenely and suspiciously interested.
I rolled my eyes.
Must be because of Sora. He talks way too much.
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We were given:
Two hands to hold. Two legs to walk.
Two eyes to see. Two ears to listen.
But why only one heart?
Because the other was given to someone else. For us to find.
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Sorry, it was late!
Musical inspiration to help set the mood for this chapter comes from the soundtrack of The Wedding Planner. If you don't like this movie, you haven't lived! Haha, that's all for now. Hope it wasn't too long. Don't forget to give me more berries to work with – thanks to al those who gave me some already :) They're going to be put in the story. Sora and Naminé… aren't they so sweet?
