The Blitzball team was required to stay after school until the game. I got changed really fast but still had two hours until the game started. I decided to just talk to Sora for a bit.
"Excited about the game?" He asked.
I shook me head back and forth. "Not so much."
"Nervous about Namine being there?" .
"huh?" Since when was she coming?.
"It'll be fine. She probably wont be paying much attention anyway." He smirked.
"Wait. How do you know shes even coming?" I asked, very confused.
"What...Oh!" He was suddenly serious. "You're right, she probably wont even come!" He patted me on the back and ran off.
Okay.....
I went and sat down on the far side of the bleachers where no one else was sitting and closed my eyes. In seconds, I was out.
Who-knows-how-long later I heard laughing. My eyes snapped open to reveal a giggling Kairi. I quickly sat up and scanned my surroundings, Olette was there, too.
"Oh...Its you guys." I said, relieved.
They both laughed.
"Isn't it time you got ready for the game?" Olette asked, pointing to the clock on the gym wall.
"Holy crap!" I gasped,
Kairi frowned and opened her mouth but the coach had begun to scream at me to prepare for the game.
Later....
I was totally disconnected while our pool sphere began to fill up with water. There was a good reason for that, too. Namine was there. I hadn't really counted on her coming. Even with the strange way Kairi and Sora wee both acting. I didn't see her as the type of person who came to after-school events. Crap.
I honestly hadn't felt nervous about a game since I started playing blitzball in seventh grade! And now I felt like if I made any sudden movements I was going to puke all over the freshman on the bench next to me.
I sighed and tried to force myself to relax. That lasted a total of three seconds.
"Number 14! Your up!" Coach Wakka bellowed."Your next, Hikari!" He yelled, shooting a peircing glance my way that said: You better not screw up.
I put a 'thumbs up' and coach's eyes narrowed before turning away.
I got up to stretch. I looked up to see Sora running back this way with a towel around his shoulders.
"Roxas! You can win this game for us!" He said, high-fiving me. I nodded.
"Hikari!" Coach shouted. I swallowed.
As I swam out into the sphere pool I heard girls chanting my name. As it usually did, It didn't make me feel better this time. I swan faster, just wanting this game to end sooner, and took my position.
Not much later the ball flew my way, a little too high. I thought about a moveI had seen Tidus do during the summer while we were playing. I gathered all the courage I had and decided to go for it. After all, If we lost, It would only be by four points.
I jumped into to the top of the sphere pool and did a backflip. I was falling backwards and looked into the crowd to see Namine. Of course. With the ball in front of my foot, and me still up-side down, I kicked it with all the force I had. And....It worked!
The goalie for the other team did his best but didn't even come close to catching the ball. Everyone in the gym screamed. I wasn't even thinking about winning the game, I was just feeling satisfied about not messing that up in front of Namine. I smiled, pleased with myself.
I swam out of the sphere pool, into the locker room. Sora was right behind me.
"Congrats, Roxas!" He said.
"Thanks." I replied, opening my locker, pulling out dry clothes.
I got dressed quickly and left the the locker room. Kairi ran up to me.
"I can't believe you did that! That was so cool!" She gushed, I smiled..
"Oh, can you give this to Namine next time you see her. I tried to, but I have no idea where she went" She handed me Namine's sketchbook I nodded.
"Yeah sure"
She ran the other way to Sora, and I followed.
"Great game guys!" Olette and Hayner said at the same time.
" I knew we'd win!" Sora grinned.
Selphie came running up to us and hugged Riku. Then, she waved towards the exit. I turned to see Namine in the doorway waving back, and she began to walk away.
Suddenly the book in my hand felt very heavy. "Oh, Namine!" I shouted running over to her. "Kairi said you left this." I handed her the book.
"Thanks." She said in a bored tone.
I felt really stupid standing there. The last time I had talked t her we were in a fight. I wanted to apologize but wasn't quite sure how.
She was first to speak again. "I saw how you made that last goal, congratulations"
"Thanks, Tidus taught me that move, I can't believe I actually tried it, but I guess it turned out okay,"
"Well it's getting really late, I'm gonna go," she said and started to walk away."
I sighed. Thinking about our fight. "Namine wait, before you leave I gotta ask you something,"
She stopped, eyebrows raised.
"Do you by any chance…" I began, looking down, "like…Riku?"