Hey guys, here it is after a loooong wait. I hope you guys like it.

The hallways were always filled with people gossiping. Was that abnormal? No. But it still made my skin tingle. I felt as if everyone was watching me, waiting for me to break down.

Living on the islands was tough enough already. I didn't need the extra weight thrown onto my back because of people who couldn't shut their mouths. It was a terrible feeling, really. For the first time in a long time, I was questioning who were my real friends and which ones were gossip-loving whores.

Why did everyone talk about me? Oh that's easy. I was the first kid at Destiny High sent to a rehabilitation course for suicide.

My face was still painted with false smiles. If you asked me about what happened, I'd change the subject. It wasn't anyone's business to know what I do. Laughter was a rare occurrence though. Few people could make me truly laugh.

I could still feel the tingle on my scarred wrists. A sensation I tried so desperately forget every day of my life. Sometimes I would find myself absently tracing the slightly smoother, slightly different coloured slashes with my fingers. Usually I was nervous when I found myself doing that.

If someone else were to even come remotely close, I'd shimmy away. I didn't need anyone else seeing it, even if everyone knew. Most of the time I wore long sleeves and when the occasion arose that I would wear a tee; bracelets adorned my arms.

Summer was going to be hell.

. . . . .

The rain was pouring down. It was warm and made my clothing cling to my body in the most uncomfortable way. For sure the water had found its way into the plastic bag that held what little I had on me. All it carried was an old music player, a change of clothes, a camera, deodorant and a pack of bubble-mint gum. I was more concerned about finding my friend's house before the thunderstorm came to town than the contents of my bag. The feeling as if someone was following me stayed for the whole trip. I didn't want to look back and all I could hear was the sound of my footprints splashing in small puddles.

It had been raining all week. My mother said I couldn't hang out with my friend until the weather cleared up. Which meant it'd be at least another five days until my silver-haired accomplice and I could make our First-Day-of-School pranks. Was I happy about this? No, I was not. It was a pain the butt way my mom had come up with to get me to stop hanging out with such a "bad influence". If anything, or one, was the bad influence it was me.

I was angry, cold and wet. Home was not somewhere I had been for a long time, and I just wanted to at least visit it. My anger was almost as raw as it was a few months ago. Back when I thought that my way out of life was A-okay, that no one actually cared. When I was so full of fail; my average was forty-nine-point-two. None of that mattered anymore. After I woke up on the hospital bed, I felt like a new person.

Boy was I mistaken.

How come Riku knew? How did he find me out when no one in the house could? Did he figure it out before I did?

I run up the steps to his house like of the any other times. He's waiting for me at the door. I've never been so happy to see him. I just hate it's under these circumstances. When my shoes are off, he ushers me to his room where he leaves me for a few minutes to I can change in peace.

Riku comes back with the latest movie out of theatres and a six pack of beer. He puts it into the player and comes to sit next to me. We both know after I have half of a beer, I'll spill what's on my mind. I don't care. His parents aren't home, so it's our little secret.

The opening credits roll as I crack open a can. I can feel Riku looking at me. But I ignore it, and pay attention to the movie while I gulp down the contents of the can at an alarming rate.

"My mom's trying to control who I hang out with." I say as I lean on Riku, it's a nice feeling really. He doesn't mind. He runs his hands through my wet hair.

"I'm assuming she doesn't like me?" Riku chuckles at this.

"Not the slightest." Conversation broke off as we watch some guy in the movie press a red button. The alarm system counts down from one minute. The guy runs like a mad man trying to get out.

Ten seconds are left, and he has met up with a girl. They run for the door that's only ten feet away. Both of the actors dive out of the way.

Then the power went out.

"R-Riku?" I cuddle closer to him. Damn storm, knocking out the power. It is pitch black, only to be lit up every few minutes by flashes of lightning. I'm shivering, not from the cold, but from fear of the dark and the storm.

"Shh. It's all right Sora." Riku coos in my ear as he wraps an arm around my waist, pulling me closer to him. I close my eyes and feel my body shake from the thunder and my sobbing. Why do I act like such a baby around Riku?

"The storm will go away." He whispers. I stop my crying and look up at him. He gives me a gentle smile and all I could think about was how nice it'd be to kiss those lips.

Riku's face is getting closer to mine. Not that I mind. His lips are just millimetres from mine, and his gorgeous oceanic eyes shut close. I close the space with the kiss we both have been waiting for.

What the hell was I doing?

I leap out of his lap, not even aware that I was in it. I grabbed my plastic bag on my way out his bedroom door. He still sits on his bed, wondering what just happened. I don't even know.

Where was I to go now? I couldn't go home. It was ten, no one would be expecting me to come over, and the storm was getting rougher. I needed shelter desperately.

My legs carried me to a park. My eyes were surveying the place. There was a bench. But that was metal. I noticed a cement bridge with a small creek running under it. Naturally, I gravitated towards it, knowing it'd be the best sheltering I could find. Sure it was cold, and I was wet. But it was better than sitting out in the open.

I was shivering violently. It was cold, dark and I was scared. What if some creepy person came up and mugged me? What if I got beaten to death?

Many more thoughts ran through my head as I wrapped my arms around my knees in an attempt to keep myself warm. I knew it was failing. It was getting harder to keep my eyes open. The last thing I remembered was the tickling sensation of hair touching my face.

. . . . .

Waiting in the hospital room again was hell. It was a not so friendly reminder of the past. Only this time it was an accident. I hated seeing Sora's like that; in a hospital bed with an IV in his arm while he tossed and turned. But at least he wasn't as pale as he was a few hours ago.

My knee bobbed up and down as I waited for Sora to wake up. The doctors said it would be soon. Roxas tried to calm me down; when that failed he went for a walk. This was my entire fault. Sora wouldn't have ran if I...

"Riku." The brunette murmured in his sleep.

It made me feel like a creeper; watching him sleep. But I couldn't leave. My gut was telling me that something horrible would happen if I left. So I stayed.

Blue eyes fluttered open and met mine. A small smile graced his lips. Sora motioned for me to come closer. Who was I to deny him that?

"Riku. I'm sorry," His voice was hoarse and scratchy. Sora was nibbling at his bottom lip. "Really, really sorry that I put you through this... again."

"It's okay." I sat on the bed with Sora, wrapping my arms around him. A smile reappeared on his face before he snuggled into me. I started rocking him in my arms, wishing this moment would never end.

"Hey Riku," Sora started, looking up at me. I looked at him, and we both knew he had my attention. "I love you."

My heart skipped a beat. He said the three words that had been stuck in my throat for years. I couldn't help but grin.

"I love you too, Sora."

The End.

Whoa. It's finished? Say whhaaaat? It is now finished after like two years.

- Self Pity Party