A/N: Thanks to everyone for reviewing so far! I love your opinions and supports. =^.^=
Disclaimer: I do not own KH. If I did...Terella would be the official couple in this and Namine and Sora will always be together!
'Blow, blow, thou winter wind,
Thou art not so unkind
As man's ingratitude;
Thy tooth is not so keen,
Because thou art not seen,
Although thy breath be rude...'
Sora slammed his hand on the relentlessly ringing alarm clock. He moaned in frustration and tossed and turned in his bed before sleep took over his body once again. He allowed the edges of fatigue engulf his mind, closing his eyes and snoring out loud.
However, the wind cried outside like a frightened child, disturbing his peaceful atmosphere. The brunet sat up in his bed and stretched his arms, hearing the cracks of stiff joints before swinging his legs to the edge and hopping away from his comfort zone. The smell of fried onions and egg filled his nostrils and he heard the sizzling of oil and the clanging of dishes rise from the kitchen next door.
"Cindy must be up already..." he murmured, scratching at an irritating spot on his head before grabbing a towel from the wardrobe and heading into the bathroom.
After his much needed bath, he dressed into his new navy school uniform and scampered into the kitchen to find an omelette complete with buttered toast and milk laid out at the table for him. Cinderella was washing dishes at the sink. She smiled as he sat at the table.
"Morning!" she said joyfully.
Sora grinned and waved at her before wolfing down his omelette. His stomach churned with satisfaction until he gobbled down the last piece of toast and drank the milk whole from the carton. Cinderella merely giggled at his appetite, something nobody could compete with. Sora set his fork down on the now empty plate and thanked his sister for the delicious meal.
"You do know how to get to the school, right?" she asked, worry gleaming in her brilliant blue eyes.
He advised her not to get anxious as he flung the schoolbag over his shoulder and kissed her cheek goodbye. Sora prayed that she would be alright on her own as he dashed out the door. A shower of water rained upon him and he groaned loudly while staring into the eternally cloudy grey sky. The merciless wind whipped at his brown locks and hair, threatening to throw him off balance when he made his way to the school.
"Stupid winter wind, you have to be so harsh, don't you?" he muttered as his feet pounded over endless puddles across the path.
Luckily, his school was only around the corner and it took him at most ten minutes to arrive. The school was large, as he expected for one being in the city. He stood at the entrance, not wishing to enter as hoards of students bustled about him. Sora gripped his schoolbag, tightly and stared at the many flight of stairs. Which homeroom belonged to his? Should he ask someone?
"Hey, you okay there?"
An intimidating sight of a tall silver-haired boy towered over him. The boy's apple green eyes bore into his, daring him to spill out any secrets. He was muscular and was quite an attractive sight for the girls that zoomed by. However, Sora saw that beyond the boy's gruff appearance was someone who was fiercely loyal and compliant.
"I'm new here and I'm kinda lost," he said.
The boy offered to check his timetable and point out the directions for him.
"Hang on a minute; you're the new kid, Sora, right? You're in the same class as me but Ms. Gainsborough is sick so she isn't coming in this week. Follow me to the library for a free period," the boy grinned.
Sora sighed with relief. At least the silver haired boy was in the same class as his. Now he didn't have to worry about making friends or getting lost inside the massive school. He followed him down to the library, stumbling after the other's quick stride.
"Sorry, I didn't catch your name," Sora said.
"I'm Riku," the boy replied with a crooked smile when he glanced back at the brunet over his shoulder. Sora sensed a bond of friendship spark between them already.
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Sora was overwhelmed at the size of the library. It was grandly spacious with shelves filled with each genre of books imaginable. Seats and tables were scattered around the shelves, some hidden behind them. His old school, being one in the woodlands, was small with no more than fifty students attending altogether. Charming had never wanted to send him to regal schooling since he had doubted Sora's lineage.
Sora saw his supposed class 'studying' with each other. Riku led him to a table where a girl resided, her face hidden behind a book.
She smiled at the brunet when Riku introduced him. Her name was Kairi and Sora thought it suited her auburn-red hair. Her violet eyes were beaming rambunctiously and she spoke in a rather authoritative tone that emphasised who the leader was between her and Riku. The silver-haired boy on the other hand, would send her beguiling looks of admiration and would often ruffle her hair to which she'd push him away. Overall, Sora estimated that they had an unbreakable sense of friendship, Riku being her shield and Kairi being...Well, a conscience for Riku.
Sora fitted well with the class, Riku and Kairi having introduced him to most people. Luckily for him, both were in most of his classes so he wasn't alone and didn't lose his way around the magnificent school. The teachers were warm and welcoming but that's what he should have expected on his first day. The only teacher he didn't get along with was Leon, the maths teacher that most girls fantasised about, including Kairi. Most boys despised the fact that a teacher beat them to a girl's heart without even trying.
Leon was quite cold yet nonchalant but Sora noticed it from the man's flared nostril, his brown hair to his icy blue eyes and the prominent scar across the bridge of his nose that there were elements of restlessness brewing inside him. Yet his maths teacher placed a mask over his emotions and let out the brunt of his unease at the distress of his students. Sora made a mental note to avoid having his name in Leon's black book lest he'd have to do extra maths homework for a whole week. Besides, being a Sophomore was hard enough.
There was one boy that intrigued Sora and that was Roxas. The latter didn't stay with anyone in his class but hung out with the Seniors at lunch time and conversed with them at the corridors. Two of the Seniors that caught Sora's eyes was a red-headed boy with deep green eyes that beheld malice. His partner in crime was a blond who was hugely spontaneous with his mood swings. Kairi pointed the red-head as Axel, her cousin that she sincerely hated and his friend was Demyx. Apparently, they were the pranksters of the school and have seemingly drawn poor Roxas into their web of lies.
A week had flown by quicker then Sora could have said 'Kingdom Hearts' but Cinderella hadn't found a job. Tifa was patient whatsoever and told them not to worry so Sora secretly applied for a few jobs himself. The only people who knew about his dreadful situation were Kairi and Riku.
"You should tell your sister to apply at the famous dojo, The Land of Departure. They usually have small jobs like cooking or cleaning," Riku commented at lunch time one day.
Sora shared the shaami kebabs that Cinderella had amiably made for him with his two friends. Kairi gave him a thumbs up when she took a bite out of the spicy kebab, its oriental aroma caused other students to glare at them in envy.
"I've never heard of it," Sora said after gobbling his third kebab.
"How could you not?" Kairi exclaimed, "Terra Eraqus is the head of the dojo. He's a famous martial artist."
"Yeah, I go there for karate lessons," Riku piped in.
It didn't seem like a bad idea. Sora might confide this information with Cindy. Hopefully she would find some sort of work at the dojo. He hated seeing how she feigned a smile everyday and hiding all the worries so her back became crooked with the mental burden she carried.
As far as his school days went, he thought they were halcyon and no obtrusions would interfere with his days, but how wrong he was. His school days changed when he met her, the girl who reminded him of the moon when she would brush her pale golden hair over one shoulder and her aqua coloured eyes resembled the phosphorescent ocean that reflected the stars.
A crowd of seniors pushed passed her in the corridor and all the books (mainly ones of famous artists) tumbled out of her arms, sprawling across the floor. He bent to help her pick the books and when their eyes met, his heart suddenly rummaged inside his chest and his tongue couldn't form any words when she silently thanked him. Her shoulder brushed his when she continued towards her destination, leaving a lingering burning sensation that he could still feel under his school blazer.
"Who's that?" he asked Riku who had caught up with him.
"Naminé Strife, pretty isn't she?" he stated, narrowing his eyes and crossing his arms across his chest.
"Yeah..." Sora replied, wishing he could meet her again.
"I'll stay away from her if I were you," his friend said instantly. Sora gave him a curious glance.
"She's Roxas' ex-girlfriend. Even though they broke up, Axel encourages Roxas to still pursue her. He hates it if there's competition," Riku explained.
"Why did they break up?"
Riku shrugged and told him how it was all a mystery. Sora knew that he should stay out of trouble but part of him wanted to meet Naminé once again. Was she Tifa's daughter? If so, they didn't resemble each other at all. It was like comparing an orange to a grapefruit. His plans became harder when he found out that Naminé was in another Sophomore class and she studied the highest level subjects. However, Sora realised that the girl appeared in his sports class, to which she hid in the shadows, drawing into a sketch-pad without the care of the sniggers and sneers that concocted around her.
He approached her that day, probably the worst thing he could have ever done. Their beginning conversation was awkward because she rarely talked. She was polite, however and smiled at his attempts at joking. Her smile was sad, one that didn't reach her eyes and she rarely talked about herself other than her classes and art. It didn't matter anyway to Sora, he felt taken in by her enigmatic demeanour.
She soon agreed to join him for lunch at the cafeteria. Sora realised that before, she would sit by herself drawing most of the time and eating her lunch by her own. It took her a while to gain his trust but she eventually consented with his request.
It was then that he felt a carton hit his back and milky liquid streamed down his school uniform, causing his hands to let go of his tray. Naminé gasped and surveyed the room with him for his attacker when a meat burger suddenly flew across the room and smacked across Sora's face. The latter spewed shreds of lettuce out his mouth and wiped the tomato ketchup off his face in time to see another blond standing not too far away with a jaded apple bouncing in his hand.
"Roxas, leave him alone you creep!" Naminé retorted.
It was the first time Sora had seen her so angry. Her aqua eyes were narrowed in ire and she was grimacing at the aforementioned student. Roxas' cronies, Axel and Demyx, were snickering at their table and Sora knew that they surreptitiously encouraged Roxas to smack him with food. Roxas didn't seem to heed Namine's warning and threw the apple in Sora's direction.
Sora never minded Roxas' presence but the latter had crossed the line and he wasn't going to let him get away with this.
This time Sora ducked down and grabbed Cinderella's kebabs from the floor before chucking them at the blonde. Roxas let out a yelp when the meat whacked across one of his eyes. He stumbled over a table, falling backwards while still clutching a hand over his purple eye.
Axel pushed his chair back suddenly and flung his strawberry smoothie at Sora, but his aim was farfetched and the pink liquid splashed on Riku instead, who came to get Sora out of the scene of crime.
The silver-haired boy growled before running towards Axel's direction and tackling the slender boy to the ground. Riku, being more muscular, prevented Axel from standing and shoved a burnt sausage down the latter's throat. Riku's long hair whipped around violently when Demyx whammed a large baguette across his head.
"Food fight!" someone screamed and before Sora knew it, the whole cafeteria rained with different food that flew around, finding a target to smear upon. When teachers came to stop the students, they too were victims in the act. Principle Xemnas was the one in the end to shoot a pistol at the ceiling to stop the teenagers from their 'food-fight'.
Everyone stank like cooked meat, berry juice and much worse. Their navy uniforms were alot more colourful now with bits of reds, greens and yellow slime dribbling from their clothes. Xemnas demanded everyone to point at the culprits. Fingers pointed at all directions but the majority of them landed on Sora, Riku, Roxas, Axel and Demyx.
"That's it! The five of you have detention for a whole week after this weekend. Next Monday, you will stay back in school!" Xemnas roared; his eyeballs ready to fall out of their sockets because of his fury.
"Oh great..." Sora moaned. How was he going to explain this to Cinderella?
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Riku was sullen throughout the rest of that day and no matter what Sora did, he refused to put on any enthusiasm. When the last bell rang, Sora was also morose as he trudged his way through the thick puddles out on the street.
"Sora!"
He gazed at the source of the voice and his heart performed a back-flip when Namine ran over to him. She held a large white umbrella, her arm trembling in the icy wind and torrential rain. Her teeth were chattering as she moved the umbrella so that it sheltered them both.
"I'm sorry about Roxas," she said.
"Hey, you shouldn't apologise. It wasn't your fault," Sora told her, admiring how the cold turned her nose pink and her cheeks were given a blooming glow.
"No still..." she whispered, eyebrows drawn together in utmost regret. Sora noticed a man wait for Naminé not too far away from them. He had on a helmet and sat impatiently on a large black motorbike. Naminé followed his stare and watched the man behind her.
"Daddy probably wants to head home. Listen Sora, I want to make up for what Roxas did to you. Would you like to go for ice-cream tomorrow?" she asked.
"Haha, ice-cream in this weather? I like the sound of that," Sora chuckled. He had to admit, the girl had style.
"Will you be fine walking home in this weather? I would offer you a lift but..."
"Don't worry about me Naminé. You're dad is tapping his watch. Maybe you should head back."
She gave him a small smile before leaving him standing alone in the rain.
Sora observed as her father handed another identical helmet over to Naminé. She swung her feet across the motorbike and held onto her father's waist before the motorbike roared and drove away, splashing trenches of water on nearby students.
Talking to her alleviated his surly mood and Sora skipped across the puddles. He jumped petulantly into some, laughing at how the water saturated his trousers. He pretended to waltz with an imaginary being, humming a song to himself and earning incensed glowers from passer-bys but he didn't care. He was asked out by Naminé, the mysterious girl from school. Perhaps this was a chance to decipher her puzzles.
By the time he reached his apartment block, most of the food from the cafeteria had been washed away and his normally unruly spikes were falling into his face. He entered through the door, still humming loudly. Cinderella let out a small scream when he entered the kitchen.
She complained that he had a rancid stink emanating from him and frowned that he didn't take an umbrella to school that day after knowing the relentless horrible weather had been ongoing for the past ten days.
Sora suddenly stopped in his tracks, guilt constricting his body whole. He can't tell Cinderella about what happened at school that day. It would worry her and she had enough worries on her mind as of lately.
"The wind blew me in a trash bin today," he beamed, laughing at the thought. Cinderella held her arms akimbo and wiggled her nose disapprovingly. She opened her mouth and Sora placed his hands over his ears to avoid listening to her oncoming lecture. Luckily, the telephone rang so his sister sped off.
"Uncle Sowa, how was your day?" Jane blurted out. She was hiding under the table, presumably from Cinderella's attempts at trying to feed her. Victor threw bits of baby food on the floor, his small legs kicking to get out of his baby seat.
Sora chuckled and took Jane up in his arms before tipping her nose.
"It was great! Tell me about yours," he grinned.
"Bowing! Mummy only likes to play with Victo 'cause he's only a baby," the girl carped, brushing Sora's strands away from his eyes.
Instantly Cinderella ran back into the kitchen, her cheeks were flushed and her smile flashed with excitement.
"I found a job!" she exclaimed happily, "At the dojo!"
"Cindy, that's great news!" Sora embraced his sister; relief soothed his mind that some burden was taken care of.
After dinner that day, he set off to complete his homework when the most unusual message appeared on his phone. He proceeded to read the text out loud to himself but paused when he voiced the first line.
'Hey jerk, Roxas here. What happened in the cafeteria is only the beginning of your troubles. Naminé is my girlfriend and no one else is allowed to go near her. I challenge you to a fight next Monday after detention. Be there or be scared.'
He didn't know what to reply but most of all, where did Roxas get his number from? He'd only given it to three people and they were Kairi, Riku and Naminé.
The howling wind caused him to jump involuntarily and beads of sweat rolled down his temples at the thought of what could happen on Monday evening. Worst of all, what would Cinderella say if she found out?
"What should I do?" the brunet grasped his hair, tormented at what decision he should come up with.
His only answer was the cold, wailing wind.
'...Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky,
That does not bite so nigh
As benefits forgot:
Though thou the waters warp,
Thy sting is not so sharp
As friend remembered not...'
~ 'As You Like It', Act II, Scene VII, by William Shakespeare.