Author's notes: It's funny. I thought I was done. Not completely done, but done enough where I could stop thinking about it. Personally, I like my other stories instead of this but this piece does have its ups and downs.

After chapter four was posted, I was relieved. Relieved that I wouldn't have to worry about updating because everything was on track. So, I sit down and read Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk. Quirky book, I like it, my style. Just as I read another short story I start thinking about writing. I replaced the words on the page with my own words, and before I know it I had to put the book down and start writing this instead.

Talk about taking a break…

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or the characters.

Enjoy and review!

Chapter 5:

Bargaining

"Roxas!" The teen jerked his head up to see a shoe flung at his face. Jazz shoes are nice and flimsy but it still felt like being smacked by a leathery whip.

"Ow…that hurts you know!"

"Well," Axel towered over Roxas, his hands on his hips, very angry, "maybe if you were counting and not thinking about your girlfriend, I wouldn't have to hurt you!"

Roxas immediately took defense against the word 'girlfriend,' "she's not my girlfriend! She's my…female best friend!" He looked over to see the girls snickering at him, stopping their practice to see the fall out between the two males.

"Whatever," Axel rolled his eyes and picked his shoe off the floor, "quit worrying and work! Get it done right and you won't have to do it anymore." He walked ahead of Roxas and danced in front of him as a demonstration so he knew what to do.

But, Axel was right: he was worrying...still. It was affecting his whole day, his work habits and his dance performance. Although, Roxas did say he'd give it one more day before really worrying.

Again, Roxas missed his cue and stood in place for two beats longer than he should have. "ROXAS!" The blond began to back away from the Axel who was moving towards him with shoe in hand.

"Dude, maybe you should be worrying about yourself instead of Olette!" Hayner laughed as Roxas pressed his soda can against his cheek.

"Shut up! Anyway, Pence," Roxas turned his conversation to Pence since Hayner would not listen to anymore talk about Olette. "I called her house last night and her parents answered. They said she was out at a late night study group with some 'friends.'"

Pence frowned, "as much as I wish that was the truth, I'm pretty sure that was a lie she made up."

"Whoa? Good 'ol Olette lying?" Hayner interrupted.

"What? You care now?" Roxas leaned over the table, staring down Hayner.

"Look, I know I was a jerk yesterday but I'm not heartless. I'm startin' to believe you guys. Maybe something did happen to Olette." Hayner looked down at his hands, ashamed of the way he'd been treating his friends. Luckily, it wasn't too late to change.

Pence smiled and continued, "just to be sure, let's go by Olette's classes and see if she's been maybe just stopping by and, god forbid, she miss anything of schoo- yikes!" Pence jumped out of his seat, looking at his jeans pocket with surprised eyes. He ripped out his vibrating phone and flipped it open. "It's from Olette!"

"Speak of the devil," commented Hayner. He leaned over the table, trying to listen in on the conversation.

"It's a text message. It says: 'Don't worry about me. I'm okay.'" There was silence around the table. Roxas looked around the lunch room; it was too well executed. Perfect timing only existed in a perfect world and high school was far from perfect. "This is weird…" Pence put the phone on the table, showing them the message. "Look at the message."

Hayner picked up the phone to get a better look, only to have it snatched out of his hand by Roxas. "Hey man! I was kinda looking at that!"

Roxas was confused. He pulled out his phone and looked at previous messages from Olette. He picked one from the weekend before that read:

'Hey, do you guys want to go to a movie?'

As a double check, Roxas looked at another message from last week:

'Can't do anything on Friday, I'm going to the animal shelter to help.'

Roxas turned back to Pence's phone and read the message:

'dnt wrry bout me im ok'

Roxas handed the phone to Hayner, "this wasn't typed by Olette. Unlike some people, Olette actually has some care for the English language."

Hayner handed the phone to the owner, "so are you saying someone probably jacked her phone?"

"Obviously."

"But what if she was just in a hurry?" Pence argued, stuffing his phone into his pocket.

"She knows how to use 'T9.' There's no need to rush when you got that."

Again, the table was silent in thought, trying to piece together what happened to their friend. Roxas looked up to see a muscular teen turn his head just as Roxas made eye contact with him. He examined the guy, it was Rai, and in his right hand, lowered to his side was a phone. "Shit, why am I so stupid?" Roxas flipped open his phone and speed dialed Olette. He watched to see any reaction Rai would have. After two rings, there was no reaction. That was not Olette's phone in Rai's hand.

The phone next to Roxas's ear was still ringing, waiting for the other line to pick up. After a few more dialing tones, it went to Olette's voice mail. "Olette, please call us, we're worried about you! It's not like you to miss school. Please call back." Roxas inhaled, about to say something else, but instead, hung up the phone. "What's the use," he thought, remembering the numerous messages he and Pence left yesterday. Roxas let out a sigh and looked at his background picture on his phone before stuffing it away: Hayner, Pence, and Olette, all making goofy faces at his house the weekend Roxas got his new camera phone. He smiled, remembering how he spent the afternoon snapping random shots that would mean nothing to an outsider.

"Please, be okay…"

"Seifer, I know you're upset but I can't keep my friends like this. They're worried about me, just like how Rai, Fuu, and Vivi are worried about you! Please, let me call them!" Olette pleaded to Seifer who held his phone in one hand and Olette's in the other.

She reached forward to take it from him but he evaded her swipe. "And what? You're going to tell them what they did to me!" Seifer yelled at the poor girl. She took her hand back and balled them into fists, her body tensing up, enduring the sound. How she wished her ears would just fold into themselves to dull the roar of the beast.

Olette had been manipulated by him, only showing sympathy because of what had happened to him, but his reaction was more overwhelming than tender. She fought back, her shield to protect from the blade: "No, I'm not!" She said sternly, stamping her foot down, "why the fuck would I tell them?" Olette stepped back, her hands covering her mouth. The sweet girl rarely let a bitter word escape her mouth. She must have been around Hayner too much.

Seifer let his anger go, replaced by confusion. "Did you just cuss at me?" He cocked an eyebrow and pointed at himself with a phone, dumbfounded by the whole situation. The girl nodded and let her hands fall to her sides, regaining composure.

"I'm sorry. I'm just a little worked up." She took a deep breath and tried again, this time more calmly. "Please, I let you pick me up from my house this morning, I went to the clinic with you, I stayed until your results came back, and I allowed you to take me to your place." She paused, making sure no part of her day was left out. "Can I please go home?"

Seifer looked down at his feet and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath like Olette had done and counted to ten. When he was ready, he opened his eyes but talked to his feet. His words came out as a mumble.

"What?" Olette leaned in to hear him better, "what did you say?"

"Yes." Again, the words were cropped.

"Yes?"

Seifer looked up and spoke into her eyes. "Yeah, I'll take you home."

Olette wished she could have changed her request to school, but it was too late and she didn't want to frustrate the teen. "Thank you," she whispered.

The blond handed her the cell phone back while pocketing his own. Olette took it and held it to her chest. A cell phone, although just another electronic device, was more than just a way to communicate. It was a line that ensured you'll never be alone.

Seifer pulled out his keys and walked out the front door, Olette following him out and to the car. She sat down inside, her stuff was left on the passenger's seat. They rode in silence. Neither of them knew what to say, or had anything to add. Seifer focused on the rode while Olette, who had been clutching onto her cell phone, now set the device next to her thigh as she dug in her backpack for the promised psychology homework. She frowned at it, disappointed she wasn't able to hand it in today. The driver glanced over, and recognized the piece of paper that was identical to the one he took the day before.

He would have apologized if they were not at their destination…maybe. "Is this it?"

Olette answered with a shy, "yes," as she shoved the homework back in her bag. She opened the door and got out, not saying anything. She walked up to her front door, never looking back. She opened her bag searching for keys, not thinking about an item she left behind.

She should have done the opposite of these things and maybe, just maybe things would not have been so complicated.

"Olette." The voice behind her was supposed to be in the car, driving away, never to mention this day to a soul.

"What?" This girl was supposed to be at school, eating lunch with her best friends and turning in her psychology homework.

Olette turned around and saw Seifer holding her phone to her face, "you forgot this." She grabbed onto the cell phone but didn't pull it away from him. Instead, she left her hand on top of his. Her cold, nervous fingers resting on top of his warm, bruised fingers. The kind one looked up into the cold-heart's eyes and stood there, staring instead of avoiding each other.

Seifer leaned in, decreasing the distance between their lips. He hesitated and stopped; close enough for both of them to match up their breathing. "Th-thank you," he whispered, his breath caressing the girl's lips. She debated whether it was right to close the gap or not. She, too, hesitated.

"You-you're welcome."

They should have been avoiding each other to save Seifer's sorry ass. They should have been at school, continuing their daily lives. They should have never let today happen…

…they should have stayed enemies.

"Oh, thank god, it's you Olette!" Roxas let out a relieved sigh as he answered his phone and stopped his friends who were about to walk into her psychology class. He mouthed the phrase, 'it's her,' and they were also smiling with him. Pence tried to mouth questions to Roxas as Olette told an artificial story about the slang words in 'her' text message. Hayner who could not be patient, pulled the phone away from Roxas and put it to his ear.

"Olette! What the hell?" His voice was cracking and his eyes glistened more than usual. "You had me-us worried!"

On the other side of the phone, Olette giggled, trying to hold back her tears. It was a relief for her to hear her friends' voices. "I missed you too, Hayner."

Hayner handed back the phone to Roxas as he turned away to rub his eyes. Pence came up from behind him and taunted him. Hayner could do nothing but push him away and command him to shut up.

"So, Olette, where did you go?" Roxas asked, walking away from the bickering boys.

"Me? I went home…I wasn't…feeling too good." Roxas could see through the deception with her hesitating. Also, it wasn't a very good lie. Illness couldn't even hold her back from ditching school, whatever the reason, it must have been important. But, he wasn't going to badger her about it.

"I'm sorry to hear that. You coming to school tomorrow?"

"Yes! Definitely! I don't think I'd live if I miss another day!"

Roxas smiled, "well, you get your rest. See you tomorrow." He hung up the phone and stuffed it away. Hayner and Pence approached him eagerly, wanting to know what was wrong. "She was sick." Hayner cocked an eyebrow. "Really sick."

"Roxas!" The blond turned to the sound of his name. By the time he made a full 180, Axel grabbed his arm. "I finally found you! What are you doing?" He started to pull him away from his group. "We've got practice!"

Roxas thrust his arm back to his body, "what are you talking about? Ms. Gainsborough didn't say anything about practice!"

Axel stopped and put a finger on his chin, and looked up at the ceiling. "Oh…you're right. She didn't…" he looked back down to Roxas and narrowed his eyes, "but I did!" Axel grabbed his arm and dragged him away.

"Hey, freak, leave him alone!" Hayner ran up and grabbed Roxas's other arm, playing tug-a-war with him.

Axel glared at him, "what did you just call me?"

"Freak, you heard me!" Roxas started nervously laughing and pulled himself out of Hayner's grip. Roxas feared the word 'freak' might have sparked some sort of revenge act in Axel's brain.

"Hey, hey, it's not a big deal. I'll go with him. We do have to-"

"Man, we had plans. Plus, Olette's at home, let's go visit her!"

"I'm sorry Hayner, maybe tomorrow!" Roxas called from the middle of the hall. Axel had been dragging him away as they argued.

Just before turning the corner, Roxas saw the look in Hayner's eyes: betrayed. "Okay, Axel, what's the big idea? You drag me away from my friends to a phony practice! You said nothing about this!"

"Sorry about that," he apologized, still dragging Roxas to the dance room. "I just found out the recital date was bumped up to next month."

The blond stopped and pulled his arm away. "WHAT?" he bellowed.

"Ms. Gainsborough decided instead of having all her dance classes perform at the end of the unit, she's going to have her Show Stoppers have a show to themselves with the sister high schools."

The Show Stoppers were the dance department's elite dancers. They auditioned, and if they were good enough, they got in. Axel would be apart of them if he wasn't a guy. The Show Stoppers specifically targeted girls since there were never any males who auditioned.

"What the hell? So, how much time do we have?" Roxas was freaking out. Although he did not care for dance, he was the one going to be on stage. If he wasn't any good, he'd look like a fool.

Axel took a deep breath, "three weeks. Fourteen class periods." He was just as stressed as Roxas; running his hand through his hair.

"Don't you mean fifteen?"

Axel shook his head, "no, today was fifteen but we can make up for lost efforts today if we practice." Roxas stared at his shoes and stood there. "Roxas? Are you okay?" Axel leaned in and grabbed onto his shoulders. He tried to get a good look at the boy's face. It was that of uttermost panic. "Don't worry, we'll get through this…we just need to practice. Namine's waiting. Let's-"

"No, I can't do this." Roxas fell to his knees and grabbed his head. "I can't do it!"

Axel squatted down to him and patted his back, "don't worry. It's not that hard. I'll coach you! We can do it!"

Roxas lifted his head at him. "No, you can do it. What if I helped you?"

A puzzled look came across the dancer's face, "what are you talking about?"

"What if I helped get your grades up? That's the only thing holding you back from being on stage right?" Axel's eyes widened. Roxas was treating him like a starving dog, dangling a steak in his face. The dog had no choice but to take the bait.

"Yes…please…help me Roxas…"

It's only been like three days but I managed to write more! Whee!

I hope everyone had a good New Years! I had chips and salsa while I watched anime! Good stuff :D

Hope you enjoyed!

Please review!

-Lady of the Cards-