NOTE: out of ANY of the chapters in this story, this is my ABSOLUTE LEAST FAVORITE! IT SUCKS! Please just get through it, bear with me, and keep reading despite the horrific tragedy that is... this chapter. Sorry, and thank you.
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"Oh... I guess that makes sense... Because... you know..."
"Well, yeah. That's what I thought... you know..."
"Yeah. So um... when?"
"I guess... I'll be there in like... two hours. Is that okay?"
"Um... yeah." I flipped the phone closed. Roxas and I had been "dating" for about two weeks, but... we hadn't actually been on a date... I was blushing, even though I was just sitting alone in my room. I pulled my pillow over my face, and squished it up so tight that you could barely hear my screams. When I let the pillow fall off the side of the bed, I looked again at my phone. I sighed and picked it up. I dialed Kairi's number.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Kairi."
"Hey, Namine. What's up? You don't sound very happy."
"I am. I'm just so... augh, I don't even know."
"What is it? Go ahead and tell m– Selphie! Cut it out!"
"Oh. I'm sorry, am I interrupting something?"
"No. Not really. Selphie and Olette just stopped by and we were actually just about to call you."
"Oh... um."
"Do you wanna come over?"
"Can't."
"Too bad. Why not?"
"Roxas is picking me up in two."
"Ooh. Finally, the daters are going on their first."
I smiled. "Shut up."
"Yeah, yeah. So then, if you guys are going out, what's wrong?"
"I'm so freaked out."
"Why? He's like... totally wrapped around your finger. He freaking loves you and you're worried? You two hang out all the time. I don't get it."
"I actually wanted to see if all you guys would come..." I shut my eyes tight and squeezed my comforter.
"Yeah, sure. Oh... shoot. We can't just come into your date. That would be kinda messed up."
"Well... what if you guys brought dates?"
"Yeah right! Who are we gonna bring?"
Two hours and fifteen minutes later:
"So um... since when were all you guys going out again?" Roxas asked.
"Oh, well, excuse us. We weren't aware we had to be going out to go out!" Selphie said, standing -involuntarily- next to Tidus. "It's bad enough I had to come here with this shmuck, now I've got Roxas all over my case!"
"Shmuck?" Tidus said. We were all kind of disturbed by her word... "And excuse me for coming. I mean, you were only the one to ask me here tonight."
"Oh! Don't even get me started on the– Ah!" Kairi, Olette, and I had pulled her over to the side.
"Selphie!" Kairi scolded.
"Come on, we're doing this for Namine, remember? Try to be a little more convincing."
"I know! But, why did I have to get stuck with Tidus?"
"Well," Kairi said. "It's not like we have a lot of options, okay? I mean really, Selphie! Who else were you gonna call?"
"Besides," Olette added. "Since when do you hate Tidus? I thought you liked him."
Selphie looked back at him. "I do."
"Then what?!" We all yelled, the boys looked over.
"Yesterday he called me fat!" We gasped.
"No he didn't."
"Nuh-uh."
"You're joking, right?" She shook her head, puckering her lips in a mild anger.
Kairi exhaled sharply and we all shot Tidus... "The Look." Note, the capital L.
"What in the?! Did you guys see that?" The other boys shook their heads no. "They all just shot me the dirtiest look ever!"
"Yeah right. Come on, Tidus." Roxas said. We all walked back to the boys. Olette with Hayner, Kairi with Sora, Selphie with... boy, and me with... Roxas. Time almost froze when he took my hand, and I'm sure I took 'red' to a new level. I thought about what Kairi had said. Why was I so nervous? I could do this. No problem. We started to walk into the restaurant. It wasn't exactly fancy, but it was pretty upperclass for a bunch of teenagers. When we got to our table, I think Roxas was the only one who pulled out his date's chair. But then again... this was kind of... our date, accompanied. "So, Namine–" He looked back at the rest of the table, all watching him, and looked down at the menu, leaving his sentence unfinished.
I looked up, and Selphie 'accidentally' elbowed Tidus. I couldn't really say I blamed her, but that may have been a bit much. "Selphie! Would you cut it out?"
"I'm sorry? Do you mean me?"
"Dude," Sora started in. All four of us girls were kind of... watching him. "What did you do to her?"
"Nothing!"
"Come on, Tidus. You're getting a group glare." Hayner earned a nudge in the leg for... associating. I almost giggled. It couldn't have been that bad. But the other girls seemed dead serious, so I cleared my throat and looked down at the menu. Roxas set his menu down, and moved a little closer to me.
I looked over at him, and closed my menu a little, a devious look on my face. "I seem to have misplaced my menu, Miss. Do you mind sharing yours?" I looked away and snapped it closed. "Aw, come on. Sharing is caring." I laughed a little and opened my menu, moving that much closer to him.
Everyone kind of aw'd at us, and Roxas cleared his throat, moving away and picking his menu up again. Hayner nudged him, laughing. Roxas looked back at me, a undetermined expression on his face. I couldn't help thinking he must have been embarrassed of me... It got quiet at the table. "Selphie..." Tidus started. "Could you at least tell me what I did to upset you?" It was WAY beyond obvious that he liked her, and was trying to repair his mistake.
"Are you kidding me? How could you not know? You called me fat!" It seemed like every woman in the restaurant looked over, gasping, or covering her mouth, and all the men, shaking their heads in disappointment, or simply wide-eyed.
"I didn't say fat!"
"Augh! Fine! Well then tell them what you said!" She threw her napkin on the table and stood up, crossing her arms.
He stood up too. "Selphie, I–"
"Tell them!" Everyone was still looking.
"I said... delightfully plump...?"
"AUGH!" Selphie yelled. She stormed out of the restaurant.
"Uh..." I felt really bad for Selphie. But even worse for Tidus. Everyone in the restaurant was giving him dirty looks. Kairi and Olette had gone after Selphie almost immediately, but I still sat at the table, frozen. Sora and Hayner were kind of yelling at Tidus, as if he needed it right now. And Roxas... Roxas had his elbow on the table and his face in his hand.
"Shut up." I said quietly, shaking my head. Roxas looked at me. "Shut up!" I yelled, to hush the murmurs going around the restaurant, and to stop the yelling. I took Tidus's hand and led him out of the restaurant, angrily. I didn't look back, but I knew everyone was watching me.
I walked out of the place, still pulling Tidus, and went straight up to the other three girls. "Selphie, do you have any idea what you just did?!"
"I didn't do anything! He's the one that embarrassed me!"
"Oh, he embarrassed you? You just made him look like an idiot in front of everybody in that restaurant, and in front of his friends. But you know, that's not all you did. You ruined my first actual date with Roxas." I paused, let go of Tidus's hand, and sat down. Kairi, Selphie, and Olette kneeled next to me, as I hugged my knees. "And you know, that's not even the worst part." I could hear footsteps on the ground, the others were running towards us. "The worst part is it's all my fault." The others finally reached where we were sitting, with the exception of Tidus, who was still standing up. "I shouldn't have asked you guys to come because I wasn't ready for this. I'm sorry. I ruined the night." I stood up and started to walk away.
I was relieved that nobody followed me, but just as I found the relaxation to exhale, there was a hand on my shoulder. I knew right away it was Roxas. Nobody else could have done that for me. I turned and without making even looking at him, I hugged him. "Namine, what exactly was all this?" I exhaled.
"Roxas, I'm sorry."
"Namine. What..." He sighed. "What do you mean you weren't ready for this?"
"I don't know, Roxas. It's just that... you make me feel so... weak."
He smiled. "Well, Namine, I know I'm strong but..."
"No, stupid! I mean..." I looked down. "When I'm with you... I kind of just..." I shrugged, looking down dreamily. "I lose myself. And it's so," Deep breath. "Perfect."
"Namine," I looked up at him. "You know, I thought I was the only person who got that feeling." He smiled, and I did, too.
"Roxas," He hugged me again, his arms fastened tightly around my waist. "You... are so strong." I could feel his breath on my neck from his laughter. I smiled. "You're also very warm."
"Really?" He said. "Well," He shifted a little. "So are you. Come on, I'll walk you home. It'll... give us a chance to talk."
"It's okay. You don't have to, I'm tired, I'll slow you down."
"Slow is fine with me."
"No really. Roxas, please."
"Well, if you don't want me to–"
"No, no. It's not like that. You know it's not like that."
"Okay then, I have a solution to your problem."
"Oh really?"
"Uh-huh. And here we go." He stepped in front of me and got down on his knees, back to me.
"Oh, no. You can't be serious." I took a step back.
"Come on."
"No! I'm like... way to heavy for you!"
"Namine, we just talked about this. I'm strong, remember?"
"I'll fall."
"Trust me. I will never let you fall." I looked at him in depth for a moment. That really sounded a lot deeper than a piggy-back ride.
"O-okay. But if I'm heavy just say so! Promise?"
"Yeah, yeah, promise. Come on, I'm freezing down here, and this way I'll stay warm, too."
"Well then," I said, putting my hand on his shoulders. "It's a win-win." He stood up and my arms fell around his shoulders, linking loosely in the front. "Roxas," I said, sticking my face on his shoulder, right up next to his. "I lo–" What was I thinking?! I wasn't even sure I knew! I... I couldn't just blurt something like that out! I'm crazy! "I'd like... to kiss you." Oh... my... God... That wasn't exactly much better.
He was quiet for a while, but then he started to walk. "Three."
"Excuse me?"
"Three questions. I ask you any three under the sun and you answer. Then, you get to do the same for me."
"Okay, but I'm changing it. I wanna ask first."
"Go ahead."
---
"Oh... I guess that makes sense... Because... you know..."
"Well, yeah. That's what I thought... you know..."
"Yeah. So um... when?"
"I guess... I'll be there in like... two hours. Is that okay?"
"Um... yeah." I waited for her to hang up, then I did. I would say... it was about high time we actually went on a date, considering we'd been dating for two weeks... I opened my phone again, and opened a file. I only had one picture of Namine on my phone, but it was enough for me. Actually... it was my background so... whatever! I swear I'm not a stalker! I called Sora.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Sora."
"Oh, hey. What's up?"
"Nothing... I guess. What are you doing tonight?"
"Nothing really. So bored. Is that why you called? Bored."
"I don't know, actually."
"What's up with Namine?"
"Oh... um."
"Hold on, other line."
I waited for about a minute, then Sora came back. "Hey, man."
"What was that?"
"It was just Kairi." I laughed. "What?"
"Just Kairi?"
"Yeah. Just Kairi."
"Oh, okay. What did she need."
"I don't know. She hung up on me."
I laughed a little more. "She hung up on you? Dude! What are you doing? I thought you said you were getting there?"
"Yeah right! She was on her cell. She probably... just... lost reception or something."
"And why hasn't she called you back yet?"
"Ha! She's calling me! Just a second." In another minute he was back. "Hey, Roxas. Someone just made plans tonight. Told you I was getting there."
Two hours and fifteen minutes later:
"So um... since when were all you guys going out again?" I asked. Sora and Kairi... Selphie and Tidus... Hayner and Olette? What was all this?
"Oh, well, excuse us. We weren't aware we had to be going out to go out!" Selphie said, unhappily, it seemed. "It's bad enough I had to come here with this shmuck, now I've got Roxas all over my case!"
"Shmuck?" Tidus said. I gotta admit... shmuck? Selphie just lost it. For good. "And excuse me for coming. I mean, you were only the one to ask me here tonight."
"Oh! Don't even get me started on the– Ah!" The other girls had pulled her over to the side.
"So..." I started in. "What were the chances again?"
"Um... not very high."
"Hey what was with Selphie? Did you do something to her?"
"Nothing."
"You sure?"
"Positive. I mean... I thought we were getting better. I was gonna ask her out yesterday and she just got all flipped and walked out."
"Did you say something to her."
"God, I hope not. I need that girl."
"Then what?!" The girls yelled, we looked over, but only for a second.
Hayner punched Tidus in the arm. "Man! You sound so freaking cheesy!"
"Ah," Sora said. "You say that now, Hayner. But you're the farthest from a girlfriend out of anyone here."
"Doesn't matter. It's not like I like anyone. I'm flying solo."
We couldn't even try to contain our laughter. "Are you kidding me?" Tidus laughed.
"Dude, you've been drooling over Olette since you met her. Don't be an idiot, just ask her out."
"Relax. There's not much we can do. Hayner passed idiot... quite some time ago." Tidus said.
"None of us should talk." I said. "We're all an idiot for some girl." We kind of smiled at each other and Tidus looked over at Selphie.
"What in the?! Did you guys see that?" We shook our heads. He had kind of just came out of nowhere with it. "They all just shot me the dirtiest look ever!"
"Yeah right. Come on, Tidus." I said. The girls rejoined us. Namine. Next to me. It was nice, again. I took her hand, and tried to calm my nerves. What was wrong with me? Why was I so nervous? We started to walk into the restaurant. It was nice, but affordable, which is why I chose it. I'd been here with everyone before, and Namine loved it. Which is another reason that I chose it. Namine. I tried to be polite, but the other guys kind of gave me a silent hard time about it. "So, Namine–" Everyone was watching me. I got embarrassed and look down at the menu.
Tidus exhaled sharply. Probably not a good sign. Dude, what did he do...? "Selphie! Would you cut it out?"
"I'm sorry? Do you mean me?" Big trouble. He was pretty much... screwed.
"Dude," Sora started in. Considering the look he was being given, I started to believe what he said earlier... dirtiest look thing and all. "What did you do to her?"
"Nothing!"
"Come on, Tidus. You're getting a group glare." Olette kind of nudge his leg for talking to Tidus, but then, I don't think he really minded. Namine started to laugh, but choked it back. She picked up her menu, too. Smiling, I set mine down and moved my chair a little closer to hers.
She moved her menu away a little, and looked at me devilishly. "I seem to have misplaced my menu, Miss. Do you mind sharing yours?" She looked away and closed it playfully. "Aw, come on. Sharing is caring." She smiled, giving in, and opened her menu, scooting closer to me.
All the girls did that annoying awwwwwwwwww thing, and I cleared me throat, moving away.
Hayner made fun of me in his own way by kind of hitting me in the arm and I got embarrassed. I looked back at Namine, embarrassed and kinda confused. "Selphie..." Tidus started. "Could you at least tell me what I did to upset you?" It was almost sad to watch the guy, trying so hard, falling so hard. For the girl. I fell for a girl. I looked at Namine. The girl.
"Are you kidding me? How could you not know? You called me fat!" Ooh. Burn. Fat? Not a word that should be in ANY potential boyfriend's vocabulary unless accompanied by not, never, or she's. That last one... of course being in the event they totally hate some other girl. Now everybody in the whole place was watching.
"I didn't say fat!" Don't deny it, things will only get worse.
"Augh! Fine! Well then tell them what you said!" She threw her napkin on the table and stood up, crossing her arms.
He stood up too. "Selphie, I–"
"Tell them!" Everyone was still looking.
"I said... delightfully plump...?"
"AUGH!" Selphie yelled. She stormed out of the restaurant.
"Uh..." He took some serious crap right there, and he was still standing, literally. Everyone in the building was kind of glaring at him. I put my face in my hand and my elbow on the table. How could I let this happen at first actual date? It was completely jacked up.
"Shut up." She murmured. I looked at her. "Shut up!" She yelled. I was surprised. Everyone actually did stop talking, but I couldn't believe that. She was never like this. I knew she must have been pretty mad, because... Namine? Yelling? At a whole restaurant? Something didn't fit.
Me, Sora, and Hayner all looked at each other for a minute, then we all got up and ran out after Namine and Tidus. Wow. This was getting to be extremely fun...
We had to look around for a while before we actually say them. I pointed to where they were and we started to run again.
Namine let Tidus's hand fall out of hers, which I have to admit, made me happy. But then she sat down and hugged her knees and everyone could tell she was upset. We were finally within earshot. "The worst part is it's all my fault." I slowed down and walked the rest of the way. All her fault? How could any of this have been her fault? "I shouldn't have asked you guys to come because I wasn't ready for this. I'm sorry. I ruined the night." Asked them to come... I didn't get it. I thought she wanted to go out with me. But then she asked them all to come? I snapped out of my thoughts, in time to see her walking away, and I ran after her.
It took me a while to catch up, but I when I did, I put my hand on her shoulder to stop her. I knew that she knew who it was. I didn't really know what to say. She turned around and hugged me right away, so I guess she was a little more upset than I thought. Wow, all over such a stupid thing? "Namine, what exactly was all this?" She sighed.
"Roxas, I'm sorry."
"Namine. What..." I sighed. "What do you mean you weren't ready for this?"
"I don't know, Roxas. It's just that... you make me feel so... weak."
I smiled, trying to make her feel a little better. "Well, Namine, I know I'm strong but..."
"No, stupid! I mean..." She looked down, insecurely, as if she was afraid I would laugh at her or something. "When I'm with you... I kind of just..." She shrugged, still avoiding eye contact. "I lose myself. And it's so," Deep breath. "Perfect."
"Namine," She looked up at me, eyes glistening. "You know, I thought I was the only person who got that feeling." We smiled at each other.
"Roxas," I slipped my arms around her waist, and held her tight. "You... are so strong." I laughed a little. "You're also very warm." I could feel her snuggle in a little.
"Really?" I asked. "Well," I shifted around. "So are you. Come on, I'll walk you home. It'll... give us a chance to talk."
"It's okay. You don't have to, I'm tired, I'll slow you down."
"Slow is fine with me."
"No really. Roxas, please."
"Well, if you don't want me to–"
"No, no. It's not like that. You know it's not like that." Then why was she insisting?
"Okay then, I have a solution to your problem."
"Oh really?" She asked sarcastically.
"Uh-huh. And here we go." I got down on my knees in front of her and held my arms back.
"Oh, no. You can't be serious."
"Come on."
"No! I'm like... way to heavy for you!" Doubt it.
"Namine, we just talked about this. I'm strong, remember?"
"I'll fall."
"Trust me. I will never let you fall." I meant it, but I meant it for a lot more than the little piggy-back ride. I was never going to let anything happen to Namine again. Too much already.
"O-okay. But if I'm heavy just say so! Promise?"
"Yeah, yeah, promise. Come on, I'm freezing down here, and this way I'll stay warm, too."
"Well then," She put her hands on my shoulders and I stood up. "It's a win-win." Her arms fell around my neck and she held them loosely in front. "Roxas," She said, sticking her face up on my right shoulder, so that it was right next to mine. "I lo–" What was she going to say?! I knew what I wanted to hear, but I also knew I wouldn't hear it. But then... what else could it be? "I'd like... to kiss you." What?! I wasn't ready for Namine to kiss me! I... wanted to, but I couldn't. Not yet at least.
I thought it over, but then decided to talk about it later. "Three."
"Excuse me?"
"Three questions. I ask you any three under the sun and you answer. Then, you get to do the same for me."
"Okay, but I'm changing it. I wanna ask first."
"Go ahead."