SO SORRY for not updating. I know a matter of days seems trivial, but it's AGONIZING for me. Sob.
I ain't gonna show Vanitas and Namine's date yet. However, Chapter 7 will give some important information.
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN KINGDOM HEARTS OR ANY OF ITS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES AND CHARACTERS!
I just own this story. Enjoy!
You can guess how telling Kairi about my date went.
If you can't guess, then I'll say that it involved a lot of swearing (from me), yelling (from both sides), and finally…
"Kairi, don't you DARE—" I was cut off by the click telling me Kairi had hung up.
I sat in my chair and fumed for a few seconds. That little witch had better not—
"Namine! Come down here for a sec, will you?" Mom called.
"Coming!" I yelled back, hurrying out my door. I darted down the stairs, counting my time as I went. 1…2…
A new record: two seconds!
Anyways, Mom was waiting for me in the foyer. The door was already open, and a cold breeze made me shiver.
"Namine, another case came up. I'm leaving tonight," she said sadly.
"But—but—but, you've only been back two days!" I spluttered.
"It's an emergency," she sighed. "The Petal Killer's struck again."
I shivered at the name. The Petal Killer was a notorious serial killer. Every one of his victims (I won't tell you how he killed them) bore a pink carnation petal, plus a note with a poem about flowers. The first time Mom told me about his modus operandi, I was scared shitless. Literally.
"When will you be back?" I cried, hugging her.
"I honestly don't know, honey," she said, ruffling my hair. She smiled knowingly at me. "Besides, you have other stuff on your mind, right?"
I stepped back, surprised? "What do you mean?" I asked.
"Oh, I know," she smirked. "Don't worry, he seems like a fine young man. A bit older than you, but hey, so was your father for me."
"I deny everything!" I declared, folding my arms.
"You can't, because I heard everything," Mom laughed. "Have fun!"
"Okay," I said, embarrassed.
"Bye, honey!"
"Bye, Mom."
She strode away to the waiting cruiser.
I heard a snicker from behind me. I whipped around, but barely caught a flash of blue hair.
The next morning, I heard whispers from behind me as girls and boys alike gossiped about my date. I ignored it all.
"Did you hear? She's going out with Vanitas…"
"Damn, she's hot. He's gotten real lucky."
"Well, I hear he got dumped by his last girlfriend. Why?"
Okay, that last got my attention. I turned around and asked the guy who said that, "He was?"
That shut them all up.
"Well?" I asked.
They dispersed as if a bull were charging towards them. With a sigh I headed for homeroom.
When I got there the first thing I did was to make my way to Kairi and punch her.
"Ow! What was that for?" she demanded, rubbing her arm.
"That was for telling the entire damned school!" I hissed angrily. "I told you not to do that!"
"Well, why did you tell her in the first place? You knew she was gonna spill," Sora said.
I laughed. "Okay, good point. In that case, sorry, Kairi."
She glared at both of us. "Traitor," she muttered at Sora with a half smile.
"Hey, you know me—I'm not one to pass up a good diss," Sora smirked, leaning in to within two inches of Kairi's nose.
I slapped a hand over my eyes in mock horror as Kairi playfully slapped her boyfriend.
"Oh god, please no," I moaned as they smooched. "Not the mushy stuff. Not here."
Biology and Geometry came and went like blurry lightning. Before I knew it the lunch bell rang.
Today I decided to actually buy a lunch. I had done this perhaps twice before in the school year, and only in times when I really needed to think.
That guy had said Vanitas had been dumped. Was I going to be a rebound?
As I sat on the bench, eating my sandwich and brooding, Xion tapped my shoulder.
"Namine, you need to see this," she whispered, before walking away.
Confused, I swallowed the last bite and followed her.
My "What is it?" was answered before I could utter it. Vanitas was here.
I gulped. "H-hi," I said nervously.
"Hey there," Vanitas replied. He scratched his head. "Um, Namine?"
"Yeah?"
"Could you come to meet my friends?" he asked.
"Sure. I'd love to," I answered. "But…"
"Ah, it's okay," Xion said with a smile, obviously trying to rein in a laugh. "Go be with your boyfriend."
"He's not my—!" I was cut off when Vanitas took my wrist and dragged me off. I shook my fist at the brunette girl as she lost control and began cackling uncontrollably.
"That's a weird friend of yours," he observed.
I was offended. "Yeah, she may be weird, but that doesn't mean—"
He waved his hand. "Relax. I meant that in a nice way. Lots of weird guys in this world, too, you know."
I sneered at his ignorance. "Did I ever tell you about that time when Xion kicked a guy in the balls for asking her out?"
He glanced at me, startled. "That's…extreme," he said.
I snorted. "No kidding. Poor guy was in the hospital for a few days. That's how hard she kicked him."
As I said that we arrived at Vanitas's area. I recognized it as the alcove.
The alcove was the area where the jocks, preppies, and every other popular person at KK High congregated at lunch. It was in front of the gym, towards the left side, embedded into the wall.
There were a few people there. I recognized one as Axel, the star player of the basketball team. Another guy there was Xaldin, a morose, grim guy who was the star offensive lineman of the football team. A blond guy with a mullet I didn't recognize slowly strummed a guitar-shaped instrument. The size of his leg muscles suggested he was a soccer player or track team member.
There were also two cheerleaders there, Olette and another brown-haired girl I also didn't know.
But off to the corner, leaning against the shadowed wall, was…
"Larxene?" I gaped in shock. It came as no surprise she was there, but I was startled by the fact that she was there. How do I say it in better terms? I have no idea. I hope you catch my drift.
"Hey, he-she," the cheerleader captain drawled. She turned to Vanitas, seemingly annoyed. "I thought you said your date was hot."
"She is!" Vanitas defended me.
Now that made me feel warm and fuzzy inside; all the more so because his outrage and defense of me was sincere. Don't ask me how I knew that, I just did.
"Well, you have bad taste in girls then. No wonder you got dumped," Larxene shot back.
I primed an insult in response, ready to defend Vanitas in turn, but the brown-haired girl spoke up before I could.
"Kid, your sister's Aqua, right?" she asked.
"Yeah," I replied, shyly.
She smiled abruptly. "It shows. You're just as good-looking as she ever was."
"Thank you," I said, smiling and blushing.
The girl laughed. "My name's Yuna," she offered. "Nice to meet you."
"My name's Namine, but you probably know that already," I responded. "Nice to meet you too."
Yuna laughed again. "I didn't know your name was Namine, really. I was under the impression it was "he-she" from how Larxene talks about you."
Larxene glared at Yuna. "What are you doing?" she hissed.
"Hmmm, I don't know," Yuna retorted sarcastically. "Meeting somebody who isn't a total bitch, asshole, or arrogant motherfucker for once? I swear, Larxene, you have the strangest taste in boyfriends."
I was astonished at her language. Yuna could curse like a sailor.
"You got told, Larxene," I chuckled, as everybody else erupted into guffaws.
"You're OFF the squad, Yuna," Larxene shouted. "You hear me?"
Yuna danced up and down in glee. "Can I change out of this stupid costume, now?" she pleaded. "I hate the color purple!"
Larxene stormed off without a word.
I came up to Yuna and said, "Sorry about getting you kicked off the team…" I mumbled.
She smiled again. "Don't worry about it, Namine," she said. "After a while, you get pretty tired of falling off ten foot human pyramids every other day."
I shared P.E. with Kairi and Xion. The first thing they asked me was how the introduction went.
They erupted into laughter as I told them how Yuna had told off Larxene.
"Girls, if you're finished, would you kindly run another lap?" the coach bellowed from the bleachers.
Xion and Kairi groaned, but I kept my mouth shut and ran. There was no point in arguing.
After class was over, Xion, Kairi, Roxas, Sora, and I met in front of the school to walk home together. Our houses were more or less in a straight line from school.
As the other four chatted about their day, their lives, and the meaning of life in general, blah, blah, blah, I kept up a mask of interest and answered with a monosyllable whenever a question was directed at me.
I was thinking about someone. You can guess who.
As I was brooding, again, somebody stepped out from behind a bush not twelve inches away from me.
I jumped, startled. Yeah, it was Vanitas.
"Hey, Namine. Listen, I forgot to ask you…when should I pick you up?" he asked.
"Uhhh…how 'bout five thirty?" I responded. My face reddened, because he was still less than a foot away from me. I tried not to look at his chest, instead focusing on his face. I had to crane my neck to do so.
"That's perfect," he grinned. "See ya!"
"See ya," I echoed, beaming. He pranced away whooping like an idiot.
"You never told me you had a date with Vanitas," Roxas spat. He pronounced Vanitas as if the name was a mouthful of crap.
"You didn't hear?" Kairi said, surprised. She was obviously overconfident in the range of her gossip.
"I don't listen to random chatter," Roxas replied. He turned to me. "Why are you going out with a piece of trash like him?"
I was outraged. What utter bullshit he was spewing. "First of all, how dare you call Vanitas a piece of trash. Look who's talking!" I practically screamed. "Second of all, you had your chance with me. You blew it that day in the locker room. Third, SHUT UP!"
Sora, Kairi, and Xion had been looking at the two of with bug eyes the whole time.
"Namine, I know how you feel about this," Xion began. "But…Roxas has a point. Vanitas does seem to be a bit old for you."
I whirled, eyes glittering with fury. "Xion, are you jealous?" I hissed acidly.
She recoiled as if I'd stung her. "No," she mumbled contritely. "Sorry."
I winced in shame. In my rage I'd lashed out at a friend. "Sorry, too," I replied awkwardly.
We stood there like that for a few seconds.
Then I walked away to my house, chewing myself out with each step.
I'll make this clear: I ship NamineXRoxas all the way. But Roxas, calling Vanitas a piece of trash was OVER the line.
The date comes next chapter! I can't wait to write it!
By the way, what's a hickey? Somebody tell me!
Anyways, thank you constant reviewer ken0082, along with everybody else who reviewed! Reviews are lovelier than a rising sun…sigh…you'll have to forgive my sudden poetic thought.