Hey, just wanted to post this before midterms. I will be a studying chica (my gender has been revealed!) tomorrow and the day after.
I don't actually know if lung therapy is real, but I imagine it would be kind of like how Sora describes it. But if anyone knows anything otherwise, feel free to correct me! And as indicated in the last chapter, Riku is about to ignitiate his distraction...wonder what it is: )
Thanks to my Reviewers MCs:
Kira Sakura: (Yeah...real cute...cough no, no, jk...whatever floats your boat! Welp, here's the next chappie!)
Colonel Roxas-chan: (She sure is! Heh. Yeah, that was my favorite one to write. Cleon!)
SuperFriendlySoraFan203: (Lol, yeah, I've never been to a strip bar either. Prolly real fun tho! Nope, Demy's not a ghost! ; ) )
Maeama (for a review on chapter 1): (Thank you! I'll keep on writing if you keep on reading!)
Enter Sora:
Do you ever feel alone? Like the world is zooming by you, and you're standing still, watching the people you love just passing through?
I have. And I'll tell you what; it is not a good feeling.
Lung therapy was crap, what else is new? All the therapist did was ask me, "Well, how does that make you feel?" the whole time, effectively pissing me off to the point of new return, and then when I blew up at her, she just blinked and said, "Well, it seems we're making progress."
Not that she would understand that, even if she was a real therapist. My mind is in such a state of confusion, jumbled conversations, and random thoughts that she'd probably go on sensory overdrive just by peeking inside.
I miss being bubbly, energetic, and just…happy. I hate how Riku's presence of absence rules my emotions so much; it's unhealthy but…it's true. And no matter how much I argue with them, the feeling of joy and happiness now that Riku is here is overpowering my anger.
All of this was swimming in my mind at once and it was out of my capacity to keep up and try not to drown.
Wakka's Surf Shack
So now I was here, the next day, at the Surf Shack, having just been kicked out of my house by Mom and told to "get my cute little butt to work!"
Why? Don't ask me. She seemed kind of distracted. She was calling people left and right, telling them about my "horrible predicament" and trying to get in touch with someone named Xemnas or something. Dad simply retreated in his studio to paint.
Whatever. Frankly, I don't mind coming to work that much because:
a.) it's way to depressing at home. Mom needs to learn that when something bad happens, it isn't the end of the world. It's not like I'm dying or anything.
b.) I needs that money! I'm so broke, I can't afford a gumball. Seriously, the other day Kairi and I had gone over to Circuit Shack to buy the new Justin Timberlake CD, and we started reminiscing about the good ol' days where gumballs were only twenty five cents. And then we both went, "but they are twenty five cents!" So she fished out a quarter and bought one, while I…merely produced a fly from my empty pockets.
c.) Riku doesn't know I work there! Insert maniacal laugh. I'd have freedom to be myself without having to worry about Riku being there and making me feel like forgiving him. So unless Kairi told him, which she wouldn't, Riku would have no idea I was there!
So that's how I found myself sitting behind the counter in Wakka's Surf Shack, talking to Kairi, who had come here with me after taking care of some "business." Normally I wouldn't be able to be chatting like this, but seeing how the store was practically deserted… something about a party? I wouldn't know.
No one wants a klutz at their party.
"Oh god, what's he doing here?" Kairi groaned as I handed her a custom made LUCKY surfboard, complete with pink flowers and a long strip of white that had her name stenciled on it in cursive. But she wasn't talking about me. She was talking about the guy who just walked in Wakka's Surf Shack.
But I wasn't paying attention. I was too busy admiring my work. That surfboard was my life for two full weeks. Would you like to know why? It's because it's Kairi's surfboard. Kairi. The only one who loved me enough to pick up the pieces of my broken heart when Riku…anyway. That surfboard had to be the most perfect surfboard in the world of….uh, surfboards.
And the sad thing about it was that Kairi had to be the worst surfer in the world of, err…surfers.
"I'm sure you're just seeing things. I'll bet it's just…" I began but I immediately trailed off. That's when I smelled it. Rain water and papou fruit…
The guy who entered the shop was none other than Riku, the guy who had been haunting my dreams for three years. God dammit, I just couldn't get away from him!
"Just look at that tight ass! I would love to see them buns in a hot pair of briefs." Kairi commented, shaking her head and licking her lips like he was a piece of hot apple pie. My eyes widened and I turned to stare at her. What was that?!
"Kairi, I thought you went all lesbian for Yuna." I commented back, slowly starting to head for the back, where the customers couldn't go.
"Where do you think you're going?" Kairi whispered, grabbing my wrist.
I whirled on her. "Kairi, you know what happened the last time I saw him! I can't do this!" I began to hyperventilate. I couldn't help it; it was what I did when I was nervous.
"Sora, Sora, breathe….breathe." Kairi hissed, going through the breathing motion with me. I was breathing when I noticed a shadow fall over us. Kairi and I slowly looked up.
And I couldn't help it; I screamed. Like a little girl, I'm ashamed to add.
"Whoa! Calm down Sora, it's just me. Breathe. Breathe." Riku began to breathe with me too. But he was making it worse; he was the reason I still wasn't cured from this.
"I'm okay. I'm fine now." I whispered, staring down at my shoes like they were the most interesting things in the world. Silence reined. I could feel Riku staring at me, and out of the corner of my eye I could see Kairi texting furiously on her cell phone, a dead give away that she was aware of the severity of our reunion. Again.
"So." Riku said, clearing his throat and rubbing the back of his neck.
"What do you want?" I snapped, but there was a hint of confusion in my voice. This was a little awkward, although I had no clue why. Lord knows Riku wasn't this shy yesterday. What could have changed him in one day? Jeez, both Kari and Riku were acting really weird.
"You…you look really good." He observed, nodding his head at me. I looked down at myself. I was wearing the Wakka's Surf Shack required uniform: a tight white collared shirt with a pair of khaki shorts, brown flip flops, and a bright blue visor. What in the world was he seeing?
Still…the compliment threw me off guard.
"Uh, thanks." I said slowly, then as an after thought, "You do too."
He really did look good. He was wearing a pair of loose blue jeans with a thin white tank top with the words, 'I'm too sexy for sleeves' on it. His hair was free and flowing, and his pretty toes were peeking from his flip flops, similar to mine.
I was blushing. I was blushing like the biggest idiot in the world.
"Thanks. So…" Suddenly a mischievous expression crossed his face, and he leaned in towards me, cracking a smirk. "I see all the kids are calling you Klutz."
Scratch my previous statement. Now I was blushing.
That freaking jerk! Riku hadn't changed at all!
"Haven't you noticed? Old Klutz here is a walking time bomb." Wakka laughed loudly as he emerged from the back room. "How ya' doing, Riku?"
Riku laughed and leaned back against the glass display case showing all of the little accessories you could have with your surf gear. He just looked so graceful and at ease. I envied him.
"I've been better. Some people here refuse to forgive me. Other people haven't even acknowledged I'm here. And both of them used to be my best friends." Riku mulled casually, flipping his hair. Kairi and I both gaped at him. He had his nerve!
"Riku, have you just forgotten what you did to us?!" I cried, leaning back in a frustrated rage against the glass display case. That's when it caved in and shattered, causing Riku and I to go crashing into it. Three sharp glass shards stabbed me in my left arm.
"Shit, Sora! You are a walking time bomb!" Riku exclaimed, dusting himself off. Kairi had somehow snuck off in the chaos, and Wakka was screeching like a hump back whale had just landed on his house.
"Klutz, I told you three strikes and you're out! That was strike three!" Wakka shouted, retreating into the back room to gather up my things. "Even Tidus wasn't this bad!"
Of course not. Tidus had onlymade-out with every customer that entered the store.
Wakka thrust my stuff into my arms and Riku watched with amusement as I attempted to ease over the situation.
"Wakka. Home dog! Let's talk about this! We're both adults here!" I pointed out reasonably. Riku laughed and I shot a glare in his direction. Not helping.
"The only adult here is me, and as your elder, I'm firing you. And don't ever call me home dog again!" With that, the door to Wakka's Surf Shack was shut in my face, and my ass had successfully been kicked out the door.
Riku came out not too long after. He grinned down at me.
"So…look's like you're unemployed." He noted, holding out a hand to help me up. I took it without thinking, and instantly hated myself for it. I gave him another cold glare to compensate. He just laughed again.
"Sora, your glares are like pouts. You're just too cute." He chuckled. I fumed. Did all he do now was laugh?!
"Whatever. You would know. I haven't glared this much since Steve was replaced with Joe on Blue's Clues." I growled, beginning to walk back to my house. Riku only laughed harder but with a little jog he caught back up to me, grabbing my arm to stop me.
"Alright, alright, just wait." He sighed, wiping his eyes with his free hand and taking a deep breath. He grinned at my blank expression. "You look irritated." He added.
But he covered my mouth with his hand before I could retort or yell at him.
"I know, I know! Sorry; let's just chill for a second. I notice that now you're unemployed." He said in a surprisingly serious businessman voice. But what he was actually saying however- not so much.
Riku uncovered my mouth. "No shi-" I began before my mouth was covered once again. He grinned but otherwise continued.
"Which means your mom is going to be very disappointed in you." He paused to let it all sink in. I visibly paled. I forgot about that. Mom was so proud of me when I actually got a job that paid good money and one that I didn't destroy. It was a job I was genuinely good at- I would never find that again. She would be devastated- not to mention pissed.
"Exactly," Riku nodded, noting my sudden shift to depression, "but I have a proposition for you. I can pay you double what Wakka was paying you…if you let me give you what I like to call, "The Road to Awesomeness."
I just stared blankly at him.
"To put it simply, you let me give you lessons on how to be awesome and I pay you."
I continued to stare blankly at him. Was this some kind of joke?
Riku eyed me hesitantly. "I know what you're thinking: is this some kind of joke?"
My eyes widened. How did he know?!
"-But it's like I said before; I will earn your forgiveness. I realize now that everything doesn't come as easily as I want it to. And that's something that I have to come to terms with. In the meantime, Sora, I need you to give me a chance. All I need is one chance."
I folded my arms and turned away from him. It was so hard to say no to Riku. It was hard when I first met him, it was hard three years ago, and it was hard now. I like to think I'm a pretty strong person, but…
Riku has always been a weakness of mine. But this didn't mean I wasn't still mad at him.
"Well…Mom would be pretty pissed…" I trailed off, looking up at him. "You're paying me, right?"
Riku couldn't hide that annoyingly perfect grin that lit up his entire face.
And what's more….
I think I may have melted.
Good distraction, Riku. :rolls eyes: Okay, so next chapter we have Riku's POV of the "Road to Awesomeness" and then the PAR-TEH! And after that, I'll probably end part one like I said I would about three chappie's ago or something, and then we'll get into the "plot" of the story. Action! Adventure! Romance!