I snuck around the building. I was safe. And hopefully I hadn't been noticed.

I passed an old mirror in the alleyway I was sneaking through. I saw my dyed black hair, and green contacts, and I sighed.

Why am I doing this? Because I'm bored? She's going to catch me, and I'll be in trouble.

"What are you doing?" a cold voice from behind asked me.

I jumped. "Uh, Malef-" I began, but when I turned around, Maleficent wasn't there. Riku was.

"Riku!" I was surprised. "What are you doing back here in an alley?"

Riku stared at me. Well, it was more of a glare. "How do you know my name?" he asked.

That's right! I keep forgetting that just because I know everyone, it doesn't mean they know me.

"Um, hello there, Riku. Sorry, I must've heard someone say your name, and then forgotten you didn't know me," I lied.

"Uh-huh," Riku muttered, still scrutinizing me.

I stared back at him, wondering what he was thinking. To him, I looked like a seven-year-old girl wandering the streets at midnight.

"Well, seeya, Naminé," Riku said, and started to walk off.

"What?"

Riku turned around and smiled. "Your name…it's Naminé, isn't it?"

"W-what? How'd you know?" I was confused.

"I dunno. Something inside just told me it was your name. You seem familiar."

"I-I do?" Had I been careless at some point and he had seen me?

"How old are you?" Riku asked.

"Uh…Seven," I decided to lie again.

"You're awful smart for a seven-year-old."

"Really? You're the first to say that," I said, surprised.

"Do you trust me?" Riku asked.

"Huh? Why?"

"Why don't you come with me, and I'll give you a place to stay tonight," Riku said, holding out his hand with a big smile on his face.

"Uh, okay," I said. I could hide from Maleficent, and I thought Riku was trustable if he could detect these things about me.

Riku shushed me, and then opened a door to a house.

"Is this your house?" I asked, not recognizing the place.

"No, it's a friend of mine's, but I'm sure we can stay here and talk," Riku whispered. Riku sat on one couch, and I sat on the other.

"Is this Kairi's house?" I whispered.

"Yes, it is. Why don't you tell me about yourself?"

"Um, okay. But first, you have to promise you won't tell anyone!" I almost yelled.

Riku stood up, covering my mouth with his hand. "You have to be quiet!"

"Sorry," I whispered.

Riku sat down. After a while, he said, "Okay, I promise I won't tell anyone."

"What do you want to know first?" I asked.

"How old are you? You're obviously not seven," Riku pointed out.

"Yes, I am! Physically, at least. I'm fifteen, in actuality."

"Really?"

"Yes. She thought I would listen to her if I was smaller, and weaker. So I've been seven for eight years." I stared at the ground.

"She? Maleficent?" Riku asked.

"What? How'd you know?" I snapped my head up.

"I've dealt with Maleficent before."

"What? That's not good. Where have you seen her or heard her?" I asked, now worried for Riku.

"I dream about her. She says that I have darkness that can help me. Just a bunch of crap," Riku nonchalantly said.

"Riku, you deny everything she says, right?" I asked, really worried. Riku may not realize it, but he could easily fall into darkness any minute.

"Of course, Naminé," Riku said, looking at my worried face. "Where are you staying?"

"Oh! Well, I ran away from Maleficent, so nowhere, right now."

"Do you want me to see if I can get you a place to stay?"

"Could you?"

Riku laughed. "Of course I can."

"RIKU! Where the heck have you been?" Riku's dad yelled the second we walked in. Except, he didn't say 'heck'.

"Hey, Dad, Mom," Riku said. I stood behind him, clutching the bottom of his shirt. He had told me to look as much like a seven-year-old as I could.

"Riku, who's that?" Riku's mom asked, looking at me with concern.

"Oh, Mom, this is a little girl I found wandering the streets. I was concerned, so I tried to get her to come home so I could see if we could find her a place to stay," Riku lied.

It's not good to lie, Riku. I have a bad feeling about this!

"Well, do you know her name?" Riku's mom asked. Riku's dad looked like he was about to explode.

"Mom, this is Nami. She's seven."

"Well, hello there, Nami! Such a cutie, isn't she? And such a beautiful name, too!" Riku's mom cooed.

I smiled sheepishly, clutching Riku's shirt tighter. My hand was turning white.

"Well, honey, how can we turn down a cutie like that? We'll let her stay here, won't we?" Riku's mom asked her husband.

"Well, she is adorable. Kind of like Riku was when he was younger. Sure, she can stay here!" Riku's dad gave in.

Riku turned around and gave me a triumphant look.

"Riku, honey, show her to the guest room and make sure she's settled, please," Riku's mom shooed us away.

"'Kay, Mom," Riku responded, lightly pushing me down a hall.

"Okay, this is your room," Riku whispered, pointing to a door. Then, he pointed to the one next to it. "That's my room. If there are any problems, come tell me, okay?"

"Okay," I whispered back.

"One more thing. Tell everyone your name is Nami, not Naminé, okay? That way, if Maleficent comes asking, they won't know a Naminé."

"Okay," I said, smiling. Riku was smart, and I could depend on him to protect me. He knew a lot.

"How long do you plan to stay?" Riku asked.

"Well, at least until I get my original body back, and then I'd like to stay. So, 'til I die, I guess," I replied honestly.

"Well, I guess it's time to enroll you in school," Riku sighed.

The next day, Riku took me to the nearby elementary school. I'd be in second grade, not tenth, like I wanted to be.

Riku and his mother talked to the principal. They had a long talk about me. Riku lied, yet again, and said I had just moved from another world.

The principal believed every word. He let me in, and chose which teacher would be mine.

"Thank you!" I called before we left.

"Riku, why are you doing so much for me?" I asked, once we got to Riku's house.

"I dunno, I feel bad for you I guess," Riku said, looking deep in thought. He suddenly burst into laughter.

"What happened?" I asked, confused.

"You're so short, because you have a seven-year-old body, but in reality, I'm talking to a fifteen-year-old girl."

"Oh. I guess that is weird."

"Don't be upset, Nami," Riku said, seeing my expression.

"S-sorry," I replied.

"It's okay, Naminé. I'm here, and I'll protect you." Riku had a giant smile on his face.

"Thanks," I replied, now smiling.

I could tell we had a great friendship ahead of us.