Chapter 12: Noticed
"Man, Friday already," Roxas thought to himself as he made his way carefully down the sunset hallway. This week had seemed like an eternity, but now it was almost over. He could go home, kick back, and….Roxas frowned. Relax? Was that really what he was going to do when he got home? Was he really going to relax when his home life was in utter chaos?
Roxas almost chuckled aloud to himself at the idea as he continued down the next corridor. It was impossible. His parents were frantic. His father hadn't even slept since last night, and his mother? His mother already acted as though she was living in a mortuary and not a house. Roxas clenched his fists as the small smile of amusement on his face quickly dissipated.
Why couldn't anything in his life go right? It just didn't seem fair. His family had been through so much already with his accident. One of Roxas' fists began to tremble and he shook his head trying to drive the sudden onslaught of bitterness out of his mind. He picked up his cautious pace ignoring the many potential hazards he was unlocking by doing so. Roxas didn't care.
He didn't care if his body was shaking. He didn't care if his movements seemed almost sporadic. He didn't care if anyone's eyes were on him because at this moment the blond was lost. His eyes were shut tight and eternal abyss behind his eyes became darker.
Roxas veered around the corner sharply, 'I-I just can't…I just can't do this right now…I need—'
THUD!
Instant pain shot through the blond's body as he felt something hit him—hard. Roxas stumbled for a moment before smacking his head into a nearby locker. The blond hissed at the throbbing pain echoing in his head before gingerly regaining his balance.
"H-Hey, are you okay?" Roxas called weakly to the person he had collided into as he held a hand to his now sore head.
The girl he had knocked into blinked for a moment before nonchalantly but almost hurriedly picked herself up from the ground. Her voice was curt, but seemingly fragile,"I'm…It's fine…I just—" She shook her head not bothering to look up at him as she dusted off her skirt.
Roxas, however, still recognized the voice, "Naminé?" He edged towards her cautiously and managed to, after a moment, plant a warm hand on her shoulder, "Are you…are you okay?"
Naminé's tilted head snapped upward and her thundering heart nearly stopped. 'R-Roxas!' Her eyes uncharacteristically widened in horror at the new found revelation. 'I-It c-can't be! I mean he can't see me like this!' Naminé did her best to remove the stiffness from her body as she attempted her usual cool, Queen Bee smile.
"What was that, Roxas?" Naminé swiftly and calmly replied. She didn't mention the fact that his hand was still resting on her shoulder. Naminé hid her blush. She didn't want to.
"Oh," Roxas' own eyes widened, but unlike hers it was out of surprise. Then, however, his tone shifted and his voice became lower. Naminé inwardly swallowed. Everyone was watching. "I…I was just…I was just wondering—Are you okay?"
Naminé smiled tightly to stifle the gasp itching to release itself from the back of her throat. Students whispered as they passed by—Naminé inwardly cringed. What where they saying about her?
"Wrong?" Naminé echoed as though clueless, "Why would you say that?"
No one else ever notices…
"I just thought," Roxas smiled weakly, removing his hand from her shoulder before weaving it through his hair, "I just thought you seemed a little upset…that's all."
"Upset? Me?" Naminé giggled haughtily, "I don't know why you'd think I'd be upset! I'm perfectly happy, see?" Naminé flashed the blond boy a blindly white smile and Roxas, although blind, seemed to understand the gesture that came with her words.
"Oh…okay," Roxas' voice became even quieter, "I-I'm sorry…I just thought—never mind. I was being stupid." Roxas shook his head and smiled at the ground, "Sorry."
Naminé felt a large lump in throat as she stared at her crush guiltily. Why was it when she lied to him…it hurt?
He carefully brushed passed her, their shoulders touching briefly before he began to disappear slowly into the crowd. "Then, I guess…I'll see you around later."
"Lunch?" Naminé hastily called mentally cursing such a desperate plea, but…letting it go because…maybe—just maybe she felt a little bad about lying to him.
At the sound of her voice, Roxas smiled brighter and called back as his figure finally melded with crowd, "I'd like that."
Their peers 'gazes were intent on her reaction. They wanted to see if her ice melted and despite herself it did—Naminé smiled. She almost hated herself for it, but she still did it and for whatever reason, it felt…good.
However, one lingering thought still haunted her and it was that very thought that caused her smile to fade.
No one ever noticed… so…why did he?
KHKHKHKHKHKHKHKHKHKH
'12:00 pm,' Olette looked thoughtfully from her watch to the empty corridor and sighed. She was alone now. No Kairi. No Selphie. No…Naminé. It was one of the few moment the brunette had to herself. One of the few moments she could be…Olette.
It seemed strange at times—her desire to alone. A year ago and her feelings would have been the complete opposite. The thought of being alone would have terrified the old Olette. Alone would have meant rejection. But now…alone was a word the new Olette treasured. It was the one word that meant she didn't have to pretend…for anyone.
Olette shook her head and picked up her pace, 'I wish I could be myself all the time like when I was with…'
"So, how does it feel to be on top?"
Olette spun sharply, her braids slapping lightly against her face. "Hayner!" The brunette exclaimed in surprise and the books in her arms nearly fell to floor at the abruptness of his entrance.
Tightening her grip on the pile in her arms, Olette lightly brushed aside her bangs and regarded the blond wearily, "W-What are you doing here?"
"Me?" Hayner pointed to himself caustically, "What can't I say 'hi' to an old friend every once in a while?"
Biting her lip, Olette hesitated a moment before weakly shaking her head, "No…not at all, it's just…"
'I just didn't think we were still friends…that's all.'
Hayner leered at her mockingly and Olette flinched at the volume of his voice, "You just what Olette? Didn't think we were friends anymore?"
Olette nearly gasped aloud at the keen accusation, but instead swallowed it back with shaking lips.
"Well gee, sorry I didn't get the memo earlier. I guess the Ice Queen has you on a pretty tight leash, huh?"
Olette didn't respond. Hayner rolled his eyes and barked out a bitter laugh, "Being on top must really be something. Too bad I didn't make the cut. Could've been fun, you know—the three of us. Together."
The lights in hallway flickered erratically and Hayner's voice ricocheted off the lockers as he threw out his arms, nodding as he slowly backed away. "Get everything you wanted Lette? Was this everything you dreamed?"
Olette's lips trembled as she bit back an onslaught of tears. No words left her lips. Hayner smiled softly, his voice lowered and he met her eyes, "Are you, happy?"
A moment of silence and Hayner shook his head with a quiet bitter laugh as he disappeared down the hallway, "Guess not."
Olette closed her eyes as tears began to fall, 'No…You were right Hayner…I'm not happy.'
KHKHKHKHKHKH
"There, perfect." Naminé puckered her newly glossed lips and gazed at her reflection in the bathroom mirror for a moment in approval before fluffing her blond hair. 'Being popular can be like such a burden sometimes...I almost wish—"Naminé shook the idea out of her head. She was back in control now. There was no reason to begin thinking in that direction. Only Roxas had seen through her facade and he was much too sweet and perfect to spread rumors…wasn't he?
Naminé roughly snatched her purse from the counter top, 'Of course he wouldn't say anything…I mean he…he isn't …,' Naminé's hand curled around the door handle and the blonde let out a deep breath as she opened the door, 'like me.'
KHKHKHKHKH
The instant the Naminé's Betsy Johnson boots met the cafeteria tile, she was immediately surrounded. It was as if the entire student body had some sort of radar programmed into their brains that singled the blonde's arrival. Such a response seemed almost unreal, and for many considerably annoying. Naminé, however, relished the attention. She passed by each of her adoring subjects with a cute, coy smile, her movements never faltering as she gracefully made her way to the end of the cafeteria.
A moment later and Naminé is able to spot her entourage sitting at their usual table at the far right of the room. Everyone appeared to be in a jocular mood, and Naminé noted, with a small smirk of satisfaction that, even in spite of their joyful mood, they were all still anxiously waiting—for her. It made the blonde feel needed and Naminé Misaki loved feeling needed. Her blue eyes scanned each seat assiduously, drinking in the sight of her beloved court. Selphie, who was sitting in the seat to right of her own, caught her wandering gaze and shot the blonde girl an expectant look.
Naminé shook her head slightly and merely waved the gesture off with an impatient look of her own. She needed to focus and find Roxas. He had said that he would have lunch with her, but, from Naminé could see, her blond counterpart wasn't even here yet.
Naminé lightly brushed her bangs aside and released an irritated sigh, 'He better not have stood me up…' The blonde's eyes narrowed slightly as they roamed the cafeteria once more. She did her best not to reflect the growing worry building inside her chest, but the longer her eyes searched the more anxious Naminé felt. She wasn't used to waiting. When Naminé Misaki wanted something, she got it. No questions asked. She never waited. She wasn't patient and she most certainly did not like the idea of being forgotten.
An inaudible sigh passed between her lips as Naminé cast one final look around the cafeteria. Unfortunately, the blonde had no more time to look for her porcupine haired crush. Naminé was a queen and she had a duty to her court. They needed her. Naminé turned, preparing to abandon her search, 'Maybe he went home sick…I mean he couldn't have really—" Naminé abruptly stiffened and her eyes widened as her eyes finally caught sight of her elusive crush. Naminé felt a small, relieved smile flit across her face—that is until she saw the company he was keeping.
KHKHKHKHKHKHKHKHKH
"You told her you'd have lunch with her?" Hayner shook his head incredulously and bit off another chunk of his sandwich. The rest of the table remained quiet. Pence continued eating, Ven used his fork to poke at his food, Aqua stared blankly off to the side, and Terra glared down at his full tray as he tried to stifle his building anger.
Roxas, however, ignored the lack of enthusiasm and nodded patiently with a smile, "Yeah, I thought it would be nice…she seemed a bit down today and—"
"Down?" Terra cut in, his voice cold and devoid of emotion, "That heartless witch? Tch, sure you're not just seeing things, kid?"
Roxas glared at the floor and clenched his fists underneath the table, "Don't call me that…and I know what I—" he paused, remembering the presence of his ignorant friends, "I know what I saw Terra, I'm not stupid."
Terra snorted and muttered lowly under his breath, "Could have fooled me."
Roxas closed his eyes, feeling his nails leave small crescent shaped indents in his palms as they dug deeper into his skin. He tried to maintain a level voice, "Look Terra, I don't know what your problem is, but—"
"My problem?" Terra barked out a bitter laugh, "My problem is—"
"On its way over here, right now," Ven abruptly hissed from his seat beside Terra. Roxas quieted instantly, and Terra rolled his eyes, but said nothing as he settled broodingly against the back of his chair. His blue eyes narrowed as he watched her overly graceful footsteps with unmasked contempt. Terra knew there was nothing he could say now, or rather there was nothing useful he could say now. She was coming and there was nothing, legal, he could do about it.
Roxas, after mentally glaring at Terra, gave a curt nod and smiled, hopefully, in Ven's direction, "Thanks."
Ven returned the gesture awkwardly as he stole a fearful glance towards his best friend, "Yeah…ah no problem."
Roxas' fists relaxed and he brought both of his hands out from underneath the table. He could already feel his heart beginning to beat erratically in his chest as she drew nearer. Because, although the blond was blind, he wasn't deaf and could easily hear the calm steady pace of her boots clacking against the school's cheap linoleum tile. It made Roxas wonder, if only for a moment, how she remained so relaxed in front of everyone all the time. The aura she radiated, save for this morning's encounter, was always fraught with confidence. It almost seemed inhuman to the boy for any person to have such high self-esteem, but, in a strange way, found it to be…refreshing.
"Hey Roxas," her voice interrupted his thoughts and the blond, stifling his surprise, hastily attempted to fix his gaze from, what he believed to be the ground, to where he hoped was in proximity of her face.
"Hey," he replied with a smile.
The others at the table, excluding Aqua and Ven, rolled their eyes, but for once Naminé forgot to punish the annoying gesture, as her stuttering heart forced a smile to flit across her normally stone cold features.
Pence, Hayner and Terra all exchange incredulous looks. Naminé never smiled—well at least not genuinely. Her smiles were usually fake—plastic. She never showed a gesture of kindles even one as small as a smile to anyone and yet…here she was truly smiling. From the corner of his eye, Terra couldn't help but shoot an imperceptible and envious glare towards his new 'friend.'
'Just wait until she finds out your secret.'
"Are you ready to go have lunch, now?" Naminé asked, trying to keep her voice level as she inwardly fought to maintain her cool. Naminé didn't normally smile like the way she just did and she knew people had noticed her slip up. She needed to reassure everyone, including herself that she was still in control. She only hoped her cheeks weren't now flushed and that her lips wouldn't betray her again. However, as the blonde knew very well, there were no guarantees in such a bet.
Roxas nodded genially, "Yeah I a—"
"Lunch?" An irritated voice rang out from behind the group.
Naminé's eyes snapped over to the right, knowing who it was instantly—Xion.
"Yes lunch, and we were about to leave if you hadn't so rudely inter—"
"Wow, so you do actually eat. Surprise, surprise."
Naminé cast her raven haired rival a chilling glare, "Yeah, I do so if you like don't mind, we're leaving."
"If that's okay with everyone, that is," Roxas interjected with a weary smile. He could already sense the building tension between the two girls and wanted to, if possible, avoid any and all confrontations he could.
Naminé blinked in disbelief at her crush's suggestion, but grit her teeth as she fought back her frustration. She knew she needed to remain focused. She needed to rescue her King and introduce him to his future court; that was her mission—even if that meant playing along with a couple of silly ideas.
Aqua smiled genially, "That's perfectly fine with me!"
Ven's eyes darted from Aqua to Roxas before chiming in weakly, "Y-Yeah me…too."
"Whatever," Terra muttered indifferently as his eyes cast a dark gaze towards both blondes.
Hayner looked between the two blondes for a moment before giving a grudging nod of the head. Pence gazed up from his ramen noodles to give a small smile of approval. Xion, however, was not as enthused to let her overtly cute friend leave with her worst enemy.
Roxas waited a moment for Xion's voice to chime in, "Xion?"
Xion glared at Naminé and crossed her arms defiantly, "I don't want you to leave with her."
A few eyebrows were lifted at the table, including Naminé's. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me," Xion shifted her gaze to Roxas, "You won't leave, will you?"
Roxas scratched the back of his neck, obviously uncomfortable, "Well ah…It's just that I kinda promised we'd have lunch together, and I…" Roxas closed his eyes, "don't like breaking a promise."
A moment of silence passed. Xion swallowed back a mouthful of bitterness, "Oh…I see." She then turned back to her blonde rival, "Fine. Just go to lunch already, I don't care. It's none of my business anyway."
Naminé blinked, fighting back her surprise at the raven haired girl's sudden defeat, "Like I said, that's where we were going, now ah…c'mon Roxas, it's time you met the best of Twilight High."
KHKHKHKHKHKHKHKHKHKHKHKH
Wow 7 pages and this chapter is finally done; I honestly didn't think it would take me half as long as it did. However, like I've said before, my life has gotten chaotic. I had really hoped it would slow down, but unfortunately it hasn't let up too much. As always, I'm sorry to be giving such a late update when you guys have been awesome with your reviews, favorites and alerts.
I would also like to thank everyone for helping me reach my review goal and even amazingly going beyond that goal! I'm simply amazed at the support everyone's been giving me and hope you'll be willing to continue to support me despite my lame updates.
I am going to put another goal up, but like I said, it's simply a goal and I'm not forcing anyone to review (especially considering my lame updates).
Review Goal: 170
However, I do have some relatively good news. I've decided that Half Alive is going to have at a maximum 35 chapters plus an epilogue. I'll try my best to outline and update but I just wanted everyone to know that the story's not going to be like 50 chapters or anything and I'm hoping with an established length I'll get done a little faster.
As for our story: Things are beginning to get interesting. The next chapter will focus on Roxas' introduction to Namine's 'court' but there will be a surprise towards the end of the chapter:)
BlackButterfly9: haha me too and thank you. I'm happy to hear you think so and lol she is quite different, isn't she?
Coloredsparks: Thank you, I'm trying to stay away from cliché plot turns as much as I can, and I know , right? Who could smile when you just lost your job? But thank you so much, I am really sorry for my horrible updates.
Copper: Yeah, I'm pretty surprised I was able to achieve that goal due to my lame updates, so I agree. I just sort felt like putting it out there, that's all and I guess it worked out. Thank you, and yeah I'm trying to show she's not simply a shallow, self centered person, but that she has more depth to her. Ahh I would say, though I haven't entirely decided, about a year and sorry about that. For the most part, I want him to be independent, but while I was writing this I figured him as the character wouldn't mind so much because it had been a more emotional scene. And it wouldn't have done a whole lot of good if he had shrugged his sister's hand off or told her to back off. But like I said, I get what you're saying.
Artism: lol me too and yeah it really is hard out there. But thank you for the review!
NumberXIII: Thank you, I'm happy to hear you think so and well the update's finally here so we all fially get to see what happens lol.
Nobody: Yeah, it wasn't really expected at all, but I guess I wanted to add a more real situation to the story. Aww I'm really flattered to hear you check them and I hope you enjoy this chapter! Also thank you! I appreciate it.