You Make My Heart S m i l e
C h a p t e r 4
The Silence
The Silence Will Set Me Free
(A/N) This takes place at the same time as the last chapter. And a warning for this chapter! Roxas's friends don't have the cleanest of mouths…O.O;
"Dude, get a grip." He laughed, taking a long lick on his ice cream. He slurped loudly, the melting blue-green liquid running down his chin.
"No Axel. She doesn't get it." I argued, looking angrily at the fiery redhead.
He simply offered a smirk in return. "You are really head over heels for this girl, huh Roxy-boy?" Axel slapped my back, making me nearly fall off of the roof of my house.
Sunday mornings were normally boring, but Axel liked to try to spice things up every so often. It just so happened we began to talk about her.
"Am not. And how many times must I tell you to not call me Roxy-boy?"
"Then why are you so obsessed with her? Do you even know her name?" Axel asked, uninterested. That damn jerk was paying more attention to his stupid ice cream than to me.
"Yes, as a matter of a fact I do. Her name is Namine." the movement my mouth made when I said her name was amazing. Beautiful in every way, just like her.
"God, Demyx was right. You are a stalker."
"Am not!"
I took his ice cream just as he was about to lick it again and tossed it into the street below. Splat.
He turned his head slowly (Like those looks you see in horror films) and glared daggers at me. "You owe me another ice cream."
I shoved my hands into my empty pockets and placed a piece of lint in his waiting hand. "Here ya go. That should cover it."
"You little twit." He yelled, grabbing me in a headlock and giving me a hard noogie. "Burn baby!"
"Ow, ow, OW!" I yelped, pushing him away and rubbing my burning scalp.
He smiled. "Free of charge."
"You bas-" My insult was cut off short by Xion, who suddenly sat in the empty space between me and Axel. Her shoulder length black hair flowed softly in the morning breeze, the strands tickling my nose, causing me to sneeze. It had grown slowly over the last school year, her bob growing a total of four and a half inches.
"Fighting again?" She asked and smiled sweetly.
"See Roxas? You don't need your emo…tional girl. You got her!" Axel laughed, sliding Xion closer to me.
"Wha?" She exclaimed, startled by Axel's suddenness.
Everyone knew Xion had a thing for me. In addition, everyone knew about everyone knowing about her thing for me, but Xion herself. These are the beauties of being in a band, huh?
Xion blushed madly as she turned her face towards Axel, embarrassment and slight anger written all over. "A-x-e-l." She growled.
He threw his long arm around her, pulling her closer. Smirking devilishly, he jabbed his thumb in my direction. "I'm gonna make this guy your bit-"
"Alright that's enough Axel." I groaned, standing up and walking to the ladder that we had propped up against my house to get up here.
Xion giggled softy as Axel whispered something in her ear, glancing slightly over in my direction. I rolled my eyes and started down the ladder, the morning frost making the rungs slick.
"Woah!" I yelped, my feet slipping off the ladder, and dangling uselessly below me. My feet were trying to grab a hold on the ladder, when my hands slipped and let go. I fell, rear down to the ground, the pavement sending sharp jabs of pain up my spine. "OWWWWW!"
"Roxas!" Xion slung her feet around the ladder and slips down (nearly landing on me), the sharp metal leaving cuts on her hands.
"Watch where you're falling!" I laughed painfully.
She knelt close to me, worry clouding her eyes. "What hurts?"
"I'd rather not say."
"Tell me!"
"My ass! Ok?"
She flinched at the tone I used, her face dropping. "If you don't want my help, fine." She said, standing up and walking away.
"Daaaaaamn Roxas. Now two girls hate your guts." Axel said, suddenly appearing beside me. "Way to go buddy!"
"Yeah yeah, just help me up." I groaned.
He reached down, firmly grasping my hand and pulling me up to my feet. I stumbled a bit, wincing from the pain.
"Take it like a man!" Axel said, thrusting his fist straight into the air.
"That's what she said." I scoffed.
He glared at me as I waddled around the corner of my house and into my open garage. My garage was always open. I mean always. If someone needed shelter or a hideout, it was always "Go to Roxas's garage!" It was also the place my band practiced. Band practice was the only time my garage was shut, the room being soundproof.
Demyx must have heard my uneven footsteps, for he was watching me intently as I stumbled into the warm garage, sheltered from the morning breeze.
"Dude…what happened? The blonde finally asked.
"I fell off the ladder."
He burst into laughter, his face growing blue from air deprivation.
"Breathe man!" Zexion said, coming out of the house in time to see Demyx's non-breathing state. He run over to Demyx and shook his shoulders/
"I'm fine man!" Demyx said, wiping tears away from his eyes.
"Don't you two start making out now." Axel laughed from behind me.
"That was only one time! And for the record, I was drunk!" Zexion retorted.
"Oh whatever!" Axel said.
While Zexion gave Axel the death glare, the rest of our band members poured into my now closed garage. Hayner had a half-eaten glazed donut in his right hand, the other one dragging Xion out of the house.
"Come on!" He ordered around a mouthful of donut. It came out more like "Num om!"
"No! I don't wanna be in the same room as Assy-mc-hurterton!" she yelled, pulling defiantly
"I don't care Xion. We need to practice." which came out as, "Ny dumb nare shinom. Ne need noo nactice."
"Am I the only one that can understand Hay right now?" I asked loud enough for the whole band to hear.
"I think so." Zexion replied, setting up his microphone stand.
Axel clicked his drumsticks together impatiently. "C'mon. Are we gonna practice er not?"
"Yeah yeah. I'm comin'." I mumbled, dragging a near by chair in front of my microphone. Then I looked at my instrument, only five feet away, but those five feet seemed like miles. I looked up at Demyx, who was adjusting the strings on his sitar and gave him the best puppy-dog eyes it could possibly manage.
"Demyx?"
"What?" He asked, without looking away from his blue sitar.
"Will you do me a favor cause you love me?"
He sighed. "What Roxas?"
I pointed to my guitar, that stupid look still on my face.
"Fine." He grumbled, walking over to it and picking it up roughly by one of the necks.
"Hey! Don't take your anger out on Paula!"
"Paula?" Zexion laughed. "You named your guitar?"
"Maybe…"
"Dude. You just hit an all time low." Axel laughed loudly.
"Shut up." I said, grabbing my guitar from Demyx. I placed it softly on my knee, rubbing my hand over the worn cherry finish.
"Ah mate. That guitar is a beaut. Double-necked, six and twelve stringed, with a whammy bar." Zexion hissed like a pirate.
I gave him an odd stare, my eye slightly twitching.
"What?" He asked.
"Nothing."
"One, two, three, four!" Axel called out suddenly, clanking his drumsticks together at the beat of his numbering.
"One, two, three, BREAK!" Zexion called harshly into his microphone.
"If you be my star, I'll be your sky." Xion sang, softy but strongly.
Demyx lashed out his awesome sitar solo.
"You can hide underneath me and come out at night."
Axel pounded on his snare drum (Might I mention a little too hard?) a large, gaping hole forming right in the center. His drum sticks falling into it.
"Shit! That drum cost ninety bucks!" Axel whined.
The whole band stop playing, turning to stare at Axel, who was now weeping at the loss of his snare. All was silent.
Finally Luxord (When did he get here? He's not even in the band!) spoke up. "It's just a bloody drum, man."
Axel looked horrified and jumped off his stool, tearing across the garage and flinging the door open just enough to get his stick figure of a body outside. He laughed/wept and ran toward the direction of his house where he kept his extra snare.
"Now that was…odd." Zexion whispered just loud enough for us to hear.
"You could say that again." Xion said.
"I guess I'll go check on him." I moaned, painfully standing up and walking over to the corner where my bike was stored. The rusty chain hung slightly loose and the navy blue and white paint was chipping in the oddest of places. I slung my right leg over and placed my white tennis shoed foot on the gray with age pedal. I turned it around and pushed my self to the garage door with my other leg.
"Luxord." I said, snapping him out of a daydream about making out with Marluxia (Our band manager). He looked up at me, his blue eyes looking bloodshot from lack of sleep and alcohol. I motioned with my head to open the garage door. He sighed and walked over to me and my bike, the white plastic lawn chair making a funny sound when he got up.
After he opened the door, I took off after Axel. Emotional Axel equals Dangerous Axel. His drums were like his children. I cringed as the front of the stiff seat cut into my…yeah. Pulling up to his bright red house with an even redder fence out front, I literally threw my bike across the yard and hopped up the steps to his door. Guess what color is was. Red? NO! It was green! I honestly worried about his family…
His door was wide open, a disgusting smell wafting out. Axel was huddled into a ball on his couch, cuddling a blue snare drum. That's when I realized the smell was emitting from the cat litter.
"Axel." I said, picked up the brand new scooper, and swinging it around. "Your destiny calls."
His face made a disgusted look, when his fingers tapped the drum softly.
"Dude. Now who was hit the all time low?" I laughed.
His bright emerald eyes looked up at me, like a lost puppy I must add. I tossed the scooper to him, a slight growl growing in his throat.
"Clean it." I ordered.
"But it smells!" He complained.
"It's going to get worse if you don't clean it. Where is Marbella anyway?"
Marbella was Axel's kitten. She was only three or four months old, but she was a handful. She constantly got into the cupboards and into Axel's bedroom (And I thought it was messy before!). She was small and white with light orange on her left ear and down and around her left eye. Also, she never shut up. She meowed all the time.
"Probably eating my blankets." He said. I rolled my eyes and left, Axel getting up to clean the box. Running back outside and hopping back on my bike, I heard Axel scream, "It's like an onion! I'm crying!" I chuckled and rode back to my house.
I walked into my very busy house, the smell of chocolate blasting me in the face. Since my parents always left at the first sign of dawn to go to work, we had the entire house to ourselves. Zexion was sitting at the table, reading some kind of non-fiction book, Demyx asking him constantly what it was about. Luxord and Hayner were playing Resistance: Fall of Man on my ps3, the speakers up way too loud. Xion was in the kitchen, doing something beyond my knowledge. I plopped down next to Hayner, turning the T.V. down with the remote control.
"C'mon Roxas! The surround sound was perfect!" Hayner whined, his mouth full of watermelon.
"Do you ever stop eating?"
He replied to my question by chomping loudly and obnoxiously on the watermelon that was left in his mouth.
"I'll take that as a no…"
"Cupcakes are ready!" Xion called from the kitchen.
Demyx's head popped up automatically. He's like a freaking five year old. I thought to myself.
"Cupcakes?" Luxord intoxicated slur came out, barley making the words understandable.
Xion set a tray of chocolate frosted red velvet cupcakes on my dining room table, the metal clanking loudly as it made contact with the wood. Demyx automatically reached for one, quickly making waste of the wrapper. Xion coughed a little, an indication that he needed to acknowledge her.
"Thanks Xi-Xi." He said, gulping down a larger than normal bite of cupcake, frosting ringing around his lips.
She smiled at his silliness. "You're welcome Dem-Dem."
"Not to be confused with Dumb-Dumb." Zexion murmured. Demyx pretended not to notice.
I smiled and walked over to Xion, placing a small kiss on her forehead. "Thanks."
She blushed, her face as red as a tomato. I picked up a cupcake and took a long lick across the surface. "Delicious. Hershey's?"
She nodded, the blush slowly fading.
"Can you give me an un-frosted one? I want to frost it myself." I said, as something clicked in my mind.
"Sure." Xion said cheerfully as she walked back into my kitchen, returning with an unwrapped and unfrosted red-velvet cupcake on a plate. Placing the plate into my waiting hands, she took a cupcake for herself, getting frosting on her finger in the process.
"Hey!" Demyx yelled as Xion smeared the frosting on his nose.
While everyone was watching Xion and Demyx bicker, I stepped into the kitchen, carefully placing the plate on the messy counter.
Time to get to work, I said to myself, rubbing my hands together with soap, before placing them under the warm sink water. I got to work raiding the cupboard, and after a few minutes of searching the shelves and not finding what I was looking for, I decided to check the spice rack. Let's see here…pepper, mustard, paprika… Ah ha! I cheered in triumph, to myself of course. I took the sparkles off the rack, setting next the black bottle next to the plate. I poured the remaining icing into a plastic sandwich sizes bag, adding extra thin sliced chocolate (Which I had found in the cupboard) into the mixture. Spoon in hand; I mixed it all together, laughing as I heard Luxord mutter something unintelligent.
Grabbing the kitchen scissors, I snipped off the corner of the bag. I squeezed the icing on the cupcake, a perfect swirl, brown on red. Sparkle time, I groaned. The bottle was hard to open, but after a minute or two of struggling, I was finally able to win my fight with the inanimate object. Sprinkling the edible sparkles was fun, a flurry of colors. I was tempted to sneeze, the sparkles wanting me to ruin my creation. I pressed on, trying to get them even without adding too much. Finally, I sighed. Now for the finishing touches! I grabbed a milk chocolate straw with white chocolate inside, and shoved it into the icing.
"Perfect!" I said aloud to myself.
"What is?" Xion asked, approaching me. "Whoa." Her eyes light up as she gaped in wonder at the colorful cupcake.
"Not for you." I scolded as she reached out to dab her finger in the sparkly icing.
"Who is it for?"
"M-me." I stammered.
"Alright then." She looked skeptically at me. I grabbed the plate, walking towards the door.
"I'll be back." I announced, earning three or four, 'Alright's.
The morning air smacked me in the face, making me nearly drop my cupcake. Shivering, I stepped out of the garage, making my way down the street and to the house. Her house. Namine's house. I took in a deep breath, and made my way to the front door. Slightly hesitating, I knocked gingerly on the wooden door. Riku opened it, a surprised look appearing on his face.
"Rox!" He exclaimed.
"Hey! I haven't seen you in a while!"
"Same here! Fifth grade huh?"
"Yes! What are you doing here?" He asked, leaning against the doorframe.
My fingertips played around with the edge of the plate, obviously from my failing nerves. "Is Namine here?"
He smirked and nodded. "Come inside." He moved from the frame, allowing me to pass and enter the house. It was warm inside. Not the hot "I'm gonna melt!" somewhat warm but the cozy kind. The one that says home. Riku pointed at the staircase. "Shoes off. She's up there. Last room on the left." I placed my foot on the bottom stair, only to be pulled back by Riku. "She just had a breakdown, from stress Kairi's brother said. " He motioned to the red head sitting quietly on the couch, her eyes staring off into space. "He left not too long ago, so don't get her all worked up ok?"
I nodded, giving him a quick grin before bounding up the stairs, my socked feet making little thumps. The floorboards creaked and groaned as I walked down the hallway, the scents of perfume and air freshener lingering in the air. I approached her door, but I lingered there for a moment trying to decide what I would tell her. Saying, "Hey! Happy birthday! I know you don't know me but here! Have a homemade cupcake, made with love!" sounded perverted in a way. My fingers grazed the white wood finish, lingering a moment on the ridges, before knocking softly on her door.
"Come in." came the quiet reply.
I placed my hand on the knob, breathing in deeply before opening it and stepping in. She was on the floor by her bed, digging in her nightstand, obviously hiding something.
"What do you what, Sora?" She asked, not looking up at me.
"Sora? I'm not Sora."
I could see her body stiffen, shock spreading through her mind, though she still didn't turn to look at me. "What do you want?"
"No hug?" I laughed, trying to lighten the mood. I ultimately failed.
"Listen here, smart-ass. I have no clue how you got in here, but get out." She replied coldly. Then I saw it.
"What's that?" I asked, my curiosity growing.
"N-nothing!" She shoved the little wooden box in the back of her nightstand.
I was sure that box was important. "C'mon. I won't tell anyone." I pestered.
Namine caved. She opened the box, took out a small red and white towel and threw the box on the floor, the contents spilling out on the carpet. I picked up the small blade that hit my shoe, rolling it around carefully in my palm with my thumb.
"What?" I whispered, looking up to Namine, who was clutching the blood stained towel close to her chest. Unsettled by the sight, I strode across the room, setting the plate on her bed, closing the gap between us. Then I noticed the clean, slivers that were her scars. Dozens upon dozens ranged from her elbow to her wrist, long and short. "Let me see." I whispered, as I knelt beside her.
She hesitated, fear quickly flashing in her crystal eyes, before reaching her arm out to me. I took the back of her hand into my palm, inspecting her cuts, finding a new one. From today.
"Namine." I breathed.
"No one knows. It's funny how you are the first to find out." She laughed nervously.
"Well I'm amazed, seeing the number. No one has noticed?"
She shook her head, her delicate blonde hair falling into her eyes. "No one. Kairi, the red head, has suspected, but I told her it was from my cat." Then she laughed aloud, sobs threatening to appear. "I don't even like cats, let alone own one."
I brushed her hair away, taking in her beauty. "What about dogs?"
"Dogs are alight. Seth is nuts for them."
"Seth?"
"My brother. My…" She let her voice trail off, her eyes quickly becoming distracted.
"What?" I asked, even though I knew the answer.
"My adoptive brother. I'm adopted."
And the silence will set her free. I nodded. "Guess what. This may come as a shock to you, but I am too."
Her eyes widened and she pursed her lips together, reminding me of when she was little. I smiled, placing my hand on her cheek. "It's ok." I whispered, watching the fear die away, being replaced with…affection?
"Thank you." She said.
I gulped slightly, a lump forming in my throat, before I blushed madly. She giggled, becoming the Namine I remember. I smiled a bit, leaning in close to her lips, stealing a peck from her. As I backed away, I heard her whimper quietly.
Thank you, she mouthed, no sound escaping from her plump lips.
I winked slightly and cracked a grin on my face. She didn't slap me!
She giggled, her flushed face becoming its normal pale tone again. I twisted my body, plopping down next to her.
"Well baby, I'm a put on show kind of girl." She sang softly.
"Brittany Spears?" I laughed.
"Yeah."
There was an awkward silence, I mean what do you say when you kissed a girl that you know everything about, but she doesn't even know your name? I reached up and grabbed the plate, setting it softly in her lap.
"What's this?" She asked.
"Happy birthday, Namine." I cheered, wrapping my arm around her, pulling her into a hug.
"Thank you, Roxas."
I looked at her, my eyes lighting up in delight. "Do you remember?"
"Remember?"
"Oh, never mind."
"Well, I remember bits here and there. I remember Neiomi, and remember…" She thought for a second. "Him." She spat.
"Dr. Crank."
"Yes. But that was a fake name." She turned to me. "How do you know so much about me? Things even I can't remember? I know I'm missing memories from my foster home time, but I didn't think they were important."
That made my heart ache.
"Namine, I…I can't explain. A lot happened, a lot that you need to remember. Search in that little mind of yours. The answer is there." I pointed to her heart. Well more like her breast but she didn't notice. She fell silent again, but it only last a few moments.
"That is your name, right? Roxas?"
"Yes."
"I'm not sure how I knew that…It just kinda came to me. Like I knew you were Roxas or something like that."
I took her dainty hand into my larger one, my thumb caressing over her knuckles. "I'm happy you remembered that much at least."
She blushed suddenly, her face quickly turning away from mine.
"What?"
"Were we…you know. An item?"
I laughed, the thought filling my brain, sending little shocks of delight throughout my body. "No. No we weren't. Though what I wouldn't give for it to be that way." Ok maybe I left that last statement out.
"Ok." She sighed, from relief or disappointment, I wasn't sure. "So, you made this?" She motioned to the cupcake.
"Yes. Well I decorated it, but my friend Xion baked the actual cake part."
She squeezed my hand. "Thanks. It's great. Art. I don't want to eat it."
"Why thank you."
She laughed and set the cupcake back on her bed, pulling me into a full hug. I hugged her back, pulling her close.
"Roxas, Is it bad to feel like you love someone you just met?"
The question surprised me. "Well, it depends. You may feel like you just met me but we know each other." I pulled back away from her, my hands resting on her shoulders. "In there." I pointed to her heart again.
"Yes. In here." Namine said, placing her hand over mine.
I nodded. "So, you love me?"
Her face became flushed again. "No! I love you like a brother."
"Ew. Incest."
"Oh shut up." Namine laughed, cuffing my ear.
I smiled and embraced her once more. "Remember soon, Namine."
Love the fluff! I swear these chapters just keep getting longer and longer! I intended for this one to be half this size! But long is good I guess! Man I swear, my updating is terrible. But I'm already part way done with chapter five so that won't take too long. SO review! Pretty please with Roxas on top! Oh that sounds yummy! ^^
Songs: Xion sings an upbeat version of Boats and Birds by Gregory and the Hawk, Namine sings a little part from Circus by Brittany Spears and the song of the chapter is -Drum roll- The Silence by Mayday Parade! And yes, it is the song that inspired my pen name!
~The Silence Will Set Me Free