A/N: There's a mistake I missed in the last chapter. It said three years instead of Two at one point so I just wanted to clear that up. Again, Two years, not Three.

~The guilt is still there

My dreams haunted

By your unwavering stare

Goodbye, Farewell

I don't care~

Chapter 2: Bed of Needles

Naminé was vaguely aware of Olette leading her to some table.

'Did that just…really happen?' she thought. She was surprised at what she said. And even more surprised that he said the exact same thing. 'Why…did I say that?'

"Finally! What took you guys so long?"

"Sorry, we were just introducing Naminé to Roxas."

Naminé pointedly looked away, determined to avoid her cousin's eyes.

"I…see." Kairi said.

"I'm surprised though, why they haven't met yet. You and Sora hang out so much so…" Selphie's voice trailed off.

"Some things just happened, so we never had a chance to meet." Naminé told her.

"Yeah…" Kairi said slowly. She stood up, stretching her arms above her head. "Come on Nami, I'll take you to where the lunch line is."

"Um, I'm not hungry so I'll just-" Naminé started but Kairi ignored her. Taking hold of her wrist, Kairi started leading her to the right side of the room.

Once they were in line Kairi let go.

"I'm not going to ask why Olette had to "Introduce"you-," Kairi gave her a hard look. "-to Roxas. At least not until we get home"

"We?"

"You're coming over after school. Cloud texted me just before lunch." Kairi explained. "He doesn't know when he's off work so I said you can come over."

"This is ridiculous, I can stay home by my self." Naminé muttered. Kairi either didn't hear her, or just ignored her. She had a feeling it was the latter. Once Kairi decided what she wanted-two slices of pizza and Coke Zero- and paid for it they made their way back to the table.

When they got there Naminé saw two new people had joined the table. One was Sora and the other was a tall-very taller- boy with silver hair and turquoise eyes.

"Riku!"

"Hi to you too Naminé," He chuckled as the blond hugged him. Naminé let go and gazed up at her friend. Riku was always tall but how the hell did he manage to get even taller!

Unfortunately even Kairi noticed this.

"I take it back Nami. Your tiny compared to Riku," The red head laughed.

"So Naminé, how do you like High School?" Riku asked smoothly before the petite girl could snap a reply.

"It's…" Naminé paused, remembering what earlier. "A bit over whelming."

"You'll get used to it," Riku assured her, though Naminé highly doubted that.

After about five minutes two more people joined the table.

One was a boy with blonde hair that was a shade darker then hers named Hayner. He was nice, stubborn and seemed to put his foot in his mouth a lot with the things he said. Pence, a boy with short black hair, was friendly and loved taking pictures. They, along with Olette, are childhood friends and sometimes just hung out by themselves instead of with Kairi's group.

Naminé was surprised at how well she got along with them, though she did keep quiet most of the time, preferring to listen than talk.

"Naminé, what's home schooling like?" Selphie asked, interrupting whatever Hayner was saying.

"Oh um," Naminé started, startled by being asked something so randomly. "Not that different from regular school. A teacher just comes and gives one-on-one work. Though, I guess it is easier."

"Why were you home schooled anyway?" Hayner asked.

"Just for health reasons."

"Really? Like what?" Pence asked.

"U-Um," Seeing the uncomfortable look on her cousins face, Kairi stood up.

"Naminé, Lunch is over in fifteen minutes so I'll show you were your afternoon classes are."

"Oh, Okay," Naminé smiled, grateful.

"I'll come too," Olette said. "If that's alright."

"Sure, it's okay right Nami?"

"Yeah," Naminé smiled.

"See yeah Nams," Sora called. Everyone else-Except Riku who just waved-called out a farewell before resuming conversation.

Axel sighed, leaning back against the fence that went around the roof of the school. It didn't always be there but after a student almost fell off the edge they closed it off and put the barricade around it.

Of course, that didn't stop him and his friends from coming up here.

"Man, where did Roxas go? He just ditched us after five minutes," Demyx complained.

"Who cares. He so moody sometimes, it gets on my nerves," Larxene waved her hand dismissively.

"Well that's certainly calling the kettle black." The three looked up to see a newcomer, a boy with bluish gray hair that covered the right half of his face.

"What exactly is that supposed to mean Zexion?" Larxene's eyes narrowed.

"Nothing at all Larxene," Zexion smirked slightly when he saw her eyes narrow even more.

"What do we owe the visit to Zexion? You Don't usually come up," Axel said before a fight could break out.

"I just saw Roxas in the hall. He seems in a bad mood and I assumed it was something Demyx did," Zexion said.

"Hey! I did nothing!" Demyx protested.

"For once the idiot's right," said Larxene. Looking over her shoulder she said, "Any idea's Axel?"

"Why would I know?"

"You are his best friend," She rolled her eyes. "Besides, you two have patrol this week right? If the pipsqueaks in a daze something's bound to happen."

At her words Axel frowned. He hated when she was right.

"The only thing I can think of is that girl," he sighed.

"Huh? That new kid that was with Olette?" Demyx asked. "I don't know, Roxas doesn't seem like the 'Love-At-First-Sight' type."

'That's cause it wouldn't be' Axel thought.

"Okay, I gotta go. my science teacher can be a real hard ass with attendance and there's two minutes left 'till the bell." Kairi said as they walked down the hall. She and Olette had just finished showing Naminé where her Art class was and were heading back to her English class when she noticed the time.

"Alright, see you Kairi," Olette said, going on ahead.

"I'll meet you at your locker after school," Kairi told Naminé. "Make sure you…" Kairi's voice trailed off, her eyes fixed on something over Naminé's shoulder.

"What is it?" Naminé turned around and froze.

She could tell it was him. Even though his head was bent with the hood up she could tell it was him.

"Hey there Roxas. I thought you were skipping today," Kairi said. There was a strange tone to her voice but Naminé couldn't place what it was. She was too busy trying to remember how to breath.

When he looked up, his hood shifted backwards slightly. Just enough the you could at least see his eyes now. Eyes that shifted to the blonde. Naminé cringed at the hard look in them.

"I was just late this morning," Roxas said, looking back at Kairi.

"Olette said she introduced you to Naminé earlier," Kairi said, shifting her binder from her left hand to her right.

"Yeah, that's right." Naminé's eyes widened when Roxas's voice became cold and guarded.

Grabbing onto her cousin's sleeve, and avoiding looking at the boy that was five feet from her, she said, "K-Kairi, you're-you're going to be late for class, you should get going."

"Naminé?" Kairi looked startled at her cousins sudden reaction.

"She's right, your gonna be late," Roxas said. "Oh, and if you see Sora tell him I need to see him about something."

Without another word he turned and left.

Once he disappeared around corner Kairi looked at her cousin, who seemed close to tears.

"Naminé-" she started was interrupted.

"I'll-I'll see you after school Kairi," the blond said quietly before leaving her cousin in the hall.

'What the hell is wrong with me?' Roxas thought, running a hand through his hair as he made his way to his Computers class. He couldn't believe that she was here. Why didn't Sora say anything? Obviously he knew since Kairi told him everything but more importantly why was she here?

It'd been two years since he last saw her and what does he do? What he does best, play the bad guy.

'Urg, I'm as bad as Vanitas…' he thought, thinking about his crazy, black haired cousin. 'Okay, maybe not that bad but close'

He thought about how Namine looked like she was about to cry and he couldn't blame her. After what he did-what he's still doing.

'Stop moping' he scolded himself mentally. 'You made this bed of needles now you have to lie in it'

Naminé couldn't concentrate on her class. It was like she sat down, blinked a few times, and it was over.

"Naminé, do you need help getting to your next class?" Olette asked.

"No, I remember the way." Naminé assured her before they parted ways.

As she walked down the hall, being careful not to bump into anyone, she felt a small hot flash go up her back.

'I can't remember the last time I walked around so much in one day' she thought, moving her bangs out of her vision. She moved to the side of the hall so she has out of everybody's way, and took a deep breath.

'The halls are so crowded here' she thought, watching the students walk by for a few seconds before starring at the ground. 'I don't really like it'

"Naminé?" she looked up to see Riku standing in front of her. "You okay? You're pretty pale."

"Y-Yeah, just…not used to the halls yet so I was waiting for the crowd to thin," She said. He gave her a look that said he didn't buy it but he didn't question it, and for that she was grateful.

"My class is by yours so I'll walk with you," He said instead.

"Thanks."

As they made their way through the hallways, Naminé noticed some people starring-and by people she mean girls.

"Thanks Riku," Naminé said once they reached her class. "So where's your class?"

"Two doors down across the hall actually," He said. "English. Always hated that subject."

"Why? It's easy."

"And boring." He sighed. "By the way I should tell you something."

"What?" Naminé cocked her head to the side.

"Roxas has this class." Riku said slowly. "Kairi texted me just before Fourth."

"I-I see." Naminé said quietly. She was wondering if she had any classes with him. And hoped, in vain apparently, that she didn't.

"Excuse me."

'Speak of the devil' Naminé stepped back, out of the door way, so he could get through.

"Sorry," She said quietly as he passed.

Riku, who watched the exchange with interest, said, "You guys act like strangers now."

"Go. I don't care."

"People…people grow apart." Naminé said. But again, she knew Riku didn't believe her.

Naminé was in the guest room, laying on the bed. She felt so dizzy. She should've ate at lunch, or when she got here but she didn't feel like eating.

"Naminé?" there was a knock at the door before it opened, reveal her red haired cousin.

"Hey," Naminé turned her head to it was facing the wall. She heard Kairi's footsteps go across the hard wood floor before the bed sunk a little when she sat down.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you Roxas transferred to T.H," She said. "I just…I didn't think you'd come if you knew he went there."

"You're probably right," Naminé mumbled.

"Naminé. What exactly happened between you two?"

"It's nothing Kairi. We just-just grew apart. That's all." Kairi frowned. She sifted so she was hovering over her cousin, who refused to look her in the eye.

"Bull. I know Roxas did something." She said. It was hard not to know. After Naminé left, every time she'd bring the blonde up he would leave the room or the house all together. At first she thought it was just because he missed her but after some time she realised it was because he was uncomfortable and guilty about something. "What did he do Naminé?"

"It's nothing," Naminé, with difficulty because her cousin was basically on top of her, pulled the blanket over her head.

They were standing in the soccer field of their school. The wind blew harshly, showing the end of fall as winter approached...

"It's always been…nothing…"

"Ow! Shit, Roxas that hur-"

"Why the fuck didn't you tell me she was back!" The dirty blonde hissed. He held his cousin against the wall of the kitchen by the front of his shirt, his lips pulling back in a snarl. Sora thought he looked a lot like his other cousin, Vanitas, when he did that.

"Kairi asked me not too," he explained. "She thought you'd go back to Sunset if you knew-"

"Damn right," Roxas muttered, making Sora frown.

"Look, I didn't want to keep it from you but Kairi said it was the only way to fix things between you," Sora said. It was one of those rare moments when the Burnett was serious. "All day you and Nams were acting like you just met today."

"Why is she here?" Roxas said, ignoring what Sora just told him.

"They did what they could at Radiant Garden. Cloud said she was getting depressed there so they came back."

"What they could?" Finally the anger faded from Roxas's eyes. His grip loosened enough for Sora to pull himself free. "What does that mean?"

"I don't know all the details," Sora admitted. "But-" before Sora could continue Roxas's phone started ringing.

Pulling it of hi pocket he said, "What?"

Sora's frown deepened when he could hear a voice freaking out of the other line. He didn't know what they were saying, but they sounded mad.

"How about you give the phone to someone who won't screech my ear off?" Roxas said. Sora heard the person, who can now identify as a female, shout again before being replaced by someone else.

"Not my fault she's crazy," Roxas said. He paused, listening then said, "Yeah, sure. See you then."

"I hate it when you hang out with them," Sora said when he hung up.

"Yeah well, deal with it," Roxas muttered, heading to the door.

"Wait, what about Nami-"

The door slammed closed.

A/N: I know I said I wouldn't update till the end of this week but I'll be busy so I thought I'd be nice and update now. I didn't edit this so sorry if there's spelling mistakes.

Chapter Fact:

Riku was added last minute. He wasn't supposed to show up for another, oh let's see…five chapters? Give or take. But as I was writing I thought, 'I need someone to make this story who Roxas doesn't get along with' and unfortunately I can't use Seifer for that-yet anyway.

Thus, Riku was brought it early. Though the dislike won't start till the next chapter.

Don't forget to review!