Chapter 18: Alone

Rated: M

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts!

Sora POV

I can't believe it's been almost three whole months after actually talking to Riku. I had my things moved back into my mom's house. We never really had the 'talk' yet, but it feels weird to not have anything to do with him. It's like I miss him. But he brought this upon himself so it shouldn't be my problem. In the meantime I was able to hang out with my friends who were happy to see me. I even got a job. I'm working on going to college, but I have to wait until I know whether I got accepted or not. My mom is happy that I'm home with her again. Though I can say I'm not very fond of her new relationship with Officer Valentine. That guy questions me non stop whenever I leave out the house. Sheesh, he makes it seems like I'm going on a heist with my friends. I appreciate his kindness and his protection, but I would really appreciate that he respects my space.

"Sora," I heard a knock on my door and my mother stood there smiling as I set my clothes out for the next day.

"How are you feeling?" I gave her a hug as she tried to smother me in kisses.

"Mom, I'm fine. You make me seem like I'm a baby." I laughed.

"You're my baby that's why." She pinched my cheek.

"Mom!" I yelled.

"Oh shush, you're fine. I know you can take on a few pinches." My mother was always a bubbly person. Sure we got into arguments and she would be angry, but I've never seen her so angry about what Riku had done. She doesn't think she should hold a grudge against him for it since she's not involved, but she thinks that everything that happened to me was because of his him. My mother doesn't want me to suffer anymore than this and she comes to cheer me up from time to time. I'm glad I have a lot of support from my friends and the only family I have hat really supports me which is my mom.

"I came up here to tell you that you got some mail waiting for you on the table." I ran out my room past my mother after grabbing my letter opener on the dresser. What if it's one of the colleges? What if I got accepted? I was midway down the stairs until I made a mistake in my step. Wearing socks while running down wooden stairs is a bad idea. My heart was about to jump out of my chest from the shock as I closed my eyes to face the impact. Great, this is just my luck.

"Sora!" I heard someone then landed on something softer than the floor. It felt like a pair of arms holding me. Maybe it was Mr. Valentine. I backed up to see who it was and to my shock it was not who I thought it to be.

"You need to be careful and take your time going down the stairs." Riku said eyeing me. He handed me my mail and I took it from him heading back up the stairs.

"What are you doing here?" I tried not to sound too mean, but I had to suppress my anger.

"Oh Sora, I forgot to tell you Riku was stopping by. He had to convince me to let him in." I know my mother's faces and I can see she was suppressing herself behind that smile as well. I turned to Riku once I made it up the stairs and he was scratching his head following me. For a second I thought I saw him flinch by my mother's held gaze on him. Maybe it was just me. I shut the door behind up and I sat on the bed as he stood.

"So are you going to answer my question?" I said now opening my mail from one of my college choices. I want to happily open this, but I can't because my problem is literally standing in front of me.

"I came here to talk like we planned about two months ago. I thought you would have calmed down by now, but I see you haven't." I stopped with my cutting and looked at him.

"What makes you think that?"

"The way you're talking, the tension I can feel, and I'm already on your mother's death list. I know you want me gone, but I need you to hear me out, please." He spoke then I put everything down, sitting in an Indian style position on my bed.

"Alright I'll listen." I need to know what happened and why.

"Just so you know I'm not involved with Joshua at all anymore. He tried to come back the next day and I made him go away. I told him to get out of my life. He continued to persist, but he grew angry and threatened my life before leaving." I would expect that from Joshua. He's always been that way from what I've seen so far.

"Did you make up with Lea?" I asked and he shook his head.

"Why not, He said he didn't mean it."

"How am I supposed to believe that? I can't just accept the fact that he did the same thing those guys did to you." Riku was shaken up by just talking about it. At least I knew he cared, but I guess I can tell him now that I can saw a few things about it.

"I was on the verge of passing out when I heard the guys talking to Lea. When they told him I belonged to you, he flipped. And when they told him what happened to you he was even more devastated. Riku, they set your best friend up to make him feel guilty." I really didn't want to think about that time. Riku had to know the truth.

"I didn't know." Riku responded.

"Now, what about you and Joshua?" I made him continue.

"I went to Joshua for information about what happened to you, but in return he wanted sex for it. I turned down the offer, but he kept coming on to me. During that time, you weren't in counseling and you wouldn't let me anywhere near you. I couldn't hold back my urges. After what happened, it continued to the point where I couldn't talk to you. I felt so guilty and I knew you would leave me if you found out. Sora…..I'm so sorry." He covered his mouth as he tried to hold back the expression of his grief. I'm starting understand now. This is partially my fault from what I went through. I didn't mean for that side of me to affect him like this. I got off the bed and opened my arms to him. He approached me and embraced me tightly.

"I'm sorry for not listening. I was so angry I didn't know what to do." I said.

"Trust me, I knew you were. You proved it to me on that day at the house."

"No seriously I bet I could have wrestled a bear that day and won." I said making him laugh.

"Do you really want me to give you an opinion on that?" He continued holding me.

"Nope you would just crush my dreams of doing so."

"Please don't." Riku looked at me seriously.

"I'm not!" I poked at his cheek and smiled. He gave me a smile back and kissed my forehead.

"You can kiss me on my lips now." I pointed to them.

"Are you sure you're okay with that? That seems like a little too much for now." He rested his own forehead on mines.

"Not for me." I pressed my lips against his for a quick smooch and he looked at me surprised before kissing me more.

"So I have been forgiven?" He questioned me.

"For now, but you're on punishment for the time being." I kissed him again and he smirked.

"I hope you're gentle." He laughed making me slap his arm when he flinched back.

"Ouch Sora, can you hit any harder?" He mocked me and I puffed my cheeks in frustration in which he deflated with his fingers as I let out all the air.

"That was adorable." He pinched my cheeks.

"Stop playing with my emotions." I swatted him away.

"So are there any chances of me moving back in with you?" I asked and that's when things got quiet.

"Sora….that's another whole thing I have to tell you." And here comes my worried side.

"W-What happened? You moved again?" He nodded as a reply and I fell back on the bed.

"Where are you now?" I asked.

"I'm at my family's home. I don't want you to be upset if I tell you the rest." He looked away and I turned his head towards me.

"Just say it already."

"Sora, my family arranged for me to get married to someone." My jaw dropped. They still do this? No, I won't let this happen.

"Tell them you can't! I won't let you!" I yelled and he cupped my face.

"I tried, but it's already been arranged. I've already met the girl a while ago."

"You mean while we were separated?" He nodded his head once more. I shook my head and put one hand over my eyes. It's bad news topping bad news all over again.

"Riku, don't tell me you've been seeing this girl?" He didn't say anything. I tried to hold back my tears and he pulled me closer.

"Sora I'm sorry, but I don't know what I can do—"

"Don't you see that I love you more than that girl ever can? I went through so much to be with you damnit! I can't just let you go after forgiving you!" I shook him and he grabbed my hands.

"I wish I could stay with you too but," He kissed my hands before wiping my tears away.

"If my family found out about you they would disown me and cut me off from all their money." Riku replied.

"Money?" I questioned.

"My mother's family is wealthy. They want me to close the deal with another business by marrying one of their daughters for more money. I'm against it, but that's how it's been or more like that's how I was born." Riku stood up.

"You mean to tell me this is just for business? And that they did the same thing to your mother?"

"Yes, except my father was really a con artist. I'm sorry Sora, but I have to go." Riku started to walk.

"You're just going to leave like none of this just happened?" I ran and clung to him.

"I just…I don't know what else to do." He turned to me.

"Riku I love you don't you understand?"

"Sora I do too, but I feel like this would be better for us. I won't hurt you anymore and you seem to be doing fine on your own." I can't believe he's saying this.

"Nothing is the same without you…" I cried. I feel like the tables have turned now.

"Sora…"

"What does this girl have that I don't? Why can't you just leave her?" He touched my head and held I up.

"If I told you about our relationship you would kill me." He turned and walked out the door. What the fuck was that supposed to mean. I called out to him with no answer. I chased after him, but he just ignored me. My mother held me back when he left out the door. I yelled at her to let me go, but when the door closed, I fell back onto the floor sobbing. I thought everything was going to be fine after I forgave him. I didn't expect this. Now I want him back, but now someone else has him thanks to his family. I'm guessing he did this because he thought I was out of his life for good. Why did I let this happen? Why did I procrastinate to talk to him? Why is this even happening? I can't let it. I won't stand for this!