A/N: I seriously can't thank you all enough! :)

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING!

Eight: A Night To Be Normal

Olette lived in a small ivory-colored Colonial styled house that was at the end of Sunshine Lane. It was small and old, however it was still in well condition. With cranberry-colored shutters, a bricked chimney and a white picket fence that encircles around the entire yard.

Nora gave my hand a squeeze, it's always been her way to getting people's attention.

I looked down at her smiling, her eyes were wide and she seemed unsure about something.

"You alright, Kitty?" I asked. I stopped walking to crouch down in front of her, she had a look of guilt on her face, and that was rare for Nora. She was never the child to get in trouble, even as a baby she did not cry much. Unless I was mistaking the look of pain for guilt...for all I know, Nora could be sick. Since some of the symptoms for Hemophilia are vomiting, and long-lasting head aches.

"You're not...feeling sick are you?" I asked her softly.

Nora shook her head instantly. "No...I'm just sorry!"

I was relieved that she wasn't having a symptom to her disease, but puzzled on what she was apologizing to me for.

"What are you sorry for?" I asked as I reached a hand up to her face to tuck a few pieces of her hair behind her ear.

"That you always have to take care of me..." Her voice was very audible and her eyes were glassy, she sniffed loudly. "You never get to have fun and when you do...I have to come with you. You must hate me."

"Oh, little kitty...of course not..." I said in a soft whisper, picking her up in my arms. "I love being with you, you're my best friend and that's what best friends do, take care of each other, right?"

She rested her face on my shoulder and looked up at me, I continued to walk to Olette's house.

"I'm really your best friend?" Nora asked.

I smiled from the amusement in her voice. "Just don't tell the others!"

That caused Nora to giggle before drawing an invisible line with her index finger over her heart.

"Cross my heart!"

The front door swung open before I could even knock.

"Uh, hello...I'm Namine, Olette's friend?" I greeted the woman behind the door awkwardly. She had light brown hair that was a little past her collar-bone, and the deepest brown eyes. She wore a navy blue kimono, and part of her hair was beaded. She studied me for a few moments before looking down at Nora who I was still holding securely in my arms. I did not even want to know what was going through her mind now!

I was expecting her to ask me if Nora was my daughter, or yell at me for being a bad influence on her daughter by bringing my 'Child' inside her home but she surprised me with a warm smile and a soft nod of her head.

"It's a pleasure to have you, Namine...oh my, that is such a pretty name! Namine..." The woman said slowly.

"T-thanks." I replied with a small smile as I continued to stand out in front of her doorway, I didn't want to be rude and just shove by her through her home and kick of my shoes carelessly across her clean hard-wooden floors. "My mom...she said that it meant Ocean Waves, or something?"

The women nodded. "That's correct! Forgive me for being so rude! Come on in! I'm Yuna, Olette's mom! I have a big interests with names. Mine means the night, or the moon, and Olette's me-"

"Alright, alright mom. Before you scare her off for crying out loud!"

Yuna and I looked around the wall to see Olette descending down the wooden stairs with Kairi, and a shorter girl with short black hair and brown eyes. I knew right away that it was Yuffie.

I smiled at that. "Hi Olette, thanks for inviting us, my little sister as well." I replied as I slowly set Nora down to her feet.

Olette's eyes went wide. "That's Nora!?"

"Nora? Hmm..I'm not actually sure about that one..." Yuna said tapping her chin, causing Olette to roll her eyes.

"Come on Namine, and Nora! Let's get you settled up in my room! Bye mom!" Olette said as she took my arm and lead me to the stairwell, Yuffie and Kairi were already to her room.

"Alright, have fun girls!" Yuna called up to us as we reached the top of the stairs, Nora held onto my arm tightly as I smiled and waved back down at Olette's mother.

"It was nice meeting you, Mrs Bevelle!"

Yuna giggled and waved a hand at me. "Please, call me Yuna, and ignore the loud noises from the basement!"

"Yeah!" Olette giggled. "My father's a HUGE Blitz Ball fanatic...explains why he is the school's Blitz Ball coach!" Olette added leading Nora and I down a little narrow hallway that was decorated with Japanese lanterns and floral wallpaper.

"Oh..." Was all I could say as we entered Olette's room which was a typical teenager bedroom with a computer desk and laptop, big closet, mirror in the corner and a Queen sized bed, however Olette also had a bunk bed as well.

"Not very exciting I know!" Olette laughed as she kindly took my bag to toss it over her Queen-sized bed that had an orange polka-dotted comforter. She turned to smile at me. "Hope you two don't mind sharing the Queen, I never use it at sleepovers!"

I shook my head. "Not at all...but there is only two-"

"Bunk Beds?" Yuffie said from behind me causing me to squeal and jump a foot in the air and for Nora to giggle. I looked at her in agape as she looked at me grinning from upside down since she was hanging from the top bunk.

"That's Yuffie, Sora's sister!" Kairi said walking into the room combing a brush through her crimson hair.

"U-Uh...hello.. isn't hanging from a bunk...a top bunk a bit dangerous?" I asked and Yuffie just laughed at me before she released her grip from the edges of the wooden bunk and did a back flip back to her feet.

"Nothing's dangerous in this girl's vocabulary!" Yuffie said pointing a finger to herself, she wore brown short-shorts with a dark flower-printed tank-top, a black bandanna, and knee-high black socks, she was a bit shorter than Kairi.

"It's true, you should have seen her climb that broken ladder!" Olette said as she sat crisscrossed on the floor stacking a bunch of colored nail-polish in front of her. Yuffie swiftly joined her.

"Well, somebody had to save that pregnant cat of yours!"

I saw Nora's eyes lit up. "You got a kitty!?" She asked, wearily sitting besides her and Yuffie.

Kairi smiled and lead me over with them to join their circle.

"Yes, her name's Lulu, my mom named her that after one of her best friends!" Olette replied before Nora looked up at me with the happiest smile on her face causing Yuffie and Kairi to look at her in awe.

"Your little sister is so cute!" Yuffie squealed. "I'm so glad you brought her! She's like a little baby doll, with the bow in her hair and the baby doll dress along with the white stockings an-"

"Alright, that's enough Yuffie!" Olette cut her off laughing.

Nora blushed. "Thanks, I'm sorry if I ruined your sleepover...I have Hemophilia and I'm to young to take care of myself, so that's why I had to come with Namine!"

Olette's eyes widened, Yuffie and Kairi looked confused.

"What's that!?" Yuffie asked looking at Olette and I in bafflement.

"Hemophilia, is a medical condition, as known as a genetic disease having to do with the blood clotting. Am I right?" Olette asked looking over at me, I nodded slowly.

"Nora's been diganosed with it recently...it's...it was from our mother..."

"She passed it on to me, but she's in Heaven now all happy so we don't have to feel sorry for her!" Nora added. I swore I could see self pity strike Kairi, Yuffie, and Olette but I knew that she wasn't asking for it.

I swallowed and before I spoke, wanting to change the subject. "How did you know about Hemophilia, Olette?" I asked.

"My mom's a doctor, besides a 'Name-expert'"

Kairi giggled as she reached for the tube of hot pink nail polish. "According to Olette's mom, my name means Ocean! And Sora's means Sky!"

"Oh brother..." Yuffie rolled her chocolate brown eyes.

"What? Your brother is hot!"

"He SNORES like a bear and cuddles with his pillows in his sleep!"

"Awwww!" Kairi squealed causing us all to laugh, Nora was more interested in all of the colored nail polish that Olette owned. Not that I blamed her, she was five for goodness sake and I would be a bit concerned if she was crushing at such a young age, unless it was kittens of course.

"Geez. Whatever I say about my brother will just cause Kairi to fall more in love with him!" Yuffie said rolling her eyes, Olette snickered.

"Yeah, if that's even possible!"

"Oh it IS Her diary is ALL Sora!" Yuffie shrieked and I looked over at Kairi to see her blushing with a small shrug. "It's all 'Oh Sora this! And...Sora that!'"

"You've read it?" I asked Yuffie as Olette handed me a couple different colors of nail polish. Yuffie gave me a look as if I were from outer space or something and I could not hold back a laugh.

"I'd have NIGHTMARES of what this little red-head would put in about her and my brother! Her diary's more like a...a novel! A fantasy!"

Kairi's face seemed to glow even brighter.

"Not true!" She insisted.

"It will be if you don't make a move!" Olette said before smiling down at Nora. "Do you like the yellow color? I can paint your nails for you if you like?"

Nora nodded at her request instantly.

"Is yellow your favorite color?" Kairi asked Nora as she helped Yuffie spread out a large towel in front of our little circle.

Nora and I exchanged a sad smile to each other.

"It was our mothers favorite color..." I said, my voice breaking a little, and Nora glared at me.

"Smile Namine! Mommy is still with us...just...in a different way!"

I smiled at my little sister, she may be only five and living through a genetic disease , but she was a strong person. I looked back up at my three new friends and they seemed surprised by Nora's behavior as well.

I could only just smile and hug my sister close to me.

"Sometimes Nora can be more of the grown up." I told them.

"Can I go see your kitty?" Nora asked before anyone had the chance to respond and we all laughed, and it felt good.

I never thought I'd admit this or even come to this, but sometimes hanging and bonding with people at your age who understand you and are just there for you to listen and talk to...can make you feel...normal.

Kairi nearly plowed into me when I was on my way to my art class on Monday morning. Her crimson-red hair was all over the place, and her eyes were wide and had a crazy light to them. It surprised me on how much air squeezed out from me when she wrapped her skinny arms around my waist into a tight hug.

"Namine! Namine! You will never believe it! Oh my gosh! I did it! I did it! I really, really did it! I told Sora that I liked him and he said that he liked me too and then we hugged and then he asked me to be his girlfriend! And do you know what I said!?"

"Hmm...'Yes' Maybe?" I replied in a strangled voice as I tried gently pushing her off from me but her grip was way to tight.

"YES!" Kairi shouted, causing a few kids in the hall to give us dirty and confused looks. "Oh my gosh, Namine this is the best day of my life! I'm just so darn happy that...that I can't breathe!"

"Me either..."

"Hm? OH! I'm sorry!" Kairi cried out when she realized that she was actually hugging me to tight. I waved a hand to reassure her I was fine, even though I was crouched down gasping for air.

"Since when did you learn...to hug like that?" I gasped and she smiled.

"Well..." Kairi paused and looked over her shoulder to see her older brother, Axel coming this way...and ROXAS WAS RIGHT BEHIND HIM! I straightened and stood by casually.

"When you've got Axel for a brother you really get to know what a 'Bear-Hug' really is!" Kairi finished grinning wildly at Axel as he approached us, but my eyes were focused on Roxas, and his were on mine.

Today he wore a dark navy-blue collar shirt with the sleeves rolled up along with another pair of black jeans, I bet you that was the only kind of pants that he'd wear.

"Geeze, Your hair's messier than mine...I'm not influencing you now am I, little sis?"

Kairi giggled and shook her head.

"Since when do you ever influence me!? Sora asked me to be his girlfriend!"

"No...way..." Axel said, his eyes growing wide as plates.

"Hm, maybe I'll get a girlfriend soon too." Roxas said before giving me a smug grin, I looked down at my feet so he couldn't see me blush.

Damn you, Roxas.

"YES way! Believe it or not, but it's TRUE! OH! Here comes Aqua! I'm going to go and tell her the news! But DON'T tell her that you already know if she tells you, because you KNOW how much she hates being the last person to know things!" Kairi warned pointing a finger at Axel who just laughed.

"Just like dad."

Kairi nodded before turning to me.

"I'll see you at lunch Namine, I'm gonna go and tell my sister the news now! You'll have to meet her some time! Anyways, bye!" Kairi said and she was off running over to a tall and thin girl with short blue hair and dark blue eyes. Was that her real hair color?

"Man, oh man. Talk about hyper with a capital H. Hey, Xion I think she hangs a bit too much with your sister!" Axel called out to Xion who was making her way towards us, well...to the art room but we were standing by the door.

Xion raised a brow. "Who are we talking about now?"

"My sister and your sister." Axel said with a roll of his eyes, but Xion still looked confused.

"Yeah? And?"

"Oh forget it, and go shopping for some longer clothes! Geeze, I can almost see your crotch from that little rag around your waist that you call a skirt!" Axel said pointing to Xion's mini skirt that indeed, looked like rags since it was torn and had rips at the bottom of it. I covered my mouth with a hand to stifle a laugh.

Xion's eyebrow's rose up to her hair.

"It's the style, fuck you!" she spat before storming into the art room, and the three of us let out our laughter.

"Yeah! Keep dreaming, honey!" Axel called out to her before nudging Roxas in the side. "Dude, I hope you find better than her!" He said then went inside the art room after giving me a small wave, I was still laughing but I stopped as soon as I realized that I was now alone with Roxas Strife. His eyes were on me like glue.

I looked down at my self insecurely, I didn't think that my white dress and my boots were to slutty...

"Do you want to go outside?" He asked me.

I snapped my neck up so fast that it hurt, I probably just pulled something.

"Go...outside?" I repeated giving him a baffled look. "While class is about to start?"

Roxas nodded. "I took our work home last night, and I think...that the art room's not the most suitable place to sketch you."

I stared at him blankly, but slowly accepted his strong and warm hand.

I was';t sure if this was trouble...or an opportunity...

An opportunity to get to know more about Roxas Strife.

A/N: Another cliffhanger don't hate me! (Hides in closet and munches on candy frantically)

Anyways thanks to all who reviewed:

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