Follow Me Home
Chapter Nineteen
o.o.o
"She's talking to angels, she's counting the stars
Making a wish on a passing car
She's dancing with strangers, she's fallin' apart
Waitin' for Superman to pick her up in his arms..."
o.o.o
Kairi and Roxas walked into the dark apartment. She went into the hallway towards their bedroom door. Roxas quickened his pace and caught up to her. He was really wanting her at the moment and he couldn't hold back anymore. Right before she was about to go into the bedroom, he stopped her in the middle of the hallway and faced her. Kairi could feel her anxiety building up. Roxas' fists shook at his sides; he was really trying to control himself.
"If... you don't want me to... I won't..." he whispered into her ear; his heart beating faster every moment. Kairi didn't move or say anything, but he could see the troubled look on her face. This only made him want to make things better again—things were going so well before.
He leaned in to kiss her. Kairi was frozen with fear.
Right before his lips touched her, Kairi shrieked and pushed him away. She ran into the bedroom and shut the door, but just stood there in front of it, panting. She used the door's support and slid down onto the floor. Kairi rested against the door and stared up at the ceiling.
'He's so... sweet... but...'
Roxas tried opening the door, but noticed that Kairi was in front of it. He sighed and sat down on the other side with his back touching the door.
No matter what, there was always something blocking him.
Kairi hugged her knees. She wasn't sure what she was feeling.
'Roxas really cares about me... but... I just... can't...'
Roxas spoke, "Are you alright over there?"
Kairi took a few moments to respond, but instead of answering his question she just asked him something else.
"Roxas... do wishes come true?"
"Huh?" He said from the other side. She remained quiet. "Umm... well, I guess so."
He heard her stand up and her footsteps on the floor. This prompted Roxas to get up as well and go into the bedroom. He cracked the door open slowly and walked inside. Kairi was looking up at the moon from their sliding door with her arms crossed. Roxas came up next to her. She had the saddest look in her eyes.
Roxas stood there with her for a few minutes. Her gaze was fixed on that moon.
"Let's go to sleep." Roxas tried to crack a smile, but it didn't last long. He knew what she really wanted.
"I'm sorry." Kairi's gaze fell to the floor. Roxas faced her and stretched his arms out to touch her shoulders. He waited for some sort of hesitation from her, but she didn't. He pulled her close to him and hugged her.
"Don't ever be sorry for something that you cannot control."
Kairi was surprised at his statement. He was right, though. Her feelings were all out of whack and she couldn't even think of Roxas as more than a friend. Sure, they sleep in the same bed, they're together all of the time, but... this wasn't what Kairi wanted.
Kairi fell asleep shortly after. Roxas couldn't bring himself to close his eyes.
'Kairi doesn't love me... and she probably never will...'
o.o.o
A few days later, Sora was working his new job as an associate at PacSun inside of the mall. He was tired of being cooped up in Namine and Riku's house. Even though they were paying him to watch their son, Sora still felt a bit unproductive. He made sure to check with them, however. It was only a part time job. He got three days a week at the most.
Wakka was the manager here. They used to live in the same apartment complex, so that's how Sora got the job other than an already impressive resume. Although they felt that he was a bit overqualified, they decided to give him the job.
"Dude, could you check da shoe boxes and make sure dey are in there right? Thanks, man."
"Sure." Sora went over to the shoe section and began inspecting. He was glad that he had something to distract him from everything. Namine had been asking him when he was going to go and see his family and it was really stressing him out. He had no idea how he was going to show himself to them. He felt terrible about it.
Sora finished with the shoes and just walked around the store and tried to make himself useful. Wakka was off with a customer, but other than that, the store was pretty dead.
His coworker, John came over to him. He was messing with his phone.
"This job is so boring. I can't wait to get out of here."
"Where will you go?" Sora asked.
"Anywhere!"
Sora chuckled and just continued to fix the clothes on the hangers.
o.o.o
Kairi's phone rang. It was an unknown number, so she gave the phone to Roxas. He answered it.
"Hello?"
"Hello, sir. This is the manager at Build a Bear. I'm looking for a... Kairi Hikari?"
"Oh, hold on, please." He gave the phone to her and mouthed who it was.
"H-Hello?"
"Kairi?"
"This is she..."
"How are you? I was looking over your resume and I was wondering if you had time to today to come in for an interview?"
"An... interview?" She looked over at Roxas, who just smiled and nodded. "Sure, what time were you thinking?" Kairi tried to sound more certain and confident.
"I know it's after seven and I would normally just schedule you tomorrow, but I really want to talk with you. Could you be here at eight thirty?"
"Sure!"
It was a weird time for a job interview considering that the mall only stayed open until nine o'clock, but it was better than nothing. She hung up the phone and went to get ready. For the first time in a very long time, she looked at herself in the mirror for longer than a few seconds.
She had lost some weight. Her lips were chapped from the lack of water intake. She had bags under her eyes and her hair was a mess. Regrettably, she also needed to do some shaving. It wasn't like Kairi didn't keep up with her personal hygiene, she just didn't feel like looking nice. She didn't feel beautiful anymore.
Roxas thought otherwise.
Kairi decided to braid her hair and put on a nice top. She knew that she had to dress for the job, but her confidence was lacking.
"Are you ready?" Roxas popped his head in the bedroom door. Kairi was still in her underwear. Roxas immediately turned away; he knew if he stared he would get excited and he knew that Kairi wouldn't go for that.
A few minutes later, Kairi came out of their room with her purse over her shoulder and some nice shoes on.
"You are gorgeous!" Roxas said to her. "Let's go."
o.o.o
Namine, Riku and Ken were already at the mall, waiting for Sora to get off. They were in the area, so they decided that they would pick him up. To pass the time, Namine took Ken to a toy store nearby and Riku followed, but often got distracted by other things.
Sora was getting ready to close down the store with Wakka and another coworker. It was a fairly good day; Sora made a few sales with the few people that did come inside the store. He watched as the clock winded down. Sora polished the counter and made sure everything looked right within the store.
Roxas and Kairi entered the mall. He obviously couldn't go to the interview with her, so he looked around for somewhere to hang out for a bit nearby. As they got closer to the store, Roxas wished her good luck.
'I love you, Kairi.' He thought, knowing if he said it out loud it would make her even more nervous.
Kairi took one last look at him before walking inside the store.
"Kairi, you're here! Right on time, too!" Selphie greeted her excitedly. "How are you?!"
Kairi watched as they closed down the machines. "Um, where is...?"
"Kairi?" The manager walked up to them and put out her hand. "It's so nice to meet you! You can call me Sarah."
"H-hi," Kairi said shyly as she shook her hand.
"Well, we can go ahead and start the interview. Why don't you come back here to my office with me?"
"Okay." Kairi followed her.
o.o.o
Namine, Ken and Riku made their way over to PacSun. Sora was already closing the doors and coming out; they told him he could leave twenty minutes early. He fought it, but then he remembered that they were waiting on him.
"Uncle Sora! I wan't to go to that bear store!" Ken ran up to him.
"Bear store?" Sora inquired.
"No, Ken... it's past your bed time and we need to go home." Riku said.
"Please, please, please?"
"What store is that?" Sora asked again.
"The Build-a-Bear store." Namine answered, "You know, where you can make your own stuffed animal."
"Please can we go? Please?!"
"I don't know, buddy. The mall is closing soon. The people there are probably tired and want to go home." Sora reasoned with the two and a half year old.
"Can we just see it?"
Sora looked up at Namine and Riku. "I suppose walking by won't hurt. It's on the way to your car, isn't it?"
Riku nodded. "Fine, but we're not making any stuffed animals."
"YAY!"
Sora let the kid ride on his shoulders and went towards the store with Namine and Riku trotting close behind. It was on the other side of the mall, so it would be a few minutes before they made it there.
o.o.o
"So... you worked as a hostess at a restaurant as well as a server?"
Kairi felt terrible about lying and really hoped that they didn't do background checks.
"Yes."
"How was that experience for you? Did you enjoy it?"
"It had its moments..." Kairi chuckled. She really didn't know what to say about a job that she hated.
"How are you with children?"Sarah asked as she scanned Kairi's application.
"I... love children and they love me..."
Kairi was suddenly reminded of her miscarriage, but really tried to hold it in. The truth was, she didn't have any experience with children.
"How do you feel about a part-time job?"
As the interview went on, Kairi continued to answer with the positives. She had to really dig deep into her experience as a cabaret girl—fake smiles and confidence. She hoped that Sarah wouldn't catch on.
"Well, I think that's all of the questions I have for you. You seem like a really sweet girl."
"Thank you." Kairi smiled.
"I will give you a call in a few days. Thank you so much for meeting with me on such short notice."
"Thank you for calling and considering me." Kairi bowed to her.
"Feel free to let Selphie show you around the store on your way out."
"Okay. I hope you have a nice night."
"You too!"
o.o.o
Sora and Ken were a bit ahead of the married couple. Ken was super excited and urged for Sora to run faster. They could see the shop in the distance.
"There it is!" Ken pointed it out. He was wobbly and Sora had to hold onto him tightly to keep him in balance.
Roxas was sitting down on a bench in front of the store. He saw Kairi coming out of the back and talking with Selphie.
"Uncle Sora! Stop here! Put me down!"
Roxas saw this.
"S-Sora?!" He called out.
"Hmm?" Sora kept his eye on Ken as the kid ran into the store and then turned around. His eyes widened at the sight of Roxas. Riku and Namine caught up to them.
"What are you... doing here?" Sora gulped; he was too afraid to turn around. Roxas couldn't speak; he was speechless.
'If Kairi sees him...'
"Oh, it's you..." Riku glared at Roxas.
"Is... Kairi in there?" Namine said nervously.
Before any of them could react, they heard Selphie and Kairi interacting with the two year old. Sora was paralyzed.
'Her... voice...'
Roxas wanted to tell Sora to hurry and get out of here, but he also was frozen in place. His mind was blank and all he could do was watch these events unfold. Namine hurried past them to retrieve her son.
"Come on, Ken... it's time to go home." She snatched him away from them and carried him out.
'That looks like... Namine..." Kairi thought. Ken cried and fought his mother's grasp as she tried to get out of the store as quickly as she could.
"Hey!" Kairi ran after her. Namine was already out and walking down the hallway. Riku followed her.
Sora stood there next to the window; his eyes locked on Kairi.
She turned to go back into the store, but then... she saw him. Their eyes met and there was nothing but silence.
'It's... over...' Roxas fell to his knees in defeat.
o.o.o
A/N: So here I was... thinking that it was too early for them to run into each other, but then again, it has been eighteen chapters already. This story will be around 36-38 chapters, so we have plenty of time for drama!
How will Kairi react? Sora?
Please REVIEW and maybe you will find out sooner than later!
Other Updates:
My time in the hospital was short, but now I'm sore. At least I can still write. Woo! I wasn't sure if I would even be able to. No worries!
Have a great night!