A/N: Hey guys! I know, it's been a long time. It's been about two months since I last updated. The reason behind that, is because school already started since June. I'm a college freshman, and living in the city took me some getting used to(especially since I'm from a province). College has been fun so far, except for the papers and articles that my english and literature professors ask me to write. I have a pretty light week ahead of me, so I decided to update. Please read and review. Enjoy!
As she tried to fathom with what just happened, Naminé's gaze drifted to the owner of the hand that saved her from getting a potential face transplant. There stood the blond-haired boy whom she met earlier, cradling the football tightly with his left hand. Everyone around them slowly started to recover from the shocking event.
"Wow, that kid can catch the football."
"Is he on the football team?"
"Man, he has got to be our top receiver this year."
"With hands like that, our offense is going to be a nightmare to deal with for sure."
"Who is that kid anyway?"
"He looks like Ventus Helterbrand!"
"That's why he's good. Ven must've been practicing this summer."
"You idiot! That's not Ven! Ven's way taller than Sora!"
"Then who is he?"
"Isn't he Sora's twin brother? Rex was it?"
But wait a minute, I thought that the Helterbrands only had three children?"
Whispers erupted all over the area, all about Roxas' identity and his spectacular ability to catch the football. Naminé blinked repeatedly, resting both of her palms on her face afterwards. That was close. If it weren't for Roxas, who knows what could've happened to her?
"Hey, Naminé, you okay?" Roxas asked worriedly.
Naminé shook her head, still covering her face. She sniffed lightly, unable to resist the tears to slip down her cheeks. Roxas' face softened, then he rubbed the top of the blonde's head to comfort her. Sora sprung into action, draping his arm around his crush's shoulder and rubbing it using his thumb.
For some reason, he felt a tinge of jealousy towards his younger twin. Not only because his actions were caring(which were extremely rare) but because he acted before he did and he was the one who was supposed to be Naminé's...special someone.
Roxas was completely unaware of Sora's feelings and only focused on consoling the sobbing blonde in between them.
A few minutes later, the blonde finally spoke up. "I'm...I'm okay." She spoke weakly.
"Really?" Sora asked, now using his hand to rub her shoulder.
"You gonna be okay, Naminé?" Roxas added.
"Yeah, I'll be fine, you two."
"We thought that you were a goner!" Xion exclaimed.
"Yeah, luckily he was there to save you." Olette interjected, oblivious to Roxas' name.
"Uh, Roxas, right?" Riku butted in.
"Y-yeah, that's me." Roxas shyly answered. All eyes fell on Roxas after he spoke.
"Wow, Sora. You never told me that your brother played football." Riku said with a glare.
Sora frowned. "I never knew that he played football. Roxas, do you play football?"
Roxas opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted by Riku. "Of course he can, you dingbat! He wouldn't have made that catch if he didn't."
"Actually, I don't. I've never even picked up a football in my entire life." Roxas stated.
"Doesn't look like it though." Xion commented.
"I don't even know a thing about football, but if you can catch it like that, I'm pretty sure you know at least a thing or two about the sport." Olette added.
"For real, Roxas? As in, never?" Riku repeated.
Roxas was starting to get irritated. Can't these people understand that no means no?! "I'm telling you guys, I've never played football, ever. Never. N. E. V. E. R."
"Uh, excuse me, son." A voice said, catching the group's attention. There stood two people, one seemingly old man dressed in shorts and a golf shirt and a teenager clad in his football gear. "I'm Dannelle Harvey, coach of Twilight Prep's football team. Did you happen to be the one who caught the football? Anyways, sorry about that, young lady. I asked my quarterback here to throw the most powerful pass he could and it went over the fence."
"It's okay, sir." Naminé assured curtly.
The old man smiled while the teenager apologized. "So, son, are you the one who caught it?" He asked, aiming the question at Roxas.
"Y-yes sir, I was."
"With your left hand too, huh? Heck of a catch kid. Do you play football?"
Roxas inwardly groaned. He's getting tired of saying no. "No sir. I've never played in my entire life."
"Interesting" the old man massaged his beard "are you left-handed?"
"No, sir. I'm right-handed."
"Woah. We definitely have to get him, coach." The teen beside him said.
"Say, do you hang out with Riku? Riku, you never told me that you knew someone like this kid." The coach turned to Riku.
"I never knew that he was capable of such things, coach. I would've brought him to you if I knew." Riku explained.
"I see. I guess we found a diamond in the rough here, gentlemen. What is your name, son?"
"Roxas, Roxas Helterbrand."
"That's funny, I thought the Helterbrands only had three children." The coach stated bluntly, making everyone cringe. "Anyhow, Roxas, how would you like to join the school's football team?"
Roxas was stunned. He spent the entire summer playing basketball, hoping that he would finally earn the respect of the people. Here he is now, getting a shot to be a part of the football team. He doesn't even play the sport for crying out loud! He knew the rules and regulations, but that didn't mean he ever tried playing it.
"Um..."
"What do you say, dude?" The teen beside the coach spoke.
"Come on, son. If you don't think you can play, let me tell you this. This guy right here, Dominique Winston, is one of the best high school quarterbacks in the country. And what makes him such a great player, is his arm strength. Believe me, kiddo, he has one of the most powerful arms in the state. In fact, his arm is so powerful that he broke a few of our players' hands because of his passes. Even ask Riku about it."
"Yeah, Roxas. It's true. Our receivers look dumb on the field, not because they're not good, but because Dom's arm is very strong." Riku backed up.
"But you, Roxas, you were able to catch the most powerful pass I've ever thrown. And you even did it with your non-dominant hand!" Dominique argued.
"Uh...I dunno. I'm sorry, coach, but I have to consult my parents regarding this. This is a big decision for me, I want to hear what mom and dad have to say about this first before giving my answer." Roxas said.
The coach smiled and nodded. "Sure thing, Roxas. I'll be waiting for your answer. Let's go, Dom. Have a good day, kids."
As the two walked away, Roxas felt someone shake him. He averted his gaze and saw Sora smiling like an idiot.
"Rox! You never told me you were this talented! You got offered a spot on the football team, dude! Mom and dad are gonna flip when they find out!" Sora almost shouted.
"I dunno, Sora." Roxas scratched the back of his head.
"Don't pressure him, Sora. You'll be alright, Roxas. Don't listen to your brother, as to not jinx it." He chuckled, which made Roxas snort.
"Yeah, I'll do that, thanks, Riku."
"Fine, I'll stop bugging him. Hey, what are you doing here anyway? Aren't you supposed to be in class?"
"I was on my way, actually. I just went here for a walk, you know. Now that you mentioned, I'll see you guys later." He waved, taking one last glance at the shell-shocked Naminé before leaving.
"Well, now that that's done, let's get going." Olette spoke, leading the group to their class.
The day progressed quickly. As for Roxas, he remained speechless. A spot on the football team? Not bad at all, but he wanted to hear what his parents were going to say. Even if he was so distracted by the football incident, his class participation did not reflect it. Fortunately for him, his teacher on his last class left after lunch due to personal reasons, meaning he was dismissed early.
He stuffed his books back in his bag and headed home. Outside the school gates, he heard a familiar voice.
"Yo, Roxas!" He turned and saw Axel and Demyx walking towards him.
"Hey guys. Don't you guys have class?"
"Nah, we decided to cut." Demyx said nonchalantly.
"We're gonna head to the store to get some ice cream, then we'll go hang out in the clock tower. Wanna come?" Axel asked.
"Sorry, but I got stuff to take care of."
"Aw come on Roxas. Loosen up a little bit. You're in high school now anyways." Axel prodded.
"It's not like we're gonna smoke some weed or anything. We're just gonna hang out. Whaddya say, huh?" Demyx continued.
Roxas let out a deep breath. "I'm really really sorry you two, but I have to pass. It's something very important. It really can't wait." The blond exaggerated. In reality, he was just planning to practice. He had a lot of free time today, which he rarely gets. He wanted to make the most out of his time. Even a mere fifteen minutes can allow him to improve a facet of his basketball game.
Demyx sighed in defeat while Axel just nodded. "Alright then. You better take care of it. Wouldn't want to mess up now, do ya?"
Roxas found it quite amusing. Axel doesn't want him to mess up while he doesn't give a thing about himself. Roxas just smiled back. "Sure don't. I guess I'll see you guys around." He turned on his heels and started to walk off.
"Hey Roxas!" He turned back around. "What about next time?" Axel asked.
Roxas sighed. Axel could be really persistent if he wanted to. "I'll think about it." He retorted before finally leaving.
On his way home, he received the usual treatment. Slanders and insults were thrown here and there, some jokes on the side and even a punk that threw an ice cream cone to his face. When the blond reached to wipe his face, he was suddenly tripped up. His face landed painfully on the pavement . He groaned and looked up to see the offender.
"Well, well, if isn't chicken-wuss." An airy voice greeted.
Roxas remained calm, on the outside at least. The young boy admits, he would beat the hell out of Seifer this time if he goes out of bounds. He's had just enough of the cocky jerk. Roxas stood up to dust off his pants. Without even sparing Seifer a glance, he walked forward.
"Hey! I'm talking to you!" Seifer shouted. He was really pissed with what Roxas' redhead companion did to Rai earlier. Rai ended up with a black eye and a broken jaw. Seifer clenched his teeth and prepared to punch the young boy.
However, his fist never came in contact with the blonde. The boy swiftly turned around and caught the bully's fist. With a fiery look on his eyes, Roxas pushed Seifer's fist away. He headed back home, leaving a very infuriated Seifer on the sidewalk.
"That wuss is gonna pay for that." Seifer muttered under his breath.
When he got home, he packed some clothes in his bag and changed. After changing into his basketball uniform, he sneaked his way back into the school gym. Since the season-opener was still three months away, no one was using the gym. He took a ball from one of the carts. He squeezed the ball, making sure that he had a firm grip on it. When he was set, he began with his drills.
It was the usual workout for him-sprints, laterals, suicides, free-throws, et cetera. Although he focused mainly on his ball-handling. Over the summer, the young blond grew a fondness for ball-handling. The likes of Allen Iverson, Kyrie Irving and Tim Hardaway inspired him to become an elite ball-handler.
He trained for two rigorous hours before taking a shower. He figured that he should show up early to make sure that he doesn't freak out the whole household again. He dressed quickly in the showers before dashing outside to the gates. It didn't take him long to spot his siblings. Before he could halt to a stop, he was tackled by his twin brother.
"Sora, I missed you too, but please get the freaking freak off me!" Roxas said in between coughs.
"Sorry bro, just really happy to see you this time." Sora declared embarrassingly.
"Why are you dressed like that?" Vanitas asked, gesturing to his clothes.
"Miss Loretta left after lunch, so our class was dismissed early. I went back home, chilled out for a couple, then went back here to make sure you guys don't call the police or something." Roxas lied again, albeit partially.
"Actually, Ven was about to." Sora interjected.
"You can't blame me after what happened yesterday!"
An awkward silence passed, but was thankfully broken by Sora. "So, uh, Roxas," he started, smiling at Roxas. "do you have an announcement to make, now that we're all here?"
Vanitas and Ventus looked at each other before gazing worriedly at their little brother. "Is there something wrong, Roxas?" Ven asked.
Roxas huffed. "Guys, it's nothing, don't worry. And Sora, I'll tell everyone later. Mom and Dad aren't here yet, and they're the ones who should hear about it."
Sora pouted then shook Roxas' shoulders. "But Roxas!"
"What I said is final. I'll tell everyone later."
Sora smiled devilishly and started to lean towards Ven's ear. "You better not be whispering anything to Ven!" Sora groaned and crossed his arms. "Fine!"
"Roxas, what is it? Just tell us already." Vanitas urged, resting his hand on Roxas' shoulder.
Roxas sighed and slowly removed the raven-haired boy's hand. "Van, I promise I'll tell later. I just want our parents to hear, okay?"
Vanitas stared at him suspiciously, before nodding in approval. "Okay."
"Come on you guys, we better get back. Mom and Dad'll be home soon." Ventus announced.
After Ven spoke, the four siblings started to head home. As usual, the three Helterbrands were mobbed by fans on the way. It took them a good fifteen minutes to completely fend off the crowd and make a dash for their house. When they got home, Vanitas immediately locked the door and leaned against the frame, breathing heavily. Sora and Ven collapsed in a heap on the couch, their breathing ragged as well. As for Roxas, he wasn't tired at all, but went completely unnoticed by his brothers.
When they got changed into more comfortable clothes, they grabbed their laptops, nested on the couch and started playing Trouble in Terrorist Town. Since none of them had any homework to be accomplished, they decided to unwind a little.
They played for an hour or so, just having fun in each other's company.
"Okay guys, I know that I tried to kill you twice in a row, but that does not mean that I am the traitor." Vanitas stated.
While Vanitas camped on the roof with his sniper rifle and Roxas ran around, Ventus and Sora were stuck in the same room. None of them knew that Ven was the traitor, so he grabbed a nearby shotgun and locked the door.
"Ventus..." Sora slowly uttered with panic laced in his voice.
Ven turned around and mashed the left-click button. "IT'S VENTUS!" Sora exclaimed as he pulled out his pistol and pounded his mouse. A few seconds later, Ventus died, signalling the end of the round.
"WOOO!" Sora cheered wildly.
"That has to be the fastest round we've ever played." Ventus declared, still laughing.
"A five-second round, thanks to your suckish accuracy." Vanitas added.
"Heck, you don't even need to aim with a shotgun in that case! They were in each others' faces and the glock won." Roxas chuckled.
Ventus was about to say something in return, but was interrupted by the sound of an engine. The four children sprung into action and cleaned up the living room. They managed to do so in one minute. When they finished, their parents haven't even entered the house. They exchanged high-fives, then waited for their parents innocently.
It's not that they weren't allowed to play video games during weekdays, it's just that they weren't allowed to make a mess on the living room, which they just did a few minutes ago. When their parents entered, the family exchanged hugs and kisses, then their mother proceeded to make dinner. The boys sat up the table, then sat down with their father to chat.
Soon, they ate dinner in peace. It was midway through their meal, when Sora brought up what he thought Roxas forgot to.
"Oh, Mom, Dad, Roxas has something to say." All eyes fell on Roxas as soon as Sora ended his sentence.
Roxas shifted uncomfortably, his constant movement indicative of his nervousness. "Honey, is something wrong?" Mitchelle asked her baby boy.
"Well...I...uh..." Roxas stuttered, making everyone except Sora worry.
"Take it easy, son. Just breathe." Devin encouraged.
Roxas took a deep breathe then smiled crookedly. "Thanks, Dad. Coach Dannelle Harvey talked to me earlier."
"Coach Harvey?" Vanitas interrupted.
"As in football coach Dannelle Harvey?" Ven butted in. Everyone was befuddled. Why would the football coach talk to Roxas?
Roxas gulped. "Y-yeah. He offered me a spot on the football team."
His loved ones froze at his proclamation. Roxas gazed at them one by one and found all of their eyes to be wide. The youngest child fiddled with his fingers, afraid that he said something that aggravated any one of them.
"R...r-really?" Vanitas choked out.
"Yeah." Roxas ran a hand through his spikes then explained further. "I was walking around the courtyard, then I saw a pigskin headed towards my classmate Naminé, so I ran and stretched out my left hand in front of her face. Unexpectedly, I caught it before it hit her. Then Coach Harvey just came out of nowhere and asked me."
"W-wait a minute." Ventus started "if you caught the ball, Dominique Winston, our school's top-notch strong-arm quarterback, most likely threw that pass."
"Yeah, he actually did. He convinced me to join the team too."
"You do realize Dom Winston is one of the nation's best QBs, right? That guy broke a lot of fingers last season." Vanitas informed.
Another long silence passed. "Wow, son. I never knew that you were that talented on the gridirion." Devin spoke, catching everyone's attention.
The household's primary breadwinner felt elated, yet scared at the same time. He was so happy to find out that his son had finally found a sport, but he was so nervous at the mere mention of what sport he seems to show promise in. No one could blame him for being so frightened. He felt his blood run cold from the very memory of the tradegy. There was no way in hell that he was going to allow his son to share the same fate.
"Honey, are you okay?" Mitchelle asked her husband, resting her hand on top of his palm. When Devin didn't budge, she couldn't help but worry even more. Her husband turned really pale as soon as Roxas mentioned football.
"Dad?" All of them looked at Devin, but Devin only looked at Roxas. "Is there a problem?"
Roxas could feel it. He said something his father didn't approve of. Which it could be, is what remains to puzzle him. "I...I'm proud of you, son, I really am. But..."
Mitchelle squeezed her lover's hand, pleading for him to continue, while their children creased their foreheads in worry. "I...I can't let you play football." Devin stated sadly.
Sora gasped silently, Ventus' eyes widened, Vanitas frowned and Roxas, who was the focal point of the matter, remained unfazed. Mitchelle shared the same reaction as her youngest son. She knew that Devin had a good reason as to why he doesn't want Roxas to play the sport. She will have to find out later.
"I'm sorry, son. I can't, I just can't." Devin reiterated, emphasizing his point.
Roxas licked his upper lip and nodded. He wasn't angry at his father at all. Like his mother, he knew that there was a reason behind his dad's decisiveness. He is a son, so he will respect his father's decision.
"B-but dad!" Sora intervened.
Roxas quickly raised his hand, gesturing him to shut up. Sora stared at him incredulously, as if he was screaming "ARE YOU SERIOUS?" at Roxas using his ocean-tinted irises. Roxas shook his head, insisting him to stay quiet. Sora obeyed, slumping his shoulders in defeat.
Their dinner continued awkwardly. When they finished cleaning up and preparing for bed, the twins couldn't help but discuss what happened on the table in their room.
"I don't understand. I thought dad wanted you to be a school athlete. Now that he has the opportunity to make that a reality, why doesn't he want to take advantage of it?" Sora said with his forehead scrunched.
"I don't understand either, but knowing dad, he has his reasons for sure." Roxas remarked.
"Reasons? Such as?"
"I dunno either. We just have to trust him."
"Man, being kept in the dark sucks." Sora pouted as he crossed his arms.
"Just forget about it, Sora. If dad won't tell, it means that we don't have to know."
"How can you be so calm about it?" Sora looked at him as if he was crazy.
"How can you be so tense about it?" Roxas shot back, lying on his bed with his gaze on the ceiling. "Relax. There's nothing wrong with whatdad did anyway."
Sora flinched. He took one last glance at his younger twin before lying down on his bed. The brunet sighed wearily. What was he supposed to do now?
Unknown to them, their older siblings were outside eavesdropping on them. The two couldn't help but worry about Roxas and their father.
"I understand not allowing Roxas to play football, but I don't understand why he didn't even bother to tell why. Roxas deserves to know at the very least." Ventus said.
"Roxas has a point. Dad won't tell if we don't have to know."
"No, I get that but" Ventus started as he furrowed his eyebrows "did dad ever play football?"
Vanitas seemed to think for a moment. "No. Not that I know of. Why don't you ask him?"
"Eh, nevermind."
"Why do you want to know anyway?"
"It's just that when Roxas mentioned football, dad seemed to pale. Not only that, but he even spaced out for a bit."
"Fear, I guess?"
"No clue. Something's definitely up."
"Yeah. You think dad's really hiding something? Why would he prohibit Roxas from playing a sport in the first place? It's not like he'll die from it."
"In his defense, that is a possibility."
"We're in High School, Ven. Hard-hitters don't show up until college. Or at least most of them."
"That's not what worries me though. It's something bigger than that."
"Now that you've mentioned, it does seem like it. Dad doesn't normally react like how he did to anything." Vanitas added.
"I think it's best we stay out of it. Let's let mom handle this one. I'm sure she's worried about dad too."
"Fine, but I'll have some convincing to do."
"Convincing?" Ven stared at his older brother suspiciously. "Don't tell me you're going to push dad into letting Roxas play?"
Vanitas sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I have to, Ven."
"Why?" Ven asked, his tone rising.
"Have you forgotten that Coach Harvey offered me a spot on the team before summer started? What if I take up his offer? If Roxas becomes my teammate, then I'll get to spend more time with him. That way, I can keep him away from all those bastards who keep bullying him. Apart from that, once he joins the team, he'll gain some respect from the people around him."
Ven sighed and crossed his arms. "Do you really think it's worth the risk?"
"Based on his claims, he'll most likely be a receiver. The rules have changed, Ven. It's not Dick Butkus' era anymore. Defensive players aren't allowed to 'touch' receivers or else they'll get penalized, even suspended. It's the least dangerous position in football or so it seems."
Ven remained silent, digesting Vanitas' words. "Think about it then. If you were in my shoes, would you leave Roxas be to be bullied or let him play so you can watch over him?" Vanitas added before walking back to his room.
A few minutes later, Ven sighed once again. "I sure hope you know what you're doing, big brother." He whispered before walking to his own room.
The following morning, the ambiance in the Helterbrand residence was different. One could not mistake the tension among the members of the highly-scrutinized family.
Mitchelle stuck to her routine-humming while frying bacon and flipping pancakes. On the other hand, her husband Devin was far from who he normally is. Devin wore a worried expression as he occasionally stole glances at his youngest son. He still couldn't help but worry about his young boy. The thought of Roxas even stepping on the gridirion gave him the jitters. He can't let that happen to his son. Not when...
Devin subconsciously clenched his fist at the thought. The memory of the incident was still fresh in his mind. He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn't notice his wife glance at him. Mitchelle grew worried. She wanted to talk to him last night about what bothered him with Roxas playing football. However, since he was so lost in his train of thought, she decided to do otherwise. She wouldn't pry the truth from him in his current condition. She figured that she should give him time to sort out his mind first.
With their kids, the situation seemed to be similar. Vanitas, who normally appeared to be lenient seemed exhausted. He wasn't able to sleep until one o'clock in the morning. He kept thinking if he should push through with his idea of convincing their dad to let Roxas play. He couldn't help but glance at Roxas from time to time. It is for Roxas' sake after all. Besides, that's what they all vowed to do before the school year began-to make life seem a lot less like hell for Roxas.
Ventus, who usually starts the table conversation, was silent. He was primarily concerned with their father. He was usually a cheerful, carefree and loving person. From what he looks like now, he doesn't exactly fit those descriptions. Of course, he couldn't help but worry about Roxas as well. If Vanitas fails to convince their father, which is very likely, what is to become of Roxas? He stared at his youngest sibling. Will he just continue to be bullied for the rest of his high school life. Ventus flinched at the very thought. That can't happen, not to him.
Sora, the energizer of family, was also very worried. He was worried mainly for Roxas. What kind of twin would he be if he wouldn't do anything to protect Roxas? He has allowed the abuse long enough. It's time for him to be a big brother. He looked at his blond twin. But how can he do that? Sure he was influential, but he never knew how to use it for the right reasons.
And lastly, the focal point of the issue, Roxas. Ironically, Roxas remained calm. The youngest remained unfazed by the issue. He has already moved on from it. It was no big deal for the boy. The only unusual thing about him was his sleepiness. He couldn't help but lean back on his chair and close his eyes. He had been practicing hard lately. Aside from that, it's been months since he had a vacant evening. He took full advantage, but his body still demanded for more rest. He was so sleepy that he was oblivious to all the looks that he was receiving from his father and siblings.
Mitchelle turned off the stove and started to transfer the cooked food to several plates. When Roxas found out, he stood up and helped her. He took the plates and sat them down in front of each member's side of the table. Roxas returned to the kitchen to fetch a pitcher of juice. As he was about to return to the dining area, he received a kiss on the forehead from his mother.
"Thanks baby." His mother cooed with a smile.
Roxas smiled back before moving along.
The family ate without much animation. Apart from Roxas and Mitchelle, everyone else seemed to be preoccupied with his respective thoughts. Mitchelle subconsciously frowned. She wasn't accustomed to seeing her boys and her lover like this. Albeit her frown narrowed when she saw her youngest son. Even if he's technically the youngest, he never seems to act like it.
She never told him, but she admired him the most among her children. His older siblings, even Ventus, did not possess his composure. It was one of the many traits that he seemed to have developed on his own. As much as she hated to admit, she felt a sense of pity everytime in came to Roxas. He acts so maturely, but that's because he's been through a lot. She did everything in her power to protect him. They all did, especially her husband. But somehow, the bullying continued. It was way beyond their control. But that didn't meant that they were going to give up.
After the tedious breakfast encounter, everyone prepared for work/school. When the four siblings got to school, Roxas immediately went down the hallway. The three others thought that he was up to something, but disregarded the thought when they remembered that Roxas' locker wasn't near theirs. They grabbed their books, notepads and pens.
Sora finished first. When he closed his locker, he glanced sidewards. The sight made him smile. It was the girl of his dreams. She looked absolutely beautiful, as usual. The same pale skin, the same vibrant baby blue eyes, the same lovely smile. For a moment, he forgot his worries and focused solely on her. How lucky was he to even be within her proximity?
"Hey Sora!" The beautiful blonde greeted with a grin.
"Hey Naminé." Sora greeted back with a smile. Naminé's forehead creased immediately. Although Sora was smiling, she could tell that he wasn't his usual self. His smile is usually more...goofy. His smile right now seems...distant.
"Is something wrong?" Naminé asked worriedly.
Sora was taken aback. Naminé saw right through him. But then he realized that there wasn't anything wrong with that. It is Naminé after all. They've been friends since kindergarten. "Well...uh..."
"Come on, Sora. You know you can tell me." Naminé reassured as she rested her hand on his shoulder.
Her touch sent pleasurable shocks throughout his body. Gosh, he was so pathetic. Even the most innocent of touches made him feel so weak. He was so distracted by her touch that he couldn't help but tell her the truth. "Family problems."
"I see." Naminé frowned. The Helterbrands? Family problems? That's something you don't see everyday. Naminé hastily chastised herself. Of course it's normal for a family to have problems. The Helterbrands are no different. It's just that the Helterbrands rarely argue or even disagree with anything.
Now that she knew, her heart ached for Sora. She knew how affectionate he can be when it comes to his family. Seeing them in disarray must be hard for Sora. She wanted to be there for him and she wanted him to know that. "You can tell me anything. Don't even hesitate. I'll always be here for you, okay?"
Naminé's words somehow comforted the brunet. However, it also made him feel guilty. He shouldn't drag Naminé into all this. He's already having a difficult time as it is. He won't complicate matters further by bringing in his object of affection.
"I know, Nams. Thanks for that, but I really don't wanna bother you with this. This is our problem, we'll handle it. Heck, I don't even know if it's a problem." Sora added jokingly.
Naminé smiled, much to his delight, but she remained worried. She nodded anyway. "Okay, fine. We better get going. Class is about to start soon."
"Yeah, let's go."
The two arrived just in time, for their teacher arrived a few seconds after them. As usual, they sat beside each other on the front row as to not miss out on the discussion. Their teacher began the day with a healthy discussion
"So class, a good example of a chemical change is the burning of wood. Not only is heat present, but the substance itself is changed into a different one." Professor Merlin discussed, earning a few nods and 'ohs' from his students. He was about to move on to the next portion of the discussion when he noticed a certain brunet with his gaze fixed on the floor.
At first, Merlin coughed to get the said boy's attention, but to no avail. "Mister Helterbrand." He called out, still not getting his desired response from the boy. "Mister Helterbrand." Merlin repeated a little louder.
Naminé turned to her seatmate and elbowed him lightly. The brunet was thankfully snapped out of his thoughts. "Uhm, yes, sir?"
Merlin didn't want to reprimand the boy. He was a Helterbrand after all. "I was asking if you have understood the lesson clearly."
"Y-yes, of course, sir." Sora replied distractedly. Merlin sighed and continued with his discussion.
Sora scratched his forehead and shook his head. Unknown to him, Naminé was staring at him from the corner of her eyes. This really wasn't the Sora she knew.
The day went by quickly. Naminé was getting increasingly worried. Sora kept claiming that he was fine, but he spaced out more than a couple of times in a span of four hours. He always tried to smile for her, but there was no doubt that his happiness was being constrained. Something really bad must've happened to him and his family. He's usually the most carefree person around. He never shows sadness, but when he does, it's because of something really depressing.
So when lunch time came around, she decided to talk to him. Both of their classes were dismissed early, and the others still went to their lockers. Naminé and Sora went straight ahead to the cafeteria to get a table. When the two sat down, Naminé stared at him. He was spacing out again. His eyes had a sad glint on them. His expression, well, wasn't much better.
She suddenly noticed that he seemed to be staring at something/someone. She followed her gaze with a gasp. There, on an isolated table near the window, was his younger twin. He was eating all alone, chewing on his food without much energy. He looked so...lonely. When she averted her gaze back towards Sora, she finally understood.
Naminé couldn't take it anymore. She reached for his hands and cradled them between her own. She couldn't help but blush. She felt a familiar sense of warmth and security through their joined hands. After recovering, she looked him in the eyes and spoke.
"Sora, what's wrong? Please, don't lie to me. I know you want me to stay out of it, but I don't want you to suffer all the more. Please, just tell me."
"Okay..." Sora trailed. "Last night..."
While Sora and Naminé conversed, Roxas sat on his table alone. For some reason, he was really tired today. The way he ate his pasta seemed to be enough evidence. He was eating like he had a flu. His expression also seemed to correlate to his exhaustion. He sighed. A couple more hours and he'd be free.
He was tired, not because he kept thinking about the issue plaguing his loved ones. He was tired because he just hasn't been getting enough sleep. He's been training real hard lately. The down side, is that he barely sleeps.
When the blond's final class ended, he rushed home to change. Since he already showed up yesterday, he decided to go off on his own this time. When he was geared up, he went back to the school gym. He picked up a ball and began his routine. He was so absorbed into his drills that he didn't hear the other set of footsteps that echoed within the gym.
As he took a deep breath to prepare himself to shoot a free throw, a voice reached his ears.
"Uhh, excuse me."
He froze just before he shot the ball. He turned around and met face-to-face with a fellow boy that was about the same height as him. He looked at the stranger questioningly. "Hmm?"
"I was wondering if you're up for a game of one-on-one." The boy asked him with a confident grin.
Roxas inwardly froze. This was the first time anyone's ever challenged him to a game. Not just a game, but a one-on-one game. The idea made him feel nervous at first, but then he thought about it. He has been practicing for so long but he hasn't played an actual game to actually apply the skills that he thinks he has developed.
The blond thought it through. If he wins, not only will he prove this boy that he can play, he will also prove his own self the same. But if he losses, then he'll lose even more respect and he'll definitely punish himself for his weakness. But this might be the only way to test his skills without the risk of being mocked by the entire student body, So, with a small smile of his own, he accepted.
"Sure." The boy in front of him smiled widely at his reponse.
As the two prepared to play, Roxas decided to introduce himself.
"Uh, sorry, my name's Roxas, Roxas Helterbrand." He introduced as he held out his hand.
The boy shook it before replying. "Nice to meet you, Roxas. My name's Hayner, Hayner Wilson."
"Nice to meet you, Hayner."
"So," Hayner smiled arrogantly "are you ready, Roxas?"
Roxas' seemed to remain unfazed. Words after all, are just words.
A/N: For those of you who find the plot a little too slow for you liking, I deeply apologize. It's been a long time since I've ever written creatively, not making excuses though. I still have plans on finishing this story, so yeah, I'm not going to abandon this. Like I said, I just needed some time to adjust to college. I've also been busy lately, due to paperwork and projects. I am going to be honest with you guys; I cannot give a definite date on when I'll update again. It might take me a few weeks, since my midterms are already in two to three weeks. Hopefully after my exams, I'll be able to update. Sorry for making you readers wait so long though. Please continue reading and reviewing. Really appreciate it. Until the next time!