Hello poppets! Thank you so much for all your amazing reviews! Here's the chapter you've all been waiting for - Namine finally knows about Roxas! What will she do? What will happen to their friendship? Find out right now in this super long chapter!
x-x-x
"He... He's kinda madly in love with you."
Namine's eyes widened. Time seemed to grind to a halt in that moment - the noise of the study hall became muted and distorted, and the only clear sounds she could hear were her racing thoughts. "What...?"
Sora didn't say anything, just looked to Kairi for support, and the two seemed to share the same expression - anticipation. Like they were waiting - no, hoping - for a positive reaction. Namine turned her head to look through the window, where the music and theatre building stood.
Roxas... Loved her? Actually loved her? All this time... All the while she was mulling after Sora, he liked her? Namine could barely comprehend it.
"Oh my gosh..." She said breathily, then turned back to her stunned friends. Sora had brought his hands up to his temples and he grimaced with guilt. Kairi was watching her blonde friend with bated breath.
"How-wha... um..." She stuttered, barely able to string any words together. "Since when...?"
Sora grimaced as if he was in pain. "Since you met..."
"Since we met!?" She shrieked, causing Sora to stand up and hide behind Kairi, who sighed theatrically. The brunette boy began shaking his head.
"Oh, this is bad... That's it. I'm dead. Roxas is gonna knock me out with his skateboard or - or use his drumsticks to poke my eyes out..."
"Sora, that's a bit dramatic..." Kairi patted her boyfriend's shoulder before stepping closer to Namine. The blonde girl was holding a hand to her stomach and seemed out of breath. "Namine... What do you think?"
"I... I don't know! I mean, this is unbelievable!" She stammered, not knowing what to do with herself. Her heart was beating so fast she thought she might faint. "I mean, this is Roxas! I... I don't..."
Her thoughts were interweaving so much she could barely even think anymore. There was so much to say and yet she was speechless. And with Sora and Kairi staring at her like they were, she could tell they were hoping she would be happy... But the truth was she didn't know how to feel...
Before they could coax anything else out of her, Zidane and Blank came walking through the hall, hauling a bag of basketballs and other various props. The blonde boy was gleefully bouncing a ball with one hand and a microphone in the other, while his red-headed compatriot grumbled as he dragged the rest of the equipment in a large bag.
"Hey, lovebirds!" Zidane called as he saw the couple, not noticing Blank staring daggers at him. If looks could kill, Zidane would be mince meat by now. "C'mon, we're gonna be late for rehearsal!"
Namine was secretly grateful for the interruption. She knew Sora and Kairi would be eager to hear her thoughts... But she couldn't even think coherently right now. She needed time to think.
Sora nodded vaguely, while Kairi kept her eyes on Namine. She approached her best friend gingerly. "Are you gonna be okay, Nam? We kind of have to go..."
Namine didn't make eye contact, but she nodded slowly. "Yeah, I'll... I'm fine. You guys go."
Kairi pursed her lips nervously, but ushered to Sora that they should go. "We'll talk to you soon, okay?" She added, quickly hugging the blonde before taking her boyfriend's hand and heading for the rehearsal room. Sora looked like he was about to face a giant monster, he was so pale. Guilt riddled his features.
Namine stood in the study hall for quite some time after they left. She simply couldn't believe it. For three years... For three years Roxas had quietly liked her, through all her silly rants about Sora. Why hadn't he told her? Why hadn't she realised his feelings? Was he really in love with her? How could she be so blind to such a thing? So many questions swirled in her mind and the answers were nowhere to be seen. But she also had to wonder if the answers even mattered. What really mattered... was if she liked him back.
But that possibility seemed like such a foreign thing in her mind. Not once had she considered Roxas in that way, even on the first day of year 7 when Kairi said he was cute! Back then, he was clearly out of her league... And when they became best friends, she thought of him as simply that - a friend. Their friendship had made sense. They clicked so well together. But this... It had shocked her to her very core.
The emotion of it all overwhelmed Namine and she had to escape the school grounds. She quickly hauled her bag over her shoulders and walked so fast her legs began to ache. She walked and walked and focused only on that until she was home. She threw herself into her English assignment, hoping it would distract her from her dizzying thoughts - but she couldn't concentrate. Everywhere she looked she was reminded of Roxas. He was in most of the photos that adorned her cork board and frames. He had left ugly scribbles on her pencil case. And the worst of all - he was her dance partner. How on earth was she going to dance with him now!?
Namine closed her eyes and sighed. There was no getting around it. Roxas was a huge part of her life, and she had to think about this carefully. Trying to ignore it would only ruin their friendship. She abandoned her desk and flopped herself onto her bed, heaving a great sigh and staring at the roof.
"Roxas..." She whispered. She was wracking her brains, trying to go back in time and see something she might have missed. The moment that stood out the most for her was when she told him it all went horribly wrong with Sora. He was so understanding, so caring... He took care of her and worried about her. If he was in love with her, wouldn't he have been jealous?
No... Roxas wasn't like that. Still, Namine marvelled at how supportive he had been despite his feelings. He had put himself to the wayside just to be a good friend. He was one of her best friends... She didn't know what she would do without him, but suddenly that possibility was rearing its ugly head. If she didn't like him back... Would their friendship recover?
Namine rolled to her side and found herself staring at her stuffed moogle doll. If he had loved her since they'd met, why hadn't he told her? He'd had a very long time to confess if he wanted to. He didn't even know about her crush on Sora until City Centre. What else could stop him? She supposed he might have been afraid it would ruin their friendship, but still... 'Love' seemed too big a thing to postpone for that.
Worst of all, Namine felt guilty for not seeing his feelings for what they were. Once again, she had failed one of her closest friends. First Sora, then Kairi, now Roxas... Why couldn't she pay attention to her friends' feelings? She felt so selfish yet again.
It's not selfish... What's important is you said 'yet'. Which means you know one day you'll be ready.
Roxas' words echoed in her mind, but she shook her head to herself.
You've still been loyal to your friends, Nam. Did you forget? You helped me to get good at dancing. That's definitely not selfish.
Namine sighed. She looked over once again at the large frame that adorned her desk - the photo from City Centre Selphie had given her. She stared into Roxas' visage, and suddenly he seemed like a whole other person. Would things ever be the same again...?
She lied on her bed for what felt like a long time, thinking about Roxas. She was trying to recall any moments that could have been clues... She guessed that every time he got nervous in dance was a big one. In the end, though, the clues weren't what mattered... Namine had been avoiding the big question. Did she like him back? She couldn't think of the answer right now. It was all so sudden! Could she like Roxas back? Did she really feel that way?
She thought back to the time she had asked him if he liked Kairi. He had said he would tell her anything... yet he lied about his feelings, because of her feelings for Sora. How hurt must he have been, seeing her crying about his best friend? Knowing she didn't like him back? How did he feel now? He clearly wasn't going to act on it while she was getting over Sora. Did this mean he didn't like her anymore? But Sora was adamant that Roxas loved her... He must still have feelings for her. The only way he would ever reveal his feelings now... is if she returned them.
Another memory flashed in her mind - the moment she cried in the middle of the street and Roxas held her. Without knowing what was wrong, he simply let her cry in his arms... Thinking about it now sent a wave of tingles up Namine's spine. She remembered how safe and warm she felt in his arms, despite the cold, despite the immeasurable sadness... How she had buried her head into his shoulder so closely...
Her thoughts were shattered apart by a familiar sound - the distant thrum of drumming from across the street. Roxas was home.
Namine closed her eyes and listened to his drumming. She recognised it as one of his exam exercises. Once they were over, dancing would take priority.
As annoying as his drumming was when she was studying, she found the sound comforting. It had become the sound of her high school days. It was nice to know that a friend wasn't far... That you need only listen for them nearby and know that you're not alone. She hadn't really thought about it until now...
Without thinking, Namine grabbed her phone and brought up her text messages. She scrolled to Roxas' name and went to type something... But what? What was it she wanted to hear from him...?
She shook her head and tried to write like she usually did, but reading back her words, she felt like she could feel the tension.
Welcome home ;) How was drums? Sounds like you're ready for the exam :)
She sent the message before she had time to analyse her writing. She felt like cringing and stuffing her face into her pillow - but before she could, she heard the drumming stop. She couldn't help but smile. She watched as the little ellipses popped up on her screen, signifying that he was writing back. She almost felt like she could feel his presence from across the street.
How did you know? :P Thanks Nam. The teacher thinks I'm ready too, but I'm still gonna practice for a while. How was dance?
She understood his nerves. In a few months Namine herself would face her dance exams, and she knew the feeling of being over-practiced. She quickly wrote back.
Don't overdo it! I know you'll ace it :) It was good, but we can't wait to have you back!
She listened carefully - there was no sound of drumming. It seemed he was just focusing on their conversation for now. She didn't need to wait long for a reply.
:) Thank you. I hope so. Hey, I'm sorry I've been held up in drums for so long. I know I've missed a lot of dance. The exam will be over soon and I promise we'll focus on that
Namine curled in on herself with her hands cradling her phone, reading over his words twice. She still couldn't believe how kind he was for caring so much about their dance - she knew it was only because of her he was trying so hard. But this thought brought with it a flurry of butterflies to her stomach. Sure, he wanted to be a good friend... But he also wanted to help her because...
She shook her head and quickly typed a thank-you response before shoving her phone back in her bag. She waited - and waited - and finally the blonde boy went back to his drumming. She found herself resisting the urge to pick up her phone again, to hear the sound of his drumming stop once more to talk to her... But why?
She threw herself once again into her English homework, and this time she didn't stop to think about Roxas.
x-x-x
Namine stood at the corner of her street the next morning, thinking. If anyone walked by her right now, they might have thought she was in a daze - she was staring at nothing in particular and wore a glazed expression. Ever since Sora let it slip, this felt like her perpetual state of being.
"Hey."
"Eep!" Namine jumped, turning around to see Roxas standing there. As usual, his drumsticks were sticking out of his bag.
He chuckled lightly. "Sorry. I'm surprised you're waiting for me. You normally go without me when I sleep in."
"Oh..." The blonde girl wavered, not really knowing why she had been standing there. Was she waiting for him? A little part of her niggled at her better senses, but she internally fought with the answer. "Well, I figured I'd be nice this morning. Plus it's not as cold anymore."
"Yeah, I don't miss winter, that's for sure," he smiled. The chilly days were slowly melting into spring and the island was returning to its usual sunshine.
They began the walk to school, and it was unusually quiet for the two. Namine stole a nervous glance at the blonde - he was biting his bottom lip.
"Are you nervous about your exam?" She asked, keeping her eyes forward.
"Yeah..." He said without falter. She liked how he could be so honest with himself. "I know I've practiced, but... You never know. Remember that one exam? My hands were so sweaty my sticks flew out of my grip."
"That was ages ago!" Namine chastised, but it had really only been two years since that incident. "And you still got a really good score."
Roxas scratched the back of his head sheepishly and wore a lopsided grin. "I know. I guess I don't know why I'm so nervous."
Namine smiled. He really didn't need to be nervous. She had the urge to reach out and give him a sympathetic pat on the back - but yesterday's revelations held her back. Would something as simple as a pat suggest anything? She was definitely overthinking this.
"I get it. I'm the same way with exams. I know the stuff, but I still stress..."
Roxas smirked in her direction. "I know. The only reason I aced all the dance quizzes is because you're such a stress-head." He chuckled when she pouted at him.
"Then my being stressed is a good thing after all!" She defended, poking her tongue out at him, but she quickly withdrew her expression and turned away. She was overthinking again! This was how she and Roxas always were... Playing around and teasing each other. It was purely friendship... Right? Namine didn't know anymore. Roxas laughed and they fell into silence again, and Namine parried the rest of his jokes and conversations.
She was thankful to arrive to most of the troupe by their lockers, talking animatedly. Sora and Kairi were holding hands as usual, but Namine simply smiled at the gesture this time. Everyone still seemed to be gushing excitedly about their relationship (probably thanks to Selphie), but she loved seeing how happy the two of them were together. She remembered what she'd said to Roxas the other day and nodded to herself - it really wasn't Sora she was sad about anymore, it was how much she wanted that meaningful relationship.
But this thought made her think about Roxas and the possibility of a relationship with him, and her head went spinning again. Why couldn't she stop thinking about him!? She tried to listen intently to Olette as she talked about their art projects, but the blonde boy stayed in her thoughts. It was going to be a long day indeed.
Thankfully, something finally distracted her. On the other side of the hall, Namine noticed something different - a new face. A shock of short, dark hair was bobbing up and down at a locker that was once empty. A new student? Destiny High wasn't a huge school, and she had never seen this girl before. When she closed her locker, Namine saw her small, round face, and watched her features contort into an expression of extreme nervousness. The poor girl. The start of the new school year was enough to send Namine into a spin, so she couldn't imagine what it would be like to move to a new school this late in the year.
She wanted to go up to the girl and say hi, if only to make her feel better, but soon Namine was brought into the conversation of her friends and she was lost in countless news - Hayner losing an arm wrestle to Sora, Pence almost setting the I.T. lab on fire, and Selphie's apparent crush on Riku (I don't like him, okay!?). By the time they headed to their classes, Namine couldn't find the stark haired girl in the hall anymore. She made a point to look out for her as she set off for class.
x-x-x
By the time the next double dance lesson rolled around, Roxas was absent once again. Namine felt rather foolish dancing her partner bit without him, and whenever it was time for the lift she just stood dumbly, wishing her blonde friend had never taken up drums. Miss Lockhart was looking more stressed with every lesson, but Namine assured her his exam was tomorrow and they would nail the lift. In truth, though, she wasn't so sure...
Selphie joined her for a quick drink break. "It feels like Roxas has been away for aaages."
"Yeah..." Namine sighed, leaning back on her arms. "But his exam is tomorrow, so he'll be back after that."
The brunette girl nodded. "Don't look so worried! You guys will be fine." She rolled into a sitting position and stretched her legs. "Roxas seems nervous about his exam, too, but he always gets a good score."
Namine smiled. "Yeah. He's kinda like me with my dance results."
Selphie nodded with vigour, then leaned in closer to the blonde girl. "Oh yeah, guess what Sora and Kairi are doing in their rehearsal right now? They're taking photos for the poster! I can't wait to see it!"
Namine giggled at Selphie's excitement. "They're so cute together. I've never seen them happier."
This brought with it a pang of butterflies regarding her own situation. All week long, her thoughts had been filled with Roxas. Thankfully everyone was so busy that Kairi and Sora hadn't managed to ask her anything about him yet. Well, not in person, anyway... Kairi had sent multiple texts trying to get an answer out of Namine, but she couldn't give a straight answer yet. She hadn't seen Roxas much this week either... But she had partly been avoiding him. She just didn't know what to do! Even worse, their private lesson was tomorrow afternoon, after his drum exam. It would be their first lesson since she found out about him. What was she going to do...?
"Alright guys, let's get back at it!" Miss Lockhart called out, and everyone moved back into position. Namine felt so conscious of herself every time it came to the lift and the stark haired teacher grimaced. Still, the routine was looking amazing and everyone was getting excited about the festival.
The bell finally rang and it was the end of the day. Namine and Selphie grabbed their bags after changing back into their uniforms, and headed down the hall of the theatre block. They walked past the music room, where Roxas was drumming away and his teacher was giving him tips. Selphie pressed her face up to the tiny window on the door.
"Selphie, don't bother him!" Namine cried, pulling the brunette girl away.
"I just wanted to scare him and make him flick his sticks again!" Selphie laughed.
They continued down the hall and passed the large rehearsal room. They could hear the excited chatter of the entire cast of the production. Selphie whimpered that she wished she could have done both drama and dance. They poked their heads into the door and saw Sora and Kairi across the room. Kairi was leaning on Sora affectionately and he planted a kiss to the side of her head.
"Argghh, I can't stand how cute they are!" Selphie squealed, and she was so loud that several people turned to look at her. She giggled nervously and Namine turned red.
Kairi looked up and waved to the two girls, and started to head over. Namine panicked. Would she ask her about Roxas?
"C'mon Selph, you've bothered them enough -" she tried to drag the girl away, but Kairi seemed to read her mind and bounded up to them with increased speed.
"I'm so glad you guys are here! We need your help," Kairi smiled with a hint of mischief in her eyes.
"Oooh, what is it!? Need some extra backup dancers?" Selphie asked, her eyes positively shining.
"I have a better job for you," the redhead smiled, "let's just say today's photographer... Wasn't any good. Can you take the group photos for the posters?"
For a moment, Namine thought Selphie might explode from the excitement. "Oh my gosh, can I!? Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, this is so exciting! I have my camera right here - let's do this right now!"
Kairi and Namine exchanged a glance and giggled. "Thanks, Selph. You can set up over there whenever you're..." But the brunette girl was already bolting into the room and pulling out her camera. "... Ready. Okay, well she's taken care of." She turned back to Namine with a smile. "And you, missy, are coming with me."
"What for?" Namine asked, but Kairi was already dragging her through the room, past the excited drama students and into one of the dressing rooms. Bags were strewn everywhere and mirrors adorned most of the walls, framed with bright, round lights. Namine instantly felt like she was getting ready for a dance concert.
"Sit," Kairi ushered, holding the blonde girl by the shoulders and pushing her into a spare chair. She jumped up onto the bench top, which was covered in make-up and wigs, and swung her legs excitedly. "You've been avoiding me, girl!"
Namine shook her hands defensively. "I-I haven't! We've all been so busy, you know! After-school rehearsals, and-and dance lessons, and exams..."
Kairi shook her head and tutted. "No excuses! I've been trying to catch you for days!" She looked Namine in the eyes. "Have you thought about Roxas?"
"Have I thought about Roxas?" Namine feigned a sarcastic chuckle, but Kairi glared at her and she wavered. "Alright... I haven't stopped thinking about him for days." Kairi squealed and looked incredibly excited, but Namine shushed her quickly. "It's not like that! I've been thinking about him... But I still don't know how to feel about him."
Kairi deflated sadly. "Really...? But you guys are meant to be together!"
Namine tightened her lips. "I thought about that a lot, too... The way we met, how quickly we got so close... And how sad he must have been when I cried about Sora. But... I'm scared."
"What are you scared about?" Kairi asked softly.
"Well... He's one of my best friends. I couldn't stand it if we couldn't be friends anymore. So... If I tell him I like him, and then end up not feeling the same, it'll never be the same again! We won't be friends anymore... But at the same time, I can't ignore his feelings. Every time I see him now, I'm wondering what he's thinking about me... And even though he knows I don't like him, he's still being my friend... This is so confusing!" Namine threw her face into her hands. "I don't know what to do..."
Kairi smiled sympathetically, then hopped down from her perch and pulled up another chair, patting Namine on the shoulder. "I know... But that thing you said about not being friends anymore... You know that'll never happen."
Namine brought her hands down again. "How do you know?"
"You and Sora are still friends," she smiled knowingly. "And I can bet anything that you and Roxas are closer. He won't leave your side if you don't feel the same... If that was true, he would have already stopped being your friend. He's still by your side even though he knows you don't like him back."
Namine sighed, but she was smiling. "How is it you know just what to say?" She leaned forward and hugged her best friend. "You're right... I shouldn't worry about losing him. No matter what, we'll work it out. But I... I feel like I have to sort it out. I don't want him to keep liking me and never be happy."
"But you can't talk to him until you sort out your feelings," Kairi added, pulling back. She watched Namine carefully. "It sounds to me like... you might like to give it a try?"
The blonde tried to hide it, but a smile blossomed to her features. "Maybe? I don't know! I mean, this is Roxas..."
"Right. He's good-looking, and athletic, and charming..."
"Kairi!" Namine covered her face in embarrassment and Kairi giggled. "I... I thought about it a lot. And I'm terrified. But... I'm also thinking... It might be kind of great."
Kairi clapped her hands together in excitement. "Oh my gosh, you and Roxas!"
"Shhh!" Namine was aware of the excited chatter from outside. "Maybe. I need to think about it some more. But... I'll definitely talk to him about it soon."
"I'm here for you every step of the way," Kairi hugged her again. "If it all works out, we have to double date!"
At that moment, Selphie came into the room, her eyes filled with excitement. "I'm ready to take the photos! C'mon Kai, you're the lead! Now, I'm gonna need you to give Sora a passionate kiss..."
Kairi rolled her eyes. "Will I regret this decision?" She asked Namine.
"Most likely," she giggled, and they followed Selphie into the rehearsal room.
x-x-x
The next morning, Namine had to put her thoughts to the wayside - it was the day of Roxas' drum exam and she had never seen him this nervous. They barely talked on the walk to school, and in every class she would glance his way to find him taking deep breaths. She marvelled at how Roxas, such a calm, assured guy, could get worked up like this. When it came to things he truly cared about, he could get wound up pretty quickly.
Finally, the exam rolled around. It was taking place during the troupe's English class, and everyone cheered him on as he gathered his things.
"You're gonna smash it!" Hayner assured him, and they bumped fists.
"Knock 'em dead!" Sora added, giving him a high-five.
"Don't let the sticks fly out of your hands!" Selphie ruined it. Everyone laughed though, and Roxas' shoulders relaxed.
"Thanks, guys. I'll see you at the end of the day."
Namine felt very aware of herself, but she knew Roxas needed her support whether she was confused about him or not. She placed a hand on his arm and he looked at her.
"You'll be amazing, Roxas. I know it." She smiled. "Trust me," she added jokingly, and Roxas knew she was referring to what she'd heard from across the street.
He nodded and placed a hand over hers, squeezing it slightly. "Thank you, Nam. I'll see you later, okay?"
He let go and waved to the guys before leaving, but not before Miss Gainsborough gave him an exuberant "Good luck, Roxas!". Namine watched as he walked out the glass doors and rounded the corner, out of sight. Her hand was tingling from the contact moments ago and she felt her face heating up. Did he have to go and grab her hand like that!? Dreading the possible reaction, she slowly turned back to her work and saw Kairi out of the corner of her eye, winking lewdly. Namine pouted at her and quickly got back to work.
The lesson seemed to stretch on for hours... For Namine, at least. She kept watching the clock and wondering how Roxas was going at every moment.
He's probably just arriving now... I bet he's doing that one exercise right now... It's half-way... Maybe he's giving some theory now? Oh, I hope he gets the final part right... He'll be finishing any minute...
She thought she might explode with anticipation by the time the bell rang and she quickly gathered her things, ushering the others to hurry up. "Come on, we gotta find out how Roxas did!"
"He'll be fine," Pence assured with a warm smile.
"As long as his hands didn't get too sweaty, he'll be great," Olette giggled, and Namine couldn't help but remember how he had touched her hand again. It certainly didn't feel sweaty to her... But she remembered how she got a jolt of nerves and shook her head.
The gang finally gathered their things and Namine took the unusual role of leading them back to the lockers. When they arrived, Roxas was already waiting - he was smiling. Namine sighed with relief as she ran towards him.
"How did it go?" She asked breathlessly, but he was smiling so hard she didn't need the answer. Everyone else gathered around.
"It went great! I couldn't believe it!" Roxas looked like he could fly, he was so excited.
"No injuries this year?" Sora laughed, patting the blonde on the back.
"Nope, sticks stayed in my hands the whole time. I can't wait to get my results!"
"Now you can come back to your dance classes!" Selphie teased, leaning close to his face with an accusatory expression. "Miss Lockhart is getting sooo stressed because of you! I swear I saw Mr. Strife sneak something into her drink."
Roxas laughed. "Don't worry, I won't miss another lesson."
Everyone basked in Roxas' success for a while before they headed their separate ways home. As they walked home, Namine noticed Roxas was almost skipping. She giggled and he looked at her dubiously.
"What?"
"Nothing. I'm proud of you, Roxas."
He gave her a lopsided grin. "Thanks. You know, this is all thanks to you."
Namine raised her eyebrows. "Huh? I didn't do anything. I mean, nothing that the others didn't do as well..."
Roxas shook his head. "You're the reason I kept going in the first place."
They stopped at the corner of the street where they normally parted ways, and Namine furrowed her brow. "Huh?"
"I mean..." He scratched the back of his head, suddenly nervous. "I never told you this, but I was thinking of quitting drums when I entered high school. I didn't think I was good enough to take the exams... But when you yelled at me that day and said I'd perfected it... That was the reason I didn't quit."
Namine's eyes widened. She couldn't believe she'd been his inspiration to keep going with drums! She also couldn't help but fight a smirk, knowing she could have avoided years of annoying drumming sounds by telling him he sucked. Still... She couldn't deny she had come to find comfort in his tunes.
"Really...?"
Roxas chuckled at her shocked expression. "Really. So, I guess what I'm saying is... Thanks. For putting up with my drumming and supporting me. I couldn't have done it without you."
He gave her the warmest smile she had ever seen adorn his lips, and she positively melted. She turned away quickly.
"Y-You're welcome..."
She looked back up to see him still smiling, then he lofted up his heavy bag again. "Alright, I'll just go change and I'll head back to yours."
She nodded and they parted ways, and when she was safely in her house she slapped her cheeks and sighed.
Why is it that the second I find out he likes me, every little thing he does is so... so... Argh!
Namine didn't know how she was going to survive this dance lesson.
x-x-x
Roxas arrived not ten minutes later, and everything seemed to go smoothly for the most part. They practiced the group dance several times, although the room was too small to do the lift. Then they moved on to their duet, which Namine had completed while he was practicing for drums the past few weeks. It was a lot to remember, but Roxas seemed to pick it up pretty quickly, still on a high from his successful exam.
By the seventh run-through, they were panting and heaving fiercely and both teens collapsed to grab a drink. It took a while for them to regain their breath - Roxas was lying on his back and panting at the roof.
"You know, the dance is fun, but I wish it was... slower," he sighed, wiping his brow.
Namine giggled. "For it to be any slower, it couldn't be a hip-hop or jazz piece anymore. You'd have to do a ballet dance for that. Or a slow couples dance."
Roxas hummed as if he was in thought, then cringed. "On second thought, maybe not."
"That's what I thought!" Namine laughed, then stood and stretched. "I have to do a salsa themed dance for my exam this year."
"Do you get to use castanets?" Roxas asked with a chuckle, sitting upright.
"That's for Spanish dancing, silly. Salsa is this..." Namine quickly found a smooth Michael Buble song called 'Sway' and pressed play. She flicked her hand to the side dramatically and over-swayed her hips, and Roxas laughed.
"Some exam you have. I'll stick to my drumming, thanks."
"You say that now," Namine said, her hands on her hips, "but you might need to learn a couples dance if you do the deb ball."
"Huh? Deb ball?"
"The Debutante ball! In year 11!" Namine sighed. "Boys really are clueless."
Roxas waved his hand lazily. "That's two years away. And who says I want to go?"
"I'd expect better than that from my prized dance student," Namine teased.
"But the whole point is to go with someone, right? Who says I'll have a dance partner?"
Namine suddenly flushed red at the implications of this question. "W-Well, Sora will probably go with Kairi, so that's an incentive to find somebody."
"I dunno..." He sighed, standing up and stretching his back. Of course, the only person he wanted to take was someone who didn't like him in return...
"And what are you going to do at their wedding when it's time to dance?" Namine added for fun, and partly to skirt around the topic of the deb ball.
"I'll be at the bar," he stuck his tongue between his teeth jokingly, and Namine thumped him.
"Come on, it's actually really easy," she approached him, then, feeling slightly giddy. "The girl does most of the work anyway."
"Isn't the guy supposed to lead?" Roxas asked uncertainly, having flashbacks to his conversation with Sora about dancing.
"Does the guy do any spins or jumps?" Namine asked, placing a hand on his shoulder and taking his hand in the other. She suddenly regretted this decision as she helped to place Roxas' hand on her back. "Just follow my lead. Remember that 3-4 timing we learned at school?"
"Not even a little bit," Roxas said, looking down at their feet and concentrating on not stepping on her toes. "This is... really hard."
"You're doing great! All that practice has trained you for this moment," Naminie giggled despite herself as they danced in tune to the music.
Other dancers may be on the floor... Dear, but my eyes will see only you... Only you have that magic technique... When we sway, I go weak...
She also suddenly regretted the song choice, but Roxas was too busy looking at his feet to notice her rosy cheeks. Finally, the song faded away and the next song in the playlist began to play... An even slower, more romantic song... It had a special place in Namine's heart because it played at a wedding she went to as a child - that was the moment she began to looked forward to love.
Namine slowed down to match the tune and Roxas did too, making it easier to keep up with the steps.
"See, you've got it," Namine said softly, very aware of how close Roxas was to her now. He looked up too, hesitantly, worried he might step on her feet if he did. Their eyes locked.
"I couldn't have picked it up this quickly without you," He said incredulously, wearing his lopsided grin.
"You worked hard too, you know..." Namine assured. The music picked up a bit in speed, and Roxas started bopping to the beat in a silly way, causing her to laugh. "That's a bit over the top, but still passable."
"Come on, it's fun!" He smiled, guiding her along to dance in his silly manner.
They both laughed as Roxas swayed his hips over-dramatically and pursed his lips out in mock concentration. Namine let him drag her around with his wild motions as the music reached it's peak.
I love you baby, and if it's quite alright, I need you baby, to warm the lonely nights, I love you baby... Trust in me when I say...
She started to lip sync the words and they were both becoming giggly and silly. Eventually the song returned to its slow, romantic pace and they too slowed down their antics, chuckling lightly. He was holding her close, now, their hands still lightly grasped. She looked up at him tentatively, very aware of their proximity now. They locked eyes again... One, two, three seconds and Namine tore away, unable to handle the moment. She knew it was only a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity - he looked so sincere and serious for a moment, with that shy smile he wore when he was lost in thought. She suddenly felt very hot and pulled away, putting her hands on her hips and nodding with feigned vigour.
"Good! Very good. You're ready for the deb ball. Maybe less crazy hip shaking next time, though."
Roxas laughed, though softly, as if he wished they hadn't parted. "I'll try to resist... Though I still doubt I'll be going."
Namine didn't answer this, knowing it could lead to all sorts of conversations that she simply wasn't ready to partake in. "I think that's enough for today. We've made a lot of progress on our duo. Same time next week, okay?"
Roxas nodded with a smile. "Sounds good. I'll see you at school tomorrow."
He went to leave the room, but before he did, Namine grabbed his arm to stop him. It was completely reflexive - she wanted him to leave, but he needed to know this.
"I know I already said this, but... I'm really proud of you, Roxas. Congratulations on a great exam." She said, forcing herself to look him in the eyes. She was glad she did - watching his expression light up and swell with pride was worth the agonising uncertainty. She wanted to lean out and hug him - and she would have done before Sora spilled the beans - but now... It seemed too forward.
He turned his body to face her and smiled. "Thanks, Nam."
She smiled and let go of his arm, and he hesitated a moment before he left. When she was sure he had left the house, she plummeted herself onto the couch and buried her head in a pillow, groaning with embarrassment.
Now she really had to decide what to do, and fast. She didn't think she could handle another private like that.
x-x-x
When Roxas got home, he flopped onto his bed and rubbed his hands over his face, grimacing. Why did he keep doing this to himself? He was trying to get over Namine, trying to just be a good friend, and he kept letting moments like that happen! Did those sorts of pauses really happen between friends? Did Namine think it was all just fooling around?
The blonde let out a heavy sigh. He had to stop looking at her like that. Even if... Even if the way they locked eyes just now felt so...
He rolled over in his bed to grab his phone, resolving to talk to Sora about this. Maybe he could knock some sense into him. One way or another, he had to get over her.
x-x-x
The song our favourite couple dance to is 'Can't take my eyes off you' by Frankie Valli and the four seasons. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I had sooo much fun writing it! That heated moment seriously gives me life. I think we might need to keep an eye on that dark haired girl... I wonder who it could be!? (Spoilers: you already know who it is) Don't forget to review on your way out! Much love lovely readers!