THIS IS IT, YOU GUYS! The final chapter – and it is a doozy! I've lost a few of you due to delaying the last chapter for so long, but I hope those who have loved this story eventually find this – the ending – a satisfying one. And to those who have stuck with this story to the very end, thank you from the bottom of my heart! Without further delay, go and enjoy!
BUT FIRST: Finally, the song that inspired this entire story is revealed! I highly recommend you listen to it as you read the first part. It's not a well-known song – it's called 'Stupid' by JC. You can find it at this url on youtube - watch?v=6fJhLJE87sk. This is the song that my year 9 dance class danced to at my own Create Festival many years ago, which is why it's so special to this story. Alright, let's finish this bad boy!
x-x-x
Naminé couldn't even remember how she got to her dance class, but she'd somehow gone to her locker, retrieved her dance bag and walked to the theatre block in a haze of emotions. She was functioning on auto-pilot, and relied on the only way she knew how to control her emotions; dancing.
She was the first to arrive at the classroom, even before Miss Lockhart. She put on her dance shoes, stripped out of her school dress with her dance clothes on underneath, and stood in front of the mirror. Her face was ashen and her eyes were puffy from wiping away stray tears. She could feel adrenaline searing through her veins and started doing reckless leaps and jumps around the room, forgetting about technique and focusing on the force of her moves. She felt utterly stupid. How had she fallen so hard for Roxas? He had just proven that his so-called feelings were a facade all along. A farce to fuel his lust and nothing more, because when another girl came along, he fell right for her.
Miss Lockhart entered the room just as Naminé leapt into a floor roll. "Great work, Naminé! Feeling excited for the festival?"
Naminé snapped out of her thoughts and took a deep breath. "… Yeah. It's gonna be great."
As Miss Lockhart set up her stereo, Selphie came bounding in, her cheeks flushed. She ran up to Naminé quickly.
"Nam! Kairi and us girls were all looking for you! She didn't tell us who, though, uh… what's wrong?" Selphie noticed the look on Naminé's face and graced her with a sympathetic expression. "Are you okay?"
Naminé was about to speak, but the rest of the class began shuffling in, including Roxas, who was chatting with Neku animatedly. Her face turned cold. "It's nothing."
"Oh… but, Kairi was saying-"
"Alright guys, let's go through 'Stupid' from the beginning!" Miss Lockhart called out. "You've all been working extremely hard and it's time to show it. We go on in less than two weeks!"
"Well, I'll ask you later," Selphie winked, and after the class were changed and ready they stood in their beginning positions. Naminé was front and centre with Roxas.
"You ready?" Roxas looked over at the blonde girl, smiling. Naminé kept her eyes on the mirror, expression unmoving. She knew it would take a miracle to get through this dance. She simply nodded.
Who does he think he is? First he's madly in love with me, then he goes and kisses Xion? I can't believe this… Naminé shook her head, scolding herself for thinking these black thoughts, but they wouldn't stop. When the music started, it was even worse.
Naminé had listened to the lyrics of Stupid for the better part of the year, and yet the true meaning of the song had been lost on her until now. Even when Sora had turned her down, she didn't truly understand it with the clarity she suddenly faced.
Just focus on your technique.
A body roll. A flick of the head. Stepping back, stretching one leg out. Flick to the right, facing Roxas. Look at his feet. God dammit, don't look at his eyes. Roll down, bending the knees, up, down, and up again. The moves were sharp to match the music, then slowed to a bittersweet lull to match the emotion of the chorus.
I was so stupid, stupid for trusting you…
So stupid, stupid for loving you…
It was at this point she felt her heart break in two. She had to press her hands up against Roxas', then push back harshly and bounce back in sync. That moment when she looked him in the eyes was her breaking point. She felt the tears stinging her eyes, but she had to keep dancing.
She gave in to the emotions and let them fuel her dancing.
Should've known you weren't the one…
She put so much force into her expressions that she even scared herself. She had to get close to Roxas, looking remorseful, which wasn't hard to accomplish in her current state.
"Yes, Naminé! Excellent emotion!"
Miss Lockhart didn't know the half of it. Naminé felt like she was out of her body – every move came so naturally but her thoughts were still haunting her. She reached her arm out to the right while Roxas did to his left - she noticed him looking slightly concerned at her expression. Ha. If only he knew how much he'd hurt her.
She felt a tear roll down her cheek.
Just keep dancing.
Naminé felt her whole years' experience falling into this song, from the very beginning. In a flash, she remembered when Roxas was terrible at dancing, and she had helped him. Look at him now! He was in perfect sync with her moves… why couldn't his emotions be in sync as well? Why? How could Roxas do such a thing? She never in a million years would have pegged Roxas to be so cold.
Thought the remedy to a broken heart was you…
She remembered how close they'd gotten during their last private, how they were kissing distance apart… Were his feelings fake, even then? Even she couldn't deny how strongly she was drawn to him in that moment. Even now, even when she hated him the most, she was drawn to him. It infuriated her.
But I realised that it was just nothing, and I never should've loved you…
The part where she and Roxas stood back to back, she felt her body wracking and shaking. She stepped forward, one, two, three steps. It was time for the lift.
She turned to face him. He watched her in return. Though the moment lasted only seconds, Naminé felt time warp to a stop as they locked eyes. Was the emotion in his eyes from being in character, or from seeing her expression? Before she had time to figure it out, she was running towards him.
She was running out of control. Her legs felt weightless, like she could run forever. Roxas reached out his arms, ready to catch up and lift her up –
But she was going too fast. She threw herself at him with a force she didn't know she was capable of. It was too much.
What happened next was a blur for everyone watching. Naminé hit Roxas so hard that when he lifted her, he was taking all her weight behind him. He toppled, twisting his body to try and save her – but into doing so, he crushed her underneath his own weight. A massive thud sent shockwaves through the room, and Miss Lockhart quickly turned off the music. Naminé shouted in pain. Then, silence.
Everybody froze, shocked by what had just happened. Only Miss Lockhart kept her wits about her. "Are you two okay!?"
Naminé's body was facing the floor, and she shielded her face with her arms. A rippling pain was coursing through her ankle, which had taken most of Roxas' weight. But the force of all the emotion she'd just experienced hit her like a train. She started sobbing uncontrollably.
Roxas quickly got off her and hurried to her side, horrified at what he had done. "Oh god, Naminé! I'm so sorry! Where does it hurt? Is it your leg?"
He touched her shoulder, but she wouldn't show her face. Miss Lockhart reached down to touch her ankle, and that's when Naminé sucked in a painful breath.
"Selphie, take Naminé to sickbay," she ordered quickly, and together they helped Naminé up. Everybody stood back to give her some space. Roxas stood back hesitantly, feeling absolutely horrible.
Naminé hobbled off with Selphie, putting most of her weight onto the brunette girl. She tried to calm herself down, but the sobs kept coming.
"It's okay, Nam…" Selphie said quietly as they walked slowly down the stairs. As they walked, Naminé tried to take deep breaths, and Selphie watched on with a concerned expression. "Naminé… it's not just the ankle, is it?"
As eccentric as Selphie was, she sure knew how to read emotions. Naminé nodded, wiping her tears away.
"It's okay, we'll sort it all out later. Let's get your ankle fixed first, okay?"
Naminé nodded again, thankful for Selphie's thoughtfulness.
x-x-x
When Naminé finally got home, she'd never been more thankful to collapse into her bed in her life. Her ankle was strapped up - badly bruised but not broken, thank goodness – and she'd gone home early.
Though she was sick of repeating the phrase to herself, Naminé felt so stupid for everything she'd done today. From trusting Roxas' feelings to be true, to making a fool of herself in dancing and choosing emotion over concentration, for botching up the lift and hurting her ankle… every decision she'd made today was stupid. She had her dance exams, concert and the Create Festival in less than two weeks! Would she be able to dance?
All she could do was rest it and hope for the best. She'd already decided she wouldn't be going to school until she could walk again – she'd had enough experiences with injuries to know that the more rest she gave her ankle, the quicker she could return to the dance floor.
That, and she didn't want to lay eyes on Roxas for as long as possible.
Naminé sighed – she was emotionally exhausted. She turned her phone off, stayed away from all forms of technology, and indulged herself in one of her favourite books to wind down for the evening. Real life could stay on hold for now.
x-x-x
"I'm gonna call him."
Kairi was currently sitting on the edge of the Destiny High stage, pulling out her phone. Sora was nearby with script in hand while Rikku and Ven practiced their dance duet.
"But I asked him and he said he didn't see Naminé all lunchtime. Clearly she missed him," Sora explained. "Besides, didn't you say you found her?"
"I did, I even called out to her! But the crazy girl just kept walking!" Kairi flailed her arms. "Then she fell over in dance, so she got sent home! Why can't those two just get their shit together!?"
Sora looked concerned. "Wait, she fell down? Is she okay?"
Kairi mirrored his expression. "Selphie said she fell over during the lift with Roxas. But she also said that Nam was upset about something else."
"I wonder what?" Sora asked. "I mean, she didn't find Roxas so that can't be it."
"Yeah… I'd go visit her but we're gonna be practicing after school every day until the show. And we're here all day Saturday too!" Kairi crossed her arms. "I think I'll give her a call tomorrow. I'm sure she's upset about not being able to dance."
"Do you think she'll make it to the show?"
"Selphie said it was only bruised, and you know there's no stopping Naminé from dancing. I hope she'll pull through."
Sora nodded. "They were so close today… I guess Naminé will just try again another time."
Kairi rolled her eyes. "With their track record, I'm surprised I got my hopes up today. If they're not together by the festival, we're doing an intervention."
x-x-x
Roxas walked especially slowly on his way home from school that day. What a horrible day it had turned out to be. He couldn't believe he had dropped Naminé! His stomach churned as he remembered when Selphie teased him about dropping her, and now it had actually happened. She had trusted him. Yes, she threw herself at him like a freight train out of control, but it was his responsibility to catch her no matter what. Which brought him to his next dilemma… why was Naminé so emotional today?
Something had definitely gone wrong. It made him wish he'd spent time with the gang at lunch time today instead of Xion. He wanted to go and see her, but he knew he'd better wait until tomorrow.
Naminé had looked so sad… and he swore he'd even saw a tear fall as she danced. He wanted to take her hurt away, no matter what it was. Knowing he'd potentially destroyed her dance exams and the festival made him feel even worse. He never wanted to hurt her in any way, and he'd hurt her passion for dance by physically stopping her from doing so.
He knew what he was going to do after school tomorrow.
x-x-x
He didn't know, however, why he was being interrogated at school the next day.
"Are you sure you didn't see Naminé yesterday? At all?" Kairi was asking him by his locker during recess.
"I promise you, I didn't see her," Roxas shook his head. "I wish I had, though. Something was wrong with her yesterday. And I made things worse by dropping her…"
"Accidents happen," Kairi said sympathetically, patting the blonde on the back. "I'm sure she'll just make it for the festival. I want to visit her, but I'm at rehearsals after school every day."
"I'm going to see her tonight," Roxas nodded, closing his locker. "Hopefully she's feeling better."
Kairi suddenly looked excited. "Okay, okay – tell me everything that happens tonight, okay!?"
Roxas quirked his brow. "Why are you so excited?"
"Just… it's important!" Kairi huffed, and walked off towards her locker. Roxas sighed. What a rollercoaster he and Naminé had been on the last few weeks. Just when things were looking up, they suddenly came crashing back down. But he supposed a nice visit would be a good replacement for tonight's private lesson. Maybe she could watch him dance? Although that thought still made him extremely queasy to this day.
For the rest of the day, there was an odd air of unspoken thoughts. Everyone seemed to be holding back somehow. There was a strange dynamic between Sora, Kairi and the girls, and of course Hayner and Pence were none the wiser. Roxas wondered if his sudden return to the group had caused this strange feeling – he wasn't hanging out with Axel and Xion today. But Hayner quickly grabbed him in a headlock and told to never ditch the group again, and Roxas could only laugh.
The day seemed to drag on forever. Roxas was anticipating his visit to Naminé's house, and he was as nervous as ever. All he really wanted at this point was to cheer her up and repair the friendship.
Finally, the end of the day arrived and Roxas rushed home. He made sure to grab a small bouquet from the flower shop on the way, and quickly stopped into his house to grab his dance gear. He hurried down the street to Naminé's house.
He knocked on the door and waited. And waited. He knew that Naminé's parents would be at work, so he knocked again. Perhaps Naminé was sleeping?
But Naminé was not sleeping. Inside her house, Naminé was fuming. She knew who it was, and it seemed a night of rest hadn't settled her emotions. She wasn't sad anymore – she was angry. A third knock was the straw that broke the camel's back, and Naminé hobbled hopelessly up the hallway to open the door.
The sight of a smiling Roxas with flowers in hand might have softened her, if she had been half as angry as she was. She looked up at him in disbelief.
"Hey Nam…" Roxas said quietly, raising the flowers towards her. "I'm so sorry about yesterday. I feel terrible about dropping you…" He dropped his head in shame. "I hope we'll still be able to dance together at the festival. I thought maybe I could dance today and you could watch for now?"
Naminé felt her insides searing. Was this boy really serious? She drew her lips inward in frustration.
"No, thank you," she said, wanting to sound fierce but ending up sounding shaky instead. She hated herself for feeling this way.
"What…?" Roxas looked flabbergasted. "Naminé, I'm sorry for dropping you, but it was an accident…"
"I don't want to talk to you right now, Roxas," she said, sting evident in her tone. "Please, leave me alone."
"Naminé…"
She shook her head, tears once again stinging her eyes. She couldn't believe how hard it was to keep it together. "I thought… I thought that you…" she started, knowing she wasn't making sense, "… I can't believe you'd do this to me!"
Roxas was definitely confused now. Was this about a lift, or about how he'd acted during their last private? "Wait, what? Naminé, if I did something else to hurt you, tell me! I'd never-"
"I don't want to hear your excuses and I don't care if you don't understand!" Naminé shouted, regretting it even as she spoke. "If you don't know what you did to hurt me, then you clearly don't care enough to realise!"
"What!?" Roxas exclaimed, completely confused. Naminé was shaking, and tears were streaming down her cheeks now. It killed him to see her like this, and it hurt even more to know that he was the cause. He stepped forward, stopping her from closing the door on him. "Naminé, I would never hurt you intentionally. Ever. Please, tell me what I did!"
"No!" She shouted childishly, pushing him away so she could close the door. "I saw you! I can't get the image out of my head! Just leave me alone!"
And with that, she slammed the door. Roxas felt completely deflated, and utterly confused. She'd seen him do what, exactly? What did he do!?
He sighed, unsure of what to do, and left the flowers at the door. He trudged home, not quite believing that he and Naminé had pretty much just had a fight.
When he got home, he tried calling Sora, but then he remembered that the brunette boy was at rehearsals after school. Frustrated, Roxas sat at his drum set and blew off some steam by playing one of his exam songs. Like dancing was for Naminé, drumming was Roxas' escape from the world.
He didn't drum with much vigour, though, and the sound felt dull and confused, like himself. He was about to stop when his phone buzzed. He almost had to do a double take when he saw the message.
From: Naminé
STOP DRUMMING.
Okay, this was getting a little ridiculous. Naminé was actually scolding him for drumming!? Of course, that's how the relationship had started, but it had never been with this kind of malice. She was acting extremely emotional and downright reckless.
For a moment, Roxas lost his own temper. In a fit of childish frustration, he played his drums even harder. He could feel the sweat sticking to his shirt as he beat his drums hard, finishing with a harsh final beat that rung in his ears long after it had receded. He felt regretful afterwards, but he was just so frustrated! If she wasn't willing to tell him what was wrong, he couldn't fix it.
He felt guilty, confused, attacked and helpless. This wasn't what their friendship meant. This wasn't what he wanted. Had his crush caused all this? Would it ever be okay again?
Meanwhile, Naminé was lost in an amalgamation of feelings. She was frustrated, she was angry, she felt foolish… but mostly she just felt sad. When Roxas finally stopped his rash drumming, she just felt empty. How had this happened?
She took a deep breath and wiped away her tears. At times like this she would normally dance it off, but she had to rest her foot. She lay on her bed curled up and cradling her phone, regretting the harsh message she'd sent. She just didn't want to hear anything associated with Roxas right now.
Her phone buzzed, and she thought it might be Roxas, but she saw that is was Kairi. She took another deep breath, slapped her cheeks, and answered. "Hey, Kai."
"Hey! Sora told me about your fall. Are you okay?" Kairi's voice was muffled amidst the excited sounds of the rest of the High School Musical Jnr cast.
"It looks like it's just bruised and a bit swollen, so I should be okay. I'll stay off it for now."
She heard Kairi sigh. "That's good. Though I know you'd still dance on it even if you broke all your toes. Listen, I've only got a few minutes before I have to go back on stage, but Sora told me you didn't find Roxas at lunch. Did he come over?"
"… No. Since I can't dance we decided to cancel." Naminé felt horrible for lying to her best friend, but she couldn't face the truth right now. The truth that Roxas had betrayed her… it was too much to bear.
"Aww, man! You were so close! Don't worry, I was thinking about it and I think it would be super romantic to ask him out at the festival. Anyway, we'll talk about this later! Feel better Nam!"
"Thanks, Kairi."
The call ended and Naminé felt another sting of sadness. She was totally alone. She wanted to talk out her feelings, but at the same time it hurt too much to relive what she saw. She couldn't get it out of her head! The expression on Xion's face was burned into her mind, and she could only imagine what Roxas' face looked like…
She gave a stifled whimper as she buried her head in her pillow, wishing she'd never gone to look for stupid Roxas.
x-x-x
Naminé didn't return to school for the rest of the week. Kairi and Sora were at school until late every night, and everyone else was so caught up in their own duties for the festival that time rushed by in a blur. Kairi had no idea that anything was wrong, and Roxas ended up staying quiet about the whole ordeal. When Sora asked, he just said that Naminé was too sore to dance and brushed him off. Roxas didn't want to get the others involved while she was so emotionally charged. Everyone was in a blissfully busy bubble in the lead-up to the festival, which was the perfect distraction for Roxas.
According to Selphie, Naminé was sure she'd make it to the festival. Roxas sat in silence at this conversation, wondering why she would want to face him after their fight. Would she push him off the stage? Okay, that was a little extreme, but he had to admit he was worried. He just wanted to fix what he had broken.
It was even worse when Miss Lockhart told Roxas the bad news in dance class.
"Listen, I know Naminé is still going to turn up to the festival since nothing can stop that girl," the stark haired teacher explained, "but I'm pulling the lift out of the dance after what happened. We'll go back to the original chorey. Let Naminé know, okay?"
"Okay…" Roxas sighed, knowing Naminé would be disappointed. He knew she wouldn't take the news well, especially coming from him. He walked back to where Selphie and Neku were chatting on the wooden floor.
"It's weird without Nami here, huh?" Selphie sighed. "She hasn't missed a single class all year!"
"Yeah…" Roxas nodded solemnly.
Selphie leaned forward. "Hey, do you know what's wrong with her? She looked really down the other day. I asked her about it but she said it was nothing!"
Roxas shook his head. "I'm not sure." It was the truth, too. He really had no idea why Naminé was upset before the fall. The look on her face while they danced still haunted him. Now he knew that he was the reason she had been so upset, but he still had no clue why. He wondered if the flowers he got her were still abandoned outside her front door.
"Maybe the pressure's getting to her…" Selphie said thoughtfully. "She normally gets really nervous about her dance exams. We've all taken on a lot more than usual this year!"
"Tell me about it," Roxas huffed, thankful his drum exams were over. Miss Lockhart called over the dance class, and Roxas felt miserable knowing he would be dancing without Naminé today.
x-x-x
Xion stepped into her bedroom, exhausted. She'd gone to visit Axel in the music room after school to see him rehearse for the festival, and she had spotted Roxas in the dance room. It made her heart ache.
She flopped onto her bed and faced the window. It was a glorious sunny day and the light warmed her. The bright sky reminded her of that day on the beach with everyone.
You're a part of the group now, so sadly you'll have to put up with our shenanigans. That okay?
Xion sighed and sat up, leaning towards the top of her chest of drawers. On the top, next to a photo of everyone on the beach, was the seashell Roxas had picked up for her. It shone in the sunlight streaming through her window, a perfect pearly white.
Take good care of that shell, okay? That symbolises our friendship, you know.
Xion stared at the shell for a moment, remembering the way the bright summer sun had shone on Roxas's face, illuminating his bright blue eyes and his blonde hair. That was the moment her heart beat so fast she thought she might faint. That was when fell hard for that boy.
Scowling, she quickly grabbed the shell and stuffed it in the bottom drawer, then flopped back to her bed, curling up in a little ball.
"Geez…" she sighed, still feeling embarrassed about that day. She had felt so proud of herself in that moment… she had never been that bold before. In hindsight, she didn't know why she felt so sure Roxas would say yes. She supposed the excitement just caught up to her.
Still, she was grateful that Roxas was so kind about it all. They were still friends… she had to be grateful for that.
Xion sighed again. She wondered if those two would ever get together. Hadn't they been friends since the start of high school? Why hadn't he asked her out? After he'd told her who he liked, she'd simply nodded and made a number of excuses before running away. Maybe he'd ask her out at the festival?
A part of Xion didn't want them to get together, but then she remembered the kindness of her new friend during her first week of school. Another part of her, a part she wanted to hate, told her to help them. To bring them closer, because clearly they couldn't do it by themselves.
She groaned. You're too nice for your own good, Xion…
x-x-x
Naminé was quietly studying for the English exam on her bed when she heard a knocking at the door. It was Sunday, so she found it a bit odd there were door knockers going around, but ignored it as she reread her essay. It was when she heard her dad open the door and the sound of four giggly girls burst into the house that Naminé knew she was in for a surprise visit.
Lo and behold, her bedroom door burst open and Selphie bounded in, followed by Kairi, Olette and Xion. Naminé tried not to make eye contact with the stark haired girl.
"Naminé! We've missed you so much!" Selphie jumped on the bed and gave the blonde girl a bone-crushing hug. Naminé giggled as her English book fell to the floor.
"I've missed you all too!" She smiled, but with a lot less energy than her hyperactive friend. Kairi also took a seat on the bed, while Olette sat on the desk chair and Xion leaned against the wall. She was keeping her distance.
"These are for you," Kairi smiled, handing Naminé a small bouquet of flowers. "We hope your ankle is way better!"
They were beautiful blue forget-me-nots. Naminé noticed they were from the same flower shop Roxas had shopped at.
"You're so sweet!" Naminé gushed despite the nagging feeling inside her. She took the flowers and smelled them. "It still hurts a bit, but it's on the mend."
"Try not to stress so much, okay?" Selphie added with a gentle air, "I know exams are stressful but you've never been more prepared! You got this!"
Naminé smiled, knowing Selphie must have been worried after how emotional she'd been. "Thanks, Selphie. I'm feeling a lot better now." They shared a knowing glance. "How have rehearsals been?" Naminé turned to her redheaded best friend.
Kairi pretended to look extremely cocky for a moment. "Oh, there's gonna be a standing ovation, believe me!" She giggled.
"Yeah, when Kairi and Sora make out on stage, that is," Olette added with a laugh.
"Guys, you're distracting from the real issue here!" Selphie interrupted, looking pointedly at Naminé. "Who is this boy!?"
"W-What!?" Naminé spluttered, hoping Xion wouldn't say anything right now.
"Kairi won't tell me who we were trying to find for you the other day! I'm DYING to know!" Selphie said manically, holding Naminé by the shoulders. Kairi and Olette laughed. Naminé noticed Xion in the background, looking incredibly guilty and biting her nails.
"You'll just have to wait," Kairi lectured the brunette, pulling her away from Naminé. "You'll find out at the festival. Right, Nam?" Kairi winked.
Naminé smiled weakly. How was she going to tell Kairi what happened? She'd be just as devastated as she was, and she wouldn't be surprised if Kairi decided to skin Roxas alive. More importantly, though… If everyone still had no idea what happened, did that mean Roxas and Xion weren't officially dating?
Naminé glanced at Xion, who was looking at the floor, deep in thought. She almost looked sad. Was Roxas seriously keeping her a secret? Was she just his play thing? She couldn't believe Roxas would ever stoop so low, but Xion's behaviour was sending her alarm bells. She didn't deserve to be treated like this. Naminé didn't introduce her to Roxas just so he could treat her like a side thing. Not that she would have thought in a million years that Roxas would do such a thing…
"I can't wait til then!" Selphie shrieked, bringing Naminé back to the present. Naminé sighed, deciding to play along for now.
"You'll just have to be patient, Selph," the blonde said, waggling a finger at her. "Besides, the festival is only a few days away!"
Kairi nodded. "Exactly, so rest that foot up," she warned with a stern expression. "I know you'll get up there no matter what, so don't injure yourself any more, okay? You still have the dance exams to go, too."
Naminé chuckled at Kairi's mothering nature. "I'll be fine." She took a moment to look at the girls surrounding her. "Thank you so much for visiting me, you guys. I really needed this."
"We're always here for you!" Olette nodded, leaning out of the chair to hug the blonde. Everyone nodded in agreement, even Xion.
Naminé still felt utterly confused and upset by everything that had happened, but she knew she'd always have her girls by her side. She had to be grateful for that.
x-x-x
The day before the festival arrived, and normal classes were constantly interrupted with students leaving to attend rehearsals. Miss Lockhart's dance troupe were a part of the chaos, and the class were currently camped out backstage, waiting for their turn. Yuna was currently on stage singing her solo. Roxas was constantly looking at the door, waiting impatiently. Naminé still hadn't shown up.
While most of the group were stretching or chatting, Roxas noticed Kairi peeking into the room, scanning the area. She locked eyes with Roxas and started ushering him over, waving her hand. Confused, he stood and stepped out into the foyer.
"Hey, Kairi. You guys missing the stage that much?" He chuckled, knowing the High School Musical Jnr cast had been hogging the stage all week.
"No, but we all love getting out of class, so we're sticking around the area," she giggled, "just don't let Mr. Leonheart know. Anyway, I wanted to talk to you."
Roxas rolled his eyes. "You want me to tell Naminé…"
Kairi gently shoved him. "Come on! This could be your last chance! Think how romantic it would be to ask her out at the festival!"
Roxas sighed, knowing Kairi was oblivious to everything that had been going on. "Kairi…"
"What have you got to lose?" She asked with earnest.
He was about to retort, but he realised he didn't have an answer. What did he have to lose? It seemed that he had done something to really hurt Naminé, and now she hated him. He was scared of losing their friendship all along, but now it was wrecked anyway. If he told her how he felt… would it change things? Would she forgive him for whatever he did? Would she open up to him? He couldn't see how things could be any worse at this point…
"… Alright, I'll consider it."
Kairi gave him a look. "Is that a… yes?"
Her suggestive expression made him embarrassed. "Don't look at me like that!" Roxas turned away with red cheeks. "I didn't say that. Go away, Kairi."
Kairi laughed. "You have no idea how excited I am! This has been the longest running matchmaking session ever, I hope you know."
"… We'll see if it'll be a happy ending or not," Roxas sighed.
"I have full confidence in you!" Kairi clapped, and gave him a chaste hug. "Don't chicken out, okay?" She waved as she bounded down the foyer and back into one of the theatre classrooms. Roxas sighed again, wishing he was still as oblivious as Kairi was.
He stepped back into the backstage area to find everyone heading towards the stage. He quickly followed them, finding Selphie in the middle of the stage in perfect Selphie-style.
"Alright people, this is it!" Selphie shouted excitedly, bouncing around the stage. All the girls were giggling and gushing, while all the boys were standing rather sultry.
"It's only rehearsals, Selphie," Roxas said flatly, to which the brunette girl stomped up to him.
"Don't you know what that means!? This is your only chance to get a feel for the stage before the real show! Do you understand how important stage layout is!?" She flailed her arms this way and that and Roxas looked simply stunned. Selphie was just as crazy as Naminé when it came to dancing.
"Okay, okay. But it's kinda hard to concentrate without…" Roxas trailed off, seeing someone hobble onto the stage.
"Naminé!" Selphie finished his sentence for him, running up to the blonde girl. They hugged tightly, and all the other girls huddled around her. Everyone was so excited to see her return.
"You guys are gonna make me cry!" Naminé stammered, stunned by the support of her dance troupe.
"You're still limping. Will you be able to dance?" Yuna asked with concern, and Naminé nodded.
"Don't worry, I've danced on worse injuries."
Roxas stayed away from the huddle, letting Naminé have her moment with the girls. His heart was hammering so fast he felt sick. Would she even look him in the eye?
Soon the excitement dwindled and everyone dispersed to stretch before the rehearsal. Roxas saw Naminé talking to Selphie, before catching his eye and hobbling over to him. His heart rate tripled in speed.
"Selphie says you have some bad news for me?" She asked, cutting to the chase. Roxas stumbled over his words.
"Ah… yeah, Miss Lockhart told me she's pulling the lift."
Naminé nodded, looking down in thought. "Well, she can think again. We're definitely doing the lift."
"What?"
Naminé forced herself to look him in the eyes. She tried to push back everything from the last week. She just wanted things to go back to normal. "We won't do it today, but tomorrow night I want to do the lift."
Roxas looked deeply concerned by her crazy insistence. "But… Naminé…"
She knew what he was trying to get at, and took a deep breath. "… I trust you, Roxas."
Time seemed to slow down between the two as she said those words, and there was an intense, calculating moment. Roxas was trying to figure out if she was telling the truth, but the words had touched him to his core. And Naminé… well, she knew the fall was her fault, and she did trust him to catch her… but that was the extent of her trust in him. The phrase was a lie when it came to his character.
"Naminé!" Miss Lockhart called out, hopping on the stage with a clipboard in hand. "It's great to have you back. Are you good to dance?"
"Yes," Naminé said with confidence. Miss Lockhart smiled with pride.
"Good. And Roxas told you about the lift?"
"Yes…" she said with less certainty, feeling bad for going against her teacher's wishes. But this lift was extremely important to her, and she wasn't about to let it go.
"Alright, let's get started! We only have 20 minutes on the stage, so make it count!"
They managed to squeeze in four run-throughs of the dance, and each time Miss Lockhart praised them for their efforts. It had truly come together well and Roxas was finally feeling comfortable in his role. Naminé danced to her usual standard, but between each run she would kneel to the ground and massage her ankle. Roxas wanted more than anything to give her support, but he kept his distance.
After the final run-through, Miss Lockhart clapped hard. "Absolutely fantastic, everyone! Just a few little pointers – I know the stage is much bigger than our dance classroom, so try to spread out a little more and cover that space. Keep your movements BIG – you can stretch out without knocking people over. Don't be afraid. Other than that, you guys absolutely nailed it. You're ready for tomorrow!"
The whole class clapped and fell into hugs and fist bumps of triumph, and the class quickly retreated to allow the next act to rehearse. Everyone gathered their gear, changed back into uniform and begrudgingly returned to class. Roxas noticed Naminé was lagging behind, slowed down by her ankle, and waited for her. Soon, everyone had left and it was just the two of them.
He watched tentatively from afar as she re-bandaged her ankle. She knew he was there – she could see him from the corner of her eye. Was he seriously still wanting to patch things up? After what he did? He was kidding himself.
After the bandage was secure, she sat in thought for a moment, wondering if he would initiate a conversation. He didn't say anything. She sighed and finally looked at him.
They locked eyes and neither of them spoke. Naminé thought she'd be angry, but when she looked at him, she just felt sad. This was the Roxas she had adored since the beginning of high school. One of her best friends in the whole world, the guy who had supported her through her heartache, and the guy she had come to fall for. Looking at his face now, she still couldn't believe his actions. Her gaze flickered back and forth between his eyes, and she felt her own start to well up. How could everything change so much in just one year?
In turn, Roxas couldn't tear his gaze from her miserable expression. He wanted to know so desperately what she was thinking. But she wasn't saying anything. Her expression pierced into him, taunting him, until he finally decided to follow Kairi's advice.
He stepped closer, slowly, until he was crouching down beside her. She was cradling her ankle and turning her body away from him, but she didn't once break eye contact. He didn't either. Neither of them dared to look away, afraid to break the fragile moment.
Finally, he spoke. "Naminé… I know you're mad at me. I know you're hurt. And I'm so sorry I did this to you." He watched her carefully. "Whatever it is I did, I'm sorry. I would never, ever hurt you. I promise you that."
She felt more tears stinging her eyes, but she couldn't break away from the intense moment. There was nowhere to run.
He continued. "Naminé… earlier today you said you trusted me. Do you?" He asked with earnest. "Do you trust me? Because I have to confess… I haven't been honest with you."
He couldn't believe it. He was going to tell her. This definitely wasn't the way he'd envisioned it, but his heart hammered nervously all the same. He was going to tell her he loved her.
"… I know."
Her sudden words stopped him in his tracks, confusing him. "Huh?"
"I know you haven't been honest." Naminé said, a quiver in her voice. She finally broke eye contact with him, looking downwards. "That's what makes it hurt so much…"
Roxas furrowed his brow, unsure of what she meant. "What do you…"
"How could you do that, Roxas? How could you treat anyone like that?" She wanted to shout, but her voice was barely above a whisper.
Roxas could feel everything he knew spiralling out of control again. He had to know what he did. "What are you talking about, Naminé?"
Naminé stood awkwardly, and Roxas quickly followed, trying to steady her. She pushed him away.
"You still don't know what you did? Seriously?" Naminé spat, then began to hobble towards the door with her dance bag.
"No, I don't," Roxas said firmly, and she stopped. "I don't know what I did to hurt you, and if you expect us to fix things, you have to help me understand-"
"Well, maybe I don't want things to be fixed!" She shouted, turning back towards him. It wasn't true, of course. She wanted everything to be fixed between them, but she just didn't see that happening. "Maybe I can't look at you the same way anymore after what you did!"
"What did I-"
"Xion, okay!?" She finally shouted against her better wishes. They stood in silence for a moment.
"Xion…?" Roxas said slowly, finally putting the pieces together.
"I saw you kissing her!" Naminé half-shouted, half-cried. "It's bad enough that you'd go kissing another girl when you claim to love me-"
Roxas blinked. "Wait, who told you that!?"
"- but to treat Xion like dirt and not even ask her out is even worse!"
Roxas started panicking as this new wave of information hit him. Against it all, one thought was repeating in his mind: she knows you love her. All of his fantasies of telling her he loved her flew out the window as this horrible moment took their place.
"I'm leaving."
"Naminé – wait!" He blocked the door so she couldn't leave. "That wasn't anything! I promise you! Yes, I did kiss Xion, but then I stopped it! She was telling me she liked me!"
"The kiss seemed to last a pretty long time," Naminé said darkly, trying to shove him out of the way.
"Well, I – I just wanted to let her down gently! I promise you, Xion and I are not together!"
Naminé finally succeeded in pushing the boy to the side, and opened the door. "Right, because she's just your little secret, right? That's why you always went off with Axel and the others, to make out with Xion behind the portables."
"What!? No! Naminé, why are you being like this!?" He shouted, but she was already hobbling down the hallway and other students were nearby. He wanted to chase after her, but the moment was gone. "Naminé…"
He couldn't believe what had just happened. He couldn't believe she'd seen him kiss Xion. He couldn't believe this all could have been avoided if he'd just told her the truth sooner.
What was he going to do?
x-x-x
Naminé was definitely not going back to maths class. She went straight to her locker to gather her things. Her eyes were filled with tears and she didn't know what to think. Was Roxas telling the truth, or was he covering his tracks? His explanations sounded pathetic enough. Even if Xion was telling him she liked him, he was definitely enjoying that kiss. She didn't want to think about it right now. She turned off her phone, which already had a missed call from Roxas, and opened her locker. To her surprise, a note came flying out.
Sniffling back and wiping her tears, she dropped her dance bag and retrieved the note. It was torn from an exercise book and folded up. She unfolded it, a stray tear falling from her cheek and wetting the paper. Unfurling it, she found Xion's pretty handwriting inside. Xion!?
Dear Naminé,
I didn't know how to tell you this, so I wrote you this letter instead. I don't know how to say (or write) this, but here goes. I told Roxas I liked him. I've had a crush on him pretty much since you introduced me to him, and I decided to tell him. I kissed him, but he told me that he already liked someone else, and that it was you. I felt horrible, because you've been such a good friend to me. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have any friends here. Anyway, I asked Roxas about it the other day and he said you were mad at him about something. I got scared that you found out somehow. I want you to know that nothing is going on between us, and he really really likes you a lot. So if you like him too, you should tell him. I think he's afraid to tell you.
Thank you for being such a wonderful friend. I hope it works out between you and Roxas.
Love, Xion.
Naminé shook as she read the letter. She blinked stupidly, re-reading it twice. She glanced over at Xion's locker in the distance, utterly stunned.
She couldn't believe what she was reading. Roxas hadn't betrayed her after all? And Xion wrote this letter even though she must be hurting? She was actually helping her get together with Roxas?
…What a mess she had made.
Naminé felt utterly stupid. She wanted to find Xion somehow. She wanted to run back to Roxas. But the bell rang at that moment, and she didn't want to be seen by anyone. She quickly grabbed her bag, stuffed the letter inside, and hobbled out of the year 9 building towards home.
x-x-x
Naminé flopped onto her bed, emotionally exhausted. She couldn't believe how quickly she'd jumped to conclusions. The kiss had definitely lingered for a while, but maybe Roxas really was just hesitating because he didn't want to hurt her? It was definitely the kind of thought he would give to the situation.
Naminé let out a small yell. She'd messed things up! Again! She was beginning to tire of yelling at Roxas after assuming the worst. She'd done it ever since they'd met, she supposed. Ugh. What a mess.
She lay on her bed for a while, thinking about the whole situation, and how hurt Roxas must be right now. She couldn't believe after everything they'd been through that she hadn't trusted him. Did she even deserve to be with him after all this? Would he want to be with her after she'd yelled at him? Maybe he'd be better off with Xion after all…
Her thoughts remained in disarray as she tried and failed to study multiple times, until the hours dwindled away and she knew she needed to make a decision. She had to talk to him once and for all. She was so afraid, though. She was afraid he wouldn't forgive her. And why should he? Naminé had deliberately become distant from him, yelled at him, and didn't even try to sort it out with him. She'd simply let her anger bubble and spit until it all came down to their argument. Even Selphie had a better grip on her emotions than she did.
Naminé sighed and buried her head in her pillow, unable to piece her thoughts together. She really didn't know how to be a human being. After everything was said and done, though, she knew one thing for sure… she still loved him. She wanted to tell him that all was forgiven, but he had every right to be angry with her right now. What was she going to do!?
Her thoughts were suddenly shattered by a distant sound.
His drumming.
His drumming.
His overplayed, near perfect, constantly thrumming, sound of her high school days gosh darn annoying drumming!
Naminé made up her mind. She quickly rose from her bed, hobbling on her sore foot, and walked as fast as the pain allowed her, out the door and down the street - following the sound she had grown to both love and hate.
The sun was beating down and her school dress clung to her as she limped. She felt absurd as she almost tripped tyring to increase her speed. The drumming became louder as she closed in on the front door, and rapped on it so hard her hand began to ache.
The drumming stopped. She heard rushed footfalls and the door opened to reveal Roxas. His eyes bulged slightly and he blinked stupidly. "Wha-"
"Your drumming is really annoying," she said simply, mustering the harshest tone she could. There was an awkward silence as Roxas stood holding the handle, wondering if he'd opened the door to the past. He stared at her with confused, misty eyes.
She took a deep breath. "You know what else is really annoying?" She watched as his brows furrowed slightly, but when her eyes began to well with tears his shoulders relaxed and his expression became solemn. "You. You're really annoying, Roxas." Her lips began to tremble, but she continued. "The way you care about me is annoying. Your stupid adorable smile is annoying. Your friendship is annoying. But most of all…" She stopped to sniff, and a stray tear whispered down her cheek, but she refused to let her emotions get to her. "… The way you love me… is so annoying."
Roxas wore a pained expression as he reached out to her, but before he could, Naminé had launched herself into his chest. She closed her eyes, but the tears began to fall. She pounded him on the chest with her fist. "You're so stupid, Roxas! You're so stupid for not telling me… and I'm so stupid for not telling you…" She spoke between bursts of sobs and drawing in breath. "We both care about each other so damn much that we don't want to ruin this… but we ended up ruining it anyway!" She pulled back then, wiping away her tears and looking him in the eyes. "I don't want us to ruin things anymore. I don't want us to hide our feelings because we think it'll all go away. I don't." She was barely speaking above a whisper now, and her cheeks were stained with tears. "I want you to be honest with me. And I promise… I'll be honest with you."
Roxas' breath almost hitched in his throat. His eyes darted back and forth between hers, glistening with tears. He took in a deep breath. He was going to be honest with her. He wrapped his arms around hers and pulled her towards him, and pressed his lips to hers in a passionate daze.
Both teens closed their eyes as Roxas pulled her close to him, moving his lips against hers with all the pent up anticipation seemingly bursting in this one kiss. He drew his hands up to her cheeks, tasting the saltiness of her tears as they fell. The kiss began to slow to a wonderfully sweet pace. Naminé simply melted into him, grasping his shirt in her hands to hold herself steady. It was heady, it was giddy, it was sweaty and stained with her tears… but it was perfect.
Roxas finally pulled away, his expression still pained and regretful. He pushed some of Naminé's blonde locks behind her ears. "I'm sorry, Naminé… I don't know why I wasn't honest with you. But I'm being honest now. I love you." Even though Naminé had known for a while, the words still hit her with a force she could barely take. "Ever since you knocked on my door and yelled at me…" He chuckled then, and she couldn't help but look down and giggle as well. "… in a very similar fashion to the way you did just then… It's always been you, Nam. I love you."
Naminé looked back up into his bright blue eyes, brightened by the sun, and couldn't stop smiling. "Thanks for finally telling me, you big dope." She leaned forward and kissed him slowly on the lips before pulling back again. "I love you too. I'm sorry about everything. I should have trusted you. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions." She buried her head in his chest.
He ran some fingers through her hair and breathed in her scent, sweet and wonderful. "I'm sorry, too. This wouldn't have happened if I had just told you sooner."
Naminé pulled back, tears still stinging her eyes, but she was smiling. "We're both idiots," she giggled, mimicking Kairi's phrase. "That's why we're perfect for each other, I guess."
Roxas chuckled, pressing his forehead to hers. "Yeah. I guess we are."
x-x-x
The day of the Year 9 Create Festival finally arrived. There were decorations everywhere, and posters for the musical had plastered the windows so much the sun could no longer penetrate the study hall. Students were running this way and that in preparation for the show. Olette and Naminé were helping to put up the art gallery in the foyer, while the High School Musical Jnr. cast were busy preparing for the midday show. The entire year level seemed to be attending, along with several familiar faces. Apparently Axel and Riku were taking advantage of the crowd by selling soda cans (which Mr. Strife quickly caught wind of), but Naminé was too busy putting up the art displays to sneak a peek.
"So what's this big surprise you mentioned, Naminé?" Olette asked as she pinned up her final piece for the year, a bright beach scene. "You know Selphie's going to explode from the suspense."
Naminé giggled. "I know, but you're just going to have to wait!"
Olette smiled knowingly, and the girls continued to organise the art gallery. It was almost time for the show.
It was with no surprise that the girls stepped outside to find Selphie bouncing up and down like a child on a sugar high, clutching her ticket. Xion, Hayner, Pence and Roxas stood nearby her, and even Hayner looked mildly excited for the show.
"Just so I can make fun of Sora for singing," he made clear when Naminé commented on his expression.
"You guys, the day is finally here! I can't wait to see everyone on stage!" Selphie giggled as she waited impatiently at the door. Just then, Riku and Axel sauntered up.
"Mr. Strife and Mr. Fair caught us red-handed…" Axel whined. "The year 7's were totally selling us out too!"
Miss Gainsborough began opening the doors, and Selphie bounded in quickly, ushering the group to follow her. Naminé shared a glance with Roxas, but they remained casual as they followed everyone inside the foyer and through to the theatre. They did make sure to sit together, though. Naminé noticed Xion sitting at the far end next to Axel, trying to steal a glance at her.
"This is it! Shhhh!" Selphie hushed as the lights dimmed. As the curtains rose and the Wildcat cheer began, everyone squealed and shouted with excitement. Sora was clad in his basketball uniform along with Tidus and Wakka and several of their other friends, singing and dancing to the upbeat song. The entire audience began laughing when Rikku came out in her giant blonde wig, acting as Sharpay. It was even funnier when Wakka had to pretend to be love-sick for the girl, and the guys in the audience were in stitches.
Later in the show, the meeting between Sora and Kairi took place, and Selphie couldn't help squeezing hands with Olette and Naminé, so proud of her friends. Taking advantage of this display and the dimmed lights, Naminé reached to her left and gently took Roxas' hands in her own. They shared a timid glance, and Roxas slowly caressed her hand with his thumb. A wave of tingles crept up Naminé's spine and she was thankful the dark theatre hid her crimson cheeks.
The show was absolutely amazing, and Naminé and the gang were constantly laughing, commenting and aweing at the performance. Finally, the Wildcat cheer appeared again for the final dance, and Sora and Kairi turned to each other for their chaste on-stage kiss. It definitely lingered a little longer than the script probably called for, but Selphie squealed a high note all the same. Soon, the cast were all holding hands and bowing, and everyone stood for a rowdy applause. Axel and Riku made sure to whoop the loudest, while Selphie's cheers could probably be heard from outside.
The gang quickly ran to the foyer to meet their friends, and barraged Sora and Kairi with tight hugs.
"You were so amazing!" Selphie gushed, giving Sora and tight squeeze. "We had so much fun watching you!"
"Absolutely brilliant!" Olette added, clapping her hands together. "Way better than the real movie!"
"I'm so proud of you two," Naminé said sincerely, giving her best friend a hug. Kairi and Sora were absolutely beaming. Tidus and Wakka quickly came running out of the dressing rooms to join the entourage, ruffling Sora's spikes and generally causing a fuss.
"I guess you guys were pretty okay too," Selphie said casually, earning her a headlock from Tidus and a hair ruffle from Wakka. "You guuuuys!"
When the excitement of the show finally died down, and several hundred photos were taken on Selphie's phone, the troupe was ushered out of the foyer to clean up for the festival. The various stalls were already set up and ready to go, and classrooms were transformed for the day. Everyone began to split off to enjoy different aspects of the festival vibe, which was when Naminé quickly took Roxas' hand and lead him into the art gallery before anyone else spotted them.
"That show was so amazing, wasn't it?" Naminé gushed, leading Roxas towards her section of the gallery.
"It really was," Roxas smiled, then looked a little awkward. "Um… Nam, we're kinda…"
"… Oh!" Naminé quickly let go of Roxas' hand. "Sorry! I keep forgetting we're keeping it a secret…"
Roxas chuckled. "It's okay. It won't be for much longer."
Naminé smiled a giddy smile, then looked away to avoid turning red again. "Um, here's my part of the showcase!" She pointed to one of the displays, where a large, colourful abstract piece was pinned, and a small bound book was nestled below. "This is my major piece for the semester, and this is a mock-up of a children's book…"
"Wow, Nam…" Roxas gently turned the pages of the book, then took in the bright colours of the large piece. He shook his head out of disbelief. "You're really talented, you know that? And not just at art. You're amazing."
Naminé twirled her body this way and that, blushing. "Thanks, Roxas. I honestly don't know how I pulled it off after the year we've had."
Roxas chuckled. "Can we please have less drama next year?"
"With Selphie in our group? I can't guarantee anything."
The two eventually caught up with the rest of the gang and enjoyed the treats and games the festival offered. Soon, the sun began to set and it was time for the Create Festival night show to begin. Naminé, Roxas and Selphie said goodbye to everyone and headed backstage to get into costume. It was a simple hip-hop style costume in dark colours, perfect for the mood of the song.
'Stupid' would be the opening act for the show, and Naminé took a deep breath as she put on her dance shows. The entire year had lead up to this moment, in more ways than one, and she could feel her heart pounding hard.
"Guys, group huddle!" Selphie called out, and the troupe came together, wrapping their arms around each other. "We've all worked super hard this year and it's paid off! Let's do the best dance we can!"
Everyone cheered, and the huddle broke apart with girls hugging each other and guys slapping each other's backs. Selphie gave Naminé a tight squeeze. "Can you believe this, Nam!? We're finally here! Oh, this is my favourite dance we've ever done together!"
"Mine, too, Selph," Naminé smiled, giving her brunette friend a second hug. "I'm so proud of how far we've come!"
Miss Lockhart stepped into the dressing room, her face beaming. "You guys look fantastic! Are you ready to go on?"
Everyone nodded and agreed excitedly, and began following their teacher towards the backstage area. Roxas lingered behind, tapping Naminé on the shoulder. "Nam… are you sure you want to do the lift?"
Naminé looked him in the eyes with determination. "Yes," she said simply, grasping his hand in her own and giving it a squeeze. "We can do it. I trust you."
Roxas smiled and nodded. "I trust you, too."
They quickly joined the others backstage and waited in the wings. Miss Gainsborough was at the mic, introducing the night show and talking about how hard the year 9's had worked this year. Finally, she called to the stage the year 9 dance troupe, and everyone stepped onto the stage and into their positions. The curtain was still down, hiding their form.
Naminé looked back at everyone and smiled. This was always her favourite part of dance concerts – being behind the curtain, looking at her teammates and sharing nervous and excited smiles. She looked to Selphie, who gave her a huge cheesy smile and a thumbs up. She looked to Roxas, whose face beamed with pride. Look at how far they'd come.
The curtain rose and the music faded in. Naminé could see her friends in the front row, and a wave of adrenaline drove her dance movements to a high energy level. Everyone was in perfect sync as they moved sharply to the music.
I was so stupid, stupid for loving you…
So stupid, stupid for trusting you…
Naminé felt a strange wave of emotions flood through her as the chorus rang and she danced, knowing that this song would become something nostalgic and special. She almost didn't want the dance to end as she pressed her hands against Roxas' before pushing back.
Soon, the moment arrived once more. It was time for the lift. Naminé faced Roxas, the two of them looking anguished to match the emotion of the song. She could see Miss Lockhart in the wings, looking nervous. She began to run, and their teacher knew what was going to happen.
Naminé leapt towards Roxas, the highest she had ever jumped, and Roxas caught her gracefully, lifting her even higher. They spun on the spot, Naminé reaching for the roof, and the sound of the audience cheering and clapping was deafening. Roxas put her back down and the dance continued, and Naminé couldn't help but glance at Miss Lockhart, who looked utterly stunned and proud. They did it! They nailed the perfect lift! Naminé mentally ticked the goal off her dance dream list.
The music began to slow and face, and she and Roxas were back to back, slowly stepping away from each other with their hands outstretched. They turned away, looking solemn, and their heads slowly rolled downwards. There was a moment of silence, and then the audience roared.
The curtain fell and the troupe fell into a misshapen group hug, jumping and cheering in disbelief. Miss Lockhart joined the group, tears stinging her eyes. Naminé felt like she might faint from the sheet emotion of the moment.
Quickly, they had to stand in a line and link hands for the second curtain rise, and the audience again cheered with delight as everyone bowed. Naminé could see Kairi clapping vigorously and her eyes looked damp. Sora was punching the air proudly, Olette was smacking Hayner on the shoulder and Hayner couldn't hide a smile. Pence was clapping hard, as was Xion, and Riku and Axel had their arms over each other's shoulders, pretending to be proud parents. Roxas rolled his eyes.
All their friends were here, and Naminé couldn't believe how lucky she was to have this amazing group of friends supporting her. She squeezed Roxas' hand and he nodded. Together, they stepped forward and bowed together, and another wave of applause hit them.
Naminé knew it was now or never. She turned to the blonde boy beside her, the boy she adored with all her heart, and leapt onto him in a tight hug, wrapping her arms around his neck. He caught her by the waist and they shared an intimate smile before closing in for a kiss.
The audience went absolutely mad. Naminé could hear Kairi's shrieks and Sora's shouted. Behind her, Selphie was beside herself. Axel made the loudest expletive she'd ever heard, and Riku whooped until his throat hurt. Naminé had to break the kiss just so she could laugh into Roxas' shoulder, and he laughed too. She looked out into the audience to see Kairi crying tears of joy. Sora was mouthing 'finally!' to the two blondes, while Hayner was cringing into his hands and Olette was rolling her eyes at the boy. Then she caught Xion's eye, and the stark haired girl was smiling a genuine smile that was so touching Naminé could almost sob.
The dance troupe waved once more as the curtain fell, and Selphie immediately hugged her two blonde friends. "HOW DID I NOT SEE THIS!? Oh, who cares, you two are the cutest couple ever! I love you guys!"
Naminé and Roxas laughed as they returned Selphie's hug, and they stepped off the stage together, arms over each other and basking in the aftermath of a truly amazing performance.
x-x-x
"You. Stinkers!" Kairi smacked Roxas on the shoulder as they met the gang in the foyer. "Why didn't you tell me!? I would have kept it a secret! Oh, it doesn't matter. Bloody finally, you two!"
Roxas scratched the back of his head sheepishly and Naminé looked at her feet out of embarrassment. "It's a long story, but we finally worked it out."
"I'm so happy for you two!" Kairi hugged the two, then turned to Sora. "See? Our matchmaking totally worked!"
Sora pulled a doubtful expression. "I'm pretty sure we just made things worse…"
Roxas gave his brunette best friend a blank stare. "Uh, yeah you did. You told Naminé I loved her before I did!"
"It was an accident!" Sora wailed, and Kairi patted his back while rolling her eyes. "And in my defense, she wasn't meant to tell you that!" Roxas could only chuckle and wave a hand at his friend, indicating all was forgiven.
"You guys are so cute together!" Olette gushed, and Hayner scoffed beside her. "Ignore him, he's allergic to romance."
"I am not…" Hayner mumbled, turning to his friends but not looking them in the eye. "I guess I'm happy for you guys…"
"Thanks, man," Roxas slapped his friend on the shoulder.
"He'll get over it," Pence waved a hand, "As long as you don't ditch the Struggle for a date with Naminé, that is."
Everyone chatted excitedly in the foyer for some time, and Naminé noticed Xion chatting with Axel and Riku in the far corner. She excused herself from the group and went towards them. Xion noticed her approach and broke away from the boys, meeting Naminé halfway in the busy foyer.
"I'm really happy for you, Naminé," she spoke before Naminé could, her small smile beaming.
Naminé put a hand on Xion's shoulder. "Xion… thank you for the letter. I know it must have been so hard for you. If it wasn't for you, I might not be with Roxas right now."
Xion looked down bashfully, knowing she'd made the right decision, even if it still hurt inside.
"Xion." She looked back up at the blonde. "You're a really amazing friend. I'm so glad we met. I hope you never forget how important you are to our group."
Xion felt tears welling up in her eyes, and she leaned forward to hug her friend. "Thank you for everything, Naminé. Thank you…"
The two stayed in a tight hug for a while. Roxas glanced over and saw the two, and couldn't help but smile. Through all the silly misunderstandings this year brought, not one friendship crumbled under the pressure. He supposed that was the great thing about their little troupe – above all else, friends were more important than anything.
x-x-x
Two years later…
Naminé took a deep breath, smoothing out the pristine white dress she was wearing. Dressing up in dance costumes always made her feel elegant and beautiful, but this dress was on a whole other scale of fancy. The white satin gloves made her feel like a princess.
"Naminé, are you ready?" She heard her best friend call out, and Naminé emerged from the bathroom.
Before her stood Kairi, Olette, Selphie and Xion, all clad in equally beautiful white gowns. They all gushed when they saw their blonde friend.
"Oh, you look so beautiful!" Kairi stepped forward to hug her. "This is going to be so much fun!"
Selphie giggled between the other girls, turning to Olette. "I still can't believe you managed to convince Hayner to come to a debutante ball. What did you do, bribe him with skateboard gear?"
Olette blushed madly. "N-No, as a matter of fact, he asked me…"
"Are you serious?" Xion interjected, "Oh, he definitely likes you, Olette!"
"No, it's not like that!" Olette clapped her hands to her cheeks, and everyone laughed.
The doorbell rang, then, and Selphie squealed. "The guys are here!"
She opened the door and a slew of tuxedo-clad boys filled the room; Sora, his spikes looking more tame as usual as he went to kiss his girlfriend on the cheek; Hayner, looking utterly uncomfortable and standing awkwardly next to Olette; Pence, standing proudly next to Selphie like a protective big brother; Axel, handing a small handful of flowers to Xion; and Roxas, who greeted Naminé with an intimate hug and a glazed expression.
"Wow…" He said softly, holding her gloved hands in his. "You look beautiful, Nam."
Naminé smiled and swayed slightly, still taken aback by his compliment. "And you are looking very handsome, I must say."
"Of course! It's not every day you get to dance with your girlfriend."
"Roxas, we danced every week for a year together in year 9."
"Yeah, but that was the result of a botched enrollment," He chuckled, "I haven't done any dancing since."
"Such a shame, you were so graceful," Sora called out from nearby, earning a light shove from the blonde boy.
"Shut up, Sora," Roxas laughed, turning back to Naminé. "Anyway, this is way more special. Besides…" He leaned forward and planted a chaste kiss on Naminé's forehead. "I want to dance all my dances with you."
Naminé smiled as she heard Selphie let out an 'awwww!' and rolled her eyes at the boy. "That's sweet, Roxas, but I can't promise the same. Being in a major ballet company and all, I kinda have to dance with other guys…"
"You just ruined that adorable moment, Nam," Kairi laughed, and everyone joined in.
"It's okay, I still love her," Roxas quipped, planting a kiss atop her hand. Naminé shook her head but couldn't wipe the smile from her face. How was it that year 9 was already two years ago? Now they were all at the tail-end of year 11, ready to go to the deb ball. Next year would be their final year of high school.
There had definitely been a lot less drama in the years since the Create Festival (bar Selphie's boy troubles, and the great incident with Mr. Strife and Mr. Leonheart, but those were stories for another day). But one thing always remained the same: their group of friends stayed strong, and the usual spot was never void of laughter and banter. Naminé didn't want to think about the day when they'd have to leave the school, and instead focused on the now: getting in a stretch limo with all her friends, dressed up and ready for a fun night, and holding hands with the boy she loved more than anyone.
When they arrived and entered the hall, Naminé spotted many of their friends and couldn't help but comment how grown up they all looked. She saw Zidane kissing Garnet's hand, having finally won her affection this year. She saw Marlene and Denzel awkwardly holding hands. She saw Tidus and Yuna laughing together, with Wakka and Rikku beside them. So many of their friends had come, either as couples or just as friends, to join in the fun.
"Isn't this so fun!?" Selphie squealed, gripping Pence's arm. "It's like a dream!"
"See? I told you we all had to do this!" Kairi nodded with pride. Naminé remembered the day she brought in the sign-up sheets, practically forcing the boys to sign – not that they needed too much persuading.
"Let's enjoy it while we can, before the stress of our final year kicks in," Olette commented, and Hayner groaned beside her.
"Don't remind me, Olette! I hate studying…"
Naminé giggled, taking in the scene around her while they waited for the teachers to set up the microphone for the presentation. She glanced over at Xion and Axel, who were whispering to each other and smiling. She was so glad that Xion had found happiness in the fiery redhead (he'd finally asked her out after Roxas dared him to, and Naminé had dressed the girl for her first date with him). They were the perfect example of opposites attracting, that was for sure. Xion caught her eye and smiled warmly at the blonde.
Roxas turned his head towards his girlfriend, her arm linked with his. "Do you remember that one time we were dancing at your house and you taught me how to slow dance?"
"Vividly," Naminé quipped, nodding with vigour. "We almost kissed!"
Roxas chuckled. "I wanted to kiss you so badly. Anyway, can you teach me some of it now?"
"Roxas, we've already learned how to waltz for today."
"I know," Roxas chuckled, "but the dance floor is empty right now. Let's have some fun!"
Naminé shook her head at her boyfriend's antics, but followed him onto the floor anyway, stepping close to him. "Okay, let's try a quickstep then!"
"Urgh, I'm having flashbacks to year 9…" Roxas cringed, making Naminé laugh.
They danced slowly together to absolutely no music, Naminé resting her head on Roxas' shoulder, being watched on by their friends and teachers as they filled the room. Pulling back, Roxas leaned down and kissed Naminé on the lips softly.
"I love you…" He whispered, squeezing her hand as they swayed on the spot.
Naminé thought back through all the events that had lead them here. From Roxas handing in his enrolment late, to their dance shenanigans, to her crush on Sora, their silly fights, the Create Festival, and everything in between… and through it all, all the laughter and fun they shared with their friends. She truly couldn't believe how lucky she was.
She looked up at Roxas with adoration and smiled. "I love you too."
x-x-x
Oh my gosh, that's a wrap! I can't believe I finally finished this story. I first came up with it when I was in year 9 myself many years ago, just 15 years old and knee deep in the kingdom hearts fandom – past me would be so proud of what I've created! Writing this has honestly made me so happy, reminded me of my roots and all the beautiful friendships I made by loving this game, and pushed my writing skills even further! I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for sticking with me through this story, which I hope you found funny, heart-warming and a little pocket of KH goodness. Thank you so much!
If you guys are interested, I'm also posting this story up on ao3 (archive of our own) where I uploaded the cover art for you to see nice and big! Also, this story could end up being a seriously dangerous drinking game (take a shot every time you see the word 'stupid'!)
And the very last note for you guys... the votes are in and it looks like you all want me to finish Flight 124 – so that's what I'm going to do! Make sure you set up alerts for that story as I work on building chapter two. I've proven to myself that taking a break from a story can do wonders, so I know leaving that first chapter on a three year hiatus will lead to something special. Until the next story!