The New Me

It had been three days since Sora feel down the stairs. Selphie walked in to find the two huddled there. She was very suspicious, and despite the fact they left out the kiss in their retelling of the story, she still glared at Sora for the rest of the day. They never did get to the movies.

But he didn’t care about that. What bothered him was Riku. He kept on like nothing happened. Sora was mortified. He was angry. He wanted to bash Riku’s head in; but further more he was pissed at himself. Even though he hated to admit it, he couldn’t stop thinking about that moment. He couldn’t stop thinking about Riku’s lips, the way it felt when he grabbed on to him, the bitter taste of too much sun and island fruit...

‘It’s just because of the way he looks…’ Sora told himself as he washed dishes. ‘He’s just physically attractive. Nothing else.’ Sora finished up in the kitchen and sighed. He was half through his next letter home and hadn’t gotten one back yet. He felt just a little depressed. It was bad enough being hundreds of miles from the person he loved, and stuck next door to a person who wanted him, but now he was enforced to endure waiting. It was miserable.

‘Maybe I’ll go see Naminé. It’ll be a far walk, but at least I can talk to her honestly…’ Sora put the last of the dishes in the drain and let the soapy water run out of sink. He headed out of the kitchen. It was already noon, and Sora had turned Riku down for hanging out for the day. He didn’t want to. He spent the last two days with Riku, and it was nerve wracking. Even though Sora was angry with him, he still couldn’t be angry to Riku’s face.

‘It’s too hard to glare when you’re laughing…’ He sat on the couch and mentally cursed his neighbor for being so amusing. Outside it was a lovely day. His mom’s flowers were growing nicely; she really did like them and he kind of did too. But every time he looked at them, he though of Riku; so Sora had convinced himself he hated the plants in the garden.

He let out a long sigh, “I hate this damn place…” Sora sank back into his seat, when something out the window caught his eye. The mail truck.

Sora ran out the door and for the mail box at the end of their lawn. He pulled the little door on the box down so hard it slammed back up for a moment. He took out the mail and started shifting through it.

Now down the street, to anyone watching, this seemed an interesting dance. To see a brown haired kid coming running from their house like it was on fire; engage in short, but epic battle with a mail box, and then in a few seconds begin a victory dance over their foes contents. Riku couldn’t help but laugh.

He quickly and silently pulled up behind Sora as he had done last time he saw the ‘grill’ at the mail box, and whispered to them, “Good news?”

“ACK!” Sora jumped forward and nearly collided with the mail box. He spun around to see Riku smirking, his usual expression now a days. However it didn’t bother him. “Why, yes…” he said straitening himself out, “I’ve got good news. I got a letter from home.”

Riku’s smirk faded, “Really? Form who?” He had to ask, but he knew the answer.

“From Leon. Remember. My boyfriend, the reason I’m not your friend.”

“Now hold on. We’re friends you can’t argue that. We’re just not on the level of friendship we should be.”

“We are NOT friends. You’re just dense!”

Riku got off his bike, “I’m not dense I’m realistic! Your boyfriend’s miles away! Why not start over!”

“I don’t want to!” Sora turned around and ran for his house. But today Riku was the fastest; he cut Sora off on his porch. “Why don’t you go away?!”

“I don’t want to…Sora, are still angry about that? That kiss?”

“Of course I am; what made you think I wasn’t.”

“Well,” Riku scratched the back of his head, “You’ve been so cheerful the past two days….I just figured. You didn’t really mind as much as you said you did…”

“Yea, well, you were wrong,” Sora viciously spat the words out as he stormed past the boy.

Riku remained still and let Sora walk by. He listened to him stomp up the stairs before he finally said something.

“You know…you still haven’t let me ask my question.”

Sora stopped at his door. He took a deep breath; he was angry with Riku now, since the kiss actually. Sora turned around and looked at Riku. The other boy stood on his lawn, stone faced. Only his sea-green eyes reflected some emotion of longing. Longing for what? A fight? Answers? Him?

“What’s your question?”

“Sora….” His blank expression faltered. “Are you….who you say you are?” It was the only Riku could think to get it out, without sounding like an asshole. But Sora just stood there. It seemed like ‘she’ was thinking it over. But the face before him was as blank as his had been two seconds ago. Now it was Riku left looking into blue eyes for some hint as to what was next.

“What do you think?” Riku blinked. What did he think? What did he think! If he knew what he thought he wouldn’t be asking questions, now would he? If he knew what he thought, he wouldn’t have spent the last four nights arguing with his subconscious to stop turning his dreams into nightmares. Odd random dreams where the girl next door, was a guy. Where he couldn’t help himself from enjoying his nightly visions, even if by the time he woke he was disturbed.

What did he think? He’s not falling for a damn boy that’s what he thinks, no matter what his body tells him.

Riku looked up at Sora, ready to say something, but instead he turned around and walked away. But Sora clearly read the look on his face, he was angry.

‘I guess that’s not what he wanted to hear.’ Sora reentered his house, ‘But that’s the reaction I want.’ He locked the door and went up to his room. He had left the rest of the mail in the box.

Sora feel onto his bed facing the ceiling and allowed his body to bounce a little before he tore open the white envelope. There were two pages worth of paper in it. He smiled and began reading.

So far the letter was what he expected, hand written, in pen. You could see area’s where one of his friends had gone through and scratched out what one said and inserted their own phrase, only for that to also be removed. Sora just laughed, the most of the cross outs were from Cloud and Leon.

So far his favorite line was stated and finished by Leon, but interrupted by Cloud.

‘Everything here’s just fine. We’re glad to hear you’re doing ok and---I miss you like CRAZY! I LOVE! COME HOME!!!--- Ignore that, it’s not even in my hand writing damn it.

“Man, how do they write letters this jumbled?” Aerith wrote her standard motherly message of wishing him well, and feeling relieved he had met some friends. Her only off comment was complaining that she finally bought a dress maker’s dummy; however the dummy in her eyes wasn’t as good, since she could ask the dummy where out fits pinched, where they were loose, and if they felt fat. Though, even he wouldn’t answer that question.

Cid had told him to watch out for island smokers, as not all the smoke around them was purely carcinogens. Yuffie, of course, was positively overjoyed that he’s won beat someone on racing. After all, in the ninja arts, stealth and speed were key. And he had speed down, he was still working on stealth.

Of course, the letter was slightly depressing. The gang had taken the time to wish him another early happy birthday. Just what he needed, another reminder he wasn’t going to be home for his birthday. He’d miss out on the groups ‘Sweet Sixteen Initiation’. Really, he had already gone through it, but that was just because he tagged along for Yuffie’s.

He let out a low sigh. ‘They might be happy for me now, but I wonder how they’ll react when I send them my next letter?’ Sora smiled a little as the image of Leon drop kicking Riku popped into his head. He rolled over onto his side and held onto that. It cheered him up, especially since as of late, the older boy seem to be absent from his unconscious thoughts a little bit more each time he went to sleep.

Riku stormed back to his house, furious. He couldn’t believe Sora. Answering back with another damn question.

‘Well that settles it. She’s hiding something more than her previous relationship…’ Riku sighed. ‘I guess I’ll have to find out what it is….no matter what it takes. Or what it might mean…’ Riku sighed again as he entered his house. He trudged up the stairs to his room, and completely forgot there was a predator in the house.

Just as Riku stepped into his room, once again, Touya jumped out at him. Riku, startled jumped back into the wall.

“LORD! What are you doing!?” Riku screamed as his back collided with the wall.

“What? I was just messing with you?” Touya smiled at his younger brother, but it faded as he realized Riku was genuinely upset about something. “Hey, Riku. Is everything alright?”

Riku looked around his room, “Yea, its fine.”

“Are you sure?” Touya placed a hand on Riku’s shoulder, “Because, I mean I know we joke around a lot. But, if you were ever bothered by anything-”

“I don’t have anything to talk about!” Riku cut him off and jerked his shoulder away. Touya just nodded and headed out of the room. Riku slammed the door shut and flung himself onto his bed.

‘Yea, because I’m sure you’ll be very understanding in the knowledge that my crush is really a boy…’ Riku rolled over to face the wall. ‘What do I think? I think you’re a boy, that’s what I think.’ Riku let out a long exhale.

What kind of deranged thought was that? That the ‘girl’ next door was a boy? But as strange, and even a little disturbing, as that thought was, Riku couldn’t help but feel that that was the truth.

‘But I don’t want you to be a boy. I don’t like boys! I compete with boys; I fight with boys; I try to upstage boys!’ Riku sat up and shook his head, “But I do all those things with Sora…” he muttered to no one. Riku let out an aggravated groan and kicked off his shoes. He took of his shirt and tossed it somewhere across the room before lying back down on his bed.

‘Even if Sora, is a boy….what’s the problem? I’m still having fun. Hell I even kissed him.

“Her.” He corrected himself out loud. “I don’t like boys…I’ve only dated girls. I intend to keep it that way.”

‘But I can’t keep a girl…maybe I should date a boy?’ Riku took his pillow out from under his head, covered his face and screamed. What was he thinking? Hook up with a guy? Disgusting. Terrible. Out of the question.

‘Well then….date Kairi.’

“…no that’s not possible. I don’t feel anything for her, other than being friends….maybe siblings.”

‘But I feel for Sora. So what does it matter, if ‘she’s’ a ‘he’, or ‘he’s’ an ‘it’. All that matters are feelings.’

“Yea, that’s true.” He was still talking into the pillow.

‘So then? What do I think?’

“…I think I…I want Sora. Who cares what they are.”

‘Perfect. Now get up and go get him.’

“Her.”

“WHO THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING TO!” Touya banged on Riku’s door.

“No one, get lost!” He took the pillow off of his face to shout back at his brother.

“Fine…MOM! I think Riku needs help!” Riku growled, reluctantly getting off his bed, and ran out the room to find his brother.

Six times the doorbell rang. You’d think your parents would tell you if they were going out, that way you didn’t sit in your room forever expecting someone to get the door. But of course, that wasn’t the case in this house.

Kairi grumbled as she opened the door, ready to tell Riku she was still too ‘ill’ to put up with him. So far she’d missed out on a whole five days of summer, because she didn’t want to put up with Sora. She still got updates for Selphie, all of which she kept track of, and so far, she was sure Sora was a little bitch. Her behavior was crazy, one moment she’d hate Riku, the next they’d be fine. One day she’d show up, the next se wouldn’t.

‘If she’s not playing hard to get, I’ll saw my arm off...’ She opened the door to find Selphie enthusiastically waving at her.

“Hey! How ya’ been doing today?”

“Ok,” Kairi opened the screen door and let Selphie in. “You’re here awfully early. Everything alright?”

“Yea, everything is just fine. We just all split up a little early. Tidus and Wakka are stalking Chappu’s girlfriend; Riku’s hanging out at home-”

“And Sora?” She cute the other girl off.

Selphie shook her head, “No Sora today, she stayed home.”

Kairi rolled her eyes and shut the door, “It figures. So, how did Riku take it?”

“He was a little disappointed, but got over it once we got to the beach.”

“You guys went to Destiny Island today?”

Selphie shook her head, “No the guys wanted to go to the beach and pick up tourist. They’re really bad. This one guy smacked Wakka, because he thought he was a woman.”

“How do you confuse a man with a woman!” Kairi laughed.

“Well, he was very femmy. And his hair, it was kind of silver-ish, and one part of his bangs flipped up like a bird feather. He had really womanly hips.”

Kairi shook her head, she still didn’t believe it. The two moved to sit down at the dining table and continued talking.

“So, any thing else as to what happened that day in Sora’s house?”

“No,” Selphie reached into a jar of candies on the table, “Riku still says they just fell down the stairs. But I think it’s more than that. He’s been really happy since, and she’s been really angry.” Selphie popped a candy in her mouth, “Or at least tries to be.”

“Hmmm…” Kairi looked at the clock on the wall. “How long as it been since Sora moved here?”

“Oh, about two weeks…maybe it’s been three? I always lose track of days in the summer.”

Kairi nodded, that was good enough for her.

“Selphie, I think its time I had a talk with Sora.” Selphie looked up surprised at Kairi’s statement. A talk? That sounds like what her mom says when she’s done something wrong.

“What kind of talk?” Selphie popped another candy in her mouth.

“A serious one. I want to know what she really thinks of Riku. I don’t want her playing games with him! I won’t let her steal and break his heart.”

Selphie smiled, “Great! And I’ll be there backing you-”

“NO!” Kairi shouted, and quickly calmed down, “I mean no, you can’t.”

“…Why not? Selphie attacked her third candy.

“Because, Riku won’t be happy if I talk with Sora about this. And I don’t want him to know.”

“Because, he’ll try to stop you?”

“Right! So, you’re going to keep the boys busy for me.”

Selphie nodded silently and grabbed two candies this time. Why keep Riku busy? Would he really mind?

“Now then,” Kairi scratched her head, “Have you guys been to the movies yet?” Selphie shook her head. “Great! You take the boys to the earliest movie.”

“But no one wants to go anymore.”

“I’ll tell Riku about it. I’ll tell him I want to go. Which is true, I miss him. He won’t stand me up.”

“But, you won’t…be at the movie, right?” Selphie nodded to assure herself.

“Right, I’ll be with Sora, and you tell Riku I’m running late.”

“And, you guys….are gonna talk. And then arrive together, everything all sorted out?”

Kairi stared at Selphie, she hadn’t planned on including Sora in the group outings after this, “I don’t think Sora will want to come…”

“….”

“Don’t worry about it! I mean, would you want to hang out with me any more if I told you to stop eating out of my candy dish?”

Selphie stopped and looked at her hand in the dish. She smiled and pulled it out. “I guess not…”

“Right.” Kairi smiled and stood up. She lead Selphie to the door and waved her off.

“Don’t worry about Sora! I’ll take care of her!”

Selphie waved and walked off toward her house. Kairi slammed the door and walked over to the phone. In a few minutes she had Touya on the phone.

“Hey, Touya,” she said happily.

“Hey, Kairi, heard you been sick lately?” Somewhere off behind Touya, Kairi heard Riku shout and start fighting with him. “….No I ain’t giving you the phone….quit it….stop! STOP!!!”

Kairi listened to silence for a moment.

“Um, Touya?”

“Kairi!” Riku answered her back.

“Oh, hey Riku. How’s everything?”

“It’s great. Just great.” He was breathing awfully hard into the phone.

“Well, I’m glad to hear it. Actually, Riku, I called because-”

“You’ll never guess what.” Riku cut her off.

“Um….what?” She wasn’t too happy about being interrupted, but he usually did that over the phone.

“I think I finally decided, I’m gonna ask her out.”

“…oh…” Kairi began grinding her teeth on her end of the phone. “Well, before you ask her out, I wanted to know, you want to hang out on the main island together. Not just us, but the whole group.”

“You, want to come out of your house. Really? I thought you’d be angry.”

“Not at all. But before you go and ditch us again, lets all go to the mall and the movies, ok?”

“Um, sure….what time?”

“How about….” Kairi thought about when the earliest movie played. “How about we meet on the main island at eight?” That would give her two hours.

“Ok sure, I’ll tell the guys.”

“Oh, you don’t have to, Selphie’s taking care of it.” She beamed enthusiastically, and even thought Riku could feel it through the phone.

“Ok Kairi, what day do you want to go?”

“Umm, in two days. Ok?”

“Ok,” Riku laughed a little into the phone, “I’m glad you’re not upset about Sora.”

“It’s alright.”

“Well I’m glad to hear-” She hung up the phone before he finished. He was going to ask her out. HE WAS GOING TO ASK HER OUT? Kairi rolled her eyes, at least she bought herself two days.

Now to call up Selphie and make sure that she, Wakka, and Tidus showed up at ten. In all actually, if just she arrived late and Sora never came, Riku would know something was wrong. But if it just turns out he’s early, and Sora never comes, well then, ‘I guess he can’t ask her out.’

Kairi smirked, she couldn’t wait to see Sora now; she couldn’t wait until Riku loved her.