The New Me

Chapter 24

“For today’s skies: Partly Cloudy, and a-”

“-Little bit of trauma never hurt no-”

“One set left! Order now! Operators are standing-”

“-in the cave on the island chain’s six, unpopulated island…”

Riku sat on his couch. He had his hand up and out, remote in his palm, he was clicking away at the different channels. To anyone who didn’t know any better, you’d think he was having an ordinary summer day. But of course, everyone knew better. There might have been five islands among the Caspa chain, but news spread like wildfire.

While it had been two day’s since the incident on Destiny Island, it only too twelve hours for everyone to hear it. The phone never stopped ringing. Even now, it was going off the hook. Riku ignored it though. He knew it was either the police, Kairi’s father, Sora’s mother, or a nosy busy-body wanting to hear the tale again but from another perspective.

“You gonna get that?” Touya asked his brother, but Riku didn’t respond. He didn’t even bother to look as Touya walked away and picked up the phone. He just kept flipping channels on the TV.

He finally sighed and set the remote down. He had turned the TV off and listened to Touya talk around the corner.

“No Miss Fletcher, we don’t know anything about the Hikari boy. Yes, we were just as stunnded as you were….I’m sure Kairi is just fine.”

“TOO FINE IF YOU ASK ME!” Riku finally decided to speak up. Touya said something to the old woman on the phone and quickly hung up. He came around the corner looking angry.

“Must you do that every time?”

“I’ll do it every time someone sides with that bitch!”

“Riku! Language!” The boys looked up to see their mother walking in from the kitchen. Mrs. Endo was about a head taller than her second son, but her hair was black, and her eyes were blue. She looked visibly tired, exhausted from work and from all the chaos going on over the past two days.

“Riku, that’s no way to talk bout your friend,” she continued.

Riku turned his head around back to the blank TV, “She’s not my friend any more.”

“And I suppose Sora is?” Touya said a little angry.

“No! I don’t know!” He turned back around, “Look I’m just as mad as everyone else! I don’t know why you’re so bent out of shape!”

“Riku,” his mother walked over and put her hands on his shoulders, “Please, calm down. I think its best right now if you just try to keep yourself calm. I know you’re hurt dear…everyone is. No one expect this.”

Riku just let his head drop.

“So, why don’t you take your mind off it and go outside. Go play with your friends?”

“Where? The Island’s blocked off. And out on the streets everyone asks me what happened.”

Touya nodded, “He’s got a point, Ma. He’s better off indoors.”

Mrs. Endo sighed and leaned forward. She wrapped her arms around Riku’s shoulders, “Everything will be fine dear. Before you know it, you and Kairi-”

“I want nothing to do with Kairi. I’m sure this is all her fault to begin with!”

“That’s a little harsh. She’s your best friend. Sora’s the one who lied to you,” Touya said.

“Yea, well, I would like to hear Sora’s side of the story before I believe Kairi’s!”

Mrs. Endo sighed again and released her youngest son. “Touya, come with me to the store. Alright?”

Touya looked down at Riku beforeleaving. In ten minutes, Riku found he was the only one home.

He missed Sora. It had only been two days since he was taken from his arms, but he missed him like crazy. He had no news of how he was, or what was his version of what happened. Every time Riku went over to Sora’s house, Mrs. Hikari politely told him to leave her alone and to go away. It was nerve wracking. Especially since he had to hear from Selphie that apparently Mrs. Hikari was looking to sue.

It was a little surprising, the Selphie was so willing to tell him everything she knew. He thought for sure she’d hold out on Kairi’s side. But ever since he saw her cry at the bench, she was trying her hardest to make it up to him.

She really wasn’t for violence. Poor Selphie, but even she acknowledge that getting information for Riku didn’t make up for what happened. But she still wanted them to be friends. But Selphie’s mom insisted she stay away from Sora. So for the time being, she was on own.

Wakka on the other hand, backed Kairi one hundred percent. He refused to believe Sora could be the victim. A guy being attacked by a girl? Crazy! That was his reaction. And Tidus just silently followed him. It made Riku even angrier.

He sighed and leaned back into the couch when he heard a knock at the door. He ignored at first, sure it was another reporter. However the knocking continued, and was eventually accompanied by the voice of a girl. Riku sat up.

She sounded a little familiar. A little like….

He got up and walked slowly to the door. As soon as he turned the lock the knocking stopped. Riku opened the door to reveal blue eyes and blonde hair on his doorstep.

“Naminé? What’s up?” He pulled the door all the way open and started to undo the screen.

“Nothing….well, I mean, nothing more than what’s been going on….” She looked down at her sandals.

“Ah, so I see you heard about Sora.”

“Who HASN’T heard about Sora?” She looked up, and Riku nodded.

“So, how did you find out where I lived?”

“I read it in the paper that you lived next to Sora. So I went to his address and guessed which house was the right one. Lucky, huh?” She smiled.

“Yea, I guess…” Riku didn’t really feel up to a cheerful chat with Naminé. He didn’t mind her or anything, just, he didn’t care right now.

She looked at Riku; Naminé could tell he was not happy. It was a little odd to see him looking so down. It’s true they weren’t friends, but she had seen him around school, and no matter what, he was always smiling. Whether it was a smirk, a grin, or a genuine smile, it was unusual to see Riku express any sort of depression.

Finally, she did what she thought was best, “Riku…” he looked at her, “I…I don’t know for sure, what he would say. But…I’m sure Sora didn’t want it turn out this way.”

Riku looked at her for a moment, and nodded, “Yea…” he muttered a bit, “Yea. Hey?”

Naminé looked at him and gave him a questioning look.

“How do you know how Sora would have wanted this?”

“Um…well…”

“I mean… For all we know, he could have gotten a kick out of lying to me!” Riku looked up at her a little angry. “Yea! He was always bitching about Leon!” He slammed his hand on the doorframe. “I bet he doesn’t care at all!”

“Riku, Stop it! You don’t mean that!” Riku looked at Naminé and nodded. She was right, he didn’t. He just felt like venting.

“Riku…Sora didn’t mean to hurt you. I know he didn’t.”

“Oh yea? How? It’s not like you knew what he was doing. It’s not like you knew he was a boy.” Naminé didn’t respond, but instead looked away off the porch. Riku eyed for a moment; he looked her up and down, but his eyes went wide when it sunk in. “You…you knew he was boy? Didn’t you?”

Naminé just silently nodded a ‘yes’ to Riku. She couldn’t look him in the eye. She just waited for him to say something. But he remained silent, and for a while, she thought he was going to blow up at her. But it never came. Finally, she looked up. And was taken back by what she saw.

“Riku….are you?” She reached out and touched his face. “Are you crying?”

Riku backhanded her away. “You knew! YOU KNEW! And you didn’t tell me!”

“Riku, he asked me not to…”

“But look at what happened to him! To Kairi! To me! Look at what happened!” Riku was crying even more now. Naminé knew; she let this happen. How could she?

“Riku, please, calm down…I didn’t know it would come to this!” Riku shook his head and slammed the door in her face. “Riku! Riku come back!!” But he didn’t he kept walking until he sat himself down on the couch. He turned it on and the volume up as loud as humanly possible. He didn’t want to hear Naminé banging outside his door.


Sora sat up in his hospital bed. His head was still throbbing. It drove him nuts. He wanted it to end. He let out a long sigh. The past few days seemed like one long blur. But he got the gist of it from cops, doctors and his mother. Everyone knew now he had been lying to the kids. And everyone certainly wanted to get to the bottom of the incident that happened in the cave.

Sora leaned back on his propped up pillow. That idiot Kairi, it was all her fault.

‘That’s not true. It’s your fault too…’

Sora rolled his eyes, but he knew it was true….it was his fault too. He got himself into this mess. Toying with Riku, egging on Kairi, all his fault…

He sighed again and looked around the room.

“Leon’s gonna kill me. He’ll never take me back after this. And couldn’t blame him.” Sora wondered how long it would take island news to reach the mainland. He knew the story wouldn’t be as big there as it was here, but he could still see Leon managing to run across and obscure article in the paper on him. He grimaced. His friends will never forgive his childish behavior.

At just that moment, the door opened. Sora looked up to see long brown hair and saddened green eyes walk into his room. His mother looked worse that he did. She walked in, and put on her best smile. She sat next to his bed, took his hand and stroked it lovingly.

“How are you today, dear?” she asked softly.

“I’m fine mom…” Sora smiled back at her.

“That’s good,” her eyes fluttered for a moment. “I…I spoke to lawyer.” She said the sentence so quietly Sora almost missed it. “They think, we have a case…”

“Mom, don’t…I don’t want to cause more trouble…”

“Well we’ve already got trouble, Sora.” She took a deep breath, her face more angered now, “Besides, the girl’s parents are going to cast a suit as well. They think you attacked her.”

“What!” Sora instantly made a face and touched his head, it wasn’t good to yell.

“That’s just the way it is. However, the doctors and officers agree. If her story was true, you should have a wound to the front you your head. Not the back and the side. Form the way it looks, they support your story. That you were first attacked from behind.”

Sora felt a little sick. He couldn’t believe Kairi was telling people he attacked her. What would they think of him? He already knew they’d be pissed about the guy thing, but now this? Did Riku believe her? Would he still talk to him incessantly like he had? Would he still be his friend?

Why did he even care? Since when were they friends?

‘Since you know there’s no way Leon will take you back, that’s since when.’ Sora mentally moaned in anguish. No friends home, no allies here. Life on the islands really was going to be hell, but now he had no place to go to escape it.

His mother reached out and stroked his head. Sora looked at her, what would she do now?

“You know…” she began, “This boy keeps coming by-”

“RIKU! Er…I mean…it must be, Riku…” Sora instantly knew enthusiasm was not the way to answer that question once his mother pulled her hand back. She had that look on her face. The same one she wore when she found him on Christmas Eve, the same one she wore when she told him they were moving. It was not a good look for her to direct at him.

“Yes, Riku,” She said calmly, “He keeps asking about you. Are you friends?”

“Yes.”

“Is he not friends with that girl as well?”

“…yes…”

She took a few breaths and looked him over. It finally came, “I think….after this, a boarding school-”

“NO!” Sora winced again, he forgot his head was still throbbing.

“Well what do you want me to do Sora? You cause trouble where ever you go! I can’t keep after you! You just have to be someplace structured or you go wild!”

“I am not wild! There is nothing wrong with me!”

“I hardly agree. Drinking at fifteen! Cross-dressing! Telling people you’re a girl!”

“I never told them anything, they just assumed.”

“Well you didn’t set them strait and that’s what counts. Sora,” She leaned forward to stroke his head again but he bat her hand away. “Sora….when school starts. I’m sending you to a boarding school.”

“Then send me to one in Traverse Town. They’ve got two there!”

“Absolutely not! Sora, be reasonable.”

“You be reasonable! This is all your fault! I wouldn’t be her if it weren’t for you! You took me from my friends! You criticize everything that I do that you don’t like! You’re the one who ruins me, not the people around me!”

There was aloud clap in the room. Sora looked at his mother stunned. He would have felt angry for the smack, had she not been crying. She quickly stood up and gathered her things.

“I understand that you’re angry. I understand that you’re confused. But believe me, Sora, I love you. I just want to know that your safe!” Sora watched his mom storm out of the room.

He picked up his pillow and brought it over his chest. He hated himself. He got himself taken from Leon, had somehow forced his mother into a state of panic and worry. He managed to drive this unnecessary wedge between them, and what for? Because he wanted to be with his god damn boyfriend, that’s what for…

And to top it off, he felt a strange pang in his heart when he thought about everything that happened. Not for his mom, not for his love, but for the boy he lied to.

Riku sat on his couch for an hour listening to Naminé walk around his house and bang on the windows. But he did no feel like talking to the blond just now. He was still pissed that she knew Sora was a boy, and wouldn’t tell him. She could have avoided all this. They could kept Sora from getting hurt; they could have kept Kairi from going crazy; they could have done something, but they hadn’t.

“RIKU! OPEN UP!!” Naminé was now banging on the living room window now. Riku just glanced over at her and just sneered. He sank down deeper into the couch and ignored her.

Naminé looked at Riku in surprise. He was really going to ignore her! She banged on the window a few more times, but finally gave up. She huffed at the glass and turned around, “Well fine then! I’ll go to the hospital on my own!!” Naminé stepped over the shrubs lining the house and made her way around its side.

Just she walked out into Riku’s front yard, she was startled to see Riku eyeing her from the porch.

“What? Finally decided to talk to me?”

Riku shook his head, “Did you say you were going to the hospital. As in Bastion Hospital?”

“Um, yea, that’s were Sora is…” Riku jumped over the railing now. Naminé backed up even more surprised.

“But you can’t get in to see him!”

“Well….that’s why I came by….I know one of his doctors. A man name Vexen. He comes into the shop all the time. When I heard him talking about Sora, I told him we were friends….He’s taking me there in a little under an hour.”

Riku stared at Naminé dumbfounded, “And WHEN were you gonna tell me this?”

“Why do you think I came! You’re the one who shut me out for over an hour.”

Riku liked his lips and shook his head. Naminé had a way into see Sora. He looked at her, “Am I coming?” he asked a little sarcastically, a little hopeful.

Naminé rolled her eyes, “No, I came to rub it in….Of course you’re coming! Get ready!”

Riku nodded with a smile on his face and ran inside to get his things. Naminé looked at her watch, “It’s a good thing I came early…”

Riku ran up the stairs of his house and into his room. He was going to get to see Sora! He felt a little excited; he didn’t know what to do. He pulled off his shirt and bang searching the room for a clean one.

‘Must look perfect…I can’t wait to see Sora again.’ He decided on his yellow Shirt with the black buckles crisscrossed over it. He threw on some shoes and ran to the mirror.

‘I wonder if he’ll talk to me?’ he thought as he tried to fix his hair by running his fingers through it over and over again. ‘What if he’s still thinking about Leon?’

“No, he said he knew who I was….that means he likes me. He’ll talk to me.” Riku looked himself over in the mirror one more time.

‘No way, besides, I thought you wanted a girlfriend? You’re awfully giddy for someone going to see a guy.’

“No way, I’m sticking to my choice! Even if Sora doesn’t like me….I don’t care.”

Riku turned from the mirror and went running from the room. His hair was still a little messy, but he didn’t care.