Sweet Redemption

“Its uhhh…well complicated” Shazz said in response to Riku’s question. She also managed to slither her hand out of his grasp as well.

“Complicated huh…well lucky for you I’ve got nowhere else to be so I’m all ears.”

Shazz looked at him oddly as if to say “Are you serious?” but her face soon softened as she walked passed her silver haired rescuer. She stepped of the dock unto the soft sand. She smiled at the sensation as the tiny grains of sand tickled her as they went in between her toes.

She heard footsteps coming up behind her.

“Listen uhhh Riku right?”

“That’s right sweetheart, remember the name because I promise you’ll be screaming it later.” Well, that’s what he wanted to say to her but being the gentleman that he was refused to give in to temptation just yet. So instead he responded with a simple “Yeah”

“Ok…Riku I appreciate the offer but, I don’t want to bore you to death. There must be a more pleasant subject we can talk about like perhaps splinters under one’s fingernails.”

Riku laughed. “That painful huh?”

“No it’s not that it’s painful, I just wanted to stress to you how much I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Listen Shazz, if I didn’t want to hear about it I wouldn’t have asked. Also, if you didn’t want to talk about it then you wouldn’t have mentioned it either.”

Shazz bit her lower lip and shook her head. “That’s a good point.”

“You see, so stop worrying and just let go. I’m surprisingly very understanding and helpful.”

Helpful he was, but he motives were less than humanitarian. He figured that Shazz must have come to the Island to forget about something, perhaps a stressful job or maybe just problems at home. He just needed something he could use that would insure him access to her.

The two walked side by side near the water’s edge. It was starting to cool down a little as evening started to settle in.

Shazz sighed in defeat as she took a few seconds to collect her thoughts. She looked longingly out towards the sparkling blue waters; it was if she was silently asking all her surroundings to give her strength. She didn’t want to cry.

“Riku, have you ever felt trapped? I mean, even though you have the ability to get up and go but you just can’t because something is holding you back.”

Riku starred down at the wet sand that encompassed his feet, leaving behind traces of his travels.

“I know that feeling better than you think, but instead of something, it was someone”

“Wow.” The brown haired beauty said softly. “You were being serious when you said you were understanding, because I have a someone as well.”

A twinge of fear shook Riku for a second. He thought to himself “Hold it together. It doesn’t have to be a relationship. She could be talking about a friend or a family member.”

“Oh so you must have some good friends back home?” Riku replied coolly.

“Well, I wouldn’t exactly call him a friend. He meant more to me than that.”

“Shit” he thought to himself “She does have a boyfriend.” He looked away from his female companion so his eyes would not betray his inside demeanor. Yet he still had hope and as wicked as his thought was he couldn’t help but try. It was a long shot but maybe Shazz was going through a nasty break up and perhaps he could catch her on the rebound.

“You see, I met him when I was very young.” Continued Shazz. “I was five and well he was older than me. About six years. Anyways, when walking home from school I would always see him sitting under a tree reading. He seemed so quiet and withdrawn from the world around him so I thought he might be lonely. So I made it a point to talk to him because, I just didn’t like the idea that someone as beautiful as him should be lonely, and trust me, he was beautiful. He has such dark black hair that was long and perfectly straight. He had almond shaped eyes that were as blue as these waters. Oh and his features were feminine but yet still very masculine. He was just so pretty.”

Riku’s thoughts began to wonder. This story seemed familiar somehow. A kind and beautiful person taking it upon themselves to befriend someone who was less than human. Yeah, he was sure he lived this story before.

“ His name was Ken and for the longest time our relationship consisted of nothing but me sitting with him under that tree and listening to him read and every once in a while he would teach me why a certain passage in his book was so important. But the best part was when I would remember something he taught me and he would smile and playfully rub my head. Well I’m sure you know how the story goes. I grew up, hormones came rushing in, and I had fallen in love with him. He was so devoted to me. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for me, all I had to do was ask. I….I lived only to see him smile. His happiness seemed to keep me at peace and it was even better when I was the cause of his happiness. I was happy….we were happy.”

“It sounds like you two were very serious.” Quietly replied Riku whose focus remained on the wet sand.

“Yes…very serious….we’re engaged.”

“Shit shit shit!! Engaged!” Riku’s mind was practically screaming. How could he possibly compete with something as serious as an engagement? Could he? “Dammit! There must be some kind of loophole!”

Riku’s silence unnerved her and the awkward quietness started to creep in. Shazz continue her story to fill the void.

“I know it seems like I’m too young to get engaged and to be honest I was. I was 19 when he purposed. But we have been engaged for like two years now so it wasn’t like we were rushing into anything.”

The boy ran his fingers through his silvery locks. He was shocked to find out that Shazz was that same age as he was, he was sure she was younger. Usually he was pretty perceptive about these things but this woman was throwing him off his game.

“So I take it because of the long engagement he isn’t as ready for commitment as he thought.” He said gruffly

“No, I don’t think so, it’s something completely different.”
“Well can I see the ring?”

Shazz looked down at her left hand which showed a barren ring finger. She sighed and put her hands back at her sides.

“Well, I took it off. I just couldn’t think clearly with it on.”

“Bingo! Loophole.” he thought as he tried to hide the smile that snuck its way unto his lips

“Ken purposed to me at the panicle of his career. He is a huge real-estate tycoon. He knows the business up and down and inside and out and he has acquired wealth beyond anything I can imagine. So when he purposed he told me that this was the thing that would make his life complete, but things started to change. He became more evolved with is work. He would be gone for months at a time and when he would return home he would brush me off and lock himself away in his study. Then it got to the point where he would walk in the door and I could smell other women on him. I tried confronting him about it but again he would walk right past me and mutter something about it being just business. I’m starting to think that his ring wasn’t a symbol of his affection for me but a contract symbolizing his claim.”

“So leave him. You shouldn’t have to put up with that.”

Shazz stopped walking and first time since they started journey back had their eyes met. Her eyes overwhelmed him with the heat of twisted emotions. Anger, sadness, desperate, confusion, frustration, and so many others.
“Don’t you think I’ve tried.” She yelled. “Don’t you think I know that the way he’s treating me is wrong. I want to so badly stop this horrible feeling I have but I can’t. Riku, Ken has been my life since I was five and I’ve known no other man but him. For as long as I’ve been with him he has always told me that no one would see me has he sees me and that no one would ever love me like he loves me. I believed him. I still do.”

Try as she might her tears had a mind of their own and they flowed freely from her chocolate eyes.

“I came here thinking I could prove him wrong but I can’t. I don’t know what other people think of me let alone another man, I’ve never tried! I don’t know how or even if I could continue on with my life without him and I’m so scared to take that step. Even now, when you’re right here, talking to me, I can’t help but wonder when you’re going to take off running because you can’t stand the sight of me.”

Riku reach out and grabbed Shazz’s arms and pulled her closer to him. A surprised gasp escaped her pretty mouth as she was held by the glowing emeralds of her rescuer’s eyes.

“Enough.” He choked out “I can’t stand here and listen to you buy in to the bullshit this man is feeding you. You’ve got it so completely wrong. When I first laid eyes on you, you blew me away. In fact, the reason I’m here and asking you to open up is because I wanted to find an excuse to take you home with me.”

She starred at him doe eyed. She didn’t know how to react to someone talking to her or touching her the way he was now. It was like she reverted to a child like state.

“Really?” Was all she could muster.

Riku gently let go of her arms and smiled warmly. “Yes really.” He cooed as he brushed away the stray tears.
“Even though you have someone?”

“Yes, because I want you to meet my someone. I am certain that he would fall for you as much as am right now.”

“He?”

Riku chuckled. “Yes, he and I love him dearly. We like to share the treasures the we find and right now, I’d like to share you with him.” Riku tenderly tucked her silky hair behind her ear.

“I…I…I don’t know…I…” she stammered

“Listen sweetness, try not to think too hard on it. I don’t expect you to make up your mind on the spot. So why don’t we make a plan to meet each other. There is a club up town called The Starfish. Why don’t we meet there tomorrow night at around 9.”

“A club?”

“Yeah, it might give you the opportunity to break out of your shell, get you on your way to taking that first step.”

Shazz relaxed and a small smile formed on those pink lips. “Ok.”

Riku returned her smile and took her hand in to his.

“Then it’s settled, but now I should get your home before you uncle’s mind starts to wonder.”
The two walked hand in hand along the shore as the sun began to set. Not another word was spoken between them but they enjoyed the serenity the moment allowed them. Shazz’s mind was at ease with the simple act of having someone other than Ken hold her hand and Riku’s mind drifted to Sora. How was he going convince his young lover to have Shazz be a part of their love making. Sora was going to freak.


Well that’s it for Chapter 2 loves. I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I did writing. ^_^