The New Me

Chapter 7

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. I guess I just wanted to explain my reasoning behind the fourth chapter. Its there because I wanted Leon and Sora to have a chapter to themselves, that was more about Leon’s feelings. Yea, it was kind of thrown in there and I did actually go back and add it, but Leon’s not going to be around for a while other than by name…so I thought he should get in his thoughts before the story moved on.

Sora stood on a stool in the new kitchen. He was cleaning out the cabinets before placing the dishes in them. Some had gotten broken on the way over in the van but that was to be expected.

“Now then,” his mother walked in the kitchen, “As soon as I find the box with the cooking utensils, we’ll have a real dinner instead of take out.” Sora nodded. He hadn’t really been speaking to his mother for the past three days. He was still upset about her open disgust for Leon’s dress, and was now even more upset that she pulled a three-sixty and became very sweet when he went back to wearing jeans and T-shirts. Somewhere in his mind he knew he was overacting too, she was just looking out for him, but he still held his grudge.

Since apparently Riku still had school to attend, Sora spent his time in the house, going through boxes and moving furniture. There wasn’t a lot of it, seeing as how they had had an apartment in Travers Town, but since his mother started work Monday, he had been unpacking all on his own. They were down to three boxes, and had just found the dishes; they had to use paper plates up until today.

But even while unpacking, Sora was spending his time working out a plan.

‘I’ll try to get that Riku kid to talk to me again over the weekend. He lives next door, and that group seems to follow him. I bet if I get him angry with me, or even just convince him I’m a freak cross dresser, he’ll spend his time bullying me.’ He started setting down the plastic lining they’d bought for the cabinets. ‘My mom might be afraid of me dating Leon, but even she wouldn’t keep me in a place that killed my self-esteem. And once she sees how miserable I am, I’ll write Leon and the others to come and visit.’

He looked over at his mom, who had found the cooking utensils and had begun clearing a place for them in a lower cabinet. ‘I’d better have him bring Aerith, she’s a good negotiator. I could even take living with Cid even if I can’t stay with Leon…but we’d be close. And that’s what matters.’

“So!” his mom spoke up, “Once you’re done here, what are you going to do?”

Sora shrugged, “I don’t know, maybe I’ll finish rearranging my room.” He put up the last dish. “Then, I’m going to start my first letter home.” He turned around to face his mother, she just nodded.

“I see, well, that’s good. But you know, I’ve seen a group of kids hanging around…maybe you should focus on getting to know them. It’s only been a little over a week since-”

“I’ll write who I want.” He got down off the stool. His mother raised her eyebrows.

“Well excuse me.” She went back to tending the kitchen. “I think I’ll make spaghetti tonight. Its quick and easy.”

Sora nodded as if to say ‘ok’ and walked out. He looked at the clock on the wall, it read six thirty. By now his neighbor was home, his friends were probably over, and they were most likely doing whatever. If he was home, he would be sitting around Aerith’s place in Second most likely standing still while she used him to create another outfit. He smiled at the thought.

‘There’s an idea, I’ll for a walk.’ He headed up the stairs and opened up a drawer on the bottom he pulled out some clothes and headed down stairs. He knew better than to fully step into the kitchen, but poked his head in to tell his mom he was stepping out.

Since Sunday, Riku had insisted that the group study at his house, there was no arguing with him. It was either his house, or he wouldn’t participate at all. Not like he did when they agreed to it. Kairi and the others studied, while Riku fixed himself next to the one window of his living room that allowed a perfect view of the front lawn next door.

It was really kind of sad, he was too busy watching outside to study or even catch the jokes Tidus and Wakka were making about him. He was also to busy to notice his best friend’s concern over the situation. Kairi sat across from him with a math book in hand; she frowned a bit before going back to reviewing the last chapter, ‘Trig at a Glance’.

‘I can’t believe he is this hung up over someone who won’t even talk to him.’ She flipped the page. ‘I mean, I know he’s got the nick name ‘Love’em and Leave’em’ around school, but he just meet her! Not even for five minutes.’ She turned the page a little violently. ‘She obviously doesn’t even care to know him, he said so himself, she left him there for and hour. A WHOLE HOUR!’ She turned the page so hard it ripped.

Everyone turned to look at her, everyone except Riku. “You’re so stupid!” and she threw the book at the floor. Riku turned to her now.

“What? Math getting the upper hand?”

“Not studying! You! You’re being stupid. We have school tomorrow. We have test everyday this week, and you’re spending your time watching for quite possibly the rudest person on the face of the planet!”

Riku blinked and shook his head. “Geez, Kairi, I was just thinking.” He reached over and picked up his history book. “But if you want me to study that bad, I will.” He opened the book and completely ignored Kairi’s ‘humph’ and didn’t look up as she stormed out. But the other three in the room carefully had their eyes fixed on him.

“That wasn’t very nice.” Selphie spoke up first.

“Ya, she’s really angry. You should go apologize.”

“Why do you have to be such a jerk all the time?” Riku looked up at Tidus’ question.

“I’m a jerk? I didn’t do anything. She’s over reacting. Been that way since Saturday, I think it’s just that time of the month.” Tidus laughed and Wakka smirked, but Selphie did like Kairi and left. “Women,” Riku shrugged and went back to looking out the window. And he did so just in time, in the front yard through the window he spotted a figure turning and walking down the street.

They had on flared out blue jeans; they looked purposely ripped and frayed at the bottom, yellow sneakers, a white three-quart sleeve shirt with a red tank-top over it and a red bandana holding down their hair, except it stuck out in the back and some bangs stuck out in front. Riku watched them until they were out of sight. They were also wearing a black choker. Once they were he stood up and faced the boys.

“Guy’s I’ve got to go. So pack up and head out. Ok?” he turned around and ran out the door before they could answer.

Once outside, he looked down the road, he could still see the figure walking a long; they were looking at the different houses, hands in their pockets, looking up and down. As he slowly walked along behind them, he decided to call out when he was a house away. Riku was overjoyed the person stopped and turned around upon hearing the name ‘Sora’.


Sora turned around, a little surprise to hear his name, but became calm when he saw Riku behind him. He stood still until Riku caught up with him. They stood there for a moment looking each other over. They hadn’t really gotten to good a look at one another the other day, so now they looked each other over. Occasionally, Sora thought he caught a strange look of interest as Riku would raise an eyebrow, and go back to a placid face.

‘He’s not too bad looking…WHAT AM I SAYING. Ugh, it doesn’t matter how he looks, he’s not Leon. Not at all.’ Sora turned his head away and looked across the street.

‘Hmm…nice outfit, but I wonder if she’s hot with two shirts on. Maybe she’s trying to hide the fact she hasn’t got much of a bust…oh well. I’m not really here for that sort of thing. Right?’ Riku looked the ‘girl’ over once more. ‘I guess I could be.’

“So what do you want?” Sora said now turning his attention back to Riku.

“Hm? Oh nothing. I saw you walking around, and thought: A good neighbor would show her around. So here I am.” Riku paused and Sora seemed amused by something. “What’s up?”

“Oh…nothing.” He turned around. “It was a nice thought, but you don’t have to show me around.” He started to walk away.

“But I really want to.”

“Well, I don’t need you to. Ok?” he said a little defiantly.

“You sure? I mean, walking around at this time of day can be pretty dangerous.” At this Sora scoffed.

“Please, I can handle anything some cruddy little island kids can throw at me. No way is this place more dangerous than the big city.” At this Riku laughed and Sora felt a little disappointed. ‘Am I doing this right? I’ve never had to be an insensitive jerk to someone before. I should have paid more attention to Cloud and Leon when they did it.’

Once Riku stopped laughing he spoke up again, “So, you’re from the city. Any place I know?”

“Probably not, it’s called Traverse Town. We’re pretty far in land, and to tell the truth, I never even knew such a boring place like this existed until I learned I was moving here.”

He laughed again, “Yea it is very boring here. Personally, I’ve been trying to get away for years.”

“Well, you’d better stay; the real world is a scary place. I doubt a little head strong island kid like you could handle it.”

“Little? I’m taller than you.” Riku put his hand up to his head and then brought it down to Sora’s. “Besides, I’m by far the toughest kid in Caspa.”

“So! Big fish, little pond. If you met Leon, he’d teach you a lesson…heh! I could even take you.”

“What, Leon a fighter or something?” Riku stopped walking Sora turned around to see a new look on his face.

‘Oh I see, you don’t like to be challenged.’ He nodded. “Yea, him and Yuffie and Cloud. They’re my friends. They’re older than you and much better fighters.”

“Oh well, they’re older. So yea, they’d have an advantage. But you, you’re definitely younger than me, and no offense, but I think hell will freeze over before I lose at anything to a girl. Even a cute girl.” Riku tilted his head and smirked at him.

Sora went red in the face. “OH well, then. Let’s test it.” He walked back to stand next to Riku. “From here to your front door. Ok?”

“Ok!” Riku turned to face back to his house; they were a good four blocks away. ‘A challenge on our second meeting, this kid could be fun.’

‘Call me cute. We’ll see how cute I am when I kick your butt….’

“Ready?” Riku stood perfectly sill. “Set?” They both leaned forward. “GO!” And Riku and Sora took off down the side walk.

They ran side by side down the first block, but Riku pulled a head a little half way through the second. Not wanting to lose, Sora took a deep breath and began pushing himself harder. He caught up to Riku by the third block and as they entered the fourth he heard Riku say something jokingly. He didn’t know what it was, but it made him angry.

‘He’s laughing at me! Fine, I’ll give you something to laugh at.’ They rounded into Riku’s driveway and Sora suddenly pushed passed the older boy. As he came to the steps he jumped as hard as he could, sending himself feet first onto the porch, where he leaned forward and put his hand on the door.

“HA! Whose cute now, Mr. Bigtalk?” Sora said smugly turning to face Riku. But the older boy just shrugged and leaned forward.

“You are,” and he planted a kiss on Sora’s cheek.


Chapter 8

He knew it was a dumb thing to do. He knew that anyone with half a brain would have told him he was asking for trouble. But the idea popped in his head as he watched Sora sail over the steps and beat him by a good two seconds. Hell must have frozen over just then, he swore he heard the devil screaming about a thermostat as his brain declared: ‘Sora is worth having.’

He knew it was a bold move even as he walked up the steps, but he figured she do like any other girl. Stare at him confused. Maybe blush a little, or even run without saying anything. But really! Punching him in the face, and doing so hard enough to knock him back on his ass, that was just uncalled for!

He looked up from his place on the floor to see Sora fuming. ‘She’ was pissed, quite pissed. “WHAT THE HELL!” Riku shook his head and reached up to his jaw. It really hurt. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?!”

“What do I think I’m doing? What about you! You punched me!!”

“You kissed me! You self-appointed charmer. YOU KISSED ME! I DON’T EVEN KNOW YOU!” Sora stomped his feet and began to walk off the porch. Riku wouldn’t have it though. He stood up and grabbed Sora by the arm.

“Hold on, you can’t just hit people and walk away.” Sora turned with the intent to smack him, but Riku caught his hand.

“I’ll hit you all I like, bastard! You can’t go around kissing people!” Sora went to kick him this time, but Riku circled around, moving Sora with him. The other boy fell off balance and toppled down the steppes. Riku not wanting to let go, went with him. They landed with a thud and Sora instantly began kicking again, this time Riku received a few blows.

“ARG!” He let go. “Knock it off! Why can’t you just talk to me!”

“I don’t talk to perverts!” He kicked him one last time as he stood up and began to walk away. Riku watched from his place on the ground; finally as Sora entered his yard, he jumped up and ran over to the fence. He climbed it and ran to cut the other off. Sora watched him and clenched his fist. “Want me to hit you again!”

Riku shook his head, he walked up to Sora, whom he could see was just as angry as he was. He stopped less than a foot away from Sora, he reached out, grabbed the boys arms, and leaned in close.

Sora was ready to kick, he was ready to scream, he was ready to show Riku he wasn’t going to take this, but he wasn’t ready for Riku to say ‘I’m sorry.’

“You’re…what?”

“Sorry. You’re right. I shouldn’t have done that. I don’t know anything about you. And you don’t know me. I didn’t mean to cause you such anger.” He let go. Sora glanced around confused, where was the boastful, cocky kid he just punched two seconds ago. He watched Riku run his hand through his hair, almost in the same fashion as Leon, before nodding and walking away.

‘Well damn…and here I thought… I had you right where I wanted you.’ He turned and watched Riku enter his house and disappear. ‘I guess it will take more than a few words and punches to get me home.’


Sora sat in his room with his hand resting on a plastic bag of ice. His mother’s temper had flared up again when he walked in the house. He was still wearing jeans, but they had been girl’s jeans none the less. So he ate up in his room, and began writing his first letter home. However, he was writing with his left hand, since Riku’s jaw had left his right feeling a little lifeless.

‘I hope I didn’t break it,’ he thought as he wrote down today’s events in the letter. He had already written about his mom’s theatrics, and meeting Riku, and was now up to the point were he received that awkward kiss.

‘When Leon reads this he’ll flip out,’ Sora paused to laugh for a moment imagining the older teen going crazy with jealousy and threatening to kill a boy he’d never meet. Of course, Sora was sure to leave out the few details of his own childish behavior. ‘But I will tell him I’ve been wearing my other clothes. It’s like making a new life. Instead of only dressing like a girl occasionally, I do it more often. And I’m taking new, different, approaches to making friends. So I’m not completely lying…’

Sora finished writing and set his pen down. He looked it over and decided he’d rewrite what he had once his hand was feeling better. He set the letter a side and picked up his plate, ‘Riku will have school tomorrow. I wonder if I’ll ever even talk to him again. I probably will since he apologized already.’

He walked down the stairs and past his mother without a word. Once in the kitchen he placed his dish in the dishwasher. He then looked out the side window of his kitchen, form here he could see Riku’s house and a window, but the blinds were closed.

‘You don’t really seem to mind me being a jerk. So I guess the next best solution is to crush your crush. I might have to be haggled for a while, but it’s worth it.’

He walked out the kitchen and turned out the light.

‘We’ll see how much you like me when you find out I’m a boy.’


The gang was more silent than ever as they went through the streets. Only two more days of school left, and no one was talking about what to do for summer vacation, mostly because everyone was doing their best not to over turn the tension between Kairi and Riku.

At first she had been worried about the bruise on his face, but once she heard the story behind it, it seemed as if she wanted to add one of her own. Riku on the other hand brushed her off. He wasn’t too concerned about Kairi being angry with him. She had made it a point to get this way every time he showed an interest in any girl since Riku was thirteen.

“Alison Danson.” He said suddenly, and everyone turned to face him. “Alison, that was her name, my first girlfriend. I was thirteen, she was thirteen, and all you did was talk about how thirteen year olds didn’t need girlfriends.” He turned to Kairi who snorted and began to petal on her bike faster.

“Then there was Jessica, and Frankie, and lets not forget Vivian…”

“Shut up!” Kairi stopped her bike along side Riku’s. “All you’re doing is proving to everyone just how insensitive you are. You have a new girlfriend at the drop of a hat. It’s terrible. I can’t believe you’d do this to me.”

“Do what to you?” he seemed a little confused.

“This! All these girls, and then you have the nerve to tell me every time I disagree that I’m not your best friend, or I don’t support your dreams. HA! You are so self centered I can’t understand why we’re friends half the time.”

Riku narrowed his eyes, “So then let’s stop being friends!”

“Fine! Come one Selphie!!”

Selphie looked around as if to find another girl with the same name before giving in and following after Kairi. Tidus and Wakka shook there heads.

“You’re just striking out with all the ladies this week.” Wakka said jokingly.

“Nah, Kairi and Riku will make up by the time we’re let out today. No worries. Right?” Tidus nodded at Riku.

“Yea, no worries. I’ll make up with Kairi at lunch, and Selphie will come back with her. Then I’ll make up with Sora later today. And the first day of summer vacation, the group will have a new member.”

“You really think that’s a good plan, ya? You think Kairi will accept the new girl?” Wakka asked seemingly unconvinced.

“Yea, she will. Kairi’s kind of like a dog. She just a little hostile cuz’ she feels her turf has been invaded. As soon as they get to know each other she’ll love Sora to death.”

Tidus shook his head and laughed, “Well if you plan to make up with Kairi, you’d better not let that dog analogy get back to her.”

“Hey, it’s like you said! No worries.”