Endless Screams

A/N - Very angsty chapter, but believe me this is only the beginning. Oh and I name a character as a slut in this chapter even though their game character isn't a slut at all. I just really don't like her.

And I couldn't think of anyone appropriate for the teacher so I have inserted a very minor OC.

Chapter Four. Acting and Reacting.

I felt something last night. Something I have never felt before. A connection that with someone that banished everything bad. Someone…merged with me somehow. They joined with my mind, thought my thoughts with my, felt my memories…my pain. How can this have happened? Who was it that connected with me so deeply? Will I ever know?
-Excerpt from the journal of Kairi.

The school was abuzz when Riku walked through the front doors, and he had only taken two steps before Sora had spotted him. His best friend bounced up to him and playfully linked arms, parading him down the hallway to their first class. Riku staggered along trying to keep up with his exuberant friend and was relieved when they finally made it to their class and he could sit down.

Sora nudged Riku as their drama teacher droned on about method acting. 'Hey man, so what happened to you on the weekend? You missed some hot hook ups and some parties. Didn't hear a thing from you at all.'

Riku just gaped at his friend in disbelief. His friend hadn't bothered to check up on him for the whole time he had been in hospital. He hadn't even rung to see where he was. Words would not come to Riku and he just sat with his mouth open staring at Sora. The cinnamon haired boy waited for his friend to respond and then seemed to suddenly notice the stunned expression on Riku's face. 'What's your problem? What you looking like that for?'

'Sora, I was in the hospital all weekend ok? On Friday I fell over and nearly fractured my skull. I had a mild concussion and had to be in for observation for three days. You didn't fucking ring and check where I was, you didn't even think of me all weekend did you? None of my 'friends' spared me a thought even though no one heard from me the whole weekend. Fuck man, all you care about is parties.'

Suddenly stopping in the middle of his tirade, Riku realised that he had raised his voice a little too loud. The teacher was staring at the two friends with a hard look in his eye, and Riku had a sudden premonition that things were not going to be good for him and Sora. The drama teacher Mr Tivanio gazed in Riku's direction with an evil look in his eye.

'Riku! Sora! You two can join with Kairi, Vexen and Larxene to do the next exercise in front of the class. You have twenty minutes to come up with a scene showing conflict and resolution. The only problem is that you must switch people with every exchange. You have three main characters that will be played by everyone at some point. And,' he said with a humorous glint in his eye. 'If you have any questions, then you haven't been listening and will get a weeks detention. Ok, twenty minutes, starting now.'

A groan went up from the chosen few, while the rest of the class giggled and sighed with relief at not being picked. Kairi pushed herself to her feet and strolled over to join the rest of her group. By the time she had made her way across the packed classroom, the discussion on the scene had already started. She slumped into a chair and sat facing away from the rest of the group trying to hide her bloodshot eyes and paler than usual face.

Sora quickly jumped in with an idea and as usual dominated the whole proceedings. He came up with the idea of a love triangle and forged ahead with his idea before anyone else could object. 'So, what we do is have a two guys and one girl in a room. The girl is in love with one of the guys and the other one likes her. Easy conflict there huh?' he grinned at the rest of the group waiting for adulation and praise for his quick thinking.

Kairi grinned sardonically and added her own twist to the generic tale that Sora had started. 'Why don't we add some flavour to that Sora? What about the first guy liking the second one? And have the conflict end with the guys getting together. Makes it a little more interesting don't you think?'

Vexen and Larxene looked at each other and shrugged. 'Well we better get a move on, and this is the best idea we have.'

'Yeah, we've only got twenty minutes remember. Hey, why don't we start by improvising it for a little bit and work on it from there?' For lack of any other options the group stood up and started to work out the scene.

Sora ordered people into their roles and quickly bossed people around until they were standing in positions that suited his idea of the scene. He pushed Kairi over in the centre of the circle and took his place opposite from her as the object of her interest. He grinned at the scowling girl and started off the scene.

'I don't know why we're here Yuna, we've been through this before.' Sora said with a grin as he gave Kairi the name of the biggest slut in the school. 'You know that you're the only one for me, what makes it so hard to say you want me?'

Kairi groaned under her breath at the scene that she was forced to play. 'Marluxia, you know that I love Zack. I have never loved you. I can't be with you.' Kairi bit back by giving Riku the name of the most flamboyant gay student in their year.

Sora grinned again and moved closer to Kairi, standing close enough to make her uncomfortable. 'I know you want me Yuna. I know that if you just give us a chance…' He moved into her suddenly and pulled her close to him, still grinning down at her. 'Kiss me sweet Yuna, I know you want me.'

Kairi struggled against Sora's strong arms tried to avoid his lips. She slapped him round the face and shoved away from him, falling over in her haste to get away. The rest of the group was not sure if this was part of the scene and decided to move on as though all of it was an act. Vexen stepped in as the third player, Zack.

'Marluxia, what's going on? What is she doing here?' Vexen stuttered, obviously floundering for lines. As he was clearly stuck for what to say, Riku stepped in and took over from Sora as Marluxia.

'I think you know Zack. She loves you as she never loved me.' Riku blinked and tried to draw attention from Kairi who was on the verge of tears. He broke into dramatic sobs and fell to his knees next to Kairi. In between sobs he whispered to her, 'Quick, swap with Larxene. She can take over for a bit.'

Covering her relief, Kairi motioned to Larxene to come and take her place on the floor. As she lifted her arm to beckon Larxene, the sleeve of her jersey fell back revealing twists of dried blood and still bleeding wounds on her wrist. She quickly yanked her sleeve down and looked away from the rest of the group praying that no one had noticed.

Riku had to swallow a gasp at the sight of the Kairi's wrist, but he knew that he couldn't draw attention to it. Even though the stunning revelation of the identity of his dream-link had clicked in his brain, now was not the time to say anything. He swiftly recovered his poise and resumed the dialogue of the scene. 'There is nothing I can do Zack. Nothing.'

Vexen tried to pull himself together but before he could gather his wits, Sora stepped into the part of Zack. 'Marluxia, there's something I must tell you. I don't care about Yuna in that way. I, I don't care for her at all. I…have something to tell you, and I don't know how to say it.' He artistically choked up and stared soulfully at Riku with a slight smile on his face.

Riku stared back at Sora in disbelief. 'Zack…whatever are you talking about? What's going on?'

Sora grinned again, and walked over to Riku where he fell to his knees next to him. 'I love you Marluxia. I can't deny it any longer. I can't stand to see you in the arms of that slut. I can't bear that she has such a hold over you.'

Larxene, still on the ground let out a credible scream of anguish and threw herself at Sora and Riku, beating theatrically at Sora's chest. She let out a moan and started to gabble in her interpretation of a hysterical girlfriend. 'How could you, you bastard? How could you do this to me? How could you have never told me?' Everyone in the group chuckled slightly at Larxene's reaction, at odds with her usually stoic and guarded veneer.

Sora pushed her away slightly and beckoned to Kairi to come and take over the part again. She walked slowly over to Larxene and knelt on the floor, shooting Sora a look of hatred as she did so. She moaned in the same way Larxene had, and went back to beating at Sora with her fists. Sora raised his hands defensively, as her attack was fiercer than Larxene's acting had been. He smiled at her sarcastically and looked back at Riku to continue the scene. 'Please speak to me Marluxia…tell me that you feel the same way.'

Riku glanced at Kairi and then stared at Sora. 'Zack…this is all too much. I, I don't know what to say.'

Sora giggled in a disturbing way, but before Riku could wonder over his amusement, it all became stunningly clear. 'Then don't say anything Marluxia. Just feel.' And with that, he lunged forward and kissed Riku full on the lips.

The class erupted as Sora held Riku close and kissed him hard. The small group hadn't realised that what was meant to be their practice time was actually the performance. Mr Tivanio called an end to the impromptu show and tried to calm the class before the bell went. No one noticed that Kairi went pale and swayed as though she was about to faint. Or that Riku just sat there, stunned by the conflicting feelings that filled him. Sora grinning and mugging for the crowd, played as usual to the attention. As the bell went he swept out the door with his crowd of followers, ignoring the aftermath of the scene just enacted.

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Kairi sank into a chair as the rest of the class surged out of the door with Sora. She felt too exhausted to cry or even draw which was her usual coping strategy. She stared blankly at the floor for what seemed like a year until Mr Tivanio's voice brought her back to earth. 'Kairi, what is happening to you?'

Looking up into Mr Tivanio's worried face, Kairi quickly averted her eyes and muttered a noncommittal response. She swiftly rose from her chair and walked out of the room before he could ask any more. Kairi could not stand the look of concern on her teacher's face, and she knew that the questions he was about to ask would not have been soft ones. She strode down the hall to her locker, but pulled up short as she noticed who was standing by it. Riku.

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Riku noticed the momentary hesitation in Kairi's step as she approached him, but he was too intent on what he was about to do to think too hard about it. As she stopped by her locker, Riku grabbed her arm and started walking her towards the door. She struggled slightly, but quickly gave up the pretence. Instead she just concentrated on getting out the door with the minimum of attention drawn to them.

Once they were outside, Riku steered Kairi towards the back wall of the classrooms that made up the English building. As they rounded the corner though, she dragged herself free of his grip and pushed him into the wall. He fell hard into the brick wall with a look of comic surprise on his face and stayed leaning there as she marched up to him.

'What the hell do you think you are doing Riku?' she hissed angrily. 'What the fuck do you want from me? Haven't you and Sora already done enough? And yet still you want to torment me some more. Who the hell do you think you are?'

She pulled back her hand to hit him, but Riku was too quick and gripped her wrist tightly. She winced as her shirt dragged over her cuts, but did not look away from his gaze. He stared into her face with a look of mingled anger and confusion.

'Kairi…Fuck, I don't know how to say this. I can't…I can't stop thinking about you.' He stuttered into silence and let go of her wrist, suddenly realising how hard he was holding her. Kairi slowly pulled her hand back and rubbed her wrist. She started to say something, but then she went pale and pulled away from him. She looked at him once more, with pain written clearly on her face, and then she turned and ran back towards the school building.

Riku stood speechless for the longest moment, but then the noises behind him finally registered. He turned to see Sora, Vexen and the rest of their group rounding the building, shoving and laughing. Riku groaned quietly and then quickly ran to join them. His thoughts however were with a redhaired girl and the slices he had seen on her arm.

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