Nobodies Become Somebodies pt2

NOBODIES BECOME SOMEBODIES

Chapter Two: Blush...and Run Away

Sora used his free hand to wipe sweat from his brow. Riku and him were carrying large pieces of wood to the shore, where the raft was being made. The heat beaming down from the sun was definitely making it worse, and this was one of those times when Sora wished he didn't live on a tropical island.

His mind started to wander to his past adventures again. He imagined the snowy mountains of China where he and his friends met Mushu and Mulan. Just thinking about the cold weather made him feel a little better, but not too much.

“Sora? You doing okay over there?” Riku inquired, “You're not getting tired, are you?”

“Of course not!” Sora didn't want to admit how exhausted he was, “I've never felt better!”

Riku chuckled. “Liar.”

“Oh, and you aren't the least bit tired yourself?”

Kairi yelled over to them from the almost completed raft, “C'mon, you two, stop dillydallying! Quit your jabbering and get over here!”

“Sorry!” They both replied.

As the afternoon slowly progressed for the three friends, they surprisingly ended up finishing the raft. They had only started it a few days before and were amazed at how fast their progress had been.

“Good going team!” Kairi cheered.

“Wow...We're actually done,” Riku said.

Sora rested in his usual “hands behind the head” pose. He hadn't felt such a great sensation of accomplishment like this in a while.

“How about we do something to celebrate?” Kairi suggested.

“I'm all for that!” Riku raised his hand.

“How about you, Sora? You ready for some fun!” Kairi glanced over at him.

“Uh....” Sora was taken aback by her smile again, “Um, yeah...definitely!”

“Let's go to my house! My mom could even whip us up some cake if I asked.  We should invite Selphie and the others, too!”

“Good idea, Kairi. Your mom's cooking skills are always up to par,” Riku agreed.

“I can go get the others,” Sora told them. “You two can start getting ready at Kairi's.”

As they parted and headed in different directions, Sora couldn't help but think about Kairi. It hadn't always been like this. He knew the reason he got so nervous around her, and it all began only a few weeks after the return home from Organization XIII's stronghold.

He just had to go look in the secret place again back then! He just had to notice Kairi's continuation of their drawing! Come to think of it, Kairi and him had never been in the secret place together since they came back to the islands. He didn't mind, though. He didn't want the subject of the secret place or the drawing to come up. However, Sora knew it was inevitable, since he knew Kairi still went there by herself every now and then. He would eventually have to face her and talk about it. He just hoped it wouldn't be soon.

The party at Kairi's was a great time for everyone. They ate cake and ice cream, played a few games, and mostly just talked in the living room. Wakka brought up the conversation of blitzball, as he always did. Tidus kept asking Riku and Sora if they wanted to duel the next day, early in the morning before they left (and with the regular wooden swords). Selphie and Kairi were off in their own little world, having their normal girl chit-chat. They giggled whenever they glanced over at the boys. The guys were not about to ask them what was so funny.

At the end of the party, Tidus, Selphie, and Wakka left, wishing their friends good luck with their trip on the raft the next morning. Sora, Riku, and Kairi stayed behind to make sure they had everything ready so they could leave as soon as possible.

After making sure all preparations had been made, Riku and Sora were ready to head home.

Riku walked out the front door, and before Sora had the chance to do the same, Kairi tapped him on the shoulder.

“Hey, Sora?”

Oh great...Sora turned around, “Yeah, Kairi? What's up?”

“Oh, nothing much. I just wanted to say that I'm really glad you came up with this idea. It'll be so much fun to go out to the ocean together! It's what we always talked about when we were younger. I'm glad we're finally able to do so.”

“Oh, it's no problem. I'm excited, too. I mean, it won't be as exciting as fighting heartless and traveling to worlds, but I'm still looking forward to it.”

Kairi turned around with her back to him. Had he said something wrong?

“You're right. We had some good times then, even if I didn't get to see you much. To tell you the truth, I actually kind of miss that exhilarating feeling,” Kairi admitted.

Sora was in complete shock. This whole time Kairi had actually felt the same way he and Riku did.

There was a long pause, and Kairi faced him again.

“That's silly, isn't it?...for me to think that way...”

“No, no! It isn't,” Sora said, “Riku and I feel the same. We just thought you were so happy being back home that we didn't want to mention it.”

Kairi smiled, “Well...I'm glad you think so...and, if we're being truthful and all, I guess being on the islands again isn't so bad still, especially since you're back again.”

Sora blushed again as he smiled back.

“And Riku, too, of course,” Kairi corrected herself, “It was so lonely without you both here. I just wish I could've come on your adventures with you.”

“Well, that's about to change tomorrow when we all go together.”

Kairi stared up at him, “But...what if just you and I went?”

Sora reared back for a second, “What!”

“JUST KIDDING!” Kairi laughed. “You're so gullible!” She gave him a soft whack in the arm with her fist.

Sora, laughed, too, but faking it, “Uh, yeah, I...guess I am...heh.”

“You know it wouldn't be fair to leave Riku behind without telling him. I can almost imagine how mad he'd be.”

“Yeah...”

Sora's mind went back to that day on the dock when Kairi mentioned just the two of them going on their first raft. She was so excited then, too.

---

“Sora! Let's take the raft and go. Just the two of us!”

“Huh?”

“Just kidding!”

“What's gotten into you?...”

---

“I just can't wait...once we set sail. It'll be great.”

---

Sora could help but laugh to himself. Kairi hadn't changed much since those days. That might have been the reason he loved hanging out with her so much. Her childlike energy always brightened his day.

“What are you so happy about?” Kairi asked him.

“Oh...nothing,” Sora replied.

“C'mon, your lying!”

“Well, I was just remembering how excited you were the first time we built a raft two years ago. You still have that same excitement about you now.”

Kairi pondered the statement before saying something. “I guess, despite those adventures we had, we all really haven't changed that much.”

“You're right. But I'd rather have it that way.”

“Me, too.”

Kairi then surprised Sora  by jumping up and giving him a great big hug. “You're great just the way you are, Sora.”

--

“Sora...don't ever change.”

--

She sure enjoyed catching him off guard.

Why does she always have to do that? Sora thought to himself.

Although it was a little awkward, he felt it wouldn't be right if he didn't return the favor, so he hugged her back.

“Thanks, Kairi. You are, too.”

After staying in their position for a while, Kairi drew back.

“Um...Sora?” her head was down. She seemed a little embarrassed, “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure...what is it, Kai?”

“Be...Before we leave tomorrow could...we go to the...the secret place one more time? I mean, we don't know how long we'll be gone, and I just figured we could go as our way of saying goodbye to the island, and I understand if you don't want to because I was just asking and I thought it would-”

“Whoa, Kairi, slow down!” Sora put his hands on her shoulders, “It's okay.”

She looked up, “You mean...you don't mind going there...just us two?”

Oh boy...I knew this was going to come up. Sora felt the nerves coming, but drew up some courage to speak. For some reason it wasn't as hard as he thought it would be. “Of course not. We're best friends aren't we?”

“Yeah, friends...right...” Kairi smiled once again.

Sora face started turning red as he took his hands off her in a hurry. “Well, Kairi, I better get going...need to get lots of rest for tomorrow.”

“Definitely. See you in the morning.” She waved.

He waved back. “Right!...bye.”

Sora exhaled deeply after he walked out the front door and closed it behind him.

“What took you so long?”

“Ahhh! Ri-Riku?”

Riku was standing right outside. He had been waiting for Sora to come out.

Sora inquired, “Were...were you listening the WHOLE time?”

“Hmmmm...maybe,” Riku started walking away and Sora quickly followed.

“So, exactly how much did you hear?”

“Oh, I heard enough,” Riku smirked.

“So...uh....”

“Sora, why is it so hard to admit?”

“Admit what? What are you talking about?” he raised a quizzical eyebrow.

Riku laughed a hearty laugh, “You know perfectly well what I'm talking about.”

There was a long silence as they walked along the beach's shore, their shoes making noises in the sand.

Sora finally brought up the subject, “It's pretty obvious isn't it?”

“That you like Kairi?”

“Well, I...I just...I guess I'm just a little nervous to...to-”

“Tell her how you feel?”

“...Yes...”

Riku patted him on the back, “Don't worry! You'll be able to do it! I have faith in you.”

“Thanks, Riku.”