Author Note: Again, I would like to know what you people think...really
"Could it be me? Could I be the reason I'm so lonely? " -Sora Harada
Chapter 9: Of Loneliness and Plans
SORA'S POV
Have you ever felt like you were being left out of the loop? Have people ever been talking and when you'd walk into the room, they'd stop? You're not alone, it's happened to me. For the past few days at work I've been 'left out of the loop'. Reno, Yuffie, and even Vincent (who's usually distant anyway) have been more distant than normal. Riku and Leon still talk to me…but try to have a conversation with a guy who can only think about sex…believe me, it's not very fun.
Today is Monday. Fabulous, wonderful Monday.
Monday is the worst out of the seven days. It's the start of a new week; it's the first day for kids to return to school…It's not like the day before, relaxing and peaceful…with no cares in the world. No. Mondays suck with a capital S.
I yawn with exhaustion. My weekend was rough and I haven't the foggiest clue why.
Ok, so I lied. It wasn't 'rough', as in everything bad that could happen did…no it was more of a 'I couldn't sleep, and Cloud was waaaay to loud with Leon for my liking' kind of weekend. If you catch my drift.
Resting my head against the glass countertop I gaze down at the red scanner. It dances back and forth…spinning in a pattern. It's rather boring.
I glance up, not even bothering to lift my head, to see only 2 people in the store…another bad part about Monday…it's the slowest day of the week.
It's times like this when I wish I had super powers, preferably the power to fly. Flying would be so cool! Or even being able to levitate things…I could freak the customers out by making things move at them. It would keep me amused, no?
I hear the 'employees only' door swing open, squeaking on it's hinges. "Get over there!" I hear Yuffie whisper. Lifting my head. I turn to see Reno stumble through the door. I give him a friendly smile, happy that I finally have someone to talk to…that is, if he'll talk to me.
Maybe that's how they run things here…the first week everyone's really nice to the new person (that person being me), testing him out, making sure he's ok, and then if he isn't, they just ignore him.
…but that would mean I'm not good enough.
I begin to pout, not wanting Reno's company anymore.
Alas, I do get his company for after he turns around and yells at the person who pushed him through the door (I'm assuming it was Yuffie). He sighs and finally notices me, saluting/waving while walking over. Pulling up a stool he sits down giving me a toothy grin in the process. "Good morning Sora!" He chirps.
"It's not a very good morning." I grumble, laying my head back down, completely unfazed by Yuffie pushing Reno through a door. Why should I be? Strange things happen around here constantly…it's not that bad in comparison.
Reno's smile falters. "Really? What's wrong?" He rests his head next to mine on the counter, waiting for me to explain myself.
"It's just…" No, I'll sound stupid. Reno will think I'm just a big baby. So what if they aren't paying any attention to me? I'm sure they all have a good reason. I can't expect to win over their undivided attention having only worked here about a week. "…it's nothing."
Reno snorts sitting up and poking me in the side. "Nothing my ass…I'm serious. What's wrong?"
I look over out of the corner of my eye. He sits there smiling, looking genuinely concerned. His eyes pled with me. "Fine." I huff, sitting up in my chair and turning to face him. I keep my eyes downcast, still not 100 comfortable with this situation. "I feel like people are avoiding me on purpose."
Reno is silent. I look up half expecting him to laugh at me and tell me I'm right. Instead his frown intensifies as he begins to think. A few moments go by and his eyes widen. "Well, gee kid, I'm sorry…we've just all been really busy this morning I guess, we didn't mean to." He sounds sincere. "Well, I'm here now…so that's good yes?"
I sit up, a little happiness returning to my face. Call it insecurity…call it a phobia…call it what ever you want, I Sora Harada, to not like to be alone. "Yea…it's good."
The 'employee only door' swings open again as Riku stumbles through holding another box of clothes. Reno's eyes light up and he jumps up from the stool. "Sorry kid, I have to go…" He happily chirps, running over to help Riku with the box. He plucks the box from Riku's grasp, which earns him a 'hey!' from Riku, and drops it on the ground. Grabbing Riku's arm he takes one look at me and drags him into the back room Riku protesting the whole way.
I blink once…I blink twice…I blink a third time as realization dawns on me. Heeey! He left me alone again! I pout crossing my arms over my chest. This is sooo not fair!
After 4 more hours of being alone behind the register I finally decide it's time to leave.
Pushing the heavy metal backdoor I immediately begin to look for Cloud. Looking both left and right I fail to notice Cloud's car or motorcycle. There is only one car in the back lot, and on the hood of this car sits a figure. Upon closer inspection this figure turns out to be a man with pretty long silver hair, tight (but hot) leather pants, and a cold uncaring demeanor.
I gulp a bit, uneasy with this stranger. He looks scary…what if he jumps me? Or worse, rapes me…well, maybe that wouldn't be so bad…he is rather hot. You know, come to think of it…he looks a lot like Riku. The hair…the skin tone…even the way he holds himself, they're all like Riku…hmm I wonder if his personality is like Riku's.
Mental note: Ask Riku about it later.
I put my shoulder bag down on the ground and take a seat up against the wall. After a few minutes of waiting for my brother to show up I start to fidget, getting bored. I look down at my sneakers, nothing to do there; I look down at my shirt, still bored. Leaning forward I look to the left…nothing. I look to the right…nada. Leaning back against the wall I sigh and slump my shoulders.
I've never been able to sit quietly and wait. I've always had to be moving and talking with other people, never really left alone. I guess I'm a bit insecure.
The backdoor opens and I look up happily. It's someone to talk to! My smile fades a bit as that someone turns out to be a Riku…and not just a Riku…an angry Riku.
"God damn, mother fucking, son of a-" He grumbles down the sidewalk muttering only to himself.
I cock my head and furrow my brows in confusion wondering what Riku's so flustered about.
"Uh…Riku?" As soon as I say this he stops, spinning around to see me in surprise.
"Oh…Hi Sora." He tries to smile. "Uh…didn't see you there." He sighs deeply turning just a bit to stare back at the man in the back lot.
I look back as well, remembering that I wanted to ask Riku about him. This man has spotted us and is now walking towards us, an eerie smile on his face. "Who is that?"
Turning back to face me Riku's eyes hold a bit of fear, anger, and even sadness? "Sora…" His voice cracks. "This is Sephiroth, My brother."
"Understanding love isn't easy, at least at first. For years, I've done
it all wrong, but lately, I've wanted to start new. –Riku Kitara
Riku's POV
Doors have never ever been my friends (as can be said for Showers and running into things nose first).
They've always been either too heavy or too light…too wooden …they've had too many window's or too little windows…doors.
Well lets just say they're never perfect.
Heavy: Doors that are too heavy require too much force to open them…once you get it open, however, you usually trip and fall because you haven't stopped pushing.
Light: When doors are too light you always expect them to be harder to push open then they really are…so you push hard…and fall because it open's too fast.
Wooden: Wooden doors seem to always give me blisters…maybe it's just me, but when ever the doors are made of wood my thumb (no matter where I place it on the door) seems to find the one splinter that will go the deepest into my skin.
Many windows: too many windows will blind you as the light blares through, impairing your vision…
No windows: When there are no window's on doors you never know who or what is on the other side, therefore you usually hit whatever's on the other side (which is usually me).
Now…I know you'd rather not listen to a 30-minute rant on why doors bother me, but it's all relevant. Why? Simple…the door I am standing in front of is pissing the hell out of me.
When Leon built this place he must not have been thinking…if I was him I would have for gone the doors and maybe hung up beads instead…something…hippie.
Managing to get the door open I stumble through it careful not to drop the box full of clothes I have in my hands. Looking around the store I pause before I look down to the box I'm holding. Veeeeeeeeery breakable bottles of makeup and perfume…so that means they'll go in the---My thoughts are rudely interrupted as the heavy box is snatched from my hands. I blink in surprise.
"Hey!"
Definitely wasn't expecting that. I look up to see Reno smiling happily with my box in his grasp. I watch in horror as he drops the glass bottles letting them crash to the ground.
How could he? Leon's going to kill me! Before I can yell at him he grabs my wrist and yanks me back through the employee's only door.
Oh hell no! He's not going to drag me off before I can clean the mess up off the floor! If Leon sees it, I'll be screwed! "Reno! What the hell? Let me go!" I tug at his hand, but alas, my struggling is in vain.
The door closes tight behind us. Reno holds his hand over my mouth.
"Shhh, settle down man, I wont kidnap you."
"Psh…Isn't that what you just did?" I bite back.
"Alright you two settle down." Yuffie smiles walking up from behind Reno. "I know you're probably really busy Riku, so lets just get down to business." She claps her hands in front of her smiling brightly.
I roll my eyes jerking away from Reno's arms (which are still holding on to me afraid I'll run). "Alright, you have my attention, now talk. What's so important that it can't wait?"
Yuffies sweet innocent smile darkens. U-oh?
"Well, you know how Sora's birthday is in two days?"
Two days? Birthday? What?!? How come no one ever tells me these kinds of things! Shit, I don't have time to get him a present. How am I supposed to find one? What does he like? What size shoe does he wear? Is his favorite color purple? Does he like to watch TV? What's his favorite animal? What---
"So what about it?" I ask, my interest suddenly peaked.
"Well we all figured we could throw him an insane Birthday party." Reno offered. "His parents will be outta town and from what we've heard from Cloud, Sora's never really had a big birthday bash."
Hmm. Birthday party? Well, I might be able to do it. "When are you guys going to have it?"
"Well duh, his birthday is in two days. So what better day then his birthday?"
In that instant all my hopes and dreams are shattered. "It would be nice…buuuuuuut," I look down to my feet, disappointment evident in my eyes.
"But what hun? I thought you liked Sora? This would be a GREAT time to get to know him better," Reno smiles moving closer to jab me in the ribs "There'll be alcohol!"
"I'm sorry guys, but my brothers gonna be in town." I whisper.
There's an awkward silence. Yuffie looks at Reno and Reno looks at Yuffie, both with widened eyes. "You mean Sephiroth?" She asks, apparently still not believing me.
I shake my head numbly.
Upon confirmation her hand flies to her chin in thought. "Well, he IS a hottie. Maybe if he came to the party it wouldn't be that bad."
I pause to consider this. Sure I hate him. But, I really really want to go to Sora's party. There's absolutely no way of just leaving without him, knowing Sephy, he'd want to know what I'm up to. "I guess we'll both be there then."
"Great!" She smiles, jumping up and down. An instant later she's off down the hall giggling all the way. Weird girl.
"Ok, well, just don't mention anything to Sora, it's called a surprise for a reason."
"Yea, yea I wont tell--"
I'm cut short as Leon's angry voice echoes down the hallway. "RIKU!!" I cringe, guessing he's found the glass. I glare up at Reno, wanting to cry; he just smiles sheepishly in response before taking off down the hallway to hide. "Gee, thanks, some friend YOU are!" I yell after him.
Jerk.
Well, that concludes the next chapter of TPWL cant wait to write the next chapter. My fan club has contacted me (yes I have a fan club!!!) with a few interesting ideas, I'm thinking about adding some in (trust me you'll LOVE it). REVIEW. Ja-Ne.