Chapter One

There he sat. Right by the window, rain running down the glass. He had nothing else to look at, and there was no way he'd look at himself now that she was gone. For she had left him affected in a way unimaginable. He was a selfish male, and she, a hideous woman. He was home in the large house his parent's had left after death. A wealthy boy, the woman had gone to him for charity, only to be sneered at and rejected. She cursed him, in the rain on the steps of his home, for she was an enchantress, cursing him on his inability to sympathize, care, and love. What he was left with, was a beastly appearance and a date. A date for someone to fall in love with him, and for him to fall in love with. His 18th birthday, in one month.

Roxas sat in a desk in his English class. He was dozing off while listening to his teacher read a passage from Beauty and the Beast. His friend, Sora, was listening intently about the girl living with a monster. Riku sat next to the two, doodled little hearts in his notebook. He scribbled something down, gently ripped the paper, and pushed it onto Roxas's desk. He sat up and read the words: Sora looks like he's really into this book. Roxas wrote something back and passed the paper back: Ask him about it... and LOVE. Riku's face held a shocked expression that turned red fast. He furiously wrote some words and this time threw the paper at Roxas' head. He glared at the boy with silver hair as he unfolded the note: Dude, don't push it. You're the only one who knows I like him. As Roxas folded the paper, his teacher, Mr. Even stood by his desk, holding out his hand. Riku's jaw dropped and he almost screamed as Roxas dropped the note in the man's hand.

"You two, stand at the front." He said, pulling his blond hair away from his face. "Read it, or I do." Riku's face went pale and Roxas stood there with an unshakable poker face.

"Sora looks like he's really into this book," Riku squeaked, the paper held in front of the two.

"Ask him about it... and... love," Roxas grunted, trying to keep the words quiet.

"What was that last word?" Even asked as he kicked his feet up on his desk.

"Love. It was love," Roxas choked out. Sora's face went red at the word.

"Do I have to read the next part?" Riku asked. "If you don't want detention for passing notes."

"Dude, don't push it. You're the only one who knows..." His voice cut off and he was shaking. I could see behind his eyes, he was embarrassed beyond belief. Riku dropped the paper and ran from the room, only to be followed by Roxas. Sora stood and moved to the front, dropping to get the note from the tiled floor. A quick scan, and he left as well to find his friends.

Riku sank to the floor and pulled his legs to his chest and started to cry. Roxas sat next to him, wrapping an arm around his best friend, who eventually rested on his shoulder. Roxas took his sleeve and wiped Riku's face, who just kept sobbing.

"Roxas, I've never felt so stupid," he sobbed. "Why'd I even start that stupid note?" Riku was one to beat himself up when something went wrong. And when his pride was hurt, he was one to break down.

"Riku, there's nothing wrong. You're not stupid, you have feelings for him." Roxas rubbed his back and continued to help the broken boy. Then he saw the green shoes with the crew socks pulled up the legs he would know anywhere. Looking up, he saw his brother, Sora. He was calm, with Roxas's poker face.

"Roxas, may I have a minute with Riku?" He whispered. Roxas stood and Sora took his place, holding Riku's head. Riku looked up at him, blinking back tears and smiled at the one he loved.

Roxas left the hall and started for his locker when he noticed the tall figure in the dark cloak-type dressing. The hood was up so his face was hardly visible. He was being escorted around by a man of his height with white hair that almost reached the middle of his back. As they headed to the next room, Roxas caught a glimpse of the man's golden eyes and a glimpse of the red under the boy's hood. They both were carrying books from each of the senior classes. Roxas turned to look in his locker, but he could feel watched by the tall one. As he closed the door, he was surprised by his brother and his best friend. He looked down and noticed the two were clasping each other's hand.

"Riku asked me out for tomorrow night," Sora giggled. Roxas shot the white-haired boy an 'I so told you so' look. He broke their hands apart and they draped their arms over him in the middle. The school day had only half an hour left, so, why not leave?

The trio walked through the doors as the tall boy and his friend were getting to their car, and it was a fine sports car... They began to walk down the sidewalk as Roxas looked back at the boy, trying to learn who he was. But he disappeared into the metal monster of a vehicle. He was pulled along the walkway by the other two, so he couldn't look any longer.

"So, what'd you guys talk about?" Roxas asked the two lovers.

"Well, this one told me how much he liked me back, but then I made him stop talking," Riku said with a smile and Sora went red.

"A little fast with my brother, eh?" Roxas asked, then the two kissed right in front of him. He ducked under them, laughing, and ran further down the sidewalk. They caught up swinging their hands and wrapped their arms around the short blond.

"What do you think mom's making for dinner?" Roxas asked.

"Hopefully something Italian," the two said together, making them all look quizzically at each other. After a moment of silence, they burst out laughing. Riku grabbed Sora's hand and the two dashed up the road towards their home, leaving Roxas where he stood.

The short blond hummed to himself on his walk home. His neighborhood was mostly higher-class. Mr. Lexaeus was their neighbor on the right with Larxene on the left. Lexaeus was a business-man Roxas worked for in town at the bakery. Larxene was in her early twenties, renting her house from the man who owned all homes on their street, Mr. Saix who even lived in house number six. Roxas had met everyone in eleven homes, and they all got along fairly well. The house at the beginning of the street wasn't occupied from what Roxas had learned. But there was a secluded home, a manor, on the hill, number eight. No one ever went up there for fear of it being haunted. Roxas stood at the gate, looking longingly up at the manor.

Roxas opened the door to the home in which he lived, Sora and Riku on the couch watching TV. Riku's mother, Aerith, working on dinner in the kitchen. Roxas and Sora's parents were coming home one evening, but the night made a turn for the worst. On the night of their anniversary, their parents were murdered right on the street. The boys were 7 years old, and Riku's family gladly took them into their own. Knowing that leaving the neighborhood would affect the two, Aerith, Leon, and Riku moved into the Strife household. Leon worked two jobs to support his family of five, so he wasn't home much. That's where Roxas always felt guilty. These people have sacrificed for he and his brother for nearly six years, and he had no way to repay them.

"Aren't you boys home a little early?" Aerith asked, not taking her eyes from the stove.

"Maybe..." Riku said. She turned and stared him down. "Okay, the last class was like, five minutes from being over." He explained. Her glare never lightened.

"How about thirty, Riku?" Sora asked.

"And I made Roxas's favorite dessert." She held up a plain cheesecake. His mouth opened to say something, but he was mesmerized by the delicious treat. "You boys get none tonight." That's when Roxas's jaw dropped to the table. "Thanks, guys." He glared at the two of them, but lightened into a smile. "Saturday cheesecake breakfast!" He bellowed to get 'whoops' from Riku and Sora and even a laugh from Aerith. He jumped the back of the couch and landed between them with a 'plop' of the cushions.

Dinner was over and the night had fallen. Aerith went to bed, leaving the boys to themselves. That's when Riku got his idea.

"Guys, I say we go investigate Eight." He said with a devilish smile. He jumped off the couch and slid his shoes on, grabbing a flashlight from the cupboard. Sora got up too, following Riku wherever he went, turning back to say, "Come on, Roxas." The blond stood and got his shoes on, grabbing a flashlight.

Okay, I'm going through and fixing this story. Not only fixing, I'm adding more and I hope it doesn't seem too rushed to some. I even got that thought. So, keep looking out for new stuff!