Fast Food Madness: The Epic Return V2

Kairi kept her eyes on Namine, wondering if Roxas or her grandfather's death was what was bothering her. "Alright. Then whenever you want to talk, let me know, okay?" she said. "Over the past few months we've been distant...and I know that. It's just..." She looked behind Namine while she spoke, but that was when she discovered the other blond she invited.

Roxas closed the door behind him, the bell chime faint compared to the music that somebody was playing on the small stage in the shop. He let his eyes dart around the cozy shop before he spotted Kairi at a table...and Namine sitting across from her. For the moment, he was thankful Namine's back was to him. He lowered his gaze from Kairi's and rubbed the back of his head, making his way toward the table.

 

Namine tilted her head to the side slightly when Kairi trailed off. She had noticed her looking past her, but she figured that Nathan was coming over with a smoothie and she got distracted. "...Just what?" she asked curiously, trying to figure out what her best friend was trying to say.

 

Kairi moved her focus from Roxas's figure to Namine again, the girl biting her lip in hesitation. "Just that...um," she tried, but she didn't succeed. It was then that she felt Nathan put his hand on her shoulder, having arrived back at the table.

Nathan set Namine's smoothie down in front of them and then moved around Kairi's chair to take back his seat. When he reached that side of the table, another person met him there. Nathan smiled slightly, recognizing the blond boy. "Oh, hey Roxas. Thanks for coming," he greeted, clapping the teen on the shoulder before taking his seat next to Kairi.

Roxas scratched the side of his head, eyes focusing on the guy in front of him. "Uh, thanks," he replied. Even though he didn't like Nathan touching him like they were all buddy-buddy, Roxas made his eyes move to Kairi, and then Namine.

 

Namine looked over her shoulder, her eyes widening slightly in surprise. When she saw Roxas looking at her, she turned her gaze to Kairi, her expression calming when she realized what had happened. She looked at Kairi, drilling her with a look that said, you set me up. She didn't appreciate it, not one bit. She hadn't seen Roxas for a long time, and seeing him again in a public place couldn't possibly go well.

 

When Namine looked away, Roxas followed her gaze to Kairi. Obviously Namine didn't know he was coming, and Roxas hadn't known that she would be here either. So, Kairi had this in mind this whole time? He gave the redhead a look, eyebrows furrowing slightly.

Kairi tucked her hair behind her ear and let her eyes fall to the tabletop, the girl cowering under both of the blonde's gazes. "Um, I can explain, you guys," she started softly, glancing up at them. But she didn't have time to say anything more.

 

Namine reached down and picked up her purse, rising to her feet. "I have to go," she said softly, glancing at Kairi and Nathan. She left her smoothie on the table, not caring about it in the first place. She held her purse in her hand for a few steps and then put it over her shoulder, heading towards the door before Kairi could explain herself. On the inside, she couldn't believe that Kairi had the nerve to set her up, but she wasn't going to freak out about it. She would go home, lock herself in her room, and then freak out.

 

Kairi pushed herself up from her seat. "No, Namine, wait--" she tried, but she realized her attempt was useless. Namine wasn't going to wait for an explanation.

Roxas moved his eyes from the retreating blonde to Kairi. "I'll, um...see you later, Kairi," he said, briefly glancing at Nathan before going after Namine. He needed to talk to her; now was his chance.

 

Namine pushed the door open, hearing Kairi's protests but not turning around. She needed to leave. Now. She made a left hand turn out of the shop and kept walking, not looking over her shoulder or bothering to put her hat on. It was safe in her purse, so whatever. It didn't matter as long as she got away so that she could breathe freely.

 

Kairi had her hands against the table as she watched the two blondes race out of the shop, a look of disbelief against her face. She felt a comforting touch on her elbow, looking over to see Nathan looking up at her with a sad smile. She returned it, but briefly, her eyes darting back to the door in time to see Roxas going outside.

Roxas pushed the door open and turned the way the blonde girl had gone. "Namine!" he called, picking his pace up to a jog to catch up to her. She was walking away, but he wasn't going to give up.

 

Namine heard the voice call to her, and over the sounds of traffic, she thought she heard a pair of footsteps jogging towards her. Though her shoulders tensed, she kept walking, knowing that actually running away would cause a scene. The last thing she wanted was for people's attention to be focused on her.

 

Roxas jogged toward the girl he had such strong feelings for. "Namine, wait!" he begged, slowing his pace slightly the closer he got to her. When he reached her, he brought his hand up and grasped her elbow, meaning to stop her.

 

Namine was forced to stop walking when Roxas grabbed her elbow, the girl only halting her walk because she didn't want to cause a scene. Five seconds, Roxas, she thought, looking down at the ground. Then I'm out of here. He was talking to her, but she didn't feel talking to him. Not after all the nasty things he said to her.

 

Roxas realized then that Namine wasn't going to look at him, and he stepped over, standing to the side of her. He bent his head slightly, trying to get a look at her face. "Namine, we need to talk," he said then, his voice showing his plead. "Don't walk away."

 

Namine looked up at Roxas, her defensive eyes meeting his. "You walked away last time," she pointed out. "Now it's my turn." With that, she started walking away again, facing forward. Roxas had done more than just "walk away"; he had insulted her, insulted Kairi, and broke her heart. She was done being his target whenever he lost his temper.

 

Roxas blinked, eyes following Namine as he stood frozen in place. Okay, he deserved that--more than that, actually--but it still wasn't going to stop him. "Please just hear me out," he called after her, walking a few steps behind her. "We can't avoid each other forever."

 

Namine kept walking, her heart skipping a beat at the words. No, they couldn't avoid each other, especially with Kairi setting them up like that. "We can, and we will," she said, the words not being ones of logic. "And don't try to prove me wrong." If Roxas kept following her, then she would enter a building and go into a women's restroom or something. She would do whatever it took to get away from this moment, the girl not ready to hear whatever excuses Roxas was prepared to give her.

 

Roxas's feet stopped moving, the boy coming to a halt at the words. He could only gaze after Namine with saddened eyes as she kept on walking, the boy suddenly feeling very defeated. She...really meant that, didn't she?

 

Namine kept her head up, crossing the street into a more populated sidewalk. She allowed herself to get lost into the crowd before she lowered her head, stopping with her charade. She actually felt a bit guilty for saying what she said, but that was nothing compared to what Roxas said to her last week.

 

Roxas looked after Namine, silently tucking his hands into his pockets as people passed him on the sidewalk. He lowered his eyes to the ground after a moment, knowing deep inside that he shouldn't feel bad about the way he had just been treated; he deserved it, or something even worse. The boy looked up after a moment and turned around, knowing there was nothing he could do now. He was going home.

 

Namine bit on her lip, looking down as she walked. Her parents weren't expecting her home for a while; if she came in now, they'd no something was wrong. She sighed, figuring she would either go to the park or to the cemetery for the second time that day. It didn't really matter anymore. Roxas had first burnt the bridge between them, and though he had wanted to rebuild it, Namine pushed him away. She couldn't help but think that things were possibly over for real now.