Tifa looked up at Zack who was staring at her from across the hall. She had been trying to focus on the conversation she was having with her friends but him eyeing her kept distracting her. "I'm sorry Light what were you saying?" Tifa said for the nth time.
"Damn Tifa do you need a hearing aid! I am trying to tell you this amazing story and you keep on staring at-oh," Lightning stopped mid sentence seeing who had been giving her trouble on focus. "Why do you keep looking at Zack?"
"I don't. He keeps looking at me," Tifa said defensively.
"Look if you like him there isn't anything to be ashamed of I mean we all have gone through a digging Zack Fair phase. We then realize he is an idiot and move on," Light said with a shrug.
"I don't like him Light. Just drop it," Tifa snapped and clutched her books tightly to her chest. The truth was she did like him and she was actually falling for him, but she knew how news spread at their school and no one could know the truth about he complicated relationship with that boy.
"Fine, damn. Didn't realize I hit a nerve," Light said with a chuckle. "Look we should get going if we or at least you have time to get ready for the party tonight at Yuna's." Tifa nodded and began to leave but gave Zack a warning glance.
Tifa did her hair and makeup because she knew where the night would end up. She sighed and bit her lip. She questioned if she could tell Lightning what had been going on, but then dismissed it. They had agreed, no one could know.
"Tifa you almost ready?!" Lightning called from outside Tifa's bathroom.
"Yeah sorry," she said and opened the door.
"Finally! Holy hell you took forever!"
"Sorry perfection takes time," Tifa joked.
Lightning did a once over of her friend. "You look really dressed up, why?"
"I can't look hot when I feel like it?"
"I mean I guess but if I didn't know you any better I would say you have a guy to impress. Then again that is shooting for the stars since you and me are forever alone," Light said with a laugh. "Come on let's go!"
Tifa rolled her eyes and went with Lightning. They took Light's car.
Tifa had lost her friends at Yuna's "small get together" of over a hundred people, or seemed like it, and alcohol to supply an army of AA members. She finally moved her way through people to reach a wall. She yelped when someone grabbed her though. Tifa turned to see Zack. She punched him not hard enough to really injure him but hard enough to make a point.
"Hey Teef," he said with his arms around her.
"Zack you asshole you nearly scared me to death!" Tifa replied still slowing her heart rate but was unsuccessful considering how close they were. She finally realized he was still holding her and she pushed him away. "Zack I can't do that."
"Come on Teef no one is focused on us," Zack said with a chuckle. Little did she know all he wanted was her.
"Follow me," she said and led him to a small area of the back yard no one went to. (I am basing the backyard after my friend's). They were surrounded by trees and there was a bench swing. She sat down and he followed suit. "Zack we agreed not in front of other people."
"Are you afraid I will embarrass you?" Zack said with a chuckle.
"More like I will embarrass you. Zack, someone popular like you shouldn't be with a girl like me! I am all book smart. And you know what girls would say if they found out. They would say I am blowing you just to get attention. Everybody talks, Zack." Tifa examined the ends of her hair, embarrassed that she had mentioned all of that.
Zack sighed and tilted her chin up to him. He gave her a half smile. Her heart nearly melted right then and there. "Lets forget about everyone else right now," he whispered. She slightly smiled back and he leaned in and kissed her.
Tifa wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing him to her. It took both of them back to the time when they first met.
Zack's best friend, Noctis, was really into Lightning. At a party, just like the one they were at currently. Noctis needed his help to single out Lightning. Since the only distraction she had was from the short but top heavy brunette, Zack went for it. He tapped on her shoulder.
Tifa turned around and smiled. "Yes?"
"Hey I was wondering if you might-"
Tifa cut him off. "Look I saw your friend stalking mine from a mile away. I was just about to leave her alone so they could talk. You don't need to humor me by talking to me," Tofa said with a laugh.
"Wow. You are good."
"Yeah I am," Tifa said with a chuckle. "I am Tifa Lockhart by the way."
"Zack Fair," he said and smiled. He scratched the back of his neck. "Well this is a bit awkward. Well do you still want to go out back with me?"
"Don't you have a girlfriend to worry about?"
"None that I am aware of, unless that is you offering," he said and smirked.
Tifa rolled her eyes. "Fine lead the way, Casanova."
He chuckled and grabbed her hand and pulled her threw the crowd. She noticed the few girls who stared and starting whispering amongst themselves. Tifa ducked her head and followed him. When they got outside he grinned. "So what do you want to do know that we are out of that mess?"
"You didn't have a plan?" Tifa asked with an eyebrow raised.
"Not really. I can usually make it up as I go, but I could think of a few things," he said and pulled her to him.
Tifa shook her head with a smile. She pushed him away and walked towards her favorite spot of the backyard. It was well secluded from the yard, in fact not many people knew about it, except her friends of course. It had a bench swing. She sat down on the swing and he followed her in there. "This is cool, I mean its a good place to hide or something. Wait are we hiding from something?"
Tifa chuckled. "Other than your fan girls, not really."
"You jealous?" Zack asked with a chuckle hinted in his voice.
"Not in the slightest, pretty boy," Tifa said.
"That's a shame, how else can I include you in this game?" Zack asked and sat down next to her.
"There doesn't always have to be a game you know?"
"Been there though. You girls love games, it doesn't take long to figure it out."
Tifa turned to look at him. "You are right, but we only like it when we know there is a future and not just empty words." She looked away and played with the hem on the sleeves of her long sleeve shirt. "Unless you are like some of the girls you hook up with..."
"I think I am getting over those girls. They are way to easy. I think I am starting to like smart girls," he said and grabbed her hand. She blushed and looked down.
"How do you know I am a smart girl?" Tifa asked.
"You lug around that God awful Algebra2/Trig text book. I am year older than you and I am taking that class next year. Plus you carry like a million page books to read on your own time."
"How do you know all that?"
"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to notice you," he said and tilted up her chin so she was looking at him. "I've see you around." Tifa felt her cheeks turn scarlet. "You really are beautiful," he whispered and pressed his lips lightly to hers.
"Woah! What do we have going on back here?!" Lightning, who was clearly intoxicated, nearly shouted. Tifa's eyes widened as Zack clearly wanted to proceed. Tifa pulled away and stood.
"Light keep it down!" Tifa snapped.
"I knew you liked him! Damn I am good!" Light shouted and did a victory fist, Breakfast Club style, that threw off her balance slightly, so she wobbled.
"Light go away!" Tifa said.
"Fine continue having sex back here I don't give a shit but Yuna might!" Lightning slurred and took off running.
"No Light! Damn it!" Tifa said and panicked.
"Look Teef don't worry about it," he said and tried to hug her. Tifa moved away from him.
"No! I need to worry about it! Everyone will be talking because she can't keep her mouth shut especially when she is drunk."
"Seriously, Teef it isn't an issue, calm down."
"Zack, you don't understand what it isn't like to be popular or a girl for that matter. If she tells anyone else, I will be the talk of the school. You don't know what will happen," Tifa said. Zack kissed her.
"I don't care what people say," he said.
Tifa looked away. "Don't act like when your friends make a comment you will just high five them and go on with your life. That is what our social circles allow. They aren't intermingling." Tifa sighed. "This was a mistake," she whispered and left him standing there dumb founded. She wiped an on coming tear from her eye.
She walked back into the house and she got a few stares. She ducked her head and tried to ignore it. She heard his ex mumble, "She isn't even pretty." Tifa ran out of the house and just began to walk home. She didn't live too far.
Tifa really didn't want to go to school. She had a bad feeling about what was going to happen. She sighed and still got out of her car. She walked into the building and sighed at the girls who saw her and began whispering. Not obvious at all.
She had her head down until she got to her locker and saw the one person she really didn't want to see. "Go away Zack," she mumbled slightly pushing him off her locker.
"No, Tifa we need to talk."
"No we don't I think I made myself pretty clear and look at the result. I told you this would happen."
"Just because," he paused and she saw his concentration drift as he shook his head. She turned just in time to see the one and only Noctis mid pelvic thrust. She turned back to Zack.
"Like I said. I told you so," Tifa said and walked away.
Lightning caught up with her friend. "Teef! Wait up!"
Tifa slowed slightly but kept walking. Light finally got her pace and then began talking. "Hey."
"Hey," Tifa mumbled.
"What's wrong?" Light asked.
"I am just not up to speaking much today." Tifa noticed again how others began whispering.
"Oh. Issues with Zack?" Light said suggestively.
"Yes and no. Look I really just don't want to talk about it."
"What happened?" Lightning asked.
"We got into and argument but lets drop it. I knew we were too different for it to work so it doesn't mat-" Tifa was interrupted by the loud speaker.
"Tifa Lockhart please come to the quad," the announcement said.
"Great more attention..." Tifa muttered and walked with Lightning to the quad and saw a crowd of people standing around. The quad and Tifa and Lightning looked at the crowd confused. The wedged through the crowd when she heard a guitar. She found herself to the front of the circle with Light right behind her. Zack sat on a table strumming the guitar and played "She Had The World" by Panic! At The Disco.
Tifa gasped lightly. He would choose that song, not something super romantic like Always, she thought and like he read her mind he began to play that song. He looked up and smiled at her then began to sing. She felt her cheeks go hot and then Lightning shove her out of the crowd. She glared at her friend then Tifa bit her lip and looked down. Everyone was staring and whispering.
She was blushing furiously by the time he finished both songs. Zack got up and smirked at her. "Tifa?"
She avoided eye contact and looked anywhere but at his face. "What was this about?" Tifa asked quietly.
He chuckled. "I thought it was pretty obvious, I mean if you don't get it I could play another-" He started to grab his guitar. Tifa shook her head and grabbed his hand to stop him.
"Don't, I-I got it," Tifa said. She noticed there was still an audience and it appeared that no one planned on missing this. She laughed quietly. "Why me? Zack you know no one is going to drop this now..."
"I was counting on that actually." Tifa raised an eyebrow. "You see now everyone can spread that you're mine."
"And if I don't want to be?" Tifa joked.
"Well then I made a fool of myself in front of everyone for nothing."
"Zack, you didn't make a fool of yourself. It was surprisingly sweet."
"That's me Teef. Guaranteed sweet surprises," he said with a smirk suggesting more than should've in front of a large crowd.
"Kiss her!" Noctis shouted from the crowd. Tifa's jaw dropped slightly and blushed again. Soon enough everyone began chanting even her friends.
"Well shall we give the people what they want?" Zack asked. Tifa just smiled. He dramatically dipped her and kissed her. Everyone cheered but it felt like it was just them two. They eventually pulled away and the crowd started clearing.
They stood there until everyone was gone. Zack smiled. "So what do you want to do?"
Tifa grabbed his guitar and said, "First your going to explain where your musical talent came from and then how about we go back to my house and have an eighties movie marathon."
"You have Sixteen Candles?" Zack asked, hopefully.
She laughed. "Who doesn't? Now start explaining." Tifa smiled, finally content with everything.
Sometimes it isn't too bad when everybody talks...