Sorry for the boring beginning! I promise that things will get better in the later chapters! In the mean time, PLEASE review! And no flamers please!

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I frowned as I tapped my pencil on my desk impatiently. I glanced at the clock that hung from the plain, beige wall and sighed happily when I saw how much time I had left. Only five minutes left I thought reassuringly to myself. I leaned my chin against my hand which was propped against the old wooden desk that looked prepared to give out under me. Aerith shot me a sidelong glance before whispering "What's with the long face Tifa, you know, besides this class…you've been like this all day…did something happen?".

My frown deepened seeing as how she was right, like always. Something did happen. And it was something big. But this wasn't just any something I could just go ahead and announce with other students around with their nosy, listening ears close by. No, I would half to tell her later, of course, that was assuming I had the guts to bring it up.

Technically, it wasn't really my fault… only technically though. I mean technically it was my idea…sort of. More of a thought really. It doesn't really count as an idea if you don't plan on putting it into action, right? Still, that's beside the point. I did tell her and so now I would pay the price. The second the idea, excuse me, thought came out of my mouth, I regretted it. Rightfully so. Now, Yuffie and I were going to do it. We are going to sneak into the creepy old Shinra Mansion.

Even if the damn thing was supposedly abandoned, it was so freaky! But I suppose that was why it was freaky. I mean it was abandoned! It looked like nobody has lived in there for at least 10 years! In reality, nobody has lived there in like a year and a half. The Shinra family moved out of that mansion and moved to a bigger one somewhere nicer I'm sure. Stupid rich bastards.

I suppose that was the only good news out of this whole thing. The Shinras wouldn't be around to catch us at there house! It would be impossible to even consider going near there if the Shinras were still around. Well then again, anything is impossible if you are dead. Yea, that's right; Yuffie and I would be dead if we got caught. But I suppose that's what got her going. Apparently she more into near death experiences than I thought.

I sighed again, this time a little louder. Mrs. Lofter the Biology teacher looked back and raised her eyebrows at me before returning to the whiteboard and continuing her lesson about the heart, or something like that. Aerith merely shook her head in a disapproving way. She opened her mouth to say something, most likely pose a question or two about my bad mood but was cut off by the bell.

While other students got out of their chairs slowly and sluggishly and picked up their books or talked to their friends or fellow classmates, I jumped out of my seat, grabbed all of my books, and sprinted out of the classroom. I needed to get out of there pronto. I only had a few minutes to pack up my backpack and start running home before Yuffie caught up to me.

It's not that I don't like Yuffie, in fact, she's my best friend. But it seems like that's the problem. She's my friend and apparently 'friends do things for friends' and therefore, if one friend gets in deep shit, so does the other. I'm already regretting saying that I would go with her. But that's how it always is with her. It's like making a deal with the devil, it never works out so good for the other person.

As I threw all of my books into my bag as quickly as possible I felt a tap on my shoulder and then heard the familiar high pitched voice of my best friend "Hey Tifa! You ready for tonight??!?!? I can't wait! I can't stop thinking about! I'm so psyched!" Yuffie jumped up and down while she chattered away, obviously to excited to stand still. I grimaced. Oh yea, I was excited alright, especially since the activity I decided to participate in was practically a death march.

I finished getting my books together and slung my backpack over my shoulder. I crouched down and searched under the cluttered papers and fallen books to try to find my pink lock. I stuck my hand towards the back of the bottom shelf knowing it was probably stuffed back there somehow. "Aha!" I quickly exclaimed as my hand grasped the lock. Yuffie tapped her foot impatiently while I quickly hooked the lock onto my locker after closing it.

Yuffie grinned widely at me revealing a row of straight white teeth. "Do not look at me like that" I groaned. If she thought that she was going to bring up our 'after school activity' again, I might half to hit her up side the head. "Yuffie don't talk about it, I was just starting to forget about it" I pleaded her with big eyes that I knew had no effect on her whatsoever. "Oh quit your whining! Oh, and can we go now, because we have a lot to do, and a little time to do it!" Yuffie demanded with one hand on her hip and her hand pointed at the door.

Usually I would I have laughed at Yuffie's constant use of her hands while talking but today, I couldn't even think about being happy when such a horrid event was to occur tonight. What if we got caught? Did she realize how much trouble we would actually be in? Was she even processing that minor factor? Maybe I could talk some sense into her on the way home.

"Yea we can go now" I said while walking towards the two wooden doors. Yuffie and I made our way through the huge crowd of high schoolers until we got to the doors that were acting like a funnel. I shoved through them, probably knocking down a kid or two with my full backpack, but I got outside alright. I took a gulp of fresh October air and relaxed a little. The cool air cleared my head and relieved some stress.

I looked back at the mob for the familiar short black spikey hair. I glanced around again. "Oh god, I haven't even gotten out of the building and I've already lost her" I muttered. I felt my forehead crease as she remained missing. Where the hell was she?

Suddenly I was poked on either side of my sides and I squealed loudly. I flipped around with my arms protectively wrapped around my stomach as I searched for the obvious suspect. Yuffie. She was giggling loudly and looking down at her orange keds. "I'll----race you home!" by the time she had shouted that back over her shoulder she had already taken off. "Wha- oh come on! Not fair! You got a head start" I shouted after her as I sprinted as fast as I could up the sidewalk that wound its way up to a dirt road that would eventually curve its way around to my house.

By the time I finally caught up to Yuffie we were both panting. She grinned at me when she saw me bending over with my hands on my knees catching my breath. "Still…not…as…fast as…me…" she gasped in-between breaths. I stood back up before pulling a face "Right, I mean, it's not like I just caught up to you even after you got a head start. No, nothing like that." I said sarcastically while rolling my eyes. "Yea yea yea" Yuffie puffed out her chest and flexed her arms "You're just jealous because I'm faster and more buff". I burst out laughing and her chest deflated as she began to laugh along with me.

We walked up to Brooking Lane where the sidewalk ended and took a left onto the dirt path that led into dense woods. I was used to this path seeing as how I traveled it everyday. I lived in an old little house tucked way in the back. I didn't really have any neighbors to worry about or anything but sometimes I got lonely…or creeped out. But hey can you blame me?!? I mean these woods are freaky at night if you're by yourself!

I had been living by myself for about a year or so since my dad passed away and since my mom left when I was five. It sucks at times because as much as people think that it must be awesome living without parents; it's not as great as they make it out to be. No mom to nag me and yell when I come home late. No dad to stare down my date before a dance. And as annoying as those things may seem, I would kill for them.

Yuffie shuddered next to me, interrupting my thoughts "What?" I asked her in a somewhat demanding tone. The woods seemed calm and peaceful enough and she obviously wasn't afraid of going to the Shinra Mansion tonight, so what could she possibly be scared of? "You aren't getting any last minute doubts are you?" I wondered with a teasing grin, but we both knew I was hoping, more like praying, that she would change her mind about this whole thing.

"Of course not!" Yuffie exclaimed "I was just thinking about how if we did get caught then these woods would probably be a good place to hide…" she didn't really finish her thought, but she didn't half to. "Why? Do you think we are going to get caught!?" I demanded frantically. The last thing I needed was to get in some sort of trouble with the local cops. "No, no, just an errant thought. Really!" assured Yuffie. "Yea yea yea" I quoted Yuffie in her ringing voice.

I looked at the woods trying to calm myself. My stupid stomach felt like it was doing a combination of an areal and three summersaults all at once. "Yuffie-" I started but was abruptly cut off by Yuffie and her tingling voice saying "OH no! Don't even start! You agreed to go with me! We have a deal! Besides it was your idea!" I groaned. "Please don't remind me" I muttered hating myself for even thinking of the whole stupid ordeal.

I kicked a small rock that was sitting on the path, sending it skidding ahead. I glanced up to see the wooden porch of my house. Two old pillars held the roof high above the porch. A railing went around the whole thing except for where the stairs were. Large stones had been placed to lead you from the path to the front porch. Although the path continued, I had never followed it all the way down. I had followed it up to Stone Rock River but had never felt the need to go any farther. I didn't particularly care where it went honestly.

I walked ahead of Yuffie up to the stairs to the front door. I dropped my backpack on the porch and pulled the necklace that hung around my neck out from under my white uniform shirt. I used the silver key that hung from it to open the front door. I reached down and grabbed my backpack, groaning when I felt how heavy it was, and shoved the door open with my shoulder. Once inside I walked into the hallway which opened up to reveal two staircase and four doorways. I walked down to the end of the hallway and into the kitchen. It was small, but cozy.

There was a small family picture hanging on the wall of my dad, mom, and I from when I was about 4. My mom was wearing a beautiful white dress with one hand on my head and the other in my father's. He had his arm snaked around her waist with a grin on his face while looking at her instead of the camera. It was sad to look at it really.

Yuffie walked into with a pad of paper and a pencil. "Ooookkay, sooo I was thinking all today about what we're going to need!" I looked at her with raised eyebrows "Oh yea, and what would that be? I am going to give you a budget you know. I know how you are" I laughed. Yuffie rolled her eyes "Yea yea yea."

Well, in the end we ended up with a…well interesting list to say the least. After about 30 minutes of laughing, eating, and constant arguing about what should really go on the list, we finally came up with something that could resemble a decent list.

List of Stuff

Flashlight

All Black outfit (I'm thinking black underarmer and tights hehe)

A rope (hey, you never know!)

Gloves (they'll look cute with the outfit)

Candles and matches (you know, we ARE going to an abandoned mansion we might as well try to call forth evil spirits. Lol)

Digital camera (HELLOO we are going to need proof we went)

Pocketknife (you can never be too sure)

Um, a pack of cookies, you know, just in case

I read the list over again squinting every now and then because it was hard to read Yuffie's chickenscratch. I sighed loudly "Yuffie, we're bringing candles and matches because you want to do VOODOO?!?!?!" I exclaimed exasperated. I rubbed my temples. We were trying NOT to get caught and I didn't want to waste any time in there. It was bad enough that Yuffie insisted that we take pictures (if we were caught it could be used as evidence against us!) but now she wanted to dilly-dally about with voodoo? Was she crazy or was it just me?

I opened my mouth to whine but was cut short by my ringing cell phone. I reached over and picked up my thin silver razor and flipped it open. "Hello?" Yuffie gave me an inquisitive look questioning who was on the other line. "Hey Teef!" Cloud, I mouthed back to Yuffie and she nodded "Yuff-I mean I randomly heard that you were sneaking into Shinra mansion tonight…" My eyes narrowed slowly at Yuffie. "Uh, hang on for a sec. Cloud"

I muted the phone and then started yelling at Yuffie "Are you absolutely NUTS?!?!? Who else did you tell?!?! We CANNOT get caught! If I have the cops on my ass that will not be good!" Yuffie put her hands up in a surrendering motion before saying "Only Cloud and Zack" I groaned mentally. "Yuffie! Is it sooo much to ask that you just keep your big fat mouth shut for like a day?" Yuffie bit her lip to hide her grin and failed… epically. I practically hit my head on the wall. Oh well, Yuffie's lecture could wait, I had to see what Cloud wanted first.

I unmuted him and then spoke calmly into the phone "Sorry Cloud, what were you saying?"

"Oh, no problem. Just heard that you were headin' to the Shinra's mansion tonight…I wanted to …warn you I guess you could say…" I did not like the sound of that.

My eyebrows knitted together "Warn me? How?"

I could practically see Cloud squirming on the other side of the phone

"Well, I heard they still have all sorts of traps, cameras, and sensors and stuff like that in and outside the house and I don't think that going there such a good idea-"

"Oh, I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" I put him on speaker phone so that Yuffie could hear his wise words of wisdom.

"Oh, uh yea. It's probably not a good idea to go just cause' of all the traps and cameras and stuff". I shot Yuffie a VERY smug look and then took Cloud off of speaker phone and began talking normally. I finished up the conversation within the next couple of minutes and the entire time Yuffie had her arms crossed stubbornly over her chest. Maybe convincing, or in this case UNconvincing Yuffie, was going to be a LOT harder than I thought.

After a quick goodbye I snapped my phone shut and turned to Yuffie, and sighed. But before I could get a single word out, Yuffie cut in. "You already agreed Tifa, not to mention we already got so far! We have a list and everything! You can't bail on me now!" I was tempted to say 'um and why not' but figured it would be better not to waste my breath. "Is there really NO chance I can change your mind?" I asked Yuffie unhappily. "Nope" she chirped realizing that she was the victor. I almost moaned. "I guess there is no helping it then"

I handed Yuffie a twenty dollar bill "take that and get the stuff. Stop by your house and grab your camera. I left mine at Aerith's house on accident." She nodded and then ran off. I heard the front door slam shut and the eerie silence almost mocking me. What had I gotten myself into?

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Thanks for reading! I promise that the next chapter will be WAY more exciting! Rufus will come into play ^^ 3 ! please review and be NICE lol