Sahrah: Thish ish chapter two? Showwy, but I am talking like a Hypello? Ish very fun. Sho, I am dedicating thish chapshter to all Hypellos? Even though there are none in thish shtory. Hypellos, thish chapshter ish for yoo. Tidus's point of view.
Chapter 2: Karaoke Beat
I remember the day Yuna Lesca moved in down the street. I saw that girl get out of the moving truck with a jump rope in one hand and a moogle plushie in the other. She looked scared as though her world was gone.
She sat and stared with big sad eyes until another girl, that weird girl Rikku Derinko and her brother… Brother. Both of them hugged the sad little Yuna and let her cry.
I later found out her name, and the reason she had moved here. Her mother was dead and she was living with her father. Except, her father simply paid for the house and left the little 7-year-old all alone. With a house.
I wanted to go and say hi, say that I wanted to be her friend, but I didn't. Shuyin said she had cooties, and my dad said that she was no good. I wanted so badly to tell her not to cry, and that everything would be ok. I didn't even know that girl's name. But some days when my dad locked me in my room, I'd climb down the vines and run down the street just to watch her knock on her next-door neighbor's door. Rikku's door.
I only met her for real once, on a stormy night when her father came home for a week. She was outside crying that her father was drunk and she was scared.
I heard her and came to tell her the truth. "What's your name?" I asked. "I'm Tidus. I live in the blue house, and my dad is drunk too."
She sniffled and looked at me with two different colored eyes. "I'm Yuna Lesca. Tidus, will you be my friend?"
It was the only time. I agreed, and sat with her on her doorstep holding my umbrella. Soon, her uncle, Cid Derinko, came out and brought her inside. He gave me a dollar for holding her and making her feel safe and then closed the door.
Shuyin took the dollar, but I didn't care. He gave me a bouncy ball, which he probably paid for with my dollar.
But I remembered Yuna, and I saw her. I watched her turn 8, and then 9 and then 10. Then 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and then finally 18. Over the years, she forgot her promise to be my friend. Or maybe she forgot it was me. But I'll never forget it.
So, I continue this story on Friday, the day that the blitzball game and then the party was to occur.
"Tidus, I can't wait to see you tonight!"
"Tidus, will you blow me a kiss when you play?"
"Take me to the party with you!"
"You'll do great, dude."
It's all I heard from everyone but the person I wanted it from. Yuna would never compliment me like that because she thought that my head would fill with hot air. She was probably right.
I was still laughing about her screen name. Pff. YunieIsOnFire. That's a great name, but she's not on fire. Yuna was just hot. I know it sounds kind of perverted, but I honestly thought she was beautiful. I always had, even when all the other boys my age were convinced girls had cooties. I agreed, except when it came to Yuna Lesca.
My screen name was kind of boring, especially compared to that. Maybe I'd change it to something more… embarrassing for Yuna. Something like…
I was trying to figure out how to embarrass her when someone grabbed my hand. Dona Greene. Dona had been trying to get me into a bed with her since I don't know when.
"Tidy-widy!" she crooned. "Are you going to take me to the party with you?"
"No," I snapped, irritated.
"Why?" she acted hurt, and made a face that said, 'If you don't have a reason, you aren't getting out of this.'
I needed and excuse and the perfect one walked up behind me, with a bubbly blonde thief friend, a gothic warrior friend, a protecting black mage friend, and a jock blitzball friend. Yuna.
"Well, didn't you know? I'm going to the party with Yuna already, so I can't go with you. Sorry!" I exclaimed, wrapping an arm around Yuna's waist and walking to Yuna's locker. When we arrived at her banged up, grey locker, she yanked my hand away.
"What's the big idea? I said we could be friends, not that you could tell people we're going to a party together!"
I flushed. That wasn't exactly how I'd planned it. "Well, uh-um… I w-was going to ask you if you wanted to go with me first, and second, Dona was going to force me to go with her if I didn't have an excuse! I'm sorry, Yuna!" I bowed and didn't look up until I saw Yuna's face under mine.
Yuna was on her knees looking up at me. It was kind of amusing. She reached out and shoved my chest, forcing me to stand straight again. She got up too.
"Ok, first of all," she said sternly, "You'd better win that game. Second, you'd better pick me up at my house at eight sharp. And third… I don't have a third!"
"I do!" I gloated. "Third, I better dance with you and not spike your punch."
"Did someone say punch?" snarled another female voice. It was Yuna's warrior friend. Paine Redstone. Scary, in one word, and the inventor of 'hurt time.'
"Not that kind!" Yuna squealed, grabbing Paine's wrist. Attached to that wrist was a fist.
"Yuna, is this guy bothering you? Hitting on you? Say the word and I'll hit back. Hard."
"No, no Paine! Tidus is just taking me to the party tonight!"
Paine froze, looked at Yuna, looked at me, then at Yuna again. Her voice softened until it sounded almost gentle.
"Rikku was right, wasn't she? You move on." Paine's red eyes searched Yuna's face, and then she shifted to me. Her eyes bore through mine.
"But Yuna, why a Blitzer like him? A jock? Tidus? The Tidus Watanuki"
Yuna shrugged. "He started it."
I grinned. "So I did."
Paine did not smile. She didn't frown, but she didn't smile.
"You," she hissed at me. "Break her heart, and I'll break you. With a sword. A sharp one."
I nodded vigorously, terrified of this warrior girl. "W-well, Yuna, we're lucky! School's a half day because of the game!"
Paine scowled at me and walked away, but every couple of seconds she turned to look. Like a mother guarding her baby. What had happened to Yuna?
At our school, half days are the best thing you could think of. We watch movies and eat candy and talk in class. Learning is, like, nonexistent. Which is very cool.
Yuna nodded and straightened her locker mirror. She pulled out a book and closed her locker. I heard the mirror fall down. She smiled and said cheerfully, "Dona is walking up behind you."
Thinking fast, I whispered, "Don't let Paine kill me for this!" Yuna was leaning against her locker, so I put a hand right next to her head and leaned on it. It was a classic flirting trick. (A/N: Note to self: soap operas infect braaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaain)
"So, Yuna, after the dance to you want to come over to my house?" I said so Dona would hear me as she walked past. Yuna played along and giggled. I bet her blushing was real, though.
"Dona's gone," Yuna whispered.
"Thanks for your help!" I exclaimed. I kissed her forehead and left her standing with a red face. She scowled. "If you're late, I'll kill you!"
The day flew by, even math class. I didn't go near Yuna for risk of being slapped by Rikku for kissing Yuna on the head. In art class, I sat near Yuna and watched her draw a picture of two people dancing. She didn't draw the faces, but the picture was beautiful. She told Lulu that she'd fill in the faces if she found the inspiration for the people's identities.
Finally, the bell rang. I opened my locker, with the lock that didn't work, and a note fell out of my locker. It was from Yuna.
'I'm sitting in the front row, so wave to me or I'll be mad! BLITZER01 is your username, so it had better be true! Go-o-o-o-o-o Tidus! - Yuna.'
I grinned and shoved the note into my back pocket. I decided what my username would be.
(A/N: due to poor Sah-chan's blahness, she doesn't feel like writing about the game. Plus, she thinks that watching games aren't as much fun as playing them. And I don't particularly enjoy sports to begin with, so yeah.)
Yuna's Point of View
"Rikku! RikkuRikkuRikku!" I ran after my cousin. "Clothes! I need clothes, yours!" Rikku was the fashion guru of our group. She owned something that was always just perfect for the occasion.
"Tidus… party… dress!" I panted.
Rikku grinned and nodded. "Say no more, Yunie! I have just the thing; if Tidus didn't think you were on fire before, I swear he will after tonight!"
Tidus's Point of View
We won that game, of course. I looked once to see Yuna waving at me, and I did my super Jecht Shot (Mark III) to impress her. I think it worked, she was giggling and clapping more than anyone else. I knew that she knew I did it all to impress her. At least, I hoped she knew it.
Dona was there too, but I only looked once. I think Yuna noticed that as well.
Yuna's Point of View
"Oh, Yuna, you look amazing!" gasped Lulu when I emerged from Rikku's expansive closet in one of Rikku's dresses.
This dress was red. It was tight fitting until the knees, when it got lacy and swirled when I twirled. It went to the middle of my calves. The dress was strapless, but not too low cut. It had big fake crystals across the top and around the waist.
"…hm…" Rikku walked around me in circles, surveying me. "You need shoes. Paine! Nails! Lulu! Hair! I'll do shoes!"
"Makeovers again, Rikku?" scoffed Paine. Then she smiled. "Sounds cool."
Lulu nodded and pulled out a brush set. Rikku scurried back into her closet.
"Ta-da! These are perfect!" And they were. They were low-heeled red shoes with a crystal-like buckle. They were open toed. They were good looking and good for dancing.
Paine grabbed my wrist and painted on silver polish, the same silver as the fake crystals and the buckle.
Lulu took out my braid, brushed my hair, and re-did the braid with a silver and red ribbon. Where did all the ribbons come from? I'd have to ask Rikku another time.
"Yuna's nails are done," announced Paine.
"Hair's finished," added Lulu.
"Oooh, Yunie, twirl!" exclaimed Rikku with an excited laugh.
So I did. The dress flowed around my knees, twisted, and loosened again. The crystals reflected the light until they almost seemed to glow.
"Now everyone has the guy they need except poor little Paine," sighed Rikku. "I'll fix that."
"Respect points," warned Paine. But she let Rikku shove her into the closet and pick out a dress. The dress was great on her; purple and black. It went to the floor, it had spaghetti straps, and it was satin and wonderful. Was it made for Paine? I suspected so…
"Well, that's Gippal on his death trap motor bike!" giggled Rikku in her yellow mini-dress with the lime green leggings that reached the middle of her lower legs. A choker of the same color green adorned her neck.
"YRP! Plus L!" Rikku called as she skipped out the door and pulled a helmet onto her head over her ever-present braids and beads. "Wheee, Gippal, let's almost die on your deathtrap!" Rikku called motorbikes 'deathtraps' because she liked too make fun of stuff.
"It's not a death trap!" he laughed as he hit the gas and the Al Bhed not-couple sped down the road.
"I'm going back over to my house. Wakka's giving Lulu and you a ride, right, Paine?"
Paine nodded and I grinned. "YRP plus L!" I giggled as I walked across the yard to my house.
I saw Wakka's car drive up and two of my best friends got into the car. It zoomed down the road towards the school where the party was being held.
I looked at the clock on my kitchen microwave. It turned from 7:59 to eight, and the doorbell rang.
"Right on time!" I noted as I peeked my head around the door. I was kind of nervous about my outfit. How long had it been since I dressed up pretty for a guy?
"Come on!" he exclaimed. I shyly walked in front of the door, and he froze. "Now I know why Rikku picked your screen name! You are on fire!"
I nodded because, hey, I date now. Right? At least, I date Tidus. I guess. If he asked me to. I might. Shut up. Go away. Wah!
I grabbed my jacket and locked the house.
Tidus had a motorbike deathtrap just like Gippal's, except Tidus's had flames painted on the sides and it was cleaner. He straddled the seat and tossed me a helmet.
I sat on it sidesaddle style and put my arms around his waist. Curse the lack of seatbelts! I bet he planned that!
As he revved the engine and shot forward, I pressed my cheek against his back. He was so warm, so full of life and personality. I might have missed it because of my dumb fears.
We arrived at the school and Tidus parked his deathtrap. I mean moron bike. I mean motorbike! Rikku would have done that too. Kweh.
Hesitantly, I reached for his hand. But before I could decide, he did the same thing. Psychic, I mentally giggled, as his fingers intertwined with mine.
We walked into the gym. There were neon lights everywhere, and a DJ, and food! And, sadly, chaperones of evil doom. Doom, I tell you! Luckily, the chaperones weren't paying much attention.
I spotted Lulu and Wakka, and Tidus spotted Baralai, Shuyin, and Nooj. We both started in opposite directions, but we were still holding hands. We both laughed, and called our friends towards us.
Wakka and Lulu walked over. "My, my, my. Holding hands already, Yuna?" teased Lulu.
I stuck out my tongue. "Hey, Wakka, you played great!"
"You think so?" he grinned.
"Of course," I exclaimed. "So did Tidus," I added, giving his hand a squeeze.
"Ah, of course!" he laughed. "Just kidding. I scored the winning goal for you, Yuna!" I blushed.
"Oh, right. Yuna, this is my twin brother Shuyin, my friend Nooj, and you know Baralai."
"Not directly, but I know someone who never shuts up about him," I whispered in his ear. "Baralai, I mean."
Shuyin extended his hand, and I shook it. "I'm the handsome twin," he boasted. Lenne hung on his shoulder. "But I got here first!" she joked. "Shuyin, dance with me!" she insisted, pulling her boyfriend to the dance floor.
"Bye, mister handsome twin," crooned Tidus and Baralai.
I turned back to Lulu and Wakka. "Say, where's Rikku? And Gippal, and Paine?"
Lulu sighed, "Rikku and Gippal are dancing, and Paine is somewhere staring at Baralai."
"Who's staring at me?" asked Baralai.
"No one!" Lulu and I exclaimed in unison.
"That means they know," Tidus whispered loudly.
Lulu nodded. "My lips are sealed. Come on, Wakka! Let's dance! We have to celebrate!" Wakka nodded and led his girlfriend to the dance floor.
I looked around to see if I recognized anyone. My two friends Lucil and Elma were eating, Dona and Leblanc were fuming at me, and the rest of the school blitz team were around eating and dancing. So was, basically, anyone in the school with a ticket.
"Hey, first slow dance of the night," the DJ said. "The song is called 'Listen to Your Heart.'"
A few guys ran for the bathroom to avoid dancing, and a few girls shuffled sadly. Couples threw themselves together and the music started.
Tidus pulled gently on my hand. "Come on, wanna dance?"
"Y-yeah."
"I know there's something in the wake of your smile.
I get a notion from the look in your eyes, yea.
You've built a love but that love falls apart.
Your little piece of heaven turns too dark."
Tidus held me at arm's length, his hands on my hips. He knew I was nervous, and he didn't know or care why. What a gentleman he was. Slowly, I put my arms around his neck.
"Listen to your heart
When he's calling for you.
Listen to your heart
there's nothing else you can do.
I don't know where you're going
and I don't know why,"
but listen to your heart
before you tell him goodbye…"
Tidus realized I wasn't as scared. Soon, he bent his arms and pulled me closer. I myself was surprised at my lack of fear.
"Sometimes you wonder if this fight is worthwhile.
The precious moments are all lost in the tide, yea.
They're swept away and nothing is what is seems,
The feeling of belonging to your dreams."
Tidus took his hands off my hips and folded them around my shoulders in kind of a loose hug. I leaned against his strong chest and closed my eyes.
"Listen to your heart
When he's calling for you.
Listen to your heart
There's nothing else you can do
I don't know where you're goin'
And I don't know why
But listen to your heart
Before you tell him goodbye
And there are voices that want to be heard
So much to mention but you can't find the words
The scent of magic,
The beauty that's been
When love was wilder than the wind
Listen to your heart
When he's calling for you.
Listen to your heart
There's nothing else you can do
I don't know where you're goin'
And I don't know why
But listen to your heart
Before you tell him goodbye
Listen to your heart
When he's calling for you.
Listen to your heart
There's nothing else you can do
I don't know where you're goin'
And I don't know why
But listen to your heart
Before you tell him goodbye…"
I lifted my head to see him smiling at me. His eyes were shining. Were mine? I kind of hoped so.
Slowly, we released each other as a faster song came on. Paine ran over. "Sorry, blitzboy, but I'm borrowing Yuna for a minute." Paine grabbed my wrist and ran towards the girls' bathroom.
"What's up, Paine?"
"I was sitting and drinking a soda and Baralai just walked up and said hi!" Paine was uncharacteristically flustered. "So I said hi back and he was like 'you're Yuna's friend, right?' So I said yeah and he said 'Don't you think Tidus and Yuna are a good couple?' So, I said yes. And he was like, 'Yeah, I think so too… oh, by the way, your dress is nice, Paine. Don't hide next slow dance.'"
I squealed and laughed. "Oooh he flirted!"
"It was flirting?"
"Yes!"
"Yes! Ahahaha!" Paine giggled. Paine doesn't giggle. Wow. That's very… different. I found it interesting that the right guy could melt Paine's icy outlook. Then I stopped. Was Tidus melting mine? My coldness towards the opposite gender was rock solid, or so I thought. But just the day before… The day before, yesterday morning, I almost got angry with Baralai for asking my name. And now, here I was. In one of Rikku's fancy dresses slow dancing with Tidus.
Does the emotion love have so much power? Then I remembered. When my mother died, my kind and gentle father started drinking and acting distant. He came home late, and drunk. Was it because he lost the love of his life? I never considered the power love held.
Then I stopped. Love? How could I be in love with Tidus Watanuki, the most popular boy in the school, the guy every girl dreams about, the guy that wins so many games for the team? And I only really knew him for about a day.
"Well, Paine," I giggled, "Shall we? I hear our song."
That was, of course, a joke. YuRiPa plus Lu (for short) would call any song about friends forever 'our song.' The song playing now was 'We Got Together' from that movie 'Grease'
When Paine and I left the bathroom and walked down to the dance floor, Rikku ran towards us.
"Yunie, Yunie! There's going to be a karaoke contest! You so have to enter!"
Gippal walked up behind his hyper girlfriend (even though they weren't technically dating) and nodded. "Yeah, Yuna! You'll do awesome!"
Paine nodded in agreement.
"Fine, sign me up!"
"Your minute is up, Redstone!" called Tidus as he walked over. "It's my turn for Yuna!" He was grinning good naturedly, like I would have expected him to. I never noticed, but he has a wonderful smile…
I shrugged at my friends as I walked away with Tidus. He was smiling, saying something about how my friends shouldn't hog all of his fun. But I stopped listening to his words, and listened to his voice.
Did Seymour control my life so much that I almost didn't notice this wonderful guy? Was my fear of Seymour so strong? That led me to another thought. Was the emotion 'love' stronger than the emotion 'fear'?
We danced for another hour. There was a slow dance, and Lulu and Rikku made Paine sit. Lo and behold, Baralai danced with Paine. YRP plus L, we felt like we ruled the world. The world in which we were normally the subjects of the evil queens like Dona and her friends, and the dumb kings like Tidus and his friends.
Little did we know that the common people had such a voice that could overthrow the queen and make the king our friend.
So when the DJ announced the karaoke contest, and I knew what song to sing.
"First singing is Yuna Lesca with her rendition of 'I'm With You.' Ok, Ms. Lesca, you're on!"
I walked confidently to the center of the stage. Everyone was looking at me; Dona and her crowd glaring, Tidus and my friends, and some of his friends too, staring with admiration. As the music started up, I said into the microphone, "This is for someone special. You know who you are.
I was standing on a bridge
I was waiting in the dark
I thought that I'd be dead by now
There was nothing but the rain
No footsteps on the ground
I was listening but there was no sound…"
I looked at my feet and sang softly, letting the melody resound in my head and then lifted and sang the chorus a bit louder.
"Wasn't anyone tryin' to find me?
Wouldn't somebody come take me home?
T'was a damn cold night
Trying to figure out this life
Then you take me by the hand
Took me somewhere new
I don't know who you are
But I... I'm with you
I'm with you…"
Yes, I know those aren't really the words. But this one is my rendition, and I changed to words to match how I felt. I saw the smile grow on Rikku's face, then Lulu's and Paine's, and of course, the one the song was for. Tidus's face.
"Was looking for a place
Searching for a face
Was anybody there I knew?
' Cause nothing had gone right
And I was just a mess
And for years I was to be alone
"Then someone came'n found me
Yeah, somebody came'n took me home
On a damn cold night
Trying to figure out this life
Yeah, you took me by the hand
took me somewhere new
Now I know who you are
And I... I'm with you
I'm with you"
Tidus grinned and Rikku and Lulu were dancing around in a circle. I think Wakka might've even shed a tear or two. Paine shook her head and smiled too.
"Oh why is everything so confusing
Maybe I'm just out of my mind
Yea yea yea, yea yea, yea yea, yea yea, yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
On a damn cold night
Trying to figure out my life
Yes, you took me by the hand
took me somewhere new
I like who you are
And I... I'm with youuuu!
I'm with youuuuuuuuuuu!"
He took me by the hand
Made me someone new
I know who I am, and I
like it too!…
I'm with you…
Now take me by the hand
Take me somewhere new
I know who you are
And I... I'm with you
I'm with you
I'm with you..."
I curtsied and put the microphone back in its stand. I didn't notice the cheers from everyone. All I noticed was Tidus.
Tidus's Point of View
There's something special in your long-time crush getting up in front of the entire school and singing a rendition of a song that tells you how she feels. Well, just then I had a brilliant idea. I ran over to the DJ and before I knew it…
Yuna's Point of View
"Oh my Yevon, is Tidus up there to sing too?" exclaimed Baralai.
"Oh, I think he is!" Paine answered.
"I see you standing here
But you're so far away
Starving for your attention
You don't even know my name
You're going through so much
But I know that I could be the one to hold you
Every single day
I find it hard to say
I could be yours alone
You will see someday
That all along the way
I was yours to hold
I was yours to hold
I see you walking by
Your hair always hiding your face
I wonder why you've been hurting
I wish I had some way to say
You're going through so much
Don't you know that I could be the one to hold you
Every single day
I find it hard to say
I could be yours alone
You will see someday
That all along the way
I was yours to hold
I was yours to hold
I'm stretching but you're just out of reach
You should know
I'm ready when you're ready for me
And I'm waiting for the right time
For the day I catch your eye
To let you know that I'm yours to hold
Every single day
I find it hard to say
I could be yours alone
You will see someday
That all along the way
I was yours to hold
I was yours to hold
I'm stretching, but you're just out of reach
I'm ready when you're ready for me..."
I blushed and stood as I realized. He hadn't decided randomly to hit on my that Thursday, he was confessing something he had kept secret so long until he was ready to explode.
He was there the entire time I was with Seymour, he was there after, and the entire time… was he in love with me? I realized now that this jock would never have blipped my radar if I had continued to let the memory of my past haunt me. And Tidus had been there the whole time; it was a secret, but he was always there.
Friday night was never more wonderful. Don't you think Fridays are wonderful? I think Fridays are the best.
End of Chapter 2
Sahrah: Ah, and the songs I used were called 'Listen To Your Heart', 'I'm With You', and 'Yours to Hold.' They belong to people with more money than me. They are not mine. The songs Tidus and Yuna sang were two of these songs, but I altered the lyrics of Yuna's. Don't bite me. And I don't own any of the characters either. Except the dumb teachers which I take no pride in owning. Wah. Oh, and before I forget to mention, in a few chapters I'll need screen names for everyone. I'll need screen names for Wakka, Lenne, Shuyin, Lulu, Paine, and Gippal. And if someone thinks of a really cool one for Rikku, I'll use it, even though I already have a plan for hers. Keep reading and reviewing!
