That afternoon, Zack was waiting right outside my classroom window. Just sitting there…waiting in front of the fence. He brought friends—oh fantastic. His group; THEM.

The bell chimed. Everyone got up and started to make their way out of the classroom. I sat there, dumbfounded. I didn't want to go outside and face Zack, I didn't! I would surely embarrass myself all over again!

I looked at Mr. Dalca, taking today's notes off the dry-erase board.

"Something the matter, Ms. Gainsborough?" He asked.

Mr. Dalca was so nice to me. Everyone else says that he's a scary man, but he's not. Who cares if he used to be a Turk? Who cares if he used to be (or so they say) the Legendary Turk? He's a nice man.

"Um…sir, I'm avoiding someone," I said bluntly, "is there a back way out of the school?"

He nodded; a sly smile crossed his face. I watched him cross the room, the sound of the sole of his shiny leather shoes echoed off the walls. "There is," He chuckled, leaning down and watching me. "But I'm not telling you were it is. Fair has been out there all damn afternoon. You aren't standing him up." He threw a hand towards the window. "So get a move-on."

He shoved me—almost out the window—causing my presence to be know to the boy below. I turned and took the door out.

I turned around to face the ex-Turk. "Sir, I'm guessing you know him?"

"Yes. Now go."

"How do you know him?"

He pulled a knife out of his pocket; I backed away. "Okay, okay…jeez…I only wanted to know!" I hissed.

He laughed, and walked back to the dry-erase board, picking something out of the front of it with his knife. "I've just seen him around," He chuckled, "Watch out around him, all right?"

He's still a cool guy. Maybe…maybe just a little scary.

I took my time going outside. I even stalled, watching the four boys outside try to see who could walk on their hands the longest—but mostly, it was just THEM showing off in front of a girl's school.

Each boy had a distinct detail—and until now, I noticed that they were all dressed alike, but they each wore it to their own style.

Cloud was the only one that appeared to be wearing everything correctly. He wore a white button-down shirt and a pair of work pants all straight without any wrinkles at all. He just attempted to stand on his hands and failed completely. He was just laying there on the grass now.

A redhead, Reno—a bigger flirt than anyone in the whole group—had managed to catch a leaf aflame with a lighter from his pocket. He was very amused at this and that created the illusion he was the stupidest in the group as well—maybe he really is. His shirt was half-tucked into his pants and the buttons in his shirt were actually missing.

The third was very tall. Sephiroth. He scared me the most. He landed a perfect back flip for a few passing girls and they ran off squealing while he stood there as if nothing happened. He was the one not obeying the dress code at all for that group. He wore the same stuff that the others wore but it was all black—like his heart!

Zack decided to try again at walking on his hands and ended up flipping onto his back when he saw me. Surprisingly, he didn't act as if I was spying on anyone. He had his tattered sleeves rolled up to around his elbows and his shirt wasn't tucked in at all.

Reno caught fire. "Dammit!"

"So…you ready to go?" Zack asked, a smug smile crossing his face.

"What about…?"

"The fire will go out in a second…this has happened before."

"Oh…" I mumbled.

A dark shadow loomed over me. I felt…colder. "Are we going to race?" A voice asked.

My head snapped back. It was Sephiroth! Do I have to race him? Surely, I would pass out before…

"You bet!" Zack pitched in. "Aer, c'mon!"

"W-w-w-what?!" I sputtered. I couldn't! I mean…I could race Sephiroth…but I would be slaughtered a few minutes later!

"You versus all four of us, Aerith! This is our race," Zack laughed, "If you win, I'll leave. If one of us wins, we get to stick around until the day you win, deal?"

I quietly agreed with a nod. I felt like I didn't have a choice anymore—this was the only way to make them leave.

Cloud walked up behind me, a kind smile spread across his face, "you can pick where we race."

Oh! No wonder Tifa liked that boy so much…he had such a cute face, and a sweet voice, and he…he even was a bit shy around people—that gave him an adorable little quirk. Why can't I meet a guy like that? The only one that's giving me the least amount of attention is…

"Zack, Aerith, get a move on!" Reno waved to us so we could catch up with the rest of the group.

…that dummy, IT.

I ran up to the rest of "THEM." "W-we can race on the soccer field!" I stuttered. "They don't close the gate on it until twenty minutes after school ends so the students can go home. We have some time until then…"

"Perfect!" Zack agreed, "let's go!"

Zack had drawn a line in the dirt and everyone lined up on it. I stood between Reno and Cloud so I couldn't see Zack or Sephiroth. Oh, this would be an interesting race! I knew I'd win against these guys…Sephiroth might be a close finish but the other three…

"READY, GET SET, GO!!"

My brain wasn't sure what to do! I knew those words were my cue ever since I knew how to run. Why was I messing up now?

I took off. I was flying. Pushing myself to catch up to anyone ahead of me, I dashed forward…

I looked back…WHAT?

Three of them were still waiting at the starting line. Weren't they going to run? Oh…then this means…

I'm only racing him, aren't I?

I raced forward. I was not going to lose to him. I was not going to lose to IT.

I almost reached out and grabbed the few black strands of hair that I was neck-and-neck with—I couldn't do that! That was unfair!

I felt like I was going to lose! I couldn't lose! Not to Zack!

He ran forward, I pushed myself harder…Oh!

He took a little hop forward and he halted. Oh!

I skidded to a stop. I'd lost? To THAT?

He leaned down, putting his hands on his knees; his hair flopped down into his face. "Ugh…I thought this was the first time I was going to lose…"

So he was trying!

"What? You actually were pushing yourself?" I asked.

"Duh! You put up quite a fight…but I won," he wrapped an arm around me, quickly snapping up, "So, as promised, I'm not going away until we race again. Until then…where do you live?"

He waved to his friends who had all decided to take the front way out of the field. Cloud had managed to find Tifa and she began to already throw herself on the poor boy. I watched as he gently put an arm around her. How cute.

I answered Zack quickly, "Sector 7."

He blinked. I knew what he was thinking…only poor people lived under the plate in Sector 7. That's right. I lived under the plate, went to school here, and went back home every afternoon by train.

"So…I take it…you're not a huge fan of Shin-ra?" He asked casually.

Not many people ask that as casually as he did. They either ask it in prejudice or with admiration…never as bluntly as he did. Nobody below the plate liked Shin-ra or anything having to do with their company…so obviously…

"Actually, I don't pay much attention to Shin-ra. I try to keep away, and hope they leave me alone in return. I don't wanna get attacked by one of their SOLDIERs—the monsters."

Zack stepped back. "I-I see…so…you don't like SOLDIER."

He seemed to say it as if it wasn't a question…more like a statement or something he needed to hear. He sounded…upset.

I attempted to make the truth sound as innocent as possible. "I'm afraid of SOLDIER. I don't want anyone getting hurt."

He started to walk with me. "SOLDIER wouldn't do that!" He defended, "Shin-ra wants only peace and better lives for the people of the Planet!"

I sighed, "Or…just Midgar."

"What?"

"N-nothing!"

There was a long and incredibly sad pause in conversation from that point on. We had walked through LOVELESS Avenue, through Sector 8, and all the way to the train station in silence. I tried to pick up the conversation.

"So, Zack, where do you live?"

He cleared his throat, surprised to be speaking again, "Just off Sector 8."

Oh…he must live above one of the shops then.

"What about your family?" I asked.

"I live alone…well, I have roommates…Cloud, and Sephiroth…but my family is far away…" He shrugged, "I'm pulling my own weight."

How strange—to be all the way in Midgar without any family.

"Oh…so where are you from?"

He gave me a look. Maybe he was wondering why I was throwing so many questions at him. Oh no! Was I doing it again? I mustn't let myself slip and act shy now!

"Gongaga. Yourself?"

"O-oh…" Here we go again, "I've never left Midgar in my life before…"

"Really?" He laughed, "Well, then, you will have to just come with us when we all pack up and go to Costa del Sol. I've never been there but I hear it's great!"

"Oh…"

When I went to board the next train to Sector 7, he stayed back.

"What's wrong?"

He pointed.

A little girl was dashing through the people getting on and off the train, her red hair flashed as she bounced along. "Zack! Hey, Zack!"

He winced, "here it comes…"

She leapt onto his shoulders. When I got a closer look, she looked to be only a few years younger than I was. She wore a suit—quite odd for a girl her age—and an old silver charm bracelet dangled from her left wrist.

He leaned down, letting her slide off his shoulders.

"Cissnei, Aerith. Aerith, Cissnei." He grunted, standing up.

The girl's bracelet accidently caught in his hair. He yelped. She yanked.

"Hello Aerith!" She smiled kindly, still yanking her hardest at the bracelet caught up in his hair. "Goodness, Zack, please just cut this mop…"

He grunted, pulling at his own hair, "I'm not and I wouldn't have to if you didn't jump on me all the time!"

She fell backward, a few black strands of hair in her hands. "You're going to have to cut it sometime! You know that's not allowed in—"

"Isn't it time you went home?" He hissed, backing away.

"Fine. Cute girl you picked up by the way. Don't kill her or run her off like you did to the last five." She gave a tiny wave to me and ran off.

He grunted as she walked away. "Stupid kid!"

"A friend?" I asked.

"A Turk," he corrected, "more so, my cousin."

Oh…but I thought he said he didn't have any family around…so…she was a Turk? At that young age? Wow…I thought Shin-ra had problems with manpower but this is just sad hiring a young girl…but she did look pretty tough.

"I thought you said you didn't have family around…" I mumbled.

"Well…I don't." He shrugged, "She's not tied in anywhere. My family likes her, so I put up with her. Also, I think there's something making me her cousin by marriage or something or other…"

I looked at him, trying to understand all that had gone on, "What was she talking about "not allowed?" A new rule at school or something?"

He stared at me blankly. For once did I catch him off guard?

"Sort of like that…hey, is this okay if I just stop here? I don't think I can pay my way to Sector 7…I promise you if you don't win tomorrow, I'll take you all the way home. Deal?"

"S-sure…" I answered quietly.

"Okay, oh, and if we're going to get to know each other, I also need your number."

"What?"

"…Your number." He gave me that look, paired with that smile. Oh, he could have charming moments when he wanted to…

I honestly didn't want to give him my number but I found myself writing it down on his hand anyway. I have no clue what drove me to do that…How did this man learn to do this? Why did I have to fall for it constantly?

Chapter 2! Horray! I have it up! So...Zack proves to have some secrets...oooh...I can only guess what they are. (You have to keep reading to find out!) I wonder if Aerith will start falling for him, who knows? In the next chapter, we get to see the roomates have some fun. (At least two of them, anyway!) Call the police, Midgar is burning down! So...I don't own any of the main characters or else I'd own them.