By the time assembly let out, the spirits of all 400-or-so students at Besaid High had been significantly dampened. The principal, Mr Beclem, had begun with his usual address, taking up more than a quarter of the 2-hours the students were cramped in the tiny hall with his 'hope that this years seniors were more responsible than the last' and outline of all the new rules and regulations he had spent his own summer break formulating.
When they were let out at long last and issued their timetables by their homeroom teachers, Rikku, Yuna and Paine sighed collectively at what they had first period.
Spirian History with Sir Auron.
"I can't believe we got that old fart as a teacher again this year," Rikku moaned disbelievingly. "It's not fair!"
"You only say that because you haven't finished your summer assignment," Yuna teased knowingly.
"Well I didn't think I'd ever have to sit one of his boring classes again!"
Paine let out a small puff of amusement as Rikku danced about on the spot worriedly.
"Ants in your pants, Riks?" asked a familiar voice laughingly.
"Don't laugh, Gippal!" Rikku whined. "I'm in deep enough shit with Sir Auron as it is! Can't you be sympathetic for once?!"
Gippal just laughed some more.
"I'm sure you'll be fine, Rikku," said Baralai kindly from where he stood beside his old friend.
"Thanks, 'Lai," she said, nodding gratefully.
"Hey!" Gippal complained. "I may not be sympathetic, but at least I'm not a liar! You're doomed, Riks. Doomed. Doomed. Doomed."
Rikku lashed out with her fist and glared at him evilly before storming off.
"Oh, do you have to infuriate her, Gippal?" Yuna sighed, before chasing after her cousin and leaving Paine with the boys.
"Have you got Spirian History too?" she asked as she opened her old, still perfectly organized, grey locker and took out her history books and pencil case.
"'Lai does," said Gippal. "But I'm not taking it this year- surprised that Rikku is…"
Paine just smirked. "Sir Auron is a friend of her father's. They actually get along okay, but he loves to tease her more than the other students, out of familiarity."
Gippal looked surprised for a moment, then started laughing again as Paine closed her locker. "That's funny!" he said. "Well, I've got Extension D&T right now, so I've gotta go. See you both at lunch, okay? We'll go off campus and grouse about our teachers."
"Sounds good," Paine agreed and Baralai nodded.
A moment later they were walking together silently. It was a peaceful silence- they'd known each other since kindergarten, after all- but Baralai broke it anyway. "There are members of the scholarship committee coming to my house after school. It's ridiculous- mum's been cleaning for the past few weeks in preparation."
"My mum was like that too," said Paine.
"I miss her," said Baralai, suddenly embarrassed at bringing up the subject. "She was always so kind to everyone."
"Maybe if she'd stuck around I might have gained a few more of her redeeming qualities," said Paine, attempting to sound flippant about it and only marginally succeeding.
"I think that you're more like her than you know, Paine," said Baralai.
Paine just nodded, an odd chill running up her spine as their shoulders brushed slightly. "Maybe. Maybe not," she said simply. "…Good luck with your scholarship."
"Thanks- it'd be a great thing for my mum not to have to pay the fees here. It's been hard for her since dad died."
"It was hard for dad and me when my mum died as well," said Paine understandingly. "I think that's why he left."
"It sure was nice of Miss Lulu to take you in, though," Baralai cut in, trying to put a positive spin on things. "A teacher's salary isn't exactly high and she's really trying hard."
"I think she feels obliged to, since she was such good friends with my mother. I'll be out of there as soon as I'm old enough, though, and as soon as I can afford my own flat somewhere. I wouldn't want to abuse her hospitality any longer than necessary."
"You know that she loves having you around."
Paine just shrugged and they were silent as they entered room A13 for their 1st class of the school year.
-
"Keeping up our magnificent streak of tardies from last year, are we, Miss Rikku?" asked Sir Auron, raising an eyebrow as she sauntered into class 10 minutes or so after the second bell that indicated the start of the lesson.
Rikku, who had ditched Yuna and decided not to go straight to class after Gippal's comment, just stuck her chin in the air defiantly. "If I'm late to your class 10 days more in a row, I'll have set a school record," she said proudly. "And, why on earth would I give up such a grand opportunity for nothing but ten minutes in my least favourite class."
If it were anyone else, there might have been far more serious consequences following those statements, but Sir Auron just looked amused. "Well, since I'm positive that you used those ten minutes to put the finishing touches on your summer research project, and since you're already standing, why don't you go ahead and be the first to present? We were just about to start anyway."
"Thanks, but no thanks, for the offer, Sir Auron. I reckon I'll just take my seat," said Rikku, her tone of voice challenging him to argue.
"Well then, I 'reckon' I'll be seeing you after school again, Miss Rikku," he countered and she shrugged lazily from her usual seat beside Yuna.
"Great," said Rikku. "I've already got the record for consecutive detentions but I guess there's no harm in securing it- wouldn't want the new Year 7s getting any ideas, right?"
"Of course not," said Sir Auron, smirking. "Now, who would like to present their projects? I assume that you have all completed them?" No one raised their hand and Auron obviously wasn't surprised by this, because he had already chosen his next victim. "Thanks for volunteering, Miss Keller- go ahead!"
Paine stood grudgingly, throwing a sideways glance at Baralai before walking towards the front of the classroom with her assignment. She was frowning deeply and everyone in the room (except maybe Auron) sympathized with her at that moment. First class of the first day of term, just after a long gruelling assembly, and she was being forced to present her project first off the mark. Her only consolation was that it couldn't get much worse from there.
-
By the time lunch rolled around Rikku had fallen into a deep depression, Yuna was asleep on her feet and Paine was completely and utterly out of tune with everything around her. A soft chuckle from directly behind her, however, soon jolted her back to the sub-standard reality that was high school.
"You look like you've had a good day, Paine."
"Oh, shut up, Baralai. It's been hell and you know it," she replied, shoving her books into her locker and slamming the door shut violently.
"I'm sorry," Baralai agreed but he was smiling. "Are you still up for going off campus for lunch then?"
"Do you really need to ask? It's only been 4 periods but I really need to get out of here."
"I just thought I'd better check, since everyone else is out," said Baralai, shrugging.
"Really?" asked Paine as they walked towards the school gates.
"Yeah," said Baralai and he laughed suddenly. "Rikku is mourning the end of the holidays and Gippal stayed behind to comfort her… per her demand, of course."
"What about Yuna?"
Baralai smirked and shook her head. "She got asked out by the new guy."
"The blonde one?" Paine had been partnered with him in her PE elective, Swordsmanship, but he had seemed like a real idiot. By the end of the lesson he had been begging Sir Auron (yes, the bastard taught that too) to be transferred to Blitzball.
"Yeah, Titus… Or something like that, anyway."
"Titus is Mr Wakka's dog," said Paine, referring to the redheaded Blitzball coach. "Tidus is the new student."
"Oh yeah…" said Baralai, grinning sheepishly. "Wait, how would you know that? You don't even have him for any of your classes."
"But Lulu has him over all the time," said Paine offhandedly. "He practically lives with us and if he's not there, she goes to him."
"Really? Are they like… dating?"
Paine looked surprised, then laughed and shook her head. "No, they're just really good friends," she told him. "They grew up together. Her, Wakka and his brother."
"He has a brother?"
"His name was Chappu- Lulu was engaged to him but he died in a car crash two years ago."
"Wow… You know, you could write a book about the secret lives of teachers and make a fortune. What else do you know that the rest of us don't?"
Paine smirked and shook her head. "Wouldn't you like to know?" she said, poking him teasingly. "Let's just go before lunch break is over."
Baralai nodded, grinning widely. "Okay. Let's go."
-
"No… No, Billy, that does definitely not count as extra credit. I'm sorry."
"But, Miss-!"
Miss Lulu shook her head firmly. "No. Go and have a nice lunch, Billy. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Mi-issss!!"
"You keep trying with that Thundara of yours, okay?"
"Yes, Miss…" 'Billy' grumbled irritably, and he left, pushing past Mr Wakka in the doorway without even seeing him.
"Poor kid," Wakka chucked as he passed, walking over to help as the Black Magic teacher gathered her books off of the desk and attempted to balance them on one hip.
Lulu cocked her head to one side and shook it decidedly. "I haven't done anything wrong, so don't you go making me feel guilty, Wakka," she admonished him.
"Yeah, yeah- I know," Wakka laughed. "But still- poor kid, it was his first day back after all."
"It's my first day back too," Lulu reminded him. "And it's no easier on us teachers than it is on them."
"True that… Wanna go off campus for lunch?"
Lulu glanced over at his face and he grinned at her as they made their way towards the staffroom, where she could dump her books. "Sounds fun," she agreed eventually. "What did you have in mind?"
"There's always that new café around the corner… Have you been there yet?"
"I've been meaning to try it out but I've never gotten around to it," Lulu admitted. "Should we go there?"
"Yeah! But do you mind waiting while I go and talk to a potential member of the Blitz team quickly?"
"No problem," said Lulu. "I'll just put these books away and I'll meet you at the front gate in 10 minutes."
"Sounds like a plan to me. See you there, Lu!"
"Bye, Wakka… Oh, Paine! How's your first day back?"
"I'm already in a wreck," Paine complained dully.
"Aren't we all…?" Lulu agreed with a small sigh, then she turned to Paine's companion. "Your name is Baralai, right?"
"Yes, ma'am," said Baralai politely. "I was just in your last class."
"Of course you were," Lulu agreed. "You're a natural, really- what made you take up Black Magic this year?"
Baralai was about to reply when Paine tugged on his arm, shaking her head firmly. "Sorry, Lulu, but we've got to go if we want to be back in time for class."
"You're going off campus for lunch?"
"Of course- no problem, is there?"
"Not at all," said Lulu. "In fact I'm going off with Wakka myself as soon as I put these books away. Have fun, both of you."
"Bye, Lulu."
"See you later, Miss!"
Lulu waved them off and watched them go before continuing on towards the staffroom, smiling lightly to herself. Paine and Baralai… Who'd have thought?