Author's Notes: I'm a bit upset considering that the first review I got wasn't exactly a pleasant one. He decided to out-right insult my story without even telling me exactly why he disliked it... It definitely wasn't very comforting, but later on I got some more reviews that inspired me to keep going. Maybe after this more interesting chapter, when the story starts to develop, I'll get more reviews and better feedback.

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"Don't look so nervous, Yunie," Rikku said as the two girls stopped in front of the academy. "As long as you're with me and Lulu, you should be okay," she finished. Rikku took Yuna's hand in her own and the two jogged up to the doors where the rest of the students were beginning to pile in.

Yuna and Rikku swiftly walked down the hallway so they didn't get trampled by the rest of the people who were running around trying to find their homerooms and scheduels. Rikku seemed to know where she was going because they soon found themselves staring at the front of a large hardwood door that led into one of the classrooms. Rikku examined the student list hung underneath the engraving of the room number, nodding her head and frowning at certain times as she surveyed the others that they would be attending classes with throughout the year.

Yuna looked at her cousin, who's face was scrunched up with displeasure, obviously not impressed with who she was stuck with.

"Let's go in," Rikku said dryly.

Yuna followed the blonde girl into the large room, which was littered with desks and students who were settling themselves into their assigned seats. Most of them, however, instead of preparing themselves for their first block classes, seemed to be drawn to something in the back corner of the room, which, on closer inspection, Yuna could see four fairly good looking guys with two girls hanging off their arms like leaches. They were all laughing and flirting with each other, obviously enjoying the attention they were getting from their surrounding peers.

Rikku rolled her eyes in disgust as she began to unpack her things and organize her papers. "Those are the jerks I was telling you about. Gippal, Wakka, Tidus, and Seymour... And those sluts, LeBlanc and Dona."

Yuna took a seat in the desk next to her cousin and also began to ready her things for the new school day.

"Surely they can't be that bad, Rikku," Yuna started.

"Oh, yes they can. But if you don't want to take my word for it, you can always find out the hard way."

Yuna frowned deeply while she thought this over. Rikku's seriousness was obvious-- there obviously was no joke around this one.

At that moment, Yuna heard the loud crash of the classroom door closing as their homeroom teacher entered the facility. He was a large man, having a muscular build and a sculpted body for someone his age, and his hair was a deep ebony hue and was littered with silver streaks.

The rest of the students quickly sat down, not caring where they were as long as they didn't get in trouble for loitering pointlessly around the room.

"Welcome back to reality, students of Zanarkand High," he voiced as he looked around the classroom, checking and counting the people to check off for attendance. "I was chosen as your homeroom teacher so that I can whip you back into shape before the real classes start, although I believe that it will be almost an impossible task to put any knowledge into those brains of yours on your first day back."

Rikku turned to Yuna and whispered, "That's Auron. He's probably the most strict teacher in the school. A bit intimidating, but you've gotta look past all that," Rikku said, motioning to the teacher. "And he used to be a guardian, too," the Al Bhed blonde added in.

"Now, to start off the morning..." Auron trailed off as he walked past his desk to sit in the leather chair seated behind it. "I believe we have a new student who has transfered to this school." Auron glanced over at Yuna, who was seated at the back of the room with Rikku. "Yuna, why don't you come up to the font and introduce yourself."

Yuna shared a look with her cousin before slowly standing and making her way to Auron's desk. Turning around to face the class, Yuna became rather nervous as she stared into the faces of her new peers, suddenly feeling the pressure, as Rikku had told her beforehand.

"My name is Yuna, and I come from the Isle of Besaid. I'm not used to the city, but I'm trying my hardest to find my way around... I hope you'll all welcome me." She had tried to keep things curt, as Yuna didn't want too much attention drawn to herself.

But when Yuna began to walk back to her desk, she heard a whistle from the back of the room where Wakka, Tidus, Seymour, and Gippal were sitting. Gippal and Wakka laughed lightly as they checked her out, both seeming to appreciate her choice in outfit -- the very same one which Rikku picked out for her only mere days before. Now she truly was glad that she had decided against the belly-button ring...

She shook her head and sat next to Rikku who was sending death glares at the boys behind them, but they took no heed to her warning and continued to snicker, all the while keeping their eyes on Yuna, who looked back at them. Tidus, one of the blonde boys, frowned and punched them each on the arm. They both shut up almost immediately. She smiled to herself.

"That's enough, children," Auron said dangerously before turning towards the chalkboard and began writing out a timetable. "Listed here are the times your classes will start at. Your name will be placed under each one to show you which classes you were assigned under. Copy this down so you have your own for later, because I'm not writing this out again," he added in with a glance over his shoulder.

With that, the students began to take out their writing utensils and some paper and hastily wrote down their classes for the semester. Yuna followed suit.

---

"I can't believe those guys! Those... Those good-for-nothing jerks!" Rikku exclaimed as she opened her locker.

"It's ok, Rikku," Yuna said. "Boys will be boys. I'll get used to it."

"But you shouldn't have to..." Rikku whispered quietly.

"Rikku, it's good to see you," said a soft voice.

Yuna and the young Al Bhed turned to look at the person speaking to them, Yuna extremely curious as to who might be interested in them this morning. It was woman, looking no older than Rikku and herself. She had pale skin and long ebony, braided hair that was adorned with several clips that held a bun into place, most of which were shining with metallic colours. The dark strands would undoubtedly reach the floor if it weren't for her choice of hairstyle. Her attire consisted of dark clothing, mostly blacks, grays, and purples. But what amazed her most about this girl, was the deep maroon colour of her eyes. Never had she seen someone with such a hue. A Gothic figure, Yuna guessed.

"Lulu! Wow, how was Kilika? I can see you didn't even get a tan..." Rikku sounded disappointed.

Yuna understood how she must have felt. It seems like this girl needed some colour on that complexion of hers.

Lulu let out a small laugh. "I didn't spend too much time in the sun. I was in the woods a lot taking notes on elemental fiends and visiting the temple." She paused and diverted her gaze to Yuna, who stood quietly beside her cousin.

"And who's this?" she asked with a smile.

"Huh?" Rikku turned to look at Yuna, who in turn cast her eyes to the floor in a shy manner. "Oh, this is my cousin, Yuna. She just moved here from Besaid."

"Besaid, huh? Interesting."

"Yuna, this is Lulu, the girl I was telling you about, remember? She's not in our class this year..." Again, Rikku didn't seem too happy. "We're stuck with the boys. Hmph, you're lucky."

Yuna smiled and nodded her head in Lulu's direction. "Hello."

"So, what class do you guys have?" Rikku asked.

Lulu shuffled through her papers and glanced at her schedule. "I'm headed for computer studies."

"Me, too," Yuna stated.

"Aww, pooey. I have Biology... Guess I'll see you guys later!" On that note, Rikku took off with her things, descending a staircase that would take her to her classroom.

Lulu looked over at Yuna. "Shall we?"

Yuna nodded, smiling. This will be some year.

---

"Wow, we really don't have many classes together," Tidus said with a lopsided frown. "Sucks."

"Yeah, well, I got quite a few of them with that mage chick, ya? She's pretty hot," Wakka said, grinning wickedly.

Tidus slowly raised an eyebrow. "Whatever, man. Think what you want."

"Oh com'on," Gippal started as he grabbed his books from his locker. "You haven't been at all interested in girls since you broke up with what's-her-face..." the blonde Al Bhed made a face as he feigned confusion. "Rinoa, was it?"

Tidus narrowed his eyes, sending a hurtful, and angry, glare his way. As one of his best friends, Gippal should know how upset he was about losing Rinoa, especially to that new guy. He just got here, not too long ago, and Tidus was already ditched for him... Squall. What she saw in him, Tidus didn't know, but whatever it was... It was eating him up inside, knowing that he couldn't satisfy her. Even after three years of a good relationship... The only serious one he was ever in. Being the player that he was, settling down was hard for him, but he quickly took a liking to Rinoa, his first true love, so this loss was hard to take in. In truth, Tidus was still in shock, and seeing her with another man everyday was especially difficult.

"Hey, man. Watch it," Wakka scolded.

Gippal sighed tiredly. "Sorry, Tidus. I just don't like seeing you down so much... Don't you think that maybe you should at least try and move on? I mean... She was only one girl out of the millions that are out there. Can't sulk forever."

Tidus clenched his fists tightly, his cerulean eyes blazing with trapped flames held in their depths. With a loud slam of his locker door, Tidus marched angrily down the hallway and to the computer lab where he could escape for a while.

Wakka turned to Gippal and smacked him upside the head roughly. "What'cha do that for, dipshit?" he spat.

The blonde only shook his head, feeling little to no regrets. Tidus would get over it sooner or later. That boy needed a push, anyways.

---

Yuna and Lulu had picked a spot near the back corner of the room where they could be alone. Yuna had told her about how she didn't feel quite right around the people here yet, and she wanted to be isolated for a while, until she got used to her surroundings. The mage completely understood and asked the teacher if she could possibly trade places and sit with Yuna so she didn't feel too lonely. The girl had to know that she wasn't alone. He agreed.

"...So, Rikku tells me that you're a mage?"

"Yes. I specify mainly in black magics, but I also know some basic healing spells for emergencies," she said, helping to start the conversation. "I hope to learn the Holy spell when I get stronger. It would be very useful."

Yuna nodded. From what she'd read, not anyone could learn such a powerful spell. It took much practice, patience, and mental strength to achieve.

"So what about you?"

"Hm?"

"Are you interested in magics or battle?" Lulu asked as she logged into the computer and began her assignment. Yuna did so as well.

"I'm not one for violence... I've seen too much of it. There were many fiends from where I used to live, so I saw fighting almost every day of my life."

"Besaid, right? Then it's understandable that there would be quite a few fiends in that area, considering it's on a tropical island," Lulu stated.

"I guess so."

The two girls looked over to the door as a student noisily made his way into the lab. He had an angry look on his face, one that made Yuna a bit nervous. He stopped by the teacher's desk and apologized for being late before taking a look at the seating arrangements. Sighing, Tidus started to the back of the room, where he would be situated next to Yuna for the rest of the year.

'Right, the new girl,' he reminded himself.

Tidus took a seat next to her and turned on the computer, sighing once again, feeling rather exhausted. What he wanted to do, was go home and sleep. Even on the first day he felt like skipping classes. Not a good sign.

As he waited for his computer to boot up, Tidus found himself glancing around the room in boredom... And soon found his eyes set on Rinoa, who was sitting near the front of the laboratory. She looked wonderful in her new attire, not overly slutty, but it was enough for a man to appreciate her body. But now... It wasn't him who was the one to adore it, to touch it. That was Squall's privilege now. Tidus' eyes filled with emotion as he saw her laughing with Squall by her side, her eyes filled with joy. But what hurt the most was that it wasn't his doing anymore. He could never bring that happiness to her again.

Yuna glanced over at the boy beside her and could see the hurt, the anguish, that was tormenting him. But what the source of his problem was, she didn't know, nor was she in the right to ask him such a question.

Yuna cleared her throat. At the sound, Tidus stirred and slowly turned to her, not keeping his eyes off his ex-lover until he was fully facing Yuna. But what he saw next... Was the most beautiful pair of eyes that he'd ever seen. Even prettier than Rinoa's... So full of depth, beauty, and life. And never had he witnessed someone with eyes of two separate colours like hers were. They were beautiful, complimenting each other in their soft emerald and sky hues, almost seeming to blend together.

Yuna, however, caught Tidus staring, and quickly turned her head away from him. It would come, yes; the teasing, the torment. It always did. And it was all the fault of genetics gone wrong.

Tidus blinked several times before he realized what he'd done, and made a quick recovery. "Sorry... I just... Nevermind, was there something you wanted to say?" he said politely, so as not to frighten her. 'Better not make her first day any worse than it already is.' His thoughts trailed to the way Gippal, Wakka, and Seymour had treated her this morning, making note to talk to them later on.

Yuna's head snapped up in attentiveness as she looked up at Tidus once more. "Oh, um. I was just going to tell you that you're computer's finished loading..."

"Huh?" The young blonde glanced at his monitor. "Oh, heh... Thanks."

She only nodded in response. Well, he didn't seem all that bad, Yuna thought to herself. Maybe Rikku just saw people differently than she did.

But the look in his eyes... All that despair... The pain... It couldn't leave her mind.

---

For the rest of the morning, Yuna had Tidus in everyone of her classes except History. She had both Lulu and Rikku in her LA and History class, and Rikku in her Science period. But when it came time for Math in the afternoon, Yuna began to become concerned when she realized that she didn't understand a single word the professor was trying to teach. But thankfully, when it was time for the assignment to be handed out, Tidus, seeing her troubles, came to her rescue. He went through it with her slowly, and in no time, she was able to figure out what had to be done.

In PE, she and Tidus paired up the play Two-on-Two street basketball against Keppa and Graav, whom they beat easily with their athletic skills. At first, Tidus seemed surprised. Not many girls in their grade were all that sporty. But they worked quite well together as a team.

At the end of the day, Yuna thanked him for all his help and the time they had shared that day before leaving. She had to wonder why Rikku would say such bad things about him. Personally, she thought Tidus was the most kind and understanding guy in her entire class.

But that Seymour guy, who she just happened to have every class with, kind of creeped her out. He was always looking at her, smiling and grinning flirtatiously. Tidus had told her not to worry about it, because he was like that all the time.

But for some reason, Yuna just couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen. And usually, those feeling of hers, were right.

---

Rikku, Lulu, and Yuna stood outside the student parking lot, resting up against Lulu's convertable, filling each other in on the day's events. Rikku complained about having Gippal and Wakka in almost all of her classes, saying how she would never survive the year.

"Don't worry, Rikku," Lulu told her. "The schedules will change next semester."

Rikku snorted. "If I live that long to see it..." she said in a low voice.

"So, what about you, Yuna? Are you doing alright in the classes you have without us?"

"Yeah, 'cause if there's anyone bugging you, we'll kick their butts!" Rikku said as she made punching actions in the air.

Yuna giggled at Rikku's antics. "I'm doing fine."

"Make any new friends yet, Yunie?" her cousin asked.

"Not really... I'm just a bit shy..."

Rikku frowned slightly, her brows knotting. "Well, you're never gonna meet people that way!"

"I know. But I don't mind being alone, really."

"Yes, well, the teachers also mark you on how well you participate with others in the class," Lulu told her. "So I suggest trying to at least get along with people."

"Oh... Well... Tidus and I talk a bit," Yuna said in her defense.

Rikku's mouth dropped open and her forest green eyes widened in surprise. "Tidus?! No way," she retorted in amazement.

Yuna just shook her head, her brown tresses falling against her cheeks. "He's not that bad, Rikku, really. He's actually quite nice." She looked up at the sky, watching the white clouds parting for the sun, and allowing the warm rays to caress her face and her eyes to close firmly. "He's funny, and smart, too. He's helping me with my math."

Rikku's lips turned up into a grin. "Oooh, does someone have a crush?" Lulu laughed lightly at this as she got into the driver's seat of the car.

Yuna's eyes snapped open immediately and gave her cousin an accusing glare. "I don't have a crush on him! Rikku, how can you say that? I've only known him for a few hours!"

"Ok, ok... Calm down, geez. I was just kidding..." Rikku pouted and hopped in the passenger's seat, leaving Yuna to sit in the back alone to ponder.

'How can she say that... First telling me about how Tidus is such a terrible person and then suddenly accusing me of being in love with him.' Yuna frowned. 'Because I'm not... Right?'

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Author's Notes: So, what do you think? Kind of a long chapter, but you guys deserved it, considering it took me so long to update. I just couldn't think of anything to write... Sorry! I promise that there's be a lot more Ti/Yu stuff next chapter, but you guys just have to be patient with me. I wanna get the plot started up first, k? 33 R&R!