Hi there! So here's the fourth chapter. I hope you like the story, although you don't say anything. Last chapter was more Rippal, so this one is a mix of each couple.
Hope you like it and ejoy it. Read and review. Or at least just read! :D
"Paine?! What the hell has happened to you?" Yuna exclaimed while pushing Paine to the bathroom followed by Rikku.
Paine had a black eye and a split lip. She did not think the guys were going to really hurt her. They did not even take the money. She had gone to talk to them, but things did not go very well. The only good thing about all that was that Baralai had not appeared. He cannot be a spy.
"Nothing." Paine replied while taking Yuna's hands away from her face and walking to the mirror to have a look at her lip.
"They have hurt you!" Rikku exclaimed. She had a look of concern.
"Rikku, thanks for saying it. Without your help I wouldn't have known." Paine said sarcastically.
"What have you done?" Yuna asked as she crossed her arms.
"Nothing." Paine answered again. She was tired of her friends' questions. "Listen. I know you're worried about me, but nothing has happened. It's just a split lip. Now let's go back to class, please." Paine said looking serious to her friends. After a few minutes, Paine took her things and left the bathroom going to her class. Rikku and Yuna looked at each other and followed the example of her friend.
"I told you it was a trap." Gippal said. He was tucked in a corner next to Baralai and Tidus.
"But ... they have punched her." Baralai added. He was pale than usual after witnessing how those guys hurt Paine. "I thought they'd killed her."
"Me too." Tidus commented nodding. "Do you think she'll be fine? We should have done something."
"Wrong my friend." Gippal replied. "If we had done something, Paine would have had enough evidence to consider Baralai as a spy. Ergo the mission had failed." Gippal was right. "When you see her in class." Gippal said turning to Baralai. "Act as if you knew nothing of the fight."
"All right." Baralai said while walking to his class.
Baralai entered his class and sought to see Paine there. He did not see her anywhere and then he thought she had gone home. He sat at the table where he had sat with her the last time, leaving her seat free. Baralai grabbed his cell phone and began to write a message. Lenne, I've lost the subject. She has gotten into trouble and I cannot find her now. To Baralai, that was the best thing he could do. His boss would know what to do then. His cell phone rang after a few minutes. He picked up his phone to read the response from his boss. It was really simple. Look for her. Okay Lenne, Baralai thought as he kept his phone in his pocket. He heard footsteps approaching him. He looked up from his hands and watched as Paine sat in her chair. Baralai's heart contracted when he saw Paine's face, who had washed the blood from her lip, but the swelling was still there.
"What has happened?" Baralai whispered to Paine, who looked at him doubtfully. "Paine!" Baralai exclaimed and Paine ordered him to lower his voice.
"All I have to say is I'm sorry." Paine said with a rueful smile. Paine decided not to talk at the moment. She owed an explanation to Baralai but the class did not seem the right place to have that conversation. She knew Yuna and Rikku had classes that day in a row, so she decided to talk to Baralai after their microbiology class.
"Baralai." Paine called him when he rose from his seat and picked up his things to leave class. "I owe you an explanation." Paine said serious and Baralai nodded.
Paine had trouble picking up her things, so Baralai very kindly offered to help.
"I'm sorry about what I said yesterday." Paine began to say as they sat on a bench. "Like I said, I had a difficult weekend. I argued with my father and I thought he was watching me again."
"Again?" Baralai asked while sitting next to Paine. "It hasn't been the first time?"
"Nor the last." Paine laughed. She had learned to take her life with humor, but she owed it to Yuna and Rikku. Without them I'd still embittered around each corner. Paine looked at Baralai who was watching her curiously, but his eyes showed also an emotion that Paine could not identify. "You really don't know who my father is?" Paine asked.
"I don't get why you think I know your father." Baralai smiled.
"My name is Teyw." Paine said, waiting for Baralai's reaction.
"Mine is Syndehaw." Baralai smiled and Paine laughed.
He really doesn't know who my father is? Usually people know who I am when they hear my name. Paine was thinking what to do while Baralai spoke. Maybe this time I can be myself. Just Paine.
"Paine?" Baralai asked. "Did you hear me?" Baralai looked at Paine with a raised eyebrow. Paine shook her head and Baralai chuckled. "I've asked you what has happened."
"I went into trouble with some guys and…well I think you can figure out what come next." Paine smiled.
"All right." Baralai said after a while. "Well, what were you saying about your father?" Baralai asked.
"My father is ... a baker." Paine said. Baker? "He makes famous bread and people know him for that. So that's why it has surprised me that you didn't know him." You really suck at lying Paine.
"Like I said the other day, I've just come from Bevelle. I don't know much about the shops here." Baralai replied and his mobile started vibrating. Baralai apologized and pulled his phone from his pocket. It was Lenne's number. "Mom?" Baralai asked as he apologized and rose up from the bench and got away from Paine. She watched him as he walked away while talking to his phone.
"Did you find her?" Lenne asked from the other side of the line.
"Sure. We're fine." Baralai answered.
"What?" Lenne asked. "Are you with her?"
"Yes!" Baralai exclaimed in a whisper. "I'll call you later in the day." Baralai laughed and hung up the phone, leaving Lenne with the words in her mouth. Baralai turned to Paine and sat on the bench. "Since I left home, my mother doesn't stop calling me."
"Lucky you." Paine replied. She envied Baralai because he had the attention of his parents. "I mean, you're so lucky that at least someone cares about you." Paine specified who did not want Baralai to interpret wrong her previous sentence.
"But you also have people who care about you." Baralai said as he sat back down next to Paine. "You have your friends." He smiled. Paine had not seen that smile since the night club. She stood watching the same details that she appreciated that night. "Paine, did you hear me?" Baralai asked and Paine returned her eyes to Baralai's.
"I ... No. I'm sorry." Paine said. "Can you repeat?"
"I've asked you if you have classes now." Baralai asked.
"The truth is that I've finished today. I'm going to stay here in the library studying while I wait for my friends." Paine said. Her plans those days were always the same library, meet Yuna and Rikku between hours, leave after school, go home and spend the afternoon lying on the couch.
"Want to have something with me?" Baralai asked looking down.
"And why would I take something with you?" Paine asked seriously. "You're just a classmate." Actually, Paine wanted to take something with Baralai, but she wanted to see if the boy knew how to defend himself. Paine's answer left Baralai confused. He had been waiting for a different answer, not that.
"Well, I think I have to remind you that you owe me one for the other night." Baralai smiled, though it was not an innocent smile. It was rather a mischievous smile.
"So?" Paine asked raising an eyebrow. Her face shows fun. Paine was enjoying that conversation.
"I want you to return me the favor. Now." Baralai replied standing up and taking their stuff and Paine's arm. "Follow me."
Paine got up without delay while telling Baralai that it was fair what he was doing. When Paine was to turn to the college's cafeteria, Baralai laughed and pulled her right arm, guiding her toward the parking area.
"I've never said we were to take something in the college cafeteria." Baralai smiled again with that mischievous smile. Paine looked at him surprised.
They reached Baralai's car, that car that had won Paine's heart from the very first moment she saw it. Baralai unlocked it and opened the trunk to put in their stuff. Paine opened the passenger door and sat down, stroking with her fingertips the upholstery inside of the car. Baralai entered the car a few minutes later. He told her to buck her belt and drove to the city center.
The ride was quiet, in which the only words exchanged were 'Where are we going?' from Paine and 'You'll see it' from Baralai.
Within minutes, Baralai parked in front of a very quiet park. Paine looked for some place where they could take something, but she only found a candy shop. Baralai surreptitiously watched her and smiled as he saw Paine was completely lost.
They left the car and Baralai went to buy something at the candy shop. After that, he went where Paine was waiting for him, leaning on the hood of his car. As he approached her, Baralai could not help but observing the figure of the girl who was waiting for him. She was not like the other girls that had little curves. Paine had well defined hips, waist and chest. Baralai stop! You must focus on your mission. Remember that it is work. When he reached her they headed to the gardens.
Paine looked for a bench on which they could sit, but Baralai decided to sit on the grass. He gestured Paine for her to sit and she looked at him doubtful. Paine finally decided to sit down and began to take the bag of snacks that Baralai had bought.
"Let's play something Paine." Baralai proposed as he put a snack is in his mouth. "A set of questions. If you don't want to answer any question, it doesn't matter." He said and winked at Paine.
"Okay. Shall I start?" Paine replied while still eating snacks. "Why did you leave your university?"
"Good question." Baralai said while he invented an answer in his head. "You see, one of my best friends came here to study because Luca College is one of the best scientific universities. I was sad because I wouldn't be with him, so we talked and decided that if one of us went, the other would go with him." Baralai replied as he opened another package of goodies. "My turn. What do you study? Because I see you in some classes but not in all that I have." Baralai asked.
"What do you think I study?" Paine smiled and Baralai replied that she should study Veterinary. "Actually I study Science and Food Technology." Paine replied. "Basically it's nutrition."
"Interesting." Baralai said. "I'm sure that this food is not very healthy." He commented while taking another snack in his mouth again.
"The truth is that it isn't, but today I don't want to think about the preservatives that has all these goodies." Paine laughed as she took the bag of goodies from Baralai.
"Paine, don't get mad, but I don't understand your mood swings." Baralai said and Paine looked at him serious. "Yesterday you were mad at me and today you don't stop smiling." Baralai smiled as he lay on the grass.
"Well, I have my days, you know?" Paine replied. Baralai had feared that Paine would get angry but something in Paine's eyes said no. "Go on with the game. Do you live alone? "Paine asked.
"Yes. I have an apartment near the harbor." Baralai replied taking away the bag of goodies from Paine. "Don't you?"
"I have an apartment in the center of Lucca. Besides a beach house to myself."
"Your father earns a lot, doesn't he?" Baralai asked with feigned curiosity. He knew that a baker did not earn so much. As he also knew that Paine's father was no a baker.
"You've asked twice." Paine replied avoiding eye contact with Baralai. "Anyway, no. A baker doesn't earn much, but I also get help from my grandparents."
"I'm sorry Paine. I didn't mean to offend you." Baralai said and Paine shook her head indicating that nothing was wrong.
"Rikku, have you seen Paine?" Yuna asked Rikku as they sat at a table in the cafeteria for coffee to regain strength for the following hours. Rikku shook her head as a response to Yuna's question.
"Maybe she's been to the doctor for her lip." Rikku said as she took a sip of her coffee. "If I were her, after the beating those guys has given to me I would go to my house."
"Yuna." A voice said behind the brunette. Rikku looked at the guy who was behind her cousin. At first she thought it was Shuyin and Yuna was right the other day when she said he had greeted her. However, looking better, Rikku saw that he was like Shuyin, but he was not him. After that conclusion, Rikku's eyes went quickly to the boy's friend. Wiiiiiiiiiiiii!, Rikku cried inside. Gippal was next to Shuyin's double. He was looking at her and smiling at her in greeting.
Yuna turned slowly to that voice. Her reaction was the same as Rikku's. At first she thought it was Shuyin and her heart started beating a mile per minute. However, she noticed that something was different. Yuna was looking at the boy concentrated, trying to figure out who was he. The boy took a chair and sat at the table with the girls. Gippal followed him and sat with him, though he sat really close from Rikku.
"I cannot believe you forgot me, Yuna." The boy said as he placed a lock of Yuna's hair behind her ear. Yuna looked at the clueless boy. "Come on Yuna, think. I know you still have some memories of me in that head of yours." He said as he poked Yuna's head.
Suddenly, as if a door had just opened in Yuna's mind, her eyes changed expression and what at first was bewilderment was then replaced by anger. Yuna had just recognized that guy. Tidus. Her ex-boyfriends. Although things did not go well with Tidus, Yuna decided not to be rude to him, so he was treated as an equal partner.
"How are you?" Yuna asked. She glanced at her cousin who seemed quite lost. The good thing that your cousin is also one of your best friends is that you can communicate with her without any word. By a look in Yuna's eyes, Rikku understood that Yuna would explain everything about that boy Tidus as soon as they were alone.
"The truth is that quite well. What are you doing here?" Tidus replied as he looked sideways at Gippal, who was engrossed talking with Rikku about something.
"I'm studying Physics. And you? I thought you'd left school." Yuna said as she pulled away a little from Tidus and looked at Rikku, who was talking to Gippal. Yuna wanted Rikku to pay attention to the conversation, so she kicked her under the table to get her attention. Rikku gave her a pained look.
"Well, let's say I decided last year to start studying again. Physics." Tidus replied. "How you've been after ... you know?" Tidus muttered quietly to Yuna, who was the only one to hear him.
"After you went and left me without a word?" Yuna asked ironically. "Pretty good. I removed a load off, remember?" Yuna said as she stood up and grabbed Rikku's arm.
"Yuna, it wasn't my intention. I didn't want to hurt you, but I was called to do some test and ..." Tidus started to say apologetically. It was true. Tidus was dating Yuna when he received a letter of admission to the police academy from Bevelle. He just had two days to pack everything up and go to Bevelle. At first he thought it was a joke, so he did not say anything to Yuna, but the thing was serious and he ended up leaving without talking to the girl he wanted to spend the rest of his life.
"Bye Tidus." Yuna said as she and Rikku left the café.
"I think she hasn't liked to see you again." Gippal commented as he watched the girls leave.
"It hasn't been so bad." Tidus replied as he watched the door close behind the girls. "Has it?" He asked Gippal, who shook his head as he gave a pat on the back at his friend.
Paine and Baralai continued with innocent questions for several hours. They learned a lot from each other. Paine learned that Baralai loved sports, exotic fruit and salads. She also learned that he hated meat and country music. Baralai lived in Bevelle, and he had a very boring life until he met his friends. Baralai, however, did not learn much more than he already knew from Paine. He learned that she liked rock music. She also hated meat and she adored raw vegetables. Part of him felt bad for lying to Paine, although another part kept repeating that he was working. After hours, Paine decided to raise the level of the quiz and she started to ask more personal questions.
"Have you got a girlfriend?" Paine asked as she rolled on herself to reach the bag of goodies that Baralai had in his stomach.
"Actually no." Baralai replied. "Can we really ask these questions?" Baralai asked rising slightly and looking at Paine with a mischievous look. All the time they were asking each other, Baralai could not stop thinking about how pretty Paine was that day. Again and again Baralai… You are working. Lenne has chosen you because you are a professional. Don't fail her, Baralai said to himself as he tried to erase those thoughts from his mind.
"Sure." Paine replied as if it was the most obvious thing. "How long ago was your last relationship?" Paine asked again.
"You've already asked before." Baralai said sitting.
"No, you asked if we could ask those questions. That was your question." Paine replied raising an eyebrow. "Answer."
"I'd like not to answer that." Baralai replied and Paine shook her head as she smiled and whispered that he was a coward. "I'm not a coward. Remember, the only rule is that if you had put questions we wouldn't respond, we don't have to respond." Baralai returned to say while he stood up. "We should go." It was Baralai answered. He decided that they had been together for so long that day. He also said it because he did not know what else he could do or say if Paine went on asking those kinds of questions. Maybe he would get mad at her. Or maybe he would do something that ruined the mission.
Baralai was not looking at Paine. She stood up and took all the bags. She followed Baralai to the car and went up to it. Paine looked at Baralai as he sat in the pilot's seat.
"I'm sorry if the question has upset you." Paine said after a long silence. Baralai response was a simple hand movement. Paine thought he was saying it did not matter, but she was not sure.
"I can drive you home if you want." Baralai said after a few minutes.
"Don't worry. Stop here, I can already get to my own." Paine replied. Baralai tried to convince her to stay in the car, but Paine was determined to leave.
"Okay, let me stop." Baralai said as he parked in front of some buildings, but he did not unlock the car. Paine looked angry. Another of hers mood changes, Baralai thought to himself. This time it has been your fault, Baralai. "Paine, before going out..." He began to say Baralai as he turned back to look at her for the first time since they had gone to the car. "I want you to know that I'm not angry, I just don't like talking about it."
Paine looked at him and asked him to open the car to get out and take her stuff. Baralai sighed and did as Paine asked him. He accompanied Paine to the back of the car as he thought how he could fix things with her. He saw as she took her things and turned toward him. Baralai stared at her until an idea came to his mind.
"When was your last kiss?" Baralai he asked with a mischievous smile. Paine looked stunned. She did not know if she should answer him or hit a slap in his pretty face. Paine finally sighed as she said goodbye to Baralai and walked to her apartment. Baralai stood there watching as Paine disappeared in a corner.
Baralai reached his apartment at night after making a stop at the office to talk about the mission with Lenne. The question that Paine had asked him, it had made him remember things he thought he had overcome. Baralai took a cigar while he took the keys to his apartment. He was about to come in when a voice startled him.
"Finally, buddy." Gippal said. He was sitting in front of Baralai's apartment door with Tidus.
"I went to the police station to work." Baralai answered to the question that his friends had not done yet as he took the cigar and kept it back in the pack of cigarettes. Baralai knew that his friends hated when he smoke, but it was a habit that he had hooked a few months after Taria went away. Baralai opened the door and invited his friends to come. The house was poor in terms of decor. Taria had taken everything when she left the apartment that was now Baralai's.
"You could buy some candles." Tidus remarked as he sat on the couch. "And some cushions. We could go to IKEA. There are nice things." He smiled happily.
"Taria left nothing huh." Gippal said. Baralai grunted in reply. "How are you doing?" He asked.
Baralai sat with his friends while rubbing his eyes. It was yet difficult to speak of Taria without feeling sad and feel as anger flooded every part of his body. Although it had been six months since Taria went, Baralai was not able to talk about it. He was not prepared, so he dissipated the questions of his friends with a wave of his hand and asked to speak about other thing.
"How's the mission?" Tidus asked as he opened a packet of popcorn. Great…you couldn't ask about something else, Tidus? Baralai thought.
"Where did you get the popcorn Tidus?" Gippal had a puzzled expression on his face. He did not know how his friend could be as stealthy and yet so loud.
"She doesn't suspect anything about me." Baralai replied. "We've been together today, playing a game of questions."
"And how has it been?" Gippal asked as he pulled his phone from the back pocket of his pants and began to fondle the screen.
"She has touched on the subject she shouldn't." Baralai laughed weakly. "I think she's mad at me because I haven't answered that question." Baralai replied. He did not understand why he cared so much whether or not she was angry. It's just work. But you want to do things right, don't you Baralai? The discussion he was having on his head with himself caused him a terrible headache, so he decided to change the subject again. "How was your day without me?"
"Tidus met his ex-girlfriend." Gippal commented while still fingering his cellphone. He stood up and grabbed his things. "Guys, I gotta go. We'll talk tomorrow." He said with a straight face and left Baralai's house.
"How did it go with her?" Baralai asked Tidus after Gippal was gone.
"I think she hates me." It was Tidus' response while he turned on Baralai's television.
"Rikku, I got your message, is everything okay?" Gippal asked waiting for Rikku to response across the phone.
"Can you come to a park near my house?"
"See you in ten minutes." Gippal replied.
Gippal found Rikku sitting on a swing. She was more beautiful than ever, although she was wearing a simple T-shirt and yoga pants. Gippal sat on the swing next to her.
They were sitting there in silence until Rikku spoke and began to tell a new 'episode' of the story of her 'friend'. This time, the boyfriend of her friend had acted very strange when Rikku's friend had come home. She had asked him why he was home so early lately, but the answer he gave her was not convinced at all. While Rikku was telling Gippal the story, she could not help but let a few tears fell from her eyes. She told him that her friend thought that he was cheating her. Gippal did not know what to do, so he wrapped her shoulders with his arms and let Rikku cried on his shoulder.
"Rikku, why are you crying?" Gippal asked once Rikku had stopped sobbing.
"It's so sad that all." Rikku said against Gippal's shoulder.
Gippal did not know what else to say, so he just kept hugging Rikku while watching the stars that began to appear. If Rikku was not crying, it would be a perfect time to Gippal, which would end up discovering what Rikku's lips tasted like. But Gippal did not want to take advantage of Rikku at the time, so he abandoned that idea and started rocking Rikku in his arms reassuringly. No rush Gippal.
Yuna was at home cooking dinner when his phone vibrated. A message. Yuna read it. It was an unknown number. I'm sorry about what I did a couple of years ago, but I tell you again that I didn't mean to hurt you. Yuna, the last thing I want is to hurt you. Please forgive me. Would you give me one last chance? It was a long message, and Yuna knew who was coming. She smiled as she wrote a response. Although she would not recognize it, she was glad to see Tidus again in college. Yuna left her mobile above her kitchen table when she finished writing the response and send it. Maybe ...
"She has answered!" Tidus exclaimed while throwing his mobile to Baralai.
"I told you that if you asked her for a second chance, she'd give it." Baralai smiled weakly. In part, he was glad to see his friend happy. At least I did something good today, Baralai said to himself as he turned to pay attention to the show they were putting on television.