Disclaimer: Nothing.
HINT: The chapter title has meaning...

A chapter done just in time to ring in the new year..

I know some of you have waited awhile since I updated so...

LET US BEGIN! :D


Hopeless...

After serving my first customer, I was tired already. It was just going to be one of those long days wasn't it? Knowing that thinking about getting out of here would only make time go by slower.

I sighed thinking about what I could once I get out of here until I felt a tap on my shoulder.

"Hey Nam! How's life treatin' you?" I rolled my eyes. "Tidus, we go through this everyday do you seriously want to know?" He smiled. "Yes." I sighed. "It's hopeless with you." I punched him in his shoulder playfully and turned around to get the cups out for the possible customer. "Nam.."

"Yeah?" I said without turning around. "You know you could let me do that for-" I quickly cut him off. "No Tidus. This is my job, so please, let me just do it and get it over with. Thanks."

"Namine.." I ignored him. "You do know that this is not just a job right? Think about how many people we served over the past year. We even made kids happy. When you're working somewhere where you love to do what you do, then it really isn't called work. It's called..." I looked up at him, he rubbed his fingers against his chin thoughtfully. "Chillen." I couldn't help but suppress a laugh. "That has got to be the stupidest thing you've told me by far." By now, I was on the floor laughing.

Tidus crossed his arms. "Are you done yet?" I looked up at him and got up from the floor.

I quickly brushed myself off. "Yeah, sure."

"Sooo..." He started, I got the hint. "Yeah, yeah, go ahead. Just make sure you don't do anything stupid with the customers, or I'll probably here it from Cid. Where were you assigned at for today?"

He smirked. "The dish washing area."

My mouth hung open and I glared at him. "So you tricked me!" I lifted up my leg and was about to hit him in his shin when he stopped me.

"Not necessarily. You'll get what I mean when you start." He gave me a thumbs up. "Good luck"

He turned around ready to greet the next customer that came in. Completely ignoring the fact that was my job he was taking away from me!

How can the dish washing area be better than serving customers? Argh, whatever. Tidus was generally like that, always tricking people into doing the most outrageous things.

Strange how I'm still friends with this kid...


I shrugged off my annoyance a finally made it to the dish room.

Only to my surprise...

There was no dishes. No plates, no forks, spoons, trays, glass cups... nothing. I sigh of relief came over me as I didn't have to touch any germ infected plates. A smile soon formed my lips, I would definitely have to thank Tidus later. His ways of giving a surprise are different from everyone else.

It's been awhile since I had a break like this from work, so I decided to take advantage.

I turned right and went to the girls locker room. I tried to remember my combination but my mind was elsewhere. Should I really be doing this? After a minutes pause I decided just to go with the flow, who really cares about work anyway?

"12...23...16.." The locker opened.

Satisfied, I grabbed my bag. I searched and searched until I finally found what I was looking for. I took out my sketchpad and my wood less graphite pencil. One of the two things that I loved the most.

Upon hearing some of the employees come to the room, I quickly closed my locker shut.

"Hey Namine." There was only one person who said my name with such venom. Rikku. "I thought you were supposed to be working, no?" I didn't turn to face her but I can sense her smiling. It's not one of those friendly smiles either.

"I am." I managed to squeak out.

"I'm sorry.. what was that?" I can hear her friends laughing behind me. That's it. I've had enough.

I turned to face her, I was being serious now. "I said, I am." Of course, no matter how much anger I said it in, she wouldn't just back down. How annoying can a person get? Obviously not annoying enough.

"Then what's that in your hand, huh? I'm sure it's not the customer's orders." Once again, her friends filled the room in with laughter. I gritted my teeth. What was so funny? Her joke? Or how stupid she was trying to act?

I stepped closer to her where our faces were nearly an inch apart. She flinched. "It's none of your business what I do, as long as your out of my way, then we don't have a problem. Got it?" I looked at the nearby clock. "It's not even your break yet. Shouldn't you be somewhere else, too?" She stared. I heaved a sigh.

"Whatever." I brushed past her, slightly but purposely hitting my shoulder against hers.

Still hanging onto my sketch pad a pencil like there was no tomorrow, I stopped in my tracks.

'Did I really just say that to her?' Uh oh.

I began my pace again, but slowly. Something told me that what I said was going to make Rikku get revenge.

And when she gets revenge, she does NOT play.

Everyone knew it. Her friends knew it, other employees knew it, even Cid knew it. It's no wonder why no one messed wither her and most likely why she never got fired. A shiver ran down along my spine at the thought. She was probably plotting right this second. Who knows?

By this moment, I needed a stress reliever... and fast.

I decided to go to the secret spot like I always do when I'm on my lunch break. There was a tiny air vent which I can manage to squeeze in(using my skills, by the way).

Before I went back to the locker room, I firstly made sure that Rikku and her friends weren't there. Hearing no voices, I quickly dashed back into the room looking frantically for the air vent.

Once I found it, I silently took the lid off, and squeezed myself through..

or at least I tried to.

I panicked. The last thing I needed at this moment was to get stuck in the locker room... half way... through an AIR VENT. God, I'm such an idiot. Luck was not on my side today, that's for sure, and out of all the time in the world, why does this happen now? I attempted yet again to force myself through. No luck. Did I happen to gain any pounds? It's not even the holidays yet! Trying one more time, I somehow got a few inches further into the vent, but not fully. Now I just got myself even more Stuck. Great. Trying to focus more on getting in than on the footsteps outside the locker room I made it in another inch. Hold on.. footsteps? Footsteps! Thinking about who ever was outside watching me go through this embarrassment , I started to hyperventilate. Please don't let it be Cid... Please don't let it be Cid... Please don't let it be Cid...

"Namine?"

Oh thank god.

"Y-Yeah?" My voice echoed through vent.

"What are you doing there? Y'know.. I let you take a break from serving the customers... you don't even have to do dishes... and THIS is what you get yourself into? Tsk tsk. Namine, I thought I knew you better than that."

"Tidus?" A brief silence. "Yeah?"

"Just get me out of here.. please." He laughed. "Oh fine, but I kinda like seeing the clever Namine struggle like this." I could feel his tight grip on my legs and in a few seconds he began to try pulling me out. Like I said, he tried. "Jeez Namine.." He pulled again and let out a grunt. "Did you gain a few pounds?" ...I was afraid of that. "Look, I'm just going to get help, okay?" Help?

"No, no, no, Tidus! If Cid finds out what I'm doing, I'll be.. fired." He sighed. "Fine. On one condition."

"Yeah, and what's that?"

"You owe me a favor once I get you out of this mess. Deal?"

Did I really have a choice? "Deal."

"Good.. uh.. what's your lock combination?" My what? "What for?" I was hesitant. What did he need my lock combo for? "Well.. if you want to get out easier, then I'll need some lotion." I could almost see him smirking. "Y'know.. kind of like a lubricant." I rolled my eyes.

"Tidus, save your sex talk for later, okay?"

"Your lock combo then?" I groaned.

"12, 23, 16." I just gave my lock combination to a boy...

"Oh Tidus, my locker number is-" I heard my locker open. How did he know what was my locker number to begin with!?

I could hear him search through the contents of my bag. "Ah ha! Got it!" He sniffed it. "Smells like Vanilla, too."

"Tidus, I know you like the smell of lotion but please hurry up. I don't have much time."

About a minute later, I began to lose my patience, that is.. until I felt the cold lotion being put around between me and the air vent. "How much are you going to put on?" I screamed. "Well, just enough so you can get out of there. Now, in order for you to get out without any problems, I'll need your help. Don't ask questions, okay?"

"Okay."

"Since your upper part of the body is in the vent, I'll need you to use your hands from where you are and just push and I'll help by pulling your legs so you can get out. The more help, the better. On the count of three? Ready?"

We both counted. "One... Two... Three!"

With all the force I had using my arms, and with Tidus pulling my legs...

I felt myself come in hard contact with the nearest locker.

"Ow."

"You okay?" Tidus helped me up.

I brushed myself off. "Yeah.. I'm fine. Uhm... thanks. I really don't know what I would have done there if some didn't come along." I said, tucking a piece of hair back behind my ear.

"No prob. Just don't go through there again, you heard? I just might not be able to get you out the next time you do get yourself stuck in there." He laughed. I could faintly see the color change on his cheeks.

Why was he acting so.. differently? Usually he was joking around all the time, but now? Is he really being serious? He confuses me.. Then again, boys confuse girls in general. And that, is something every girl knew.

A few brief moments of awkward silence passed by.

"Well.. I should get going now.. y'know.. to get back to work." I laughed nervously. I don't know what I was really nervous about at this moment. Either it's a) getting back to work before Cid catches me or b) the strange way how Tidus was acting. He seriously was creeping me out.

"I'll see you later Tidus." I gave a quick wave and walked past him.

But before I could make it out of the locker room, I was stopped when I felt a hand on my shoulder and heard his words. They were very brief and explanatory, making me quite shocked.

"You promised, Nam." He said with a voice I knew that was serious.

I slowly but surely turned to look at him with a questionable face. I suddenly realized what he meant. I snapped back into reality. "Oh y-yeah. Right.. I owe you a favor." I really just wanted to leave now...

He nodded.

I began. "Well.." He stepped closer to me and put his hands around my waist.

"W-what would that f-favor be?" He edged a little closer to me, closer than before.

He just smiled.

Dumbfounded, I stared at him. I began to repeat my question, not sure if he heard it or not.

"Tidus.." I was more serious this time. "What can I do for-"

And strange enough, I never got to hear his answer because...

His lips were onto mine.

..I mean, what else was a girl to do?

Soon enough, I felt my eyes get heavier and let myself sink into the kiss.


A shocker, no? Haha, poor Tidus. Or rather.. poor Namine!

It's like he's got two sides of him: his humorous side and his serious side.
I think we like his humor side better, yeah?

What would you do if you were in her situation?

What will Namine do? What will Tidus say? When will she go back online? And most importantly...

WHEN WILL SHE MEET ROXAS?(you guys can give me suggestions if you'd like..)

Ahh.. so many questions to be answered in so little time! D:

(I STILL need more work on my chapter lengths.. -_-)

**Oh and if anyone hasn't noticed yet.. Namine getting stuck in the air vent was kind of like Winnie the Pooh getting stuck in the rabbit hole.

Haha, reviews are always greeeaaat! :D

-Miss Tigress