Sorry this chapter took so freaking long. Really. I got sidetracked doing nothing all day. And Tumblr. Always a distraction. I got too caught up in RPs and crap haha. Welp, onto the story!
4
Over the next week, Cloud was surprised to find that he hadn't been harassed by Kadaj and his brothers. Not even Loz, who was on the football team didn't speak to him at the practices.
"I don't know." Aerith shrugged. "Maybe they've just given up?"
"That doesn't sound like them to me," Tseng said in Chemistry class. "They're planning something."
It was Friday, and of course that meant that the dance was at seven O'clock that evening. Cloud had once of Zack's older suits at home, laid out on his bed—and he still hadn't had enough courage to ask Tifa to go with him. A few other girls had asked him, but he'd turned them all down.
At six-thirty, his phone rang. "Yeah?"
"Wanna carpool?" It was Zack on the other end. "Or are you riding that fancy motorcycle of yours?"
"I was going to drive Tifa there, yeah." He waved out the window to her while she was getting ready in her bedroom.
He laughed. "Ah, I see. So you are going together, then? Well Aerith, Vince, Yuffie, and I were all going in a car together just in case something goes wrong, alright?"
They said their good byes and hung up shortly after. Cloud moved to his window and opened it, waiting for Tifa to do the same. "You look wonderful," he told her.
"Thanks, Cloud. You look like a blond Zack." She giggled when she saw his unsure expression. "No, you're cuter than Zack."
"Ah, well. Aerith doesn't think so." Cloud tried to hide the fact that he was becoming beet red.
"What's it matter what Aerith thinks? What? You like her?" She laughed. "Better not tell Zack—he'll cut you in half."
Cloud cleared his throat. "Hng, no. I don't like Aerith, she's with Zack, anyway. It doesn't matter. Besides, I've only known her for a little more than a week. She's nice, that's all."
"Oh, yeah? And what do you think of me?" Tifa suddenly demanded.
"Should we go now?" He winked, regaining his calmness.
She nodded and closed her curtains.
Cloud was surprised to find her already at his door waiting for him. "Eager much?" He laughed.
Tifa sneered and hopped onto the motorcycle, clinging to him as they tore off down the road. In only minutes they were at the front of the school, where about twenty other cars were parked. "Gaia, some of these people really drive fancy cars, huh?" Cloud asked as he helped Tifa from the bike.
"Yeah, yeah." She brushed her hands over her dress. "Did Zack say that he was leaving soon?"
"He said he was coming here with Yuffie and Vincent." Cloud shrugged, feeling his phone vibrate in his pocked as he did. "That's pry him now."
"Damn does my suit look good on you, ya little chocobo-head!" Zack's loud voice echoed from behind him, and Cloud spun around to see he and the three others waving at him. "And boy does Tifa look fine."
Aerith shoved him when he said that, frowning. Zack pocketed the phone and scooped her up off of her feet, then walked over to them. "Ready to go in? It's a little early, but that way we can get a table, right?"
Cloud threw a questioning look at Vincent, who was already engaged in conversation with Yuffie. "Vinnie, are you going to dance this time? Come on, please?" She whined.
He took her hand and they followed Zack. "I don't dance."
Tifa grinned and nodded at him. "What are you waiting for? Let's go!"
Inside, one of the gyms was decorated with streamers and flashing lights, but not much else which was odd for a wealthy school, Cloud thought. There were tons of round tables, and a few long ones with food on them (Zack headed straight for the food, of course).
At exactly seven, once everyone was seated at a table, the principal and vice principal stepped up to the microphone.
"We'd like to thank everyone for coming out to this event, taking time out of your busy lives and homework." Hojo said. "And we'd also like to start the evening with a dance before dinner."
They moved off to the sides of the gym to stand with the other chaperones and teachers, soon the microphone was taken away, the music began, and all of Cloud's friends had relocated themselves to the dance floor.
It was a slower song, he had to admit, and asking Tifa to dance would just be awkward. Though, not as awkward as Tseng and Cissnei tripping over eachother's feet every few minutes.
After the first song ended both Reno and Rude took seats at the table where Cloud sat. "Oh, Gaia, spike. You're lucky your parents ain't chaperones." Reno rubbed his forehead.
"What? Yours are?"
Rude pointed to two burly looking men, a blond and a black guy. "Yep."
"Cid and Barret? The gay guys?" Cloud said, a hint of surprise in his tone. Never woulda guessed… "That's cool."
Reno sighed. "It's embarrassing, yo."
Aerith sat down in a huff. "Where's Tifa?"
Cloud nodded to the dance floor, where she had her arms wrapped around some other senior. "There. Where's Zack?"
She glanced over her shoulder and stared at him while he was laughing with a blond haired girl. "He'd be right there."
"Oh so since you're not dancing with anyone, how's about you an' I go together?" Reno held out his hand to her. To Cloud's astonishment, she took his offer and they headed for the crowd of people together.
From where he sat, Cloud could see Zack immediately run over to them and begin arguing with Reno. He grabbed Aerith by the shoulders and pulled her into a hug shortly after. Reno shrugged and walked back to the table. "I don't see how a nice girl like that can date someone like him."
"And you're any better?" Rude asked.
After twenty minutes of slow dancing, Reno and Rude left to the buffet tables, and a few of Cloud's friends returned to him.
Zack was eating with one hand, the other was around Aerith; Yuffie and Vincent were holding hands under the table, but Tifa was still dancing. Zack threw him an eager look and gestured towards her. Cloud glared back, but his attention was easily diverted when he saw Kadaj and Yazoo approaching.
"Oh so look who came to the dance in a second-hand suit."
"You really want to give people the impression that Midgar High's poor? You really are a country boy, huh?" Yazoo laughed.
Just then, Tifa marched over to them, a strange look on her face. "What do you want with him?" She demanded.
"Getting your girlfriend to stand up for you, Nibelheim?" Kadaj sniggered. "Not cool." He shoved her out of the way so nothing stood between he and Cloud.
"Leave him alone!" Aerith piped up from the table. She stood and crossed her arms, Zack mirrored her.
By then half of the student's eyes were on them; silently watching. "Oh, another girl? Come on, Nibelheim…" Yazoo said. The second he raised his hands to push her, Zack punched him.
"Uh, that's pry a bad idea there." He grinned. "Either sit down, or I'll kick your ass."
Kadaj sneered and moved closer to him, but Zack stood his ground and didn't flinch. He kept his head up and arms crossed. "What, Fair? You're gonna kick my ass? Ha." He pushed him into the table, making it fall over onto Vincent and Yuffie who jumped up angrily.
Zack lunged at him, tackling him onto the ground. If it weren't for Aerith yelling at him to stop punching, Zack would have broken Kadaj's nose.
When Zack had stood up, helped Kadaj up apologetically, and turned his back, Yazoo struck Cloud from behind, sending him toppling into Vincent. Both boys stood in a huff. Vincent glared at the silver haired guys in front of them but restrained himself from making any rash moves.
Zack put his arm around Aerith and began to walk away with Vincent and Yuffie when they heard Kadaj yell out: "Nibelheim scum!"
Cloud spun around and punched him, breaking out a smaller brawl. Yazoo and Kadaj were beating him up very easily until Zack helped him, and then Reno and Rude, and finally even Vincent.
But as soon as the fight had started, the five of them had been kicked out of the dance by the Vice Principal Sephiroth.
"Well…" Zack sighed and sat down on the pavement. "Guess we should just wait here until the dance is over. So we can give the girls rides home, right?"
Reno shrugged. "We're goin' home, yo. See ya." He took off with Rude in a car parked not too far away.
Only a few minutes later did the school's gym doors open, revealing Aerith, Tifa and Yuffie.
"What?" Cloud turned around. "You all left, too?"
"Well duh. We weren't going to just leave you boys all alone were we?" Tifa sat next to Cloud and smiled.
"Come on, let's just all get back home." Aerith took Zack's hand in hers, pulling him to his feet. They were almost comical when together, Cloud thought. He towered over her and had to bend down to kiss her lips; it didn't help that Zack was so clumsy, either. He looked silly when he bowed his head way down and kissed her.
He stood straight next to Tifa, trying to measure their height difference. He was a little taller, but not by much. No…when they kissed it would look beautiful—Cloud shook his head. "Eugh, Teef, are you going to go with me?"
She laughed. "Of course. I wouldn't leave you all alone."
"Hey, let's see who can get home fastest. I mean, we're dropping Vince off on the same street!" Aerith chirped. Zack beamed at her and nodded.
Cloud smirked. "It's a race, then."
"I don't like the sound of this…" Vincent muttered while climbing in the Zack's car.
Oh jeez sorry that this was so rushed and awful and stupid, but it was kind of a filler. x( Please keep reading and rating and reviewing! Thanks you guys!
