To Mend a Bleeding Heart
Chapter 4
(Zack"s POV)
A woman stood in front of me…
Her red dress was tattered and her body bound by chains of iron.
A mask crying tears of blood covered her face.
I couldn't move at all as she pointed behind me.
I turned around to see what she was pointing at and froze.
I saw Rinoa, sitting in a bathroom, a bloody razor blade in her hand.
3 long slices marred her pale arms as blood washed over them.
She was crying, the tears running down her face in streams as she looked at me.
"ZACK!"
"HOLY SHIT!" I bolted up outta my bed as the voice screamed right next to my ear.
I looked at the snickering kid at my bedside.
Sora was smiling like a loon at his little joke.
"Do you want a swirly, pipsqueak?" I threatened.
Sora just laughed.
"Mom said you better hurry or you'll be late Zack." He giggled before running out of my room.
I looked at my alarm clock, and my eyes widened.
It was 7:30…
And I still had to take Sora to school.
"SHIT!" I shouted, running to the bathroom.
After quickly brushing my teeth and styling my hair, I ran back to my room and straight to my closet, grabbing a black polo and my dark blue jeans.
I threw those on, running downstairs in a panic as I grabbed my bag.
I saw my mom kissing my father's cheek before he left for work.
"Bye dad!" I shouted from the kitchen as I grabbed a quick thing of toast and munched it down.
"Bye Zack!" he called back before the door shut.
Sora and Cloud were waiting by the door as I rushed to it, kissing my mom good bye and running out the door.
We piled into my Corvette before I turned the key and sped towards Balamb Junior High.
Cloud stepped out of the car to let Sora out before sitting back in before I drove off.
We had only 5 minutes to spare as I sped down the snowy streets.
I grabbed a parking spot at Balamb Garden High just as the bell rang.
Cloud and me motored down the halls to homeroom.
I quickly sat in the back of Mr. Odine's class just before the late bell rang.
I dropped my head on my desk in relief.
"You have some explaining to do Zack."
I looked at my desk mate and raised a brow.
"What do you mean Rikku?"
The small blonde beside me giggled, running a hand over her small braids that framed her face.
Her swirly green eyes seemed to mock me…
"You never called Aerith last night after promising you would."
…Fuck…
I knocked my head against the desk again.
I was dead meat…
Homeroom was fast as always, and I headed to my next class.
Mrs. Trepe was in full-blown teacher mode as she explained the complex calculus equations that most of us were having a hard time with.
I'd just ask Cloud for help. He was a math genius.
I dreaded second period as I the bell rang.
I trudged to Professor Hojo's physics class… and looked at my seat…
Aerith sat there, her emerald eyes narrowed at me.
I sighed, walking to my seat and sitting down.
"I'm sorry babe. I got a little preoccupied last night." I shrugged sheepishly at her, hoping she'd understand.
"Preoccupied with what exactly?" she asked, annoyance in her voice.
"Uh… homework. I had to finish my chapter assessment and Sora needed some help too."
Please buy it, please buy it….
"Couldn't you have called me afterwards?"
Damn.
"Uh… Sorry?"
Bad move.
"Is that all you have to say Zack? I thought you cared about me!" Aerith shrieked before the bell rang
"I do Aerith. I really do, and I'm sorry I didn't call like I said. But it's just a phone call. It's not the end of the world."
"Whatever Zack. A promise is a promise and you broke it." She sneered, crossing her arms and looking away.
Why was she making a big deal about this?
She'd been so EDGY lately, and this wasn't the first time she overreacted about something so stupid.
Hojo walked in and began a lecture about inertia and some other stuff I couldn't pronounce to save my life, making the class quiet down.
I grabbed a piece of notebook paper and scribbled something down before shoving it towards Aerith.
We proceeded back and forth, arguing about stupid shit until I blew up… on the note at least.
"You know what, fine! We're through! Until you can learn to calm down and talk, we're done!"
I shoved the note at her, grabbing my stuff when the bell rang.
I went through the motions, attending class and avoiding Aerith at all cost.
I had just gotten my lunch when I spotted Rinoa walking in.
I waved at her, watching her freeze before nodding at me.
I walked over to her as she took her spot in the lunch line.
"Hey Rinoa! What's up?" I asked, initiating conversation.
"The roof." She replied.
"No! Really?" I joked, looking up at the ceiling.
"Smart ass." She replied.
"Zack!" I turned to the table where all my friends sat, waving.
"You better hurry before they see you hanging with the freak." She said coldly.
I turned to face her, but she was gone.
I shrugged, sitting down next to my fellow teammate Tidus.
"Is it true you broke up with Aerith?" He asked, taking a bite put of his apple.
"Yeah. I'd rather not go into details." I said, spooning some sort of meat into my mouth.
"It's alright bro. She's been really bitchy lately anyways." He laughed.
"Amen to that!" I heard Zell, another teammate cheer beside his spot next to Irvine and his girlfriend Selphie.
Rikku was in lunch detention, so she was the only one missing from our group.
"Dude, if you and Aerith are split, who are you gonna take to the winter ball?" Tidus' older brother Shuyin asked as he received a massage from his girl Lenne.
"Um… I don't know…"
"Why don't you ask Rikku?" Selphie chirped.
"He can't! Gippal is gonna ask her!" Yuffie replied, nodding her head in said guy's direction.
You could see Gippal's cheeks turn red.
"Why don't you go with him Yuffie?" Lenne said, flipping her long brown out of her face as she continued her work.
"I've already been asked and I said yes." Yuffie shrugged at me.
"Sorry Zack."
"It's ok. I think I have an idea on who I'm gonna ask." I smirked.
"Speaking of which, who are you gonna go with Tidus?" Irvine asked before getting fed by Selphie.
"I'm asking the little shy art girl later today in Spanish." He replied, chugging his Powerade.
"You mean Rikku's cousin?" I asked, taking a swig of my Monster.
"Yup. She's cute." He smiled.
I shook my head.
Poor girl will probably faint.
The bell rang, sending us all to class.
As I walked into my last class, I dug around my bag for my copy of "The Iliad" and panicked.
It wasn't in my bag. Thank god Irvine and me sat in the back so he could share.
The final bell rang, sending everyone in a flurry to the parking lot.
I saw Rinoa walking, but I had to pick up Sora, so Cloud and me were off.
We had just picked him up when Cloud's phone started ringing.
I peeked over to see the caller id and smiled.
It was Tifa.
I listened in as Sora texted away with his friends,
"So um, Tifa… I was wondering…" Cloud suddenly started stutter as he tried to ask her the vital question.
He looked at me, and I couldn't help but smile.
"Just ask her," I mouthed to him.
"I was wondering if you'd want to go with me to the winter ball?" he said quickly.
After a slight pause, he smiled broadly.
I praised him mentally as we drove up to the house.
I saw Rinoa entering her house as I stepped out of the car.
Cloud let Sora out, who bolted to the door.
I picked up a snowball and threw it at the back of my baby brother's head.
It hit him dead on, making him turn with murder in his eyes.
He was about to throw a snowball back at me when the door opened, revealing my mother.
She laughed before ushering us in. The usual after school cup of hot chocolate waited for us in the kitchen.
I grabbed my mug and sat in the kitchen, pulling out my school stuff and starting my homework.
Everything was peaceful until the doorbell rang. We all scrambled to the door, only to freeze when mom opened it.
"Hi there. Can I help you?" my mom greeted Rinoa warmly.
"I brought this over from my house. Zack forgot it there." She said, handing my mom a book.
"Hey Rinoa!" I said jogging to the door.
"Hey." She replied.
"She brought this for you Zack." I looked at my old copy of "the Iliad" in my mom's hand.
"Wow thanks Rinoa!" I said, taking the book from my mom and hugging the neighbor.
She froze up, but relaxed a little when I let go.
"Hey can I talk to you for a sec?" I asked Rinoa, scratching the back of my head.
She nodded as I welcomed her inside.
"Why don't you introduce her?" My mom hinted, winking at me.
"Oh yeah. Mom, Sora, Cloud, this is Rinoa. She lives next door to us."
They all said hi.
"Rinoa, this is my mom, Stella. You know Cloud, and that's our littlest member Sora. He's our adopted brother." Rinoa said hello before I took her to my room.
I could hear my mom ask about Aerith, but I quickly shit the door.
"How are ya?" I asked, sitting on my bed.
"Fine." She replied quickly, removing her hood and earphones before sitting on the floor.
"How was your day?" I continued.
"Cut the shit. What are you really gonna ask?"
Man she was sharp.
"What are you doing on Friday, January 25th?" I asked, propping myself up onto my elbow.
I can't believe I'm doing this…
"Probably gonna be at home. Why?" she asked, raising a brow.
"I was gonna ask if you wanted to go to the winter ball with me, but maybe I'll ask someone else…" I said, trying to play it off.
"Ok. Who're you gonna ask?"
That wasn't the answer I was hoping for.
"Aw, c'mon. I was only joking!" I laughed.
"It'd be better if you ask someone else. Maybe if you asked your girlfriend…"
"Psh, hell no. Me and her aren't together anymore."
I saw Rinoa's face brighten slightly.
"That sucks." She added, stretching.
"She's been acting weird lately…" I sighed.
"Ok. I'll go with you to the ball." I snapped up, looking at her.
"You serious?" I asked.
"Yup. Especially if it means pissing off the fake ass cheer captain."
I laughed at her comment. Any other day, I would've been pissed, but I thought about as I laughed.
Aerith WAS fake. Ever since her freshman year, she'd gotten to be a real snob and a big poser. Her being cheer captain and daddy's little girl didn't help any bit.
And besides, even though we barely started talking, I already felt drawn to Rinoa. It's hard to explain.
"And it'll piss off Squall, so I really am serious." She laughed.
I smirked slightly. Tifa would be pleased.
"Well, I better get going. By the way, Sora's old goldfish is haunting the bathroom." She smirked as she got up.
I froze. There was a freaking fish haunting our bathroom. Brilliant.
I followed her outside to the front door. My family said goodbye as Rinoa left.
I finished my homework and went to my room, smiling as I placed my book onto my desk.
After showering rather quickly because I didn't want to encounter the ghost of fish's past, I went to my room and went to bed quickly.
But, that woman still plagued my dreams…