Chapter 6- Day Three: To Understand Your Feelings

"Come on!" Zelos shrugged and then let out a deep sigh. "It's a great idea! You gotta agree with me!"

Sheena growled. "I guess, but you should have only invited me and Lloyd. Not everyone!" She crossed her arms and laid back down on her purple beach towel.

Zelos looked around. Their friends were scattered all around the beach, playing, laughing, and swimming. The sound of rushing waves, and the usual passing of seagulls created a soothing environment.

"Hey..." A smile came over Zelos' face. "You know, you look better than ever in that red bathing suit. You must have gained weight, cause it seems tighter."

"Shut up!" She slapped him instantly, leaving a red hand mark.

"Ow! It stings!"

"Of course it does! Now leave!" She shoved him with all her might onto the sand.

Zelos landed with a plop on his bottom. "Ouch... touchy, touchy..." He got up, dusted the sand off him, and walked away.

"Pervert!" She hissed at him.

Not far away, Colette was smiling sweetly at Lloyd. "Do you want to go swimming with me?" She wiggled her toes as a gentle wave washed onto them.

Lloyd got up. "Sure! Come on!" He grabbed her hand and ran into the water, his goggles, snorkels, and flippers already on.

Colette's heart froze, the warm embrace of his hand so wonderful, and yet so painful.

Lloyd stopped in his tracks, "Colette?"

The young girl looked up and realized that she had froze, stiff still.

"Oh... it's nothing. Let's go!" She did a fake little giggle.

Lloyd blinked, but then dived into the water anyways.

Colette paused for a moment, breathing in deeply, then slowly wadded in.

Lloyd grinned, "That was a great swim Colette! I had a lot of fun!" He grabbed a towel and started to dry himself off.

She smiled shyly and then blushed.

"I mean, it was really funny when a wave suddenly came and flipped me over, and then-"

"Psst!"

Lloyd turned around to see Zelos. "Huh? What is it?"

"Hey, let me talk to you for a sec, 'kay?"

The chestnut-haired boy shrugged, "Okay." He got up to follow his friend.

Colette waved goodbye and then turned around and sighed. She went to her pink beach bag and opened it up. Inside, along with all the other beach supplies, was a small letter in an envelope. She gently took it out and examined it, flipping it back in forth. When will I be able to give this to him? She remembered this morning, when she was so close to just dropping it into his mailbox, and yet turned away at the last second. I worked so hard to write this... What am I afraid of?

"Rejection," a voice inside replied.

She nodded sadly in agreement.

"Okay, more tips from the Great Zelos! You're one lucky man!"

"But I still don't what you mean by 'sitting and waiting-'"

"Okay!" Zelos continued, ignoring Lloyd's last comment, "I'm gonna help you choose a lady! As you know..." He spoke like a talk show host, "You have four lovely contestants! Mrs.Fujibayashi, Mrs. Sage, Mrs. Brunel, and last but now least... Mrs. Combatir!"

Lloyd blinked.

"I know the decision is hard, but Mr. Wilder will help!" He raised his hand into the air proudly. "First of all, which lady do you think is most appealing?"

"U-uh..." Lloyd looked around uncertainly. "Um... Colette...?"

"Why, yes! Colette looks very nice in the face! But... she's an ironing board! She said it herself!"

Lloyd blinked, confused.

"You need a woman with more curves!"

"Uh... what's a curve?"

Zelos burst into laughter and then patted Lloyd on the back. "You see Sheena and the Professor over there?" He pointed at a young woman in a red bathing suit tanning in the sun and another young woman with a black, two-piece suit reading under an umbrella. "Those are the kind of women you need!"

"Moron…" A voice sighed.

The two turned around to see Genis, crossing his arms and rolling his eyes.

"Oh, quiet!" Zelos growled hatefully.

"Hey, Genis! What's up?" Lloyd grinned happily.

"Oh nothing, just watching an idiot at work," he sarcastically remarked.

"Go away, brat!" Zelos nearly shouted.

"All I'm saying is that you shouldn't listen to that guy and listen to some real advice. Girls like it when you prove that you're good at something. Make them proud of you."

"Like showing off!" Zelos remarked.

"No! That's not what I mean." Genis shot back.

"Do not forgot kindness and compassion."

The three turned around to see yet another one of their friends, Regal.

"Sheesh, so many people sneaking up on us! Talk about intrusion on personal space!" Zelos sighed.

"One can not achieve a true relationship without that. Remember that." His calm and wise expression was unchanging.

Genis frowned. "Well… yeah…"

"Ugh…" Lloyd swayed to the side in stress. "So many suggestions… I don't know which to listen too…"

"I think it would be best to leave him alone for now." The three then turned to leave, leaving Lloyd alone in his confused thoughts.

Okay… here we go. I'll follow Genis' advice first. Uh… I think I'll try it out on that girl over there… He walked over to a tall young woman. She was tall, wore a blue bathing suit, and had long black hair in a ponytail.

"Hi!" Lloyd greeted cheerfully.

The girl turned around from the drink stand. "Uh… hello." She waved uncertainly.

Prove that your good at something. Make her proud. "Hey, guess what? I can do a back flip!" He jumped back and gracefully performed the move.

The young girl blinked. Okay, that was random. What a weirdo…

Lloyd looked back at the girl and saw her roll her eyes. That can't be good. Okay… try Regal's plan. Kindness and compassion.

He ran up to the girl. "I'll help you with anything you want!"

She slowly backed away. What is with this guy?

Lloyd sighed. That can't be good either. I guess I'll use Zelos' plan.

"You have… uh… nice…" He paused. What was the word…? Oh yeah! "Curves!" he announced proudly.

The girl's hand started to twitch.

Is that good or bad?

She turned around, a menacing glare pasted on her face. A dark aura seemed to surround her as she approached Lloyd. A group of people started to assemble around the two as she raised her twitching fist towards him.

I'm pretty sure this is bad…

"O…ow…" Lloyd groaned in pain as he tried to lean back on the seat. "I'm never following Zelos' advice again…"

Colette gently dabbed at his bruise with a hot towel. "Wow… she sure is strong… You still even have an Exsphere!"

Presea frowned innocently, "Well, that's what you get for listening to Zelos!"

Sheena flicked a glare at the young child. "What were you doing? Making octagonal turtles like last time?" she hissed under her breath.

"You don't need Lloyd!" She shot back quietly, "Look at all those guys staring at you!"
"What are you talking about!-"

"Everyone," Raine interrupted calmly, "It's about noon, let's have lunch now. Everyone's here." She set down her book and pointed back at three approaching figures, two of them in the middle of a quarrel.

"Oh, lunch time already?" Colette giggled and turned to Lloyd. "I made you your favorite! A ham and cheese sandwich!" She opened her bag and took out a neatly wrapped food item.

"Oh Lloyd! I made you beef stew!" Presea pulled out a bowl from her own bag.

"Hey, Lloyd. I made you curry!" Sheena reached for her backpack and took out a small box of food.

The pink-haired girl growled. Sheena was one of the best cooks she had ever met, she couldn't compete at all. Suddenly, she realized something.

"Raine…?" A sly smile came over her face. "Did you make anything for Lloyd?"

The teacher blinked. I really need to learn how to cook.

Finally, the three men arrived.

"Hey, what's for lunch?" Genis asked happily.

"Oooohhh!" Zelos' eyes turned towards the good layed out on the beach mat. Those for us?"

"No!" All three girls exclaimed at once.

"Sheesh, what's with everyone today?" Zelos shrugged his shoulders and sat down.

"Zelos, thanks to you I got beat up!" Lloyd moaned.

The redhead let out a loud cackle. "You're just not as experienced as me! You learn sooner or later."

"Just shut up and eat…" Sheena snorted.

Colette smiled sweetly, "Here, Zelos. I'll get you your lunch." She got up and walked towards a large basket.

"Aw, you're so sweet, Colette." Zelos grinned.

Suddenly, the inevitable words came, "Woops!" Then came the expected thud.

"No, my curry!"

"Eeek! My stew!"

"I'm sorry!"

Presea glared, "You'd better b-!" She paused. "Uh… I mean… of course it's alright! I mean, we're great friends, right? We can't fight and we always must forgive each other!" She smiled.

The blond-haired girl smiled. "Thanks, Presea."

Lloyd shrugged. "I can still eat it, don't worry. It's only smooshed. I still tastes the same… right?"

"Right!" Sheena turned to Presea and narrowed her eyes, "You know you can't beat me at cooking," she sneered.

"Oh really? Well, I don't see you going on a date with him tonight!"

"What!"

"You bet I am!"

"Okay, that's it! Now I'm angry!" She said more loudly than she should have.

Everyone turned towards Sheena, but that didn't stop her.

"How could you, you of all people? You-you…!" She was getting louder by the second.

"This shows I am much more intelligent than you!" Presea taunted.

"Why you!"

Colette sprinted towards them. "Please stop! Friends shouldn't fight!" She squeezed her hands tight together. "Please, oh, please stop!"

But her attempts were to no avail.

"This is getting annoying," Raine sighed.

"I say it's best that we back far, far away!" Zelos got up to leave with Regal following him.

"STOP FIGHTING RIGHT NOW!!!" Raine commanded.

But even Raine's forcefulness couldn't even stop the two this time.

"Uh…" Lloyd groaned.

"This should be interesting to watch." Genis commented sarcastically.

Presea and Sheena's fighting, Colette's pleading, and Raine's shouting went on until finally Genis mentioned, "Uh… guys, seagulls are taking your lunches."

At first, there was no response, just the normal yelling.

But then a scream came. "Eeaaaaaaakkkkk!"

Sheena got up. "How dare you steal my curry you dumb seagulls! Ugh!" She swiftly grabbed a nearby shell and threw into in the mob of birds.

At once, they flew away, pieces of food and wrap in their mouths.

"Nice going! Now they're gone for good!" Presea sighed.

Sheena turned around, glaring at the pink-haired girl with eyes of fiery hate. "Do you know how hard I worked on that curry!"

"I worked hard on the stew too, you know?"

Out of the blew, Raine got up from her chair in the shade, marched towards the two and exploded, "STOP FIGHTING RIGHT NOW! Just stop fighting right now!"

The two stopped and turned towards Raine.

"Beach time is over! We're leaving now!"

And of course, everyone obeyed. Bags were picked up, and people were scurrying around. They all had one thing in mind: Raine is very scary…

"Lloyd, come here."

Her student stopped in his tracks and ran to her obediently.

"I'm going to teach you another lesson today."

"Professor? It's summer. Can I please enjoy it?"

"Listen…!" Her voice started to rise impatiently.

Lloyd shut his mouth immediately.

"Listen carefully. All I'm going to tell you is that you must learn to understand your feelings. There are deep emotions deep down in your heart that have not risen to the surface. Discover those feelings and understand them. All these emotions will be towards one person, and one person only. That person is the one you should marry."

Lloyd groaned, "Not more advice…"

"Listen to your teacher, Lloyd."

He sighed. "Fine."

"So Lloyd… Are you enjoying the dinner?"

"Yeah, I sure am!" Lloyd replied, gobbling up a few more pastries.

"Now, now Lloyd. Remember your manners!" Presea teased playfully.

As Lloyd continued to eat like a pig, Presea started to slip her magazine out from her purse. Then, she placed it under the table and elusively started to read.

First Date

Be shy, yet brave

Be mysterious, yet obvious

Presea blinked. The language of this is so… strange…

"Uh… what are you reading?" Lloyd asked and started to look under table.

"Nothing!" Presea frantically snatched up the magazine and hid behind her back.

"What was that?" He blinked curiously.

"N-nothing… it was… the menu!"

"But I thought the waiter took it away after we ordered."

"This is an extra one!" She lied frantically. "Uh… in case I… drop it… down the… s-sink! Yeah the sink!"

The young man blinked again. "The sink?"

"It's nothing! So…" She paused and tried to think of something to change the subject with. "Um… so, how's your dinner?"

"It's good! I love this café!"

"…shy…"

"That's great…" She blushed tentatively.

"Huh? I can't really hear you…"

"…brave…"

"Mine's so awesome!" She jumped out of her chair and threw her fist into the air, almost knocking down her plate of salad.

"Presea…?Are you alright?"

"…mysterious…"

"Maybe, maybe not," she whispered. "Figure out on your own…"

"Wha…?" He started to blink wildly.

"…obvious…"

"I like you, Lloyd!"

"Uh… I like you too…?" She's so odd. I feel so uncomfortable in front of her. I…

And then the thought him.

"All these emotions will be towards one person, and one person only. That person is the one you should marry."

Was it…

Presea…?

As Lloyd started to look down, deep in his thoughts, Presea turned back to her magazine and read.

Be yourself.

But he might not like me for who I am.