Chapter 10

Tifa's POV

The sun finally came out after Cloud and I made up. Questions were shot at me like a machine gun when I arrived Monday morning. Rinoa INSISTED she carry my books, even though I didn't have crutches. Terra was more or less yelling at me to not ever scare her like that again while Yuna tried to calm everyone down. I couldn't help but smile to myself at lunch; I really do have people who care and would be heartbroken if I really did disappear. Guilt set in, why did I even think about running away if I knew I had people who cared about me?

Weeks drifted by and my ankle healed as the flowers broke through their snowy prisons, mush to Aerith's delight. The approaching stress of finals was forgotten amongst the juniors and seniors and the lingering thought of Prom 2011 encased everyone's mind. Who asked out who and who was planning to wear what was now the main conversation at lunch, even among the boys. My whole incident was gone along with the winter months, and everything was pretty much back to normal. Just like the way it should be.

Ice blue eyes locked with mine from down the hall. Lightning just simply stood there completely unnoticed by the rest of the students swirling around us as if she were a ghost. Her eyes shifted away from me as she sadly shook her head, her lips muttering something to herself. She forced herself not to look back at me as she slowly distanced herself from the crowd…and me. Part of me still wanted to kick her ass for trying to take Cloud from me, but other tiny part remembered how she visited me in the hospital a few months ago. Ever since that visit, I haven't seen any hair of her since, until today.

"…you listening, Tifa?"

My heart sped up as my mind flew back into reality. Aerith stood by my locker with her brunette curls bouncing off her shoulders, freed from her usual braid. A smile was etched onto her lips as she casually leaned into the row of lockers.

"Sorry, I was far away. What were you saying?" I asked, probably sounding like an idiot.

A blush crawled across Aerith's cheeks. Her eyes glanced at the floor as she twirled a brunette curl around her finger. "Zack asked me to go to prom,"

"Really? That's great Aerith! Do you have a dress?" I asked.

She shook her head. "No…do you think you could help me get a dress this Saturday with Fang?"

"Sure, no problem!" I replied instantly.

Lightning's POV

The sky was a mirror image of my heart: dull and grey, like the way it's been for weeks now. I haven't seen Cloud since the night we found Tifa, and I was glad. There was no way I could ever face him after what he went through all because of me. I breathed in the misty air and strode into the pouring rain. My hoodie was soaked in seconds but I didn't care, no one would either. The cool drops coated my face and my hair hugged my neck.

Solitude is the only word that can describe my life right now. I didn't want to go to fencing practice anymore, it would only bring back the memory of my accidental kiss with Cloud. I couldn't face the blondie right now either, now that him and Tifa are together again. Fang was always with some of her other friends, I never saw much of Snow in the first place, and Hope wouldn't stop talking about how he asked out Vanille and how they were going out.

I didn't even bother to take off my wet clothes upon entering my tiny apartment. My body threw itself on the couch and my eyes faced the ceiling. Alone, again. Not even a note from Serah to read or a text from any of my friends. The excitement of Prom didn't make me feel any better; I had no friends or a boyfriend to go with.

How did my end up like this? Why did just one stupid mistake ruin everything? Why? I could've just continued to be nobody and no one would've gotten hurt. I rolled onto my side letting a lone tear escape from my barricaded heart. Everything was screwed up all because of me, Tifa almost died because of me. If all I did was cause pain to others and myself, I might as well leave this world behind.

I was numb as I headed towards the kitchen, towards the knife drawer. My fingers gripped the sharpest buther knife we had and my hand reached for a red pen and notepad sitting on the counter. Red scrawls formed across the paper as more unnoticed tears slipped from my eyes. Nothing in my life has been perfect; I've only ruined everyone else's. Bye Serah, thanks for every-

"Claire? What are doing?"

My head whipped towards the doorway and Serah stood there, a plastic-draped item clutched in the crook of her elbow and her messenger bag rested on her hip. The knife clattered to the floor, Serah's eyes upon it. She set down her bag on the kitchen table and strode over to the counter; her eyes scanned my suicide note. My own gaze was glued to the floor, how would my own sister think of me now?

"Why were you thinking of killing yourself?"

I stamped back to the living room, Serah trailing behind me. "All I do is cause pain and grief, look at what I did to Cloud and Tifa. I tore them apart and look what happened to both of them…it was all because of me," I took a seat, my legs feeling more like melted butter than muscle.

Serah shot a glare at me. "Claire, this is why you should get out a little more instead of locking yourself up! Let someone in for once!" She yelled.

"I did!" I screamed. "But he belonged to someone else, someone who was his guardian angel,"

"Claire, you're letting this kill you! Cloud is not your last chance at love! Sure it may hurt to know that someone like him is taken, but he isn't your only chance!" Serah's lip quivered as her voice rose.

My fist made contact with the coffee table, my sister jumped. "You have NO FREAKING CLUE how it feels to be in my position!" A growl rumbled in my throat. "To be so in love with someone that you actually tear their life apart to be with them, and even go so far as making their girlfriend suffer!"

My feet overpowered my thoughts as I began to storm off to my room. Serah grasped my arm, pulling me back towards the kitchen. Damn pest, I tried to flick off her hand, but her stone grip tightened. How could someone like her have a grip this hard! Compassion no longer rested on her fine features, her eyebrows tipped downwards and her lips twisted up into a firm scowl. Wow, never knew Serah had it in her to be so determined.

"Can you just listen for once, Light?" She demanded, her voice rose. "Let the whole Cloud incident GO! It's done, it's over with, they're back together again, and I'm NOT gonna let you sit around here and mope!" My arm was no longer in her hand, a ticket was there and a red, knee-length, sleeveless dress with a black sash tied around the waist hung in the other.

"I didn't spend over a hundred dollars for YOUR Prom ticket and dress for nothing! You're going to Prom with Fang, Snow and the gang and you're goning to have a great time!" Maybe she did get more of mom's personality than I thought. "To be honest I'm actually kinda jealous you get to go and not me,"

My mouth hung open. "…Serah…you spent all this money…for me?"

Serah smirked and nodded. "Yep, ever since the incident you've locked yourself up for hours on end. And I'm not letting you mope through Prom,"

The tears almost came again as I threw my arms around my sister. Why would I kill myself if I knew my sister would be devastated? We've already lost our parents and me killing myself would only hurt her more; I'm her only family left. I pulled away and tore my note in half, letting the ripped pieces fall to the floor. Serah smiled before throwing the pieces in the trash, and she held out her hand.

"I suppose you want me to get my wallet, right?" I crossed my arms.

"Yes, since it was from MY bank account. But since you're my sister, you only have to pay half: $75,"

"No extra sister discount?"

Serah smiled. "Nope,"