Earring

Dear Diary,

As much as I appreciate what he did….No really! I do appreciate it!
I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am inside! But the thing is…
Wasn't that kind of 'bold' of him to do?

Diary, I feel like a couple of paparazzi are going to pounce on me any minute…

Am I going paranoid?

As much as Tifa trusted Cloud, she couldn't seem to get a particular girl off her head. It's been two days since Cloud's visit and now they were at the bleachers inside the gym, having their lunch. They already have the mental note not to eat in the cafeteria after the Cloud scene that happened. While enjoying themselves though, the girls can't help but stare at Tifa.

"Sigh…" Tifa exhaled a breathe. She's been playing with her food the whole time and would only eat when Cloud was looking or he was shoving a spoonful to her mouth.

"That's her fourth sigh" Yuffie whispered to Aerith who just nodded. Elena stared at her brunette friend and can't help the uneasy feeling forming inside her.

Being a Turk and all, she was supposed to know about things, but as of now, Tifa was unreadable. It seems like she got Cloud's poker face when staring at a camera. Not knowing what's going on with her friend was making her twitchy, and a twitchy Elena isn't good.

"Tifa?" a familiar voice called her name. The girls stared at Cloud who was now facing her. They were leaning at each other's back, giving Cloud no access to seeing Tifa's gloomy surface.

"Hmm?" Tifa tried putting up a smile, but with Zack just around the perimeter, he can sense that there was something wrong, and that's not because of Tifa but because of another light brunette giving him daggers.

"Anything wrong?" he asked Tifa, knowing well what Aerith wants him to do. For today the boys and girls were on opposite sides, their very barrier was the back to back Cloud and Tifa.

Tseng noticed that Elena had twitched a third time with a worried expression pasted on her face, time to take action.

"Seems like something has Tifa troubled, care to tell us?" Tseng asked.

Tifa looked at him before gazing back at oceanic eyes. Cloud was pinching her cheeks, to which Tifa was confused.

"What are you doing?" she asked. Cloud automatically smiled then stopped.

"Looks like 'Mom' still got her head jumbled up by the certain 'someone'" he pointed out. Tifa smiles and giggles at the nickname he used.

"I'll get over it soon enough, so 'Dad' shouldn't worry anything" Cloud didn't fell for it.

"I find that hard to believe" he smirked when she put on a scowl. The others around them were completely dumbfounded.

"What the hell are you two talking about?" Reno asked, completely confused.

"Nicknames" Vincent muttered, not that interested as he finished his sandwich.

"Pretty odd nicknames" Zack commented.

"Vinnie, we should have nicknames too!" Yuffie chirped, looking at Vincent. But the target took it as a sign to leave, and without another word, he went off.

"Wait! What Nickname do you want me to call you?" Yuffie rushed to him. Reno then got on her heels, also shouting "I want a nickname too! Yuffie!"

"Will that Trio ever end?" Tseng wondered.

"I think that would be a miracle" Aerith giggled.

When the three were out of the double doors of the gym, a pair came in, it was Denzel and Marlene.

"Marlene? What are you doing here?" Tifa asked as she went down his bleachers. Cloud was just behind her, seeming calm. He seemed to have an idea why his little cousin was here.

"Denzel wanted company since he doesn't want to go alone here" Marlene explained.

"Hey! I can go here alone! I can do it all by myself!" he said proudly. Marlene frowned.

"Then I'll be going" Marlene turned to head off but Denzel pulls her wrist quickly, his cheeks tainted pink.

"Hey! Don't go!" he yelled to which he shut his mouth with his hands.

"Alright" Marlene smiled at him. The other teenagers began giggling. She looks at Tifa with a smile before announcing why they went to the high school division.

"Denzel ahs something to say to Cloud"

"Oh? What is it?" Cloud asked, facing his cousin.

"Mmmph! Mmm hmp!" He said through his hand.

"You shouldn't cover your mouth when talking" Cloud smiled at him.

Denzel just stared at him before he slowly showed his still blushing cheeks. Cloud chuckles at this before patting his head.

"You're being called by Cid. He said if you're not by the car in ten minutes he'll confiscate your bike" Denzel said in casual manner.

Well that got Cloud walking straight to the door. He looked back at Tifa for a sec and said his goodbye to everyone.

Denzel laughs at how quickly Cloud tried to walk. Tifa looked at him with a confused look.

"The third most important thing to Big brother is his Bike" he smiled.

"Then what are the second and the first?"

"He said it was a tie…"

"What then?"

"You and Auntie" He said it as if that was the obvious answer. He quickly storms off with Marlene without waiting for Tifa's reply. Cloud had called him from the halls.

Tifa suddenly felt her cheeks heat up.

"Well that was cute" A non-twitching Elena went up behind her. Why she's not twitching anymore? Maybe it's got something to do with her little chat with Marlene a few minutes ago.

"Sometimes I'm having debate on who's a better entertainment, you or Yuffie?" Aerith giggles while holding onto Zack's arm.

"She has a point you know" Zack added with a smile.

Tifa just let out a contented sigh.

They were about to head to class when Denzel came running back, panting.

"Is anything wrong Denzel? Did he forget something?" Tifa asked while the Boy pants for air.

He shook his head and gave Tifa a folded paper with something inside before shooting back out the doors, well not before saying "I got to go! I'll be late for Class, Bye Mom!"

Tifa giggled, guessing that Cloud made him say that. But that wasn't that's important. The rest of the gang went around her when she opened the note.

Inside was an earring. The design was familiar and it took awhile before Tifa realized that it was the same as the ring he gave her. She quickly read the note.

'Hey Mom,

Watch the interview. And while you're on it,
better wear that on your left ear, alright?

By the way, how's 'Cloud'? 'Tifa' is missing him.

Dad'

"Nice Nickname" Zack said with a grin.

"Well, since he ordered it, why not go to Tifa's?" Elena suggested. I guess you can guess what happens after school?

In Tifa's house…

"Tifa! Yuffie won't share the popcorn!" Marlene shouted.

"Stop pulling!" Yuffie whined while she has a 'tug of war' with Denzel.

"Give us some!" He said pulling the bowl.

"Hey chill down! There's more where that came from!" Zack shouted through the commotion. He held two more bowls that was fresh from the kitchen.

"Seems like we're watching a movie" Aerith smiled, enjoying the popcorn.

"What are you doing?" Vincent asked the Turks. Reno was being ordered to be the eyes while he holds a notepad. Elena and Tseng were now discussing who gets to listen to Cloud and the host, both with notepads.

"Turk stuff" Reno smiled before taking some popcorn from the bowl.

Through all the commotion, Tifa sat at the middle, drinking her soda while wearing the ring and the earring Cloud asked her to.

It was still on a commercial, but soon enough, the show began to start and everyone was dead silent.

"Well now, a couple of days ago we remember having Cissnei as a guest" The smiling host said "It was luck she has accepted and now Luck continues on our side folks! Let's welcome Cloud Strife!"

Cheers overwhelmed the whole studio once a mysterious looking Cloud stepped in.

In the music industry, Cloud was known to be the mysterious prince. Though the reason to that is he doesn't like being seen because of his private life but for his music.

"Well now, how about that! The studio is roaring!" the Host applauses. It took a minute before the staff managed to calm the studio audience. Cloud gave out a small smirk.

"On to our guest, you've been going low profile, I believe?"

"I'm still a teenager, and my Mother thinks I should have a break for awhile" he gave a small smile.

"Yes, but I believe you're slowly coming up with a new song? Would you like to tell us about it?"

"It's a surprise" he said bluntly. Making sure it stays a secret "But I have Cissnei with me as a duet partner"

Tifa felt a little uncomfortable when he mentioned her name as his partner; Even if it was just for a song.

"Well! That's a song to be excited about! Speaking of which, how are you and Cissnei?"

The dreaded question was asked and the guys were giving Tifa glances, though Tifa just remained calm and awaited his answer.

Cloud was frowning. It was a few seconds before he shook his head. The host looked at him in confusion.

"Well, we're good friends…I met her sometimes when we go to the recording studio…that's all…"

"No, I mean….anything intimate?" The Host was really asking for a scoop the whole town would talk about. Cloud just smiled.

"There's only one girl I'm intimate with…"

"And who might this be? is it Cissnei?" the host asked, curious. Cloud frowned again and shook his head as a no.

"Then, there's a different lucky lady?" The host asked excitedly. He replies with a smile. The Host was about to ask another question from his cards but a different one caught his eye.

"Well, if you don't mind me asking first, where is your earring?" Cloud's earring was always a part of him. He never appeared anywhere without it. He had said it himself that it was an important thing on numerous occasions.

"Well right now, she's wearing it" he waved at the Camera.

A lot of shocked expressions were seen through the audience and through the Lockhart household.

Tifa just stared at the television were the Host is now asking who this mystery girl is. But Cloud never gave him another Clue. Her heart quickened and she also felt the eyes on her. But that didn't bother her much. What bothered her is the emotion she can't quite distinguish going on inside her.

Tifa touched the earring she's wearing and back at Cloud as he faced the camera. The sudden feeling of being pounced by paparazzi caught her attention, and now she stared at the Turks who stared back at her. They were smiling. Well, two of them, Reno weren't as he kept gaze on the television, in his mind a different person has him worried.

Cissnei shuts the TV off. Her arms squeezing the teddy bear she snuggles. You'd expect tears but none came. Instead, she laughs. She took a CD where the song she's going to have with Cloud was.

"I won't let you steal him away…." She smiled before hugging the bear tighter "Besides…you don't have the power…"

How was that? Was it enough for an update? Please tell me if this is okay! Though I think it needs more emotion, but I can't seem to add it up…