Author's Note: All I'm gonna say about this chapter is that ending, tho. *eyeball emoji* Enjoy!

CHAPTER SEVEN

The Ordinary Girl

Yuna hasn't bitten her nails in years, but she is now, the gross taste of nail polish in her mouth as she chews and tears on her thumbnail. Tidus is pacing back and forth, on the phone with his agent.

"It's not what it looks like," he's saying. "I'm not cheating on Lenne. Yuna is an old friend. Yes, I said friend. Yes, just friends. She came to support me. Is that such a crime?"

While Yuna tears off all the nails on her left hand, she scrolls through DMs appearing by the hundreds on her recently reactivated SG account, calling her all sorts of lovely names, most starting with "w" and ending in "hore" or "s" and ending in "lut."

Lenne's hoards of fans, rushing to the singer's defense as the pictures of Tidus and Yuna on the blitzball platform for the ceremony have already been posted on Spiran gossip sites galore and shared over a hundred thousand times on SG.

One hundred thousand. The number makes Yuna dizzy.

"I don't think a statement will work," Tidus says, his voice growing a bit. "You know what, forget it. I'll call Lenne."

He hangs up and lets out a loud growl. "What the hell do I pay that guy for…" Then, he lifts his phone back to his ear and starts pacing again.

While he's apparently waiting for it to ring, he pauses and looks at Yuna, pulling the mouthpiece of his phone away from his face. "Hey, I'll get this taken care of," he assures her with a wry, uncertain smile. Yuna manages a smile in return, but she's sure hers is even weaker.

She's at two-hundred unread DMs. They've accumulated in ten minutes.

They're still at the Basilisks game, in the shared hallway on the suite level, outside of the bathrooms. One of the few places for privacy, but the period is almost over and people will likely start heading for the restrooms.

"Answer the phone, answer the phone, answer the—hello?"

Yuna rips her fingers out of her mouth and looks up from her phone, watching Tidus.

"Are you kidding me? Seriously, Shuyin? What the hell. Where's Lenne? Don't give me that bullshit about her recording right now. She just texted me—I know she's not recording." He lets out an exasperated sigh. "Seriously, let me talk to her."

"Shuyin?" Yuna says out loud, remembering Lenne's weird love-triangle between Tidus and his look-alike, his cousin, Shuyin.

Tidus closes his eyes and shakes his head. "Fine. Have her call me." He clicks off his phone and runs his hand through his hair. "She's not talking to me right now. But I will get this taken care of."

"Your cousin answered?"

"Oh—yeah. He's her manager. It's a long story. And a really annoying one."

"Didn't he and Lenne date? When we were in college?"

"They sure did," Tidus says and he looks back at his phone. "Wow, the 'Zanarkand Watch' is already reporting that Lenne broke up with me due to my constant infidelity. As if she wasn't the one sleeping around on me with my cousin."

Yuna looks down at her own phone, deciding she'd rather see all of Spira calling her horrible names than try to parse what Tidus just said about his girlfriend and his cousin.

With a sigh, Yuna pockets her phone. "Hey, I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have taken your hand while we were out there. I should have been more aware of how it looked—me wearing your jersey, me taking your hand. Of course people got the wrong idea."

"No, it's on me. I'm the one who should have known people would get the wrong idea. And I know how savage Lenne's fans are. They'd die for her. But don't worry. Lenne will put out a statement telling them to back down and they'll listen to her." He chuckles, but it comes off dry, bitter. "They always do."

"I take it you've experienced this before?"

"Yeah, kind of. It was a media frenzy when Lenne and I first went public with our relationship. Basically everyone thought she could do better than some washed up blitzball star. Although my stats were still decent back then…" He pauses, his eyes a bit glazed, like he's running through his stats for that year. Yuna clears her throat and he continues. "Anyway, there was a lot of backlash with her fans because they all knew about the Dona drama. So Lenne had to basically tell them to all stand down. It was kind of annoying, actually."

He sighs and looks at his black phone screen. "Just like this."

"I guess that's what happens when you're dating Spira's most famous pop singer," Yuna says and she truly doesn't mean the bitterness that creeps into her tone.

"Well, it doesn't help that you're Lord Braska's daughter. That's a headline."

Yuna's face gets hot. "Oh my gosh, you're right." What will her father think when he sees? What will Baralai think?

And really, all of Spira knows who she is, and yet they have the audacity to come into her DMs calling her all these horrible names?

"Well, maybe my dad can do something. Or Baralai."

"What will they do?"

"Baralai works in media. Maybe he has some connections to get some of these articles removed…"

"Aren't you worried about him seeing that picture?"

Yuna was but now she's numbed by the thought. Baralai won't care—he never cares.

And if he does, it'll prove he cares about her.

Tidus looks out at the sphere as the minutes tick down. Yuna's guessing no one's watching the game; they're probably all attached to their phones, trying to profit off the pictures they took, whether it's by selling them to a tabloid or posting to SG for the "likes."

"Let's get out of here," Tidus says.

Yuna nods. She was hoping he would suggest that. Still, as they start for the elevator, Yuna says, "I'm sorry I ruined your night."

"You didn't ruin my night." He jabs the elevator button.

"Well, sorry you have to leave early."

He doesn't say anything for a second, his eyes focused on the elevator button that he's already pressed. Then, he sighs, and says, "Honestly? I wasn't planning on staying. The only reason I did was because I wanted to spend more time with you."

"Oh." A warm, fuzzy feeling envelopes Yuna's chest. She thinks of the piles of DMs and the happy heat immediately cools.

The elevator dings and Tidus puts his arm out to block the door so Yuna can enter first. "Yeah, so, this isn't a huge deal to leave early." He hits the button for the parking level. "But I'm sorry. I forgot that people can be sharks."

"Honestly, it's fine." Yuna crosses her arms.

Tidus shakes his head and puts his hand out. "Let me see what they're saying to you."

Her cheeks burn. "Really, Tidus, it's fine."

He doesn't move his hand.

With a sigh, she unlocks her phone, taps on the SG app, and slaps it into his hand. He scrolls through the DMs, the words reflected in his crystal eyes.

"This is disgusting," he says as the elevator reaches the parking level. "No one should talk to you like this, let alone a bunch of trolls." He hands her phone back to her. "I'll have Lenne take care of this. I promise."

Yuna follows him out of the elevator towards his car. Disappointment wrings in her stomach as she realizes the night's come to a premature end. Probably for the better, she thinks with a soft sigh.

Her phone buzzes. A text from Rikku.

"YUNIE OMG!"

Yuna clears the text notification.

"You know what," Yuna says once they've reached the car. "It's fine. I'll just delete my SG account."

Tidus looks surprised, his eyebrows high on his forehead. "No, you shouldn't have to do that."

"Really, it's fine. See, done." She shrugs and tucks her phone back into her pocket.

"Oh. Wow. You just… deleted SG." He blinks at her like she just told him she told him aliens are real.

"Uh, yeah. Honestly, I deleted it earlier and only reinstated my account so I could…" She trails, not wanting to admit she only had it so she could cyber-stalk him and Lenne. "Its really not a big deal."

"But don't you need it? Like for promotions and…" Tidus trails. "Oh—you don't need promotions."

She can't help but laugh. "No. I don't need promotions."

"Wow. That must be awesome." He takes a deep breath and puts his car in drive. "I can't imagine going out to eat and not having to document it for SG. Or going on vacation and not posting a hundred times. I mean, it's not so important for me, I guess, but Lenne. And obviously I get a lot of attention for it. Just by dating Lenne I got a million followers."

"Yeah, I think I had, like, ten followers, total."

"And that's okay with you?"

Yuna shrugs. "Of course."

"Hm. Still, Lenne's fans are savage. They'll find you. Your dad will probably start getting hate mail or something."

"Well, good thing he's retired or I'd definitely be getting a lecture tonight. Although…" Yuna sighs. "I've always kind of wanted to be Maestress someday, so hopefully this doesn't affect that. Well, I should say maybe want to become Maestress. If things change."

"What kind of things?"

"You know, a separation from Yevon a bit. So that Spira isn't governed by a religion not everyone follows."

"Yeah, that makes sense," Tidus agrees. "Well, it won't change without the right people in leadership roles, right?"

"Hm, well, too bad half of Spira's population thinks the worst of me…"

"It's not fair," Tidus says, knuckles white as he tightens his hands on the steering wheel.

"They must be saying stuff to you, too?"

"I mean, sure, but… not like they are you. Which pisses me off."

Yuna sighs. "I wish I could say that surprises me."

"That's why Lenne will take care of it, once she talks to me. She won't stand for her fans saying that shit to you."

"Okay," Yuna says, although her stomach rolls at the thought of Lenne having to save her. It already kind of sucks knowing all of Spira is on Lenne's side instead of hers.

Soon they're already back in Yuna's neighborhood and for the first time, Yuna wishes she didn't live so close to the Basilisks' arena. She glances over at Tidus, who's chewing on his cheek, his eyebrows pinched together, a line of concern across his forehead. She knows she shouldn't, but she reaches over and puts her hand on his arm.

"I'm fine, really," she assures him.

He looks down at her hand momentarily and then back on the road just as he pulls into her driveway. She removes her hand when he puts the car in park, her heart heavy at the thought of having to leave him.

Especially because she's pretty sure this is it. She'll never see him again.

"Lenne will be back tomorrow," Tidus says, his voice soft. "I'll make sure this gets fixed. I'm really sorry."

She unbuckles her seatbelt, surprised by how much she feels like crying. It isn't lost on her that she doesn't have to leave—she could say screw it and she could fling herself at him like she wants, right here in her dad's driveway. Forget Lenne, forget Baralai. All of Spira already thinks there's something going on so there might as well be.

But instead she smiles, says, "Thanks. And I'm sorry, too. I guess we should have both known better." Then, with a deep breath, she puts her hand on the door handle.

"Yuna, wait."

She does, her breath hitching in her throat. "Yes?" She turns to him, her mouth slightly open, her heart pounding in her head so fast her vision gets blurry.

"I meant everything I said to you the other night. About you being the one that got away."

Yuna's mouth goes dry and she nods. She can't find her voice and even if she could, she doesn't know what she'd say.

"I think about you all the time," he continues. "Way before we ran into each other. I was such an idiot turning to Dona, and I swear I'm not just saying that because she takes half my salary in alimony payments."

Yuna can't help but feel her eyes widen. She remembered Rikku saying something about that, but it's different hearing Tidus talk about it.

"I don't know what it is about you, but I've always been drawn to you."

"I know," Yuna finally manages, her words coming out before she can stop them. "I've always been drawn to you, too."

"I wish things were different," Tidus says. "I've been out of my mind all night thinking about what you said about things being different if I hadn't put on such a farce in college, pretending to be such a massive dick. If I could go back, I would. But I… I also meant what I said about not being emotionally ready for the kind of commitment you deserved—that you still deserve."

Yuna's finally able to close her mouth. Again, she nods. Her pulse slows, the reality of what he's saying sinking in.

She knows the speech he's giving her right now. It's the it's me, not you speech. It's the same speech he would have given her ten years ago, had she not ghosted him after seeing him with Dona. There never was a path to Tidus and Yuna, Yuna and Tidus. It was never meant to be.

And that's what he's telling her now.

"Yeah, I get that." She grabs the door handle and opens it up.

"Yuna, wait!"

"No, really, Tidus. I'm good. We're good. You're with Lenne, who's a freaking super star, and I'm happy with Baralai. I'm in Luca, you're in Bevelle. I'll be leaving in a few days. Our paths aren't going to cross again. We'll go our separate ways, like we were always destined to do. It's fine. I'm fine. I promise."

"Yeah, but Yuna…" He trails, and Yuna realizes he's blinking like he might cry. Which somehow embarrasses her.

She looks away and then tugs the jersey over her head. "Here," she says, forcing a smile even though it feels like her whole world's been shattered. "You can finally have this back."

"No." Tidus shakes his head. "It's yours, Yuna. It's always been yours."

She hesitates, torn between wanting to keep the last piece of him and wanting to give it back to him so she can have a clean start. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she says, "Okay," and hugs the jersey to her chest. If that's what he wants, then she'll keep it.

"Okay," Tidus repeats. He clears his throat, his face turning a bit red, apparently out of embarrassment of almost crying in front of her. "Anyway, uh, I'll definitely talk to Lenne tomorrow if not sooner. She'll make everything better. Promise."

Yuna presses her lips together before saying, "Great. Thanks."

"Okay. Cool."

"Okay." She shuts the door and even though her heart's crumbling, the glue and tape she'd used ten years ago to put it back together finally coming undone, she heads into her dad's house. Tidus doesn't leave until she's inside, and when his headlights disappear down the road, she falls to her knees, sobbing.

#

Lenne's barely through the door before Tidus pounces.

"You have to release a statement. Tell everyone nothing's going on between me and Yuna, that you and I are still very much together."

She squints at him as she pulls her sunglasses off her face and slides them up on top of her head. "Um, hello to you, too."

"Lenne."

"Maybe you shouldn't be holding hands with some girl who's wearing your jersey in public settings, Tidus. Did you ever think about that?"

"She's not 'some girl.'"

"Exactly. She's Lord Braska's daughter and people are already starting to piece together that you used to date. I'm not sorry you didn't think things through. What were you doing, anyway, going with her?"

"She's the only one who would go with me."

"You couldn't go alone? No, of course you couldn't." She rolls her eyes and drags her suitcase across the marble floor, dropping it by the bedroom door. One of her assistants will probably come in and unpack it later. In fact, Tidus suddenly gets hit by a wave of relief that no one followed Lenne in. This conversation would be ten times harder if he had to go through her publicist.

Although it also might be ten times more efficient.

"Look, the only reason I was comfortable going with Yuna was because we both made it clear to the other that we were going as friends. See?" He pulls out his phone and shows the text exchange.

Lenne, though, wrinkles her nose. "That seems a bit flirty to me."

"What? How is that flirty?"

Lenne reads from Tidus's phone, quoting Yuna's text. "'I know things were weird last night?'" She lifts an eyebrow, her eyes steel. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Shit. Tidus puts on an easy smile. "You know how it is. Girls always think I'm flirting with them."

"Probably because you were." She rolls her eyes. "None of this is a good look."

"What, because we dated in college? Come on. We've been broken up for ten years now!"

Lenne crosses her arms, a faint smirk on her glossy lips. "Honestly, this is so perfect. Finally I have something over Yuna."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Tidus shakes his head.

"Ugh, back in college. She was awful."

"You didn't even know her!"

With a scoff, Lenne shrugs. "I didn't have to know her. I wanted you and she was in my way. Now I have you, and here she is again, but this time, I have all the power." That smirk is back.

Tidus pinches at his brow. "Aren't all of your songs about, like, girl power and girls helping girls?"

"That doesn't apply to your boyfriend's exes, Tidie. Everyone knows that."

"Can you just release a statement or something? Yuna's getting trashed in the comments and that's not fair."

Lenne walks up to Tidus, so close she's practically chest-to-chest with him and drags a nail softly down his cheek.

"Of course. I'll get this taken care of, but you owe me."

"Whatever you want," Tidus answers, and for the first time, a searing hate roars through him.

#

Yuna is down in the basement going through her dad's storage items debating what to donate and what to toss when her phone buzzes.

"Hey, Rikku," she answers, debating on if her Yevon christening dress is worth keeping. "What's up?"

"Are you sitting down?"

"Um… yes?" She's sitting cross-legged on threadbare carpeting, her butt numb from the hours she's spent going through crap. Who knew her dad was such a packrat.

Rikku let's out a breath, which muffles in her phone microphone. "Lenne released a statement."

"Oh." Yuna tries to ignore the quickening of her heart rate. "Um, what does it say?"

"Okay, um, so basically she says—"

"Just read it," Yuna says, shrugging even though she knows Rikku can't see her. "It's fine."

"Okay. Well, here's what she says." Rikku clears her throat. "'I have seen the photograph that surfaced of my boyfriend, Tidus, with Lord Braska's daughter. Tidus and Lord Braska's daughter are only friends and have been for a long time. They had my full blessing to attend the jersey retirement ceremony together and I am so honored that Tidus's jersey was retired. Please do not harass Lord Braska's daughter as she is merely a friend of Tidus's, nothing more.'" Rikku stops and Yuna almost starts to speak, but then Rikku continues. '"Lord Braska's daughter is an ordinary girl and does not deserve the attention she has gotten.'"

Yuna's jaw slacks. "Um, what?"

"She called you an 'ordinary girl.'"

"Yeah, I heard."

"Which, like, I think just means that you're a normal person, not really a public figure, so you shouldn't get so much hate. I'm, like, ninety-nine percent sure that's what she meant."

"That's not really what I'm upset about," Yuna says, although that's not helping. "Why did she keep referring to me as 'Lord Braska's daughter?' I have a name."

"Yeah, that kinda rubbed me the wrong way, too," Rikku agrees.

"Well, Tidus told me she'd do a statement. I guess he was right." Yuna leans back against one of the dusty walls behind her, sighing. Tears prick in her eyes and she's not quite sure why—why she would be so upset about Lenne's stupid statement. Maybe it is the ordinary girl comment, because Rikku might have her own impersonation of what Lenne meant, but Yuna's pretty sure she knows exactly what Lenne meant by it.

Yuna is an ordinary girl and Tidus doesn't date ordinary girls. He dates people like Dona and Lenne, socialites, superstars—the girls who get him millions of followers on SG.

And it stings because it's true.

Tidus can say whatever nice words to her he wants to say, but at the end of the day, that's all they are—words.

She sighs and says, "Thanks, Rikku. For being here for me."

"Of course. Always, Yunie." She pauses. "So, um, is that it? You'll never see Tidus again?"

Yuna has to blink to clear the tears that immediately form at Rikku's question. "Yeah, I mean, that's it. I'll leave in a few days and we'll officially be in two totally different cities again."

And then, the doorbell rings.

"W-Was that the doorbell?" Rikku says, the chimes apparently getting picked up through Yuna's phone mic.

"Yeah, it was." Yuna scrambles to her feet, nearly dropping her phone.

"Yunie—what if it's him? What if it's Tidus?"

Yuna's already racing up the stairs, her heart pounding. "It's probably just a delivery guy," she says, but her voice shakes. If Tidus is there, it'll mean he's here for her, everything and everyone else be damned. Yuna tells herself as she reaches the top of the stairs and heads for the front door, that if that's the case, she's going to say screw it, screw Lenne, screw everything and she's going to kiss him.

A smile explodes onto her face as she yanks the door open, not even bothering to check in the peephole, her heart thudding in her throat.

But it's not Tidus.

"Hey," he says with a smile. "I've missed you."

She blinks in her surprise, tears of disappointment clouding her vision. "Baralai."