An: Your all thinking, finally, the ditzy author updates!! Yeah, its been like a century long wait for the update, but I had started a chapter and had it ready to post, but I hated it, it was too quick, too predictable and ended the story too soon. I deleted it and had a new idea. Instead of ending the story sooner, I've decided to add a twist different from the she's all that movie and make the story longer due to popular request. ( yes, i do listen to my reviewers and readers, who i love so much)
I mean Tidus did lie for a long time to Yuna, so it wouldn't make since for her to just instantly forgive him for keeping something like that a secret for so long right? I have to make him work for it and suffer. {evil laughter} And honestly, this is my favorite story to write and the idea of it ending makes me really depressed, so let the story continue!!
This chapter is in three separate parts, not because of length, but because of point of view.
Chapter 8 -Dealing With It
Part One- how she deals with it
Midnight, eight hours post break-up, Yuna's bedroom.
Rikku sat crossed legged opposite Yuna on her full sized bed, box of tissue in hand. She stared at her best friend awkwardly, fidgeting, unsure of what to say or do. Nothing was helping so far. Presently Yuna was crying into one of Tidus's jersey's. She had attacked it in an angry fury with a pair of large scissors a few minutes earlier, and was now crying into the tattered remains in remorse.
" I - I wore this at- at the blitz game in De-December. How c- could I destroy it? Re- remember? " Yuna sobbed loudly, hugging the remains, only to become enraged again seconds later, picking up the scissors to cut some more.
Rikku sighed. She had found her in school earlier, 7th period in her favorite hiding spot, the 3rd floor girls bathroom. She had dragged her out of the school building and driven her home. Rikku had then went to her own house to pick up a few things, planning to stay the night at Yuna's. While in her bedroom Rikku had heard Tidus storm into the house and into his room, slamming his door. She had marched over and knocked loudly, demanding an explanation from him on why he had hurt Yunie. She had heard him swearing and punching his bedroom walls, and had decided to leave him alone. Rikku had then returned to Yuna's, and was basically in the same spot she was a few hours ago. Handing her best friend tissues as she cried and alternated between fits of sadness and rage.
" Um. . .Yunie. . ."
" How could this happen to me? I - I was going to tell him I loved him!! How I have been so stupid ! It doesn't make any sense. No, it makes perfect sense. . .they're all the same" Yuna shot of her bed, throwing the shredded jersey into the garbage pail nearby. She looked at it longingly.
' I wonder what he's doing now? Is he mad because he lost precious bet?' She thought numbly.
" Have you eaten anything? Maybe you should drink something. . .all that crying might make you dehydrated. . ." Rikku stood up .
" I could ask your mom to make you something. . ." Ariel had been worried about Yuna, but Yuna had chased her away, refusing to talk to her. Rikku didn't think Yuna realized how much she was hurting her mom's feeling by shutting her out.
Yuna walked stiffly to a rocking chair in the corner with a beautiful blue and silver guitar resting in it. She picked it up aggressively and sat down in the chair and began playing a pathetic tune.
" He gave me this a few weeks ago. . .it was the most expensive guitar in that music store. . .Took him an hour to get me to accept it, I felt so strange, accepting something so expensive. He sure invested a lot in the wager. Wonder what he stood to lose? " She said softly. There was silence in the small room for a while, the only sound being the off tune strings of the guitar Yuna played clumsily.
Rikku stood up and walked towards Yuna. She stared down at the blue carpet. Should she even say anything? She had to at least try. She'd heard Tidus earlier, seen the look in his face when stupid Seymour and Dona had come over to the lunch table. He did care for her. He was just kinda dumb, obviously didn't know how to handle a good thing when it came to him. They both needed her to fix things.
" I don't think. . . I mean, I know him Yuna. I know he cares about you." Rikku said slowly, afraid of angering her friend in her emotionally fragile state. Yuna shot a death glare at her through reddened eyes. Rikku began to squirm and speak very quickly.
" I can't understand why he did that thing with Seymour. So stupid. . .but I've seen the way he looks at you, you can't fake that Yuna. You guys, you belong together-"
" I don't wanna talk about him anymore Rikku. I want to be alone. Now." Yuna said sharply, playing an sharp chord on the guitar in protest of Rikku's words.
Rikku put her head down, wringing her hands together. That completely backfired.
" You sure you don't want me to spend the night?"
" No, I'm fine."
Rikku began to gather her bag and things. She shouldn't have tried to defend Tidus, but she couldn't help but feel sorry for him. She wanted them to be together, wanted them to get past this, but Yuna wouldn't be pushed into it. Maybe in time. . .
Rikku picked up all her things she brought over and slung her bag over her shoulder. She walked to the bedroom door and opened it, turning towards Yuna.
Yuna was staring angrily at the guitar in her hands. Rikku hoped she didn't destroy it in a fit of rage like the other things. It was a really nice guitar. The way Yuna looked right now, she was probably thinking about bashing Tidus over the head with it.
"So. . .I'll pick you up at the usual time for school tomorrow?" Rikku asked shyly.
". . . . . .I'm not going to school tomorrow." Her friend responded flatly, adding another sour note on the guitar to back up her statement.
" Oh. . .Well then, I'll call you later?"
" Whatever. Go away." Yuna snapped.
"E ys cunno E ys hu ramb" I'm sorry I'm no help.
Rikku mumbled softly.
Rikku lowered her head and closed the door slowly behind her. Yuna listened to her receding footsteps, and moments later listened to her car start up outside and drive away.
She immediately felt very guilty. Rikku hadn't done anything to her, it was wrong of her to take her anger out on an innocent person.. The girl had just listened to her cry for hours and had not complained once. Great, now she truly was a loser. She was a bad friend as well as a prime prank target. She blinked rapidly to fight the never-ending waterfall of tears.
" I hate feeling so pathetic. . .so stupid." She said to herself.
She looked across the room, a glimmer of color catching her eye. She stared over at a worn shoebox sticking out from under her bed. Inside were her glasses. With them, she'd been able to hide her true self from the world. She hadn't been happy, but at least she'd been safe from hurt. Setting the guitar down carefully, she walked over and pulled the box out, opened it and took the glasses out. She walked over to her dresser mirror, which was littered with pictures of Tidus, herself, and other people from school. Her new friends. She'd been so happy this year. It was probably the best year of her life. How pathetic. It was a sham.
Yuna carefully placed each picture inside the shoebox, trying not to get tears on any of them. It had all been fake. Her new life, ha. She closed the box after all the pictures were packed away, and put her glasses back on her face. She stared at herself for a moment, pulling her hair back from her face. Maybe, she should go back to what she'd been before. Hiding. Anger coursed through her again.
" No!" She told her reflection in the mirror. She took the glasses off and threw them hard against the back wall, the glass scattering loudly and falling to the ground in millions of tiny pieces. She gasped and covered her mouth with her hands when she realized what she'd just done. But she wasn't going to slink back to her old self. She hadnt been happy. But she wasn't happy now, either.
' Why should I sit here and cry and feel bad for myself, I didn't do anything. . .that's just what he expects. . .for me to sit here and cry over him. Somewhere, he and Dona, and Seymour are just laughing it up. Well, I'm not going go quietly back in my shell. . .'
The image of Tidus, her Tidus, somewhere with Dona hurt her more than she could stand. She started to feel sick.
She walked away from the mirror and sat on her bed.
He wasn't hers, never was. . . But, maybe he'd been telling the truth. Maybe he really was sorry. She bit her lip, thinking over the things he said to her. Maybe she should talk to him. She reached over for her phone, yelping when it rang suddenly. She heart beat faster. Maybe it him. . .who else who call so late. He must have missed her too.
Yuna reached over and picked the phone up. Maybe she could see him tonight. She could just sneak out.
" . . .Hello?" She said gingerly.
" Hi Yuna, I know it's really late, but what happened with Yevon's café tonight? A lot of people came to see you."
" Lulu?" Yuna felt like she'd just been punched in the stomach. Why had she convinced herself he would call? She was so naive. She sobbed loudly into the phone.
"O-Oh yeah, I forgot I was -was supposed t-to sing tonight. . .I'm sorry but . . . A-a lot has happened. . ." Yuna tried to sound normal, but couldn't keep her voice from cracking.
" You don't have to cry about it, its not that serious." Lulu said deadpan. Silence on the other end.
"Something wrong Yuna?" Lulu said, a bit nervous. She didn't know much about comforting people.
Yuna sighed. She was going to have to tell everyone eventually, That she and Tidus were over. But she wasn't going to tell anyone about the bet. . .it was too embarrassing. Too hurtful.
" I-I broke up with Tidus. . ."
Lulu remained quiet on the other line as Yuna told her everything that happened earlier, including about the bet. And about Seymour and Dona's involvement in it.
" Are you serious? He bet on you What the -" Lulu said loudly.
"Please, I didn't mean to tell all you that. . .it kinda just came out. . ." Yuna whined.
" I won't tell anyone, don't worry. . .what are you gonna do?" Lulu asked.
" Well, I've been crying all night. . .And then I'd get mad. . .and then I thought he was calling me, that he'd been telling the truth."
" You can't just sit here and cry about it. You need to get revenge. You got burned, real bad. Get even."
" Huh?"
" Why not do it? Have a little revenge. We don't even have to call it that if you don't want." Lulu was quiet for a moment, thinking about everything Yuna had just told her.
"Go ahead and go to prom, win the prom queen title, it would destroy Dona. Her family has a legacy of all the females always winning prom queen, it would be the best payback. High school is her only life, it would kill her. Not only payback for you, but for all the other girls she has ever hurt." Lulu said passionately.
" . . .you think so. . .but then, Tidus would win his stupid bet after all. . ." Yuna said softly.
" And have nothing to show for it. Take a few days off to recover or whatever. When you go back to school, act like he meant nothing to you, don't ignore him, that's too obvious. But brush him off, flirt and laugh in front of him with other guys a lot. Act like you don't care. Make sure everyone knows that you dumped him." Lulu said loudly, becoming excited.
" I don't know if I can do that. . ." Yuna whined. How could she act like she didn't care about him? But, she had to. He pretended to care for her, so she could pretend to not care right?
" Sure you can, once you get past the first day you'll be fine. Just don't let him get you alone. And don't stare into his eyes. Eye contact is a very powerful thing."
Yuna laughed lightly for the first time in a while. Lulu made him sound like a vampire or something.
"Take a few days off. I'll start a rumor that you dumped him cause you got bored. That way he'll have to answer all the tough questions from everyone. When you come back to school, come back care free and happy. . . Do NOT revert back to old Yuna. Think you can do that? You have what it takes Yuna. . ."
Yuna took in the information quietly for awhile. She'd probably just lose her nerve. She wasn't built like that.
" I don't know if I have that in me, Lulu. . ." Yuna's eyes wandered over to the broken glasses on the floor. A memory of Tidus placing them gently back on her face in the empty computer classroom months ago flashed in her mind. Hurt and anger rushed through her again.
" But I'll try."
Part two - how he deals with it
English Lit, 1st period Luca high, two days later.
Tidus stared at the classroom doorway. Where was she? She'd been absent two days now. He wanted to at least see her face. A thousand times he had picked up his cell, ready to dial her number, and then losing confidence. Rikku had talked to him a little bit, but not saying if she'd heard from Yuna or not. He had a huge pit on his stomach all the time now. He'd tried coming by the shop, but Yuna's mom had chased him off with a broom, banning him from coming by again. He had to figure out a way to see her. A student sitting behind him tapped him on his shoulder, snapping Tidus out of his thoughts.
" Hey Tidus, where's your girl been lately, she sick or something?" The guy asked.
" Yeah. . .sick of seeing me. . ." Tidus mumbled. People had already begun asking him if he and Yuna had broken up. How would they know that? Probably Dona or Seymour spread it around. He was sick of being questioned about it. Nothing was worse than having a bad breakup, and the whole school demanding all the details. He just could believe he'd completely blown the best thing that had ever happened to him.
" She'll come around man. . ." Wakka, who sat next to him said. But Tidus didn't seem to hear him.
Elsewhere in the classroom, two girls whispered to each other, staring over at Tidus.
" You hear that rumor that Tidus and Yuna broke up?"
" Yeah I did. Someone told me earlier. I heard he cheated on her. But he looks so depressed. . ."
" I heard she dumped him because she was bored with him. . .why would she dump a hunk like that? And he's freaking loaded. What's wrong with her?"
Tidus's shoulders slumped and his mind was in a haze the rest of the class.
7th period, Physical Education. . .
Tidus was jarred violently out of his sad musings when a large volleyball connected hard with his nose.
" Hey Akard, what's the deal with you lately? You miss every set up!" Barthello, who was behind him yelled.
" Yeah, we're getting creamed over here. . ." A skinny kid whined, who was directly in front of the volleyball net.
" Whatever. It's just a stupid gym game. Too bad you couldn't put that much passion into your blitz games, Barthello." Tidus snapped. Everyone stared at Tidus, opened mouth. Easy going, laid back Tidus, being mean? He'd been snapping at everyone all week.
" You hear that rumor that he and Yuna broke up?" A student whispered to the guy next to him, as they stared at Tidus's back, who was in front of them.
" I heard she left him for his Dad or something." The other teen responded.
" No, she caught him in bed with Dona and some other cheerleader." The first one insisted.
Tidus looked up and stared around the crowded gym and then at the group of confused guys who stood around the net staring at him. He hadn't been paying any attention to the volleyball game, but it was only a gym class game, who cared anyway. He made eye contact with Seymour, who was watching him from across the gymnasium, his signature snicker in place.
" Time to change!" The gym teacher yelled over to the group, and they all wandered towards the locker room. Tidus filed in with the crowd into the room, walking to the spot where his gym bag hung.
He numbly pulled off his gym shorts and pulled on his jeans. He began rifling through his gym bag for his shirt, only half listening to the conversations floating about in the crowded locker room.
" Can you believe school's almost done and over, forever?"
" I think I'll kinda miss it you know?"
" It's been one hell of a year. . ."
" I haven't even applied to any colleges yet."
" Forget all that, I'm going to straight to work. College is a waste of time and money."
" Man, do you know how much they party in college?"
"So prom's in five weeks, you guys ask anybody yet?" The guy next to Tidus asked no one in particular.
" I'm thinking of asking Dona. . ." Barthello said shyly. A bunch of the guys in the room bit back snickers. Barthello was just about the only one on the blitz team the girl hadn't slept with and dated.
" Me, I'm going with this freshman girl. She transferred here a few weeks ago. " A guy dressing across from Tidus said.
" Yeah well, we all know who Tidus is going with. How's everyone's favorite couple doing anyway, I haven't seen the little lady in a few days?" Jumal asked from across the room.
The room went silent for a moment as everyone waited for Tidus's answer. Even the showers running in the backroom turned off. Great. Did he always have to be in the spotlight? He opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off.
" They've broken up." Seymour said from across the stuffy locker room, pulling on his wrinkled t-shirt and walking towards Tidus.
" That's why Akard's been so down lately. Right?" He snickered, stopping a few feet in front of Tidus. The dozen or so guys in the locker room stopped dressing and stared in silence, mouths gaping open as they watched Tidus's fists clench.
" Maybe you should back off a little bit man. . ." Jumal said to Seymour, who ignored him.
" You're great at holding onto a blitz ball, but not so with the ladies I guess. You lost Dona, and now Yuna. You must be lacking somewhere. Hell, you can't have it all man, that just wouldn't be fair." Seymour smirked at Tidus, who was seeing red.
" But I won't have any problem holding onto Yuna for you. Especially certain parts of her -"
Never prone to violence, Tidus himself was a little shocked as he felt his right fist connect hard with Seymour's jaw. He only remembered seeing red, and feeling adrenalin course through his body. He watched Seymour tumble back, touch his bleeding lip, regroup and charge back at him angrily, cursing loudly. He swung at him clumsily but Tidus side stepped and went in for another blow, but several of the guys stood between the two men before anymore blows could be thrown.
Tidus struggled as two guys held him back. The guys began to talk and shout loudly.
" Stay away from her." Tidus growled out. The thought of Yuna with Seymour. . .it drove him crazy.
" This ain't over Akard." Seymour yelled at him, as the gym teacher ran into the now loud locker room for an explanation.
" What the hell is going on here?" The teacher yelled, his voice drowned out by the excited chatter going on in the room.
" Far from it. . ." Tidus said softly, in reply to Seymour, ignoring the throbbing in his knuckles as he was led out of the locker room.
Tidus's house, a few hours later. . .
Tidus protested numbly as his step mom forced his hand into a bowl of ice. He banged his other fist on the kitchen table, earning a yelp from Sara, then mumbled an apology.
" Your father is going to have an heart attack. You could have been suspended from school. You could jeopardize everything, your college, your career-" She nagged.
" Can you please save me the lecture? I'll get plenty when the old man gets back from Zanarkand." Tidus grumbled, banging his fists on the table.
Thankfully, when the principal had called home to have someone pick Tidus up from school after the incident with Seymour, Jecht was already on a flight to Zanarkand for a game. He could deal better with the nagging of Rikku's mom then he could his old man.
" Tidus, you have such a bright future! I know your breakup has-"
Tidus shot up from his seat at the kitchen table, knocking some ice cubes over. He was sick of hearing the same crap.
" That's what I hate. People always telling me about my future and my potential. She was the only one who ever saw me as more than a blitz ball jock or a famous guy's son. Or the rich popular guy who never had any problems. I mean, come on! I wasn't even suspended! They suspend Seymour, and not me, and I'm the one who hit him! They just looked the other way."
" That's because the principal knows this isn't like you. He knows that Seymour kid is a trouble maker. And you've been under so much stress-" Sara tried again, but Tidus shook his head violently.
"I'm sick of being treated differently. She was the only one who didn't give me any kinda special treatment because of who I knew or what I could be or what I had. The only thing she ever expected, was for me to be me. And I blew it!"
Sara watched her step son pace back and forth across the large kitchen, mumbling. She tried again.
" Tidus. . .your young. . .I know you don't wanna hear this, and you may think you know everything there is to know about life. . .but there will be other. . .perhaps its better this way. . .you'll meet. . . You can't mess up your whole life, be practical. Your spinning out of control. What would your father say? I mean they'll be other-"
Tidus stopped pacing and whirled around to face her.
"Don't tell ever me there will be other girls. . .there's only one girl. . ."
He stumbled out of the kitchen, ignoring his step mother's yells to come back. Urgh. Parents never got it. His real mother used to get it, but she could hardly help him now. He was going to prove to Yuna, that they belonged together. One way or another. He had to win her back.
Part three - how they deal together
~
Luca High, next day. . .first period. . .
Yuna walked in, head held high, into first period class. She'd made sure she'd came early. There was only a few people in the classroom so far. She'd remembered what Lulu had told her a few nights earlier, and was ready. She could do this, right? Act like she didn't care?
She waved to a few people and took her seat next to Rikku, who stared at her awkwardly. They hadn't spoken since the night Yuna had thrown her out of her house.
" Rikku, I'm sorry. I was really mean to you the other night, and was completely out of line. I'm sorry. You're my best friend, and I don't wanna mess that up. . ." Yuna rushed the words out. Rikku instantly brightened back up to her usual happy-go-lucky self.
" That's okay, you were upset, it doesn't matter anymore. . .I've been trying to get your homework for you from your teachers while you've been out, but you've only been out three days so you're not that far behind yet."
Yuna smiled and stared at the doorway as students piled in, her heart beating faster. Any minute now. . .
" You look great Yunie.. . You know, Dona has pictures of herself put up all around school, with 'Vote Dona' at the bottom. Give me a break. I took a marker and bearded most of them."
Yuna laughed. " Really? I wouldn't put anything past her. She's really into this prom queen thing I guess. . ."
" Me and Gatta have already begun your campaign, Yuna. You just have to beat that witch. . ." Rikku whined.
" And have Tidus win his bet?" Yuna said lightly, voice cracking.
'I don't care about him. . .I don't care. .' She thought to herself.
" It's more important to stick it to Dona. Besides, Tidus has been dragging around here all week, and he's been fighting! He's being punished, believe me!! Now, enough about that already, you're behind on the English assignment-"
Fighting who? Yuna wondered. But she wasn't about to ask. She had to interest in Tidus Akard anymore.
Rikku's voice drowned out as Yuna watched the object of her every waking thought walk into the doorway. Her heart started beating faster a second before he appeared, as if something inside her sensed his arrival.
His eyes connected with hers instantly. She watched them widened, took in his wrinkled clothes, bed hair and sunken appearance before quickly turning away. She had to not care, she had to remember her plan. She forced a laugh at something Rikki had said.
~
Tidus hadn't expected her to be right there when he'd walked in, it'd caught him off guard. She looked so pretty, sitting there, laughing with Rikku. He'd gotten out of bed with a head full of plans to convince Yuna he truly cared for her. But she'd looked at him, and then turned away, as if dismissing him completely. What was going on? He walked towards her desk, noticing the loud chatter in the room had died down quite a bit, the students in the room watching the scene unfolding in front of them. He stuck his hands in his pockets and approached her desk, ignoring the churning in his stomach. Rikku stared at him as he approached, with a look that seemed to resemble pity in her eyes. Yuna was studying the pages in her English book, not looking up at him.
" Hi. . .how have you been. . ." He said awkwardly, staring at the top of Yuna's head. He saw her tense briefly, then she looked up, making eye contact with him. He almost gasped at the cold look in her eyes. Her eyes had always been so warm and kind. Now they looked cold and. . .indifferent. They had no emotion at all. This was worse then her anger.
" I'm just great Tidus. . .now could you maybe move out of the way? I was trying to read something off the blackboard. . ." She said in a tight voice. She then turned away from him, talking to another student next to her.
He ignored the whispers and looked at Rikku, who wouldn't meet his eyes. She bit her lip nervously and stared at the ceiling.
" Alright then. . .maybe we could talk later or something. . ."
He muttered, absently taking his seat in the back of the classroom. What had happened there? He had not anticipated that reaction.
Mr. Lazzu came in, the bell rung and the class began. The rest of the period Tidus stared at the back of Yuna's brown head, trying to figure out what had happened. She was laughing, smiling and talking. What had happened? Didn't she care? He had anticipated a lot of reactions, but not this one. He had a feeling his week from hell was only getting worse.
Later in computer science, she hadn't even sat next to him, she'd sat across the room with a bunch of other teens surrounding her like a protective shield. Tidus had sat alone at his chair, grumpy and angry at himself, and everyone else, and had snapped at anyone who came near him. He wanted to speak to her, but in private. But she couldn't keep ignoring him forever right?
~
April 7th,One week later. . .6th period lunch
She brushed him off for a whole week. A whole week she'd laughed and smiled in front of him. Had always managed to avoid seeing him alone. She'd never been more beautiful, more happy it seemed. And he'd sunken into a depression, snapping at anyone who came near him. At least Rikku has started talking to him again, but she wouldn't talk about Yuna with him. And at least his old man was still out of town. Thank Yevon for small favors. And Seymour, after getting off his suspension, had backed off completely, not even throwing him sly looks anymore. But Tidus knew he was just plotting something again, probably with Dona. Did his problems ever stop?
Tidus stuffed mystery meatloaf into his mouth, staring at the old round table. The popular people table across the congested cafeteria where he used to always sit. Until he'd fallen in love with Yuna and moved to her little table in the corner of the lunchroom. He'd sat at their little spot all week, thinking she'd sit with him as always, and he could finally have a chance to speak to her alone. Convince her they belonged together. But she'd gone and sat at the old round table.
He stabbed the mystery meatloaf with his plastic spork, eyes narrowing as he watched her laugh at something Barthello said to her. Yeah, the whole blitz team was sitting over there as well, including Wakka, who'd nearly had his head bitten off by Tidus earlier. Tidus watched all his friends sit and laugh with his girlfriend, while he sat alone sulking. That's right, she was his girlfriend. She knew it, was just denying it right now. He couldn't get over how she'd just ignored him. She couldn't have gotten over him that fast, right? What was going on?
" Hey Tidus!" A freshman from the JV Blitzball team starting walking towards Tidus, making a quick u-turn at the growl that he received in reply to his greeting.
Tidus's stomach knotted up as he watched her, willing her to look in his direction, just once. He was such a loser, he couldn't even think of anything else accept getting her back. He still hadn't picked a college yet, and they had been bombarding him with calls. If only-
" Define irony." A deep female voice said from behind his table.
"Huh?"
He watched gothic Lulu, dressed in all black as usual, walk around him and sit across from him, a small smile on her face. Smiles were rare for Lulu.
" Define irony?" He repeated, confused.
" Irony. Here's an example of it. Months ago, Yuna was the mean recluse, sitting in that exact spot you are in, alone and sad. She would watch you laugh and smile with all the "beautiful people". At the beautiful people table. And now, look where you all are. . ."
She said, looking Tidus up and down blankly. He studied her for a moment. She knew something.
" She told you right? About that stupid bet." He guessed. Lulu said nothing in reply to his question. He was surprised that Yuna would tell her that, he didn't think they were that close. But it didn't matter. Lulu knew something, she must know what Yuna was up to.
" You must have told her something. . .maybe that's why she's ignoring me. . .listen, you gotta tell her that I. . .I gotta get her alone and-"
" I'm not helping you, jock-boy. I just came to gloat. You deserve it for using her." Lulu said flatly.
" Lulu, you don't understand. I know what a huge mistake I made. . .I can't even call her. I'm sure there's other ways I could go about seeing her, but I'm not thinking clearly lately." He quieted down for a minute. Maybe Lulu could help him, he was desperate.
He had to appeal to Lulu's soft side, if she even had one. He grabbed hold of both her wrists with his hands to get her to listen, to try to make her understand how mush he needed Yuna.
She seemed taken aback by the gesture, but said nothing, eyes widening.
" I tried going to her shop, but her mom chased me out with a broom, banning me from the place. She doesn't sit anywhere near me in our classes together anymore. I've even worked up the nerve to call her house, but her mom answers and threatens to send ghosts after me. I really miss this girl. . .and I don't know what to do. She doesn't seem to care about me."
Lulu took Tidus's hands in hers, surprising herself and surprising the hell out of Tidus. She was kind of feeling sorry for him. Maybe he was telling the truth. And he did look like hell. He'd worn the same shirt to school for like three days at least, and it was inside out.
To any onlookers, the two looked pretty intense sitting there together like that, holding hands, with Tidus looking at Lulu with such desperation. Feeling eyes on him, Tidus looked up to see green and blue eyes staring at him from across the room, eyes filled with shock and hurt. Yuna broke the contact, turning away quickly, an angry expression on her face.
Tidus quickly let go of Lulu's hands. Great. Now she probably thought he was putting the moves on Lulu.
" She knows I'm not interested in you." Lulu said flatly.
" To be honest, her opinion of you is not what I'm worried about right now, Lulu." Tidus sighed. Of all the times she had to look over at him, it had to be him holding hands with another girl. What was she thinking now? Wait! She was angry!
" She does care! She was mad! She's been brushing me off all week. But she does care! Why else would she get so angry?" A wide grin spread across his face. Lulu shook her head in chagrin.
" This is great! I do have a chance!!! If Yuna won't face me in private, then I'll just tell her how I feel in public. That way everyone else can know how I much I love her. . .I've decided to change strategies." Tidus grinned goofily, a familiar light that had dimmed returning in his eyes again. He stared at the cold meatloaf, imagining Yuna's face in it, his mind racing with his new plans to win back Yuna. Lulu backed away from the table slowly, hands up in the air in a defensive stance, weirded out.
" You do care. . .you do love me, baby. . ." He told the meatloaf lovingly, caressing it gently with the plastic spork.
A few onlookers at the table next to him looked on with pity.
" He's just gone and completely cracked." A young girl whispered to the guy next to her.
" Poor guy. He'll probably have to be placed in a mental hospital soon. . .I think he's on drugs. . .who in their right mind would eat cafeteria food?" The guy responded.
~
Yuna tried to focus on something Rikku was saying. Why had he been holding hands with Lulu? Why did it bother her so much? She'd been doing okay all week, avoiding him. She could make it another 4 weeks right? Unable to help herself, she stole another glance at him. Was he talking to the food on his plate? He looked pretty pleased with himself. Despite herself she giggled a bit. Suddenly, he looked up, and their eyes met again. He winked at her and smiled, and her stomach flipped. Dammit! She was supposed to avoid eye contact. What was he up to? She turned away quickly, flustered.
Though they hadn't spoken, she knew he was on to her game. He wasn't going to make the last month of highschool easy for her after all. But she wasn't going to give in. . .right?
End chapter
next chapter preview: Tidus is in Yuna's face, all the time. She wants to forgive him, but is afraid too. Can she trust him again? How will he prove himself to her, and can he do it in time for prom?