AN: I had a few emails asking me if I had died. No, I didn't die (obviously) I've been very busy, combined with long-term writer's block. But I had some time off, re-read my reviews to regain motivation, and it worked! Thanks everyone for putting up with my snail-paced updates. But I hope I can make it up to you all ! I wrote a lot.
I also had a few people tell me Tidus's end of the bet was void, because blitz ball season is over. This is not what the bet was. The bet was that Tidus was to stop playing blitz ball forever, not just one season. Hope that clears it up, now onto the story.
I was originally gonna do one long chapter, but I split it up into two, it was too long. I'll shut up now.
Chapter 10- Prom
Part One- Future plans and worries
Friday, April 29th . . .Luca High, last period. . .last day of school before prom. . . .4th floor. . .
Running a hand through his dyed blue hair, Seymour laughed bitterly to himself, again. When it came to her, he was so gullible. He checked his watch, 2:15pm. Where was that stupid girl in question now anyway? She was supposed to meet him ten minutes ago, with her stupid plan to get back at Yuna Lescing. That was all she ever talked about. Getting back at her and getting Tidus back. What was so great about Tidus anyway?
Seymour thought back angrily about the past few weeks. He had used his trump card, exposing his bet with Tidus to the whole school, and no one had even believed it. Everyone had actually begun to ignore and shun him. Didn't they know who he was? And Tidus had gotten to keep his girl. Stupid people.
And earlier this morning, he'd gone to a specialist. Said he'd injured his right knee so badly, he could never play blitz ball again. None of his other teammates had gotten serious injuries. Why had he been the one to suffer? What the hell was he supposed to do with his life now? On top of that one, his stupid guidance counselor had told him he was didn't have enough credits to graduate. He had failed. The world was dumping all over him, taking everything he had. He was sick of it.He'd wasted his entire life trying to please them, the people, and they gave him no respect. Hearing the rapid clicking of stilettos, Seymour leaned up against a wall, placing one of his signature, nonchalant smirks on his face.
" What are you so happy about?" Dona snapped, annoyed. She looked around, making sure no one was there with them. She smiled thinly at Seymour. Did she have to plaster so much makeup on her face? It was disgusting. She had played him as well. Just like everyone else in his life.
"I have something to ruin that stupid trash forever!! She'll wish she'd never crossed me, She'll rue the day-"
"Yeah, yeah, I get I okay? What do you have?" Seymour snapped. He was sick of their stupid meetings, planning revenge against the golden couple. Dona never brought anything good to the table. She still went on and on everyday about Tidus. She didn't even see him as a man. Seymour's attraction for her was beginning to turn into hatred.
Dona smiled, oblivious to his dark thoughts. She extended a large envelope towards him. Eyebrow cocked, Seymour opened it, pulling out two blown up 8 X 10 photographs.
The first was of Dona and Tidus. Dona was sitting in Tidus's lap, smiling. A real, genuine smile. Tidus had a smile on his face, but it didn't reach his eyes. Seymour remembered that day, last summer, when the old gang had gone to a pizza place together. Barthello had taken a picture of then hot couple Tidus and Dona. It'd been a week after Dona had dumped Seymour. Old jealously boiled in him. The girl had actually looked happy. Really, truly, happy. She didn't have feelings. . . How could she have been happy with him?
" Seymour, move on to the next one already!!" Dona snapped, looking around nervously. Seymour scowled again, but obeyed, moving to the next photo. One of Yuna. The old Yuna. Long, tangled hair. Huge glasses. Hippy clothes. Frowning. And sitting by herself, at a table.
Seymour smirked. " Where did you get this?"
One of my cheerleaders took it secretly, around the beginning of the school year. As a joke I guess." Dona took the pictures from Seymour, closing them back up.
" On prom night, they always show highlights of the year for the seniors, on a giant projector. I know the guy who is running the show. I'm gonna have him run the one of me and Tidus, and then, show the one of Yuna. But I'm paying the kid to keep it on that photo. She'll be ruined. And then Tidus and I will be crowned King and Queen."
Dona folded her arms, satisfied with her plan, waiting for Seymour to praise her.
" Did you forget that I was nominated for Prom king as well? Maybe I'll win." Seymour said through gritted teeth.
Dona stared at him blankly for a moment, then proceeded to laugh hysterically.
" Oh, that's a good one. Seymour. No offense, but nobody really likes you, you know? They only did cause you were on the varsity blitz team, and well, you're kinda creepy. No one wants to get on your bad side." Dona said in a sugary sweet, condescending voice. Seymour's fist clenched. He lashed out at her quickly.
" Flashing some pictures on a screen? That's pathetic. Typical of a female, I suppose. That's your big revenge?" Seymour began to laugh. Dona fumed.
" The pictures symbolize the way things used to be, the way they aught to still be!" Dona snapped.
" Well, I'd like to hear what great plan you have cooked up!. . . that's right, you don't' have one!!" She retorted.
"Yes, I do have something planned. Something no one will ever forget. . ." Seymour said softly.
Dona cocked her head, confused at the eerie expression on his face. She shrugged it off.
"What time do you want me to pick you up for prom?" Seymour asked. Dona laughed in his face again.
" Oh please. Do you think I'd actually be seen with you? Come on now. You use to be useful to me, but you've done nothing lately, nothing good anyway. I'm going with someone else. Sucks for you."
Dona smiled sweetly at Seymour, walking away, humming softly to herself. Seymour bit back rage, wanting so badly to run after her and beat her. Oh dare that little tramp talk to him that way? And how dare everyone in this stupid school step all over him? He was sick of everything. Tidus, Dona, students, grades. . . blitz. . .everything! By the end of prom, he'd see to it that he got his respect. No one would ever, ever forget who Seymour was.
April 30th. . .prom day. . . . 7 am. . .an upscale, full service salon.
Rikku giggled in her white terry robe from her high level chair as the young women painting her toes rubbed her foot. The woman frowned, mumbling something as she pulled out some nail polish remover to erase the mess that had been made by Rikku moving her foot. Yuna tapped her friend on the shoulder hard. " You keep moving your toes! My feet are almost done, and your still on the first few toes!"
Yuna looked down and wiggled her newly painted toes. They were buffed, polished a light blue, and ready for the open toed shoes they'd be crammed and tortured in all night later.The woman painting Rikku's toes whispered something in al bhed to the woman doing Yuna's, and the women giggled.
" News flash, I'm al bhed too! And I do not have man feet!" Rikku snapped. The women blushed and said something else, and Yuna laughed.
" I'm paying good money here!" Rikku pulled out Jecht's platinum credit card and waved it around.
Yuna watched the credit card in Rikku's hands. " Maybe I should, um. . .thank Jecht or something. After all, he's been paying for our trips, clothing and mall outings all year. . .I mean, just letting you use his card all the time."
Rikku laughed nervously. " Of course he doesn't mind. He also doesn't know." Rikku muttered the last part, watching Yuna out of the corner of her eyes to make sure she didn't hear.
Yuna smiled, throwing her head back and closing her eyes.
" Yevon, I can't believe this. Can you believe it's prom? I've never been to a school dance before, let alone the big one.
It's all happening so fast . . .the year is ending . . .our lives will never be the same . . ." Yuna said wistfully. She watched some other girls come into the salon, some from school. So they weren't the only ones up super early to prepare for prom.
" Hey now, it's not all over yet, don't be sad yet, we've still got the summer here girl!" Rikku said excitedly, wiggling her toes again and earning another reprimand from the woman painting her toes. A song from a popular singer came on the radio.
" You know she lip sings right?" Yuna overheard another customer across from them whisper to her friend. Rikku nudged Yuna's arm.
"See Yunie, one day, girls will be bad mouthing you while your songs playing on the radio!!" She said in an upbeat voice.
"Thanks . . .I think." Yuna muttered.
The ladies finished, and the girls walked over to a counter, and held out their hands for their manicures to be done next.
" I know we still have the summer, but . . .time goes by so fast. You turn around, and then a whole year's gone by, you know?" Yuna whispered, watching her nails being filed down.
" Today I got a letter from Besaid College, they want me to go to orientation in June, see my dorm room. I'm so freaked. . .it's so real you know? And Tidus will be in Zanarkand. . ." Yuna stared over at Rikku.
" What about you and Wakka? How are you guys gonna deal without seeing each other? Your going to some acting school at the Al Bhed capital city right?"
" Well yeah." Rikku said, staring out the shop window. She turned back towards Yuna and smiled. " We're just gonna call it quits after the summer."
Yuna's mouth dropped open. "What? But I thought-"
"Yeah Yunie, we have a good time, but that's it. It's not like true love or anything you know? Besides, long term, we don't match. He wants a simple life for himself; he's already done growing as a person. He says he just wants to coach blitzball, have a wife and kids, live real simple. There's nothing wrong with that, but it's not me you know? I wanna live it up, see the world. I want action, flash, fireworks. And besides that, you know how hard it is to have a long distance relationship, and besides that-" Rikku stopped abruptly, just noticing the distressed look on Yuna's face.
" It's just . . .you guys are so happy, it's been the four us you know? We were supposed to have an awesome summer. . ." Yuna said in a whiny voice, staring down at her nails, a pit growing in her stomach.
" It's just reality, I guess, for me and Wakka. When we first started dating, there was this strong attraction you know? I mean, we have so much in common. But the attraction is kinda fading away you know? We'd be better off as friends in the long run." Rikku looked over at her friend who looked depressed.
" It's not that bad! I mean, how many people actually stay with their high school sweetheart? . . Oh! That's not why you're upset. . ." Rikku blushed, realizing how she sounded.
" I'm not talking about you and Tidus Yunie, I just-"
" I know Rikku. But like you said, it's reality right? Feelings chance, people change. It's something Tidus and I haven't discussed. What will happen after we move away from each other? How many long-term relationships actually work out right? That's what you're saying right?" Yuna snapped, then felt bad, not meaning to take her frustration out on Rikku. . .The very same questions had been bothering her. They never talked about how things were going to work out for them long term.
Feeling like she'd just put her newly pedicured foot in her mouth, Rikku was glad when the technicians were done with their nails.
" All done."
" Good, we've been here like an hour already . . ." Yuna wined, heading for the dressing room. She wanted to change back to her regular clothes; the robes they made them wear were itchy. She needed to go someplace quiet, where she could brood over the issues that she would soon have to face with Tidus. What was wrong with her? She was supposed to be happy. It was prom day! But thoughts about the future kept creeping up on her. A hand pulled at the back of her robe tie.
" Where are you going Yunie? We still need to get our mud baths, full body massages, facials, and makeup! Not to mention our hair still isn't even done!! That's at least 6 hours right there! And then we gotta go home and dress! Get with it Yunie, we gotta have you looking great for when Tidus comes to get you later tonight!" Rikku grabbed Yuna and pulled her towards a back room. Yuna laughed shaking her head, forgetting her worries for the moment.
" This is ridiculous! I mean really . . . All this trouble, all guys have to do is rent a tuxedo and a cheesy limo, and show up! It's so unfair!" Yuna whined.
" Hey! We have a bottomless credit card here, we gotta make the best of it. And guys spend a long time getting ready too, they just don't tell anyone. Right now, our guys are getting tucked, buffed and primped for us tonight too!" Rikku argued. Yuna laughed.
" Yeah right, They'll probably just play video games till bout a half hour before it's time to pick us up, panic cause they are running late, then throw on some cheap deodorant, their half ironed tuxedos, and run out the door. . ." Yuna said, snickering.
" Now, now Yunie, you outta have a little more faith in our guys, prom is just as important to them as it is to us. . ." Rikku scolded, waving a finger at Yuna, as the girls headed into the sauna.
.
.
. . . . . 5:07pm. . .the arcade at Mushroom Rock Mall. . .
" Damn! I lost again!" Tidus swore, his voice blending in with the loud sounds and yelling going on in the crowded arcade. He then swore some more at the stupid cacteur dancing in victory on the game over screen.
" That 10,000 needles attack is bull! It's a cheap win!!" Tidus complained to Wakka, who was playing on the arcade next to him.
" They're posed to take that move out in the next Fiend Kombat game, ya? You shouda played as the tonberry man, no one can beat that thing."
" Yeah whatever man. The tonberry is too slow."
" Can we play Fiend Kombat now? You guys been here all day! You suck at it!!" A little kid, yanking on Tidus's shirt, whined.
" Beat it kid!! I almost beat the game that time." Tidus said in his best bully voice.
" Yeah right mister."
Ignoring the brat, Tidus reached into his jeans pocket for more tokens. He was out. He checked his watch. 5:12. He reached in his other pocket for more tokens. Then he looked at his watch again. 5:12!
"Wakka!!! SHIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Some kids who heard Tidus swear stared at him in shock.
Wakka looked in confusion at Tidus, then looked down at his watch.
" SHIT!!!!!!!!!!!"
" I-I gotta pick up Yuna in an hour and a half man!! Less than that, prom dinner starts at eight, its gonna take us like an hour to just get there!! And I'm not even dressed!!"
"We shouda not spent the whole day just playing video games ya? At least your girlfriend doesn't hit you! " Wakka yelled, as the two ran out of the arcade.
" What else were we supposed to do on prom day, get manicures?" Tidus snapped, pushing through the exit doors.
" I'm glad we at least came in separate cars, saves us some time. I can't wait to see Yuna's face when she sees how she's pulling up to prom tonight . . ." Tidus grinned. Hopefully, his "surprise" was already waiting at the house now. Hopefully, Jecht wasn't drunk, and wouldn't try to shoot his "surprise", and eat them. In some countries, they were a delicacy.
" Well, for it being prom and all, that was quite a unremarkable first half of the day." Tidus said, laughing.
" Yeah really, shouldn't we have had some enlightening, meaningful conversation today? I mean, prom is like one of the huge events of your life ya? Our lives are changing forever. . ." Wakka said, scratching his head. He looked nervous, like he was trying to tell Tidus something.
" Well, we can have a meaningful conversation at the prom, How's that?" Tidus said, slapping his friend on the back.
"Me and Rikku decided to break up after this summer."
Wakka blurted out quickly, looking down and blushing. Tidus stared at him, mouth hanging open.
" What? Where'd that come from? Huh? But you guys have a good time together . . ."
Wakka just shrugged his shoulders. " I know. . .it's just like you just said, it's a good time. Not a magical time, not like you and Yuna. I love her, but I'm not, in love with her you know what I'm saying? Sometimes, people just fall outta love you know?"
" No, I don't know." Tidus said seriously, his mind racing, thinking of Yuna.
" But right now, we gotta get going, before our girls kill us. . ." Wakka said, trying to lighten the mood.
" Yeah, see at prom man. . ." Tidus said quietly, getting into his car. He couldn't shake the pit forming in his stomach.
.
.
. Part Two- Tidus's surprise. . . .
6:54 pm. . .Yuna's house. . . .
Yuna twirled around in her deep sapphire blue gown. It shimmered when she moved. The neckline was pleated, and the straps of the dress were clear gemstones. It came to her feet, with a slit down one leg.
The ladies at the salon had done her makeup just like a glamorous movie star. Her eyelids were a deep silver shade that matched nicely with her glossy pink lips. There was a little bit of glitter sprinkled across her face to give her a magical look. Her anklet matched with her silver, open toed high heel shoes. Her hair had been done in a fancy French role with gemstones, with no hair left out.
" Honey, come down, I wanna see you and take pictures before Tidus gets here!!" Ariel yelled from downstairs. Ariel had closed the shop early today, so she wouldn't have to deal with customers while she was fusing over her daughter in her prom dress.
" I'm coming Mom!!" Yuna blushed at her reflection in the mirror. She was so excited!! After all the torture in the salon, Rikku had dropped her off back at her house to get dressed. She jumped up and down, then stopped when her hair shifted a little.
" I can't believe that me . . .Yuna. . . am about to go to prom, with the guy of my dreams. . ." She whispered to her reflection. She laughed, practicing a diva-like walk, and made her way downstairs.
She walked down the stairs slowly, almost tripping, startled by the video camera in her mother's hand.
" Oh, look at my baby!! Oh, you look so beautiful!!!! My little Yu-Yu all grown up!!!" Ariel put the camera down and grabbed Yuna in a fierce embrace.
"Mama, please!" Yuna laughed. Hopefully she wouldn't be this lame when she had kids. " I still need oxygen!"
" I know, I know, but you just look . . .so grown. . .I wish your father was here. . ." Ariel pulled apart from Yuna, wiping tears away.
"He is here . . ." Yuna said softly, gesturing to her heart.
" Now knock it off huh? I can't start crying and mess up my makeup!" Yuna said lightly. The two women jumped slightly at hearing a knock on the door.
" Tidus!" They yelled at the same time.
" Go back up stairs! You need to make a dramatic entrance!!" Ariel demanded, trying to push Yuna along.
" No way!! The whole hot chick walking slowly down the stairs while her guy waits at the bottom is way overdone! I'll just open the door myself, and then you can get Tidus's reaction on video!" Yuna walked towards the shop door slowly, trying to add an extra switch to her hips as she walked.
"Ok, I'm ready!" Ariel took her camera and her position by the door.
Smiling ear to ear, heart beating, Yuna put her hand on the door handle, then squealed and drew her hand back.
" Mama! I'm going to prom!! ME!! Yuna, the goober, am going to prom!! With a hottie! Can you believe-"
"This is why I should have opened the door. . ." Ariel said, shaking her head. Yuna blushed, took a deep breath and opened the door.
.
There was no one there.
" What? Nobody is here!!!!" Yuna whined, jumping up and down. " It was probably those neighborhood kids playing around again!!"
" No look, there's a note on the ground . . ." Ariel said from behind her daughter, peeking over her shoulder. She zoomed in with the camera on Yuna reaching down for the note.
"It says, stand outside, Love, T." Yuna put the note down, gathered up her skirts and ran outside, her mother not far behind her, video camera in tow.
The night air was perfect, not to hot or cold. The stars where shining bright, with that special light. They hadn't shined that way since that night that she and Tidus had shared their first kiss, the night he had asked her to be his girl. Yuna blushed at the memory, looking down the empty street left and right,
" Mama I don't see-"
" Turn around! Honey look! Look!"
Yuna turned left, to see something gold moving down the street towards them. Her hands covered her face and she teared up, blinking rapidly at what she saw.
Two golden chocobos trotted proudly towards them, attached to a grand white carriage. The driver pulled back the reigns on the giant birds and the carriage stopped in front of Yuna and Ariel.
Ariel sighed loudly, zooming in on the carriage door, the gold window curtain drawn back. Suddenly the door opened, and a sophisticated Tidus, hair gently brushed back, in a deep, navy blue tuxedo, winked, extending his hand to Yuna.
" Shall we go, milady?" He said, giving his best smile. He looked her up and down, his smile growing in approval over her appearance.
Ariel hissed in her daughter's ear. " Don't let him get away. . .he's a keeper."
But Yuna didn't hear her. At hearing Tidus's command, she did a very unladylike thing. She meant to be delicate, lady-like and hold her hand out to Tidus, and allow him to guide her into the carriage. But he winked at her again, and she was lost.
Having an attack of hormones, Yuna launched herself forward at Tidus, and he quickly moved forward to catch her in his arms before she fell on the pavement. He laughed, and Ariel scolded Yuna, zooming in on Tidus.
" What happened to your grace Yuna? You could have hurt yourself!"
Yuna reached her arms around Tidus, staring into his eyes.
" I don't need grace Mama. Tidus will always catch me when I fall . . ."
Tidus smiled again. He was so happy. Yuna loved his surprise, if any indication from her throwing herself at him, literally. She looked great, from what he could see in the streetlight. He gently turned in the carriage, depositing Yuna in the seat next to him, and carefully pining his corsage on her. From the way she was looking at him, she liked the way he was looking tonight. He forced himself to turn away from her for a minute.
" Mrs. Lescing?" He tried to get Ariel's attention, who was busy getting close ups with the camera of the chocobos, who were showing off, flexing their wings and fluffing their feathers outward.
"Oh!" Ariel pointed the camera back on Tidus.
" You look very handsome Tidus. I'm cutting you guys a break tonight . . .I won't give Yuna a curfew. . .but that means you check in regularly okay? And take good care of my Yu-Yu!"
Tidus turned towards Yuna, who poked her head out the carriage window. " Yu-Yu?" He teased, getting a dirty look.
" Mom, stop embarrassing me!" Yuna whined. She jumped back, the reigns popping and the chocobos started moving.
" And we're off!" Tidus said, waving to Ariel.
" Bye Mama!" Yuna waved, til Ariel was a dot fading away.
She turned towards Tidus, giddy, and looked around the carriage. It was dark, but she could still see a little when they rode past streetlights. The interior was plush, fancy. . .so perfect.
" I love it-"
" You look beautiful-"
They both spoke at the same time, and then smiled at each other again. Tidus cupped Yuna's cheek gently.
They passed a streetlight at that moment and the light caught Tidus's sparkling eyes.
" Tonight, its our night Yuna." He said simply.
And, looking into his eyes, she felt herself falling as always, the feeling of euphoria was there, a high she could never reach with anyone else. Could anything be better then to be with her man? She wouldn't have it any other way.
.
.
Part three- A night to remember . . .
Outskirts of Luca. . .A fancy hotel. . .Grand Ballroom. . .8:45pm. . .
" Tidus! You sly dog you, had to show us all up and get fancy birds huh?" Zev patted Tidus on the back as everyone headed from the dining tables to the dance floor. The ballroom was decorated in black and silver, the school colors. The lights were low and there was a cheesy fog effect going across the entire floor.
" What can I say man? Nothing too good for my girl." Tidus smiled down at Yuna, who hung off his left arm.
" Knock it off huh? You guys are so sweet, I'm getting cavities . . .You were staring at each other all thorough dinner . . .gimmie a break." Lulu, who walked by them, said sourly. But she smiled at Yuna to soften the comment. She was wearing her usual black gothic dress, but she had added a pink corsage tonight, to soften the look.
"Come guys, time to get this party started!!" Rikku, dressed in a short, pink chiffon dress, was the first to run out on the dance floor, pulling a laughing Wakka, dressed in a conservative white tux along with her.
The band started off with an upbeat song, and soon everyone was on the dance floor.
Yuna laughed, wiggling her butt at Tidus as he grabbed her from behind, moving to the music.
" Hah! It figures . . .these two again, and doing dirty dancing." A snotty voice from behind them whined.
The couple turned around, still moving to the music, seeing who had spoken. It was the two guys from the dress shop in the mall, the short and tall store clerks, where Tidus and Yuna had been caught making out in the dressing room and banned from the store.
" What are you guys doing here?" Yuna said, smiling, grinding onto Tidus more to irritant the uptight men. It didn't help Tidus any though, who let out a pained whimper behind her.
" We volunteered as chaperones . . .but had we known teenagers such as the likes of you two were to be here . . ." The taller man turned up his nose.
" Yeah well we kinda owe you guys, your dressing room kinda helped us get back together. We'd like to use it again someday . . ." Tidus said, nodding his head and gesturing down towards Yuna, who laughed. The men gasped in disgust and hurried away from them.
.
.
A few songs later, Rikku shimmed over to Yuna, tapping Tidus on the shoulder.
" Hey bro, mind if I borrow Yunie for a minute, I can't go to the bathroom alone, it's a rule of being a girl."
"Sure, I'll go get some punch." Tidus walked away toward the refreshment table, and Rikku and Yuna walked to the ladies restroom, the band starting to play a new song.
" Good call, Rikku, I can't stand this song. . ." Yuna said, walking up to a mirror in the clustered bathroom. Rikku ran over to a open stall. The bathroom was full of talking girls.
A blonde next to Yuna in the mirror turned towards her.
"You nervous honey? They announce who prom queen is in about an hour . . ."
" No. It'd be nice to win, but I'm here with Tidus . . .I already got everything I wanted." Yuna said, smiling in the mirror. She was having an unbelievable time.
" After they crown King and Queen, their gonna run a projection of pictures. You know, of senior year. It's gonna run against the wall while everyone's dancing. It'll be nice. . . " A girl standing by the bathroom door said.
A toilet flushed, and Dona walked out of a stall. She stood in front of the mirror next to Yuna. Yuna looked at Dona's dress for the first time that night. It was the same tacky, sluty purple dress Yuna had tried on in that uppity dress shop! The same dress that she paraded around in the mirror in the dressing room, pretending to Dona! And know Dona was wearing it!
Yuna bit her lip to hide her giggles. Dona wasn't fooled.
" Got a problem, freak?"
All the girls stopped talking, staring to see what would unfold between the two prom queen nominees. Rikku ran out of the stall, pulling her underwear up, staring back and forth between the two ladies. Yuna gave Dona her best smile.
" No, no problem Dona . . .nothing my guy can't fix for me. You remember Tidus, right? Excuse me . . .
" Ignoring Dona's reddening face, Yuna turned her back on her. Then, doing the diva walk she had practiced earlier, Yuna walked out of the bathroom, then jumped up and down when she was back on the dance floor. A techno song was playing. Rikku soon followed her out.
" Did you see that? I was catty!!! Me, Yuna!! I got to be catty!! And I loved it!" Yuna said, laughing.
" Did you see what she had on? I thought I was risqué. Urg. Anyway, you and Tidus should get your picture taken now. We can all take one together, me, you, Ti and Wakka, for the memories . . ." Rikku dragged Yuna along, pushing through grinding couples, to find Tidus and Wakka.
A twinge of sadness hit Yuna. Soon, memories might be the only thing she had.
.
. later. . .
Dona checked her watch, and then ran over to the projection machine. The slide show would began in about a half hour, she had to make sure everything was ready. She walked over the kid running the show.
"So, you have the pictures? Remember, to run the picture of me and Tidus first, then, run the picture of Yuna. But keep the picture of Yuna up."
The kid scratched his head. " Their gonna know you did it."
" No, I'm gonna step out of the room. By then, I'd have been crowned prom queen anyway. I'll know by the hysterical laughter that the picture is up. I'll gracefully walk in, and gently scold everyone for laughing at the freak, showing my grace. Yuna will then run out of the room in tears. Tidus will be impressed by my kindness, and beg me to take him back. And everyone will be in awe of my grace. It's a flawless plan. Don't screw it up or-"
"Whatever Dona, I get it."
Satisfied, Dona walked away. She didn't see Gatta, who'd heard the whole thing, walk over to the projector.
" Hey, I'm the school photographer. And I got an even better picture that you can show, instead of whatever Dona gave you. . ."
" Hey, she paid good money man . . .but the money's already in my pocket, so why not screw her over . . ." The kid reasoned, taking the photo from Gatta.
" Wow! What's this dude? Dona looks terrible!"
Gatta smiled. " I took it months ago, at a party. As you can see, Dona made a huge splash there . . ."
. later
. Principal Mica walked slowly on the stage, picking up the microphone with his prune like hands.
"Can I have your attention please?"
The music cut off and everyone turned towards the stage. Tidus turned Yuna around in his arms. It was time to announce prom king and queen.
" Can I have the nominee's for prom king please step forward to the stage please? "Tidus Akard."
Tidus smiled down at Yuna, who smirked back at him. He was then nudged forward towards the stage, receiving pats on the back and comments.
" You already know you won Tidus."
"Congratulations, man"
" This is your night, Akard."
Walking quickly up on stage, Tidus waved to the crowd, holding his hands up into a motion that symbolized blitz ball. The crowd cheered and quieted down as Mica spoke again.
'And now for the second nominee, Seymour Richmond "
There were quiet murmurs in the crowd.
" I forgot about him."
" I haven't seen him all night. Is he here?"
" He's been acting weird for months, probably stayed home."
Mica waited a few more minutes, but no Seymour came forward.
" Well, no matter any way. The winner is
Tidus Akard."
Everyone clapped and cheered as Tidus bowed low to Mica's level to get crowned. No one was surprised; it was the queen that everyone was waiting for.
elsewhere
Sneaking out of the ballroom to the balcony, Barthello leaning against the railings. He pulled out the love letter for Dona he planned to read in front of everyone, practicing reading the words out loud. Maybe, after realizing how much he loved her, she would give him a chance. Something moved below him, catching his attention. There was a dark figure moving around the outside of the hotel. He squinted, leaning against the rails, but could make out who it was. Whoever it was, was pouring something out of a bag or something, around the building maybe. Barthello picked up his cell phone, calling the police, then coming back inside the ballroom.
" And now, the first nominee for prom queen. Dona Markos!" Mica said. There was a mixture of cheers and boos from the crowd as Dona shoved her way on stage. Tidus stood next to Mica, stepping back when Dona approached him. A few people snickered, and Dona snarled, then quickly masked it with a smile, standing next to Mica.
" And now, the second nominee, Yuna Lescing!"
Yuna blushed, and then moved forward towards the stage. A chant of, Yu-na! Followed her all the way up, and she waved to everyone, beaming. She still couldn't believe it was happening to her. She stared at the room of smiling faces and blew a kiss to the crowd. She turned towards Tidus, who nodded in encouragement. Mica spoke in the microphone again.
" Our prom queen is –"
End Story
Well, that's the end of the story. Hope you
enjoyed it.
Heheheehe, kidding.