Thanks to all of the great reviewers!
To Zanisha: Actually, it can be shined or shone, according to the Oxford English dictionary. I just had to look it up! -
To pingpong867: Hahaha, you know me. Usually the Squffiness doesn't come in until later. They just met and they pretty much hate each other, so it can't get too fluffy...not yet.
To Deplora: No alcohol tolerance, eh? I can't even drink a mocha without bouncing off the walls, so just imagine what alcohol would do to me...shudder
To Regno Cuore: Well, Riku and Sora decided to hide out in Yuffie's cabin so when she got back and opened her door, they could shoot her with water sprays.
To Peter the Muggle: Yep, I reviewed your story for you!
To ObsidianSorrows: I know...Yuffie is always the target. Especially in my stories. Well, if I ever get around to finishing my story "Terrorized" Squall is going to be the target in the final showdown with Yvonne. Shh! Don't tell anyone!
To DarkFlame666: Haha, so I'm infamous? Thanks...I think. Thank you for your review, too!
To SunMoon,EarthSky: Did you notice that I made part of the other chapter in Squall's point of view? That was for you!
To RikkuFF10: AU stand for alternate universe. Glad you reviewed!
To BlueEyedDemon10: Ugh, I hate being sick. It's the worst.
To writerofthefuture: Riku's mystery girl is...whispers in ear
To Fire Spirit: Glad you think so!
To Chels: Thanks!
huff, puff, huff, puff I think I answered every person who reviewed all of my chapters!
If I missed anyone, just tell me and I'll correct my carelessness!
Summer Nights
Chapter 5
Yuffie's eyes fluttered open and instantly shut again as the light glared into her eyes. She moaned as the combined pain of her back wound, queasy stomach, and pounding head hit her at full force. She rolled over onto her stomach and fell onto the floor in a pile of sheets.
"Must...not...drink...again...ever..." she panted. Something stirred in Vanera's bed, and a confused head with piles of auburn hair came into view.
"Huh?" she said slowly, her voice hoarse. "What happened? Holy shit, what happened last night? I can't remember...oh my God!" Vanera started to hyperventilate. "Did I lose my virginity? Did I drink? What is wrong with me?"
With effort, she pushed herself up and watched Kairi slowly wake up, a dazed expression on her features.
"Oh no, was last night a horrible dream?" she said, knowing the truth.
Vanera scrambled out of bed and grabbed Kairi's shoulders. "Kairi, what happened last night?"
Kairi's eyes were wide. "It's a little foggy...we all went to that counselor party and hung out. Then I think Yuffie and I got into this fight with some girl...then...uhh...I think that's when we started drinking, but I don't remember sipping a beer."
Yuffie nodded and ran her hands through her hair. "That's because the punch was spiked," she said absently.
In hysterics, Vanera rolled off the bed and leaned over Yuffie. "What did I do?" she whispered.
"N-nothing..." she replied, and put a hand on her forehead. "You were flirting with some guys, but as far as I know, you didn't do anything." She paused then frustratingly said, "AH! I am never drinking when I'm twenty-one!"
Carefully, she stood up with the help of her bed and ran into the bathroom to empty her stomach. It was utterly disgusting. Who would put that much alcohol into a punch to make her have such a heavy hangover? Then again, it was the only hangover she had ever had, so maybe it wasn't as bad as she thought.
She splashed cold water on her face and grabbed her toothbrush, brushing her teeth furiously to erase the taste that lingered on her tongue. She picked a few bramble leaves out of her tangled black hair and threw them in the wastebasket.
"I call dibs on the shower, first!" Yuffie called weakly from the bathroom, and hopped into the shower. She washed, then dressed in her counselor outfit.
She exited the bathroom and Kairi took it next, followed by Vanera. They collapsed on the bed.
"Where's Aerith?" Vanera inquired wearily.
"I haven't seen her since the party," Kairi replied worriedly.
"What time is it?" Yuffie said. She closed her eyes and heard Vanera sitting up and glancing at the alarm clock.
"Twelve o'clock! We were supposed to be up by six!" she screeched and jumped up. Yuffie's jaw dropped. Since when were they allowed to sleep until noon?
"We are going to be in so much trouble!" Kairi said with a slight cry. "Let's go!"
"But we have to find Aerith," Vanera protested. "She would have woken us up if the speakerphone didn't."
"I think you're right...what if she was kidnapped? Oh my gosh, this is just like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre!" Yuffie said with a gasp.
"Oh Yuffie! That is just a legend, and besides, no one else we know is missing."
"So?"
"So...I think we should just find Aerith."
Yuffie walked the trail paths, keeping an eye open for anything suspicious. They had decided to split up; a bad idea in Yuffie's opinion. In the movies, that's when all of the bad stuff happened.
She wrapped her arms around herself and blinked back tears. Where was everyone? It was already past twelve in the afternoon. Kids should be running around, since this was normally free-time. So should counselors. This was their little break time, as well.
"Why doesn't anyone tell me anything?" she muttered and kicked a stone in her foot's path. It went scuttling across the dusty walkway and hit the door of a cabin concealed by forest brush and trees.
Curiously, Yuffie approached it. She must have passed this place up a million times without noticing it. A bunch of ivy was growing up the doors and boarded up windows, but it looked like someone had recently opened the door. The ivy was all broken and snapped by the edge.
A small bump came through the door. She felt herself have an intake of breath. With a push of bravery she swung the door open, and something came toppling down onto her, knocking her flat off her feet and onto the grass.
"What the--!"
She winced and heard an 'ow.' Her face was buried into the grass, and something heavy was keeping her flat on her back. A muffled "help!" came from her mouth, but the sound was only for the grass to hear.
Yuffie pulled herself out and stood up quickly, feeling shaken. She gasped and started to giggle despite herself. Aerith and Cloud were lying on the grass, stunned expressions on their faces. She bent down and shook Aerith's shoulders.
"Where were you, Aerith? You scared me half to death!" she said crossly.
"Oh Yuffie!" Aerith said and threw a hug around her neck. "Thank God you found us!"
"What do you mean, 'found you?'"
"We were trapped in that cabin all night long! It locked us from the outside. It was horrible!"
Yuffie pulled back from the hug and looked at her. It was true. She was covered in dust and her make-up was smeared from crying. Cloud propped himself up and rubbed his neck, emitting an embarrassed chuckle.
Cloud stood and helped Aerith and Yuffie up.
"Wait," she said suspiciously. "Why were you two alone in the first place?"
Aerith and Cloud exchanged glances. A blush spread across her cheeks. "Well—er—we wanted to be alone."
Yuffie laughed and grabbed Aerith's arm. "So our little angel is finally going bad!" she said gleefully.
"No," she replied curtly, looking flustered.
"Well anyway, Kairi and Vanera were both looking all over for you. We have to find them then tell you what happened last night."
On the trip back to the cabin, Aerith noticed everyone was gone and questioned Yuffie. "We don't know where they went," Yuffie said sadly.
Kairi and Vanera were sitting on the porch, their foreheads creased in worry. When they saw Aerith they looked extremely relieved.
Before they could ask her, Aerith held up a hand and explained the story. Kairi and Vanera were giggling and nudging Aerith, then after they had a laugh, they told her what happened at the party to the amazed and surprised Aerith.
Yuffie sat down on the porch and groaned. "What now? We have no clue where everyone is."
"I think I can answer that," came a voice from somewhere up ahead. Yuffie's eyes darted to the spot and saw who it was.
"Her!" Yuffie growled. Valerie stood next to them and struck a pose.
"Who else?" she said with a short laugh. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and eyed Cloud with a suggestive look. He flushed and appeared to be enjoying her stare. Aerith bit her lip and glared at Cloud, then Valerie. "In case you weren't informed, two of the instructors took the kids out to camp for three days to work out the drinking problem, and two stayed here to find out the culprit."
She let out a small sigh and twirled over to Cloud. Without a second thought she wrapped her arms around his neck and sat on his lap. "They are so stupid, especially Sheryl. Never did they think to question me, when I was the one serving the punch!"
Aerith's eyes widened. "Was it you?"
"Of course it was me."
"We'll have to turn you in for that," Kairi said with narrowed eyes.
"I don't think you will," she said and blew on her perfectly manicured nails.
"And why not?"
"Ever want to have a chance with Sora? I'll take him away like that," she replied and snapped her fingers.
Kairi cast her eyes at her shoes and swallowed hard. Valerie grinned. "That's what I thought."
Cloud squirmed under her and started to stand up. She growled and stood with him. "Excuse me, I was sitting there."
"Look, whatever your name is, can you just tell us what we're supposed to be doing, then get lost?"
She rolled her eyes. "In a few hours there is supposed to be a meeting at the auditorium. Be there." A seductive smile appeared onto her lips and she ran a finger under his chin. "Bye Yuffie, Kairi...Aerith," she said with a snort.
"Snorting isn't very ladylike," Yuffie hissed.
"Neither are you, but no one's complaining," she retorted over her shoulder. "Losers..."
"GOD I can't stand her!" Yuffie said when she was gone.
Aerith looked at Cloud and opened her mouth to say something, but suddenly it looked like she chose to say nothing and snapped it shut.
"Who can stand her?" Vanera mumbled.
"No one from this world..."
Yuffie found a seat in the back of the auditorium and propped up her feet on the chair in front of her. She wished she had a bag of popcorn. This was going to be so boring.
Look on the bright side, the Gremlins are out of your hair for three days...said her mind.
Her friends filled up the seats beside her. She turned her head to watch the other counselors pour in, looking battered and worn. No wonder the camp had been deserted. Everyone was sleeping in late.
She bit back a scream when she saw who sat in front of her. Valerie. Squall sat next to her, looking bored and expressionless. Valerie turned to him and started making small talk, staring Squall up and down like he was some sideshow to watch that cost fifty cents to see.
Much to her delight, Squall practically ignored her, nodding politely every once in a while. It was impossible to ignore the hurt and angry look that crossed her face.
Yuffie's attention switched from Valerie to Sheryl up on stage. She looked angry and determined, her smooth gray hair swept up into a bun. (A/N: I'm up writing this late again and I started typing, "swept up into a bun on her forehead!)
"As everyone knows, whether you attended or didn't attend, someone spiked the punch at last night's party. Because of this little...incident, we did not get the chance to talk or discuss anything. Not only that, you broke Camp Kaman's no alcohol rule, and I witnessed disturbing sexual acts. I'm a disgusted! Until the culprit who spiked the punch comes forward, you will all be punished. As of now, I haven't decided how, but it will be a cruel, horrible, and unusually punishment for your wrongdoings."
She paused and let the other instructor take the microphone.
"And because of this, you have caused..."
Yuffie yawned and leaned her head against the back of the chair. Camp Kaman had to be the most boring camp she had ever been to in her life. She blinked and rubbed her eyes a little. She had almost dozed off.
"Finally, in a week we will be holding the annual Kaman Talent Competition. All of the counselors who used to attend Kaman know how much fun that is. Don't make us take away the privilege."
A slow wave of silent whispers rippled through the counselors.
"Can you believe that in two weeks we'll all be going home? Those past weeks went by so quickly," Sheryl said with a sigh. "But there's always next year." A few thoughtful seconds passed, and generally cheerier now than when she had begun, she said, "You are dismissed."
Yuffie rolled her eyes and stood up with her friends. Valerie was already walking out the door, clinging to Squall's arm like it was a life boat. Anger welled in Yuffie's stomach. She couldn't understand why, first of all, because she didn't like Squall.
She walked back to the cabin, declining the offer to eat lunch at the cafeteria with everyone else. Automatically she wrapped her arms around herself, even in the warm heat of the day, and sighed. The anger she had felt before eventually slipped away, leaving confusion in its place. Why had she gotten upset over Valerie paying so much attention to Squall?
"That reminds me. Stay away from Squall Leonheart. I'm glad he made you fall off the diving platform..."
Valerie's words floated around her mind. Yuffie felt herself grinning. She wouldn't let Valerie take him for herself, because she certainly didn't deserve him.
With a new bounce in her steps, she continued walking to the cabin and spotted Squall a few feet ahead of her, Valerie nowhere in sight. The perfect time to talk to him.
"Hey Squall!" she shouted. She ran up to him and took his arm like Valerie had. Squall looked down at her like she was crazy.
"What is it?"
That stopped her. What would she say?
"Cool party last night, huh?" she replied quickly.
"Yeah cool..." he said sarcastically. "You were puking into the bushes then when you passed out I had to carry you back to your cabin, where I was then shot with water guns by two stupid kids known as Riku and Sora."
Yuffie blushed pink that spread from her neck to her cheeks. "Did you really?"
"Yeah."
"Sorry about that. That was really sweet to take care of me."
He gave her a sidelong glance. "Yeah well, don't mention it..."
Yuffie stood on her tiptoes and pecked him on the cheek, drawing back with a flushed face.
"Don't. Ever. Touch. Me. Again," he growled.
"Aww, don't be so mean! Smile, you've got French's!" she sang cheerfully. When she was younger that used to be her favorite commercial, especially when the little boy with French's mustard smeared all over his face appeared.
"Are you high?"
Yuffie was taken aback. "No, why would you say that?"
"No reason."
She giggled. "Well it's because I have a new resolution. But it's a secret."
His expression remained blank. His ice blue eyes were set on the path ahead, holding no flicker of emotion.
"Don't you want to know?" she said.
"Not really."
"Good. Because if you did, I wouldn't be able to tell you."
When he said nothing, Yuffie sighed and let go of his arm. "You never talk."
"What do you want me to say?"
"I don't know..."
"Exactly."
Instead of thinking up a quick comeback she resorted to staring at the sky. Her cabin came into view.
"Bye Squall," she said with a wave.
"Leon!" he growled.
This time, Yuffie chose to ignore him. She opened the door of her cabin and stepped inside.
"The air outside is cooler than in here..." she muttered, and flopped onto her bed. She stuffed a pillow under her chin and stared at the door. "This is boring. Hey...what's that?"
A white sheet of paper was sticking out from under an armchair next to the door. Yuffie stood and picked it up, unfolding it carefully.
"To the female junior counselors...
In three days, go to the lake, dressed with your bathing suits underneath. Explanations will be made as soon as you arrive.
The male counselors!"
She raised her eyebrows. What was that all about?
"In three days time I'll find out," she answered her thoughts automatically. There was a knock on her door; two sharp whacks.
"Damn, who's trying to bust down the door?" she murmured. She glanced out Aerith's pink frilly windows. Sheryl was standing with the other instructor with her, looking angry and ready to kill.
Hope everyone liked the chapter! Review, as you normally do please! The more reviews I get, the faster I'll update. Got it?
Here are some thoughts to think about...
Will Sheryl ever find out who spiked the punch? (Valerie)
Will Yuffie win Squall to herself?
What's up with the letter to the female junior counselors?
What is Sheryl doing at Yuffie's cabin?
Finally...
WHAT IS THE TRUTH ABOUT VALERIE?
I tried my hand out at some pathetic suspense at the end of the chapter, but whatever. If I suck at it, I don't care, just as long as you review!