THANK YOU reviewers! Now, just go on and read this next chapter, go one, it will make me happy, you know that! There is some fluffy stuff in here. I personally hate the kind of fluff I wrote about. I like kissing fluff. But this is okay, I don't want any real action going on just yet.
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Summer Nights
Chapter 8
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Yuffie felt the pain before she even opened her eyes. It hit her like needles throughout her body, and a dull throb in her forehead, like someone had been hacking at it with a dull blade. She opened her eyes slowly, and was greeted with the old nurse's face right next to hers.
"Nice of you to join us, today," she said kindly, rubbing a cool cloth over her face after dipping it in a water basin. "A nice young man brought you in after you got into a fight and got knocked unconscious. Then he left. But you were here overnight, dear."
"I...was...?" Yuffie asked, swallowing hard. Whoa, a whole night? "You aren't going to tell anyone, are you? Like...Sheryl?" she said, worried. If Sheryl knew, she would be kicked out as a counselor.
"Bah, no. That Valerie gets on my nerves, she does!" the nurse exclaimed, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "No worries, dear."
"Thanks," Yuffie said with a grin. "I can go now, can't I?"
"Get going!" the nurse said, waving her hand in the air to get her going. Yuffie obliged and quickly jumped off the bed and ran out the door, ignoring the pain she was feeling. Next year, she was definitely NOT coming back to Campo Kaman. She had already had too many injuries in one week and a half.
A week and a half? She would be gone in less than a week, that meant. And the Gremlins would be back by the next day. Wiping off her sweaty forehead with a groan, she wished the nurse would have given her the cool cloth rag.
Her feet seemed to take control of themselves, and she found herself outside her cabin door. Kairi was standing outside the door, her arms wrapped around Sora and kissing him passionately on the mouth, their tongues dancing together.
Yuffie's jaw dropped and her face heated up at least thirty more degrees than it had been before. She had never seen Kairi kiss like that before!
Embarrassed that she had disturbed their little "moment," she pushed past them into the cabin before they could protest and slammed the door shut, closing her eyes slowly, remembering that Kairi was still mad at her.
She didn't understand how one little thing made her so angry. And she didn't seem to care that they were fighting, either. Kairi seemed to be enjoying herself, while she was growing more and more depressed. It seemed like she hadn't even been worried when Yuffie was gone at the nurse's for a night.
Glancing once out the window to find them still lip-locked, she looked away painfully and flopped down on her bed. Now more than ever she wished the Gremlins were back from that stupid trip to get her mind off things.
Yuffie closed her eyes and tried to drift off to sleep, but she couldn't. So many thoughts were dancing across her mind. Squall and his rejection, Kairi and her new found passion, the Gremlins, her punishment, how much she hated Valerie...
"AHH!" she screamed and punched her pillow so it made a dent in the middle. This was all too much to stand. She sighed heavily so it came out almost a screech and pushed her head against the pillow. She heard Kairi come through the door and sit on the edge of Yuffie's bed.
"Yuffie, why are we fighting?" she asked softly.
"I don't know," came Yuffie's muffled reply.
"I think we should stop and get over it. I see you...saw my new boyfriend."
"That's old news, Kairi. I was just surprised you were kissing him like that."
"Well, I'm seventeen. I think it was about time to give up my innocent little girl act."
"Apparently you did it well, too. With me. You would never act like that towards me before," she replied bitterly.
"I know, and I'm sorry. Forgive?"
Yuffie lifted her head from the pillow and stared at Kairi. She did seem sincere, and this was the first time they had ever gotten into a fight before. "Forgive," she said finally, pulling her into a hug. Kairi hugged back then pulled away, a smile on her face.
"Good. Now I don't feel so bad anymore," she said with a sort of relieved sigh. Yuffie nodded and laid back on her pillow.
"So where were you yesterday?"
"I got into a fight with Valerie. A fist fight. And I had to stay in the nurses office."
"That little..." Kairi paused, then as if testing it on her tongue, said, "That little bitch!"
Yuffie laughed and gave her a little shove. Kairi giggled, then settled down and sighed. "I miss Sora."
"You were just making out with him not even six minutes ago!"
"So? I still miss him. I miss him even when he's with me."
A look of pain flashed across Yuffie's face. "I know what you mean."
"Yeah..." Kairi said slowly, as if not paying attention and lost in her own thoughts. "Wait...you do?"
"I never told you what happened during the little initiation, did I?" Yuffie said. Kairi shook her head.
Yuffie explained what happened to a stunned Kairi. She giggled and gasped in all the right places, making for a good audience. When Yuffie finished, Kairi was fuming.
"How dare he! How dare he go and do that to you!" she hissed menacingly. Yuffie shrugged.
"I don't find it hard to believe..."
"Oh Yuf! You deserve better than him!"
"No, no I don't. He is the right one, and if I can't have him, then I don't want anyone else! Besides, Squall is a god, there is no better than him," Yuffie said with a little laugh that couldn't hide her pain.
Kairi patted a hand on her shoulder, trying to be comforting. "Don't worry, he'll come around. There is no better person than you."
"Thanks Kai. But...I think I have to go and do something for...Sheryl. You know," Yuffie lied. She just felt like being alone. Maybe, she though unconsciously, she would run into Squall. When she realized she was thinking this, she scowled at herself and stood up. Kairi nodded and jumped onto her own bed and flipped through a magazine.
She left the cabin and walked along a short trail, stopping at a large boulder that a bunch of the Gremlins had painted different colors one day and climbed up, her chin resting on her hands. The breeze sifted through her short, black hair and caressed her face.
She closed her eyes, trying to imagine nothing, trying to keep her mind off of him. Loud footsteps suddenly broke through the peaceful silence, and seemed to be getting louder.
Yuffie's throat tightened quickly, and her slender thumb twitched. Those footsteps sounded like Squall's. Was he going to come over here and talk to her?
Stop thinking like he was your boyfriend or something. It was just a stupid kiss and there is no emotional attachment, she thought angrily.
The footsteps stopped next to her. Yuffie sighed and opened her eyes to look into Squall's, but flung herself backwards while looking into the face of—
"Valerie?!" Yuffie gasped in surprised. She had been so sure it was Squall.
Valerie sneered. "What the hell were you doing? Praying or something?"
Yuffie scowled. "Maybe, maybe not. Why would you be interested?"
"Oh, trust me, I'm not," she scoffed sarcastically.
"Really? Then it would be great if you could scatter and leave me alone," Yuffie said tartly, giving her an intense stare, willing her to go away. She was trying to steer clear of insults or anything of the sort to avoid another fight, but she was just itching to jump her when she turned her back.
Valerie turned and walked away haughtily, purposefully making her luxurious hair swing behind her towards the lake, swaying her hips and eyeing up any guy that passed her. She held up a hand on the way there, giving off a rude hand gesture that made Yuffie jump off the rock.
She held out her hands, lowering them slowly while breathing out. Her temper was getting the best of her, and Valerie and her bitchiness was such a distraction she could hardly think of anything but her hatred of her while she was around.
A euphonic voice interrupted her thoughts. Yuffie glanced up just as Vanera sat next to her, obliviously unaware of Yuffie's anger and leaned against the rock.
"Hey Yufs, what's up?" she asked, looking at her and awaiting an answer.
"Nothing, really...just anxious to get out of here. Only a few more days left," Yuffie said, forcing a laugh. Vanera studied her for a moment, then decided it was genuine.
"I guess there won't be a talent show. No one really openly confessed spiking the punch, did they?" Vanera said wistfully. "I kind of wanted to sing one of my songs."
Yuffie nodded and smiled slightly. Vanera always had a great voice and was an awesome song writer, but not many knew about it.
There was a mutual silence after her last sentence. Yuffie arched her back and yawned, the sun warming her clothes. Vanera sighed and closed her eyes, then opened them. "This counselor thing went by really, really fast. I'm glad Kairi convinced me. I think I'll go back next summer."
Yuffie surprised herself and said, "Yeah...me too."
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Yuffie scrubbed around a particularly disgusting toilet seat, obediently fulfilling her punishment to clean the restrooms and sighed. This was starting to get really tiring. Waking up early in the morning to clean, then staying up late into the night cleaning. There was no point in doing it in the morning when, after she cleaned it at night, no one went in!
A clap of thunder made her jump, spilling her bucket of dirty gray water all over the floor. A loud rumble followed, then a jagged flash of lightning. The lights overhead flickered on and off, fluttering slightly.
Yuffie stood up and pulled out some paper towels from the dispenser to clean up the mess, groaning at how big the puddle was. Not only that, she would have to fill up another bucket with fresh, soapy water.
The pattering sound and musky smell of rain filled her nostrils. Thunder, even louder than before, seemed to crash down on her ears. She looked up at the lights that looked extremely unsteady, as if they were about to go out on her.
The lights flickered once more before going out, leaving Yuffie in pure darkness...unless you counted occasional flashes of lightning.
"Nooo! Don't leave me!" she moaned, directed to the lights before stumbling to the puddle of water. Her foot touched down on the spot and she slipped, shrieking before hitting the ground with a thud.
This is really my day...Yuffie thought before standing up, dripping in water that she couldn't even bring herself to think what had touched it.
The door to the bathroom was thrown open, making another loud crash that startled Yuffie even more. She turned around, holding her hands up, starting to grow increasingly frightened. Not really of one thing, but the whole package: no lights, loud noises, empty stalls that could easily hide anyone...
Yuffie laughed nervously and bent down on her hands and knees, preparing to wipe up her mess. Sheryl wouldn't believe Yuffie if she told her the lights went out, and even if she did, she would say that she should have done it anyway.
Wiping it up sloppily and tossing the paper towels in the trash bin, she carried the bucket to the sinks and filled it up with hot water after pouring in some soap and carried it back to the toilet she had been working on, the hot water sloshing over the sides and hitting her sandaled feet.
She set it down carefully and was about to pick up her scrubber, but paused when she heard a click and then a shuffle. She drew in a quick breath and stood still, listening, and not daring to move from her spot. With impending fear, she forced herself to move to the sinks where she had a clear view of everything but the stalls.
Yuffie put a hand over her mouth. The door had been open before...and now it was closed. She knew for a fact she hadn't closed it.
She stood in front of the bathroom mirror above the sink, staring at the blue bags under her eyes and how tired she looked. It was just nerves on end. The wind blew the door closed. The longer she stalled, the longer she would be up.
Thunder rumbled and a flash of lightning lit up the room momentarily with a bright, bluish silver glow. The outline of a figure behind her was visible for nearly a second before the room became black again.
Yuffie stumbled back, screaming, and clutched a hand over her mouth. She bumped into the person behind her who firmly grabbed her wrist and spun her around.
She squirmed away from his grasp, her heart racing. The taste of blood filled her mouth from where she had screamed then quickly clamped down on her mouth.
"Shut up, it's me!" someone said in a low growl.
"Sq-Squall?!" Yuffie asked. The grip on her arm dropped. She couldn't see anyone at all, only able to feel his body heat radiating off of him because of how close they were, and smell his scent mixed in with the rain water.
"What the hell are you doing in here?" he asked angrily.
"You took the words out of my mouth."
"I had to go to the bathroom," he said, as if she must be stupid for not knowing that.
"In the middle of the night?" she asked skeptically.
"Yes. It's when someone wakes up and they have to take a piss," he said slowly.
"I don't do that. I hold it until morning."
"Is your bladder abnormally large?"
"No."
"Well your mouth is," he said, then paused. "And why are you here?"
Yuffie frowned. He was being so cold now, when just yesterday he was being so kind to her. She bit her lip. "I got into trouble with Sheryl because she thinks I spiked the punch when it was really Valerie, your girlfriend," she said bitterly.
"She isn't my girlfriend."
"Yes she is, she told me so, and you did, too!" Yuffie said shrilly.
"Not directly," he denied.
"Don't say that, you know you did. What do you mean she's not your girlfriend?"
Squall sighed and crossed his arms. "I lied."
"What...?"
"She called me her boyfriend one day and I stupidly said nothing of it. Sorry. I only said she was my girlfriend because I wanted you to leave me alone."
Yuffie was silent. "Fine. Go to the bathroom then get out of here. I won't bother you anymore and I have to finish this mess."
He was still standing there, but the darkness hid his expression. "Yuffie..." he said in a softer tone.
"What?" she asked, looking away.
He reached out to touch her cheek but reeled away. Yuffie bit her cheek. What was going on here? Squall used the bathroom and came out, washing his hands. He seemed completely unaffected by the loud thunder and lightning.
Yuffie leaned against on of the other sinks, closing her eyes. She was so tired...
"Yuffie...wake up."
"I'm up!" she half-shouted.
"You fell asleep," Squall said.
"For how long?" she asked wearily.
"Only a minute..."
"Oh."
"You look tired as hell. Why don't you get to bed?"
"Because Sheryl will kill me if I don't clean up this mess!" Yuffie said in a soft, emotionless voice that screamed she was about to pass out if she didn't get into a bed soon.
"Come on...I'm taking you home," Squall said, grabbing her hand and starting to drag her to the door. Yuffie pulled back swiftly.
"No, not yet," she murmured sleepily, staring out the window. The rain was heavy and pounding, half the size of a marble, and wasn't letting up.
"Fine, suit yourself," Squall said and opened the door. Wind blew rain straight into his eyes and his hair flew back. Yuffie sighed and considered. Stay here, alone, cleaning, or go home and sleep, and face some mild consequences...
"Hey! Wait up!" Yuffie shouted. Squall paused as she ran out the door, letting it flap in the wind.
"C'mon, let's make a run for it," he said, an amused look in his eye. Even though he wasn't smiling, it was the first time Yuffie had ever seen him look like that. She broke into a wide grin.
He started running first. Yuffie broke into a sprint and passed him easily, being lighter and more agile than he was. She slowed down and grabbed his hand, forcing him to go faster. The rain had already plastered her clothes and hair to her like a second skin, and anymore time in the frigid rain would make her an ice cube.
Yuffie laughed and glanced over her shoulder. Squall was just barely making it, breathing heavily and looking like his feet weighed twenty pounds each. When she knew he couldn't keep going she stopped and let go of his hand reluctantly.
He put his hands on his knees and breathed in heavily. She muffled another laugh. "I think you need to start running more. I'm not even winded!" she said.
"Because that big mouth of yours steals air like a fish breathes water," he said, but it didn't really sound mean. Kind of...fond.
Yuffie grinned. This Squall was much better than the mean Squall. A look flickered across his face, like he was thinking the same thing. He took a step away from her, realizing they were a little close.
She shivered once he was farther away from her. No more of his body heat mingled with hers. Brazenly, Yuffie took a step closer to him and wrapped an arm around his waist. He gave her a look, but she could only shrug. "I'm cold!"
They walked slowly in the rain. They were already soaked to the bone, there was no way they could get any wetter. Yuffie's euphoria ended too soon when her cabin came into view, completely dark.
Yuffie walked up the stairs and stood a step above Squall. "Thanks for walking me home..." she said, now growing shy.
"It's fine."
"No, really—it was sweet of you."
Yuffie leaned over and kissed the corner of his mouth. Once her lips touched down he seemed to relax significantly. She smiled inwardly. So now she knew his soft spot.
She kept her lips there longer than normal and put her hands in his hair, kissing his cheek then his jaw. She reddened, realizing she had overdone it, and pulled away, feeling mortified.
Yuffie! He's going to be disgusted with you.
She felt like slapping herself.
Squall gripped her hands to stop her from moving away and drew her closer to him, wrapping his arms around her back. She entwined her hands around his neck. He leaned closer to her face, hovering above her lips before kissing her softly.
He let go of her and walked slowly down the steps and into the rain. It was so thick she couldn't see where he had gone.
Everything that just happened hit her with full force, making her lean against the wall of the cabin for support. She had kissed him...again. Her heart was high and fluttery, beating hard. The ache she had had in her chest felt full.
She opened the door absently and walked inside, shaking, half-way from excitement and half-way from coldness. Squall confused her. First, he was pushing her away, the next they're kissing in the rain.
Love is a funny thing.
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Well, this story is shortly coming to a close. I love this story, but it just has to end. I have...I think two stories that I haven't finished yet and one that I'm working on now that I haven't posted, then I have that co-authoring story with Annjirika. Not to mention a zillion one-shots I haven't finished. I feel so overwhelmed! -
Now help me out and review! ...please?