Author's Notes: Hello…thank you so very much for my reviews! And even after the updates on the site! Hmmm…so lets move on…I wonder what will happen between Rikku and Gippal! Even I don't know what the end of this chapter will be, because I sort of have three ideas for it. They all have to do with the same situation but each one has a different outcome! Hopefully, by the time I get to the end it will straighten itself out! If it doesn't well…we'll see what happens! I think it might be a kinda short chapter! Anyways…smile and be happy! And don't forget to review!
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy X or X-2. But, I am totally fascinated and obsessed with them!! Like everyone else isn't?!?
Chapter 3: Love?
I tossed and turned in my bed, uneasy and unable to calm my mind. The sudden appearance of Gippal, only hours before, had really stirred up my emotions and I was finding it hard to take my mind off of him.
I raised one hand to my forehead, and felt the sweat that had gathered there. Frustrated, I kicked my covers off angrily causing them to slump onto the sandy ground. I turned over onto my side and let the chill night cool my heated body.
I didn't get it! He had been acting so…different lately, and everything that I thought I knew about him was turning out to be wrong. He had changed so much, but I couldn't figure out why.
I need to know, I thought, my cheeks starting to burn more. I need to talk to him! I got up from my bed wearing loose pajama bottoms and a small light blue T. I put on my sandals and sweatshirt and stepped out into the frosty night air. Tiredly, I blinked my eyes as they adjusted to orange lantern light that shinned around me.
Okay, I thought, turning my head from tent to tent, observing each one. Which one is he in?
I made a small moan in my throat. I didn't know which tent he was in! There were probably over a hundred scattered across the sand.
This is hopeless! I thought as I shook slightly in the cold. But, seriously! What had I expected? My back drooped slightly, as I let out a long breath. Well, as long as I'm out I guess I'll go for a walk to calm me down. I made my way past all the tents that held many people sleeping soundly without a care, and went beyond the main building of "Home". I headed towards the Oasis that was only about a ten-minute walk away. It had always been my favourite part of the desert. When I was kid, I used to go there all the time to swim and skip stones.
Soon enough, I reached the Oasis and climbed up onto the rocky ledge that overlooked the crystal clear water. The place was fascinating to me. In the middle of the rough, hot desert this place was cool and calm. It was like a small paradise, for the clear cool water could relieve any stress and the lush green vegetation that surrounded it could soothe any soul.
I sat down on the hard piece of stone and pulled my legs close to my body. I rested my head on my knees and closed my eyes, letting the slight ripples of the water seep into my troubled mind.
The minutes passed by and my mind began to wander further and further away from the thoughts that were constantly plaguing it. As I sat there curled up and close to dozing off, I could here the steady approach of footsteps. I lifted my head up and looked around me, my eyes slightly blurred. The footsteps suddenly stopped as my eyes came to rest on a dark figure. I focused more and then suddenly realized who it was. I breathed in quickly as I stared at the face of Gippal, a smile lining his lips.
"Did I surprise you?" he asked, laughing slightly. I lifted myself up more fully as he climbed up the rock and sat down beside me. I looked at him, my face showing my confusion. His smile and his laugh had been so…sweet. He wasn't the least bit cocky.
"Why are you here?" I asked, my voice coming out colder than I wanted it. Gippal's smile slowly melted off as he saw the bitter expression in my eyes. He looked away and stared down at the Oasis.
"I couldn't sleep," he replied, the brightness of the water reflecting into his eyes. "Preoccupied mind, I guess. Same with you?"
"Yah," I said quietly. I pulled my legs closer to me as the wind started to pick up. I looked over at Gippal as he sat there, his legs crossed and his elbows leaning on his knees. His hands were intertwined and that same sweet smile came back and rested on his face. We sat there for a while, time passing by ever so slowly. The calmness of the place and the company I shared was comforting me, until I could do nothing but smile too.
"It's nice," he whispered into the air. "The silence."
"Uhmm," I mumbled, my eyes closed as I leaned sleepily on my knees.
"I guess I better get going," Gippal said looking over at me. I opened my eyes and nodded as he picked himself up and climbed down the rock. He turned his head around and looked over at me, waving his hand slightly as he started walking away.
"Wait!" I said quickly getting up and climbing down the rock. This whole time I had completely forgotten that the reason I had gone out was to talk to him. "I need to ask you something."
"What is it?" Gippal said unsure what I was going to say. I looked down and rang my fingers nervously in my cold hands.
"Did you really give all that money for "Home"?" I could see Gippal's face grow angrier, and the nice smile that was on his lips disappear. His good eye grew wider and the green swirls in it burned. Gippal turned around and lifted his hands up to his head, grabbing onto some strands of hair.
"How do you know?" he said his voice strained as he tried to keep it from rising.
"My father told me," I said, not believing that he would react like that. I didn't think that he would get so angry. There must have been a lot going on in his mind that I couldn't even fathom.
"And I specifically asked him not to!" Gippal said, pulling his hands down roughly from his head.
"What did you expect him to do?" I said back, my own voice rising with each word. "I wanted to know how he was able to get so much money. Both you and I know that he could never really do it. Even if he hadn't told me I would've found out anyway!"
"Yes! But that doesn't change the fact that he broke his word!" he yelled completely frustrated.
"What?" I said, my voice holding a tone of sarcastic disbelief. I leaned forward. "Why didn't you want me to know anyways?" Gippal opened his mouth as if he was about to say something, but he stopped suddenly and pulled himself back.
"It's," he said quietly. "Complicated."
"Complicated!" I yelled so fed up. "How is it complicated? Ahhh! Everything is complicated with you, isn't it? You can never give anybody a straight answer or just stand still for a moment! Everybody has to do what you want! Everything is always about you!" I stopped shouting to catch my breath and wiped the tears that had started to run down my flushed cheeks. I looked over at Gippal and noticed a hurt look on his face.
"What do you want me to say Rikku?" he asked quietly. "That I'm sorry? Do you want me to pretend that things haven't changed; do you want things to go back to the way they were? I'm sorry I hurt you, but I've changed and you've changed too. Nothing can be done." I looked down, my tears splashing on the sand below me. He realized that I had meant more in those words; he saw that I wasn't really referring to him and the money. He understood that I was finally confronting him about the day that he had hurt me, and left me alone to grieve.
"I–" The words just couldn't leave my throat. My tears had started to choke me, and it was getting hard to surpress the sobs that were pushing to get through.
"I didn't want Cid to tell you about the money, because I," Gippal paused. I looked up at him and saw a small layer of tears coat his good eye. "I didn't want you to get hurt. I can't tell you anything more, but things are happening and people could soon be in danger." I looked down, my eyes growing red and my head beginning to pound.
Did he really want to protect me? I thought, my heart aching with each word that had left his mouth.
"Goodbye Rikku," he said before turning around and walking away. I watched his back as he disappeared into the darkness, my tears falling down my cheeks and soaking my sweater. Once he was gone, I slumped down onto the sand. My sobs strained my breathing as my tears flowed endlessly. I wrapped my arms around myself and tried to stop the crying, but it was hopeless.
I saw it now; I realized what had been happening inside me. I still loved Gippal, but just now he had told me quite clearly that he didn't share my feelings any longer.
I'm crying…well, not really but it was so…ahhh…to write this! Anyways, I hope you guys feel the same about this chapter. Sorry it's a bit short, but quality over quantity! It might seem confusing now, but everything will begin to unravel in chapter 4! So excited to keep going! So…PLEASE REVIEW!
