Again, sorry for a short update! (Tennis has been absolutely cRaZy! Only one more week to go though! Whoo! No more tennis! ('Till November, anyway...Hint, never play tennis year-round!)) Okay, enough of my complaints of the sport I'm strangely addicted to and onto the story, right? Okay, this should be the last 'Septemberish' chapter, because in case you haven't looked at a calendar, it's October now! (Silly me, I just now realized that!) Anyway, I'm sorry this chapter is short, I'll try to lengthen them! Okay, here's chapter 11, enjoy! (One more thing: Yevonistmas is like a Christmas, except for Yevon peoples!) Anyway, enjoy! Oh, by the way, I think I'm like a chapter behind in my thinking...I kept thinking this was chapter ten, but what is it, like, eleven? Whoa...I need sleep...All day tennis tournament...Sorry...Anyway, enjoy!
Chapter 11: Unexpected Problems
"Yuna!" the voice echoed through the huge halls of the humongous dance conservatory-the best in Spira, of course-as a dark haired, dark skinned girl, dressed all in her ballet attire came running down the hall.
"Dona!" Yuna greeted her, as a large smile crept onto Yuna's face, "How are you? I didn't know you were back from Kilika already!"
"We ended it short," Dona said, as Yuna and she embraced in a friendly hug. The two had been best friends since they were five, although Dona was a year older than Yuna. They had become somewhat distant, however, over the past few years. Dona's father, who worked with Yuna's, had moved Dona into a private school the moment that Al Bheds were allowed in public schools, and now Dona had been residing in Kilika.
"How come?" Yuna asked, "It's gorgeous in Kilika." Yuna knew, of course, being that her father's vacation house was located on the remote island of Besaid, and Yuna and her father always stopped first at Kilika.
"Well," Dona said, matter-of-factly, "You see, my father heard that this year, we're to rehearse the 'Yevonistmas Nutcracker', and they're looking for a new lead, you know."
"Yeah, but that girl, Shelinda, always gets the lead," Yuna said, rolling her eyes. Shelinda was somewhat strange, and rather shy, but was definitely the best in the class.
"She broke her leg," Dona said, raising her eyebrows, "So I said, 'This year, I'm not sticking to be a fairy any longer,' know what I mean?"
Yuna smiled at her friend. Of course Dona would get the role, she was everything Yuna was not.
"So you came all the way back just for that," Yuna said, laughing and shaking her head, "At least you're dedicated."
"Most definitely," Dona said, nodding, "I wouldn't pass up something this big."
Yuna smiled at her friend, and quickly slipped on her ballet slippers, and followed Dona into the large dance chamber.
Some girls were already warming up and such, doing their basic little routines, and Yuna stopped to do the same, but Dona went on ahead to the instructor, who was talking to a mad looking Shelinda, who was on crutches.
"Excuse me madame," Dona said sweetly, "But I was just wondering, what are we going to do for our Nutcracker Ballet production if Shelinda is in crutches? By the way, I'm terribly sad to hear about your little accident Shelinda. But not worries! I've come all the way from Kilika just for the main part!"
Madame Kleo, the main instructor, and owner of the academy, shook her head.
"I appreciate your want to have the main role, but there will be try-outs, of course. Which reminds me-Girls! Everybody who wants to try out for the main role in the Nutcracker Ballet needs to sign up right now on this sheet!"
All of the girls began to whisper excitedly like little girls, back when they were like five, and all ran up to sign their names on the sign-up sheet. All but Yuna, that is.
Dona was the first to sign her name, and she came over to Yuna, and smiled, saying, "That role's as good as mine."
"It'd be fun to try-out," Yuna said dreamily, and started toward the sign-up sheet.
"Wait!" Dona cried, grabbing Yuna's arm, "You're not seriously considering trying-out, are you?"
"Uh, why not?" Yuna asked.
"Because," Dona said slowly, rolling her eyes, "No offense, Yuna, but...well...you're just not quite good enough. I mean, look at all of those girls trying out? Do you really think you can beat all of them? And then to only have to come back and face that you didn't get the part? Do you really want that kind of disappointment?"
"I suppose not..." Yuna said slowly, watching as the girls all signed up, all talking excitedly, all while Shelinda looked ready to cry.
"Smart choice," Dona said, before Yuna could say anything, "Since I've been gone for so long, do you want to lead the stretches for me?"
"Sure..." Yuna said softly, and at that, bent down to their first position, all while continuing to stare at that sign-up sheet. "Oh well...", she told herself, "Dona's right."
"Oh, Yuna, by the way, I forgot to ask you," Dona said coming up to Yuna as Yuna slid off her slippers and placed some flip-flops on.
"What?" Yuna asked her friend, in her normal, seemingly clueless voice.
"Can I get a ride with you? I totally forgot to call my chauffeur, and like the moron I am, I forgot to bring my cell pone with to call."
"You can just use mine," Yuna said, pulling out her phone.
"Er, no...I don't really want to wait. Besides, I live right down the rode from you. Your chauffeur's picking you up, isn't he?"
Yuna blushed a deep crimson, and said, "Actually, my boyfriend's picking me up."
"You're not still going out with that Al Bhed, are you?"
"No...I'm going out with someone else," Yuna said softly. For one thing, she wasn't entirely sure she wanted Dona to meet Tidus. She knew quite well what happened when she introduced Dona to Gippal the year before...
"Excuse me girls," the two turned their heads to see Madame Kleo, "But can I possibly have a talk with Yuna?"
"Uh, actually, no," Dona answered quickly, tugging on Yuna's arm, "Yuna's boyfriend is giving us a ride home, and he needs to get going, and so do we. Come on Yuna."
Dona stood up, dragging Yuna along, although Yuna seemed confused by her actions.
"Goodbye Madame!" Yuna cried as Dona pulled her out of the room, "See you later!"
Dona pulled Yuna down the now dark corridors of the academy, without explaining herself.
"Sorry about that Yuna, but it's the truth, isn't it?" Dona said then, as the two walked out the doors, feeling a cool breeze on them.
"Well...I suppose Tidus won't mind taking you home too," Yuna said, without thinking.
"Tidus? Where have I heard that name before?" Dona questioned, "That's not the most common name...who's he?"
Just then, Tidus quickly pulled up, a smile on his face, versus his attitude before, and Yuna led Dona up to the car.
"Hey!" she greeted him, "Uh, this is my friend Dona. She lives right down the rode from me. Could you possibly give her a ride?"
"Sure!" Tidus said, his cheery attitude definitely back.
Dona had looked over Yuna's shoulder to get a good look at this mysterious 'Tidus', and was smiling now, and was brushing at her hair, and such, and said, "Hi! I'm Dona."
"Tidus," Tidus just said, as Yuna climbed into the front, while Dona hopped into the back.
The two sat down and Tidus was off, traveling at his usual ten-miles-per-hour-over-the-speed-limit-speed.
"So," Dona said, sticking her head through the center, and looking at Tidus, "Yuna didn't tell me you were so good looking. And built too!" Dona gave a little giggle as she felt Tidus' muscles on his arm.
Tidus shot Yuna a questioning look, but Yuna just rolled her eyes and looked out the window. It wasn't as if Dona hadn't flirted with her boyfriends before.
"So, what grade are you in, Tidus?" Dona asked, "Or are you some hot college guy? Or better...?"
Tidus sighed, looking again at Yuna, and said, "I play Blitzball for the Bevelle Brutes."
Dona gasped. "No way! I thought it was you...but then, why would you be going out with Yuna here? You know, I'm the daughter of Lord Ohalland, he used to play Blitzball, before he quit and became the leader of the Temple of Yevon, the highest occupation next to a Maester, you know."
Again, Tidus shot Yuna that same look, as if he couldn't believe the things Dona was saying to him.
"By the way," Dona said, practically moving her body between Tidus' and Yuna's, "If you want, Tidus, you could stop by at my place after dropping Yuna off, and I could show you some of my father's trophies."
Yuna looked at the window even more now, wanting to cry. Why did Dona always have to be this way around boys? Last time with Gippal...
"You know what," Tidus said, the tone of his voice causing Yuna and Dona both to jump, "I don't know if you call yourself Yuna's friend," Tidus continued, "But you're definitely the worst friend I've ever heard of. You can just stop hitting on me, 'cause I'm Yuna's boyfriend, and I'll be going to Yuna's place after dropping you off. Got that?"
Yuna felt the tears in her eyes dry, and a small smile crept onto her face, as Dona gave kind of a shocked look and sank back into the back of the car.
Yuna looked at Tidus and he looked back at her, and smiled, and Yuna gave a small smile back, but at the same time couldn't help but feel bad. After all, Dona was her best friend...
The three rode along in silence, with Dona staring bitterly out the window, looking rather angry at Tidus' sudden outburst. Yuna just looked at her hands which were clasped on her lap. As for Tidus, his eyes were on the rode ahead of him.
"Here?" Tidus finally said, as he turned on his turn signal indicating that he was going to turn into Dona's massive brick driveway.
"Yeah," Yuna said softly. Tidus pulled in, and Dona angrily got out, grabbing her stuff, and slamming the door before Yuna could say goodbye.
"What a slut," Tidus said.
"She's my best friend," Yuna said very softly.
"She may be, but she's still a slut," Tidus just said.
Yuna was silent. What was she to say?
"Still, Dona's my best friend," she said again finally.
"Good for her," Tidus said, "Too bad you don't rub off on her, know what I mean? So, who's the better dancer, you or her?"
"Her," Yuna said, her voice quiet, "She's going to more than likely get the lead in our main performance."
"Oh?" Tidus just said, "Does she have to try-out?"
"Yeah," Yuna said, "Everybody does. Or at least, everybody who signed up."
"You're gonna try-out for the part though, right?" Tidus asked.
Yuna shook her head. "Oh no," she said, "I'm not nearly good enough for that."
"You aren't?" Tidus asked, "I figured you were probably pretty good."
Yuna stared out the window. "I was going to try-out, but Dona talked me out of it. And she's right. I don't need the disappointment of trying out and not getting the part."
Tidus didn't say anything, but looked deep in thought.
"Yeah, but if you don't even try out..." Tidus' voice simply trailed, and he again looked in thought.
"I'm not good enough," Yuna finally said softly.
"Okay," Tidus said with a shrug, but then looked over and smiled at Yuna, "But would it really be that disappointing to try-out anyway? I mean, what's the worst that could happen? You don't get the part? Big deal. There's always next year, or the year after that. But at least you tried. You agree, don't you?"
"Well sure," Yuna said, as they neared Yuna's house, "But..."
"I think you should at least try-out," Tidus said, "Who cares what Dona says? I cut practice and watched your guys' practice instead."
"What?" Yuna asked, "You were there? Where?"
"On the balcony. You never once looked up. I would've waved. But my phone rang just before you guys got done, so I figured I'd just pull up the car and wait for you. Still, I'm not that dumb. I used to play the drums in some band when I was fifteen, and believe me, Dona was way off rhythm half the time. But you...you looked great. And graceful, and..." Tidus trailed, again, the look of thought entering his blue eyes, "Beautiful."
Yuna smiled at him, as if in thought, only to see his own thoughtful blue eyes open wide.
"Your old man home already?" he asked then, sounding almost amused, causing Yuna's eyes to go to her driveway, where her father was standing, talking to Seymour.
"Oh no," was all Yuna could utter.