Kurai Yume's Note: Hello readers. Well I decided to go back and edit the previous chapter because I was moving a little to fast with the storyline. Anyways this chapter is more about Tidus, as requested.


Chapter 5- Only Time Will Tell

"Books are my only friend. Only if everyone else was like an open book. Easy to read. And all of the truth are laid out. No lies." Yuna thought as she rolled over on her bed, and grabbed the new book off of her pink dresser. Yuna admired the gold letterings and took in the smell of the new book-which she grew to love. "Life's Verses, by Emilee Swift-"a faint ring interrupted Yuna. She glanced around her room ,confused of where the sound was coming from. She walked around her room listening carefully, and soon enough she found out the ringing was coming from her bag. She opened up her bag and there it was; the gift from Tidus. Yuna read the screen of the cell phone, MISSED CALL. "How in the world did it get back in there?"

There was a sudden knock on her door that broke her train of thoughts. She instinctively shove the cell phone back in her purse. "Come in," Yuna replied.

Wakka popped his head in, "Hey Yuna, I'm heading out. Do you want me to drop you off at the café?"

"Wakka, that'll be awesome," Yuna nodded accepting the offer. She placed the strap of her purse on her shoulders and headed out the door with her acoustic guitar in hand.

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Tidus lazily dribbled the ball up the court, setting up for a sloppy lay-up. The ball bounce off the backboard and an over hyped Rikku caught the rebound. "Swish!" Rikku taunted with her hands still in the posed as the ball went through the hoop. Rikku jumped with excitement as she won the game. "Is that all you got! Is that all you got!" Rikku squealed. Tidus looked down carelessly about the outcome of the game. "Wow. You're very bummed out today….you should be! Cause I just wiped the floor with you!" Rikku ran passed Tidus as she retrieved the ball and dribbled it to the table as Tidus followed her off the court. She plopped herself on the table and broke the seal of her water bottle.

"Hey Ti! This game is sucking real bad," Rikku continued to tease as her nose crinkled. "Come on man, you moved to a new rich school, and all of a sudden you lost your game?" Rikku tossed him a bottle. "If this is how you truly play, then your new team wouldn't be able to hold up against Bear Creek, you know. CouchFeiht was seriously tripping about going up against his former MVP's new team, but I'll be sure to reassure him that he has nothing to worry about," Rikku gulped down the last ounce of her water. She glanced down at her unusually quiet friend. "Hey Ti," she gently punched his shoulder. "You know I was just kidding about everything right?" Rikku slid down to the bench and sat next to Tidus.

"Of course, Ri. I have known you all my life." Tidus tapped her nose.

"Yeah and I have known you my whole life too. So what's bothering you and making you all hazy on the court? It's not drug is it?" she gasped jokingly. Tidus laughed.

"No, it's just that…I have a lot on my mind."

"Oh…is your parent's divorce still hanging over you?" Rikku's voice calmed down into serious tone.

"No, it's not about them at all. It's about me," Tidus paused. "I've just been a real jerk lately…to this one girl."

"Oh! A girl! How exciting!" Rikku turned toward Tidus, as her tomboy personality disappeared. Tidus rolled his eyes. "Ahem," Rikku cleared her throat, "I mean, why are you such a jerk?"

"Well…" Tidus started to spill everything to Rikku. From the first day he ran into her in the halls; how he ended up transferring into her U.S History class; and the wonderful dinner during her first ditch-which ended up so horrible.

"Wow Ti, I can't believe you did that to her! You are a jerk! You took her out to a lovely dinner and topped things off by embarrassing her in front of your team and the squad!" Rikku automatically smacked Tidus' upside his head. "Oh! I'm soo sorry about that Ti!" Rikku closed one eye as her face wrinkled, "My hand did it on it's own I swear."

Tidus laughed quietly, "I guess I deserved that…yeah I know what I did was awful. I tried to apologize to her, but she just doesn't seem to believe me.

"I don't blame her." they both said at the same time and stared at each other for a moment before cracking up.

"Hey, I have to go pick up some Mochi Balls for my mom down the street. Walk with me and I'll give you some advice….what do you say?" Rikku bargained.

"Deal," Tidus replied as he lend Rikku a hand. The two headed down the street. Tidus pulled out his cell phone out and dialed Yuna's number again.

"Who are you calling?" Rikku tried to glance at the phone.

"Yuna," Tidus held the phone to his ear.

"What!" Rikku snatched the phone out of his hand and closed it. "Gosh Ti, thank goodness you took my bargain.," Rikku shook her head as her long blonde hair cascaded on her shoulders. "First off, you gotta let this Yuna girl breathe. From what you've told me it sounds like you're smothering her to death! You followed her around school all day. And now you just called her over 10 times this hour and she rejected all of your calls. That is a sign that she's still really upset with you, and the more time you make that phone ring, the more you're irritating her. You gotta change your method and use a different approach," Rikku finished.

"Wow, very wise Ri," Tidus raised a teasing eyebrow.

"Why thank you! Who would of known that there's a lot of knowledge cooped up in this blonde," Rikku thin lips curved into a smile.

"Ri, can I ask you a question?" Tidus placed his hands into his pockets.

"Yeah, sure. Ask away." Rikku replied as she kicked a small rock into the street.

"Do you think it's possible for…a white person and a Japanese person to be together-Ow!" Tidus' question was answered with another smack to the back of his head.

"I can't believe you just asked me out of all the people in the world that question! Duh! Of course Ti!" Rikku stammered. "Did you all of a sudden forgot who was your best buddy in the whole wide world is?" Rikku gave him a dumb look.

"Lemme rephrase that question. How hard was it for your parents to cope with?" Tidus rubbed the back of his head.

"Well, my mother and father is doing quite fine. They just ignore all the stares and rude comments. It's so ignorant of some people to not know that love can be found in every language. Even now, my grandmother, from my father's side still can't accept me and my mother for being Japanese," Rikku paused in front of a oriental wooden door and at a sudden her jaded eyes were filled with sincere, " It really hurts to be unloved because of your race, Ti. And it's sounds like Yuna is hurting real bad right now." Rikku pushed the door open as Tidus followed her inside.

Rikku led her way over to the bar. "Excuse me Lulu, my mother ordered some Mochi Balls that she wanted me to pick up."

"Oh, yes. I'll go get it out from the back freezer," Lulu smiled and disappeared through the beaded door.

"You come here often?" Tidus questioned as he sat down on a stool.

"Yeah, somewhat. Only when my mother have a craving for some of Lulu's cooking, but I've never really hanged out in here before." Rikku answered as she leaned back resting her elbows on the wooden counter. The two friends stared out into the small stage. A spotlight felled down on a young lady sitting on a long stool with her fingers strumming a guitar. To Tidus' surprise, it was Yuna. She looked so peaceful from where he was sitting. Yuna continued playing the guitar, unnoticed by Tidus' presence and began to sing…

I lived inside your empty walls.
You took my soul you took it all.
I never dreamed that you would be.
So torn apart in misery.
But I'm strong, stronger than you know.
And I've learned, learned to let you go.

Only time will tell the way the way that it goes.
You just never know the way it flows
I don't wanna waste another day.
I know I'll survive the games that you play.

All my dreams are blowing into the wind.
I just got to find my wings again.
Life is full of endless mysteries.
Only time will tell the way it'll be.

The little girl you'd always see.
Is just a distant memory.
You left me hanging by a string.
But I let go and now I'm free.
On my way, to a different place.
Gotta face, face another day.

Only time will tell the way the way that it goes.
You just never know the way it flows
I don't wanna waste another day.
I know I'll survive the games that you play.

All my dreams are blowing into the wind.
I just got to find my wings again.
Life is full of endless mysteries.
Only time will tell the way it'll be…

The audience cheered and clapped after her performance. Rikku placed her pinkies in her mouth and blew out a loud, ear piercing whistle. "Wow that was awesome! Wasn't she great?" Rikku beamed.

"Yeah, she's amazing," Tidus replied in awe at Yuna's direction.

Rikku studied the way Tidus was looking at her. "That's Yuna, isn't it?" Rikku whispered to Tidus.

"Yeah, that's her," Tidus got up from his seat as Yuna got off stage.

"Hold on Ti," Rikku tugged on his shirt. "You can't just barge up to her right now."

"But she's right there, this is my chance," he took another step forward.

"Hmmm…" Rikku placed her long slender finger on her lips. "A different approach," Rikku smiled and eyed the stage.

"Um…hello?" Tidus fidgeted the microphone on stage. "I'm not performing anything, because I can't sing, I'm actually quite tone-death," Tidus laughed nervously as the crowd chuckled. Yuna paused at the familiar voice and looked up as her tray rested on her small hip. "Heh, well I would like to make an apology out to the sweet and beautiful waitress, Yuna," Tidus ran his fingers fretfully through his hair as Rikku pushed an uncooperative Yuna on stage. The spot light followed Yuna as she sat back down on the stool. Tidus walked up next to her and continued, "Lately I have been a jerk to you, and I know what I did was wrong. I never meant to hurt you in anyway, Yuna. I'm so sorry for all the pain I have placed on you. Can you somehow…find a place in your heart to forgive me?" Tidus pleaded as his cerulean eye searched into Yuna's for forgiveness.

Yuna's bi-colored eyes dodged his. She slowly shook her head as she covered the microphone with her hand. "I don't think I can," she rejected as she staggered off the stage, leaving Tidus at a daze. The stage light dimmed as Rikku came to her friend's aide.

"I'm sorry Ti," Rikku whimpered. "It's all my fault," she hugged him and escorted him out of the café

"It's not your fault, you just tried to help. Thanks Rikku," Tidus let out a weak smile.

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"What was that all about?" Lulu took the trays out of Yuna's hands.

"It's nothing, it was stupid," Yuna replied, avoiding Lulu's ruby eyes.

"Sure doesn't look like nothing, Yuna. Is he the one who keeps calling your cell phone?" Lulu slid in that bit of information she knew. Yuna looked up surprisingly at her aunt with a puzzled face. "Fifteen missed calls, in the last hour, and an embarrassing performance like that on stage. Not a lot of men would do all of that just to be forgiven by a girl he barely knows. The boy went out of his way to get his message across to you…maybe you should really give him another chance," Lulu added as she took the tray to the backroom.

"Another chance…" Yuna stood there blankly staring into space as Lulu's words echoed in her mind.


Kurai Yume's Note: The song Yuna sang is called "Only Time Will Tell," by Trish Thuy Trang.