Thanks for the reviews! Greatly appreciated as per usual. Sorry for the delay, it took me a while to drag this chapter out. I ended up sort of rushing through it, so I haven't really done too much proofreading. Consequently, I'm not too pleased with how it came out. I also had to cut it a bit short unfortunately, which makes me unhappy. I may go back and do some revising on this chapter later, so fear not. Well, hopefully someone will enjoy it . . . (bites lip)
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YUNA
It is far too early for this kind of thing.
That is the first thing my mind registers as I feel the blanket around me suddenly being wrenched off and a familiar voice shrieking in my ear,
"WE GOT TICKETS TO LOTUS VENOM!"
Groaning, I reach out to flick on the bedside lamp and squint at my cousin's excited face. She clambers onto the bed to straddle me, hopping up and down on her knees. The clock next to the bed says that it is nearly two in the morning.
"What?" I ask sleepily, her words refusing to process. Grabbing my shoulders and hauling me up into a sitting position, Rikku repeats herself slowly but just as loudly,
"US! TICKETS! LOTUS VENOM!"
It is then that I realize what she is saying and I feel a stab of excitement in my heart. She pulls out seven red tickets and waves them in my face emphatically, ignoring Cid's irritated voice commanding her to shut up and go to sleep.
"Oh, Rikku!" I gasp, breaking out into an excited grin. "How did this happen? I heard on the radio that Lotus Venom sold out!"
Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Rikku slides off and collapses next to me on the bed, a blissful smile on her face.
"Well, Gippal and I were at 8-Ball's talking to Rin tonight-"
"You mean yesterday. It's morning, Rikku, and we have to be at school in six hours."
"Will you shut up and let me finish?" she demands, swatting my arm impatiently. "Anyway, we were just talking and all of a sudden Rin asks us if we know who Lotus Venom is. Of course, we were both like 'Uh, DUH, Rin, they are only the band we've been worshipping since junior high'. Then he reached into his wallet and pulled out these very same tickets, saying that we would probably have more use for them then he did. He won them in some kind of raffle or auction, or something, I dunno. I wasn't really paying him any attention, because by then Gippal and I were freaking out and dancing around like morons." She pauses and smiles hugely at me. "Isn't that amazing, Yunie? Now we can all go to the concert and not have to worry about the gil!"
I smile and lie back down, a warm feeling of satisfaction growing in my stomach. "It's great, Rikku," I breathe softly, closing my eyes. I am trying to envision what the concert will look like in my mind. Somehow I doubt it will be anything like the operas Braska sent me to as a child with Auron.
Rikku yawns next to me and curls up on her side, cushioning her head on my arm. "Well, as psyched as I am to tell the others at school tomorrow- I mean today -, I am absolutely beat. Good night, cuz'."
"Good night," I reply with a smile, switching off the lamp. It takes me a long time to fall back asleep.
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I make my way to the girl's locker room of the school's gymnasium, still smiling at the memory of celebrating with the rest of the gang earlier today in the parking lot. Upon hearing the news of seven free Lotus Venom tickets, the others erupted in raucous cheers that turned a few heads and raised a few questioning eyebrows. Tidus had even picked me up and spun me around in his delight, while Wakka was busy doing the same thing to Lulu and Paine (one girl in each arm).
I am walking away from a changing stall, dressed smartly in sweat pants and a white t-shirt for PE, when a firm hand grabs my shoulder and spins me around roughly, long manicured nails digging painfully into my flesh. Gasping, I come to an unsteady halt face-to-face with Dona's murderous black eyes.
"D-Dona?" I stammer, struggling to release myself from her grasp. "What are you-?"
"Getting mighty cozy with Tidus, are we?" she interrupts, her voice resembling a snake's hiss.
"What? Please let go, you're hurting me."
She forces her claws to dig deeper and, to my everlasting shame, I let out a small whimper of pain and fear. It is then that I realize that the locker room has grown steadily quiet, as the only ones left in it are Dona, her little clique, and myself. Her friends watch me with hollow, merciless expressions. I note that are seven of them in total, and I feel my heart fly into my throat.
"Let me guess; you figure getting him and his rat pack some tickets to Lotus Venom will guarantee his affection, am I right?" Dona continues, backing me up against the wall. I bring a hand up and try to pry her fingers off of me, but two girls move forward and forcefully pin my arms down. Dona releases me, but my captors are no gentler than she was.
Oh Yevon, somebody come in here and save me. Please let somebody find me . . .
"Dona, I really don't know what you're talking about. I didn't buy those tickets, those were a gift from somebody else-"
She silences me by slapping me across the cheek. I am stunned into immobility, staring open-mouthed and wide-eyed at her malicious smirk.
"Nice try, Princess. Forgive me for doubting that you, one of the richest girls in Spira, would never even dream of buying measly concert tickets," she says in a mockingly contrite tone.
Trembling, I implore her with my eyes as I try to ignore the burn in my cheek where her hand landed. "Dona, please let me go. This isn't what you think. Tidus and I are just friends!"
She snorts and rolls her eyes while her friends laugh scathingly. "Oh please. You expect me to believe that you have no feelings for him?"
I falter and avert my gaze. "It does not matter I feel, though I certainly can't speak for Tidus. There is nothing between us, I swear."
Dona seems to hesitate for a second before leaning in close, her face scant inches from mine. "Don't even try to fool yourself," she snarls dangerously. "Tidus wouldn't touch you with a ten foot pole, not after having me. He can still have me, and trust me when I say that he will soon. You are nothing next to me. You aren't even close to my shadow, you hear?"
She pulls back slightly and her feral smile widens grimly. "I am the only one who could ever satisfy him. A real man needs a real woman, not some snot-nosed prude stuck on a high horse who thinks her shit doesn't stink."
Against my will, I feel tears of shame sting my eyes. I don't want to believe her, but a part of me is already swallowing the seeds of doubt she is planting inside of me. I cannot help but imagine myself standing next to her, and what Tidus would think at the sight. Her skin is dark and luscious, her black hair exotic and sleek, her legs long and shapely, and her breasts are full and inviting beneath the provocative clothes that only she could wear. I am pale, small-breasted, and completely unremarkable in comparison. Once I had fooled myself into thinking that maybe, just maybe I could be considered beautiful, but the truth has come screaming back to me. Now I know differently.
She is a woman, and I . . . I am nothing but a child.
Seemingly sensing my weakened resolve, Dona smirks triumphantly. "Finally starting to see it, are we?" she taunts. "I knew you would. But just to be sure, I think this lesson needs to be driven home properly."
"Please . . ." I choke, struggling to find my voice, "please don't do this. Dona-"
And then, faster than my eye can follow, her fist rams into my stomach and knocks the wind out of my lungs. I gasp and double forward, but the girls holding me slam be back against the wall. The other girls standing behind Dona move forward and I watch through blurry eyes as they close in on me, blocking out any possible escape route.
Fear is making me struggle like a frantic animal cornered by a hunter. I am almost numb to the multitude of blows I am receiving; my mind is consumed by desperation. The girls are kicking me and punching and shoving me, hitting any available target on my body. For one second I am able to loosen myself from the girls who were holding my arms down, and in that brief moment of freedom all I can do is slide down to the floor and shield my head with my hands.
Through the blood rushing in my ears I can distinctly hear Dona commanding the girls to 'get me up again', and I feel myself being hauled mercilessly back upright. My head smacks into the wall and stars explode all around me as the attack continues. My face is being pummelled. My stomach and sides are being battered incessantly.
It is only when my eyes begin to cloud over that the beatings suddenly stop. Nearly blind, I fall to my knees and blink slowly. Everywhere is burning. Everything throbs and aches beyond pain I've ever felt. I taste blood in my mouth, and I can feel it oozing from my nostrils and staining my lips and chin. It takes me a moment to realize dimly that I have been crying the entire time. The tears feel like acid against my bruised skin.
"I think we've done enough," a girl I recognize as Elma whispers, breaking the electric silence following. "We did what we came here to do, Dona. Let's go now."
"Shut up," Dona snaps, glaring coldly at her friend. "We had an agreement, Elma. Stop being such a coward."
"Are you trying to kill her or something?" Elma presses urgently. "God, Dona, she's had it! Do you have any idea what she could do to us in turn? We could get put in jail for this. We've done enough."
"Somebody get her out of my face," Dona commands airily, turning away from her friend with disgust. Lucil pushes Elma down onto the nearest bench and whispers for her to just be quiet and do as Dona says. She lowers her head so that a curtain of brown hair falls over her face, and though I cannot see her expression, I cannot help but detect the whiteness of her knuckles as she grasps the edge of her seat.
Dona reaches down and grabs a fistful of my hair, determined to cause as much damage as she can. I cry out as she begins dragging me across the locker room, scrambling to liberate myself from this new form of agony. But she holds on tightly, and I can hear her laughing to her friends as they follow us to the shower stations.
She hurls me roughly into the corner of the first shower stall and then begins to grab at my shirt. I gasp sharply as the material gives way, but my body is too weak to fight back this time. The other girls advance and I watch through vacant eyes as they strip the clothes off my back. It is not long before I am cowering on the floor naked and exposed. I have never in my life felt so small and fragile as I do now.
Dona tosses the remnants of my clothes into the trashcan and then turns the shower tap. I flinch as the icy water cascades down on me, and I begin to shiver uncontrollably. My body still refuses to do as I say. My lips are too swollen and bruised to speak. All I can do is tremble on the floor, naked, battered, and too frightened to move.
Dimly I am aware of Dona leaning over me, just out of reach of the water's spray. Her face is a mask of pure vindictive smugness, and her friends stand behind her, watching me impassively like a row of six hawks on the prowl. I blink slowly. Six? Were there not seven just a moment ago?
Dona's deceptively calm voice cuts into my bleary thoughts.
"Tell anyone about this and I will see to it that we finish what we started. Your father may be powerful, but don't forget that I have connections as well. This will just be our little secret, okay?"
As she turns to leave, she stops and then faces me again. The contempt in her eyes burns just as much as her words. "And stay the hell away from my man."
No sooner than the words escape her lips, the door to the locker room slams open with a deafening crash and heavy footsteps come storming in. The girls in front of me whirl around and freeze like deer trapped in the headlights of an approaching car.
"Where the fuck is she,you goddamn whore?" a voice I know better than any other shouts, resonating sharply in the locker room.
There is a span of about three seconds in which Dona hurriedly says, "Tidus, baby, I did it for us-"
"You bitch!" he roars, cutting into her desperate explanation. Though my body remains immobile, my heart soars with sudden joy. It's him. He came for me. I prayed for an angel and Yevon sent me one.
Tidus crosses the distance between the door and the shower stations so fast that I hardly realize what is happening before his fingers close around Dona's throat and he slams her against the nearest wall. The rest of the gang filters in like a pack of hunting wolves, followed by the last person I thought I would see in their company.
"Elma . . ." Lucil gasps faintly, staring at her friend in horror. Elma gives her an imploring look as Rikku rushes to my side and shuts off the cold water that has numbed my skin.
"I had to get them, Lucil," Elma replies in a slightly strained voice. "I had to stop this."
I am blind to this exchange, blind to Rikku's hands cupping my face and examining me worriedly. All I can do is stare up at Tidus as he pins Dona against the wall, his eyes swimming with a hateful rage I cannot even begin to perceive. He clenches his jaws and his teeth are bared viciously. I can see him tightening his grasp on Dona's throat, and I begin to wonder if he really means to kill her. Her toes are barely even touching the floor. I have never seen him so violent, so angry, so full of murderous hate.
So I am rather shocked to hear how remarkably quiet his voice is.
"I will tear every limb from your body if you ever –ever- come near Yuna again. I will kill you. I will kill you, your family, and your pathetic little friends too. I will destroy your life and everything you hold dear if you so much as breathe around her. Do you understand, Dona?" he asks softly, speaking through gritted teeth. When all she can do is gape wide-eyed at him, he tightens his hold around her neck and deepens his tone to an inhuman growl. "Do you fucking understand?"
"Y-yes!" Dona coughs, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Yes!"
"Where are her clothes?" Paine venomously asks the girl nearest to her. The girl points a shaky finger to the trashcan, and Wakka swears viciously under his breath. Gippal is gripping his switchblade so tightly that I can imagine him breaking the handle. Lulu's fingertips are glowing faintly as a thunder spell threatens to unleash itself.
And then he drops her so roughly that she falls to her knees like a broken rag doll, unable to even make a sound. Lucil and another girl hurry forward and help her to her feet, moving swiftly under the lethal glares of my friends. After they exit, the other girls quickly follow them one by one, moving like mice around a sleeping cat. Elma is the last to go. She pauses at the doorway and gives me a long, pained look. Her bottom lip quivers.
"Anything you do to us in turn . . ." she begins in a quavering voice, shifting her gaze from me to Tidus, " . . . we will deserve it."
The gang stares her down and she slowly backs out of the locker room, dropping her gaze to the floor as she disappears from sight.
In the silence following the aftermath, I close my eyes bury my head into my arms. The weight of what happened to me crashes down on my head and I huddle naked under the eyes of my friends, wishing for a giant hole to open and swallow me up into its depths. Never have I wanted to be more invisible. Never have I longed for darkness so badly. Never have I felt so weak and ashamed and violated.
I feel a sudden warmth envelope me and I look up from the cradle of my arms to see Tidus kneeling in front of me on the wet floor tiles. His denim jacket is thrown protectively around my shoulders and I only have a fraction of a second to see the frightened pain in his eyes before he pulls me to the safety of his chest and holds me so tightly that I cannot even breathe.
"I am sorry," he chokes, his torn voice undulating in my ear. "Oh God I am so sorry. Yuna . . . Yuna . . ."
It is then that I finally start sobbing. I press my face against him as far as his shoulder will allow and weep helplessly against him, clinging to him like a lost child that has just been found.
The rest of the gang closes in and circles the two of us in a giant embrace that drowns out the cold, yet it is only Tidus' arms that I feel around me, and only Tidus' voice that fills my head.