Here's chapter five! I've been typing this story in my study hall, so I've been able to update twice in one week! So yay study halls! Anyway, enjoy chapter five!

Chapter 5: Still a Threat

Rikku lifted her spoon slowly to her mouth, not caring that 'Cid's Surprise' was slightly burnt, and put in her mouth. Usually she would have said something, and just poured herself some cereal, but she was far too tired to care.

Brother walked in then, humming to himself as he usually did, and slopped a whole pile of 'Cid's Burnt Surprise' on his plate, and took his spot next to Rikku, still humming to himself.

"Gee Rikku," He said then, looking at his sister, "You look like you didn't sleep at all last night!"

"Maybe that's 'cause I didn't," Rikku just grumbled, as she shoved another spoonful of her dish into her mouth, "I didn't sleep at all!"

"Why not?" Brother just asked, although he didn't look as if he cared.

Rikku just glared at him and sighed, as she recounted the night's events.

-

Rikku couldn't help but toss and turn all night. Visions of Yuna being crowned continued to come into her mind, and the thought of Tidus escorting her down the aisle. The more she thought of it, the more she saw the entire thing as a conspiracy against her. Were Leblanc and Tidus trying to ruin her life? Did they somehow arrange for Yuna to come? Rikku knew these weren't the answers, but she couldn't help but continue to feel sorry for herself as she attempted to fall asleep.

She managed after quite some time to fall into a slumber, and was actually sleeping quite peacefully when her missing roommate suddenly burst into the room, turning the lights on.

"Yuna!" Rikku cried, sitting up, "I was trying to sleep! Where have you been, anyway? Does Cid know where you've been."

"He can't tell me what to do," Yuna just said, glaring at her cousin, "And besides, I couldn't say no to the party Leblanc was throwing."

"Leblanc threw a party?" Rikku questioned "On a Thursday night? How come I didn't know about it?"

"It was kind of an on-the-whim sort of thing," Yuna just said, and smiled, "and it was all for me!"

"All for you?" Rikku said, scoffing, "Why would she do something like that?"

"Because, her and I are friends," Yuna just said, "She thinks I could definitely make the top five in homecoming for sure!"

"Sorry Yuna," Rikku glared, "But Tidus already has it figured out so that I win, and that's that!"

"Really?" Yuna said, and she honestly looked quite surprised, "Because Tidus was there, cheering me on."

"He was not!" Rikku said, defending her friend, although something in her gut told her that he probably really had been there.

"Yeah he was," Yuna just said, "But don't you worry, he's not my type."

"I wish you would tell him that then," Rikku said, finally figuring maybe Yuna and her were beginning to see eye-to-eye, "Because he's been like a stalker."

"So I've noticed," Yuna said, as she crawled into her bed, which was actually Rikku's bed. It turned out that Rikku would be the one sleeping on the floor for the time being.

"Well, tell him to get lost!" Rikku said, her voice hopeful.

"No can do," Yuna said, smiling innocently at Rikku, "I need him. According to Leblanc anyway."

"Wait a minute, you're just playing him?" Rikku said, "I can't let you do that!"

"Why not, isn't he just playing me?" Yuna shot back, "He only wants me for the popularity, am I right?"

Sure, Yuna's reasoning was what Rikku had been telling herself. She had spent the entire day convincing herself that Yuna was just a symbol of popularity. That was the only reason Tidus had ever taken any interest in her. Still, while it seemed alright for Tidus to play Yuna, it wasn't alright vice-versa.

Rikku didn't recall much more from the night before, only that after thinking on the subject for quite some time, she must have fallen asleep.

-

Yuna came waltzing into the kitchen then, took one look at Cid's Surprise and said, on purpose very loudly, "It's a good thing Tidus said he'd take me out for breakfast this morning!"

"What?" Rikku cried, sloshing her spoon into the half mushy, half hardened substance that was her breakfast, "Since when?"

"Since last night," Yuna just said, giving Rikku what Rikku took to be a very evil smile.

"Can I come too?" Brother asked, his eyes sparkling.

"Not a chance," Yuna said, glaring at her older cousin.

"I'm going," Rikku announced, standing up, "After all, Tidus is my best friend, and my ride to school!"

"I guess it doesn't matter much to me," Yuna said, rolling her eyes, "Since I'm just playing him and all."

"Stop saying that," Rikku said through clenched teeth, but Yuna didn't hear her, for then Tidus' car sounded its familiar honk.

Yuna smirked and grabbed her backpack, and then headed out the door, with Rikku following.

-

Rikku's eyes glared angrily at the blonde boy next to her, as he told Wakka about breakfast, and how he was totally making the moves on Yuna. She wanted to tell him what Yuna had told him, but she just couldn't seem to do it. In a way, she felt as if Tidus should suffer for everything he'd put her through, but at the same time, he felt bad for him.

"Rikku stop glaring at me," Tidus said then, causing Rikku to jump. She had been so in thought that she had forgotten that she was basically staring him down, glaring hard at him.

"I didn't realize I was," Rikku said in recovery, "I was just thinking."

"You were totally glaring, ya!" Wakka just said, laughing.

"Hey, it's not funny," Tidus said, glaring at his teammate, "What's the problem, Rikku? You've never cared much about my love life before."

"It's never been my cousin that you've had a thing for," Rikku stated, "And I just don't like her."

"You'll still be queen, there's no doubt, if that's what you're worried about," Wakka said, butting in before the friends broke into an argument, "I checked with some guys who are in student council. They know what's up."

"Really?" Tidus said, "Well, that's great! See Rikku, I'll be escorting you after all!"

"Then what's your interest in Yuna?" Rikku asked, sitting back and folding her arms, looking angry.

"She's hot," Tidus just said plainly, shrugging, "But you know, Leblanc had a huge party for her last night. I think Leblanc has something up her sleeve."

"Exactly," Rikku said, "She's trying to get it so that Yuna overpopulates me."

"Is not," Tidus said, shaking his head, "But we'll see what happens at the pep fest today. They're announcing the top ten then, anyway."

"And getting ready for the big game tonight!" Wakka yelled, losing it. Nooj glared at him, but it was too late. Tidus and Wakka were already high-fiving people around them and hooting and hollering, leaving Rikku to only sit there, watching. Usually she would have joined in with them, almost as if she were on the team. She didn't though. She just continued to sit there.

-

"So then, seven o'clock, tonight, where is everybody gonna be?" Tidus shouted into the crowd, awaiting their response.

"At the game!" everybody roared.

"And then we'll all kick some ass!" Tidus screamed, and then sideglanced at the teachers, who all glared at him. He just saluted them, as if telling them, "Hey, any time!" After all, it wasn't like they would say anything to him.

"And now," Wakka said, cutting into the microphone, "Who's ready to hear your top ten for this year's homecoming?"

The crowd all yelled yes, and all of the girls in the senior class crossed their fingers, all but Leblanc, who stood cockily in her cheerleading outfit next to Tidus. It was odd actually, as blitzer and cheerleader, they seemed to get along just fine. At any other time, they would have been biting each other's heads off.

Names were then called out, mostly from girls who knew they didn't have a chance to actually win, but they all ran out onto the gym floor anyway, cheering for themselves.

"Tonya…Britney…Lena…Leblanc…"

Leblanc let out a little squeal and marched off to the center of the floor with the rest of the nominees, even though she already figured she was going to win.

"…and Rikku!"

"Yes!" Rikku said, giving a high-five to the blitzball player next to her, as she jumped off of the bleachers onto the floor to join the rest of the girls. The best part, Rikku decided, was that she was the tenth girl! Yuna hadn't made it!

"Oh, and by the way," the dorky president of the student council said, "There has actually been a tie for the tenth place. Would the new girl, Yuna, please come down here!"

Looking shocked, Yuna stood up and smiled, and then hopped down. All Rikku could do was stare at her though, as her heart began to pound. Yuna had made the top ten—well, eleven, but still. She was still a threat.