Disclaimer: I do not own anything used in this story. Except Laurie and some other random characters I might create.
A.N.: My reviewers are pretty much the coolest people in the world. For everyone else:
Review it's the new cool thing to do.
AND I got a guitar! I'm taking lessons and having sooo much fun, but the bad news it because of that I'll probably spend even less time updating. So...on with the story!
---
Rikku sat on her bed, her legs folded Indian style while Gippal ran circles around her unpacking. "Umm you know, it's easier if you just take your time." Rikku sighed. She was growing tired of Gippal running around and she missed Tidus' friendship.
Suddenly the dorm's phone rang. "Hello?" an excited Rikku said as she picked it up.
"Hey Rixi where are you?" Lenne's voice said from the other side. Rikku was slightly disappointed; she had been hoping that Tidus was calling.
"I'm back in my dorm, obviously, and I'm getting ready to go to bed. I'm really tired." Rikku lied. Lenne mumbled something about Shuyin before hanging up.
"Hey was that for me?" Gippal said suddenly. Rikku shook her head and collapsed back onto the bed.
"Nope." she answered shortly. Gippal shrugged and pulled out his ultra-new high tech camera phone.
"Hey check this out." He said motioning Rikku over to where he was standing. Rikku sighed heavily and walked over. Gippal had a background photo on his cell phone of five bikini clad girls and him standing on a beach. "These girls were all from Europe and they were totally in love with me. I can give you the redhead's phone number if you want. I've never been too into redheads." Rikku rolled her eyes and walked away from Gippal.
"No thank you." she said shortly. So much for her little crush on Gippal. He seemed to be a total jerk. Gippal shrugged and put his phone back in his pocket.
"So you seem, err, different, from the last time I talked to you." Gippal said finally, breaking the silence. Rikku shrugged and picked up a magazine Tidus had left behind.
"Maybe." Rikku replied. Gippal sighed in a symbol that he had given up and strolled into the walk-in closet.
"I broke up with Kairi tonight. She was so clingy. It got annoying." Gippal said after he reemerged from the closet. Rikku shrugged. Why should she care if Gippal and Kairi broke up? The time that she had now experienced alone with him had taught her that he probably wasn't her type. Then again he was talking to her like she was a guy.
"Sorry I'm being to short with you Gippy." Rikku said jokingly, "It's been a long day." Gippal flinched at the nickname but just nodded slowly.
"Yea it has. You want to do something? I'm so bored." He replied.
Rikku shrugged, "sure."
----
The next day was the day before school started. Rikku had convinced Gippal to drive her to Dunsberry Prep to get her Jeep back and she was mobile again. Deciding to make the most of her last day of freedom she drove out to the address where Tidus would be staying.
Upon arrival at the dismal looking townhouse Rikku gulped hard and knocked meekly on the door. What if Tidus blames me for what happened to him? What if he gives away my secret and doesn't want to be my friend anymore? Thoughts of guilt and worry raced through her head as she heard a rustling at her door.
A woman answered who was clad in a light gray cashmere shawl, thick glasses, a plaid button down shirt, and kaki trouser pants. Rikku noticed her many wrinkles and worn hands. Her shoes were battered and her smile seemed a shadow of a lively shadow that once was. "May I help you?" she asked in a friendly yet tired voice. Rikku smiled a pity smile and opened her mouth to speak.
"Is this the house where Tidus Wes-Tara is staying?" she asked nervously. The middle-aged women nodded and motioned her inside. Rikku bit her tongue back from recommending a good wrinkle reducer.
"Young Tidus is staying upstairs. He is resting right now." the women said rasply, "I'm his aunt. My name is Grace." Rikku nodded and went in the direction that Grace had directed her. She walked down a dimly light hallway which was lined with family photos, artwork, and crocheted adages. One door was closed and Rikku assumed that it was Tidus'.
The door opened easily and the fragrance of many flower bouquets spilled out. Rikku sighed and sat down in a rocking chair which was conveniently placed next to the bed. "Ti?" she whispered quietly.
Tidus rolled over in bed and smiled at the sigh of Rikku. Her golden hair was clipped back in a girly style and she had a red sweater on over her polo shirt. Her pants were crisp khakis and her sneakers were clean and white. His blue eyes dazzled beneath his dismal appearance. "Hey I'm glad you're here. I wouldn't have been able to go to school tomorrow without seeing you first." Rikku smiled and hoped what he said was a good thing. Tidus reached out his hand and took Rikku's in his.
"I-I'm sorry it had to happen this way." she whispered. Tidus said nothing, but instead he brushed a lingering tear away from her crystalline emerald eyes.
For a brief moment Rikku's world was at peace.
---
The next morning Rikku woke up, took a shower, got dressed, and ate a plain bagel for breakfast. She was required to wear her school uniform which consisted of a navy blue blazer, navy blue slacks, a white button down shirt, and a silver tie with a Silver Crest emblem emblazed on it.
Gippal looked hysterical in the uniform. The look made him look almost too clean cut and too presentable. As opposed to his usual loose polo or cotton shirt and loose, but not too loose, jeans.
"Good thing the ladies can't see this." he muttered as he tied his silver tie around his neck. Rikku chuckled slightly before slipping on her polished dress shoes. Her hair was styled with gel in a very masculine fashion and she had her tennis bag already packed and prepared for after school practice.
"What class do you have first?" Rikku asked as she pulled out her schedule. Over the past two days that Gippal had been her roommate Rikku had gotten used to his comments and composure. They had begun to become friends even.
"Umm hold on let me check…" Gippal said as he pulled out his schedule from his pocket, "European History, Room 12, Building A, teacher Mr. Goldsmien." Rikku nodded and told him she had Pre-Calculus in building B, room 115, and Mr. Vivion.
----
After going their separate ways Rikku met up with Shuyin and another guy she wasn't familiar with in building B.
"Hey Riku, what class are you headin' to?" Shuyin asked as he motioned her over to where he was standing.
"Pre-Calculus, what are you heading to?" she replied. He shrugged and pointed to the room that was across the hall from where they were standing.
"Whatever they teach in there." He said lazily. Rikku glanced over and noticed it was room 115, her class too.
"It's my class too." She said after an awkward pause. Shuyin shrugged and slipped the other kid a twenty dollar bill before heading into the classroom.
--------
Finally after four 45-minute classes Rikku made her way to her jeep to go and get lunch. Gippal told her he would meet her at the on-campus Chinese take-out place and they could get lunch there.
"Hey." Gippal said when she pulled up to the Wok-n-Roll. "Try to Lo Mien its amazing." He said while shoving a mouthful of noodles into his mouth. Rikku nodded and went inside to place her order.
After eating Rikku and Gippal had some extra time before they both had German III together. "Let's go see if we can find Baralai and his friend Wakka by the lake. They usually eat there because they both have AP English before lunch together."
Rikku nodded and ate her egg roll as she followed Gippal in the direction of the lake.
-----
Later that night Rikku sat at the oak desk and diligently began her homework. Gippal was busy chatting with some girl, or so it sounded, on the phone and Rikku found herself missing the bond her and Tidus shared. Him knowing her secret had made life so much easier. Even though Gippal was turning out to be a fun roommate Rikku longed to have someone on campus to confide in.
Gippal hung up his phone and scribbled a date down in his planner. Rikku sighed and tried to concentrate on her German homework.
"Hey Riku, want to come to this impromptu party one of my friends is having?" Gippal said suddenly walking up behind Rikku.
"When is it?" she said as she filled in the answer to another stupid question. Gippal laughed a deep laugh that made Rikku begin laughing with him.
"Its now." He said after the hysteria passed. Rikku stopped laughing and stared wide eyed at her pile of homework.
"Oh I couldn't I hav-" she started sputtering. Gippal waved away the words and grabbed his keys.
"Nonsense. Common their expecting us soon." He said as he gave Rikku a slight push and made his way to the car. Rikku gave in and followed. Before long they pulled up in front of a house that was owned by Jecht Wes-Tara, the father of Shuyin and Tidus.
------
The party that Shuyin was hosting was entitled 'Screw School Party Hard'. Not exactly the name of an event you'd want to attend if you were actually considering being an honor's student. Shuyin's party was also distinctly different from Laurie's.
Instead of one large bizarre room and girls in prom dresses, Shuyin had his entire city townhouse open and music blasting from both floors. Shuyin and Tidus' father owned a townhouse in San Francisco. Unbeknownst to their father Shuyin had been using the townhouse for parties on weekends throughout the school year.
When Rikku and Gippal arrived loud music was blasting and people's shouts and shrieks could be heard from afar. Gippal drove on and parked his car two blocks away, for safety, Gippal explained.
They got out of the car and casually made their way to the booming house.
----
Shuyin was around back in the hot tub with Laurie. When Rikku and Gippal entered the back yard Laurie stood up and squealed. "Riku! Hey! Come on the waters great." Laurie was wearing only her underwear, which was common in hot tubs at huge parties, but Rikku still had to hold back from flinching.
"No thanks." She managed to say dorkily before she realized Gippal was behind her laughing hysterically. "Meanie." She muttered to him with a light playful punch.
"Great comeback Riku." He said jokingly before dashing off in the direction of two girls still wearing their Dunsberry Prep school-girl-style uniforms. Rikku rolled her eyes. Why guys were attracted to girls in shortened skirts and knee high socks she would never understand.
Lenne came and stood beside her. "Look at that little…she knows he feels for me." She said angrily to Rikku. Rikku nodded to Lenne. She knew her old friend was right. Shuyin's body language clearly explained that he was into Lenne way more then he was into Laurie.
But if that was the case why did he continue to date Laurie? This was one of those times when Rikku came to the conclusion that she would never be able to understand men.
Even if she "was" one.
----
For most of the night Rikku found herself sitting on the front porch of Shuyin's Townhouse alone. Nobody sat on the front porch during a house party.
Rikku did though. She sat quietly on the porch and stared at the city street. A red car rushed by and a pizza delivery boy on a green bike rode by noisily. Rikku sat down on a wicker chair and put her head in her hands. Everyone had secrets. She was definitely no exception and sometimes, she believed, it was your secrets that brought the end of everything.
-----
Gippal and Shuyin had known each other since second grade. They were both the players of their class and they equally shared the title. That was until last year when Shuyin decided he wanted to make a positive name for himself and he proceeded to find himself a steady girlfriend, Laurie.
Laurie had been a new girl at Dunsberry Prep. She was from a wealthy family which had moved to San Francisco from New York City. Her parents wanted a change of pace and hoped to adapt to the west coast easy going life style. Unfortunately for Laurie her parents' marriage ended in divorce when her father became a little too easy going, with her Italian au pair.
The divorce was messy and her parents sent her to the city's most elite boarding school in order to keep her out of the way. She met Shuyin the first night she was there and she hated him.
He had been hooking up with her new roommate, Lucile, for quite some time. On the night of her arrival Laurie had been unpacking and Shuyin snuck in and thought he'd hit the lottery. A hot new girl from New York? Score. At least he thought that at first. Laurie had never been the type to fall for a player. Cheating had ended her parents' marriage. She dated Tidus for two weeks. They ended on the note that they were "just friends".
That's when Shuyin decided to change his player status. However now, one year later, he found himself in a closet in his townhouse making out with Lenne, Laurie's first cousin. Some things never change. Maybe.
-----
Laurie stumbled out of the kitchen very confused. Shuyin had told her before the party how sorry he was for cheating on her. How he would never do it again. Bull. Three hours into his stupid house party he was missing. Most likely, she thought with that slutty cousin of mine. Why had she even gotten herself involved with him last year? Because, her brain told her you thought you could change him. But sadly she came to the conclusion that she couldn't. And then and there she decided to dump Shuyin and find a real boyfriend. Not a player in disguise. Laurie stopped her search for Shuyin and began looking for Rikku.
----
Gippal went outside on the front porch for a breath of fresh air. Shuyin's partys were known to be the best in town, but they could get carried away sometimes, even for Gippal. Which was hard.
To his surprise he found Rikku sitting pensively on the porch looking at the slick city streets. "I never thought you to be the thoughtful type." Rikku's voice interrupted Gippal's thoughts.
"Ehh- well." Gippal said as he scratched the back of his head momentarily. Rikku held up her hand and smiled.
"No need to explain. I think I understand that you, like everyone, just need to escape from it all. Even if it's just temporary." Rikku said when she noticed his loss for words. "Well I've been hogging this porch so I'll leave you in peace."
Rikku turned and walked into the party. As Gippal watched her go he realized maybe he could befriend his roommate after all.
----
"Riku! Oh my god! There you are!" Laurie shouted almost immediately after Rikku trudged back inside the party. "I've been looking all over for you, where have you been?"
Rikku shrugged away the hysterical Laurie and began looking for Lenne and Paine. She needed to have a good talk with her two oldest friends.
"Have you seen Lenne an-" Rikku began to ask Laurie before she was abruptly cut off.
"I have no idea where that tramp is. I thought you, of all people, wouldn't fall for her traps." Laurie said in a polished tone. Rikku looked at the girl questioningly before in occurred to her the whole Laurie-Shuyin-Lenne situation.
"It's not like that Laurie. I just need to ask her and Paine some questions." Rikku said in a tired voice. Laurie nodded with weary eyes and pointed to the dining room where she said she had seen Paine earlier.
Rikku thanked her and turned to go in that direction. "Riku!" Laurie said as Rikku began walking away, "Are you sure it's not like that with Lenne?"
Rikku turned her head and felt pity for the desperate and hurt girl, "Yea, Laurie. I'm sure, its not, like that." Laurie nodded, satisfied, before beginning her search for Shuyin again. But this time she wanted to break up with him.
---
The next week flew by rather quickly for Rikku. Between tennis matches and practices, homework, and classes, Rikku didn't have much time for anything else. In her small amount of free time she went to visit Tidus and even attended one of his public school's Blitzball games.
Apparently he was healing quite nicely and the doctor told him there would be minimal scaring.
"Hey Rikku do you ever think about the future?" Tidus asked her one afternoon after school. Rikku turned to him and shrugged.
"Sometimes, I guess. Mostly I just try to live each day to its fullest." She answered after she had a moment to think about the question. Tidus seemed satisfied and turned back to look at the 13" color TV they were watching a Blitzball game on.
"So have you been hanging out with Gippal a lot lately?" Tidus said after a slightly awkward silence.
Rikku sighed, "Well he is my temporary roommate. He's not that bad to hang out with once you get to know him. We're going camping together this weekend."
"Just you and Gippal?" Tidus asked with a jealous tint to his voice.
Rikku shrugged, Gippal's father had been planning on taking Gippal and his sister Nhadala camping that weekend. However, at the last minute his dad had to cancel for an emergency business trip. The campground said it was too little notice to cancel their reservation and Gippal already had all his stuff bought so he figured it would be a waste not to go. Nhadala decided to visit their mom that weekend so that left Gippal with the options of camping alone or inviting a friend. He invited Rikku because the two of them were becoming fast friends and Rikku had never been camping before so she was eager to go.
"Yea. It's a long story, but since I've never been camping before so Gippal insisted that I go." Rikku said with a giggle. Tidus rolled his eyes. It wasn't fair to Rikku for him to make her feel guilty about leaving him here alone. And then guilt her into inviting him along or not going herself. However, part of him just couldn't trust Gippal.
Rikku laughed at the pensive look on Tidus' adorable face. She pecked his cheek in a friendly gesture and waved goodbye telling him to call her that night. Tidus waved and promised to call.
Rikku grabbed her book bag and slung it onto her shoulder. "I have to pick up Laurie from Shuyin's apartment and drive her to Dunsberry so I better get going." She said when Tidus tried to get her to stay longer. Tidus agreed waved goodbye as she disappeared down the city street in her Jeep.
----
A/N: Okay some drama is due next chapter along with a good ol'fashioned camping trip.
Remember to review.
hahahaha Wakka in AP English. Lol.
Salut!
Lucy!