Disclaimer: I own nothing... I could ask Square-Enix if I could have Final Fantasy, but I doubt they'd say yes...

Note: okay, so this has probably been done before and it's probably going to be way better than mine, but you know what, I don't care... This is my interpretation of High School Final Fantasy style. It's focused mainly on Final Fantasy VII characters, but I'll probably throw in some others. It's written in first person, present tense. Sort of a challenge for me because I'm used to writing in third person, past tense, but we'll see how it goes... I hope you enjoy the first chapter ...

CHAPTER I: 17 Years Young

Tifa'S POV

6:10 AM

Tifa'S House

I jump out of the shower and squeal as my feet touch the cold floor. I take the extra towel off the rack and set it down in front of me while jumping from one foot to the other. Stepping on the warm towel I walk over to the mirror and wipe the fog from it. I make faces at myself as I plug in my hair dryer and flick it on. Using my left hand to dry my hair I use my right to brush my teeth. Don't ask me where I got this from, but desperate times call for desperate measures. It's only the first day of school and I'm already running late. After about fifteen minutes of heat excessive drying I decide that this was how dry my impossibly long hair is just going to have to be.

I melt my eyeliner with the small lighter in my purse and smear a little on my lower lids. Always going for the dramatic affect, I guess it's the artist in me. That may be the explanation for my bottomless pit of drama and music classes this year. I'm gonna love this year, nothing but great classes in the morning and all my college writing classes in the afternoon. At the moment though, I need to focus on what is going on right now. A pair of smoky-gray eyes and clear, polished lips later and I'm off to my bedroom to get dressed. This is where I meet my first dilemma.

Girls who constantly stress over their clothes drive me crazy but today I'm completely freaking. I have three outfits laid out on my bed and only twenty minutes to choose from them. I hate the first days of school, too much stress for a girl to handle. I settle for the third outfit and quickly throw on my light denim skirt and black tank-top. It's casual and definitely screams end of summer. It would show off my tan and black shirts look good on me, they match my hair that has been naturally highlighted a little from the sun.

I put on my favorite black flip-flops and grabbed my bag. Turning off the light I walk out of my room and down the stairs. No longer panicking I skip into the kitchen where I'm met with the lovely Crystal Heartily and her oh so lovely daughter Rinoa.

"Hello Tifa." Crystal says to me as she looks me up and down. "You look… dark this morning." Crystal has this rule that if you can't say anything good then don't say anything at all. Lucky for me she's not my mother so I wasn't raised by her; I have no trouble at all being nasty to her. Not that I don't think 'dark' as being nasty, it is as nasty as she'd get.

"Only trying my hardest to be the exact opposite of you." I say in a cheerful voice, there is no way I am going to let this wannabe Barbie get to my good mood. I have just succeeded in getting ready for school in under twenty-five minutes and I am proud of it. My mood only brightens when she glares at me. I move passed her and grab a glass from the cabinet. Rinoa is giving me a look that could rival her mothers and I smile at her too. Sometimes I curse myself for being optimistic, but sometimes I love my sarcasm that comes along with it. I pour me a glass of orange juice and sip it silently as my dad comes into the kitchen and kisses the top of my head. My smile for him is sincere.

"How are my three favorite women?" He asks out loud. Crystal and Rinoa giggle audibly as I roll my eyes. Notice how he said three, yeah he is completely missing one person. I won't mention it though, I've sort of become used to it.

After my mom died a year ago my dad started dating Crystal. It really pissed me off at first now it just makes me downright bitter. I never show it though, it doesn't do me any good to be a bitch. At least not in front of my dad. I love my dad and I don't want him to know the hurtful comments I said to Crystal in my head.

"Tifa," Crystal says in a fake motherly caring tone, "would you be a doll and take Rinoa to school with you? I just know it will be a good way for you two to get to know each other better. I'd love it if you showed her around the school too. Rinoa can be so shy, she needs some friends. I was kind of hoping you'd introduce her to some of your friends. I'm sure they'd love her."

Not likely, I think to myself.

"I'm sorry, I'm getting a ride from Cloud and Zack. Sort of a first day of school tradition, can't break it this year." I say cheerfully.

"Well, I'm sure she can ride with them as well." Crystal presses.

"No, she really can't, we've got to pick up Aerith and Yuffie too. It'll be too crowded." I really don't like to talk about Rinoa like she isn't even here when she's sitting right in front of me, but she has not stopped me yet.

"Surely it can't be too crowded, and besides it'll be a good way for your friends to spend time with her." Crystal just keeps that bright smile on her face.

"It's no problem Crystal, I can take Rinoa to school. No need to make Tifa miss out on her traditions." My father says beside me. I smile sweetly at him and kiss him on the cheek.

"Well, I've gotta go." I announce to everyone in the room and walk out of the kitchen and down the hall to the front door. "I'll see you later dad." I call opening the door and walking out to the driveway.

I'm greeted by a whistle by the ever handsome Zack Strife. I twirl on my toes a few times for him to get a better look at me and walk over to give him a kiss.

"I don't think there is anyone sexier than you in our school this year Teef." Zack says kissing my cheek. I giggle and look to Zack's door when I hear it open.

Zack is very cute with his spiky, black hair and amazing mako-blue eyes, but his brother is something else. Cloud Strife, Zack's fraternal twin, had taken after his mother rather than his father like Zack had. His dirty-blond hair is done in even more unruly spikes than his brother and his blue eyes glowed brighter than anything I've ever seen. They are amazing.

"Hey sexy!" I yell to him and he turns his attention to me. Cloud and I have been best friends since we were like three. We'd even gone out sophomore year, but it didn't work out then. We've never stopped loving each other even though we broke up. We decided that we saw each other in more of a brother-sister way than boyfriend-girlfriend. Still, I know I can always count on him to be there for me, and he always is.

"Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes on a Monday morning." He says as we all pile into Zack's car. Cloud sits in the back with me and I lay my head down on his shoulder.

"It's Tuesday hon." I correct him. I feel his chest vibrate underneath me as he chuckles at my comment. Zack pulls out of the driveway and heads for Aerith's house. I tell Cloud what had happened with Crystal this morning and he says he agrees that she's out to get me. That makes me smile, Cloud would always be on my side no matter what. I know I can trust him. The older brother bit is reassuring.

We make it to Aerith's house and park on the street in front. As always she's right on time and comes to meet us at the road. She climbs into the car and leans over to kiss Zack. Cloud, obviously in a mood to play this morning, smacks Zack in the back of the head.

"Hey, this is the ride to school. No PDA, you're going to corrupt the minds of the passengers." He yells sarcastically.

"So not cool," I say shaking my head in mock disappointment, "It's really not fair. You guys have been together since like seventh grade and I didn't have a boyfriend all summer."

"That's all about to change." Zack says after pulling away from Aerith.

"Yeah," Aerith exclaims, "You'll have a boyfriend by the end of today. Probably a cute college guy from one of your writing classes. You say my relationship isn't fair, you get to gawk at college guys all afternoon."

"In case you haven't noticed," I start, "my writing classes are being taught by Miss Aarons, the freshman language arts teacher. I don't get to meet college guys 'cause I don't even get to leave campus. I get my assignments from Aarons and do them at home. It's like travel college. I take my books to school and take them home. Classes on paper."

"So if Aarons is just giving you assignments for the classes, then does that really qualify her as your teacher?" Cloud asks.

"Not really, but she's the person I go to if I'm having problems. It's more like she's in alliance with me, she's helps me through the classes, I don't bug the other teachers while in their boring classes."

Zack pulls into Yuffie's driveway. I hadn't even realized that we'd been moving. I can get pretty caught up when I start talking.

"Gods, she's never ready is she?" Zack whines. He honks the horn several times causing the angry Wutaian to come out of her house scowling.

"That's a pleasant face." Cloud says as she jumps in the back seat next to me. I always sit in the middle, and always between Yuffie and Cloud. It gets kind of crowded back here sometimes.

"Oh, shove it up your ass spiky, I'm having a bad morning. My mom has completely gone insane." Yuffie yells to the blonde. We both raise an eyebrow at her.

"What's going on?" Aerith asks turning around in her seat to face us.

"My mom's got it in her head that after you guys leave, I'm going back to Wutai. Like I'd go back there." Yuffie explains.

"What's so bad about it Yuffs?" Cloud asks. Rubbing my arm lightly with his fingertips.

"I haven't been there for over seven years, my family are a bunch of loonies that need to be committed, and I'll be damned before I spend another day in that temple meditating." She says in a hurry and crosses her arms over her chest sitting back in her seat.

I, on the way to mastering my martial arts training, don't have any clue why the last part would bother anyone. I would kill to go to a Wutaian temple for a day, let alone live in the foreign country. My sensei, Zangan, has told me so many stories of living in Wutai. I wish more than anything to meditate in one of their temples, if only it would be just for one session. I just shake my head chuckling at her and lay my head back down on Cloud's shoulder.

Note: So? Any good? Definitely not as angsty as my other one, but things will go downhill for our favorite characters... I've already gotten the pairings worked out and the next few chapters are actually already written... So review please. I'll see you soon...

Ayumi