The next day found Cloud wishing that he hadn't gotten out of bed. How he ended up in this position was beyond him and to be honest, he was more then a little scared.

" Okay Cloud, now the key to catching a girls interest is to be straight forward. Go up to her and say 'Hi, your hot. Wanna go out?' and she'll be all yours. But be calm and play it cool or she'll think you're a pitiful loser, all right? Chicks don't dig that. So be suave but not too romantic or mushy. Girls hate it when guys are sappy. Okay? Okay!"

Cloud nodded numbly at his friend's mindless chatter. Okay, this is going to be interesting…. He thought.

It was early Friday and by the time the clock struck 3:30, Shuyin had grabbed Cloud and dragged him out of class (one of the random classes in Garden) and down to the courtyard where the girls were having tennis practice. He gulped nervously as Shu turned back to him with a confident smile.

" Okay, this is it. Are you ready?"

I'm gonna die…. Cloud thought. He was about to respond when Shuyin grabbed his arm and pushed him towards the court, cutting him off.

" If not then too bad! Get going! Go on, what are you waiting for? An invitation? Go! Shoo! Beat it, already! Get lost! Get outta here! Go talk to her!"

" Okay! Okay! I'm a goin'! I'm a goin'! Sheesh!"

Cloud shook his head in total frustration at his friend's out burst. Then again, this wasn't unusual behavior for him.

Then bright blue eyes were staring up at him. He jumped slightly startled. When did Aerith get there? Well, it was now or never.

" Hi Cloud. What are you doing here?"

" Uh, hi Aerith. I was gonna, um… ask you … something…."

" Oh. Okay. I'm on break right now, so we can talk here if you want."

Okay, here it goes. Just have confidence. They smiled at each other and then Cloud decided to give it a try.

" I was wondering if… you know, if your not busy…"

" Yes ?"

Dammit, those eyes! Why did she have to stare at him like that? It was un- nerving. VERY unnerving. He began to stumble over his words, blushing furiously and feeling like an idiot.

" Well- I mean- that is… um…uh… well- er- uh…. Yeah…."

He flushed an even deeper shade when her giggle reached his ears. I feel so stupid! Movement off behind a bush to his left caught his attention. Shuyin was waving his hands franticlly trying to gesture random things to him as to what to do. Of course, Cloude was horrible at hand gesture cues, so naturally it made everything worse.

" I- I mean you- no- yeah, me- wait…."

By this time Aerith was looking at him kinda strange. As if she was suppressing a laugh and the urge to run and call the psycho ward. Shuyin's gestures got more and more wild and harder and harder to understand. Cloud wanted to beat him and himself with a tack hammer. Damn you, just say it already before she leaves! Cloud was about to try another attempt as well as try to ignore Shuyin in the background when the sound of a whistle sounded in the air and the tennis couch called for all the girls to resume practice.

Needless to say, Cloud felt defeated. Aerith smiled kindly at him and hugged him briefly, both of them exchanging their good byes, before she turned and left to rejoin her team saying that they'll catch up later to talk more. He trudged back to where Shu sat crouched low, head in hands, shaking it back and forth slowly as if to say " I cant believe how pathetic that was." Cloud's shoulders slumped even more. It wasn't his fault! Maybe he should ask some of his friends who were more flamboyant with the women for advice. Like his classmate Zack or Reno. Maybe even that one guy… what did Squall say his name was… Irvine? The Cowboy bop as Vincent put it none to gently as Cloud remembered. Yeah, he didn't like him very much. Disapproved of his slutty nature. But he needed someone suave, with style and class….

His musings were interrupted as Shuyin stood and looked him in the face with that " I pity you" look.

" What?"

" You… are …Pathetic."

" Oh, shut up. You weren't much of a help you know."

Shu sighed. " You… are going to take a lot of work."

Cloud chose to ignore him. Who could help him? Maybe his brothers? Yazoo attracted women sure, but Cloud never recalled him ever going on a date with any of them. Too busy with school and studies. Loz… was a pansy. He liked Tifa but was too afraid of her to ask her out. Score one point for Vincent. Kadaj? His younger brother was… speratic with girls. Kinda like Irvine. No, that wouldn't work. Gippal was another man-hore, as Shuyin put it. Zell seemed to repel women as much as he liked hot dogs. That was a lot. Come to think of it, maybe that was why. Rufus was a player, Tseng was a rival for Aerith's affections, Baralai was too shy and busy with classes to really bother, Cid either scared them away or pissed them off, Seifer… was an ass, and Wakka…. Yeah, well.

Shit! He was going to have to find a solution to his problem and soon.

Laguna-Chan: o; sorry the chapter was so short... I still hope you enjoyed all that I put down so far.

Shuyin: Cloud is a pussy.

Laguna-Chan: 0.o Dont say that!

Cloud:...--;

Laguna-Chan: huggles Cloud and strokes his hair Its ok sweetheart, he didnt mean that. Shuyin is just a big bully.

Cloud: TT

Shuyin: Oh, please. Hes a blonde. Stupidity comes naturally to them.

Cloud: struggles in Laguna-Chan's tightening grip. Starts to turn light shade of blue.

Laguna-Chan: Stop being an ass! Your just jealous that hes the main character in the story! Besides your a blond too.

Shuyin: Actually, I dyed my hair. I'm reallya burnett. smirks

Cloud: shade of blue darkens. strugglingstops

Laguna-Chan: dosn't notice...You know, I'm gonna make something horrible happen to you.

Shuyin: eyes Cloud's limp form Um... question: How big are your boobs?

Laguna-Chan: O.O; Why the hell did you ask that, you perv! starts kicking Shuyin in the shins

Shuyin: Ow! I'm not a perv! Its just that Cloud is either dead or dieing right now, no thanks to your evil Boobs of Doom!

Laguna-Chan: in cunfused shock Ah! drops him

Cloud: XPlays there motionless...

Both: poke at him

Cloud:...

Shuyin: Anyways! On with the next chapter!