Okay, I have to write a quick warning. There have been times when I thought about making this story "R" rated, or whatever it's called on But there's really nothing graphic exactly…I'm just afraid of some of the later things I'm going to bring into it—again, nothing graphic…just…well…if I say it, I'll ruin it…But yeah. Again, it will have no explicit scenes or anything, but…If you're not very mature, don't read it, I guess. I don't think it's anything horrid. (Well, I guess not…It's hard, I'm too old! I want to be 15 again! My poor brain has been influenced in so many different ways since then! Ahhhh! And it probably doesn't help that I wrote this story to keep my mind off of Gackt's Takano Yuri CM…XD) Anyway, if at anytime you think it's too bad, go ahead and say so. I'll change something, or change the rating, or something…

Anyway, in this chapter, Gippal and Tidus have a rather adultish conversation, but it's nothing graphic. It's more like, "Are you going to do it with her?" kind of thing. Really teenage-ish, don't you think? Okay then, enjoy!

Chapter 5: A Possible Plan

Without realizing it, Tidus grabbed the sobbing girl by the shoulders and pulled her close to him, saying, "What?"

But she wouldn't repeat it. She just sat there, sobbing uncontrollably, shaking in Tidus' arms.

"Why?" Tidus managed, after a while. But Yuna made it apparent that she was saying no more.

She grabbed her shirt from Tidus' hand, threw it on over the head, making sure to cover the marks, and said, "I think you should go now."

He felt bad, but at the same time, horribly curious. Why wouldn't she just tell him? If Dona—and possibly her father as well?—was abusing her, than why wouldn't she at least tell him? Gippal knew that Tidus' dad abused him. It wasn't like he was going to tell anybody or anything. He just wanted to help…

Tidus didn't say anything to Yuna, but he did as she told him. He left. She stood in her room and watched him leave, not saying anything either. She sat there, wiping her tears, and watching him coldly.

Shoving his hands in his pockets, Tidus galloped down the front steps to Yuna's house, and practically threw himself in his car. Was she mad at him? Or was she just uncertain? Or…was there more to the story?

Tidus ran everything through his head as he drove,—past Dona's house, and then past Rikku's, and finally past Leblanc's—everything from Yuna's weird changes of mood (such as how one minute she hated me and the next we were making out…Yevon I don't understand her!), and the 'code' that Yuna continually talks about, and of course, the marks that were on her arms. Were there more marks? Were there more bruises? Would there be more bruises once Tidus had left?

But mostly…Just how controlling was this group, and if Yuna wanted to get out, why didn't she?

He almost slammed on his brakes. Did she want to be with them? Maybe she considers those bruises and burns just as battle wounds. Maybe she thinks there's a greater cause or something…Damn Yuna, you could just explain yourself!...or is it in the code not to?

Without realizing it, Tidus pulled out his phone and called Gippal.

"Yo?" Gippal answered, like he usually did.

"Hey, it's Tidus," Tidus said.

"Hey man, where have you been? It's been, what, three days into vacation and you're no where to be found! You missed the best party last night! Hey, and there's a lot of catching up we have to do! So, I met this chick--."

"Gippal," Tidus interrupted, "I think there's something really weird going on with Dona's little clique."

"What do you mean?" Gippal asked, "We've always known that. They are really strict and affluent, and…"

"No, something more," Tidus said, "Yuna has these burn marks all over her arms, and bruises too, as if she's been like abused. When I asked her about them, she lost it and said Dona caused the burn marks…Or something like that."

"Wait, you're still with Yuna?" Gippal asked, "I figured it would be a nice, one night fling. Do her and get out."

"I didn't even do her," Tidus said, surprised they were talking like they were twelve again. They usually used a lot harsher words…

"What?" Gippal cried, shocked, "She was like all over you, asking for it, wasn't she? You two even went to her room!"

Tidus wrinkled his brows, trying to think. Why hadn't he 'done' her?

"Tidus, you still there?"

"Yeah."

"No, I mean, you still there? Is your head alright?"

"I don't know."

"Me neither. Man, I'm taking you out partying tonight. We'll get drunk as possible, do whoever comes our way…"

"I don't want to."

"What?"

"I want to figure out what's behind the whole Yuna/Dona thing…What's behind that clique."

"Their dads are rich and powerful, and so are they," Gippal just said, flatly.

"I really get the feeling there's so much more to it. How about Rikku? You were with her at that party. How was she?"

"I don't know, good in bed, I guess."

"What? She's not a virgin?" Tidus asked, "I mean, sure, she's in that group, but she was like totally off limits! She's like everybody's kid sister…Well, not that it stopped you…"

"No man, that was my first time with her."

"God we sound like man whores," Tidus said, causing his friend to laugh.

"We are."

"Yeah but—," Tidus stopped, "Who did it with Rikku before you?"

"Like I care."

"No, really…Ugh, I don't know…I'm not getting anywhere."

"Uh, no, you're not…Come on, you need to get laid or something."

"I'm not going."

"Fine, fine. Go play Sherlock Holmes and figure out what's wrong with Yuna's boo-boos. If you're lucky, maybe she'll let you into her room again, and you'll be smart and take advantage of her, like any other girl. Especially if she's asking for it."

"Maybe I finally want a serious relationship!" Tidus practically yelled at his friend.

"You?" Gippal laughed, "You? Dream all you want Tidus! You just want to get in her--."

"I would have already if I wanted to!" Tidus said, angry at his friend, "I had the opportunity. Hell, I had it again today. Hell, I even slept with her!"

Gippal suddenly was silent, and he said, "You slept with her without actually sleeping with her?"

"Yeah, the night of the party," Tidus said, softly.

"Like, no missing clothes?"

"I may have been shirtless…"

"Like, her fully dressed?"

"Yeah."

"Tidus, have you…like fallen in love or something?"

Tidus couldn't answer. His feelings toward Yuna were so mixed. The original goal had been to sleep with her sleep with her, but he hadn't reached it. Not even after she practically invited him to. Was it because he knew she didn't really want to? Or did she really want to? Or…

Gippal interrupted his thoughts by saying, "You still there?"

"I don't know," Tidus said, "She acts like she likes me. We fool around all the time, and then she does things that make me think she wants to do it, but…then for some reason it's like there's something keeping me from…like I think she doesn't really want to. I don't know…she won't tell me anything."

"Does she like you?"

"I don't even know," Tidus said, and something hit him. Did she just want to do it with him? Was that it? She hadn't fought at all when he took her shirt off. She just laid there, looking scared, as if frozen.

"I'm going to find out tonight," Tidus said, breaking his own thoughts.

"What?"

"I'm going to find out if she likes me, just because, or if she just wants to do it. And if it's the second one, I want to know why."

"Same reason all the girls do," Gippal said, "We're hot."

"But…" Tidus just shook his head and said, "I'll talk to you later. I've got a long night in front of me."