Under My Umbrella
For: elebelly
Prompt: Irony
Summary: It was the worst day of their lives…or was it the best?

She's late again…

Prominent up and coming businessman Cloud Strife was once again sitting at a restaurant tracing patterns across the face of his watch with his finger…alone. Alone being the keyword in this sentence.

Cloud sighed; anger, disappointment, and regret all welling up inside of him at once. He shook his head, spreading his hands out flat across the table top covered with white linen. He was in the prestigious restaurant 'Francesca's' for the third time in his life. This was the tenth time he'd been stood up in the past month by his own girlfriend, Aeris Gainsborough. She was the daughter of one of Cloud's father's friend, was attending college, and was known to be smart and witty.

She was also known to be a complete and total tease.

Cloud drummed his fingers on the table top, receiving a few disapproving glances in his direction, but he ignored them.

He knew where she was, and he knew the excuse would be different, but ringing with the same tone. They had been talking on the phone, and lost track of time. They went out for coffee, and got stuck in traffic or lost track of time. They went to a movie that was longer than they expected, and once again, lost track of time.

Zack Fair would be the death of him.

Why hadn't he broken up with her sooner? He didn't really know; maybe he was in love…or had been at some point and time. Not to mention the fact her status and wealth was approved by his family, and she was well loved by them. She was a girl hard not to love...unless you were dating her.

That was part of the problem.

He glanced up, watching as a waitress was hauled into the back after some heated words. She was very pretty, and he tried to remember the last time he looked at another woman without immediately thinking of Aeris.

He wondered when she looked at Zack if she thought of him.

"This is the worst day of my life."

He had told her after tonight there would be no more. He was tired of getting reservations at such a restaurant only to have them go to waste. He was tired of waiting for her to make a decision.

Yes, Cloud Strife was tired.

Only a mere twenty feet away a flustered Tifa Lockhart was being pressed into the kitchen by her less than pleasing boss. He had caught her off guard when she'd been gazing at a rather handsome customer. He was sitting by himself, but was probably waiting on his girlfriend, judging by the lily he held in his hand.

Her boss steered her into the back room, and she swatted at his hands as he stopped her.

"You can't do this to me!"

"Tifa, dear, I'm sorry," his voice didn't really sound sorry, and it was hard to understand him through his thick accent, "But we really can't keep you on."

"But I need this job, sir. Please…this is the only one—

"I'm sorry Tifa, but it's final. I cannot cut any of the other girls. You are the one to go."

Tifa stood there in disbelief already calculating her losses through her head. It was hard enough paying for the last three years of college and her apartment on the wage she got here, but she had done it. Now, she would probably have to relocate to a shadier part of town just for a cheaper apartment so when she got a new job, the pay cut wouldn't affect her paying for school.

"… --fa…Tifa…"

Tifa snapped back into reality, meeting her boss' eye.

"I'm sorry, but you have to leave now."

Tifa blinked sadly at him before slowly turning and walking out of the kitchen without a fight. There was no point, now. She dodged the chefs and trays of food with a practiced expertise, but none of that helped her now. She moved her way out of the front of the restaurant, and went to stand at the curb, waiting to cross the street.

There was no traffic, but the sign told her not to walk, and she didn't really care at this point and time.

It began to rain, and the usually modest girl did not fret when it began to soak her white blouse she wore to work.

She sighed, feeling tears well up, and her lip trembled. She was at a loss of what to do now, and swallowed with fear. She really didn't want to move down into the lower plates of the city, but she would do what she would have to do for her education, and she would live with it.

This thought only seemed to further damper her mood.

The sign clicked to green, indicating that it was okay to walk, but she didn't.

"This is the worst day of my life," she said, staring blankly ahead.

There was a soft pop beside of her, and then the rattle of rain smacking plastic. She blinked confused and looked up to her left.

It was the handsome customer she'd seen in the restaurant holding his umbrella over both of their heads; she blinked, confused still.

He glanced down at her, before replying, "Mine too," and he dropped a lily onto the side of the street.

Three years later when trying on her wedding dress, she would reflect on how ironic it was that her life easily could be so much different if a then girlfriend would've shown up for dinner, and if she hadn't been fired.

It hadn't been the worst day of her life…it'd been the best.

A/N: I hadn't planned on writing ele's so soon, but it kinda popped in my head and stuck. I like writing AU stuff, but the next 3 should all be post AC…anyways, I think what gave me the idea is the movie sliding doors, which is an awesome movie. It's about how a woman lives out her life in two ways and it's all depending of a few change of circumstances. I like the idea, but I don't know if it's my best. Still, I find it enjoyable. Thanks for reviews loves!