Chapter FIVE
Proposal for an Allowance Increase - for Mom & Dad
- Car insurance went up, all cause I dented the bumper...it's just like a cute dimple y'know?
- I'm spending more mostly on school-related stuff, like project supplies and field trips
- I'm a growing teenager and hungry all the time
- Inflation?
I'm dozing off in the middle of homeroom when a loud voice catches my attention.
"Good MORNING, Class 11-A!" a cheery voice exclaims, 50 decibels too high for me on a Wednesday morning. Even Naminé knows to leave me alone on hump day - I'm a grumpy camper, especially when I'm late for school and don't have time to grab coffee.
The voice persists long enough for me to gather the remains of my wits and pay half-attention. I recognize the brunette at the front of the room: Olette, our grade's student council representative. Everyone says she's our grade's future valedictorian. Even Selphie, with all her ambition, can't hold a candle to Olette's determination to succeed.
"...so I pitched the idea to our president, who said - she said that...everyone, could I have your attention for just 5 more minutes? Hey. Hey!"
"You guys shut up!"
The latter declaration works quite effectively. All eyes turn towards Olette's companion, a guy with gelled blond hair and a scowl etched on his face.
"Show some respect, will ya?" he growls with arms crossed.
On his side, Olette whacks him lightly and whispers something under her breath. The guy grumbles something back and then stomps towards the door to wait for her there.
Olette summons a bright smile and turns back to us. "Sorry about that. But yeah, I just need a few more minutes of your time! Student Council is really excited to announce our first ever class Assassin game! Does anyone know how Assassin works?"
About half a dozen people raise their hands. Olette looks enthused. "Great! For those who don't, it's very simple! Everyone's gonna get a water gun like this." She raises her hand to show us a pocket-sized water gun. "If you hit someone with water, they're out. Your goal is to be the last high school class standing. But here's the catch: each class will elect a representative. If this representative is eliminated, then your entire class is automatically out. Likewise, if you eliminate another class' rep, then that entire class is out. Outside your class, no one will know who your rep is, and it's to your advantage to keep it that way. Does that make sense?"
The audible chatter around me suggests people are quite excited about the game. To be honest, Olette's words are working up my competitiveness as well. "Any questions?" she asks.
"What's the prize?"
"Oh, I almost forgot!" Olette beams. "Everyone in the winning class gets a $10 coupon for Comet Café!"
"Lame."
"Only $10? That's like 1 slice of cake."
"That's $10 more than you have right now," the grouchy boy points out. Everyone quiets a little when he speaks, but when he doesn't say anything else, the chitchat resumes.
"When does the game begin?" someone asks.
"Good question! The game starts when the first bell rings next Monday! We're still finalizing the details with school admin - which reminds me. You're only allowed to use your water guns outside of school buildings. And on campus. We don't wanna hear about people ambushing people outside their houses. Cause yes, my friend said that's happened before in one of the games he's played."
"Dude, I was totally gonna do that!"
"Stalker alert."
"Any other questions?" Olette prompts above the steadily increasing noise. "If not, then you guys can talk about who you wanna elect as class rep! Make sure someone tells me by the end of this week. If anyone forgot, I'm Olette from Class 11-B. Don't worry - I won't be participating in this game cause I'm handling logistics. And I promise I'll be a fair judge. Good luck, 11-A!" With a cheery wave and thanking our homeroom teacher for the time, Olette skips out of the room with her partner in tow.
Once the door shuts, our class bursts into excited chatter about who should be class rep.
"Man, you should do it!"
"No way, I don't wanna be responsible for everyone!"
"Who's good at dodging stuff?"
"Hey, when we played dodgeball in P.E., weren't you the last one standing?"
"Huh? Dude, that was pure luck."
"I nominate Naminé!" I exclaim.
"Kairi!" Naminé exclaims. "I've never played this game before!"
"C'mon! If you're trying out for the play, you gotta practice being in the spotlight. " Plus, I like to make things hard for her. What are best friends for? I turn back towards my classmates. "She's tiny so she'll be hard to spot. And hit."
"That's true…" someone says.
"Dude, she's like half your size."
"Are you even 5 feet, Naminé?"
"I - I'm 5'1"!" Naminé squeaks defiantly, which makes the whole class laugh.
"Since we can't decide on anyone else…"
"What about you, Kairi?"
I blink, staring at my nominator. "I - I don't wanna do it, Sora."
"Never knew you'd back down from a challenge."
My first instinct is to rise to the goading...until I realize his words for what they are. And then I see his presumptuous look and expectant smirk and I just want to prove him wrong. Cause he doesn't know me, no he doesn't.
I resume pitching Naminé to my classmates. "The other classes will probably expect someone who's athletic and runs fast. They won't expect Naminé."
"That's a good point…"
"Yeah, I actually forgot she was in our class."
"All in favor of Naminé?"
More than half the people raise their hands, so Naminé's smoothly elected as our class representative. The bell then rings, so we can't talk much longer, but we're all pretty excited.
"I still think this is a bad idea..." Naminé worries aloud.
"Oh quit dragging your feet. You're like the perfect princess for everyone in the class to rally around and protect."
My eyes catch Sora's from across the room so I head towards his desk as he's packing his stuff. "Why'd you nominate me, huh?" I ask.
"Why'd you nominate Naminé?" Sora returns.
"I - like I said, she's a good candidate. No one will suspect she's our class's rep."
"Well I thought you'd be a good candidate too," Sora answers breezily. "Since you're on the track team. You're probably our fastest runner."
"You just wanted to embarrass me in front of the whole class, didn't you?"
Sora shrugs - innocently to a bystander, perhaps, but not to me. "Did I embarrass you?" he asks.
I at least remember to keep my growl low and guttural so only he hears it.
When I don't speak up, he keeps talking. "I just want the best for the class, Kairi. Don't think too much - God knows half the time you're thinking about food -"
"Like you don't think with your stomach!"
"Well - I didn't say I didn't!"
"You'd better crank up the conditioning, cause all that extra weight's gonna slow you down on the field."
"Wha - what do you know, huh? Season doesn't start till spring anyways, and you're not actually team manager."
"You know, if I were, I'd make you guys join cross country practices just to get in shape for season. You can't start over Christmas break, that's not enough time."
"Kairi…" Sora groans. "I still wanna sleep in on the weekends."
"Actually, I've wanted to say hi to Coach Fair for awhile, so maybe I'll drop by and make the suggestion - "
Something registers in Sora's eyes. His demeanor instantly switches from easygoing to serious. "Kairi," he growls through grit teeth. Widened eyes looked straight into mine. "Don't. You. Dare."
"...guys can thank me in the future…"
"Kairi, I swear to god - "
I'm smiling so widely my cheek muscles are cramping up. "Bye, Sora!"
"Kairi, no!"
He makes a feeble grab at me, but I'm more nimble than he gives me credit for. Maneuvering between the desks and chairs, it's not hard to shake off Sora as I rush towards my next class. I hear his loud, frustrated groan, to which I respond with lighthearted laughter. That boy's too easy to tease.
"BAM!"
"Oh my god!"
I twirl around from my locker to look at Tidus, playfully holding out a toy water gun. Aimed at me. Dripping water.
"What the - shit, Tidus, my English paper's in there!"
I scramble to unzip my backpack and salvage my assignment worth 20% of my grade. Yeah, if Tidus just screwed me over...then he's fucking screwed.
"Oh thank god," I breath, realizing I'd smartly tucked the papers in a plastic folder. Actually not much water got in my bag...but there is a noticeable wet stain on it now. I glare at Tidus. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Getting ready for the Assassin game next week!" he chirps. "And you obviously aren't."
"You almost cost me my English grade!" I exclaim, shoving my folder in his face. Can he be any more inconsiderate?
"What? S'okay, you got a folder," Tidus says.
"And what if I didn't?"
"But you did."
"Ugh." I grab my textbook for next period from my locker and shut it close. "You're way too excited for this game. It's just to promote school spirit. Or whatever."
"I've always wanted to have a water gun fight in school!" Tidus exclaims. He raises his water gun once more, to which I instinctively raise my hands and recoil. He chuckles, pointing it upwards and shooting. "I used up all my ammo. This thing can only shoot once at a time."
I roll my eyes, letting my mind fall back to a state of security. "Stop freaking me out, Tidus. Do you really want the Comet coupons that much?"
"C'mon, Kai, stop being such a bore. You're still a junior, so you still have time, but I'm a senior and I just wanna enjoy high school before it ends." I fall quiet, listening to what sounds like some pretty serious stuff. "You know, in less than a year...all my friends are gonna be gone. I'm gonna be somewhere new, trying to make friends all over again, and honestly that scares the hell out of me." He abruptly stops, as if he's just as surprised by what he said as I am.
I didn't know Tidus thinks about stuff like this. He's always seemed like the carpe diem, live-in-the-present sort of person. I guess change scares everyone.
"I also like being top dog of the pack," he adds.
Of course. I roll my eyes. "That's so immature."
"Just being honest."
Our conversation's at a nice pause for us to soak in our words, when a third figure interrupts.
"You gotta stop her, Tidus."
"Whoa - Sora?" Tidus and I turn towards the additional party in our conversation. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"She," Sora says, glaring at me, "wants to freaking make us condition for soccer."
I chuckle, recalling our earlier conversation. Tidus barely blinks before responding. "What? Of course we have to condition, man. You slacking already?"
"Dude, that's not what I mean! She wants us to start, like, ASAP!"
"Well, the earlier the better."
Sora, slack-jawed, stares at both of us.
"Yeah! That's exactly what I said!" I exclaim, raising a hand. Tidus gives me a high-five, and for a moment, all feels right. I relish the familiar feeling of Tidus being on my side.
"Man, if you're gonna slack off, let someone actually focused take your spot," Tidus scolds. "All the second-stringers want more playing time."
"Dude, that's not it!" Sora throws his hands up in the air out of frustration. "She - she said she wants us to condition with the cross-country team!"
Tidus blinks, turning towards me this time. "What?"
"Yeah," I remark nonchalantly. "I was gonna say hi to Coach Fair and suggest you guys could run with us. Our practices aren't too intense - "
"Like hell!" Tidus exclaims. "Hey, I still remember you dragged me to one of your 'lighter workouts' last year cause you said it'd be good for me - "
I throw my head back laughing at the memory. Tidus could barely walk straight for a week after that practice. And it really wasn't even particularly intense! He needs to suck it up and stop whining so much.
"Wait, you want us to practice with the cross-country team, like...now?" Tidus exclaims.
"That's what she's trying to do!" Sora pipes in. "Your crazy cousin's gonna kill us all!"
"Hey, hey!" I exclaim. "Who's crazy? I'm not crazy! This genius idea - "
"Shit, Kairi, I didn't think you meant, like, now-now," Tidus says.
"What? Don't you guys wanna win championships this year?"
"That's not gonna happen if we're too tired to run on the field," Sora points out. "Dude, see, you gotta stop her. You know Coach Fair's lazy. He's gonna jump at the chance to make us train harder without doing any work himself."
"Kairi." Tidus turns towards me with a grin. "Kairi...you wouldn't."
"Oh, but I would. It's all for your own good, Tidus."
"Kairi," he repeats. If I hadn't known him since forever, I would've missed the sense of urgency creeping into his tone. But I hear it, and knowing I have the upperhand makes me smirk. "Don't do it."
"I think I should."
"Kairi." Tidus then uses a stern voice. "You can't."
Oh, so he's going with the seniority card? "You can't stop me."
"Dude, don't provoke her!" Sora exclaims. "Or she's actually gonna do it!"
"Yeah, cause I think I should!" I snap. Like usual, Sora gets on my nerves just like that.
"No, no, Kairi, you shouldn't," Tidus hastily interrupts. "We're just gonna drag you guys down...look, if you really wanna, I'll go talk to Coach with you. I mean, I know you're just looking out for us in your own way."
"...never mind," I say, deciding to retreat from the conversation. Somehow, Tidus being all rational and understanding strikes the wrong nerve. I'm sort of at a loss as to how to react.
"Thank goodness," Sora murmurs under his breath.
See, normally I'd make a snarky remark about how self-centered and lazy he is, but I'm too thrown off by everything to even think of what to say. Great.
"Hey, what's that?" Sora breaks the silence with a curious question, pointing at Tidus' hand.
Tidus blinks, raising the water gun. "Oh! Practicing for the Assassin game next week!" He takes aim at Sora, who instantly cowers. Tidus laughs, showing Sora the water gun's empty.
"Jeez, you scared me," Sora grumbles.
"You're not ready for Assassin either! Seriously. What if you both die on day 1?"
"I mean, the game hasn't actually started yet," I point out.
"That's what you think. You gotta be on your guard!" Tidus points out. He looks at Sora and me. "Are you guys gonna let down your whole class like that? What if you were rep and I just eliminated you?"
"Well, good thing we aren't - " The words fall out of my mouth before I realize what I'm saying. Or rather, what Tidus is doing. I don't stop myself soon enough, and a stupid smirk splits across Tidus' dumb face. "Wait, you're not allowed to - "
"Yuna! It's not Sora or Kairi!" Tidus exclaims as he dashes off towards the senior homerooms. Wordlessly, I stare at his retreating figure.
"I - did he - he just…" I can't even formulate sentences properly as I weakly raise a hand to point in Tidus' direction. Somehow, amidst everything that'd just happened...Tidus managed to pull one over me.
Sora snorts. "I think he's taking this game a bit too seriously."
How? How am I messing up everything these days?
"It's no big deal," Sora continues.
"What do you mean no big deal?" I snap.
"Whoa. Chill, Kairi. I mean, it's not like he figured out your deep dark secret or something - "
"Look, Sora." I turn towards his direction with narrowed eyes. I think I'm making him nervous, cause his eyes widen and his Adam's apple bobs as he gulps. Yeah, he should be scared.
Cause shit just got real.
A/N: No action that I promised, but I've laid the foundation. Look forward to the Assassin game in the next chapter! Strategizing, teamwork, and shipping moments galore.
Stay tuned.