Okay, I think this chapter was even shorter than the last! I must have been lazy when I wrote these...Oh well, it's still a pretty good length! Anyway, I don't really have much to say. Enjoy!
Chapter 3: Can't Get Away
"I just can't believe he called me cute!" Rikku said sucking her milkshake up her straw noisily, "I mean, he's cute. And then he called me cute!"
"I get the point," Yuna said, looking at her cousin in annoyance, "He's not that great."
"Oh Yevon, he is too! He's even cuter close up! I've decided that I'm going to borrow a pair of Brother's really good binoculars and spy on him from your balcony. He's so worth it."
"Rikku, you're starting to creep me out," Yuna said, shaking her head.
"You know," Rikku said, ignoring her cousin's last comment, "I really want to see him play blitz. He's apparently amazing."
"I'm really tired of talking about him," Yuna said, and allowed her eyes to look up at the door, only to have her mouth drop, "Speak of the devil…"
The two were in a small little café not far from Yuna's house, and in had just walked Tidus, and his friend, Gippal.
Rikku turned around to see what Yuna was looking at, and her mouth dropped. Of course, Rikku turning around like she had caught Tidus' attention, and he gave what appeared to be an evil smile, and started toward them.
"Yevon," Yuna said, wanting to bang her head on the table, "Why won't he just leave?"
"Hey girls," Tidus said, and Yuna realized he was standing right next to their table, "Mind if we join you?"
"Go ahead!" Rikku said, much to Yuna's dismay. Upon Rikku's agreement, Tidus slid next to her, and Gippal next to Yuna.
"So you're Tidus' neighbor?" Gippal asked Yuna, as Tidus waved down a waitress, "What's your name?"
"Yuna," Yuna just said, wishing she was anywhere but next to him.
"And you're…?" Gippal asked, looking at Rikku.
"Rikku!" Rikku said, and her cheeks were a deep crimson.
"Gip, what kind of beer do you want?" Tidus was asking.
"Are you old enough?" Rikku whispered to Tidus, only to have him flash her a fake I.D., and a very fake one at that. Even so, it fooled the waitress, who returned shortly with two beers.
Yuna leaned her elbow on the table—despite the fact that she knew it was not polite—and leaned her head into her hand. Why was this happening?
"Do you guys come here often too?" Rikku asked, her eyes bright and her cheeks still red.
"Yeah," Gippal answered, "I'm surprised we've never seen each other before."
"We probably have," Tidus said, his full attention turned toward Rikku, "But we just didn't know it."
"Well, you'd met Yunie before, hadn't you?" Rikku asked, giggling slightly.
Tidus' eyes glanced at Yuna, and Yuna glared at him in return.
"Yeah, we've met," Tidus answered, "But that was a while ago…"
Gippal turned to Yuna and said, "Tidus told me you weren't very hot, but I beg to differ."
Yuna's head sank lower onto her chair. How she wanted to punch him, or something.
"So did you decide if you'll come to my party or not?" Tidus asked Rikku.
"Well, I…"
"The answer is no, Tidus," Yuna said, giving him a death glare.
"Well, not necessarily…" Rikku said.
"I'm sorry you guys, but we have no interest in you," Yuna said, sitting up straight and throwing them both a sweet smile.
"Well, I wouldn't say that exactly…" Rikku said, giving Yuna a look that said, "What are you doing?"
Tidus and Gippal exchanged glances and Tidus leaned back and gave Yuna a challenging look.
"You know, people have been asking me why I don't just combine our homes so we can have a massive party, Yuna. I keep telling them that you wouldn't go for that."
"Which I wouldn't," Yuna said, still smiling sweetly.
"Well, how's this for a compromise," Tidus said, smiling sweetly as well, "We'll combine our places to host the hugest party Bevelle's ever seen. And then, I'll stop partying altogether."
"Really?" Rikku cried, facing Tidus.
"Really," he said, nodding.
"I don't believe you," Yuna said.
"Every time I have a party," Tidus said, continuing to explain, "I have to out-do my last one. Nothing could out-do a party with both of our yards included. So I won't ever be able to have a party again anyway."
"I don't think I can do that," Yuna replied.
"It'll just be one night!" Tidus said, "It's not that big of a deal."
"Think about the mess!" Yuna argued.
"I have people who clean," Tidus said with a shrug, "Check out my yard when you get home and you'll notice it's spotless."
"I think it sounds like a cool plan!" Rikku said, nodding to her cousin.
"If my father finds out…"
"You said he's in Luca. How will he find out?" Tidus interrupted her.
Yuna shook her head and said, "I don't know. But he could."
"Yuna's dad is pretty strict," Rikku said, agreeing with her cousin.
"So is Gip's. That doesn't stop him from partying."
Gippal nodded in agreement.
"My answer is no," Yuna said.
"Fine, then I'm going to keep having parties."
"Then I'll call the cops."
Tidus laughed and said, "Yuna, allow me to let you in on something."
"What?"
"I'm Tidus. I'm a blitz ace. The police aren't going to do anything but slap me on the hand and tell me to never drink again. They've already caught me numerous times."
"It's true," Gippal said, nodding.
"Yeah, and Gip knows," Tidus continued, "Because he was there when we were caught."
"Yeah, and I wasn't so lucky," Gippal said, shaking his head, "I still got in trouble."
With smiles on their faces, the two took a gulp of their beers and then shook their heads, as if drinking to the memory.
"You know, it's been great talking to you guys and all," Yuna said then, "But we should really get going…"
"We've only been here for like fifteen minutes!" Rikku moaned.
"Yeah, what's the hurry?" Tidus asked with a shrug.
"I have things I need to do," Yuna said through clenched teeth. The worst thing was that she had ridden with Rikku.
Tidus opened his mouth to say something, but a ring tone—a very loud and annoying one—suddenly soared into the air, causing Tidus to shuffle a bit, and then answer his phone.
"Hey? Oh, hey. Yeah, I know. Oh really? That's awesome. Oh. That sucks. Yeah, I'm a little busy right now. Swimming, duh. Yeah. Bye," Tidus looked up at Gippal and rolled his eyes and said, "Yeah, whatever, love you too."
Then, with a click, Tidus slid his phone back in his pocket.
"Was that you-know-who?" Gippal asked.
"Hell yeah," Tidus said, but he didn't sound happy, "She made the cheer squad in Kilika, so she'll be gone for the rest of the summer!"
"Alright!" Gippal said, and he and Tidus high-fived each other across the table, while the girls exchanged looks of confusion.
"So anyway," Tidus said then, resting his arm up on the booth so that it was almost as if his arm was around Rikku, "I'm having a party tomorrow night, and you're both invited…"
Rikku blushed an even deeper shade of red and Yuna just continued to give Tidus a death glare.
"We know you're having a party," Yuna said, "And the cops will be showing up."
Tidus looked at Yuna thoughtfully, and he smiled and said, "Have you ever been to a party, Yuna?"
"No," came Yuna's reply, almost instantly.
"How about you, Rikku?" Tidus asked.
Rikku looked at the table, and said, "No."
"So why are you guys so against them?" Tidus asked, looking shocked, "You don't even know what it's like!"
"Yeah," Gippal said, "There's a reason people party, you know. It's fun."
Yuna shook her head and shrugged, saying, "I have never cared to attend one."
"How are you going to survive college?" Tidus asked, shaking his head.
"I'll find a way," Yuna said surely.
"Just try it out," Tidus said, "You don't have to drink or anything."
"That's true, Yunie!" Rikku said, as if it was only the idea of drinking that was keeping Yuna from it.
Tidus smiled at Rikku and nodded, as if agreeing, although she had technically agreed with him.
"Just try it out," Tidus said, "I promise it'll be fun."
Rikku looked imploringly at Yuna, but Yuna just shook her head.
Tidus just smiled and shook his own head, and said, "Well, Gip and I were actually on our way to open blitz over at the arena, so I guess I'll see you two later…Maybe as in tomorrow night?"
"Yeah, maybe!" Rikku answered before Yuna could say anything.
Tidus gave Rikku the most flirtatious look that Yuna figured he could manage, and he said, "Good, I really hope to see you there."
Gippal looked at Yuna, but then laughed and said, "We'd better get going. We're gonna be late."
"See you two later!" Tidus said again, and the two left, laughing as they did so.
-
"Yevon that Yuna's a tough one to break!" Gippal moaned as they crawled into Tidus' car.
"Hell yeah, that's why I called Rikku. She'll break soon enough. Yuna's the only one holding her back," Tidus said, looking at himself quickly in his rearview mirror.
"Damn, you're the womanizer! You go for Yuna! Give me Rikku!" Gippal said, as he took his own time to admire himself in the mirror.
"Nope," Tidus said, "She's too hard to read. I'm not in the mood for a challenge."
"Me neither."
"Then forget about her."
"Yeah, but she's hot," Gippal said, "You're crazy if you don't want her."
"Well, I want her," Tidus said, "But I don't want the challenge. Rikku's a good catch, and she's way easier."
Gippal looked at the ground and said, "You know, if you sleep with Rikku, then she's off limits for me."
"Whoa, who said anything about sleeping with her?" Tidus asked, and he looked at his friend as if he was crazy, "I just want to mess around. Yuna would kill us if we did anything serious with Rikku!"
"So what do you want exactly then?" Gippal asked, giving his friend a side-ways glance.
"I want her to choose me over Yuna," Tidus said, a smile creeping onto his lips, "That's all I want."
"I see," Gippal said, "That's a rather evil plan, Ti."
Tidus laughed and said, "I know."
"So you want to break up these two friends?"
Tidus laughed again and said, "It's not Rikku I want."
"No way, Tidus!" Gippal said.
Tidus laughed and said, "I want to break innocent little Yunie."
"I thought you just said you didn't want a challenge!" Gippal cried.
"Okay, I don't want her, necessarily," Tidus said, "I just want to see the look on her face when Rikku would rather be with me than her. That's all."
"I get it," Gippal said, "You're in the mood to be a rotten son-of-a-bitch."
"Hey, I am a son-of-a-bitch," Tidus just said, his smile growing wider.
"You are such an ass!" Gippal cried, laughing.
"That I am," Tidus said, nodding, "That I am."
-
"Okay Yunie, just one party. We'll just check it out!" Rikku said as the two arrived back at Yuna's house.
"Rikku, you've never wanted to party before!" Yuna cried, "If you want to hang out with Tidus, I'm sure you can do so without going to one of his parties! Besides, he's dangerous! Can't you tell? He has a girlfriend, Rikku!"
Rikku looked at the ground, and she said, "You're right…He does."
"He's a jerk," Yuna continued, "The only person he has interest in is you, and the same with Gippal."
"You think they have interest in me?" Rikku asked, her eyes shining.
"No, they just know that you're an easy prey," Yuna said, although she knew she was being harsh with her cousin.
Rikku's eyes met the ground one more time.
"Look Rikku, I don't mean to be harsh," Yuna said, feeling somewhat bad for what she had just said, "But I don't want you to do something stupid because he's good-looking, alright? I can't deny that he's good-looking. He is. He's incredible. But we have to be realistic."
"No, you're right Yunie," Rikku said, "He's just playing with me, and I know it."
"We can still have a great summer," Yuna said, "How about we go to the beach tomorrow? And don't forget that we're heading off to Besaid in a month!"
Rikku brightened and said, "You're right! I don't need Tidus. Although, I'm not going to lie, I still really want to look at him…"
Yuna laughed and said, "Fine, I'll allow you to look at him. Just make sure he doesn't see you this time."
-
"Dude, that was hardcore!" Gippal said as soon as the two were back in Tidus' car.
"Yeah it was!" Tidus agreed, "One of the better matches we've had all summer!"
"And the summer's still young!" Gippal put in, "Hey, what are you planning on doing tonight if you're not having a party?"
"Watching the Zanarkand game. You?"
"I guess we're going out to dinner or something. Dad got a promotion, so we're celebrating."
"Sounds cool," Tidus said, "Where you going?"
"That little restaurant down from the blitz stadium."
"That's my favorite!" Tidus put in.
"Mine too," Gippal agreed, "So you're just hanging out?"
"Yeah."
"I guess there's not much you can do, since Dona will be gone. How long is she gone for anyway?"
"A couple of weeks, thank Yevon!" Tidus said, "She's so annoying."
"Why do you keep her around then?"
Tidus shrugged and said, "She's good in bed."
"You're such a whore."
"No, she's the whore," Tidus said, shaking his head, "Do you know how many times already this summer I've caught her with another guy in my bed?"
"As many times as she's caught you with another women?"
Tidus laughed and said, "No. I'd say I've caught her with someone else at least three more times than she's caught me."
"So you have a cheating kind of relationship, I already knew that," Gippal said, "So you plan on cheating on her while she's gone?"
"Uh, yeah," Tidus said, as if it was the most obvious thing, "Actually, I plan on dumping her."
"About time," Gippal said, just as the pulled into his driveway.
"I'll see you tomorrow night!" Tidus said.
"Yeah. Hey, you think Rikku and Yuna will show?"
"I know they will," came Tidus' reply, "I'll work on 'em a little more just to be sure though…"
Gippal laughed and said, "Have fun, man."
"You too."
With that, Tidus started toward his own house.