Here's the eighth chapter. As I said before, I decided to add a little more drama. There's still more to come, but right now, I'm taking a break. I don't want to overthink or anything. XD


The three of us girls were at the Luca café again with The Crimson Squad a few tables behind us or whatever. I kept looking towards Gippal who would smile at me. It got me blushing as I kept looking away and giggling softly. Paine shook her head and let out a deep sigh at me. I think she finally realized what was going on with us.

"You know, word gets around fast. One of Gippal's blabber mouth band mates says that you and Gippal are dating," she said to me as she crossed her arms. "You can't date the enemy. I forbid you from seeing him now," she told me with a serious expression.

"It's not your life, Paine!" I rose my voice at her.

"You have a choice. Either you stay here with us and dump your little boyfriend," she started to say to me. "Or you leave the band and become part of their little posse," she scowled when tears welled up into my swirling green eyes.

"Why? Can't I be happy for once?" I said while beginning to cry. "You don't understand how much I love and need him!" I let the tears flow down my cheeks. "I refuse to decide between my friends and my boyfriend right now," I told her when I looked over at Gippal.

I think he could tell I had been crying because he frowned at me. I ran home when he showed up an our later. I looked at him tearily as he sat beside me and held me in his arms. I ended up sobbing hard into his chest for a little bit.

"Lemme guess, Paine found out?" he frowned at me as I nodded.

"She said... she said I had to... choose between... YRP or... or you..."I sobbed more while clinging to his shirt.

"I'm sorry, kiddo..." he looked down at me without knowing what to do. "Maybe you should go with your own band though..." he said, which caused me to stare sadly at him.

"What? No! I can't live without you, Gippal!" I cried even harder when he frowned more. "You promised we wouldn't break up," I told him with tears rolling wildly down my cheeks.

"I did, didn't I? Rikku, I just don't want to be the reason you guys disband," he said to me, and I understood his reasons very much too.

"Please don't leave me... I'm begging you..." I sobbed harder while staring into his one swirling green eye.

Gippal smiled at me as he wiped away my tears. "I won't," he started to kiss me deeply. "Do you think she'd believe us if we broke up?" he suggested to me after pulling away.

"Wait, what?" I blinked at him once I stopped crying.

"I mean, we tell our band mates we broke up, even though we are still together," he said with a soft nod at me.

"I don't think Paine would believe it," I shook my head and frowned.

"Yeah, probably not..." he let out a huge sigh. "I'm not going to break your heart just because of her though," he said as he kissed my lips once more. "I love you, kiddo," he smirked when I giggled happily at him.

"I love you too," I kissed him deeply again while he stroked my cheek softly.

Gippal pulled away and rested his forehead against mine. "How much?" he asked with his usually smug grin.

"More than life itself, that's for sure!" I giggled at him as he kissed me once more.

"Me too," he nodded after parting his lips from mine. "I don't want to lose you, kiddo. I really don't," he said when I noticed him holding back his tears in front of me.

"Geez. Aren't you being a big tough guy?" I teased him as he started to laugh.

"I'm being serious though. You mean so much to me, and I've never been happier being with you right now too," he said before kissing me deeply again and again.

"Aw, you're so sweet!" I blushed madly as I snuggled close to him again.

"Only for Cid's little girl," he smirked when I growled and angrily hit his shoulders. "You're so cute once you get mad," he laughed loudly as he grabbed my cheeks and kissed me.

"I did that on purpose, you big meanie!" I scowled at him and crossed my arms.

"What, the kiss?" he asked while teasing me.

"No, calling me Cid's little girl!" I told him as he looked into my eyes. "Oh, I just can't stay mad at you anymore!" I said out of defeat as I kissed him again.

"Don't worry about Paine. You and I will always be together no matter what happens," he pressed his lips against mine.

I nodded and returned his kiss deeply again. I really couldn't stand the idea of losing him. I didn't care what Paine thought anymore. She didn't even have the authority to kick me out. I wasn't going to listen to her now. Maybe soon she would see how happy we were. I really hoped she would because I wasn't going to lose my boyfriend or my friends.

I rested my head against his chest as he held me close. This is just what I wanted more than anything. I wanted to spend the rest of with him, and I thought of marrying him as well. I still didn't want to take things too fast. I just knew we belonged together though, and no one should get in the way of that.

"It would be hard to pretend you and I broke up," I said to him.

"I know, kiddo," he said as he kissed my forehead and smiled down at me. "Don't worry about it anymore though either. Nothing is going to happen to us," he lifted my chin and softly kissed my lips.

"I'm so glad we're together. It feels as if we were made for each other," I told him when my cheeks flushed red.

"I agree," he nodded and kissed me again.

This must be what true love feels like because I know this is it. We are truly in love, and I would no longer let anyone get in the way of that either. I really couldn't stand losing him in my life.