Disclaimer: I do not own FF or the characters for that matter.
Chapter 9: That man she gestured only as a stranger.
"It's been a very long time…" she said watching as leaves descends. "How many years has it been now?"
"Seven years," he said.
Tifa looked back at Squall smiling. Nevertheless, her smile faded as she noticed something in his eyes. "Squall, what happened to-"
"It's nothing." He said, turning away.
Tifa sighed. Squall could feel her body leaned on him. He glanced at her in the corner of his eye to see Tifa crossed her arms with her back on his.
"You know," Tifa began, "You always so distant with the other orphans." At this point, Tifa sighed. "You're no better than a certain blond I know."
"Cloud?"
"Yeah," Tifa said.
Tifa did not pursued more; she knew well that the only point talking to him was when she does not have any walls to talk to. Therefore, when she did say anything, there was a silence.
"Tifa," he said.
"Hmm?" Tifa gave him her full attention. Knowing Squall, when he ask a question, it might as well as important as talking about the oblivion of humankind.
"Did you remember… making a promise to someone?"
'well… that was unexpected,' Tifa said awkwardly to her mind. "Yeah, but…" she stopped, eyes lingered to the bed of bright flowers beside the tree. It was full of bright colored flowers, in many kinds and many Adour. How something so beautiful could hold a fathom memory? "…I guess it was just a child's fairytale."
"Just… a fairytale?"
"Well yeah I mean, we were merely children then… children who lost our parents." She said sadly, "It's just normal for us to have fake fantasies and made up promises just to keep our faith up."
Tifa felt Squall's weight slightly shifted to her back. "It's like…" He said, 'Oh, here it comes' Tifa predicted, rolling her eyes, "…you're talking to a wall." Squall said.
"Yeah, though, you're pretty much a wall anyway." Tifa joked.
"What-"
"-ever." Tifa laughed.
"You remind me of Quistis."Squall groaned.
"Yeah, I guess," she said, remembering the blond figure. "I miss her. Wonder what happen to her though."
"She's in Radiant."
"What?"
"She's an instructor there."
"How do you know?"
"Because," Squall hesitates for a moment, "I'm the Commander there."
"You what?!" Tifa exclaimed. She stood up suddenly, almost toppling Squall. "But you're 17!"
"I know."
Tifa now stared into his grey eyes that impaled with somewhat blue glow. "What else that I don't know?"
"Irvine, Selphie and Seifer are also in Radiant."
Tifa sighed. "Why didn't I hear this from Cloud OR Zack?"
Squall shrugged.
Tifa sat down in the grass but hiss as her legs pricked pain. "What happened to your legs?" Squall asked.
Tifa stared at him in disbelief. "The Squall Leonhart, caring about other people?"
Squall rolled his eyes then sat next to Tifa. They sat there in silence.
Tifa fell into a distant memory.
She pressed the piano keys smartly, the piano piece by Julia Heartily sounds so sweet in the summer air of the small cottage.
The sounds of crashing waves accompany the piano piece that rang in Edea's orphanage. The other children were outside, planning a firework that they intend to light up that night.
Then, she heard a sob then turn sharply around. There, a boy with brown short brown hair stared at her with tear stained eyes. He wore aorange shirt and blue cargoes. "What's wrong?"
"I can't find sis." he choked out
"Let's find her together," the 5-year-old Tifa told Squall. They went outside. "You look over there."
When Squall had run off the other direction, Tifa could've sworn she heard a soft piano sonata.
Squall watches as the leaves fell down. He felt so much open for some reason.
He rushes into the children's room. There, playing the piano, he saw Tifa played the song before. "Tifa, Tifa!" he said, "I saw a man with strange scar on his forehead. He had a dangerous weapon with him too!"
The girl turned around. She smiled.
He sighed again. "If we made a promise when we were children," he began, "Does that mean the promise was a fake?"
"Well, depends on that person I suppose." Tifa said. "Like I said, it was a child's play, a mare game played by naïve children." She said.
Then Tifa stood up. "Well, I'll be going now…" she said.
"Oh, okay," he said, somewhat disappointed.
He then walks off. "Oh wait." Tifa called.
He looked hopeful at her. She took out her cell phone. "Can I have Quistis's number?" she asked.
"I don't have her number."
"Then I'll have your's." she said. "Maybe we should hang out sometimes," she said, offering a smile. "You know, when you're not on missions or something."
Squall turned then crossed his arms. "Squall, your number." Tifa remind him.
"I…" Squall began. "Left my cell phone at my dorm." He said, embarrassment waft in his cold voice.
Tifa cackled.
XOXOXO
Cloud stared at the couple. It felt weird; Squall never talk to anyone without importance, let alone going out with someone.
He saw Tifa walking away from Squall. He decides to follow her; Something about Squall he do not like.
XOXOXOX
"Sensei!"
Zangan turned. He quickly swerved an attack by one of his students. "Ah Tifa," he said, avoiding another attack to his head, "How's your fever?" he asked, side stepping aside to avoid her punch.
"It's okay now, after dinking the cra- I mean medicine." Tifa said, sitting on a leather chair.
"That's good," Zangan said again, and then he attack to the poor girl's stomach, making her fell on her back. "Okay, Xu, that's all for now."
Xu stood up then bowed, her slick medium black hair fell to her side. "Hey Tifa," walking towards her.
"Hey Xu, ouch, that's gotta hurt." TIfa said, examining Xu's bruise on the torso.
"It's okay I guess."
"Hey, you're in Radiant Garden ne?"
"Yeah, why?" she asked, taking a towel from her bag.
"Why didn't you tell me that Squall's your commander?" she moaned.
"You know the guy? I didn't know you're interested in si-"
"It's not like that!" Tifa said, blushing a little. "Squall is just… a childhood friend."
"I see. Well," she began. "I don't really know the guy, even though I'm his assistant." She said, frowning at her.
"Well, he IS not a much of a chattery companion" Tifa said. "Do you know his phone number?
Xu glanced at her with her dark jade eyes. "No, the guy's always got excuses to avoid just that. Honestly" she chuckled, "I don't even know WHY he had one. Barely anyone knows the phone exists."
Tifa sighed in disappointment. "I miss Quistis."
"Oh god," she said, turning in surprise. "You know Ms. Trape?"
"Yeah," she said awkwardly, "Why?"
"She's so popular!" Xu said, her face dreamlike. "She even have a fan club; the Trapies."
"The what?" Tifa giggled.
"Yeah I know." Xu said. "Well, I'll be going now. Oh yeah," she exclaimed, ramming into her bag. "If you want to see him, go to the GUARDIAN graduation ball. Here, you can take this," she handed her a card with a strange symbol on it, "I'll let them know that you'll come as a guest."
"Thanks."
When Xu walked out of the Dojo, she hit someone. She muttered a sorry then walked off the Dojo. Cloud walked into the Dojo, his face serious, starring into Tifa's slight crimson eyes.
XOXOX
"Why didn't you tell me about Squall!" Tifa said.
"Why do you want to know?" Cloud asked her.
"What do you mean?" Tifa asked incredulously, "He's OUR childhood friend including Seifer and the others."
They were in a park which surrounded by three apartments, Tifa's included, where her's in the second floor in the middle. She put her hands to her waist, glaring at Cloud.
Maybe it was because Cloud and Squall always fight with sticks when they were little.
He did not answer. There were silence between them then Tifa sighed. "It doesn't matter," she said, "I'm going to meet them at the ball anyway."
She sat below a tree, gazing up at a water tower on the roof of the apartment. "Can you…" Cloud began, "Not go to that ball?"
Tifa stared at him, with wide eyes. "What are you getting at? It's like you really DON'T want me to go there."
"Tifa, the guy's trouble" Cloud said, his voice serious but hesitated for a moment. "He-He killed many people through his missions."
"And what does that makes YOU?" Tifa bellowed, clearly angry.
She stood up and was inches from him. "I just… don't want you to get hurt." He said, turning away.
"Cloud, I'm a big girl okay? Unless you're blind, I am capable of taking care of myself. " Tifa knew he was just being protective but this is way over from normal.
Cloud stays silent. "What about Zack?" asked Cloud, trying to change the subject.
"What about him?"
"You know how Zack with girls he could-"
"Cloud! I can't believe you would say something like that about your best friend! And with just that stupid rumor!" Tifa exclaimed. Zack had been accused for raping and sex; nearly everyone believed that rumor, in accaunt of Zack's flirty behavior towards woman. Tifa was one of the people who do not believe it.
Tifa turned then sighed. "Is this… about that promise we made?"
When Tifa want to move away seven years ago, Tifa made him promise to take care of her if she was in danger. They made that promise on the water tower in the middle of the orphanage.
"I'm just saying that you shouldn't go around and hang out with guys," Cloud said sternly, "Do you remember when you were-"he stopped in the middle of his sentences.
Tifa shivered. Now her eyes stained with tears that she try her best not to flow. She felt anger now. She turned towards him. "So I'm not 'allowed' to hang out with you anymore, is that it? And where do you put Aerith then Cloud?"
"Tifa, it's not like that! Tifa!"
Tifa ignored him then grabbed her bag then ran to her apartment. Cloud could even hear her slamming the door. Cloud stared at her window. Somehow, he felt déjà vu; He could see a little girl starring towards the sky, singing a wonderful tune. The window was always open with white smoky curtain from the girl's room of the orphanage.
Now, the window slammed shut then the curtain was black. He sighed. 'What have I done…?'
The man sat on the water tower, illuminant eyes glowed in the shadows of the sun. His eyes narrowed, watching the whole scene. 'Idiot, now it's going to be complicated'. The mysterious man said.
Okay, I'm finally putting my fingers down now. Heh, my longest chapter yet! Okay the conversation between Cloud and Tifa was completely stupid so ignore that… the important thing is, that ya'll know that Tifa currently hates Cloud, hurting him including herself. Dun't worry, it'll wear off. XDOkay, until next chapter everyone! Oh, and keep the reviews going!!