Sahrah: This chapter is still RAW. It has not been edited, but I couldn't keep you guys waiting a SECOND longer, so HERE IT IS! CHAPTER 11! BE JOYFUL! Before we start, I want to apologize profusely for the two-month hiatus. The first month of school is always really hard for me, and then October I was stressed out over a bunch of things. But I'm okay now! And happy Hallowe—
Squall: Sahrah, Halloween is over. It's almost Thanksgiving.
Sahrah: …Oh. Well. Okay. I own nothing but plushies and creepy fangirl shrines. (What!?) Yuna's point of view.
Chapter 11: One Love, One Lifetime
A month passed. Marza never had a funeral; it seems as though no one in her family spoke to her, except Ray when he needed something.
Speaking of Ray…. With no where else to go, he committed suicide the night he murdered his sister. He jumped off the roof of the dorm building; he left no suicide note.
Finally,finally, summer came, and we all left the dreary campus and its memories, at least for the two month vacation. Raine went with Squall to Besaid to meet his parents, promising to come to Bevelle in July. Squall had healed fine from his injury, as had Rikku and Baralai. In fact, everyone had healed up nicely.
Even a month after the events in the slaughterhouse… the shadow of words spoken there ring in my head, throbbing, nearly painful. They are… Marza loved Tidus.
How does one handle such a thing?! I know he never cheated on me. He never would. But still… even if you don't act on certain feelings, they're still there… aren't they?
Every time I'd think about it, I'd shudder and shake my head. Out of all the things that had ever crossed my mind, this was by far the most irritating and recurring. But I promised myself I'd never ask him about it. My father once told me that some things are better left unsaid. I believe him.
The two hour drive home passed quickly, with our laughing and joking. Gippal and Rikku's show (The Phantom of the Opera) would be premiering at the beginning of July (of course Rikku was playing the lead Christine, and Gippal was playing the lead role of the Phantom) and everyone was in high spirits.
"Yuna?" Tidus's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
"Ah? What?"
"We're home," he grinned, pulling me out of the car in Rikku's driveway and lifting me bridal-style, running across the street and laughing as Rikku and Lenne laughed and Shuyin and Wakka yelled about carrying bags and Gippal dug for his own belongings and everyone else laughed hysterically. It almost felt like nothing had changed from our high school day for a moment, until Emma woke up and began to cry.
That was one thing that had changed. And of course, my braid was long gone as well, although Rikku promised to buy me an extension on my birthday.
Time passed, and finally Rikku and Gippal's show was opening. We all got dressed up nicely, Emma was left with a babysitter, and we departed.
"Watch out for the chandelier," warned Rikku with a smirk.
"What chandelier?" I blinked.
"You'll see," she replied and disappeared into the "Staff Only" entrance to the theatre. We all found our front row seats and sat down, and in minutes, the lights dimmed and some ominous voice asked for all cell phones to be silenced and all food to be put away. With no further ado, the lights dimmed and the curtain rose. A short scene about an auction started the show, and it ended with a huge sheet being pulled off of the chandelier, filling the room with such a bright light that everyone had to look away quickly.
The entire theatre burst into sound, the overture making everyone jump, the scene changing rapidly, and the dramatic opening song ending with a high note sung by a full-of-herself soprano. The real story would begin here.
We watched as Rikku played the part of Christine Daae, an orphaned girl who lived and danced at an opera house. She loves to sing, and receives vocal guidance from a mysterious person known only as "The Opera Ghost" or "The Phantom of the Opera." She falls in love with her childhood friend, Raul, as the Phantom (played by Gippal) falls in love with her.
My favorite song was probably the "All I Ask Of You" piece, a duet with Christine and Raul (the person who played Raul, whoever he was, was very good). The song was romantic and beautiful, and sad when the Phantom, who trusts only Christine, feels betrayed and utterly alone. He picks up the rose that she had dropped in the snow and sings a mournful refrain of "I gave you my music… made your song take wing, and now, how you've repaid me… Denied me, and betrayed me? He was bound to love you when he heard you sing… Christine… oh, Christine…"
It was even more powerful when he cries and then gets angry, finishing with "You will curse the day you did not do all that the Phantom asked of you!" With an evil laugh, he declares "war" on the couple, and the chandelier flies down, through the audience, and supposedly crashes onto the stage of the opera house.
The crashing light fixture came out of nowhere and scared the hell out of all of us… so I guess that's what Rikku was warning me about.
Tidus's Point of View
So we didn't watch out for the stupid chandelier. In the closing scene of Act I, the chandelier flew through the audience so closely that we felt the gust of wind it left behind. Yuna muffled a yelp as it swung, and onstage, "Christine" screamed, falling to her knees as the "Phantom" laughed and spelled out the doom of the opera house.
At intermission, everyone took a bathroom break or went for a snack, so Yuna and I stayed behind. She was humming "All I Ask Of You" and staring contentedly at the red curtain with peaceful miss-matched eyes. I leaned over and whispered in her ear.
"Anywhere you go, let me go too… Yuna, that's all I ask of you."
She turned and smiled sweetly, kissed me, and said, "Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime. Say the word, and I will follow you…"
I leaned in to kiss her again, but the lights began to flash, signaling the end of intermission. Our friends came back and sat down as the lights dimmed again and Act II began with "Masquerade."
Yuna's Point of View
When the show was over, all the actors came out for their bows. Of course, a massive standing ovation was in order. The cast bowed and the curtain closed. We were gathering our things up, ready to wait for Rikku and Gippal behind the theatre, when the curtain rose abruptly and everyone froze.
The actors were mostly off of the stage, removing makeup and wigs and shoes. Gippal had his "Phantom" mask and makeup removed, and Rikku had removed her brunette wig and was fixing her blonde hair. Her head shot up as she looked at the audience, her swirly green eyes full of panic. Her mouth was moving, but her mike had already been turned off. Gippal was smirking.
All of the remaining actors ran offstage, but Gippal caught Rikku's hand and made her stay. When she looked at him with questioning eyes, he reached into the pocket of his costume and pulled out a little black velvet jewelry box. He got down on one knee, and Rikku's hands flew to her flushed cheeks. Into the mike that was still on, Gippal asked her:
"Will you marry me?"
The audience was dead silent. Slowly at first, and then much faster, Rikku nodded. 'Yes', she nodded. 'Yes, I will marry you.'
Then, the crowd, us included, began cheering even louder than before as Rikku threw her arms around her fiancée. Backstage, more cheering erupted as the curtain closed one last time.
End of chapter 11
…no, not REALLY! Just having a bit of fun! …Sorry. Read on.
Rikku's Point Of View
I had totally not seen that one coming. The show was over; I wiped off my makeup, and took off the itchy brown wig. Then suddenly, BAM! Oh poopie, the curtain's up. What the hell is our stage manager doing!?
And then…. Then! Gippal's asking me to marry him in front of, like, the whole world! Holy crap!
"Yes!" I whispered at last, hugging him. "Of course!"
He grinned at me and slipped the ring onto my finger. The rock wasn't that bug, but for me, it sparkled more than the biggest diamond Spira had to offer.
Yuna's Point of View
I couldn't believe it! The most romantic proposal ever executed, and it happened to my very own cousin! I'll admit, I was a bit jealous. And I still had my secret fear about Marza and Tidus. (A/N: Whaat? Get over it, Yuna.) Paranoid much? Of course.
But even an irrational feeling is still a feeling, and an important one. Maybe an irrational feeling is even more important because it's so powerful.
As the curtains closed, I made a choice. I wanted to know. I needed to know. That night, I would ask him.
However, as quickly as it had come, my nerve was gone, and July came, as did Squall and Raine. Raine brought stories of skiing, snowboarding, her younger sister Sahrah, and interesting encounters with local heartbreakers.
One night, when Rikku, Lenne, Shuyin (who was at Lenne's parent's house with his wife and daughter), Paine, Lulu, Wakka, Gippal, and Baralai were at their homes, and Squall and Tidus were shopping for something (they said it was a secret; I said they were acting like girls). I was sitting in the kitchen talking to Raine, who was staying as our guest at Jecht's house. I told her about my long-held insecurities (she's a great listener) and I told her I was a little scared.
Raine has surprisingly excellent and mature insight that doesn't match her usually hyper personality. She says she an analyst—a person who can naturally read and translate body language.
"You need to tell him how you feel," Raine said, sipping her Dr. Pepper, wrinkling her nose as the bubbles tickled her face. "'Cuz he loves you, and he won't get mad. He wants to make you happy. He always has."
I laughed. "How did you get so smart, Raine?"
"Well, if I can't read maps, at least I can read people," she shrugged.
"Fair enough. Any idea where the guys went shopping?"
She snorted. "Tch, NO, and Squall totally clammed up and wouldn't tell me."
"…You mean… he clammed up more than usual?" I raised an eyebrow, and Raine giggled.
"Shut up! I don't rag on your boyfriend." She grinned good-naturedly.
I chuckled. "Good point."
Soon, the guys returned, although it was 10:00 at night and already dark. Raine and Squall went up to Shuyin's old room, which was now used as a guest room.
"So, what did you buy?" I asked Tidus, nodded at the bag in his hand.
"Nothing really."
"So you're holding a bag full of nothing."
Tidus laughed. "Come on, nosy, let's go upstairs." He led the way, and I closed the door behind us, turning on the CD player. During 'The Phantom of the Opera' we had brought a soundtrack, and I loved to listen to it. All the music was so powerful. I played 'All I Ask Of You' which was still my favorite.
No more talk of darkness,
Forget these wide-eyed fears
I'm here, nothing can harm you
My words will warm and calm you
I hummed along, closing my eyes and swaying. Tidus slipped his arms around my waist and swayed with me, pressing his lips to my neck. I reached back and ruffled his blonde hair, still humming.
Let me be your freedom,
let daylight dry your tears.
I'm here with you, beside you,
To guard you and to guide you...
Say you love me every waking moment,
Turn my head with talk of summertime...
Say you need me with you now and always...
Promise me that all you say is true
That's all I ask of you
"I love you every waking moment," Tidus whispered. "I need you with me now and always."
"Cheese ball," I laughed.
"What? The music told me to."
Let me be your shelter
Let me be your light
You're safe, No one will find you
Your fears are far behind you...
I laughed inwardly. My fears were not far behind me; no, they were right in front of me. They were a girl who'd known Tidus for less than two days, and they were a girl that was already dead. And still, they oppressed me.
All I want is freedom,
A world with no more night
And you, always beside me, to hold me and to hide me...
I stifled another low laugh. Freedom? Oh, the doubt was killing me. It was almost as painful and stupefying as it had been in high school. Was I still so weak that I doubted our love? 'Yes' I told myself. 'You are.'
Then say you'll share with me
One love, one lifetime
'Christine is a lucky girl,' I thought, still swaying with Tidus. 'She is so sure of her love… What am I doing!? I'm the one who's ruining it.'
Let me lead you from your solitude
Say you need me with you here, beside you...
I began to cry.
Anywhere you go, let me go too
Christine, that's all I ask of you...
Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime...
Say the word and I will follow you...
Tidus stopped swaying and turned me around. I kept crying.
Share each day with me,
Each night, each morning...
Say you love me...
You know I do...
"Yuna?" he asked worriedly. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"
"No," I whispered through my sobs. "I'm not!"
Love me - that's all I ask of you
I sat down on the bed, and Tidus knelt at it, wiping my tears with a pained expression. He was worried, of course, and I was ruining everything.
"What's wrong, Yuna?"
"I… I don't… I'm sorry! I'm ruining everything! Ever since Marza… I've been thinking that you loved her! And she loved, you, and I… oh, I don't know!" I cried even harder, hiding my ashamed face in my hands. Gently, Tidus lifted my head away from my hands.
"I could have loved Marza. There's no doubt. But the fact is, I never loved Marza. That whole time you were trapped, I could think of only you. You are my life, Yuna. I know it sounds cheesy, but that's the truth."
Anywhere you go, let me go too
"I'm sorry," I cried, "I know I'm being stupid."
"It's not stupid to feel the way you feel, Yuna! That's never stupid. It's just… Marza was so much like you. That's why I was attracted to her. But that thought crossed my mind for less than a split second. I could never love anyone the way I love you. I love you, and I promise that I will never hurt you. At least, not intentionally."
I smiled through the tears. "Thank you," my voice cracked, and I hugged him. I was dangling my legs over the side of the bed, and he was kneeling on the floor, so I sort of hugged his head, but it was still a hug.
Love me - that's all I ask of you...
Silently, the CD player turned off and my tears dried on my cheeks. Raine had been right—I just needed to communicate. So then Tidus decided to communicate more.
He reached into the bag he'd brought home earlier and pulled something out, something I couldn't see.
"I know almost everything about you… but there were still some things I'd been missing. I remembered your ring size is seven, your favorite color is red, and you like Skittles for a lot of different reasons. You're an only child, and you love moogles. You like to sing, and you sing Soprano 1. Your best subject in high school was math. Your favorite book is 'Where The Heart Is'."
I nodded. "Yeah, those things are all true."
"I know everything about you, Yuna. I love everything about you. I always have. Do you still love me as much as you did in high school?"
I smiled. "No, Tidus, I don't. I love you even more than I did when we were in school. I know your favorite color is blue, and you like to mix whipped cream with your soda. You have a twin brother, and you like chocobos. You don't like to sing, but if you did, you'd be a Tenor voice part. Your best subject in school was Physical Education. Your favorite book is 'Angels and Demons.'"
"Yes," he said softly. "That's all true. So… Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime?" I tilted my head as he revealed to me what he had bought that day. "I remember that I was going to ask you after we graduated college, but I don't want to wait any more. Besides, we don't actually have to have the ceremony until we're ready. What do you say?"
A ring. An engagement ring. It was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen in my entire life. It was also the most terrifying. In my head, this had happened a million times, and in a million different ways. But when it's real, it's almost overwhelming. My voice caught in my throat, and I couldn't speak. I swallowed, extended my hand, and was about to answer.
Then, the door burst open, and Raine exclaimed, "Hey, Yuna, where are the… clean… towels…" Raine blinked fiercely and slammed the door shut. I laughed a bit, and Tidus blushed, apparently getting hit with the same emotional shock as I had been.
I smiled, and kissed him. "I love you, Tidus. I want to spend forever with you."
He slipped the ring onto my finger and smiled back. "I'll make you happy, Yuna."
I laughed. "Oh, Tidus. You already have!"
Sahrah: Okay, the REAL end of chapter 11. I WILL DEFINITELY UPDATE TWICE THIS MONTH. NAG ME LIKE CRAZY PEOPLE, PLEASE. Ahem. Now then, I have some dedications I'd like to make. If you have ever read, commented, or had anything to do with this story and you're still reading it and being patient with me, this chapter was all you, baby! Also, I'd like to tell you all that my AIM screen name is still YunieIsOnFire, and my deviantART name is DirgeofSorrow, and I love to hear you guys talk to me. I promise I won't be creeped out. Okay, well, next chapter is a bit of a timeskip, but it is still a chapter. There are… lets say… two more chapters and an epilogue to go. I also want to thank everyone; A Leap of Faith was done on a whim and has turned into something so fantastic for me, I can't even thank any of you enough. But more on that next time. Until then, eat waffles!
Squall: What, you're not going to tell them to review? ...Whatever. I'll do it. Press the review button. Type something nice. See you soon.