Haha, thanks for the epic increase in reviews for the story. XD
Well, so I promised some drama, so I decided to put some in here. Though it won't seem like much, it'll probably become a regular part of the story.
(BTW, if you like Stella Nox Fleuret, please forgive me)
It's been nearly a week since our agreement. And I think the work is paying off pretty well, if I do say so myself. Noctis told me a lot of girls haven't been following him at all, but the downside, however, is that they've all started to target me. Back off, Farron. Why would he choose you? If only I was you for a day... I'm starting to notice how he feels. Gosh, I do feel bad for him.
Well, enough of that.
So I woke up on a Saturday morning to the sound of an alarm. No, I do not like waking up on weekends. It was no alarm, just the sound of my phone ringing horribly. Groaning under my warm sheets, I reached over to my bedside table and snatched the obnoxious device. My tiredness didn't even allow me to check my caller ID.
"Nnnnnnhhhgggghhh... Hello?" I answered weakly, without even bothering to open my eyes.
I was instantly greeted by a deafeningly loud voice. "Light! Wake up! Come to the mall today! We're waiting!" Ugh, Vanille.
Looking for some excuse, I stared around my room.
"...Vanille, it's eleven in the morning, it's too early..." I really hoped that worked.
"Early? You're kidding me, right? We're already buying lunch for you guys!" Guys?
"...Um, what do you mean, guys?" Yawning loudly, I stretched my arms quick, hoping for some answer.
"Um, you and Noctis, duh. Aren't you dating him? Don't tell me no-"
"I am not dating him. I hate him, remember?" All I could hear was a round of stifled giggling.
"Suuuuurre. I'm with Laris, Serah, and Snow right now, so you might as well go with Noctis as a couple!" Her chirpy voice annoyed me to hell at the moment. I swear, that squeaky voice isn't something I'd like to wake up to. And Serah left me? That little...
"...Oh, and we'll be watching Nightmare at Felix Heights. Y'know, that slasher flick with the machine with claws? What was it... Oh yeah! Those machines called Orions."
...I've been dying to watch that movie. Especially since I loved the original Nightmare at Felix Heights. Heh, the Orion was such an awesome machine.
"...Alright, I'm going. But I'm only bringing Noctis because I don't plan on being the third wheel." There was a squeal of approval over the line, and she hung up. I lay in bed thinking.
...Would this be my first 'date'?
"...Oh hell no. I not going to the mall to watch a cheesy gore flick. Besides, I'll probably get trampled by some girls from school." I sat in front of my television, phone to ear, switching the channels.
"C'mon! That's what I'm here for, remember! And I really don't want to be a third wheel. So, 'mon!" The phone gave off a screeching feedback from the volume of her voice. I separated the device from my face for a few seconds, the noise still emanating from it.
"Besides, didn't I do you a favor? Now it's your turn. Get dressed, and pick me up so we can head to the mall." Her tone was furious, but...she had a point. Oh, how I hate it when I'm wrong.
"...Fine. Lemme get dressed, then I'll go pick you up. By the way, you never told me your address."
She hesitated for a while. "...1768 Silicon Lane, Bodhum Commercial District."
"Okay then." Immediately after, she hung up. Oh, I was delighted to go to the mall...
I sat on the bench outside my house, waiting for Noctis and anxiously staring down at my watch. Where is he...
My attention was snatched by a black sedan that strode up in front of my house. Fancy, even for this district.
The sedan's tinted window rolled down and a familiar, slightly bruised face revealed itself. "...Why are you still staring? Get inside if you want to head to the mall already." So he did show up.
I scoffed to myself and rolling my eyes, I swung open the passenger door and stuck a booted foot inside his vehicle. As soon I was in, I closed the door behind me and put the safety belt around me, I fell quiet in my seat. My eyes darted all over the neat-looking car, which smelled oddly like clean soap.
"...So, what's the deal with you and the mall anyway?" He asked me, not trying to look away from the road.
"Well...Vanille called me this morning, wanted me to go to the mall. I said no, she said yes. She said couples were there, I said I'd be a third wheel. She said I should bring you, I asked why. She said we were dating, I said hell no-"
"J-Just get to the point before I accidentally crash this car." I gave him a nervous, crazed look as he swept back his cobalt locks.
"Basically, they're off to watch Nightmare at Felix Heights, and I don't want to waste this. Besides, if I don't go, Vanille will pummel me for not getting my ass out the door again, and if you didn't go with me, I'd be a third wheel." I seemed so smug at my response, I felt his glare, even though his eyes were straight onto the sunny Bodhum roads.
"...So I'm just here to make sure you don't feel left out? Alright, this car is turning around."
Before his hand even got enough blood to move the wheel, I slapped his hand off, making the car skid to a halt at a red light.
"What the hell!"
"Hey, you owe me a favor, remember?" My eyebrow cocked at him through my strawberry strands. He finally had the willpower to at least turn his head to look at me.
"...Fine. We'll be at the mall in about two or three minutes." I did a mental happy dance and calmed down.
It was such a breezy noon, yet all she wore was a typical, cream-colored vest with a belt right under her chest, a sleeveless sweater under that, and an extremely short- in my opinion -miniskirt that failed to make her look like a slut. And some typical leather, 'rocker' boots. And some mesh gloves. And a dark pink scarf. Wow.
And she still doesn't seem unscathed by the cold autumn breeze.
As for me, a bright blue v-neck under a leather jacket the same color as my hair. Slightly large slim black jeans that I never really bother to pull up. And a pair of navy blue deck shoes. Well warm, huh?
After hearing my sedan beep and lock in our parking spot, I decided to catch up, since she was nearly almost out of the parking lot. Her and her swiftness. Now I know why they call her Lightning. Woo...
"Hey loverboy! Might wanna hurry it up before anyone attacks you!" I growled slightly at her witty insult as I sped up next to her.
"Shut it, or you'll be stuck here." She automatically stopped. It feels so good to be in control.
Watching her roll her steel blue eyes, she fished a ringing phone out of her pocket. Must be Vanille, judging by her sour mood and bickering.
As soon as the pink-haired terror closed the phone, I expected the worst. Of course. "We've gotta go. Vanille said they're going into the theatre soon. C'mon!" Before I could even get a word out, Lightning had already yanked my sleeve and was dragging across the parking lot concrete. Goddamn, this girl has strength.
"Lightning! You're here! And you brought Noctis with you! How nice!" Oh my god, does Vanille literally have to make everything she says so happy? I'm amazed at how Lightning's been able to keep up with this... "So Noctis, you came! Wow, you two look absolutely adorable together!" Did she squeal? I think she just squealed. All I could do was blush and look in some other direction. I'm guessing Lightning did the same.
"C'mon, let's go!" My eye reverted back to Vanille, where Laris stood behind her, giving thumbs up signals. Behind him was another girl, who looked smaller but had the same pink hair as Lightning. Sister? Then a taller man- most likely the tallest out of all of us -with ruffled blond hair and some stubble.
"Dude. Noctis. What are you staring at?" I shook my head as Laris put a hand on my shoulder. "Man, you really need a girl..."
So I was mentally doing a happy dance as we trudged up the carpeted stairs of the dimmed auditorium. It was if Noctis didn't even exist at the moment. But he does. Enough of that. We took our seats, in couple form if you will. Serah and Snow first, then Vanille and Laris. Then us.
"...You go first, Noctis."
"Me? No. I'll be a gentleman. Ladies first." My eyes glowered at his reverse psychological move and just crossed my arms and walked. We just had to be the center of attention once we sat down. All heads were turned to me, with their some snickering and giggling going on.
"...What?" I turned over to Noctis, who was nearly slumped over in his seat, his eyes serenely closed.
"...Your date is already asleep." Vanille giggled at me as I turned back to Noctis. Damn, he is sleepy.
My hands crept up to his chest and landed a light poke. Nope, no movement. "Noctis, wake up." Still no activity. "Hey, Noctis. Wake up." Still no movement. "Yoohoo...? Noctis, wake up!" Goddamn, this man is such a heavy sleeper. Maybe drastic measures were needed to be taken...
So I strung my hand across his face.
I nearly jumped out of my seat as Noctis screamed and shook awake. "...What the fuck! That hurt! Why the hell did you do that?!"
I swear not only did our friends turn around, but also the people around us.
"You guys might wanna tone it down, or else we're outta here..." I rolled my eyes at my orange-headed friend and slumped back down in my seat. The feature film was finally starting.
It's about, I dunno, maybe ten or twelve minutes into the film when I hear light snoring beside me. Ugh, Noctis...
"Noctis, wake up before I slap you again." My eyes narrowed into slits as the blue-haired man grumbled and pouted in his sleep, mumbling obscenities. "Noctis...wake up. Now." Is it really normal to sleep all the time? Grunting to myself, my hand slashed through his other cheek out of instinct.
"AAAAH!!! What the fuck, Lightning!" He snapped open again, rubbing his cheek furiously.
"Noctis, we're here to watch a movie, not sleep on it." As I shot daggers at him, I could hear the frustrated murmurs from around our row, behind us, and in front of us. Even Vanille was worried, by the way she and the others were giving me weird looks.
Keeping myself from having a tantrum, I shut up and slumped back in my seat, not even getting excited by the sight of an Orion slashing through a woman's body. I could still hear Noctis groaning about his cheeks. Damn right.
As I watch the Orion creep up behind another victim, a man in an usher's uniform stepped up to our row. Dammit, we're in trouble.
"Ma'am, the one with the pink hair. Our patrons would like for and your partner to leave the auditorium. It is to our best wishes that you comply."
...What the hell.
"Ugh... Fine." Out of rage, I stand up and go stride out of the auditorium, but unfortunately, Noctis' stretched out legs cause my own to twist. So I trip. And end up on top of him. Vanille and the rest of the gang are stuck staring and wondering as face turns a deep shade of red. Of course, when I'm, like, I dunno...three inches away from his face.
For a moment, our eyes lock. Deep golden amber meeting with bright sky blue. He looked so...enticing? "...Um... I'll should get off." Trying to retain my failing composure, I stepped off and stomped my way down the carpeted stairway, leaving a confused Noctis and the rest of my friends half-worried and half-excited. Ugh.
So I'm pretty screwed for just getting both of us kicked out of the auditorium, where one of her beloved classics was currently playing. Never she was such a slasher chick... Anyway, I speed up on my search, since I really don't plan on attracting anyone. Especially with the red marks on my cheeks. Dammit, Lightning...
"Lightning?" Her flushed pink face looks up from a bench outside the theatre. "Lightning, I'm sorry..." She gave me a heated look and looked away, crossing her arms in a defiant way.
"Go away. I hate you. Deal's off."
The most dreaded words I never wanted to ever hear at the moment. "B-But... Lightning, please forgive me! I promise I'll take you some other time to watch it- that is, if we're not marked as restricted yet... But please?" I was almost tempted to do a puppy-eyed pout, but that's gonna ruin my image.
"Hell no. Now go away before I slap you again." Now she is such a tough cookie. What if... My eyes wandered around the mall from where we sat. Eternally 21? No. Of course, she's not gonna like girly clothing. Illuminations? Nah, I don't think she'd be that interested in looking for scented candles. Huh. Think normal, casual... Skybucks?
"...I'll buy you a latte."
"Huh?" That certainly caught her attention. Obviously, judging by the way her hair flipped as her face turned so quickly.
"Yeah, latte. Is there something wrong?"
"Um. No-"
"Then c'mon!" Almost without thinking, I stood up and pulled her off the bench, where I led her over to the Skybucks cafe. It was surprising that I felt no restraint, and soon, it looked as if we were both walking over to the cafe, hand in hand.
"So what'd you like?" He asked me as I sat down in a chair inside the mellow cafe. The table where we were was well polished, topped with a napkin dispenser, cocoa powder and cinnamon containers. The walls were a deep olive green, with similar wooden shelf decorated with floodlights and coffee pots. There were paintings of coffee beans and sacks on the walls.
"Lightning? You okay?" I snapped out of my reverie to stare back at Noctis, who sat in an adjacent chair. The first thing I see are his calm, amber pupils. "Oh. Um, just get me a strawberry vanilla latte."
"Will do. Hold this seat for me, please?" I nodded as he walked off to get in line. Man, he seems to be such a nice guy. Maybe I should mess with him more often...
So I continued my observation of Skybucks, when something in black and white blocked my view. "Excuse me, you're blocking my-"
"Well if it isn't Little Miss Lightbulb."
Stella Nox Fleuret. The biggest bitch in town. And Laris' cousin.
"What are you doing here, Stella?" I stood up from my seat and glared at her, the blonde-haired, spawn of the devil. And Laris' cousin.
She took off her large sunglasses and stuffed them into her purse. Who would wear sunglasses anyway? It's barely sunny out. Clouds and gray. "No. The question is why are you here? And with Noctis, no less?" She pursed her lips together and looked as if she was ready to kill someone with the stiletto heels on her boots.
"Well?"
"...I came here to watch a movie with Noctis. Got a problem with that?" My eyebrow cocked at her, I gave her one of my signature glares.
"Actually, why on Cocoon would Noctis wanna go watch a movie with you?"
"I dunno, natural selection, maybe?" I nearly laughed at the way she growled at me.
"Shut up with your geek crap. The fact is, he pities you. Just because you hang out with him so much doesn't make you his preferred woman. Pssh, I know he could do better. I mean, look at you. Mismatched clothes, boots, stringy hair- pink is ugly, to be honest -and a miniskirt? Are you really trying that hard to win him over, honey?" I was ready to launch a fist in this girl's face right now. Stella and her hair, and her blue eyes, and her black sundress, and her white cardigan...ugh.
"I'm not trying to lure him, unlike you. You're just pissed off of your ass that he'd rather spend time with boring, ol' Lightbulb than the 'oh, so hot' Stella Nox Fleuret. Now go die or something." My eye narrowed into slits again as the blonde struck a chord.
"Not before you do." My hands curled into fists as she gave me a heated smirk, as if signaling triumph. Hell no.
So I approached the table and immediately noticed the obsessive blonde I came to know as Stella, my best friend's cousin. Ugh, how I hated her. She gave me a surprised glance- oh hell, how it looked so fake -as Lightning shoved her a few feet away.
"Ugh! Noctykins, did you see what Lightbulb did to me?!" I could barely control my laughing at the way Stella was acting. Worst actress ever.
"Uh, yeah, I don't particularly care right now. And Stella, it's Lightning, not Lightbulb. You look stupid when you say that." I flashed a smile to Lightning, who was laughing at the flustered blonde.
"....Ugh!" Stella made some other grunting sound, then continued to stomp her way out of the cafe, so hard that she broke a heel and stumbled onto the ground.
"My stiletto!!!" We continued to laugh at her misery, snickering as Stella got up and limped her way out of Skybucks.
"Hopefully that's the last we'll hear of her, huh?" I asked Lightning, who gave me a slight grin, that didn't seem to be forced this time.
"Yeah."
"Oh, I almost forgot to give you your latte."
Well, there's the latest chapter for you guys. Oh damn, 3000+ words for this one. Now you know. :)
Anyway, so I made Stella the bad girl in here, since I'm not particularly fond of OC's being main characters. Other than that, I've made tons of references in here. (If you haven't already figured it out, check the below post lol)
Nightmare at Felix Heights – Nightmare on Elm Street
lol, in FFXIII, an Orion is this machine that can be fought in Palumpolum. It has claws, similar to Freddy, and Felix Heights is the place where Hope's dad lives in Palumpolum.
Eternally 21 – Forever 21
Self-explanatory. Lol.
Illuminations
Some store around my place that sells candles.
Skybucks – Starbucks
Again, pretty, self-explanatory. I used Sky since a lot of stuff in FFXIII is pretty sky-related.
Oh and Lightning's outfit is pretty much a more casual version of her original costume.
Haha, so please review (nicely too) or Stella will attack you with her stilettos! (of course, I'm kidding.)