This Chapter was finished for those mentioned at the end. Thank you guys. :)
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VII and all parts of the contemplation go to Square Soft or rather Square Enix. I own Evelia and the things based around her.
"Well whoever you are Mr. Anonymous, you're an ass." The guy's face fell and he seemed genuinely surprised. I smirked a bit crossing my right leg over my left and continued to eat my cookie.
"What did I do already?" He asked with a chuckle.
"How about what didn't you do?" I started lightly finishing my cookie. "You stand up and walk to me stopping me from eating, while causing a scene, you eat healthy foods around me not only making me feel fat but nasty because the two scents clash in a fit of disgusting, then you follow me and copy what I do. On top of all of that you haven't told me your name AND you make me get all flustered… like some other people I know. " I ended grumbling irritated. The handsome guy smiled again, he just wouldn't quit with the infectious smile and a grin cracked on my face a bit.
"Well let's start over." He stood up and walked away and I watched him curious. I shrugged when he didn't return for a couple of minutes. Then I saw him nearing me again, crossing the dance floor casually with a small smile on his face. He stopped in front of me. "Hello, My name's Jack, what's yours?" My eyebrows rose suspiciously before I replied.
"Uh… Evie," I started then realized he might know what my real name was and I panicked trying to think up a new name that had the same nickname. "Uh… short for Evelyn." I finished lamely. He smiled.
"Do I fluster you so badly you can't remember your own name?" I said nothing about to retort harshly but then realized that I could pretend to play him.
"A bit," I winked lightly and he laughed before sitting. I smiled in return.
"So now we know each other's name, I threw away the healthy food, I didn't make a scene coming over here, I didn't fluster you, I did stop you from eating though." I shook my head and kept eating with a small smile. " I didn't copy anything you did, is that it?"I nodded silently. He looked at the plate in my hand and stole my blue cupcake. I gasped as he ate half of it in one bite.
"Hey! I was going to eat that next!" he smiled mischievously.
"Sorry, want it back?" I cringed in disgust as I saw the contents of his mouth.
"No, keep it I insist, but I get that half." I stole the other half of his cupcake and ate it contently. He smiled appreciatively.
This whole being normal thing isn't so bad. I thought to myself. But thoughts of Zack came to mind and I remembered that I wasn't normal. I sighed remembering yet again my fate as a SOLDIER. Jack seemed to notice the change in attitude.
"You alright?" I turned to him slowly and nodded.
"I'm gonna let you go real fast Jack. I have someone to go talk to." He paused watching my face and stood as I did politely. Even at my height Jack was tall, towering over me. I smiled at this warmly appreciating it before heading to talk to Rufus.
I watched eating at my junk food as she tried to keep his attention with… her "hooplas". I smirked noticing how fake everything about her was. It was weird noticing every detail in the picture before me. My enhanced eyesight making sure I was blinded with disgust. I cleared my throat casually. The two turned around and Rufus didn't seem surprised. I noticed his lips turn into a smirk.
It was that stupid "I'm diabolical" smirk. The girl seemed to melt as he pulled his arm around her and he continued smirking. I walked forward eating blithely. "Beat it." I said to the girl.
"Jealous?" I started laughing only to stop abruptly.
"Not in the least," her face fell and I walked up to her towering over her a bit. She left quickly and I watched her leave with a mean smile. Then I remember, How could someone eating something so sweet and delicious be so mean? My face turned into a childish smile. Rufus turned to me watching me eat blithely.
"Someone's having a good time…" I noticed the small smirk on his face as his strawberry blonde hair reflected the color of the sun wonderfully.
"Someone's trying to swoon everything with a pretty face." I retorted he smiled oddly, but said nothing. "So am I here because you think someone might actually attack you or you just wanted to have me here so when you walked in you had a pretty face to show off?"
"My father thought it'd be a good idea to have you here just in case, I just wanted a pretty face that didn't go to school with me to come to the dance…"he said trailing off as he looked away from me and finished his sentence.
"Is that what normal 16 year olds worry about?" He said nothing, but his face turned to me surprised about something. It was odd to see Rufus so silent. He coughed turning away again. I shrugged it off quickly.
"Whatever, just don't get yourself killed, and yell if anything. Here have some cake, and don't say you don't like it because I saw you eating some before," I pulled his hand out and left a piece of cake on his hand. I walked away just barely seeing a smile cross his face.
I walked back inside and I felt a hand grab my arm, I turned my eyes wide as I tried to register from my enhanced senses who this person was. Male, strong, heavy, and from the power in the grip, someone not trying to kill me. My enhanced body tensed at the sudden contact, and I calmed to see Jack's face.
"You alright?" he let go of my arm slowly.
"Yeah why?"
"Your body tensed like crazy, like you were expecting to be attacked or something…" I opened my mouth to speak but shook my head with a smile. "Well, I figured, well hoped, that maybe... you would dance with me." I looked at him then noticed a group of pretty looking girls walk over. Problem was they weren't shaded properly… My thoughts wracked my brain searching for a way to describe the skin colors of these girls. I shoved my last cookie in my mouth and trashed the plate only to just sit there with my chin in my hand trying to describe them. The color obviously wasn't natural.
I failed to notice the previous arguments when I blurted out, "Orange markers!" everyone around me went silent. Jack looked at me oddly.
"…What?" I smiled lightly.
"They're skin color reminds me of orange markers… Is that how you did it? You bought markers and colored yourself? Man… why didn't I ever think of that?" The leader of the group was skinny and around my height. She had long brown hair that shined gently in the light, it was all a single length. She wasn't wearing shoes. Which I found very … odd. But she was the only one who seemed to have freckles and a natural tan.
The next girl had blonde hair, while not as tall she was thicker in size. She had green eyes and orange skin tone.
Then there was another one, normal height, skinny with long brown hair and blue eyes. She was pretty but she couldn't stay still.
Now there was like 6 or 7 of them but those three seemed to be the top three. Then there was the on girl who absolutely had it the worst. She was short… and very…. Marshmallow-like. ( I stole some from Aerith one day) She was huge in size but small in stature. She had very orange skin, huge teeth, brown hair and brown eyes. But what was the worst was her hairstyle. It was… indescribable. I stared at it trying to figure out what it was. I stopped trying when someone said something.
"Excuse me?" I opened my mouth to respond but then I saw it. It had juices on the left end and full meals at the right. It was extremely large and with a lot of food. It had juice, water, soda, smoothies, it was crazy. Then there was the little appetizer stuff, then the sweets and vegetables and then there were the plates of food. From finger foods to fork and knife foods. The table of all tables.
"You saw it too? Wow, I'm surprised, from your height I would have never saw it…" It was awkwardly silent. Then I realized that I was being extremely rude. But my stomach grumbled and my manners left me. "Well, I'm gonna go attack that table. Care to join me?" I asked Jack.
"He can't go, he's talking with me."
"With you? It looks more like arguing with orange colored people to me. Like Oompa Loompas! You should dye your hair green!" I bursted out with a grin. Shinra had showed an odd movie and Zack made me watch it while we were on vacation. "But I, uh would love to have this chat and all, but that food is calling my name." With a snap of my fingers and a wink, I left abruptly.
--
As I ate Jack walked over, "Is food like your escape from drama?" I stopped chewing confused.
"Drama? Um… no?" Jack laughed. "I just like food." He laughed harder at this.
"There is something about you that is wonderfully amazing." Jack sighed with a grin. I chewed on a piece of ham still attached to the fork silently. I slowed down my chewing as I thought about what he had just said. I wasn't sure how to respond so I continued eating.
After I ate we sat down at a table and normal conversation ensued.
The topic of the orange girls came up. "That girl, she was my ex-girlfriend. I'm Sorry she acted like that." I shrugged it off lightly. " She also doesn't seem to like you very much."
"She's the one that isn't orange right?" He nodded with a smile, "Oh then I don't care much, she's your problem not mine. I'm here on a-" I stopped remembering that again that I was supposed to be from some other school, "A request… from an old friend, you could say."
"So you and Rufus aren't going to be married one day?"
"What?" I asked loudly.
"Yeah, everyone though you two were going to get out of school, get married, and then take over Shinra Electric." I shook my head exasperated.
"No we aren't. Rufus and I aren't even that close…" I mumbled lightly. He seemed surprised. I nodded a little. Then the colored drained from Jack's face. I turned around to see the girl who wasn't orange walk towards us, attempting to be casual.
"Looks like we have a visitor," I said noticing the girl. I turned to the plates that sat on the table. Jack and I brought over plates filled with junk food to eat together. I reached for a plate stealing a cookie from it. The cookie was hard and the crunching noise from my teeth crushing it echoed in my head loudly. I wondered if the two heard, but it at least helped with ignoring her. All I saw was her lips moving.
Jack glanced at me from behind his head. His Eyes widened in the "Help me PLEASE!" look. I took my cue smoothly.
"Okay! The pitch of your voice makes me want to gorge my ears out with a spoon, I wasn't paying attention to you if that's what you were asking about…"
"I wasn't talking to you."
"I suppose, but I was listening and being a complete ass I had to interrupt. You have my input, stop giving yours."She closed her mouth and I smiled warmly until she left.
"Thank you." I nodded stealing a soft cookie and a cupcake again.
"What time does this end?"
"Uh, midnight." I almost dropped my food before groaning.
"Jeez. Gaia save me."
"Will you ever dance with me?" joked Jack.
"I'm not one for dancing. My first, last and only dancing experience got a lot wilder than I would have liked it to get. I was like 14 too." Jack's eyebrow raised and he played with his long flippy black hair.
"By Wilder can I assume you did some bad things?" I huffed looking away. He laughed anyway and I didn't take it offensively, which I found weird. I figured I was going to go ballistic on the first person to say something about it. Instead I found myself smiling. It didn't seem like such a big deal now.
"I might consider dancing with you. But if I remember right, aren't you here on a bet of the sort?"
"I guess, but that doesn't mean I care about it anymore." I didn't say anything staring into his brown eyes. He stared right back. "Your eyes are the prettiest color I've ever seen." I turned away remembering that my eyes were Mako-infused. A SOLDIER trademark. I watched silently as Jack stood up and stopped before me opening his hand out to me so we could dance.
"But our food…"I mumbled.
"There's more if anything."I nodded slowly cautiously and placed my hand in his. He pulled me to the dance floor and we waited as the song came to an end and another song began playing. It was a moderate pace and was fun to joke around with. Jack joked back and when a fast song came on we went crazy. We had the fortune of getting off the dance floor in time for a slow dance. But Rufus was walking over as Jack and I drank some water and laughed with each other.
"I deserve one dance, no?"
"Hello to you too, Rufus." Rufus smirked and pulled his arm around me. I tilted my head around to look at him as he even laid his head on my shoulder sniffing my neck comfortably. I raised my eyebrow in question but he whispered to me about the dance and I nodded reluctantly. It was an order now. He walked away hands in his pockets casually. I turned to Jack to see him red in the face, was that embarrassment or anger?
"You alright?"
"Yeah, but you just had to come with the biggest asshole in the school?" I opened my mouth to respond but he beat me to it. "A rhetorical question Evelyn."I smiled knowingly as I closed my mouth. He knew me too well, already.
"Well I would love to stay here and chat but Rufus calls to me." I smiled as he bowed to me respectfully. "Don't worry me and you will have another dance together." He said nothing but looked at me once more and walked away. I sighed and walked towards a waiting Rufus I listened to the clicking of my shoes. For just a moment I heard the thunking of my combat boots under me and the familiar weight of my uniform and sword.
I took a deep breath and my thoughts came back to me properly. Rufus smiled mischievously and I rose an eyebrow in question as I stared at his grinning blue eyes. He put his hand out and I took it wearily as he took me to the dance floor during the still playing slow song. He pulled me closer uncomfortably so. I cringed a bit and he put his hand behind my lower back and the other clasped into my left hand. I wasn't sure what to do with my right hand and he guided it to his shoulder. I didn't say anything but I did clench my teeth.
AS we danced my hair swayed gently and I felt my skirt flow against my tan legs. Rufus was staring at my eyes and I stared at his tie smiling to myself as I thought of Zack… and Jack. I smiled at the thought of the two and giggled when I realized their names rhymed. Rufus seemed to smile a bit more at me but I ignored him looking for Jack somewhere. But despite our turns, strides and spins I couldn't catch sight of him. I said nothing, and barely noticed as the song ended.
"Thank you, for my dance." Rufus said politely. I smiled graciously and bowed a little.
"Of course," I muttered with my fake grin. I turned an left at a calm pace my hair flying in my face irritatingly. I returned to the table Me and Jack were sitting at to see nothing but the food we picked out and my drink refilled and left there. My shoulders fell and I tugged at the sleeves of my blazer. The day was a long one. Jack didn't seem to be pleased about me and Rufus. This lasted until Midnight and it was barely 7 in the afternoon. I sat down and ate a cookie miserably.
I looked around hoping I would see Jack, but he eluded me.
--
"Hey there Beautiful."
"Do me a favor and screw off before I punch you in the face." He left immediately. Six guys later I was getting more than irritated. I had finished my food and sweets by then and it had only been an hour since I talked to Jack. I kind of missed him. I felt bad now.
"Hey," came a soft voice. I growled and stood up to glare at a familiar face.
"Jack…" I mumbled. He smiled gently. I looked away unsure of what to say. He came back, an hour later, but he came back none-the-less.
"How was that dance?" he asked uneasily. I shrugged in response.
"I don't like dancing much either way…" I muttered still avoiding his gaze. I saw his hand sticking out in frontof me. I followed the arm up to his smiling face. There it was again that infectious smile. I smiled lightly and he pulled me to the dance floor quickly. They were doing some popular dance but I didn't recognize it. I didn't want to feel like an idiot and ask to be taught so I pretended to shake my head shy about dancing as I watched a popular girl dance at the center. Then Jack joined in. She smiled warmly and continued dancing. I waited for her to repeat the dance twice before I returned to watching Jack. He smiled and stopped to pull my hand and bit my lip and starting dancing alongside him. The group cheered us on and my adrenaline started pumping.
"So much for being inconspicuous…" I mumbled to myself smiling.
"Whatever you want, you could just fuck off like the rest of them. It's not cute anymore it's pissing me off."
"He wants to meet you in person." I rolled my eyes and walked away.
"Look I don't give a shit. Tell him to just leave me alone."
"Where are you going?"
"To look for Rufus."
" To leave?"
"Yes." I stopped when I saw him suck facing with some chick. I nearly choked at the sight before walking in the opposite direction. Jack caught me in my return and looked at me. He was a few inches talked than me.
"Look I just want to talk with you. I miss talking with you. You're like no one else."
"Let's get something straight. I'm not here to have fun, or to talk to you. Or to deal with some rich guys bullshit," Despite the fact I do that with Rufus every five minutes. "I'm here because I have to be. Now leave me alone before I beat the shit out of somebody." I was slowly losing my temper with these people. Jack didn't say anything for a moment. He let go of me and I continued to glare into his eyes. His face fell and I wasn't fazed by it. I barely knew the guy. He nodded and walked away. I stormed outside to the balcony. The smell was normal to me, but my nose could smell the Mako infested air combined with the smell of car exhaustion.
I was going to take a deep breath but then decided I didn't want one anymore. A pulse ran through me. I stopped moving trying to remember the feeling. I hadn't felt it since I had become a SOLDIER. Eric? I looked around but only heard a helicopter fly over head. I turned to leave and ran into the room and found A familiar head stuffing his face. I walked over and tapped his shoulder.
He turned and grinned his eyes dancing merrily. "Hey Evie! Nice Dance huh?" I sighed.
"Uh yeah, but what the hell are you doing here Zack?" he paused for a moment.
"I was sent to check on you or was it to take you back to Shinra?" I shook my head lightly a smile across my features. His presence calming me. I looked over him to see him in a uniform from the same school as me. I smiled again. I couldn't help it. After he grabbed a plate of food he told me to follow him. I did and sat silently as he ate, a feeling in my stomach erupted and I grinned helplessly. It was like butterflies but not as nervous.
We talked with each other lightly and then the one thing I feared most happened. I was in a noticeably better mood and smiled warmly at jack, but he took it as an invite to come over and did just that. I looked away bravery filling me with Zack around.
"Hey Evie..."he started gently. I stood and Zack paused in his eating to watch curiously.
The Hoopla thing was something from a friend of mine. It was a joke about some chick who was doing the same thing to one of our dude friends. It was amazing. I figured it'd work out.
But I want to send a thank you to ex-BigBang and now: .. You were anonymous before and now you aren't so I can thank you properly.
Thank you for the review Sololight and the message. You made my day when I first received your review, you were surprised by how little attention my story was and is getting but I'm used to it. You even went as far as introducing a friend to the stories as well. Thank you.
Thank you again to .. who review more than once because she got cut off. xD which made me laugh.
And to the newest reviewer : YourChemicalRomancex Who made me smile more after a long week of school. I would have never thought of Evie as mature and good natured. But I guess as readers you might see more about her than I do. Thank you very much.
That was the last of the reviews before I declared I finished this Chapter.