Chapter Fifteen: Endings and Beginnings

"All the talk shows are clamoring for your appearance in their show," Rufus told her as Tifa compared fabrics for her designs. "Aren't you planning on making a public appearance soon? This could lessen your popularity."

"Hmm… yes, that's true, but I don't want to bother with those troublesome talk shows right now, I'm busy with Heart Locker." she replied.

"So in other words, you're not going to confirm to the public that you are back, despite the tabloid articles surfacing?"

"Don't you think that an exclusive tell-all interview with some magazine will yield more profit?" she muttered. "Rufus, what do you think? Should this gown be made with silk and lace?"

Her manager shook his head and said, "You should ask Lazard that, not me."

"Alright."

"Did your friend give his answer already? XY's already finished with the men's casual wear."

She examined the material in her hand. It felt like water riveting in her palm. "Not yet, but I hope he's already got an answer when I pay him a visit later."

"I see." Rufus said quietly. "Genesis called me last night."

"Oh? What'd he say?"

"He was asking about you—what are you up to these days. Aren't you calling him?"

Tifa placed the cloth samples on the table and faced Rufus. "Genesis and I… I think our relationship's falling apart." The blonde frowned at her. "Is that so? I'm not surprised—I was expecting this since those scandals came out." She crumpled the silk slightly. "I'm just wondering why you haven't done it yet."

"I…are there any magazines on the waiting list?"

"Yes. All of them are in the list, actually. Would you like to see the list?"

Tifa nodded and Rufus took out his planner.

METRO magazine
Hardy Couture
SUPERSTAR
Rock Out! Magazine
Midgar Vogue
Total Girl
SEVENTEEN
Eye Candy magazine
OK!
Esquire Magazine
The Midgar Tatler
Cosmopolitan magazine
TIME

"TIME's actually interested in me?" she asked in disbelief. "I'm not a global leader or something." Rufus chuckled and nodded. "You're considered an icon." "Really? Of what?" Her manager chuckled. "You're a sex symbol."

"…I intend to remove that title on my name." TIfa told him. "Or at least, tone it down." He gave her a sharp, assessing look and shook his head. "You can't remove a title. But you can change it."

She nodded then her phone rang. The caller ID sent her frowning—Genesis. "I'll be in my car, Rufus." she said as she took her phone. Reluctantly, she accepted the call. "…Hello?"

"Tifa?"

"It's me. How are you?"

"Fine—how about you?"

I can't do this, she thought. I don't want to keep holding on anymore. I'm letting you go. "Listen… Genesis… I have something to tell you."

There was a slight pause on his end. "What is it?"

"…I'm breaking up with you." Tifa said. The moment she let the words slip out of her mouth, she felt like an arrow hit her on her heart. Tears started to fall.

"I'm sorry? Love, can you repeat that? I didn't quite catch it." Genesis said. It was not shaking, it sounded as if he were amused. Or disbelieving.

"I'm telling you that I'm breaking up with you." she repeated.

"What? You're not serious, are you?"

"I'm serious."

Genesis breathed in deep. "Is this because of Cissnei? Tifa, love, we just met in the bar and had a few drinks. I offered to drive her back to her hotel. Don't you have faith in me?"

"Quit it, Genesis." Tifa snapped. "I had faith in you—I trusted you, but you just threw those away. I guess it's a huge blow to your ego, isn't it?"

"…You're making the biggest mistake of your life, my lovely one."

"Stop calling me your lame pet names. I'm tired of hearing them. And, I am one-hundred percent sure that I am making the best choice of my life right now. Also, don't worry, the bracelet you bought me will come back to you."

"I don't want it back anymore. I had it made for you. Keep it." Beep.

So that's it, she thought. Three years down the drain. Tifa blinked her eyes furiously, trying to make the tears stop from falling, but to no avail. It shouldn't hurt so much, hadn't she prepared herself for this? Why did it still hurt so much?

Tap, tap.

Through her teary eyes, she saw his spiky, gravity-defying blonde hair. Tifa wiped the tears away with the back of her hand and rolled down the window. "Hey Cloud." She was half hoping that she didn't look so horrible. She hoped that he wouldn't notice that she had been crying.

"What's wrong, Tifa? You look like you've been crying." Cloud said, his blue eyes boring unto hers.

Dang.

She tried to laugh. "I… I broke up with… I broke up with Genesis, Cloud." Even though she tried to stop it, she sobbed anyway. The next thing that she knew, the car door was open and he was embracing her. "Ssh, it's alright, you know."

An hour must have passed, but she only cried on his chest, staining his shirt with her tears. He did not speak, he just let her cry on his chest. It was probably embarrassing, but she felt comfortable with him…which was odd.

Tifa pulled away from him and wiped her tear-stained cheeks shakily. "I'm sorry Cloud, I've ruined your shirt."

"Don't worry about my shirt, I'll probably frame it when I get home." Cloud replied, with a grin. He mussed her hair and said, "You can cry on my shoulder, er in this case, on my chest, anytime."

Tifa couldn't tell whether she had blushed or not, since her face was already hot from crying. If she did blush, well, that was so schoolgirl-y! "Thanks Cloud."

"No problem."

"Ah… Cloud… why are you here?"

"Finally, you asked." Cloud said, smiling lazily. "I'm accepting your offer."

"Really?" Tifa asked in disbelief. "That's… that's great, Cloud! Thank you!" She embraced him without thinking. "Oh… I'm sorry… I shouldn't have—"

"No it's alright. I bet you don't want your manager to see your puffy face right now, am I right? Wait for me here."

As she watched him walk away, Tifa couldn't help but wonder why she felt so warm inside when he was around. She couldn't already be in love right after breaking up with Genesis, could she? Whatever.

Cloud came back with a bottle of cold orange juice a few minutes later. "Here you go."

"Thank you." Tifa took a swig and smiled a little. "Hey Cloud, let's drive away from here a little bit. Let's go to the park or something."

"Uh, sure."

"She broke up with me…. She actually broke up with me!" Genesis shouted at Angeal, who was sitting on the couch, trying to ignore his best friend's rant. "I don't believe this!" The red head threw himself next to Angeal.

"Well Tifa isn't really a dumb kitten, like you take her for. Girl's like a vixen… or a tiger, whichever. Once she finds out that you've been betraying her, she'll snap at you." Angeal said calmly. "As a friend, Gene, it's really fundamental that you learn the importance of fidelity."

"Oh goddess, here comes his speech." Genesis groaned.

Angeal shook his head. "I know you hate how I lecture you about these things as if you are a mere child, my friend, but I'm just concerned. Didn't your beloved poetry book teach you anything at all?" They looked at the book laying on the glass tabletop. "I think I remember a passage that's just like Tifa and you." He took the book, opened it and scanned. "Here it is. Read it, Genesis."

"What act is that?"

"The final act,"

"Ah. I've memorized that, my friend, however I do not see how it relates to me and that bitch. She promised to wait, to be loyal…"

"Whereas you did too, but the moment the plane was up in the air, you were flirting with the stewardess."

Genesis frowned and snatched his book away from Angeal's hand.

Author's Note:

"Do you really have to leave?"
"I promised. The people I love, are waiting."
"...I don't understand. Not at all. But...please take care of yourself."
"Of course...I'll come back to you. Even if you don't promise to wait. I'll return knowing you'll be here."

Thank you for reading! I hope you liked what you have just read. I must apologize in advance if Tifa and Genesis' break-up moment was sort of lame, you see, I'm not really sure how things go since I'm still single (boo hoo hahaha!) … Oh, and if you happen to be curious about the bracelet, there's a link of a visual in my profile page. Please do not forget to review this chapter!

Victoria Chrystallis \m/