Five
Tifa and Cloud are walking towards the latter's dressing room while the brunette was going over his schedule for the day.
"...And you have a fashion spread for Harper magazine after lunch." Tifa said while scanning his schedule while the supermodel only grunted in response with a bored look. Tifa sighed then held her notes to her chest, how they managed to stay casual after what happened the night before was beyond her. Well, Cloud hadn't been talking to her or insulting her since it happened so she guessed that he too was embarrassed or awkward. She opened her mouth to speak but stopped when she heard a familiar voice.
"Tifa!" The brunette's eyes widened before she slowly looked back, Cloud did the same and he furrowed his eyebrows when he saw the beaming Zack Fair approaching them. Tifa smiled sweetly but it was clearly fake making Zack laugh.
"Hey... Zack..." Tifa let out a nervous laugh.
"Why do you know her?" Cloud asked the raven haired model and actor with an eyebrow raised.
"I bumped into her a few days ago!" Zack said with a handsome smile. Tifa laughed nervously again.
"Literally." She said, Zack threw his head back to laugh.
"Yes, that's right."
"And you talked to her? You didn't run away while scared out of your wits because of her ugly face?" Cloud said, taken aback. Zack gave him a perplexed look.
What the hell is wrong with this dude?
"Are you kidding me? Of course not! Tifa is nice and the she's coolest girl I've ever met!" Zack said, Cloud snorted.
"What spell did you use to make Zack act like this to you? I knew there was something wrong about you, you're a fucking witch because you look like one." Cloud said with a smug look. Tifa merely rolled her eyes while Zack was still perplexed.
"Hey, Tifa." Zack said.
"Yes?"
"You know... I don't have an assistant..." Tifa gave him a confused look.
"Uhhhh..."
"If this guy is treating you like shit, you can come to me, work for me and you'll be treated the way you need to be treated." Zack said with a handsome smile on his face. Tifa's eyebrows shot up while Cloud's eyes hardened and his fists started clenching.
"She works for me and don't you dare steal her from me!" The blond model exclaimed while Tifa gave him a perplexed look, Zack, however, beamed at the blond.
"Oh yeah? But the way you're treating her," Zack suddenly pulled Tifa's hand towards him making her yelp and Cloud's eyes to widen. "I believe she deserves someone better."
"No." Cloud pulled Tifa's other hand to pull her closer to him making her yelp again. "She's my troll and mine alone!"
"I'm not sure if I should be flattered or repulsed by that statement." Tifa said, deadpanned.
"You're even calling her a troll!" Zack pulled Tifa towards him again. "Tifa, if he's still abusing yo-" Cloud pulled Tifa towards him again.
"There's no way she'll work for yo-"
"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Tifa inhaled then exhaled with her eyes closed and both her hands were in front of her. Then she suddenly walked away.
"Wait, where are you going?" Zack asked.
"Away. From the two of you." She said while still walking away.
"You can't just walk away from me!" Cloud exclaimed. Zack gave him another perplexed look.
"Sure I can, I'm doing it right now!" Tifa yelled back. Cloud and Zack glared at the each other before the blond ran after his assistant.
"Bye Tifa! I'll see you later, I've missed you so much and I'm glad to see you again!" Zack yelled while smiling brightly, Tifa waved her hand in the air without looking at him while Cloud stopped on his tracks to glare at the actor's retreating back.
Zack kept looking at his wall clock with his feet fidgeting as he sat on the couch on his home, he was waiting for Tifa to arrive so they can begin her runway training. His face brightened when the doorbell rang, he was so excited that he began stumbling towards his door to answer it. He looked at his monitor and when he saw Tifa adjustng her glasses on the other side of the door so he immediately opened it.
"Hey! Come in!" He piped while he side stepped for Tifa, who was slowly walking in while staring in awe at the actor's bachelor pad.
"Wow... Your place is awesome, so much better than Cloud's." She said while Zack closed the door.
"Really? Well, thanks! Make yourself at home!"
"Thanks..."
"Anything to drink or..."
"No, it's alright."
"Did you have dinner yet?" Zack asked.
"Yeah... I ate dinner at Cloud's. You?"
"Oh... Okay! Yeah, I've already eaten. Shall we start?"
"Okay... I'm kind of nervous." Tifa said while she rubbed her left arm. Zack gave her a reassuring smile before he spoke.
"It'll be okay, I promise."
"Okay, what do we do first?"
"Hold on." Zack went over to the couch to get a red paper bag. He started to get the items inside and it happened to be a shoe box, which he opened to reveal black, three inched heel pumps. Tifa's eyes widened and her mouth slackened at the sight of the shoes.
"Wow... Ummm..." She laughed nervously again.
"Come here milady." Zack gestured his forefinger towards him, Tifa gulped loudly before she made her way towards him. The actor asked her to sit before he removed her sneakers and socks, Tifa protested but he swatted her hands away playfully before put the pumps on her feet and it was perfect fit.
"Wow..." Tifa whispered while she stared in awe at how good it looked.
"Looks good, huh? Come, let's try standing up." Zack held out his hand so Tifa could grab it, then he pulled her up and that's when her knees started shaking.
"Oh my...! Holy hell!" Tifa exclaimed while she held unto Zack for dear life.
"Take it easy, don't rush it." Tifa straightened up with her knees still trembling but after a minute, she managed to stand up straight, Zack smiled then back away.
"No no no no! Don't go! I might fall over and die!" Tifa exclaimed making Zack laugh. She could already imagine the newspapers for the next day.
High Heels of Death: Woman dies from losing her balance.
What a disgusting way to die!
"Just checking your posture." Zack went back to her to hold both her hands. "Take a step."
"W-What?"
"Now, come on, you can do it." Zack reassured, Tifa gulped before she took a step, her knees started trembling again and she was finding it hard to balance but Zack was holding her firmly. She took another step slowly, then another, and another.
The night progressed and so did she, she managed to slowly walk without Zack holding into her though she would lose her balance from time to time, but she managed to walk straight after a while, slowly anyway.
"See, you're a fast learner!"
"Because I have a great teacher." She said breathlessly. "This is more exhausting than I thought. How can women survive like this?!" She yelled, Zack threw his head back to laugh.
"No pain no gain." He said with a smile. "I think we're done for today."
"Oh, thank goodness!" Tifa said before she started walking towards the couch to sit down and take her shoes off.
"This is yours by the way, take this home so you can practice as well." Zack said while he put the shoes back in the box. Tifa's mouth fell open.
"But...! That looks expensive and-"
"Shush, it's a gift." Zack said with a small smile. Tifa's face softened then she adjusted her glasses before she spoke.
"Thanks Zack..." She said as she leaned back on the couch. Zack did the same while they faced each other.
"You're something else..." He said quietly making Tifa's breath hitch. He lifted his hand to brush a few strands from her face making her blush. Then he took back his hand before he stood up with Tifa watching him, shocked at what just happened.
"I'll take you home." He said with a smile.
"N-No! It's fine I can manage." She said. Zack shook his head.
"Come on, let's go!" He piped while he pulled Tifa away from the couch making her yelp. "Oh, your shoes."
"Oh!" Tifa turned around to grab the paper bag before she followed Zack out the door.
Cloud tossed and turned on his huge and comfortable bed, he couldn't sleep at all that night. He decided to lay on his back while his bright blue eyes were glued to the ceiling, he looked on his right to look at Aerith's bare back before he looked up again. His eyebrows were furrowed and his eyes were hard as he slowly lifted his hand, then he carefully ran his forefinger on his lower lip while a pair of ruby eyes flashed in his mind.
A/N: Thank you so much for all your sweet reviews everyone! I really appreciate it!