Home page
previous chap
next chap

Chapter Four

I try to force my eyes away from the angelic devil sitting in front of me. She is so engrossed in her lab assignment, she does not even notice me staring at her…maybe that is for the best. I am suppose to be over her. Yeah right. Over her. That is a funny joke. To bad I am the punch line.

The whole year we were going out…that was a joke. The words, the poems, the presents, the hours wasted on her. The nights we stayed up talking on the phone, because she was afraid of the dark. Walking down the hallway, holding hands, kissing each other…the whole world jealous. We did not care about the rumors that surrounded us. The stupid children with their stupid imaginations. In those times the world was only inhabited by her and I.

How funny it is looking back on all the time we spent together, was just a lie. Even that night, were I let myself become completely vulnerable for her. Was that a joke? Was that a lie? When you told me you loved me? Was it just to keep me there. To use me was your motive. I meant nothing to you…I was nothing to you. I was just someone to spend money on you. Someone to make you feel better about yourself. To tell you “Oh your ass doesn’t look big in those pants.” Even though they did…god they did. Or, “Oh, she isn’t as pretty as you.” I was just another face in your long line of friends. I was nothing special. Was I? Even when you screamed my name, was that fake to! Cause I don’t know anymore. Everything else was! What not that. Was that even my name! Or was it his…

SNAP

I look down at the pencil. Shattered in my fist. Shattered…like me…

“A little angry there?” Reno whispers.

“I…” I try to say something…but there was nothing more to say.

The entire class eyes were pasted on to me. “What’s wrong with him?”

“I heard he is insane.”

“I heard he is still clinging to Aeris.”

“I heard she woke up one night and found him staring at her.”

“Oh my god, what a psycho.”

“Yeah…”

All it took was a broken pencil…and I was once again front page news in the gossip paper.

“So what happened?”

The four of us take our rightful seats in the library, about to discuss my sick obsession with killing pencils. Lunch was the only period that all four of share, so naturally we spend it away from the noisy cafeteria which smells like dead rats. The Library was quiet, hidden away from the rest of the school. The basement. The only light allowed was the ceiling lamps…which can be dark to me at times. Our only company, the endless rows of books and computers. Of course some students also use this place to escape the noise, but they do not bother me.

“Well?” Vincent stares at me, his crimson, YES CRIMSON, eyes burning into my soul…oh scary.

“You were staring at her again weren’t you?” Cid joins in, his own eyes burning into me.

“So?”

“God fuckin’ dammit Cloud,” He hisses, “You know how you get.”

“What?” That’s my failed attempt to act innocent, when I know FULL well how I can get. I am so fuckin’ emotional when it comes to her. Either I end up crying for no reason or I start breaking the closes thing to me. How many time have I been sent to the schools shrink? About, 6 times this semester. Mind you, it is only October.

“Cloud, do not play coy.”

I look over at Vincent, who seemed to be way to calm. I do not like it when he is calm. He is scary, very scary. What, you never seen him calm…so STOP JUDGING ME. Uh sorry.

“Okay okay, I’m sorry but it is hard not to look at her when she is fuckin’ sitting in front of me,” I counter with a huff, “Look, lets just drop this. The entire school already thinks I am an escaped mental case, I do not need you guys to think the same.”

“I thought you did not care what everyone though?” The ever quiet Barrett suddenly speaks!

“I don’t,” I growled, “I never cared.”

“You are a walking contradiction Strife.”

I slap my forehead at the intruder. “Reno…” I hiss between my teeth. He just had to come, like I really needed him. The grand five minutes we talked at Lab was enough for me. Now, he decides to stroll up here, nice.

I look behind me, and to my further dismay, see Rude and Elena standing next to him on either side. You know something, I think God I trying to kill me.

“What do you fucktards want,” Cid growls.

“Fucktards?” Reno laughs, “Did it take you all year to think that one up?”

“Why you little…” Cid jumps up faster than Rufus’s penis looking at gay porn.

“Whoa Whoa,” Reno said putting up his hands, “I am not here to fight.”

“Oh?” Vincent hisses quietly, “Then why are you here.”

“Nothing.” Rude jumps in.

“NO!” Elena shouts, “DO not START that. We are going to tell him whether you like it or NOT!”

Whoa someone get this girl a Midol.

“Vincent, I need to talk to you,” Reno said shooting him a sincere look. “It has to do with Lucretia.”

Everyone goes silent, and all eyes on Vincent. He stares at Reno for a bit, debating whether or not to trust the red haired Turk. I know he will go…he still loves her. The way things went down, they way she left…how she left….why she left, was always on Vincent’s mind. He blames himself, to this day. Probably forever. He has a nasty little habit of blaming himself…idiot.

“Right.” Was all he gave us, as he arises from his seat and follows Reno to the back of the Library. Our eyes then drift to Elena and Rude, who obviously know something.

“So,” I said coldly, “What is going on?”

“Nothing.” Yes you guessed it, Rude. Someone needs to give the boy a dictionary to expand his vocabulary.

Getting nothing out of Rude, we all direct our eyes to the hottest person in Shinra…besides, okay lets not get into that.

“What?” Elena gives us all a dirty look, “This is a Shinra related.”

“Vincent is not a part of Shinra anymore,” I counter blankly.

“It does not matter,” Elena spats, “This has to do with him and him alone.”

“Reno shouldn’t be telling him,” Rude said quietly.

“Vincent has the right. After everything that happened between them…he should know.”

“Women,” Rude huffs, leaving before the Elena unleashes a 100 pound jelly whoop ass on him.

It was only a moment later that Vincent flies past us, almost unnoticed if it wasn’t for his last words, “Don’t follow me.”

No one said anything, no one had to because deep down we all know. Bad news flew to Vincent like moths to a flame. It is amazing he hasn’t taken his own life, though I know he never will. He feels suicide is selfish and stupid…and that anything in your life can be fixed. Pretty optimistic for someone who is such a glass half empty guy.

I eye Cid who looks like he is about to kill Reno, as if Reno had anything to do with it…or…did he? It wasn’t coincidence Reno was in New York. Hired to kill Lucretia, then flew to New York to escape suspicion. Not Shinra’s MO…but you never know how far these guys would go.

“What did you tell him?” I sigh.

“It does not matter,” Reno said.

“Yes…actually it does.”

“Reno,” Elena speaks up, “We have to go.” She begins to leave, but Reno doesn’t move.

“I’ll meet you there,” he calls back.

All eyes on Reno now. He flashes us an annoying smirk before speaking in his annoying voice, “Couldn’t let her know I am going to tell you.” He looks around, making sure no one from Shinra was watching…especially Hojo, since I can only imagine what he would do to Reno if he found out. Reno was spilling out information about Hojo’s girl which is a Class A felony in Shinra’s books. Either Reno really has a heart or he hates Shinra. Both seem a little far fetched.

“She…was m-” he stopped, choking on his own words, “She is dead.”

“How?” Cid shouts.

“I do not know.”

I could tell he was lying through his perfectly white teeth, though I knew why. I am not an idiot, non of us were. It was highly unlikely a healthy sixteen year old girl would suddenly drop dead. But if she was murdered by you-know-you, even I would keep my mouth shut. Reno did not want to suffer a fate worse than death.

“Well,” he suddenly said, smiling, “I got to go.”

“WAIT!” Cid follows him, grabbing his arm.

“You have questions to answer.”

“Shut up,” I hear Reno hiss. He turns a little, looking at Cid, “They are watching.”

I look around with only my eyes, so not to grab attention in case someone was watching. Wouldn’t you know it. My eyes lock on to a sneaky little raven-haired made scientist, peeking into the library. “Hojo,” I hiss to Barrett, who merely nods his head.

“You can let me go now,” Reno’s voice catches my attention again, “Or…well…remember Vincent?”

Cid reluctantly releases Reno from his death grip. Reno quickly walks out of the library, trying to play it off as if nothing happened. Needless to say, the three of us were slightly worried that Hojo heard. I do not need the death of a newbie on my shoulders, non of us did.

“Hopefully he won’t show up dead.”

“Heh,” Cid laughs, “That’s nice Cloud.”