Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ When Darkness Falls ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

Zell walked down the hall on cloud nine. He called Locke as his semi perminant 'Lab buddy'; the late teen actually agreed! Well, maybe not so much agreed as to not really showing any signs of caring. But, Zell was happy, so that was really all that mattered to him. Looking down at his schedule, he remembered that he had to get his crush after gym to walk with him to math. It seems he didn't have to hang around to catch him after all.

"Hi, Zell." He heard a familiar voice beside him. Turning his head he saw Selphie wave to him.

"Selphie," he started to say a greeting, but she had already turned off into her class. Zell walked in behind her grabbing her by the upper arms, steering her to a desk in back.

"You've got this class, too?" She asked being sat down.

"No. I just wanted to tell you something." Zell was saying then he looked around the room which, aside from the brains and lazy people, was virtually empty. Perfect. Looking back at Selphie, he waved her in closer to him in-case his voice travelled. Then, saying as lowly as his whisper could go so she'd get the hint of quiet discretion, he said. "I met this guy in homeroom. His name is Locke."

She shrugged. "So. Are you guys going out or something?" Selphie asked.

Zell shook his head. "No, we just met. But it would be nice... I'm just not sure if he's... y'know."

Selphie nodded and pulled out her three-ring binder. "How're you gonna find out if he is or isn't?"

Zell didn't know. There must be some way, or some little sign that would give him a hint. Locke seemed as though he were a little more into him then friends, but that could just be his imagination feeding him what he wants. "I'm not sure... maybe I could just out and ask him, and say that you asked me for dating purposes."

Selphie laughed to herself thinking about the outcome of that if he wasn't gay; seeking out the lunatic who would ask such a question. "That's a hot one; let me know how it turns out." She said practically shooing him away. She did that every start of the a new school year; applying herself like a book worm, only to dwindle back into a B average like the rest of the school.

"Alright, I'll call you later." He raised a hand as a wave.

"See ya!" She waved enthusiastically.

Zell returned to the halls and walked to his reading class. He hated reading assignments but it was an easy A, and anything that made school easy was a plus to him. The teacher was sorting through the desk looking for something, when he walked in; Zell sat down in the middle row this time, and looked around the room at the unfamiliar faces trying to guess which ones were freshman taking an advanced class.

Or who was a Junior or Sophomore. Once that became boring, he opened his notebook and took out a blue pen running it over the lines that are already on the sheet, making them darker than they were.

When the teacher heard the late bell she stood up from her desk and walked over to the door closing it. "Good morning class." She greeted them. Picking up a piece of chalk she wrote on the board, as she spoke. "My name is, Edea Krammer." Moving away from the board, as if to show everyone the name they'd just heard, Edea returned to her desk and sat down. "My class will be conducted in an alphabetical order, that way I can learn faces and remember who you are."

'Wonderful, back in the front again.' Thought Zell, placing his cheek against his palm; he's now drawing circles on the paper with the pen still in his free hand.

"So everybody stand up, and when I call your name walk to this row of seats and sit down back to front, ok?"

The students moaned and groaned that they had to get up, but Edea just waved them off.

"Penny Armstrong," A light haired brunette walked, loathingly, to the front of the room and took her new seat. "Erica Arquette." She didn't seem to have a problem with it. The room was slowly weeded out down to the last W, there were no x, y, z names. And much to Zell's surprise, he was in back now.

'Maybe this won't be as bad as I'd thought.'

The teacher then walked down the rows of seats handing out sheets of paper. "This is just to give you an idea of what types of learning we're going to be doing in class. What materials you'll need, that sort of thing. Show them to your parents so they'll know and I expect everyone to be prepared next week." She turned around giving the room sharp glares. "I don't want any of you returning to my classroom saying:" in a mocking tone she says. ""I forgot", because I will show you no mercy. And you'll be here with me for detention."

A guy leaned over and whispered to Zell. "I'd stay after with her."

Zell nodded, although he couldn't possibly in a million years agree with him.

Out of habit, he gave the overly-stimulated over, Zell saw that he was about his height, maybe an inch or two taller and he has brown hair styled in an odd manner, with a nose that seemed too pointy for his face, as well as blue eyes that were cut too sharp in his head.

"The book we're reading first is titled Whispers in the Night." Edea reached behind her taking one from the pile to show them. "We'll be writting out a paragraph of our thoughts on the chapter or chapters we read that day," She picked up a set of five books and placed them on Penny's desk. Edea repeated this with every desk infront and the students each took one passing them back. "And please try not to forget your puncuations. This isn't English class, but it would be nice if I could read your work without getting a migrane." She smiled, and returned behind her desk.

A few students rolled their eyes hearing that, but she didn't seem to care. Students need to always practice the basics, to further instill their knowledge.

"These books do not belong to you, so return them in the condition you've received them. Thank you."

Zell thumbed through the book, pausing every once in a while to read a sentence on a page or two. "Can you believe this?"

The guy from before asked, gaining Zell's attention.

"I hate reading," He went on.

"Keep it to yourself, then." Zell mumbled.

"What?"

Zell in took a breath and repeated looking at him this time. "I said: "keep. It. To. Yourself"." He paused with every word mockingly.

The disinterested reader grimaced at him, but he waved it off. He still grumbled; however, he stopped aiming his yammering towards Zell for the rest of the class. Which the blond thanked Hyne for. The students quietly talked to their friends, and people they've never met before; who are now being forced to sit around them.

Zell thought about starting up a conversation with the girl next to him, but he decided against it for now. It was Tifa Lockheart, one of Seifer's friends.

If Zell knew one thing about Seifer's friends, it's that they don't appreciate being approached by people they thought weren't worthy of them yet. Sneaking glances, he noted her choice of fashion of a white button-down collared-shirt, with a red tie hanging down around her torso, a black jean vest thing-a-majig that snap-buttoned in the back.

Her legs were covered in black pants - - not jeans - - they were more polyester blend of some sort. But she looked, for a girl, great. Although, he'd always pictured her in something a little more dramatic and revealing. Must be first day impressions, like Selphie.

"You got a problem with your eyes, or would you like one?" Tifa asked him.

Zell shook his head and looked away. Tifa went back to her current activity of trying to pry the cover off the book they were given.

'This is sad, she'll remember this and pass word to Seifer that I'm a chronic loser with a staring problem.' Clearing his throat, Zell turned to face her directly and said. "You're Seifer's friend, Tifa, right?" She looked at him with a bored expression, but nodded. "I'm Zell Dincht... He may have mentioned me joining you guys?" He said as more of a question.

"Seifer may have said something like that over the summer."

That put a smile on his face. Zell didn't know he was so thought of by the taller blond. Could Seifer maybe have some interest in him? Maybe even a little crush? He wasn't sure how to feel about that. Seifer isn't exactly the kindest of people. And he's a menace, when opportunity strikes. But, he can't deny that the guy is a blaze in the desert. He just burns your desire on the highest temperature.

"You're sitting at our table during lunch." Tifa stated.

Which was all the confirmation Zell needed to know he was in. "Yeah, which one is it, by the way?" He caught himself from sounding stupid by asking. "In-case I get there first."

"It's at the second half of the cafeteria, table in back by the windows." With a flick of her hand, she added. "You can't miss it. And it'd be better that you don't arrive first."

"Okay." Zell played uncomfortably on the corner of his book. Tifa got some of the tape up from her book cover, but she smoothed it back down and gazed at the clock.

'I can only imagine what she's thinking,' Thought Zell. 'That this class is full of losers, and I'm the biggest one.'

The bell had finally rung for them to go on to their next class. Zell was the first one up and out. Math was next, and he had to speed to gym to pick up Locke.

"Watch it, dick!" A girl shouted when Zell brushed past, shouldering her with his own.

"Sorry!" He called over his shoulder. He ran up the small ramp in the next hall then ducked into the double-door of the gym hall.

The speed demon slowed his pace to catch his breath, before going into the locker room to look for his brown-haired stunner. The room was silent not even a creaking or cracking from the room settling after being used. 'Must be in the gymnasium.' Zell figured.

"Excuse me."

He stepped aside seeing a strange looking guy walk by. He had long white hair and really pale skin. 'Whoa, an Albino! I've never actually seen one in-person before.' He watched the ghostly student walk over to a urinal then he turned his vision away.

"Hey, Zell." It was Locke.

He couldn't hide his smile over hearing his name from Locke's mouth, and he returned the greeting with as much enthusiasm. "Hi."

"I just need to use the bathroom before we go." He walked past Zell towards the bathroom area; Dincht followed him. Locke stood one away from the albino, and when he exposed himself to go, Zell couldn't help but stare - - although from the distance he couldn't really see much. But what he did see he was more than impressed with. Locke was sneaking glances at the guy next to him!

"Maybe I've got a prayer after all." He whispered. Then realized he might be wrong. All guys sneak a peak. Just to.. ya know, just to check the ego.

Once his hands were washed, Locke followed behind his guide.

...

Lunch. At last the mystery of the invite will be clarified. Was it truly an invitation of joining Seifer or a prank? Zell had found the table on the other side of the cafeteria, just where Tifa had said it was. All of them were sitting down and talking with each other rather than eating their lunches. Zell looked around for Locke, so they could go over together; it was a great way to have someone there with him that he could talk to, instead of sitting there like an idiot being ignored.

"Come on, Locke, we're sitting over here." He started over once Cole followed him over to Seifers table. They sat down at once when seeing the empty spaces. "Hey, guys." Zell greeted. They looked at him as though he had lost his mind. "... What?" He asked.

"Last time I checked," Seifer began as though he were talking to no one. "We only invited Zell over here. Who the fuck are you?" He looked at Locke.

Locke looked a little startled by the abrupt verbal assault, but Zell jumped in to save him. "This is Locke Cole, he's new to the school." He explained.

Locke backed him up. "We moved here over the summer." The group of teens continued glaring at him, hardly interested in the guy's life story. There was a brief moment of silence before Locke muttered, uncomfortably. "Maybe I should go." He stood up with Zell following his action.

"Locke, wait." The two of them walked a distance away before Zell could grab him back. "Locke," He spun him around to face him. "all they need is to get to know you; I'm sure they're gonna let you sit with us."

Locke waved his hand to Zell, deflecting his words away. "It's no problem. I know what it's like. I've done that sort of thing myself at my old school." This surprised Zell. Locke looked "cool" surr, but, he seemed like the kind of cool that everybody loved. Good-looking and nice. A rare combination to find.

"So, it's really not a problem for you?" Asked Zell.

"I don't know how I could make it any clearer..." Seeing the look on Zell's face Locke reached over to him and patted him on the shoulder. "I'll find somewhere to sit, don't worry so much." Dropping his hand he gestured over to Seifer's table saying. "Go on, you be cool. I'll see you after school."

"Okay, see ya." Zell turned away from Locke, but he continued to look over his shoulder at him to make sure he really was going to be alright.

"Hey Locke," Rinoa said to him. The two of them spoke for a moment before she walked him over to the table she was sitting at with Selphie.

'There's trouble... I'll eat lunch with him tomorrow.' He finally returned to Seifer's table and sat down.

"Let's set some ground rules, Dinky." Seifer was saying as though Zell had been there the whole time.

"What kind of "ground rules"?" The shorter blond asked, looking at all the faces around him.

"For starters," Tifa piped up. "you can't just invite anyone you like to our table." The group nodded.

"Aaand." Another blond in the group joined her listings. "When we want you to do something, you don't hesitate on it."

"And lastly," Said Seifer leering at him. "We're in charge, and you're the gopher. What we say goes."

Zell nodded. "Okay."

Seifer shifted himself in his seat to a resting position against the back of the chair with his luxurious legs strecthed out in front of him. "Good. This is Tifa," He pointed, but Zell already knew that. Zell's further knowledge of her was that she was a whiz with computers and mechanics, which was probably how she got this far in school. He also knows that she only has her mother, because her father left them because of a mental illness.

"Next to him is Vincent." A black haired guy with bangs combed down over one of his burnt brown eyes, glanced at him. Vincent was covered in shades red with black peeking from here and there. The most Zell knew about him was that he was artsy, and tended to be a little self enclosed. Aside from that he was nice enough to be around. Sort of the underdog of the group.

"And over there are Quistis and Rufus."

Two blondes looked like they'd be twins, in fact, if Zell remembered right, they are. The two of them were set to inherit a large sum of money when their father died; he's the owner of a large industry in Esthar. This would probably be the last time anyone saw Rufus, because he'll be taking over the business right after high school. He's also a neat freak.

Quistis was quiet and very mysterious. The only thing that anyone really knows about her is that she's an open lesbian. She's seeing someone who's already going to college. Then there, of course, was Seifer. The leader. Only thing he doesn't have is someone at his arm; but, his sex life is extremely private. Who knows which way he'd go. Though there are rumors about both.

The group ate and talked about frivilous things that Zell didn't really care much about. It didn't matter though, because he couldn't get his mind off of Locke. He wondered more than anything what the guy was talking about, sharing about himself with the girls. He couldn't even see the table he was at because Rinoa and Selphie always sat on the other side of the cafeteria.

'I guess I can ask Selphie about it tonight.' Zell figured. He ate his lunch throwing in a comment to the table's conversation every once in a while. He found that maybe this wasn't what he wanted, if it meant he had to give up Locke. But just for today he'd hang out with them.

'When Locke and I walk home today, Ican work the conversation around to what kind of people he's into, maybe Icanaskifhe was seeing anyone at his last school.' The group at the table laughed at something bringing, Zell back from his thoughts. He faked laughter along with them, then he sighed. 'I hope Locke really does understand, because I can't take this everyday.'