Chapter Ten

I sat at the bar with some regulars that drank on both sides of me. Tifa was behind the bar. I watched as she did the glasses that got used as soon as she had washed them. "Rough night?"

The older woman looked at me with a gentle smile. "No rougher than usual. I'm glad that Graceona could get Leonard out of the house. I was worried about him." She wiped her wet hands on the towel that lay on the bar.

I looked at her. "What happened to him? He shared some things he went through. Last month must have been hard for the both of you."

She looked past me. "That's his story to tell. I'm sure he will when he's ready. Just give him some time." I looked in the direction where her gazes were locked to see Graceona and Leonard sitting with Vincent, who had finally made his way to the party. I looked back at her as she looked at me. I took a drink of water, and she looked at me. "Why aren't you hanging out with your brothers?"

"We don't have to hang out all the time." I took a drink of water to calm myself, trying to get the events from earlier in the morning to stay like that, in the past, and not sharing our problems with the city of Midgar Edge. "Besides, they seem like they are having fun without me."

I looked at the jukebox that Loz stood in front of it talking to Yuffie, and Kadaj sat with some teens our age. He looked bored at his company. But that wasn't something I was going to trouble myself with. He can manage.

"They're having fun, but are you? The only thing I've seen you do tonight is sit here and drink water. You got up one time and that was to go talk to Grace. Parties aren't your thing, are they?"

"Not really. What else is there to do? Besides sit?"

"Talk to people, get to know everyone." She smiled. "Look at your brother's they found people to talk to. Maybe you should get to know the kids in the city. Make yourself some friends, people aren't that bad. I'm sure they'll like you, you give no one a chance. You seem distant. It probably scares people to get around you. Well, except for the children."

I looked at the table containing my two brothers and other teenagers that were huddled in the corner. I sighed, taking the last drink of water, putting the empty glass on the table. "I'll pass."

"Well, you can always go hang out with Vincent. If Leonard ever leaves you a chance. Those two are always together. Maybe they could make room in their quiet conversations for a third person since teenagers aren't your thing."

I looked at the two men who sat in the back of the bar. "I'm good. I'm fine where I am."

I heard the bartender sigh as the sounds of the chime over the door showed that someone else had entered the bar. I looked to see a young woman with tan skin, blue eyes, and beautiful, long brown hair. She wore an outfit fitting for this weather, a white floral sundress. She smiled, walking over to the bar, where the two men on both sides of me had gotten up in the middle of the discussion with me and the older woman. The girl sat down beside me. "Can I get an iced tea with a lemon?" Tifa turned to look at the girl.

"Alright." Was the older woman's response before she left me with the unknown beautiful girl, that had the looks that I picture the goddess from the readings of LOVELESS would be jealous of.

"So, what's your name?" the teen girl beside me looked at me, though I felt I was looking like some creeper just looking at her, not taking my eyes off her. Her face was soft, with the same level of softness in her smile.

"Sorry, I'm Yazoo. Who are you?"

"Sierra. I've noticed you when I walked into the bar. Do you always look at girls goofy or am I the only girl that gets it?" she giggled.

I felt my face heat, though I couldn't see the embarrassment clear on my face, the heat was clear enough. I looked at the bar. "Sorry." I hid behind silver locks, thanking Gaia I decided not to cut my hair earlier in the week.

"I guess that's a no. I guess I could be lucky. The hot, shy guy that loves to read." She giggled. "No need to apologize. It's alright."

I didn't look at her. "How did you know I love to read?"

"Dude, every time I come past your house, you're always sitting on the front porch reading a book. Everyone knows you love to read, plus I've given Leonard some books to give you every time I see him."

I finally looked up at her. "Alright, you got the reading part right, but shy, I'm not that. Hot you got that correct as well."

She laughed. "You're not modest, are you, dude? My dad was right, though I don't think you are that crazy."

"Who is your father?"

She giggled. "Reno Sinclair."

"Ah, I'm sorry, but I don't see the resemblance."

"I take after my mother."

"You're lucky, then."

She smiled. "I hope that's a compliment. I'd hate to break loose on the cutest guy in here, plus I don't want to fight your family. So can we just say it was a compliment and be friends again?"

"Nice. Beautiful and a fighter, tell me how a girl like you has stayed single. You have everything a boy could want. It should be a sin to be beautiful and lonely." I grinned as she looked at me.

"Nice try. It didn't work on Kadaj. I'm not easily persuaded by grins. However, I'm not immune to them." She grinned back at me, placing her hands on the bar.

"Sierra, here is your tea." We heard Tifa as we looked at her.

"Thanks." The girl became bubbly once more than I sighed. I heard the clanking of the ice against her glass over the party-goers. "So, Yazoo. Didn't Leonard and Grace teach you how to flirt? The two of them are the dream of every person in the city. You don't have the glare and the grin that Leonard has, and you don't have the charm that Grace has. I had you eating out of my hand when I walked through the door. You could at least play harder to get. It would be a bit more fun. Didn't expect you to be clay in the hands of anyone. Loz, yes. I pictured you and Kadaj being the harder to get out the three of you." She giggled. Standing to her feet. "But for what it's worth, do you want to go get some ice cream, and look at some new Materia, later on, maybe say, seven o'clock?"

I looked at her, shocked. "Are you asking me out on a date?"

"Dude, one of us had to get the ball rollin, if I waited for you to ask, I would have been waitin all night and I think the party is about to end. You're cute, but you're as dense as a burnt-out lightbulb once it comes to things like this. No offense."

"Non-taken. I'd like to go out on a date with you at seven. Leonard took my books away."

"Shame on him, oh well. The books lose and my gain, eh?"

"I'll pick you up at six-thirty?"

"Awesome." She smiled, placing her empty glass on the table, waving at me, leaving the bar.

I heard a chuckle behind me, turning; I saw Leonard, who had his arms folded across his chest, with a smirk, holding in laughter. "Well, never would have thought that girl would be that manipulative. Dang. I'm proud of the child."

"How long were you even standing there?"

"Long enough to watch, little Sierra, make the plans for the ice cream and Materia. Sounds like a date to me, a boring date. But when you're dating a girl that detests fighting and loves all things pretty and pink, it would be too much to ask for a date at the weapons shop. Your first girlfriend, cute, I suppose. Progress? Nobody can be mad at it."

"Shut up."

"Just saying. Come on, the party is over. I want to go home, and you need to get ready for your first date. I wonder if Grace still has that camera." He chuckled, walking away, as I sighed, following him.