Chapter 6: Double ‘Date’

“Yo,” Reno waved coolly. “Are you here with Cloud?”
“Of course,” Tifa smiled and wiggled her hips from side to side. “You guys want to join us?”
I looked over at Reno. I just shrugged my shoulders because I had no idea who Tifa or Cloud was.
“Sure, why not,” Reno shrugged his shoulders back.
“I’ll go tell the server to cancel our reservation,” I began to walk towards the front counter.
“So... Who’s she?” Tifa asked smiling. “A new girlfriend of yours? She seems like a keeper.”
“Oh Hell no,” Reno laughed. “She’s just an old friend. I bet you’d never guess whose girlfriend she actually is though.”
“An old friend… from ShinRa?” Tifa thought about it for a second. “Was she a Turk too?”
“No. Actually she was part of SOLDIER. Hard to picture that, right?” Reno laughed again.

“No kidding. Hmm… Maybe she knows Cloud then?” Tifa pondered out loud. “Well, if she’s not your girlfriend, whose girlfriend is she? It’s not like you to take out a girl without her being with you…”
“Get this. She’s Vincent’s girlfriend,” Reno nodded. “It’s hard to picture that too. Vincent having a girlfriend at all is a miracle, let alone one that’s normal (and gorgeous) like Kim.”
“Huh. Well I think it’s great he has a girlfriend though,” Tifa smiled as she pictured Vincent and me together. “He’s been alone far too long for his own good.”
“Mm, yeah… True,” Reno nodded. “I think he’s an okay guy. I used to think he was the strangest man alive.”
“His sense of style doesn’t really do him any justice,” Tifa sighed.
“Who’s style?” I said as I walked back towards the two of them.
“Uhm, Cloud’s…” Tifa nodded to herself. “Yeah, Cloud’s.”
“So is this Cloud the same guy you were talking about earlier, Reno-kun?” I asked with curiosity.
“Mm yep, same guy,” Reno sighed.
“What’s up Reno?” Tifa leaned into his face to get a closer look.
“I’m just not too thrilled about seeing Cloud,” Reno shook his head “He’s not too friendly whenever I’m around… It’s like he’s still holding that freaking grudge or something.”
“Oh well, don’t worry about that,” Tifa smiled. “I’ll handle Cloud. You just have a good time with Kim.”
“Don’t forget what we came to talk about, Reno,” I whispered into his ear.
“Never in a million years,” he leaned in and whispered back.

Tifa led us through the sea of tables in the main dining hall, and into a secluded hall meant for private parties.
“Jeez,” Reno whistled. “You sure you don’t mind Kim and I being here?”
“Nah, not at all,” Tifa laughed. “Plus, Cloud can be pretty boring.”
A waiter standing near a pair of doors turned to face us.
“Welcome back, Ms. Lockheart,” he opened the doors and escorted us inside. “I’ll be sure to get two more place settings for your company.”
“Thank you, Robert,” Tifa tipped him.
My heart stopped as I stepped into the room. A blonde haired man, my guess he was Cloud, had his back facing me. Even though I couldn’t see his face, something was very familiar about the man…
“Uhm, Cloud,” Tifa rushed in ahead of us to warn him about Reno and I joining them. “We have some guests this evening!”
“Hm?” Cloud stood up to face us for the first time. “He-“
Complete silence poured into the room like a horrendous flash flood. My mouth hung open as I realized who ‘Cloud’ really… was.
“You!” Cloud and I said simultaneously.
An awkward silence soon followed. Cloud and I glanced over each other, our mouths hanging open like guppies.

“So you do know each other,” Reno finally spoke up, which broke mine and Cloud’s trance.
“K-know?” Cloud stuttered in shock. “We used to be partners!”
“Wow!” Tifa rushed over and grabbed both my hand and Cloud’s. “Isn’t this wonderful? It’s like our own little reunion!”
She then placed my hand in Cloud’s.
“I-I…” my voice shook uncontrollably. “Cloud…”
Tears gathered and then suddenly fell down my face like a roaring waterfall. Cloud opened his arms wide and offered an embrace, and I quickly filled the void between us. My body shook as Cloud held me in his arms. He too had started crying.
“I thought you were dead,” I cried into his shirt. “I-I thought…”
Not another word was spoken for what seemed an eternity. Silence poured once again into the secluded room… And then there was laughter.