Oh deary me! This is bad update record even for me. /taps screen/ Is anyone there? I'm so sorry for the wait guys. Just a million things happening at once in the past year and almost all of my stories have suffered a lack of updates. But three months of summer holidays now so should get a few of these out of the way at last.

School Dance

With an estrangled cry, Tifa slumped into the chair beside Zack a deep frown cut into her pretty face. Yuffie, sitting opposite merely raised an eyebrow before being distracted by Reno leaning over her and stealing a few chips off her plate.

"What's up?" Zack asked, slinging his arm to rest on the back of her chair. Tifa sighed and slowly turned to face him.

"I haven't found a dress yet," she replied resting her head on her arms with a misrable sigh.

"Oh," commented Zack taking a sip of his drink. "There was me thinking the world had ended or something."

Tifa glared at him with such ferocity that the chuckle died in Zack's throat before it could even be heard. Yuffie finally managed to pull her attention away from Reno enough to shake her head at Zack. "Never insult a woman on fashion issues Zack. Even tom-boys like Tifa secretly love being girly for once."

"Have you got a dress yet?" Reno asked, raising an eyebrow. Yuffie snorted and turned to him again with a serious look on her face.

"No," she answered simply. The red-head exchanged a confused glance with the other male present before sliding into the chair next to Yuffie.

"Please explain," he said with a grin. Yuffie swallowed her food and gave a long sigh.

"I'm not a girly person at all," she replied.

"But you said even tom-boy women like to be girly for once so why not you? You're a tom-boy," Zack pointed out. Yuffie shook her head.

"Okay I phrased it wrong. Tifa may be more of a tom-boy but she's also girly okay? She likes make-up and dresses and fairy-tale malarky. I, however, am a tom-boy through and through!" she answered proudly. "Right Teef?"

"Mhm," the brunette answered without even looking up. Zack rolled his eyes.

"Just go to the shops and find a dress!" he muttered. Yuffie winced.

At that moment, Cloud and Aerith appeared and caused Tifa enough distraction to not punch Zack's lights out in irritation. As the couple took the two spare seats beside Tifa and Reno, Yuffie and the red-head exchanged amused glances before Yuffie turned to Cloud.

"You're pushing the boat out aren't you?" she teased. Cloud looked up from his tray.

"Ha ha," he commented dryly. "We're going out for dinner instead of lunch. Aerith wants to show me her dress."

Zack and Reno exchanged wide grins at the implications while Tifa gave a wail and collapsed once again in a heap. Cloud raised an eyebrow and opened his mouth but Zack shook his head.

"Not worth your life mate," he muttered but yelped suddenly as Tifa aimed a kick at his ankle.

"There's a sale on at H&M you know?" Aerith commented suddenly. "There was a gorgeous dark blue dress there. I loved it but blue isn't my colour at all." Cloud grunted to let her know he was listening. Reno and Yuffie had both went back to their plates while Zack sat with a bored look on his face, twirling his keys between his fingers. Aerith took a drink and glanced at Tifa. She hadn't moved at all. Clearing her throat, she continued. "And the shape was all wrong for me as well. The sizes that were left were more for girls with..um...a bit more..." she drifted off, pointing to her chest area. "I took a picture of it though because I thought my cousin would like it." Tifa's head slowly rose and she looked at Aerith as she showed off the dress.

"It's gorgeous," she breathed, staring at the picture before her. "It's in the sale?" she repeated. Aerith nodded cheerfully. Tifa's face took on a thoughtful expression before it fell again. "The sale ends today though! There's no way I'll get there in time," she muttered. Aerith shook her head.

"My Auntie Elmyra works there. I could pull a few strings for you if you want it."

Tifa's eyes widened. "Could you?" she cried, leaping out of her chair and pulling Aerith into a bear-hug. "Oh thank you so much Aerith! I'll go straight after school to try it on!"

"Could you not break her back please Tifa?" Cloud asked, his fork halfway towards his mouth as he gaped at the scene in front of him. But the girls only laughed and Tifa gave him a playful slap.

"Oh sure. He gets the playful slap, I get the broken ankle," Zack muttered.

"That's because you're an idiot," Yuffie said without looking up.

"I better go," Reno said looking at his watch. "Rufus wanted to talk to me about something; wants help with a test or something I guess." Yuffie shrugged in reply as Reno got up and left.

"I better go too, I'll be late for football practice otherwise," Zack said, smiling warmly at Tifa before leaving. Now that she was in a brighter mood, she returned the smile with her own radient grin and waved after him. The table fell into an amiable silence as they finished off their lunches. But after a few moments of this, Cloud and Tifa looked at each other and then at Yuffie. It was the longest the youngest had ever went without saying anything at all. And even more strange was the fact that she wasn't eating anything either despite the fact that her plate still had plenty on it. Aerith suddenly became aware that something was wrong and glanced around, finally resting her gaze on Yuffie as well.

"Yuffs," Tifa began gently.

"Huh?" the girl started and looked over at her older friend. Tifa frowned slightly and cast a glance at Cloud again, who shrugged.

"Are you alright?" she asked in the same motherly tone.

"Yeah of course," Yuffie replied, shaking herself a little and sitting up to start eating her lunch again. The other three continued to stare silently until Yuffie sighed dramtically. "No!" she wailed, collapsing onto her arms. Tifa blinked slowly and Aerith cast a confused glance at Cloud.

"What's wrong?" Tifa asked.

"I don't have a dress," Yuffie replied, finally sitting up.

"But you said you didn't want a dress!"

"Duh! It was meant to throw him off so that when I got a dress he would be surprised."

"Oh," was all Tifa could respond with. Yuffie didn't seem bothered by this and continued on regardless.

"But I kept putting it off because, well, I hate shopping. But now, I've left it too late! What will I do?"

"Don't look at me!" Cloud declared suddenly. "I know nothing about dresses!"

"Except that time when your mum came home and found -ah!" Tifa was cut off as Cloud flung a handful of chips directly into her face, causing her to fling her hands up in an attempt to sheild herself. But Yuffie had suddenly perked up and Aerith was looking intruged.

"What happened?" she asked looking between Cloud and Tifa.

"He once wore his mother's dress," she giggled.

"I was three years old!" Cloud cried, his voice suddenly going high-pitched and causing some pupils to cast amused glances towards them. This just sent the girls into harder laughter and Cloud slided down in his chair a little.

"I'm sorry sweetie," Aerith said as seriously as she could while her eyes still sparkled with the smirk. She leaned over and kissed his cheek but he just huffed and looked in the other direction stubbornly. "I think you at three years old is incredably cute," she added, giving him a playful nudge with her shoulder. His lips twitched slightly and he looked back at her with a smirk of his own.

"Well I suppose it is," he said, casting a triumphant look at Tifa who pulled a mock-hurt face back at him.

"Anyway, about your dress Yuffie," Aerith said, looking away from Cloud. "I think I might have something that will suit you."

"Really?" Yuffie asked, leaning forward in excitement. Aerith nodded.

"I'll meet you after school if you like and take you to my house to see it. Cloud and I aren't going out until seven."

"Aerith, you are a star! I love you!" Yuffie cried. "Not in that way of course so don't get too worked up chocobo head!" Cloud stuck his tongue out in response as the bell rang out signalling the end of the lunch break.