"One day......... I'll fly....... away........" Quistis sang brokenly to
herself. "Leave all this......... to yesterday...... Why live life... From
dream to dream..." Her voice cracked slightly as she brushed an errant tear
from her cheek. "And dread the day...... when dreaming.........."
She paused, softly drawing in a breath.
".......... Ends..........." She whispered, drawing her knees up to her chest. She sat on the highest rooftop in the SeeD Balamb garden. There was no moon on that crystal clear light, leaving all in shadow. Quistis was glad for the darkness. The stars shone their crystal cold light upon her, dancing their eternal dance in the sky. She found no comfort in their dance, all she found were similarities. She was like the stars... Distant and cold... You could find no warmth from the star's light... Just appreciate it in its simplistic beauty and move on.
A wind picked up, swirling around her, and everywhere it touched her bare skin, goosebumps arose swiftly. The dress that she wore, the dress that only a few hours ago had made her feel so incredibly powerful and strong, now made her feel weak and exposed. And rather cold. It was a short dress, a bold red color, with a daring dive in the neckline and off the shoulder straps.
Earlier that evening, Squall had come to her room. Asked her to join him for dinner, with a few other people. He had an announcement he had to make. Quistis' heart overflowed with joy and hope. She had run out to buy the very dress she was wearing now, and the black pumps that sat next to her on the roof. She could have sworn she had taken his breath away, the very effect Quistis had in mind.
But he had enough breath to announce his engagement to Rinoa. Everybody congratulated the happy pair. Rinoa's eyes shined like diamonds as she accepted the praise from everybody. Quistis told them how happy she was for them as her heart cried out in anguish. But the very thing that had ripped it apart was the announcement of the date.
June 21st. Squall uttered the date, looking Quistis right in the eye as he slowly crushed her heart underneath his foot.
*Maybe he doesn't know the significance of it.* Quistis thought hopefully, chewing on her bottom lip as another tear rolled down her cheek.
It was on that date, when Squall had told her that he loved her.
It was at the orphanage. Quistis remembered that she and Squall had been out walking in silence along the rocky shore. They couldn't have been more than 7.
Squall had suddenly stopped walking, kissed Quistis hastily on her cheek, and he had said it.
"Quistis, I love you." He whispered gently before quickly turning around and continuing the walk. Quistis remembered how her heart had fluttered, and she blushed a dark crimson color.
Regardless of whether or not he remembered the date or those words which had stolen her heart, it was final. Her love, was to marry another. He did not love her.
Quistis shivered, rubbing her arms to keep the feeling in them. She knew she should probably go inside. She had feigned a sudden illness at the restaurant, and had hurried straight up to her own personal "secret spot." She had simply forgotten her jacket in the taxi.
*It would be so fitting for the Ice Queen to freeze to death.* Quistis thought bitterly, tears threatening her eyes once more. In a sudden fit of anger, Quistis picked up her shoes, which were sitting haphazordly beside her, and threw them over the edge of the garden, sobbing. She collapsed on the roof, continuing to cry. She lay there, face down on the roof of the garden, shivering and looking out to the sky, not knowing what to do. The others were probably back by now, and wondering where she was.
A small, spiteful part of her hoped one of her shoes had smacked Rinoa right on her perfect little head.
Suddenly, a heavy leather coat was dropped on top of Quistis. She sat up immediately, coat sliding off of her as she turned around to see the owner of the jacket.
Standing before her, with a sad and knowing look in his clear, sea green eyes, was Seifer Almsy. He bent down and gently placed his gray trench coat back over her shoulders. He sat beside her, looking out to the ocean far away. Neither spoke.
Quistis finally broke the silence that had settled between the two.
"How.... How did you know where I was?" She asked, turning to face Seifer. He didn't look at her, just kept staring out into the distance. The wind gently played with his blonde hair, and his face was hardened into a blank stare.
"I didn't." He flatly replied, turning to look Quistis fully in the face. Clear green met misty blue. "I come up here sometimes. To clear my head. I heard someone singing... kinda... and I decided to investigate."
Quistis blushed slightly, pulling the trench coat around her more securely.
"You shouldn't cry over him." Seifer said, folding his hands in his lap and looking down at them. Quistis blinked.
"How did you-"
"Heard about the engagement." He broke in, cracking his neck. "And he's not worth your tears."
Quistis frowned. "Why do you say that?" She ventured, returning her gaze to the stars.
"You should never cry over someone who wouldn't cry over you." He replied, following her gaze to the sky. Quistis digested this information slowly, biting her lip.
"You're right. I don't suppose Squall would ever cry over me." Quistis swallowed hard, fighting back tears for the umpteenth time that night. She studied Seifer more closely. He was such an enigma; it was mind boggling to think about. He was an angel and a devil, the hero and the villain, the tough guy and a poet. A man and a boy. His eyes reflected mixed emotions; Hurt, anger, passion, regret.
Quistis noticed that he too, was shivering, dressed in nothing but a white wife-beater and a pair of black leather pants. Quistis scooted closer to him, and placed part of his trench coat around him. Seifer tensed up, looking in surprise at Quistis, then relaxed and drew her closer to him, placing his arm around her waist. They drank in each other's warmth, with Quistis' head resting on Seifer's shoulder, watching the night sky. A shooting star marred the sky, and Quistis watching Seifer close his eyes, as if he were making a wish with all of his heart.
The silence around them was companionable, words weren't necessary. Quistis felt like she could stay in this moment forever. But nothing lasts forever. Seifer suddenly stood up, dropping his coat around Quistis. The cold rushed in around her, surrounded her, as she watched him start to walk over to the ladder that led to the lower levels.
"Your friends are probably worried about you. They were looking for you a few minutes before I came up here." Seifer said over his shoulder, not bothering to turn around.
"Seifer! Wait!" Quistis called, freezing him in his tracks. He didn't turn around as she ran up behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"What did you wish for?" Quistis asked gently, making him turn to face her. He wouldn't meet her intense gaze, shifting his eyes around to find something to look at other than her.
"If I tell you, it wouldn't come true. And it's something that I've been waiting for since I was at the orphanage." Seifer said quietly. He started to turn around. To go back down to the rest of the world, but Quistis once again stopped him. This time, with her hand on his chin, drawing his face to hers as their lips met in a fiery kiss.
There was a hunger in that kiss, a hunger that Quistis had never before felt in her life. It spread through her like a wildfire as the kiss deepened. It broke only when they both paused to breath.
They stood there, lips millimeters apart, breathing heavily.
"Well what do you know," Seifer said, voice hoarse with passion as he stared intently into Quistis' eyes, "wishes DO come true."
Then their lips met again, and again, and again, pausing only when it was absolutely necessary. Neither wanted to leave the rooftop. Neither wanted to descend back into the hell that was reality. Quistis wished that life could be a rooftop.
They didn't go back until the sun began its journey across the sky, breaking the darkness with its beams of light. And even then, they didn't leave the dorm rooms until well into the day.
She paused, softly drawing in a breath.
".......... Ends..........." She whispered, drawing her knees up to her chest. She sat on the highest rooftop in the SeeD Balamb garden. There was no moon on that crystal clear light, leaving all in shadow. Quistis was glad for the darkness. The stars shone their crystal cold light upon her, dancing their eternal dance in the sky. She found no comfort in their dance, all she found were similarities. She was like the stars... Distant and cold... You could find no warmth from the star's light... Just appreciate it in its simplistic beauty and move on.
A wind picked up, swirling around her, and everywhere it touched her bare skin, goosebumps arose swiftly. The dress that she wore, the dress that only a few hours ago had made her feel so incredibly powerful and strong, now made her feel weak and exposed. And rather cold. It was a short dress, a bold red color, with a daring dive in the neckline and off the shoulder straps.
Earlier that evening, Squall had come to her room. Asked her to join him for dinner, with a few other people. He had an announcement he had to make. Quistis' heart overflowed with joy and hope. She had run out to buy the very dress she was wearing now, and the black pumps that sat next to her on the roof. She could have sworn she had taken his breath away, the very effect Quistis had in mind.
But he had enough breath to announce his engagement to Rinoa. Everybody congratulated the happy pair. Rinoa's eyes shined like diamonds as she accepted the praise from everybody. Quistis told them how happy she was for them as her heart cried out in anguish. But the very thing that had ripped it apart was the announcement of the date.
June 21st. Squall uttered the date, looking Quistis right in the eye as he slowly crushed her heart underneath his foot.
*Maybe he doesn't know the significance of it.* Quistis thought hopefully, chewing on her bottom lip as another tear rolled down her cheek.
It was on that date, when Squall had told her that he loved her.
It was at the orphanage. Quistis remembered that she and Squall had been out walking in silence along the rocky shore. They couldn't have been more than 7.
Squall had suddenly stopped walking, kissed Quistis hastily on her cheek, and he had said it.
"Quistis, I love you." He whispered gently before quickly turning around and continuing the walk. Quistis remembered how her heart had fluttered, and she blushed a dark crimson color.
Regardless of whether or not he remembered the date or those words which had stolen her heart, it was final. Her love, was to marry another. He did not love her.
Quistis shivered, rubbing her arms to keep the feeling in them. She knew she should probably go inside. She had feigned a sudden illness at the restaurant, and had hurried straight up to her own personal "secret spot." She had simply forgotten her jacket in the taxi.
*It would be so fitting for the Ice Queen to freeze to death.* Quistis thought bitterly, tears threatening her eyes once more. In a sudden fit of anger, Quistis picked up her shoes, which were sitting haphazordly beside her, and threw them over the edge of the garden, sobbing. She collapsed on the roof, continuing to cry. She lay there, face down on the roof of the garden, shivering and looking out to the sky, not knowing what to do. The others were probably back by now, and wondering where she was.
A small, spiteful part of her hoped one of her shoes had smacked Rinoa right on her perfect little head.
Suddenly, a heavy leather coat was dropped on top of Quistis. She sat up immediately, coat sliding off of her as she turned around to see the owner of the jacket.
Standing before her, with a sad and knowing look in his clear, sea green eyes, was Seifer Almsy. He bent down and gently placed his gray trench coat back over her shoulders. He sat beside her, looking out to the ocean far away. Neither spoke.
Quistis finally broke the silence that had settled between the two.
"How.... How did you know where I was?" She asked, turning to face Seifer. He didn't look at her, just kept staring out into the distance. The wind gently played with his blonde hair, and his face was hardened into a blank stare.
"I didn't." He flatly replied, turning to look Quistis fully in the face. Clear green met misty blue. "I come up here sometimes. To clear my head. I heard someone singing... kinda... and I decided to investigate."
Quistis blushed slightly, pulling the trench coat around her more securely.
"You shouldn't cry over him." Seifer said, folding his hands in his lap and looking down at them. Quistis blinked.
"How did you-"
"Heard about the engagement." He broke in, cracking his neck. "And he's not worth your tears."
Quistis frowned. "Why do you say that?" She ventured, returning her gaze to the stars.
"You should never cry over someone who wouldn't cry over you." He replied, following her gaze to the sky. Quistis digested this information slowly, biting her lip.
"You're right. I don't suppose Squall would ever cry over me." Quistis swallowed hard, fighting back tears for the umpteenth time that night. She studied Seifer more closely. He was such an enigma; it was mind boggling to think about. He was an angel and a devil, the hero and the villain, the tough guy and a poet. A man and a boy. His eyes reflected mixed emotions; Hurt, anger, passion, regret.
Quistis noticed that he too, was shivering, dressed in nothing but a white wife-beater and a pair of black leather pants. Quistis scooted closer to him, and placed part of his trench coat around him. Seifer tensed up, looking in surprise at Quistis, then relaxed and drew her closer to him, placing his arm around her waist. They drank in each other's warmth, with Quistis' head resting on Seifer's shoulder, watching the night sky. A shooting star marred the sky, and Quistis watching Seifer close his eyes, as if he were making a wish with all of his heart.
The silence around them was companionable, words weren't necessary. Quistis felt like she could stay in this moment forever. But nothing lasts forever. Seifer suddenly stood up, dropping his coat around Quistis. The cold rushed in around her, surrounded her, as she watched him start to walk over to the ladder that led to the lower levels.
"Your friends are probably worried about you. They were looking for you a few minutes before I came up here." Seifer said over his shoulder, not bothering to turn around.
"Seifer! Wait!" Quistis called, freezing him in his tracks. He didn't turn around as she ran up behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"What did you wish for?" Quistis asked gently, making him turn to face her. He wouldn't meet her intense gaze, shifting his eyes around to find something to look at other than her.
"If I tell you, it wouldn't come true. And it's something that I've been waiting for since I was at the orphanage." Seifer said quietly. He started to turn around. To go back down to the rest of the world, but Quistis once again stopped him. This time, with her hand on his chin, drawing his face to hers as their lips met in a fiery kiss.
There was a hunger in that kiss, a hunger that Quistis had never before felt in her life. It spread through her like a wildfire as the kiss deepened. It broke only when they both paused to breath.
They stood there, lips millimeters apart, breathing heavily.
"Well what do you know," Seifer said, voice hoarse with passion as he stared intently into Quistis' eyes, "wishes DO come true."
Then their lips met again, and again, and again, pausing only when it was absolutely necessary. Neither wanted to leave the rooftop. Neither wanted to descend back into the hell that was reality. Quistis wished that life could be a rooftop.
They didn't go back until the sun began its journey across the sky, breaking the darkness with its beams of light. And even then, they didn't leave the dorm rooms until well into the day.