Because I Like You
by BikoNeko/PokeSqrt

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VIII and its characters belong to Squaresoft, not I.

Author's Notes: This is a one-shot Squalphie (Squall Leonhart&Selphie Tilmitt) fanfic that is my entry to a contest at the Seiftis Forever Message Board (http://pub18.ezboard.com/bseiftisforever). If you don't like the pairing, I suggest that you don't read this fic if you will just flame me. Well, anyway, I hope you enjoy!

PART 1 'Waiting', Huh? Yeah, Right...

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she desperately clung onto him. "Please... Please, don't be mad at me anymore..."

"Let go," he said in a low growl.

"NO! No, I'll never let go!"

Squall managed to pry himself away from the hysterical brunette and held his gunblade up threateningly so that she would keep her distance. The look on her face had almost made him want to just let it be and allow her to take him into her arms again. Almost.

He refused to let himself feel sorry for her. He could never allow himself to forgive her after what she had done. "How could you?" he asked, his voice dripping with venom. "How could you?! And with him of all people!"

"I didn't mean it!" Rinoa cried. "Squall, hold me... Please...please tell me it's going to be all right..."

'It's going to be all right, Rinoa...' He used all his willpower to prevent himself from saying those words. He loved her so much but he despised her for what she did. He couldn't just hold her and tell her what she wanted to hear. He couldn't pretend that he didn't hear her try seduce his greatest rival. She had gone for someone else behind his back and she lied to him. If he couldn't trust her, how could he love her?

"It's over," he said coldly. "Fuck off."

She shook her head in disbelief. "No..." She pushed the gunblade away and stepped closer to him. "Please, Squall..."

Before she could come any closer, he stepped back and ran away.

"SQUALL!!!!!!!!" she called out as she ran and tried to catch up with him. "I LOVE YOU, SQUALL!!!!!!!"

The heartbroken young man ran as fast as his feet could take him. He didn't look back because he feared he would not be strong enough to resist the urge to tell her he loved her, too, and run back into her arms. He just kept running and never looked back as the love of his life called out to him.

~*~*~*~

Squall hastily made his way to the training center. Maybe battle with a few T-Rexaurs would help him clear his mind. The incident with Rinoa earlier that evening really messed him up.

"Hey, Squall." Squall spotted a familiar green-eyed brunette by the training center's entrance waving to him with her nunchakus in one hand. "Hiya!"

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing really," Selphie replied. "I just thought I'd come train tonight. You?"

"Same thing."

"Great! Hey, you wanna train together? Come on, it'll be fun!"

"...Whatever."

"Whoo-hoo! Let's go!" The giddy brunette grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him into the training center. When she found a good place for battle, she got into fighting stance and winked at Squall. "Promise you won't kick my butt, okay, Squall?"

"...Whatever."

~*~*~*~

"YIPPEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Selphie cheered as she did a victory pose. "Ha! I beat you, Squall!" She then walked over to Squall and handed him a potion.

"I have my own," Squall said as he took a potion out of his pocket and used some on himself.

"Wanna have another battle?" Selphie asked. "I promise I'll go easy on you."

"No. I'm going to train on my own."

Selphie took him by the arm to stop him from leaving. "Hey, what's the matter?" She had a worried look on her usually cheery face. "Something the matter? Come on, talk to me. Hey, I think you faked during the battle! Squall, what's the matter...?"

"Leave me alone."

"Squall..."

"Come on, tell me what's wrong, okay! Did you and Rinoa fight or something...?"

"It's...none of your business..."

"It IS that, isn't it?! I know if you're lying or not!"

"No, you don't."

"Well...okay, yeah, so I can't tell if you're lying or not but...I know something's bothering you. Tell me, Squall, I'm your friend, right?"

"..."

"Hey, let's go to the 'secret spot'. To talk about things, all right? Anything you want, okay?"

"..."

"I'll help you cheer up!" She pulled him along with her to the secret spot. "Come on, please?"

"...Whatever."

"Let's catch up on things. We haven't really hung out together ever since you became commander, have we? It'll be fun. I'll tell you all about what I've been up to. Well, me and Irvy-- OH HYNE, I'M SO SORRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Selphie covered her eyes when they got to the secret spot and she saw that a couple was already there.

"What the--" Squall froze when the young man looked up from the make-out session with his girlfriend.

"OH MY GOODNESS!!" Selphie had peeked through her fingers and saw who the young couple was.

"You bastard!" Squall lunged at the startled blonde man and reached for his neck.

"GET THE FUCK OFFA ME!!!" Seifer yelled as he punched Squall. The impact of the punch caused Squall to fall hard onto the ground but he quickly got up and charged for the taller teenager again.

"Squall, stop it!" Quistis ordered as she got in front of Seifer and held her arms out as if to protect him. "What in the world is the matter with you, Squall?!"

"That fucking son of a bitch..." the furious young man muttered, eyes lowered to the floor. "He...he and Rinoa...they...they were together...I heard them...they..." He paused and then glared at Seifer. "I heard Rinoa come on to him... HE TOOK HER AWAY FROM ME!"

"What!" Quistis faced Seifer with a hurt look in her orbs of azure. "You were with Rinoa?" She stepped away from him and shook her head sadly. "I thought we had something... I guess not." And with that, she ran away.

"Quistis!" Seifer called out as he ran after her.

Selphie felt a pain in her chest as she stared at Squall. "So you and Rinoa...?"

"We've over," he said bitterly.

"Maybe you just misheard... Don't jump to conclusions, Squall. I know she still loves you. Always."

"Oh really? I don't think I know where that love was when I heard her this morning." He closed his eyes and looked back on what happened that day.

~*~*~*~

(flashback)

He headed for her room and smiled to himself. He couldn't suppress that small smile as he thought of the happy look on her face when he told her of his surprise for her.

"It's been so long, please stay a while..."

He began to wonder who his girlfriend was talking to. He lifted his hand to knock on the door but froze when an all too familiar voice replied.

"I gotta go now," Seifer's voice said.

"Stay and we'll catch up on things. Just a few minutes..."

Hearing those words was like a stab to his heart. He could sense that seductive tone in her voice and his world suddenly collapsed around him.

"I missed you. Stay with me awhile, Seifer..."

Squall left as quickly as possible. He couldn't bear to hear anymore. He had given her his heart and she had been careless with it. He decided to end it once and for all the next time he saw her.

'That bitch. If that's the way it's going to be then fine. It's all over. I'll never fall in love again.'

(end flashback)

~*~*~*~

Selphie rubbed her arms as Squall finished his story. It was starting to get chilly and her yellow dress really wasn't made for the cold but she wanted to stay and help out her friend.

"Squall..." she began softly.

"Don't tell me to get back with her," he snapped.

"No, I wasn't going to do that." Selphie squatted on the ground and pulled Squall down with her. "Sit."

He acquiescently sat down and waited for what she had to say.

"Squall," she began. "Tell me your feelings."

"Why?"

"Because."

"..."

"Well, I have to know what you're thinking so I can help you."

"I don't need help."

"Then just talk to me, okay?"

"..."

"I know how bad you are with emotions. You're just gonna shut the world out, aren't you? And never let anybody near your heart? Well, I won't let you shut me out! I'm tired of you being cold to everyone just because you can't handle your own feelings! You either kill me or talk to me. It isn't hard. I promise I won't laugh or anything."

Squall was starting to get irritated and got up to leave. Selphie frowned and followed him.

"I told you I wouldn't let you shut me out and I'm gonna follow you until you talk to me!"

"..."

When he got to his room, he turned around and faced her. "Go to your room," he said.

"I'm not listening to your orders until you talk to me."

"Fine. Be that way." He hurried into his room and shut the door before the persistent brunette could come in.

"Fine," she grumbled. "You be that way! Hmph!" She spun around on one heel and marched away.