Love of My Life
by Magnolia Effervescent
[DISCLAIMER]: I do not own Squaresoft or Square-Enix.
PROLOGUE
It was an incredibly beautiful midsummer that day. The sun was high, and the clouds light and feathery across the endless skies. By the park you can hear the ring of laughter, of children and of adults alike, playing by the cool fountains that flushes spurts of crystalline water. The lush pastures outside of the town was dotted with picnic-goers-grilling steaks, playing frisbee or flying a kite.
It was just heavenly, so vibrant that any painter would have loved to make it his or her own. It was like the perfect backdrop to a perfect story, one that can easily etch its way into your heart to be remembered forever...
"Nonononono!"
Jet-black hair flew.
"Pleasepleaseplease! Don't do this to meeeeeee!"
Midriff top, ripped jeans and high top sneakers. Her feet pounded on the pavement. The young girl has been running, her face flushed but twisted with determination. Seeing her target whizz passed her and then bolt down to the end of the block, she clenched her fist tighter over the strap of her canvas bag loaded with heavy art supplies. You have to make it, she commanded herself furiously. She has to 'effing' make it or else-
BEEP! BEEEEEEEEEP!
Rinoa Heartilly darted a sideways look and her eyes widened, "OH SHI-"
The car horn shrieked passed her as she miraculously found the reflex to dodge the incoming car, missing it only by a few inches. Rinoa threw herself into safety just in time. But no matter, because half a second later, she was back to the chase like nothing happened, yelling a sincere apology to the driver without even looking back.
"I'm sorry!"
She has to make it. She cannot risk one mistake to be reported to her father. All her life, she has fought for things that she want, and there was no way that she would let it boil down to one stupid mistake.
"HOLD THE BUS PLEASE!" Rinoa shouted with all her might. She felt a sudden boost of energy flow through her veins as the gap between her and her target slowly decreased into a mere block. She began frantically waving to get its attention. The last person stepped in and the transportation started to move.
NO! Rinoa still had a yard ahead of her. Her target wedged away from the curb and began to speed up.
"Oh no, you won't!"
With her eyes on the outside railing by the door, Rinoa threw herself on the side of the bus, successfully locking a deathgrip on the warm steel, before swinging her way into the open door like a freaking 'Ninja Warrior'.
YiiiiiiS!
"WHAT THE HECK, MISS!" The bus driver kicked the brakes and shouted from his seat in the front, voicing the shocked consensus by each and everyone inside the bus. He spouted a couple of profanities in between his tirade about road safety and the gift of life, which Rinoa forgave, because nothing beats the fact that she won't be late for her class now.
"I'm so sorry! Please forgive me! This won't happen again, I promise you!" Came her attempt to pacify the situation before the bus driver decides that the bus wouldn't be moving afterall. "I'm sorry!" She clasped her hands together, showing her sincerity.
The bus driver threw her a glare using the rearview mirror before shaking his head in exasperation. Rinoa was so sure that she heard some grumbling, but she was now too busy smiling at the other straphangers to even care.
"Hahaha...Sorry. Sorry for the unsolicited show guys." Rinoa consciously scratched the back of her nape whilst looking for a seat. She thought she saw an empty one at the back, so she gingerly gripped her bag closer to herself, trying not to accidentally hit anybody with it.
That was when it happened.
Cold cerulean eyes. They stared at her relentlessly, critically, almost mercilessly, but quietly, like a caged storm. No doubt as to how she caught their attention. They could have easily stolen the wind off of the sails of a weaker man, but Rinoa had seen worse, having been raised with nothing but ridicule surrounding her.
"Hey." She had the gall to say, even though she clearly wasn't welcome. She then proceeded to regally occupy the seat next to the uptight stranger, like a queen to her throne, but her face fixed with her brightest smile.
Her gorgeous seatmate didn't bother a reply; he just continued staring her down, but unfortunately for him, Rinoa was all for pushing people's' buttons, so she did what she did best to unsuspecting jerks like him.
She winked at him.
And boy, how annoyed did he look after she did.
[Author's Notes]
Hello All! As commemoration for my many years in FFnet, I'm back with new stories to tell and a new pen name. Starting off with my favorite videogame pairing, Squinoa! Hopefully,I could live up to my previous stories and a new generation of readers! I would really appreciate if you could leave a review whenever you can. Thank you for stopping by!
-Maggie oXo