Please... It's not what you think...
"Please! It's not what you think!" Squall Leonhart hollered down the ceremonial hallways of Balamb Garden at the distant running figure of Rinoa Heartilly. He cursed himself silently, pounding his gloved fist at the arched oak doors before chasing after Rinoa.
It was a starry and beautiful night at Balamb Garden, the perfect setting for the annual Graduation Night. Gaudily dressed boys took to the vast and huge concourse of the boarding university, while attractively dressed girls mingled with the boys and danced to the beat of the rousing waltz, "Eyes on Me". The stars high up in the dark skies shimmered like diamonds, with the occasional shooting star adding to the splendour of the serene beauty. It was also during this event that boys eagerly seized the chance to dance with their dream companions, and this quirky custom was the root of the misunderstanding that Rinoa had upon seeing Squall dancing intimately with his young instructor, Quistis Trepe.
Rinoa ran on silently, her luminous almond eyes trickling down silvery pearls of tear, her right hand resting tenderly on her chest. Her crystal studded high heels clicked noisily, disrupting the calm silence away from the bustling concourse. Closely behind her, Squall's heavy woollen boots thudded dully on the archaic cobbles, his pale face contorted in a mixture of guilt and anxiety. The sleeping birds in the mulberry trees dotting the backyard compound of Balamb Garden were disturbed by a high pitched scream, as Rinoa tripped and fell onto the cobbled pathway. Squall's muscular arms wrapped around Rinoa's petite shoulder, as the birds took off into the nightskies. Rinoa squirmed helplessly, as her efforts to get away from Squall's comforting touch were in vain. She gave a stifled sob, and looked to her left stubbornly when she noticed Squall's questioning face to her right. Squall sighed, and began to explain what really happened.
"Rinoa... sweet Rinoa... you have misunderstood what you seen." pleaded Squall plaintively in a rich baritone voice, as Rinoa lifted her slender hand to pry Squall's grip loose. With a smooth and graceful motion, Squall caught her hand and entwined his fingers with hers. Rinoa gasped, tugging for some time before giving up. "Quistis invited me to dance with her, and I had to comply. She's my instructor after all, and it will be inappropriate to dance otherwise in a waltz... you do know that, don't you? Quistis and I are just friends, I swear to you. Zell Dincht can vouch for me too." continued Squall soothingly, stroking Rinoa's silky black tresses and squeezing her hand. Rinoa finally turned her fair face to look fully at Squall. "Really? You are not lying to me?" Rinoa's rich and vibrant tone quavered as she asked Squall, seeking solace and reaffirmation. Squall looked deeply into the frightened and wavering pupils and said firmly, "Rinoa, you are the love of my life, and I will never forsake you. Have faith in me, just as I had faith in you." The rustling of leaves punctuated yet another period of utmost silence as both lovers gazed deeply into each other's eyes.
"Oh, Squall! I'm so sorry to have ever doubted you!" exclaimed a heartstricken Rinoa, as she dug her head deep into Squall's warm and broad chest. She threw her arms around Squall and gripped him tightly, as Squall gave a wan smile. "Silly girl... it's not what you think of, it's not what you have wanted... I gladly forgive you..." was the most direct and affectionate answer to Rinoa's heartfelt apology. The couple embraced tightly, as the huge monolithic clock tower in Balamb Garden sonorously chimed twelve times.
"Please! It's not what you think!" Squall Leonhart hollered down the ceremonial hallways of Balamb Garden at the distant running figure of Rinoa Heartilly. He cursed himself silently, pounding his gloved fist at the arched oak doors before chasing after Rinoa.
It was a starry and beautiful night at Balamb Garden, the perfect setting for the annual Graduation Night. Gaudily dressed boys took to the vast and huge concourse of the boarding university, while attractively dressed girls mingled with the boys and danced to the beat of the rousing waltz, "Eyes on Me". The stars high up in the dark skies shimmered like diamonds, with the occasional shooting star adding to the splendour of the serene beauty. It was also during this event that boys eagerly seized the chance to dance with their dream companions, and this quirky custom was the root of the misunderstanding that Rinoa had upon seeing Squall dancing intimately with his young instructor, Quistis Trepe.
Rinoa ran on silently, her luminous almond eyes trickling down silvery pearls of tear, her right hand resting tenderly on her chest. Her crystal studded high heels clicked noisily, disrupting the calm silence away from the bustling concourse. Closely behind her, Squall's heavy woollen boots thudded dully on the archaic cobbles, his pale face contorted in a mixture of guilt and anxiety. The sleeping birds in the mulberry trees dotting the backyard compound of Balamb Garden were disturbed by a high pitched scream, as Rinoa tripped and fell onto the cobbled pathway. Squall's muscular arms wrapped around Rinoa's petite shoulder, as the birds took off into the nightskies. Rinoa squirmed helplessly, as her efforts to get away from Squall's comforting touch were in vain. She gave a stifled sob, and looked to her left stubbornly when she noticed Squall's questioning face to her right. Squall sighed, and began to explain what really happened.
"Rinoa... sweet Rinoa... you have misunderstood what you seen." pleaded Squall plaintively in a rich baritone voice, as Rinoa lifted her slender hand to pry Squall's grip loose. With a smooth and graceful motion, Squall caught her hand and entwined his fingers with hers. Rinoa gasped, tugging for some time before giving up. "Quistis invited me to dance with her, and I had to comply. She's my instructor after all, and it will be inappropriate to dance otherwise in a waltz... you do know that, don't you? Quistis and I are just friends, I swear to you. Zell Dincht can vouch for me too." continued Squall soothingly, stroking Rinoa's silky black tresses and squeezing her hand. Rinoa finally turned her fair face to look fully at Squall. "Really? You are not lying to me?" Rinoa's rich and vibrant tone quavered as she asked Squall, seeking solace and reaffirmation. Squall looked deeply into the frightened and wavering pupils and said firmly, "Rinoa, you are the love of my life, and I will never forsake you. Have faith in me, just as I had faith in you." The rustling of leaves punctuated yet another period of utmost silence as both lovers gazed deeply into each other's eyes.
"Oh, Squall! I'm so sorry to have ever doubted you!" exclaimed a heartstricken Rinoa, as she dug her head deep into Squall's warm and broad chest. She threw her arms around Squall and gripped him tightly, as Squall gave a wan smile. "Silly girl... it's not what you think of, it's not what you have wanted... I gladly forgive you..." was the most direct and affectionate answer to Rinoa's heartfelt apology. The couple embraced tightly, as the huge monolithic clock tower in Balamb Garden sonorously chimed twelve times.