Chapter 2 – Assumptions
"If you can't solve their problems with therapy, solve them with drinking."
– Anonymous
Rinoa sat in a chair in the waiting room of Dr. Weeler's office. She looked around the warm wood paneled walls looking at some generic pictures that were hung up on the walls. Some scenes of lakes and mountain, a poster of a cat hanging onto a rope that read: Keep Hanging in There.
Her first thought was: 'I'm not nervous.' Her second was: 'How did they fit a waiting room into the floor plan?'
Cid had caught up with Rinoa as she was going to the infirmary to check her work schedule. He told her about the appointment he had scheduled for her the following morning. She had spent the whole night tormenting herself about the session she was going to have. Selphie's ridiculous stories had really left an imprint in her mind and she couldn't shake them despite the fact that she knew they were illogical.
Rinoa looked up from her magazine when the door to Dr. Weeler's room opened and a guy walked out with a red face and puffy eyes. He looked like he had been crying… for hours. Jenny, the disturbingly emotionless receptionist said: "You can go on in now," as the boy left in a huff, completely oblivious to the fact that he seemed upset. Rinoa put the magazine back on the desk and entered the office.
The room had a huge floor to ceiling window and completely bare white walls. Rinoa found it odd that the room was so sterile while the waiting room was nice and cozy. It was like this woman was trying to lull her patients into a false sense of security.
"Have a seat," said Dr. Weeler pointing to her left, not bothering to look up from her notes. Rinoa did as she was told and sat down in one of the chairs the woman had pointed to. She breathed a small sigh of relief since Dr. Weeler certainly didn't look menacing. She was a petite brunette, with little gray hair showing from her tightly wound bun. Her oval-shaped glasses sat on her nose and she looked more like a kind Kindergarten teacher than anything else.
Dr. Weeler got up from her desk and sat in the chair opposite from Rinoa. She flipped to a new page on her notepad and scribbled some things down quickly.
"So… Rinoa Heartilly… Tell me why you're here." Rinoa looked at her a little confused; didn't she know that Cid had made her the appointment.
"Um, Cid made the appointment for me," she said. Dr. Weeler stared at her with an emotionless expression in response. "He's been giving them to all the staff of the Garden… I hear…" she said trying to fill the silence.
"Alright," was the woman's response as she wrote some more notes. "Tell me about your family."
"My father is General Caraway, he's in the military."
"Well you did say 'General' so military is inferred," said Dr. Weeler. Rinoa wasn't sure but she was pretty sure she just saw the woman let out a small sigh. She ignored it and continued.
"And my mother was a concert pianist, Julia." Dr. Weeler stared at Rinoa for a moment. This was not going well. Why were there so many pauses?
"Explain to me why you think you're better than everyone," said Dr. Weeler. Rinoa noticed now that the woman never really asked anything. More like she gave directions.
"I-I don't think I'm better than everyone," said Rinoa caught off guard by the question.
"Is that so? When asked about your family you told me first about you General father, and then you pianist mother. Most people would talk about their relationship with their parents, you went right ahead and told me their titles. It suggests that having a high place in society is important to you and that you think you have one due to your heritage." Rinoa had to stop her jaw from dropping. She didn't think that… did she?
"I thought that you would want to know what they did," she said in response. Her statement was met with silence, so she continued. "I thought you'd want to know their profession so that you could ask me about my relationship with… them…." That didn't make sense. Why was she so flustered? These weren't difficult questions. This woman was confusing her.
"Let's talk about something else," said Dr. Weeler. Rinoa was happy for a topic change, but nervous as to what she could possibly ask her next. "Talk to me about your friends."
"I have a few good friends. Selphie and Quistis are my good girlfriends, and Zell and Irvine are my close guy friends. I'm also dating a guy named Squall," she said. This time she was careful not to divulge their jobs in case Weeler would say she thought she was better than everyone again. "And I guess Seifer is my friend too."
"What do they do?" Dr. Weeler asked.
What? Thought Rinoa, didn't she just chew me out because I mentioned what my parents did?
"They work at the Garden. Selphie is involved with the Garden Committee, Irvine is just a mercenary – he's a mercenary," she said correcting the word 'just'. "Squall is working with Cid, Zell is also a mercenary and occasionally works at the gym and Seifer, he is a student here."
"I see," said Weeler, "Does Squall know you're in love with this Seifer character?"
"Wh-What?!" exclaimed Rinoa. Dr. Weeler made a face that suggested any more exclamations would not be tolerated and Rinoa quickly calmed her tone. "I'm not in love with Seifer."
"You aren't? Out of all of your friends he was the last person you mentioned. Both times. This suggests to me that he's always the last thing on your mind, like you can't get him out of your head."
"Wouldn't that mean that I don't like him since he's the last thing on your mind?" asked Rinoa her eyes forming slits. Dr. Weeler looked at her for a moment. Yeah I got you now lady she thought grinning victoriously on the inside.
"People also save the best for last," was her response. The party in Rinoa's head ended and she just stared at Dr. Weeler. "Well Rinoa I think we're done for now."
"It's only been like 20 minutes…" said Rinoa slowly.
"While it may have been about 20 minutes," said Dr. Weeler correcting Rinoa's poor grammar choice, "I think I'm done with you. You can go." With that the woman got up and went back to her desk.
"Okay…" said Rinoa getting up, "Should I schedule another appointment or something?"
"Do you think you need one?"
Bitch thought Rinoa. She shook her head and left the office. She was thinking to herself as she walked aimlessly through the halls. Was she right about Rinoa loving Seifer? She certainly didn't think she loved him. Half the time she didn't even like him.
"Rinoa!" called Selphie once Rinoa walked into the cafeteria. She hadn't even noticed she was headed there. Rinoa walked over to her friends moving through the crowded cafeteria and sat down in between Selphie and Irvine.
"How was your session?" asked Selphie wide-eyed, "Did she make you cry?"
"I notice your hair is all there," said Zell, "So can I assume it didn't go that badly?"
"I don't know… she really confused me," responded Rinoa. "Do you guys think that I think I'm better than you?"
"Not particularly," said Quistis.
"Sometimes you act like you're better than me," said Seifer who was sitting across from Rinoa. Rinoa looked at him and then looked away quickly. Had she sat in front of him because she wanted to be closer to him? No then she would have sat beside him… wouldn't she?
"You tried to end the world, everyone is better than you Seifer," said Selphie.
"Jeez harsh," said Seifer grabbing at his heart dramatically.
"That was for yesterday's joke-fest," stated the brunette sticking her tongue out.
"That woman is tricky," said Rinoa, "she just got all up in my head and like twisted my brain around." She was getting upset now. Why did that woman have to make her feel so confused?
"Confusing you isn't that hard. Just move something sparkly in front of you," said Seifer sarcastically. He waved his silver fork in front of her face for dramatic effect. Rinoa scowled angrily at him.
"Shut up Seifer! I don't even like you that much!" she exclaimed before getting up and leaving the cafeteria. Squall, who was seated at the table with them, followed Rinoa out of the room.
"Whatever," said Seifer crossing his arms, "I don't like her that much either."
"Rinoa seems pissed. I think it's time to do some investigating," said Selphie ignoring Seifer.
"I thought you were scared of Dr. Weeler," said Quistis.
"Nuh-uh, I've upgraded to insanely curious. Come on Zell, let's go stake this bitch out."
"Why me?" asked Zell nervously.
"Because you're the strongest and can protect me," she said with a smile. Zell smiled back. "Also if she corners us I'll just throw you in front of me and she can ask you about what you're thinking and then get annoyed with you and leave."
"Why would she get annoyed with me?"
"Well she's asking you what you think, and let's face it Zell, you don't think all that much. It's like hot dogs, and girls, and exercise," said Selphie in what she thought was a nice tone.
"Hey! I have thoughts; I'm complex," he argued.
"Oh fresh hot dogs!" exclaimed Selphie pointing behind him.
"Fresh?!" he asked whipping his head around. Selphie shrugged.
"See, I'm right?"
