Chapter 2—She's with Me
Quistis felt her heart racing as she stepped over the threshold of the dark, crowded club. The smell of sweat, clove cigarettes, and perfume assaulted her senses as she drew a forced breath, trying to extract oxygen from the saturated air around her. Her hands grew cold and clammy and somehow not quite her own--heavy and awkward, hanging uncomfortably at her sides. Whoever said it's easy to get lost in the crowd was an idiot thought Quistis bitterly. She glanced at Selphie who was confidently wading her way through the colorful crowd that was moving fluidly to the rhythmic, penetrating sound of techno that was booming over large speakers affixed to each of the corners of the club.
"Hey, Quis, you want a drink?" yelled Selphie over the music, pulling her forcefully toward the bar.
"Sure," replied Quistis somewhat uncertainly, allowing Selphie to steer her. Loser rule number one… Carry a drink with you at all times to appear like you are having fun… Oh stop it, Quistis. Just relax… Selphie beamed at the dark-haired bartender who immediately returned her smile and walked over.
"Hey there, sexy," she yelled, reaching over the counter and tracing his chest with her index finger.
"What will it be, gorgeous?" he responded, playfully cocking his eyebrow. Seeing Quistis behind Selphie, the bartender gave her an appreciative look, his eyes running over the curves of her body in one fluid motion. "You girls do body shots?" he inquired playfully. "I'll be off in about an hour." Not on your life… thought Quistis. She had to admit though, he was sort of cute.
"Ooh, you naughty boy," Selphie giggled. "Tell you what, you give Quis and me a couple of whiskey sours and you just might get your wish… later" she said with a wink.
"Consider it done," he flirted back, expertly pouring the drinks and giving Quistis another smoldering look. Unwittingly Quistis shivered slightly at the thought of the handsome bartender flicking his tongue over her exposed flesh. Smiling inwardly, Quistis firmly clasped her fingers around the drink and scanned the room for anyone she knew. Not unexpectedly, a moment later Selphie hailed down another one of her friends and disappeared briefly into the crowd. A second later she returned with a somewhat tentative look on her face and pulled Quistis aside. Here it comes… thought Quistis. The sense of dread was slowing returning.
"Umm, Quis?' she yelled over the sound of the booming music. "I just saw one of my friends and she said that I absolutely have to meet this guy from Balamb. He graduated a few months ago." She giggled. "So, umm, do you mind if I leave you for a few minutes? I'll be back in a few, I promise. Maybe he has a friend," she winked. Is it ok that you leave me here? No, it's not ok… But you will do it anyways, so why even bother asking….
"Go ahead, it's fine, Selph. Enjoy yourself," she replied forcing a smile.
"Thanks, Quis! You're the best!" Without warning she gave her a big hug and disappeared into the crowd. All alone… in a sea of people. Panic gripped her for real now as she took a big sip of her whiskey sour feeling like she would rather be anywhere but here. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the bartender following her every movement with undisguised interest. And then it happened.
"Hey Quistis!" yelled a familiar voice. Hyne no! Not him. Adrian… Quistis turned, trying to keep her face cool and nonchalant although her insides were burning with dread.
"What do you want, Adrian?" she said simply, setting her drink down on a nearby table.
"Aww, where's the love, Quistis? I thought you'd be thrilled to see your dear boyfriend."
"Ex-boyfriend, Adrian." She started to turn away.
"Damn straight, ex-boyfriend. Who would want to date a prude like you, huh?" He laughed sadistically. "All alone on a Saturday night. I am so sorry, Quistis," he continued with mock empathy. "All the book nerds were busy, huh…" He smiled an alcohol-dazed smile. Quistis gave him a disgusted look and started to turn away. He grabbed the back of her denim jacket and forcefully pulled her close to him. A spark of malevolence playing in his slitted brown eyes, he gave her a rough, sloppy kiss on the mouth as she sputtered and pushed her hands hard into his chest. "Oooh, spirited tonight, huh? Who knows, Quisty, if you had been this spirited three months ago, I may have taken pity on you and screwed you so you wouldn't have to feel so sorry for yourself." He pushed her away in disgust.
"Save it, you asshole, I know everything," she said, her voice quivering with anger. Her fingers, seemingly outside of her control, clasped around the nearly full glass of whiskey sour and with a slight wobble in his direction, Quistis threw the drink forcefully into his face. Momentarily shocked, Adrian stepped back, trying to rub the burning liquid out of his eyes. Recovering, he caught her arm, preparing to pin her to a nearby wall… then suddenly he stopped.
"She's with me," said a confident, calm voice from behind as Quistis felt someone's arm wrap around her waist as the other arm forcefully pried away Adrian's fingers. That scent… rich… yet subtle. Anticipating another lunge from Adrian, she involuntarily leaned slightly into the stranger's half-embrace. Adrian stopped, stunned.
"And who the hell are you?" he said not bothering to hide his disbelief.
"Seifer Almasy. Remember it. Apologize to her immediately," he continued with a hint of steel in his voice, "or…"
"Or what?" replied Adrian drunkenly, lunging forward. In one fluid motion, Seifer expertly swept Quistis behind him, and momentarily letting go of her, he caught Adrian's awkward fist, twisting his arm, forcing Adrian's body to torque a hundred and eighty degrees. Without hesitation, he roughly forced Adrian to his knees facing the grimy wall, and holding him in a firm headlock, he leaned in close to his ear and whispered, "If you touch her again, I won't be quite so gentle. Have you ever heard of a pressure point attack? It will make you squeal like the pig that you are." He let go as Adrian wobbled trying to find his balance.
"I can see why you dumped this shithead, Quis," he said loudly, finally turning to face Quistis. He briefly looked into her eyes, and she caught a hint of amusement in his pools of jade as his mouth curved into a mischievous smirk. Quistis didn't know how to respond so she remained quiet—confused and dumbfounded, rooted to one spot. What the hell is going on? Adrian, who took the opportunity of this brief interlude to regain his balance, appeared to be thinking along the same lines because he gave Seifer an incredulous stare.
"Whatever, man. You're crazy. Enjoy her. She's all yours. Or so you will think until you join the rest of us…" He stopped as if considering something. "Listen to me, Almasy, right?" he said suddenly. "Forget her. Just forget her. You will have better luck with a doorknob. Look around you," he said pointing to two girls in miniskirts dancing provocatively a short distance away, giving Seifer admiring looks—clearly impressed. "Do you want to waste your time on that?" Slap.
Adrian reeled as Quistis gave him a look of utmost loathing and pushed her way through the crowd, her insides twisted into knots, her cheeks burning with humiliation. She barely noticed that some of the people around them stopped dancing and were now curiously looking first at her and then the two men that were left in her wake. Her progress was impeded as someone gently but forcefully grabbed her shoulder. Hyne, please just let me leave. She turned around expecting to see Adrian. It wasn't Adrian. Without warning or hesitation, Seifer pulled her gently close to him, restraining her arms lightly, and kissed her on the mouth, his lips burning hers as she shuddered slightly with an indescribable mixture of surprise, anger, and pleasure. Involuntarily she breathed in his scent again. It was intoxicating--slightly reminiscent of musk and another scent she couldn't quite place. It was enough to push all thought out of her head if only for a few seconds. He pulled away and smirked at her, briefly glancing at her chest that was now rapidly rising and falling as she tried to regain her composure. Somewhere behind her, Quistis heard someone whistle as one of the songs ended abruptly and another one began.
"What the hell are you doing?" was all she could manage as she tried to free herself from his embrace, her body shaking slightly from a rush of adrenaline and shock. She tried to calm her breathing but the excitement of the last five minutes left her wild-eyed and gasping slightly for breath.
"Would you rather I stop, Instructor? From where I stand," he said zeroing in on her eyes, "it looked to me like you were beginning to enjoy yourself," he responded somewhat insolently, a smirk still playing on his features.
"But, I guess I better obey you though lest I should suffer your wrath as poor Adrian did a few seconds ago. I applaud your aim though," he finished, letting her go. Quistis looked up into his eyes as he carelessly ran his fingers through his short, golden-blond hair. When she spoke she felt the corners of her mouth quiver slightly and immediately had to lower her eyes unable to meet his forceful stare.
"My name's Quistis," she finally managed, feeling her knees going slightly weak as if they were made out of cotton. She felt as if he was examining her under the microscope lens.
"Alright, Instructor Quistis. You want to go dance?" he finally inquired playfully but with a slight hint of sarcasm. Dance? The word didn't register at first—it was like he was speaking a completely unfamiliar language. Dance. For some reason the idea send shivers down Quistis's back. She suddenly had a strong, inexplicable urge to take in his cologne one more time, to feel his warm arm wrap tightly around her waist.
"Why do you insist on calling me Instructor?" she asked. Maybe he is mocking me?
"Your reputation precedes you, Quistis… and I find it sexy," he added as more of an afterthought. Sexy ? Quistis felt dazed. He smirked. One song merged artfully into another as the DJ picked up the frenzied pace.
"So tell me, may I have this dance?" She forced a smile, although somewhat delayed, and looked up at him, her temples pounding slightly at the thought of his touch. Taking her hesitation as acquiescence, Seifer pulled her close to him and wrapped his arms around her waist. Unable to stop herself, Quistis briefly shut her eyes once more taking in his scent, never wanting it to end. As they moved to the rhythm of the music, somewhat awkwardly at first, Quistis caught herself wishing the song wouldn't end too soon. Seifer's skin felt scorching hot as the fabric of his shirt rubbed pleasantly against her body. She felt a distinct desire to kiss his neck, to slide her finger underneath his gleaming metallic choker, to breathe him in deeply until she was dizzy. As if responding to her unspoken desires, Seifer's hands slowly moved from her hips over her back until they rested firmly behind her neck as he pulled her close to him and kissed her. For a second, Quistis felt as if she would collapse as blood rushed to her brain, forcing out all restraint and reason. She leaned into the kiss fervently, allowing him to explore her mouth, relishing the feel of his toned body against the thin fabric of her black low-cut tank. Her senses screamed in pleasure, reaching a crescendo as he raked his hands through her hair, still keeping up with the pounding beat of the music. The song ended. He pulled away, leaving a void of cold space in his wake.
"You dance well, Instructor," he complimented her, clearly enjoying the look of pleasure that hasn't quite disappeared from Quistis' face. He looked over her shoulder as if spotting someone he knew. Nonchalantly, pushing his blond hair out of his face and grabbing his gray trenchcoat from a nearby chair, Seifer looked back at Quistis.
"Hey, there's my friend Raij. I'm gonna head out for the night," he said somewhat distractedly. His words seemed to have brought Quistis back to her senses as she suddenly grew rigid and uncomfortable. Just like that? What he said next was not something Quistis was prepared for.
"Do you wanna get outta here with me?" he asked casually, smirking once more. "Raij and I sorta borrowed one of Garden's cars… Special privileges of the Disciplinary Committee... ahem… So tell me Quistis, how are those large rooms that you Instructors enjoy? So much more private than your average dorm room, don't you think?" He's kidding, right? For a split second Quistis was almost tempted by his implied offer, but then she came to her senses.
"No, I don't think so," she said. "I have to go find my friend Selphie," she added a little bit too quickly. If Seifer noticed it, he gave no indication. He looked pleased, a spark of intrigue playing in his emerald eyes.
"Alright then, Quistis. Enjoy the rest of your night," he said, leaning in to her slightly as he spoke. He put one arm around her waist and whispered in her ear, "No, need to look so worried, Quistis, I was just offering you a ride home—nothing more…yet," he added. Letting go of her waist, he strolled off toward his friend.
As soon as Seifer walked out of the club, Quistis leaned against the wall, breathing heavily. What was that? Quistis' heart was beating so fast that she wondered whether it could drown out the music. She suddenly felt that she needed a drink—a nice strong drink. She smiled, almost involuntarily, feeling the corners of her mouth quiver from nervous excitement. Her skin still tingled from his touch, the sound of his voice, his mischievous smirk. She steadied herself against the bar table and asked the bartender for a zombie.
"Are you sure you can handle it?" he asked teasingly. "I saw your friend left. The drink is on the house for one more dance like that with you." Quistis honored him with a look of deep annoyance, and tossing a few gil at him, she repeated her request. Sighing, the bartender poured a healthy dose of several liquors and juice into a glass. Finally holding her drink, Quistis went into the adjacent room where she could hear herself think. Her mind was reeling. All thoughts of Adrian were completely pushed out, engulfed by the onslaught of myriad of pictures that flashed before Quistis's eyes. Being supported by his muscular arms as she grinded with the rhythm of the music against his hot, sweaty body…. Feeling his hot breath against her cheek a second before he kissed her. She breathed in deeply as if trying to savor the last traces of his cologne remaining on her clothes. Her mind raced with excitement yet her head felt unbelievably heavy. Did he actually expect me to take him back to my room? Was he being sarcastic? Should I have said yes? No!! Don't be ridiculous, Quistis. You don't know anything about this guy. Plus what self-respecting person throws themselves on the first guy that walks in the door?! But he is so damn hot, said a voice inside Quistis that sounded rather childish, and pathetic even to herself. Quistis checked herself—she was smiling again, her cold clammy hands shaking slightly. I must look like such an idiot. Get a grip, Quistis. She thought again about Seifer's insolent smirk, and gulped down the rest of her drink. Her head was swimming. If he only knew what I was thinking right now. Hyne, this is ridiculous. It was probably just a dumb game to him anyways… At that moment she noticed Selphie who was making her way through the crowd toward Quisis, looking rather unhappy.
"Hey Quis, not having any fun either, huh? Boys are such jerks," she said forcing a smile. "You wanna head out with me? I am gonna take the shuttle back to Garden."
Quistis smiled. This was the second time in the last twenty minutes that she heard that phrase. Suddenly the first offer seemed much more appealing.
"What are you smiling about?" inquired Selphie curiously.
"Selph, do you know a guy named Seifer Almasy?" she asked in what she hoped was a casual tone.
"Seifer Almasy? That creep? Why?" asked Selphie suspiciously.
"Why do you think he's a creep?" Quistis said tentatively.
"Just some rumors. He's on the Disciplinary Committee I hear, with Raijin and Fujin. They are all trouble if you ask me. Granted some girls in the class think he's pretty hot… blech." Suddenly she raised her eyebrows in alarm.
"You aren't interested in him, are you Quisty?" she asked in disbelief.
"Interested, no?" Quistis lied. "I danced with him tonight and he... well, he sorta saved me from Adrian." She decided not to mention the kiss… or anything else for that matter.
"Adrian?" repeated Selphie distracted. "What the hell did he want?"
"Nothing, c'mon, let's get out of here." Quistis felt as if she couldn't stand straight anymore. The night's excitement and the now finished zombie left her unstable on her feet.
"I'm telling you, all guys are creeps! Like the guy I was hanging out with tonight. He was flirting with me all night! Until his girlfriend showed up. Ugh!" Selphie wrinkled her nose and looked at Quistis.
"Yeh, let's get out of here," she finally said. "What a waste of an evening." Quistis privately disagreed.