Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII. I do own X, X-2, and XII but I borrowed VIII from a friend.

Sorry this took longer than the other chapters. But my computer still isn't working.

Squall walked down the street thinking about the girl he met on Friday. Rinoa's really something. Maybe I should have called her over the weekend. He sighed and walked into Charlie's Baked Goods. They had the best food, or baked goods, in town. He always came here to get a banana nut muffin on his work break.

Pushing the door, he walked over to the counter and waited. A waitress with black hair and very pale skin came over. At first, she was looking down, searching for notepad, while asking, "Welcome to Charlie's Backed Goods. How may I serve you today?" Finding the notepad, she looked up and gulped. "Squall?!"

He grinned. "Well hello. Let's see, I'd like a banana nut muffin and an explanation. I didn't know you work here."

"Yeah. I just started last . . . Tuesday?" She tapped her nose, thinking, and then nodded. "Yep. Last Tuesday. So, do you come here often?"

"Nearly everyday. Charlie even calls me his best customer sometimes. How have you been, Noa?"

Rinoa smiled. "Fine. I got some of my books for my classes." She looked around and said, "Listen, I can't stand here and talk to customers all day, so I'll be back, all right?"

Squall nodded. As she turned to leave he called, "Hey! Can a add a chocolate chip muffin to that, too?" He saw her nod and went over to a booth.

Rinoa came back within five minutes and presented him wth his order. "Her's your banana nut and chocolate chip muffins." She winked and added, "I would've thorwn in some milk, but then Charlie would have had a stroke. Thanks for your patronage."

When she turned to leave, Squall grabbed her wrist gently. She looked at him and he said, "You want to knoiw how to really thank me?" Rinoa tilted her head and Squall chuckled. "Sit down and eat the snack that I've bought for you."

She looked at the muffins, now realizing why he bought two, and laughed. "Well, you can't expect me to just sit down. I have to tell my manager that I'm going on break."

Squall nodded and watched Rinoa as she turned around to leave. He really wanted the banan nut muffin, but Rinoa preferred that over the chocolate chip, he'd give it up.

The next thing he heard was a pan drop and Charlie's furious yelling. He couldn't really tell what Charlie was saying, but he sounded very angry. I really hope Rinoa's not getting in trouble because of me. Then he saw Rinoa coming out out of the kitchen. when she approached him, he asked, "You weren't the one getting yelled at, were you?"

Rinoa sat down and giggled. "No. There was this girl who dropped this pan with this really nice, special dough and Charlie got totally pissed. Can I have the chocolate chip?"

Squall sighed in relief. "Sure."

Rinoa smiled. "Thanks." Taking a bite, she looked up at the ceiling. Hmm . . . I didn't know I could cook this good. She looked at Squall and noticed that he wasn't eating but looking at her. She swallowed and giggled. "I hope you didn't come here to waste your money. Are you going to eat or what?" Squall nodded. Rinoa noticed that he was staring off into space. "I . . .I made these myself. Eat it, willya?"

Squall loked down at it cautiously. Picking it up, he inspected it and took a bite. Chewing slowly, he looked up into Rinoa's searching chocolate eyes and smiled. He started to nod, but then grasped his neck. He coughed lightly, so that he wouldn't get food on the table.

Rinoa looked at Squall with concern. She leaned over and asked, "Squall?" He looked up at her and coughed some more. "Squall? Squall?! Are you okay?" She got up and walked over to the other side of the table. Luckily, they didn't have a lot of customers at this time of day. It was only 11:30.

.As she got to him, he stopped coughing and swallowed. He looked up at her and she was so addled, that he had to laugh. Rinoa titled her head as he told her, "Sit down Rinoa. I'm fine." He wtached her she slowly approached her seat, but not sit down.

Rinoa eyed him suspiciously. "Are you sure you're okay? You were pretty bad a minute ago."

Squall nodded. "Actully, I wasn't choking. I just wasnted to see if you cared."

She straightened. "You what?!" Squall looked at her as she came up to him, hands on her hips. "Well, you wanna see how much I care?" She took one slender handand hit the back of head - hard. Of course, she heard him say 'Ow.' He didn't yell it or anything. He just merely said it.

Squall looked to see Rinoa turned around, walking back to the kitchen. As she walked, he heard her mutter, "Jerk." At that, he got up and took her wrist gently. As she glared at him, he said, "Noa, I'm sorry for scaring you like that. Just come back and sit, alright?"

She glared at Squall for a little while longer na dthen her eyes softened. Damn those stormy eyes of his. "Okay. Don't ever do that again. Understand?" He nodded and she sat down, finishing her muffin. "So, is it good?"

Squall finished his muffin and said, "No." He watched her face fall as she looked down at the table. He smiled and continued, "It's terribly . . . wonderful." Rinoa looked up and her brigth smile could be seen plastered across her face.

As she looked at him, he reached across and took her hand. She looked down startled and said, "I have about ten minutes left on this break." She saw his smlie widden and his grasp got tighter. "Listen, Squall, I like you and everything, but there just one problem with this." He looked concerned and she muttered, "I have a . . . boyfriend."

Instead of being mad like she expected, he laughed. She looked at him surprised as he asked, "You just moved here and you have a boyfriend? What's his name? I might know him."

Rinoa sighed in relief at his easiness and explained, "Well, his name's . . . Ethan!" She suddenly yelled and stood up.

Squall turned around and scowled. Remembering that he was in Rinoa's presence, he returned to his previous mature, just a little tense. Ethan . . . Squall hated him. Well, maybe not hated, but he loathed him. Very much. He'd had too many bad experiences with that guy. Because of them, he didn't necessarily like him. At all.

Rinoa left the booth, walked over to Ethan, and took his hand. She led him over to the booth and sat back down, him sliding in next to her. He wasn't the cutest thing. Shaggy blonde hair and blue eyes. Ethan wasn't the cutest thing, but he wasn't totally unfortunate looking, either. He took a look at Squall and waved. Squall only nodded.

Ethan returned his attention to Rinoa and put a finger under her chin. "Hey babe," he greeted and kissed her right there in front of Squall. He had to turn away; he couldn't look at it. It was almost as if it hurt inside.

When Ethan pulled away, Rinoa giggled and looked at Squall, who seemed to be staring off into space again. "I"m sorry. Squall, this is my boyfriend, Ethan. Ethan, this is my friend, Squall." Both men only grunted. "So you know each other?" This time, she got a nod. She sighed and said, To answer your question, Squall," he looked up, "I met Ethan about three months ago . . . at a club." She laughed and both men looked at her. It seems as if I meet a lot of people in clubs. Anyway, Ethan was up there to visit his cousin and I met him at a library later on. We kind of went on from there. We kept in touch by using the phone and sometimes he came to visit me." Rinoa looked at each of the two men. "So how do you two know each other?"

Squall answered first. "Dorms at the University."

Ethan smiled. "Yeah. Hey, Rin, you said, you two were just friends, right?" Rinoa nodded. "Good. Just make sure he knows that."

Squall got up at that and left the booth. Rinoa got up after him , but he shook his head. "I needed to be back to work by 11:50 anyway." He walked out of the bakery thinking, Poor Noa.

Rinoa sat down ans asked, "Now why did you have to go and say that? He knows we're just friends."

Ethan waved a hand. "Sure he does. Now do you want to know about Squall and I's 'companionship'?" Rinoa nodded and ethan continued: "Well, we were roommates and Squall enjoyed the party/girls lifestyle. It didn't work out." Ethan shrugged. "He was always gone, or in our room with a girl. It really got on my nerves and he said I complained too much, so he left." He got a 'Hmm' from Rinoa and put a hand on her thigh. Sliding it up slowly, he asked, "So, baby, what do you say about meeting me tonight?" He kissed her nack and when his hand went to the inside of her thighs, Rinoa yelpde and jumping, hitting and underside of the table.

Ethan looked angry and surprised while Rinoa looked startled. "Listen, Ethan, I have to go back to work. Charlie'll have a fit if I don't com back now."

"Rinoa!!!!!"

"See?" Rinoa gave Ethan a quick kiss and jumped up, running toward the kitchen. Right before she entered, she turned around to see Ethan leaving. "Ethan!" she called. "He turned around and she yelled, "I can't tonight. I have to get more books for my classes! Sorry!"

"RINOA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Coming Charlie!!"

Okay, I am seriously sorry about not updating in so long! My stupid computer still isn't working and it costs too much to get it fixed, so I might have to wait until Christmas when I get a new one! I know, that sucks. But I'll try my best to get these chapters to you people. I really hope it was worth the wait.

Once again, I'm terribly sorry!!!!!