Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy. Do you? Give me.
Champagne. A perfect drink for celebration. Bubbling, and lighthearted.
Author's note: Special thanks to Emerald-Latias for the guidance and positive, helpful criticism. It's very rare to find someone who will tell you what should be improved upon in a story positively, and I want to promise you that Rinoa's sappiness is emphasized for a future described reason, but can easily be toned down a bit, and thanks!
Also, sorry for a late update. Computer crashed, and my entire story outline and this chapter met an untimely demise.
How did Rinoa feel? Miserable. Just miserable. She had woken up to the first morning in a while where she was alone. So soon after being accustomed to Seifer being beside her as she slept, it was unfair.
"Rinoa, we're going out to breakfast, wake up pleaseee!" Selphie yelped.
"I'm up, I'm up." It was much easier to hop into the shower today, as Quistis normally calls it, and Irvine and Selphie had been awake for hours. Despite Rinoa going to be as early as she did, she didn't really feel like bringing herself up to the actual waking. There was not too much point in applying make-up generously, so with some cover-up and mascara she hopped into the car with her three roommates.
Everyone else in the house looked a little bit worn and tense, just as Rinoa was. Each person was worried about the three that had left, and no one would feel at ease until the first letters came. Rinoa picked at her eggs, eating a little bit here or there. Selphie looked disappointedly.
"C'mon Rin, it won't be all that bad. You still have the three of us." She put her hand on Rinoa's shoulder.
"I'm just not that hungry today, Selph." Selphie had been eating with a healthy appetite. Squall was as usual, eating politely with sips of milk in between. Irvine devoured his entire plate, and did everything short of licking it clean. "I'm not a pig like him, anyways…"
"He's just…dedicating this feast to Zell. In his own way…" Rinoa smiled. She started to eat a little more. There was no use in crying and being so solemn. It would be hard, but it would be harder to take the sympathy and to rot in her misery.
"So what's on the agenda for the next two weeks?" She asked her friends.
"Lots of shopping! Now that Seifer is gone, I can have you all to myself!" Selphie squealed with the upmost glee.
"First, I'll need to go job hunting. My savings isn't going to last me that long, if I'm going to be shopping with you." Rinoa's wallet, was once fat with a monthly allowance from General Caraway. The older she was getting, however, the more he skimmed off each month. She still had enough to pay her portion of rent, but her leisurely purchases were becoming farther, fewer, and less expensive. Within the next year, she was sure he would cut her off completely. Yes, it was time for Rinoa to get a real job.
"We can go this afternoon, Rinoa! If you have a job, whenever Seifer is gone, you'll have something to do to pass the time, too. It's a great idea!" Selphie hugged her friend, and Rinoa did see this point as one of optimism, rather than an insult.
"You could always join SeeD with us." Squall added while cutting up his food. It was always strange being the odd one out of SeeD. Rinoa could fight, this was true. She was even in a Timber resistance group for a period of time.
"Seifer would never allow that." Rinoa shook her head in dismay. It was almost a double-standard really. He could go and risk his life to earn money, while she worried, but it would never work out vice versa. That's what he always told her. The subject was changed.
"Well, not that there's any liquor to do a toast with, but I for one would like to thank the gods, that I can spend a little more alone time with Selphie…" Irvine winked at her and reached for her hand. Selphie courteously scooted away in her seat.
"You're going to need to figure out a new agenda, Irvine." Rinoa said while Selphie took cover next to her.
"A lot of beer…now that I don't have to split it between anyone." Irvine added. "Unless you'll join, girls."
Selphie wrinkled her nose in disgust and took a sip of orange juice. "I don't drink beer."
"Well with Seifer gone, and living with you guys…I see a lot of drinks in my future." She stated smiling.
She didn't know the half of it.
- - - - - - - - -
"So where to first Rinoa?" Selphie had dropped the men off at home, and now it was time to job hunt.
"I don't know Selph…I don't have any experience anywhere." Rinoa pulled her purse onto her lap. She was a little ashamed. After taking so many hand outs from her father, she had forgotten to prioritize the whole employment thing.
"Well, let's get you started with a standard job then. No huge wages, no huge commitment. Then after a couple months, maybe we can get you a better one. You can move on up!" Selphie proceeded to pull into the mall. And so, the hunting began.
Applications. So many damn applications. Every big and small clothing label, they started out with. Rinoa really should have done more with herself this morning. She went over the information.
Name: Rinoa Heartilly. Age: 18. Special Skills:…What special skills did she have? What really would make her stand out from the next girl to walk in there? Previous convictions: None. Previous employment: None. As many convictions as jobs. That showed how little wisdom she really had.
"Okay Rinoa, so far you could be an annoying perfume-counter-lady-"
"It's called a sales assistant."
"Yeah, whatever. You could be one of those ladies that take all my money."
"A cashier, Selphie."
"Same thing!" Selphie said in exasperation. "Where else can we try?"
"Well, we could always try restaurants. Getting tips would make going out on week days a lot easier."
"I won't be going out at night if I have work the next morning, or the same night!" Rinoa insisted, but Selphie just lasted.
"When you're our age…you always find a way." She pulled into a vacant parking lot, of a shabby diner, and together they walked in. An average man wearing a pin that had his position and name seemed to be boasting on his chest. Manager. Zone. With dark hair and dark eyes, he looked vaguely familiar. Rinoa felt the routine words come out of her mouth.
"Hi, may I please have an applic-wait a minute…Zone?!"
"Long time no see, Rinoa." Zone replied, with a huge smile on his face. Selphie looked back and forth.
"Uhm…have you guys met?" Zone came from behind the counter to give Rinoa a hug.
"Yes! Zone was one of my partners back in Timber. When I was part of the resistance!" Rinoa exclaimed.
"More like your lackey, Princess." Zone laughed.
"So what happened to you, Zone? How'd you end up working here? You're so smart, and organized. I'd figure you would be a CEO somewhere by now."
"I could ask you the same thing. If I'm not mistaken, I thought the next word out of your mouth before recognizing me was 'application,' but correct me if I'm wrong." Zone held up the application that Rinoa so dreaded.
"There's a time in every girl's life…where she needs to get a job." Rinoa giggled as she plucked the application from his grasp.
"A princess never works." Zone replied.
"Well, this one has to…but just temporarily. Until she finds buried treasure. Or wins the lottery. But anyways, how'd you get here, Zone?"
"Well, after the Forest Owls broke up, when you left for Balamb, me and Watts would do odd jobs, clean up work. Trying to get Timber back on it's feet. When I did so much, that there was nothing else to do, I ended up here. And how did you get here Rinoa? I could much better see you singing one of Julia's songs, being a star somewhere, then in a coffee shop."
"Oh Zone, you know I can't sing to save my life. After Timber, I stayed in a Balamb Garden dorm. Cid was nice enough to allow that without me taking classes. But it was really boring while everyone from SeeD ran around the world. When my friends and Seifer graduated, we all moved in together."
"Still with that Seifer, eh? It's been a while for you two…how's that working out?"
"It's been just wonderful."
"Living together is sure a big step…always thought you were too independent for that step Rinoa. I could've seen you married and still living by yourself."
"Things change. And besides, I've never been that independent…which is why I came here. I need money that my dad hasn't touched yet."
"There is no such thing as money that your dad has never touched, haha." They both laughed. Zone never understood why Rinoa chose to live in their makeshift home while she had a mansion at home. Her father had just about all the money in the world, and it never did make her happy. It was a show of character.
"Now how about you hand me a pen, Zone, so I can fill this out." She held out her hand, but Zone did not oblige.
"I'm sorry to say this, but I'm going to have to take that application from you, Rinoa."
"What? Why?!" A sense of confusion rather than fury was an overtone in her voice.
"Because I know everything about you, Rinoa. And we can't waste paper." He took the application and put it back under the counter.
"Does this mean…"
"Come in tomorrow, Rinoa. You're hired. You've handled a lot of jobs bigger than this, I know you can do this one."
Rinoa and Selphie held each other and jumped for joy, very typical for excited women.
"I won't let you down, Zone, I promise!" She hugged him and waved goodbye.
"This is so great Rinoa! You can be one of those cute waitresses with an apron and a coffee pot. Oh, I'm going to come here all the time!"
"As long as you leave a big tip, I'm fine with that." Rinoa playfully shoved her. Finally, she had a job. All thanks to Zone!
"By the way, Rinoa, that Zone guy is pretty cute. I just might have to come here even when you're not working…"
"You're going to break Irvine's heart with that attitude!"
"Oh, please." And the girls picked up a bottle of champagne, and toasted to growing up. Though they were doing it fast, they were enjoying every minute of it.