A/N: Thank you everyone who reviewed. I really love writing this fic, and it's not difficult to update. Rinoa's being silly again in this chapter, ah to be young and foolish.

Chapter Nine

Waiting in line to get into the club was what Rinoa hated about going out. It was made all the worse by the fact that she had left her coat behind. Selphie was determined to have a good time, and was in an irritatingly enthusiastic mood. Her incessant chatting was beginning to get on Rinoa's nerves, who was checking over her shoulder every few seconds.

"Who you looking for?" Seifer asked, unable to ignore Rinoa staring through the crowds any longer.

"Squall," she simply said in reply.

"He doesn't look the type to come clubbing," Selphie said, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Aw, hurry up! I'm freezing," she shouted down the line, turning a few heads with annoyed glances.

"He knows this is where I'll be," Rinoa confessed.

Seifer folded his arms, he was wary of the SeeD Commander, there was something about him that he didn't like, not to mention that he was currently spoiling all his moments with Rinoa.

"Why did you tell him that you'd be here?" he asked. "Don't you want to come out with us?"

"Of course I do!" Rinoa insisted. "It's just, I thought he'd let me go…"

Seifer wouldn't speak to her anymore as they stood in the line, and once they were inside he abandoned them. Rinoa knew he was offended, but she couldn't understand what she'd done wrong. The SeeDs were a part of her life now, for better or worse, and there was nothing she could do about it. Maybe she should have kept her plans to herself, but she had tried to do the right thing.

OK, so the SeeDs were here to watch her, but surely that meant she was still allowed to have a life? Following Selphie to the bar, she felt someone take hold of her hand, and turned to look into the face of a grinning youth.

"Alright?" he asked forwardly.

Rinoa pulled her hand away, she didn't know this boy, and felt annoyed at being accosted so. What was he hoping for, that she'd stay and chat? Although it didn't look as if chatting was on his mind. Before she could say anything, Selphie had doubled back to her rescue.

"I don't think so mate," she said pulling Rinoa away. "Hey, what did I say about tonight?" Selphie asked as they finally made it to the bar.

"Strictly no boys," Rinoa said dutifully.

"Exactly, we're here for the dancing only," Selphie said, before shouting her order at the bartender.

Alcopop in hand, Selphie and Rinoa walked around the edge of the dance floor, looking for people they knew. They passed the usual crowds, people that were always out, but they didn't know the names of. Choosing to stand near to the DJ, they sipped their drinks through a straw and rated other people's outfits.

"Seriously, what is that?" Selphie asked watching a girl in a tight pink skirt cross the dance floor. "In what universe is that OK?"

Rinoa couldn't help but laugh, even though she knew she shouldn't. She even laughed at outfits that she thought were nice, just so it would seem that she had something in common with Selphie. She wished sometimes that she could assert herself more, but the fear of being laughed at herself kept her quiet.

"Oh no," Selphie said suddenly. "It's Irvine."

Selphie turned sideways so that she wouldn't have to look at him. Rinoa scanned the room, and sure enough, there was Irvine. He was standing with a group of people Rinoa didn't recognise. As soon as he spotted her, he waved in greeting. Rinoa reluctantly raised her hand, waving back. He'd never lowered himself by greeting her before, so she supposed he was just trying to score points with Selphie.

"Is he looking?" she asked.

"Yeah," Rinoa confirmed. "But he's with another girl."

Selphie turned to look at him outraged.

"That total slag!" she exclaimed.

Rinoa didn't know whether he was with that girl with the long brown hair and the endless legs, but she didn't care. The worse Selphie thought about him, then the better. Irvine tried a wave at Selphie, but she blanked him and dragged Rinoa along in her wake.

Not noticing where they were going, Rinoa was surprised when they bumped into Seifer. He looked in the middle of chatting up some girl with outrageously short hotpants, but Selphie barged through their conversation uncaring.

"Who does he think he is?" she demanded.

The girl speaking to Seifer excused herself, and didn't look all too sorry to have to leave. She was getting a lot male attention, and obviously didn't value Seifer's too highly. Rinoa watched her walk away with a mixed emotion, something between envy and disgust.

Rinoa sipped her drink a little too enthusiastically; too nervous to look at Seifer in case he was still angry. But he had a pint in his hand, and with most of it gone; his mood seemed to have mellowed.

"That's it, I'm going to pull tonight," Selphie decided, finishing her drink by tipping the bottle back and ignoring the straw. "Another?" she asked Rinoa.

With Selphie gone, Rinoa felt her heart quicken it's pace once more. She knew it was because of Seifer. He did look particularly roguish tonight, he had that naughty smirk on his face that had once frightened her, but now found alluring. She blushed when he turned that look on her, and she stared bashfully down at the ground.

"Gonna dance with me later?" he asked. His tone of voice made it sound as if she'd be crazy to turn him down. It made her blush even harder and she wasn't sure how to reply. "I'd dance with you now, but no drinks allowed on the dance floor."

It wasn't particularly funny, but Rinoa found herself laughing nervously. She hoped he'd leave it there, but it was clear that he wanted an answer.

"So? Going to dance with me?"

"Um, sure… OK," Rinoa mumbled.

He laughed at her shyness then drained the last of his drink. Rinoa watched as what should be three mouthfuls disappeared in one. Selphie returned with three bottles, one red, one blue and a beer for Seifer. Without warning, Seifer's hand disappeared behind Rinoa's back and sneaked up onto her hip.

Nothing much ever passed Selphie's inquisitive eye, and she wasn't about to be fooled by Seifer's terrible attempt subtlety. She gave Rinoa a questioning look to which Rinoa shrugged. Seifer finally wandered away, to speak to the girl that Irvine had arrived with, the girl with the endless legs.

"OK, so what was that?" Selphie demanded, the straw from her drink in the side of her mouth. Rinoa saw the blue liquid going up the straw continuously. Clearly they were going to have a heavy night.

"I don't know, he asked me to dance later, then he did that arm-around-me thing."

"He must really like you… but I still think you should be careful. He's been out with a lot of girls."

Rinoa nodded. But rather than be checked by Selphie's advice, Rinoa foolishly wondered whether she might be the one to keep him. Succeed where all those other girls had failed. Somewhere in her heart she knew what she was hoping for was stupid, that she was going to get hurt, but her romantic fantasy wouldn't allow her to listen.

"Hey, why don't we go dance after these?" Selphie suggested holding up her drink.

Rinoa nodded, but her attention was mainly on Seifer.