"Son wo shitatte sukoshi keikenchi agaru"
("Even if you get hurt, it's a valuable experience)
Beautiful World
Chapter Twenty-Eight
"What?" Rinoa asked confused.
"My ring, you took it yesterday when you went and chased off your boyfriend." Squall spat as dully as he could manage, obviously not willing to waste emotion on Rinoa.
So caught up in her own problems and thoughts, Rinoa completely neglected to remember to give back Squall's ring when he allowed her to see it, nor did she bring it back later. She ran after Seifer and when she came back to her dorm she paid it no mind and left it without thinking twice about how protective Squall seemed to be of it.
"Oh right," Rinoa finally responded. "I'm sorry— I," She chuckled embarrassedly, the entire point of her conversation was simply to find a way to talk to Squall about something, anything, and she had the best conversation opener of all, and she wasted time discussing a disagreement with Seifer. "It's in my dorm, come on, let's go get it."
Squall nodded, not noticeably angry about the ring, and once Rinoa said it was safe, his snappiness about the Seifer argument seem to dissolve too. The two walked side-by-side, a little faster than normal pace as they exited the training center into the clean shiny halls of Garden.
Rinoa bit her lip filling evermore with embarrassment as she played back her silly mention of Seifer repeatedly in her head. What in Hyne's name did she expect to accomplish with that notion? "I'm really sorry about all that, I mean just now—"
"Forget about it, I just want my ring." Squall replied calmly.
"Yeah okay— um, question, what's so important about it?" Rinoa asked bluntly as she started turning away to lead the two back to her dorm.
Squall crossed his arms and turned his head away, standing still in silence. A few moments of silence fell between them until finally Squall spoke up again and said quietly, "Someone special gave it to me, and I really like it."
"Someone special huh?" Rinoa repeated in a mocking voice with a small giggle, "Your girlfriend or something?"
"Sis." Squall spat shutting Rinoa's short-lived laughs. He quickened his pace and pushed passed slow moving Rinoa.
After hearing Squall's response, an involuntary smile touched her lips.
'''''''''''''''''
Selphie spent the great half of an hour clearing away the small desk, table and chairs in the dorm common as she found herself an empty clearing. Once everything was finally pushed to max of its compactness, Selphie mimicked her stance she had when dancing with Mr. Devin and continued doing so moving about the empty half of the dorm with her imaginary dance partner. Her pretend, music-less dance found it interrupted when Rinoa walked in with someone Selphie didn't recognize.
Upon hearing Rinoa's entrance, Angelo maneuvered through the rearranged furniture and leapt to his owner's knees happily. Rinoa patted her loyal partner's head as she looked at Selphie curiously, "What're you doing?"
Blushing and embarrassed, Selphie released a nervous, "Oh n-nothing."
Obviously not caring to ask much more Rinoa scurried over the stacked up furniture until she came to her room's door. Nimbly she opened it and climbed through the opening. The stranger who'd come with Rinoa stood quietly by the door not giving any sign to how he felt or what he was even doing there. Selphie shifted on her feet uncomfortably as she heard Rinoa thumping through drawers and random articles loudly in her room.
"Hey Squall?" She called out several minutes later.
"Yeah?" The stranger replied sonorously.
"I can't seem to find it right now— I'll keep looking, I'll bring it back to you as soon as I can."
"What? You lost it?" He snapped angrily.
"I just can't find it. There's a difference. It's in my room somewhere, I'll bring it back to you I promise." Rinoa stuck her head out from a small clearing of the furniture leading from her room door and gave a feeble smile, "I'm sorry."
The stranger, Squall, crossed his arms and stared away in silence. After a few moments he looked back to Rinoa and as coldly as he could, said, "You better bring it back." With that, Squall turned sharply and left the dorm without another word.
Confused from the whole situation, Selphie turned to Rinoa rapidly and watched her crawl out of the mess of disorganized furniture. Once she could stand straight again, she took a seat on the stacked study table and began playing with a ring that lay in the palm of her hand.
"What was that about?" Selphie squeaked coming closer to Rinoa to observe the silver spectacle.
"This little thing," Rinoa said calmly holding the ring out so Selphie could see it better.
"If that's what he wanted, why didn't you just give it to him?"
Rinoa peered at Selphie, pursed her lips, and squinted her eyes as though postulating something. Finally, she released a sigh and replied, "I like talking to him— he just doesn't talk much. Maybe if he knows I still have his ring, he'll be more inclined to come talk to me, at least to find out if I found the ring or not. Plus, while trying to talk to him earlier I just made a fool of myself. At least now I make it up."
Selphie still looked puzzled when Rinoa concluded. Groaning a bit she continued, "It's like this, I just want him to have a reason to talk to me."
"Oooh." Selphie said nodding finally.
Rinoa relaxed back on the oddly stationed furniture and took a look around the room, "Speaking of bizarre behavior… what're you doing?"
Selphie's eyes lit up excitedly, "Well I got asked to the ball!"
With a bored yawn, Rinoa laid back unimpressed, "Let me guess, Irvine?"
"Oh— no, um someone else. Nida, from the Student Festival Committee."
Rinoa shot up with a new sense of enthusiasm, "You don't say! Kinneas didn't ask you out?" While watching Selphie slowly shake her head confused, Rinoa leapt from her seat of random furniture and landed closely in front of Selphie. "So let me guess, you're getting all prepared? That's a good idea, you never know when the SeeD examination is going to be! Well let's get started then, what're you going to wear?"
Selphie blinked with bewilderment and reached for her skirt spreading it out further to show Rinoa.
"You're joking right?" Rinoa spat bluntly.
"Well what do people wear to balls?"
"For starters, the only people who wear their school uniform are SeeDs. New SeeDs especially, veteran SeeDs can choose. Otherwise, people dress up really fancily. Men in suits or tuxedos, women in dresses."
"I have a dress! Matron gave me one!" Selphie jumped ecstatically and raced back into her room. After a few moments of loud shuffling, Selphie returned in the common room wearing a pure white sundress made from light flowing material that moved gracefully with every step. With a small twirl, watching the folds flare outward, Selphie smiled waiting for Rinoa's approval.
"That is pretty Selphie," She started, with an implied 'but' in her tone, "it's just not ball material." Without looking at Selphie's disappointed face, Rinoa leapt from her seat of stack furniture and scurried into her room. A few moments later, she returned with a glittering white dress strung on a hanger. "This is more what you'd wear."
Selphie's eyes were captivated on the beautiful dress, it gleamed from its shiny material with small intricate beads around the chest area and veil that covered the shoulders with a white strap that looped around the neck of the hanger. Although short, it was one of the most beautiful articles of clothing Selphie had ever laid eyes on.
Rinoa held out the dress for Selphie, confused however, Selphie simply continued to look and gaze into the white lace longer. "Try it on silly." She finally said forcing it into Selphie's arms.
Without another word, Selphie carefully removed the hanger and delicately held the dress into her room. Within a few minutes, she'd removed her sundress and replaced it with Rinoa's party dress. She skipped merrily to show Rinoa. "TA-DA!"
Rinoa's face fell as she watched Selphie twirl. The outfit no doubt turned lovely, unfortunately it appeared far to big for Selphie's scrawny figure. Selphie, however, occupied herself by spinning madly about excited in the new clothing. "Well this won't work," Rinoa said finally stopping Selphie her tracks.
"What's wrong?" Selphie asked now even more disappointed.
Smiling kindly towards Selphie's ever devastated appearance, Rinoa replied happily, "Nothing's wrong, actually this works out great! Go change we're going shopping!"
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
Irvine exited the long black gates that sheltered the Garden's premises. The day's cooling breeze blew through his long hair as he leaned against the linear metal poles and yawned in boredom. Classes were out, no Rinoa, and for the first time in so long he didn't have a date to run off too. What was there to do for entertainment?
Before his mind formulated any ideas, he heard a familiar voice growing louder from behind him. Knowing exactly to whom the voice belonged, Irvine spun around to spot Rinoa with Angelo and her feet and Selphie at her side.
"Hello ladies," Irvine greeted with his natural charm. He lifted his hat deftly and bowed. "May I ask what brings you two here?"
Selphie giggled while Rinoa rolled her eyes, "We're going shopping." Rinoa replied bluntly.
Blinking several times, Irvine stood back with a certain realization. Rinoa mentioned before she liked Selphie, but had she completely used her as a replacement for him? Irvine was the one she always dragged to go shopping; when in Hyne's name did that change?
"Do you want to come with us Irvy?" Selphie asked sweetly.
At that moment, Irvine actually noticed Selphie's ensemble. Her small frame stood still while her angelic sundress blew gracefully in the wind. The soft and flowing material danced its way to Irvine's knees. "Yeah, I'd like that." He replied involuntarily. A moment later, Irvine yanked back his head towards Rinoa. An odd feeling swept over him as he and Rinoa hadn't spoken since their fight a few days ago.
Rinoa thought for a moment, with a stern look plastered over her face. A few moments she smiled and said, "That's great! Come on then!"
'''''''''''''''''''''
"So everything with Rinoa is resolved I take it?"
Seifer leaned back in his chair to the point of it resting against its back legs alone. He gazed through the thin windows that covered the top perimeter of the classroom. For the past half hour, Instructor Trepe droned over SeeD examination preparations and somewhere between checking his G.F.'s known abilities and stocking their recovery items, he'd zoned out.
"Seifer?"
"Check." He replied monotonously as his feet pushed his chair back a bit further. He finally turned towards his Instructor who had her eyes squinted in indifference. "I said check." He said defensively.
"Well glad to hear that you two are doing well then." Instructor Trepe replied quietly.
"Wai- what? Who're you talking about?" Seifer sputtered as he returned his chair on all its legs.
Instructor Trepe held the back of her hand to her mouth as she laughed gracefully, "I knew you stopped listening when we were talking about Pet Houses." She folded her hands neatly on her lap and smiled concluding her laughs. "So everything is ready then! You're all set for the exam. You have no excuse to be absent at the Inauguration Ball then."
"Except for the fact it's a total and utter waste of time? It's a silly party that people watch other people dance." Seifer remarked snidely.
"Nonsense!" Instructor Trepe cried standing up. She crossed her arms and paced around Seifer, "It's an elegant tradition of Gardens to commemorate the success of their students, no higher honor that I can think of." She sat against the edge of her desk, and with one hand pressed to her chest continued, "I myself attend every year since my Inauguration. I always look forward to it."
"So you'll be there?" Seifer asked raising an eyebrow.
Quistis sat back down and smiled, "Yes, I certainly expect you to attend as well! In fact, you owe me a dance."
"I have a problem though," Mumbled Seifer turning his head to the floor.
"Yes, what is it?"
"I don't know how to dance."
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
Rinoa brought Irvine and Selphie to the most pricey and fashionable boutique in Balamb. As the most respectable and memorable customer, sales associates were extra kind to Rinoa and overlooked things with her, including the fact she usually brought along her canine companion.
While Selphie and Irvine kept Angelo company, Rinoa fished through catalogs, racks, and observed the occasional mannequin determined to find a suit for Selphie.
"What's her size?" A sale associate asked Rinoa.
"I don't actually know, just get me the smallest one you have. I want it shiny, fancy, stunning—and well you get the picture!"
Three sales associates took what Rinoa said and continued their search while Rinoa took a seat beside Selphie and Irvine. "Whew, I'm exhausted." She sighed.
"What did you even do?" Irvine snapped sardonically.
"Hey, shopping is not as easy as I make it out to be," Rinoa responded proudly, "I single handedly check every dress to make sure it'll be absolute perfection on the wearer. In addition, when I'm running low on money I actually have to check to price tags."
"Ms. Caraway, we have some selections for you to look at, would you like to come see?" A sales clerk said as she came up to the three of them.
Rinoa stood up and brushed herself off, "I'll go check them out first and if I like what I see I'll have you try them on, okay? Just leave it to me—I'm the queen of fashion." With that, she followed the clerk and disappeared behind the rows of mannequins and racks of clothing.
"Wow, Rinoa is so sweet. Look how hard she's working for me… I kind of feel bad." Selphie whispered guiltily sitting herself down beside Angelo.
"Don't, Rinoa lives for clothes. Sometimes when we were young, she'd say she was going to run away from Garden to join a school of fashion so she could be a designer."
"Well why didn't she?"
` "She discovered a sewing machine, and how the two of them would never produce anything worthy of being worn hehe. Since then, she decided to admire clothing from afar and not try to make them again."
Selphie giggled and came to her feet to sit by Irvine. "I can't wait, it's going to be so amazing. You'll come, won't you?"
"To the ball? Course', I'm planning on being a SeeD ya know." Irvine responded tapping his chest proudly. Selphie smiled, reassured and went back to fiddling with Angelos' attention. "Speaking of the ball, I was wondering if ya wanted to join me, as an escort."
Slowly, Selphie turned to Irvine distressed and quiet. "Oh Irvy—" She hung her head and looked away, "I'd love to, really."
Irvine smiled, although confused about her prior look, he placed his hands on Selphie's shoulders to bring her for a hug until she started to speak again.
"But I already promised Nida I'd go with him. I'm sorry."
"Y-you're going with someone else? Nida? The nerd from the Student Festival thing?" Irvine felt punched in the stomach. How could someone beat him to this? Someone else asked Selphie, and she agreed! Not just someone, an absolute dork that Irvine knew he could take down a few seconds, tops.
"Oh Irvy, please don't be upset." Selphie started again.
"Naw, naw, I'm not upset." Irvine responded quickly trying to console Selphie. He was the one who dawdled, he didn't need to guilt her about it. Maybe if I make her feel bad enough she'll tell Nida to hit the bri— oh forget it. "Really I'm not, don' t you worry your pretty head about me. I'll just ask someone else."
Before Selphie could apologize again, Rinoa returned with a grand smile and garment bag, "Alright! I've scoured everything they got and I know this will look fabulous on you." She dropped the bag onto Selphie's lap. Unsure of what to make of the pearl poncho like thing on her lap, Selphie looked back at Rinoa blankly. "It's inside the bag silly, go on try it on. The dressing rooms are in the back."
A clerk behind Rinoa smiled and gestured to Selphie leading her away. Rinoa smiled proudly and sat herself beside Irvine, who appeared slightly preoccupied. "What's eating you?" She asked in a less empathetic tone than normal.
"Selphie's goin' with Nida to Inauguration Ball?" Irvine asked hoping for a different answer.
"Oh right," Rinoa said quietly.
"You knew?"
"Well of course, why do you think we came shopping? I'm expecting to wear my uniform, or if not I have a dozen gowns."
"You knew? That's why you let me come with ya guys!"
Irvine stood up and stared at Rinoa darkly, "Ya wouldn't have helped her get a dress if she were going with me, huh?"
"Irvine, that is not true! I wanted you to come too, I was hoping we could talk again, I mean I don't us fighting…"
"Explain to me something Rinoa, why the hell does it both ya so much that I might like her? That I might want to be with her?"
Rinoa came to her feet and returned Irvine a stern stare, "Because Irvine, I like her and she's been through enough trauma. She shouldn't be with a guy who will so easily hurt her again. She should with someone stable, like Nida. He's a nice guy."
"I'm not a nice guy, huh?" Irvine snapped.
"That's not what I meant! But let's face it, you're not boyfriend material."
"You are such a bitch. I'm outta here." With that, Irvine turned on his heels and marched out.
''''''''''''''''''''''''''
"Now dance is actually quite simple," Quistis started.
Seifer stood before her his hands appropriately placed on Instructor Trepe's shoulder and waist. The two stood in position as Quistis briefly described what his feet ought to do shortly. Left foot back, right foot to the side— Seifer tried to concentrate but felt oddly distracted.
"Do you understand what to do?" His instructor broke his dozing. A few blinks later, he smirked wily without answering. "You didn't listen to me at all did you?"
"I'm just in awe of your magnificence, Instructor." Seifer replied finally with his thin wry smile.
"Pay attention Seifer!" Quistis snapped, "Left foot back, right foot to the side, and twirl me, left foot to the right…"
Seifer sincerely attempted to keep paying attention but it proved difficult. Despite the fact he still appeared confused after Instructor Trepe finished repeating the routine a second time, she turned on some music for a trial run. Upon hearing the melody strum through his ears, Seifer's grip on Instructor Trepe slightly tightened as he tried to correspond his feet's movements to the beat.
Perhaps Seifer lied about not being able to dance, for the moment his foot moved backwards the rest of the dance flowed, he twirled Instructor Trepe gracefully and they swept to the side, released hands for a moment, switched places, rejoined hands and moved gently and smoothly, back and forth. After the routine came to its third round, Trepe smiled and said, "You're truly a natural! Alright the finale is simple, instead of continuing dancing after my next twirl lift me."
Seifer, still smiling, did as he was told and spun Instructor Trepe's petite body, then put both hands around her waist and lifted her upwards. Like a swan, her arms reached up and while one leg bent in the air. Suspended in her position, Seifer paused watching her.
"You can put me back down." Instructor Trepe laughed. Continuing to do as she said, Seifer brought her back to her feet. "Step in." They did so. "Step out." Therefore, they did. "Step in, and dip."
Carefully, Seifer leaned and tilted his instructor until she stood diagonally in his arms. Slowly and ever gently, he brought back to her feet. Standing straight, the two were so close that the bridges of their noses met.
Seifer felt anxious as he could feel Instructor Trepe's soft breathing on his lips. Without any voluntary thought, Seifer tilted his head gently and moved his face even closer.
Do what you want and say what you want, for those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.
-Dr. Suess
