DISCLAIMER- All the characters belong to Square Enix. I own no one, not even the cities they live in. The story, however, is mine. Any similarities to any other story is purely coincidence. (if anything gets too similar to something, please point the story out to me and I will try my hardest to change the direction of mine)
WARNINGS- just some cursing. nothing graphic this early
Balamb was no Deiling City or Esther. It was your average city with a mix of both wealthy doctors and lawyers who prefer the suburb scene and average blue collar families. There was the occasional welfare family struggling to get by, but unlike big cities it was a lot easier to tell apart those with money and those who didn't have it. It had a handful of restaurants and a mall and a pretty decent sized school. Nothing too special about it; there were no elevators or student zen gardens or distant learning labs, but it had its own sports teams and a decent list of extracurriculars.
The student parking lot at Balamb High was slowly filling with student's cars and trucks. Buses were pulling around the block to unload kids for the first day of school. As Quistis Trepe stepped off her bus and looked up at the school in front of her, she took a deep breath and smiled. Senior Year. This was her year to really shine. She was elected student council president, tested into the AP classes, and couldn't wait to see what other clubs and organizations she could add to her list. Hearing the bell signaling the start of the school day, she filed in the school along with the other students.
"Welcome back Mr. Almasy. How was your summer?" the principal asked the blonde sitting on the opposite side of his desk.
"Boring. No different than my spring. Or half of my winter," Seifer replied slouching in the chair.
"I was kinda hoping you would involve yourself in something."
"What, like volunteer work? Yea, not exactly my style." Seifer wished the guy would just shut up already and let him get to class.
"I see you didn't take any summer school courses either. What's the reason for that?"
"I spent the majority of the past year with my grandmother in Timber, okay? It's a bit far to be making trips every day for something like summer school classes."
"Is she sick?" he asked, not even looking at Seifer. He was too busy looking over his file that, up until last year, was actually pretty clean.
"Um, no…not that it's any of your business. But being expelled doesn't exactly make your parents wanna throw you a party or, heaven forbid, turn your time off school into a 'vacation'." This is bullshit. Can he just go already? He spent enough time in this office last year.
"I'm still trying to understand what happened last year. According to this, you seemed to be on the straight path. An occasional detention here and there. You were suspended only once in 9th grade for getting into a fight. But other than that…star soccer player, amazing baseball player. Pitcher even! So tell me, what happened last year?"
Seifer just sat in his chair with his chin resting on his palm. Who cares what happened last year? He had fun, he paid the consequences, and it's over with. They're lucky he decided to come back and not drop out altogether.
"Mr. Almasy."
"I dunno" he mumbled back.
"Well…let's just hope we don't have a repeat of last year, hmm? Here's your schedule. You have locker 208 on the second floor. Remember that purchasing a lock is your own responsibility and the school is not responsible for anything of value stolen out of it. You don't want something happening to it, don't bring it to school. Drugs of any kind, weapons, and any drug paraphernalia is strictly prohibited, as are cigarettes and alcohol. If you take any medications, to include Tylenol, asprin, ect., they are to be brought in to the nurse to administer to you as needed. Do not keep them in your locker. Cell phones are prohibited in class but may be kept in your locker at your own risk. Same goes for cd players, mp3 players, ect. Text books are to be covered. No vandalizing lockers or any school property for that matter. Here is your student hand book. Read it and sign the paper in the back saying you have received it and read it. Return that paper along with these medical and emergency contact forms. Any questions Mr. Almasy?"
"Nope." He sighed, grabbing the paperwork as he sat up in his seat. It was the same speech every year in homeroom. He had heard it since he was a kid and could recite it by heart. Of course, this year he skipped out on homeroom thanks to the principal demanding to see him as soon as he stepped back on school grounds. He may have screwed up last year, but hopefully that wouldn't happen again this year. He'd go to a few parties, bang a few hot chicks, and re-join the soccer team. Well…maybe. "Wait, I do have one question."
"What's that?"
"Will I be able to play soccer again this year? I know I missed soccer camp over the summer and a few practices already, but I was MVP last year. That has to count for something."
"Coach Norg approached me about the issue. I'm still debating it. Having good soccer skills doesn't make up for being expelled. But, I'm hoping this year will be a clean start for you and I believe in second chances. I'll let you know by weeks end. Have a good day Seifer."
"Thanks Mr. Kramer." Seifer stood from his chair and made his way out of the principal's office. Just as he was headed toward the hallway to his first class, he was almost mowed over by another student who looked like her puppy was just killed.
"Mr. Kramer! Mr. Kramer I need to speak with you please!"
"Come in Miss Trepe. What seems to be the matter?"
"My schedule is messed up. I'm afraid there was a mistake made somehow. I have AP Calculus, AP Chemistry, Physics, Psychology II, and AP English 12, but no AP World Literature or Government classes and was somehow given Home EC, Woodshop, and a Study Hall!"
"Hmm, you should have Government. Let me look in the system here real quick." Cid Kramer sat back down at his desk and began typing on his computer. Quistis sat down across from him while attempting to slow her racing heart. This was not how she expected her first 15 minutes of school to go. She had gotten her schedule and immediately was almost in tears. Home EC and Woodshop? Were they bananas? And why waste a period on Study Hall when she could be taking a college credit course?
"I uh, also don't have Latin and I believe I should."
"Latin?" Cid above his glasses at her. "I don't recall us offering Latin."
"Well, it's not a full class per say. I'm supposed to take the class during my lunch. Rather than eat in the cafeteria I go to a classroom with about 3-4 other students. It's a new thing they were gonna try this year. I took French 4 over the summer so no need for that now," she said smiling proudly. Summer school is usually filled with your typical flunkies and the occasional overachiever like herself. It wasn't as fun as going to her regular school but would be worth it when she went to college and graduated early.
"Oh, that. Unfortunately because of our budget we had to cut that program. I'm sorry."
"What? But…that would have looked great on my record!"
"I know and I'm sorry once again. Your record is already squeaky clean and full of extracurriculars. I'm sure you will have no problem getting into the college of your choice. Now, let's see what happened to your other classes." Pushing his glasses further up on his nose, he studied his computer screen carefully. "You need Government, it's required for your 12th year. That will cut Physics from your schedule. I see here you also need a Physical Education and Health credit. Normally kids get those out of the way early but you've always postponed them. So that will cut Psychology II from your schedule. And-"
"You're cutting Physics and Psych II? But I need those!"
"No, you have all the science credits you need. Two extra actually. Now unfortunately AP World Literature is filled up so unless someone drops, you are out of luck there."
"How can it be filled? I only know of 5 other people taking that class! And Woodshop and Study Hall? What about those classes? I'm sorry but I can NOT take woodshop and I'd rather have a class instead of wasting my time for 45 minutes in a study hall."
"There's 15 students in the class, actually. And that's all we can accommodate. Unfortunately the only classes open those other periods are classes you've already had. It's just the luck of the draw and your name is closer to the end of the alphabet so you're not exactly first in line for many classes."
"Wait so you're saying I'm being punished for being born with a name that's close to the end of the alphabet? Is that it?"
"No, you're not being punished! With your work load I would think you would enjoy a study hall. And woodshop will look good on your record. Makes you look well rounded."
Quistis' head was spinning. She couldn't take woodshop. She has never made anything in her life. And Phys ED? That was the most useless class ever to be created. Did she look like she needed to run laps around the gym? That class should only be required for people overweight or athletes. And she was neither.
"What about my Home EC class? Please get rid of that!"
"You only other choices are…Art I or Spanish I."
"Seriously? I've already taken Spanish I. And Art is worse than Home EC. There's no rearranging my schedule at all?"
"I'm sorry. That's it."
"Fine. Whatever. Home EC shouldn't be too bad I guess. I just feel like I'm wasting time taking a class on learning how to do everything I do at home."
"I'm sorry I couldn't help you any further Miss Trepe. Here's a printout of your new schedule. You have AP English right now. There's less than half the class time left so you should try and hurry back. Here's a hall pass. Remember to stop at your locker on your way and drop off your things. No book bags permitted in the classrooms. Hope you have a wonderful first day." He smiled handing over her schedule and hall pass.
Yea. Wondereful indeed!
Second period Study Hall. Who has study hall this early in the morning? You're only asking for students to fall asleep. Which is exactly what he was planning on doing. Not like he had homework yet. His first class was only Biology which was pretty much all labs. And no one hands out homework on the first day. It's all handing out text books and going over the syllabus. A nap it is! As he laid his head down and heard the bell ring, a person angrily flopping into the seat beside him made him look up.
It was the same girl that almost ran him over in the office this morning. She had long blonde hair pulled into a ponytail and glasses. Her knee length pencil skirt looked freshly ironed, as did the button up blouse she was wearing. She looked more like a student teacher than a student. Complete overachiever he was certain. He made a chuckle noise in the back of his throat that made her look over his way.
"Can I help you?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.
"Yea, you can be a little more quiet. I'm trying to nap here."
"Nap? Are you serious? Don't you have homework to do?"
"Um, no. It's only second period on the first day. Nobody in this room has homework!"
"Well I do! So please keep to yourself. Thank you."
"Homework in what? How did your teacher even have time to start a lesson?"
"AP English 12 if you must know. I have to read this book and do a project on it for Friday."
"The hell does AP mean? Ass Pounding? Cause that's exactly what having to read a book in a week would feel like to me. A complete ass pounding."
"No you idiot! That doesn't even make sense. Butt Pounding English?"
"Ass pounding. I said ass."
"Whatever you vulgar baboon. And it stands for Advanced Placement."
Seifer chuckled. "I knew it."
"Knew what? That that's what it stood for? Then why didn't yo-"
"No. That you're one of those goody two shoes overachievers."
"Excuse me? I take offense to that ya know! I'm not a "goody two shoes". Overachiever…can't really argue there. I mean who else uses the only money they earned over the summer to pay for summer school classes to make their record look good." Quistis started rambling on to herself. Seifer just raised an eyebrow wondering who in the hell would waste their summer taking summer school classes.
"Seriously? You willingly took summer school courses? You're more of a goody two shoes than I thought. Let me see your schedule." He said holding out his hand toward her.
"What? Why?"
"Just give it here, seriously." He said rolling his eyes.
Quistis gave him a look before reluctantly reaching for her binder and taking out her schedule. She quickly glanced at the front of the room making sure the teacher wasn't looking, thinking she was passing a note or something.
"Fucking A! Chemistry? Calculus? I'm only in Biology and Algebra. Woodworking? Really? I don't exactly see you as the carpenter type."
"Yea, I'm definitely not! That was the office's mistake. They had my schedule so screwed up this morning."
"Is that why you plowed me over running into the principal's office?"
"Plowed you over? I hardly plowed anyone over!"
"Don't get your panties all ruffled. I'm over it. Plus it's pretty hard to knock down 220 pounds of straight muscle." He said winking at her as he handed her schedule back. "We have some classes together. Might be an interesting year after all."
"We do? Why is that interesting? Which ones?"
"Oh, you'll see." Suddenly he yawned and stretched his arms above his head. His shirt rode up a few inches revealing Seifer's taunt stomach and a small patch of light brown hairs leading into his jeans. Quistis could feel her face getting red and quickly looked away. "I think I'm gonna take that nap now. You're cute, by the way. The naughty librarian look works for you," he said, winking once more as he laid his head back on his folded arms.
"Ew! That's disgusting!" Quistis hissed out as she picked up her book and started reading again. Who the hell was this guy? She didn't remember him being in her graduating class. She could hear him chuckling again as he turned his head to face the window. Even if he didn't have homework, she was sure he could be doing something more useful with this time than taking a nap.
Lunch couldn't have come sooner for Seifer. He was absolutely starving. And the school always served pizza on the first day. It was one of the few lunches they served that didn't taste like cardboard. After digging out the few crumpled dollars in his pocket and paying for his pizza, bag of chips, and soda, he scanned the room looking for a place to sit. All his buddies from last year had graduated and he didn't really wanna sit with the other members of the soccer team until he knew he was back on the team with them. Maybe he would just go sit at a picnic table outside. Some hot chick was bound to see his eye catching looks and join him. But before he reached the exit to the cafeteria, he noticed a familiar blonde ponytail alone at a table in the corner. Maybe he wouldn't eat outside today.
"Mind if I join you?" a baritone voice above her asked, scaring the complete crap out of her.
"Goodness you gave me a fright!" she gasped, clutching her chest.
"I gave you a fright?" Seifer asked cocking his eyebrow as he sat across from her. "Where are you from, Dollet? Bolly good day wot wot!"
"What? I don't even know what that means, but it sounds offensively racist. And no, I grew up here in Balamb."
"Coulda fooled me." He replied taking a bight of the greasy pizza slice.
"I don't remember telling you that you had permission to join me. And how on earth can you eat that crap! It's like I'm watching your arteries clog before my eyes!"
"Naw, my cholesterol levels are just fine. And I thought we really hit it off this morning? Apparently I was wrong. My bad," he grinned taking another bite and only chewing it half way before speaking again. "Are you seriously doing schoolwork at lunch?"
"I have a lot of work to do and I'd rather not be up all night trying to finish it, thank you.
Seifer opened the lid to his coke and took a swig. "Which is it this time? Chemistry or Calculus."
"What? How did-"
"You showed me your schedule, remember? Quistis Trepe. I feel like I've heard that name before."
"Creeper! You memorize my student ID number too? And I'm student council president this year. Maybe you heard or seen it announced somewhere. And while we're getting to know each other, who are you? I don't remember you being in my grade."
"I wasn't. I'm…restarting senior year if you will. I should have graduated last year. I'm surprised you don't know me! MVP soccer player last year. Pitcher for the baseball team. Lady's man extraordinaire." Quistis still seemed to have a blank look on her face. "Seriously? Still nothing?"
"I don't really pay much attention to sports. Sorry." She looked genuinely apologetic for not knowing who he was. He seemed to think he was some big shot.
"And you're our class president! Might wanna get around to familiarizing yourself with the Balamb Behemoths. We went to nationals last year. Seifer Almasy ring any bells?"
"Almasy…I know I've heard that name somewhere…" she looked to the side in thought tapping her finger against her chin.
"No biggie. You know me now, and that's all that matters. Mine is the only name around here you need to know anyways."
"I see. So why are you repeating the 12th grade? I don't think you mentioned that part."
"I'm not really repeating. I said I'm restarting. And that's not important."
"I don't see the difference really. Did you fail or something?"
"No I didn't fail!" he snapped at her. "I may not be as smart as you but I'm not a dumbass either!"
"I never called you a-"
"I said it's not important okay?"
He knew what would happen if he said he got expelled. Her nose would instantly turn up in the air and she wouldn't want anything to do with him. Not that he really cared. There was plenty of other chicks he hadn't screwed yet. But something about her was different. She didn't giggle at everything he said. She didn't seem to care more about her shoes than her IQ. She seemed to have goals. Seifer Almasy may be a lady wooing, bad boy jock by day…but he wasn't as shallow as he let himself come off most of the time. There was only so much giggling and high pitched squealing and mall shopping trips he could take. Plus, this girl seemed like a challenge. And nobody loves a challenge more than Seifer Almasy.
"Alright sorry! Just making conversation. So is lunch our only other class together?"
Seifer shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno. Maybe."
"Urgh, why are you so difficult?" she sighed, rolling her eyes.
"Oh you haven't seen difficult yet babe. Trust me," Seifer replied, winking at the blonde opposite of him.
"Well, um…I hate to be rude but I really wanna get this done and out of the way so I don't have to do it at home tonight." Quistis said, pointing at her homework.
"Don't let me stop you!"
"Uh…okay. You still gonna sit there?"
"I'm not done eating yet," Seifer said as he shrugged his shoulders. He still had 2 more pieces of pizza and his chips yet to eat.
"Okay…" Quistis said as she got back to her calculus homework.
Seifer watched as she dug out her calculator. The thing had more buttons on it than his TV remote. Half the symbols he had never seen in his life. That surely meant one thing; she was never gonna use half the knowledge she was studying so hard to retain later on in life. Did she just write "log"? What the hell do logs have to do with math? Is she calculating their lengths or something? That seems like a hell of an equation just to measure a log!
"What does log mean?" he asked around a mouth full of chips.
"Uh…it's difficult to explain."
"Figures," he mumbled as she went back to the problem she was working on.
Shortly after he swallowed the last bite of his pizza, the bell rang signaling the end of the lunch period and nearly making Quistis jump out of her skin.
"Christ. You really get into math to have the bell make you jump that high."
"This isn't basic math Seifer. It takes a lot of concentration to work out a problem."
"I can see that. Walk you to your next class? Government, right?"
"I take it we have Government together?" she asked, gathering her textbooks and worksheets.
"Yep!" Seifer flashed her a smile as he tossed his crumpled garbage into the can against the wall.
"Let me guess, you play basketball too?"
"For a few years. Soccer is more my thing though."
The two got up and headed to their third floor classroom.
Quistis took her place in the front of the class, as usual while Seifer sat in the back corner. Perfect seat for sleeping. He wasn't going to be a politician. Government could wait till another day.
Quistis walked into the gym and took a seat in the bleachers. She wasn't about to run laps or do jumping jacks in heels and a skirt. Might as well work some more on her homework. As she cracked open her Calculus book to finish what she started at lunch, she heard a familiar voice chuckling in front of her.
"Don't tell me you took gym class just to sit and do homework?"
Standing in front of her, Seifer was dressed in a white Balamb Behemoths soccer team t-shirt and blue basketball shorts. Without his jeans on, Quistis was able to see that he was definitely a soccer player. His legs were anything but your typical skinny white chicken leg that most of the other kids in the class had. Seifer had the body of an athlete through and through.
"No, of course not! If it were up to me, I wouldn't be here right now but apparently the school claims I need a Phys Ed credit. So here I am."
"Why didn't you change? You aren't gonna get said credit if you sit in the bleachers the whole class. That's an automatic F for the day."
"What? But I didn't know I was going to have gym today! They changed my schedule this morning!" Quistis face went visibly whiter. She had never gotten an F. On anything!
"Then you might wanna talk to the teacher about that or he'll assume you're like the rest of the prisses in this class and give you a big fat 0."
Quistis quickly scrambled down the bleachers and over to the stage where the teacher was standing. Seifer chuckled and watched her frantically explaining her schedule change. That girl really was a stiff when it came to her grades, wasn't she? As she returned he could visibly see the relief on her face.
"Well?" he asked, cocking his eyebrow.
"He said it's my one free pass and he'll let it slide today. But it honestly wasn't my fault!"
"Hey, I know! You don't have to convince me!" Seifer said throwing his hands up in there air. "So you gonna sit here and do more homework or admire my hot body while I get all sweaty?"
"Ew, don't flatter yourself Seifer! I got work to do!"
"Yea well, if you get distracted and catch yourself looking my way, I won't be mad," he said winking as he walked off to warm up for class. What was with that guy and winking at her? That's like the fifth time today! Did he have a crush on her or something? No way. He was way out of her league. The fact he was even talking to her boggled her mind. The jocks never paid her a lick of attention unless they were making fun of her. They won't be laughing when they need a top lawyer like herself to dig their dumb asses out of jail in 10 years.
Quistis managed to finish her calculus homework. There was still a little less than half the class left so she decided she should get as much of her chemistry homework done as possible. As she opened her text book, she glanced up to see what the class was doing. Today they were just doing basic fitness. Jumping jacks, laps around the gym, pull-ups, push-ups…everyone at a different station. It didn't take her long to find the tall blonde she had been talking to all day. He was on the pull-up bar, already surpassing the minimum the other students were able to do. You could see the outline of the muscles in his arm. His biceps bulged up in a perfect arc. Even his forearms looked chiseled! Quistis could see the sweat glistening on his tanned forehead from the class' activities. Every time he would come down and finish a pull-up, his shirt would ride above his waistline and show off his taunt stomach. Quistis could feel her face getting warmer as she continued to stare. That tanned, sweaty, perfectly chiseled-
"Like what you see, sweet cheeks?"
Suddenly Quistis was snapped out of her reverie.
"Wha…um…what?" she stuttered out, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear.
Chuckling, Seifer walked over to the bleachers.
"I asked if you like what you see."
"All I see is a gross, sweaty, juice head jock working out. That's not exactly appealing to me."
"Your staring said otherwise."
"I wa-...I was not staring!" Quistis stuttered, adjusting her glasses. "I merely looked up for a moment before starting my chemistry homework. You just happened to glance my way as I was looking up is all."
"Hmm…I see. So what is 'appealing' to you, huh? Should I throw on some polyester slacks and a bowtie. Maybe some black thick rimmed glasses. Lean against a bookshelf while holding a copy of Moby Dick. Would that turn you on?"
"Why Moby Dick?"
"Um, because…Dick! Hello?"
"Oh my god, you are so vulgar! And no that would not…turn me on, as you put it."
"No, I think it would! You had no objections to any part of that fantasy except my book of choice, because it's 'vulgar'. You seemed pretty into it to me! Maybe I'll raid my grandfather's closet and dress up for ya one day."
"Shut up Seifer! For crying out loud. Do you have to be so lewd"
"Lewd? Nothing about that statement was lewd! I was being polite on your account. Being lewd would be me saying 'hey Quistis, wanna suck me off in the locker room after class while I shower?'"
Quistis' eyes grew five times their size as her head snapped to look at the blonde.
"Well?..."
"You…are…urgh! Disgusting! That is the foulest thing that has ever been said to me! Are you serious?!"
All Seifer could do was laugh at her reaction. He wasn't actually asking her to suck him off…although he wouldn't turn her away if she agreed either. It might be kinda hott. Especially with the look she's rocking today. It would be like a naughty teacher getting him off at school.
"To think, I thought you weren't like all those other jock jerks. But no! You are just as arrogant and nasty as all the rest of them!"
"Mr. Almasy! Return to your station please! Now!" the teacher shouted from across the gym.
"See ya after class, princess." Throwing Quisits a quick wink, Seifer turned and jogged back to where his group was stationed.
"Don't count on it, you baboon!" Quistis growled out as she returned to her work. The nerve of that guy. What on earth gave him the idea that she was gonna stick around waiting for him to come out of the locker room after class? As soon as the bell rings, she was out of here!
The bell had rang while Seifer was putting his gym clothes back in his bag. He jogged up the short set of stairs leading back into the gym from the locker room. As he glanced around, he realized that Quistis must have high tailed it to her next class already. Well, he said he would see her after class and he was a man of his word. And it just so happened he knew exactly where to find the strawberry blonde beauty.
After a quick stop at his locker, he returned to the first floor and walked down the long hallway that led to the art and shop section. And sure enough, there she was; all prim and proper sitting at a table by herself in the woodshop room. She looked more out of place than a whore in church.
"Excuse me miss, is this seat taken?"
"You have got to be kidding me? You're in woodshop too?"
"Unlike you, I don't like crowding my schedule with all boring shit like math and science. I like a little fun every now and again."
"I don't see how on earth this class is going to be anything close to fun. Especially with you in it!"
"Ouch babe!" Seifer said, grabbing his chest as he sat down. "That hurt a little! I'll have you know this class is going to be oodles of fun because I'm in it."
"I highly doubt that!" she spat out.
Quistis seemed legit mad at him. He liked ruffling feathers but he didn't want the girl hating him.
"Look, I wasn't serious earlier. About the whole sucking off thing. I was just joking with you."
"Well it was a pretty disgusting joke that I didn't appreciate."
"Sorry. Now I know. You're a tight ass and don't joke about sex."
"How do you go from apologizing to insulting me in the same sentence?! And I am not a tight butt!"
"The correct term is tight ass. Ass. And fine. Is prude better?"
"I'm not a prude either! I just don't talk about intercourse or make jokes about it!"
"What high schooler doesn't ever talk or joke about sex?" Suddenly something dawned on Seifer, and he narrowed his eyes slightly. "Wait a minute…"
"What? It's not that uncommon you know! Not all of us are perverts."
Leaning in so not to embarrass the girl too much he asked in a hushed voice, "Are you a virgin?"
Quistis quickly snapped her head in his direction. "What? That is…that's none of your business! Why would you ask that?"
"Because it would explain the stick up your ass."
Quistis just sat there staring down at her notebook, ignoring the blonde beside her.
"Well…?"
"I said it's none of your business! Will you shut up?" she exclaimed, glancing around. Her face was starting to heat up and she knew she was getting redder by the minute.
"Don't be embarrassed," he chuckled out.
"Will you shut up?"
"Alright alright! I'll drop it…if you admit it."
"Admit what?"
"That you're a virgin."
"I still don't see why this is any of your business! You have no right-"
"Have you ever come close to fuc-"
"Alright! Fine…I'm a virgin okay? Happy now?"
"Yep," Seifer replied, smiling.
"Don't look so smug! I'm not like all the other idiots around here who think more with their genitals than their heads. I'm sorry I'm not your typical bimbo who is more worried about how her cleavage looks when she leaves for school than if my homework is done or not."
"I never said there was anything wrong with it! I think it's cute."
Quistis turned her head to look at the blonde expecting a smirk to be on his lips. But he seemed to look genuine and nothing like the smug jock she expected to see looking back at her. As the bell rang and the teacher shut the door, Seifer winked at her and turned to face the front of the room. This guy was beyond confusing!
"That wasn't so bad was it?" Seifer asked the girl walking out into the hall next to him.
"It was the first day. All he did was go over the syllabus and explain the rules and machinery. Come next week when we're making bookcases and end tables, I'll be hacking off limbs on the saws and making simple walking sticks all year long."
"Haha nah. I won't let you hack anything off. And I'm sure you can make something a little more complicated than a walking stick. Like say…a floating shelf."
"That's basically a piece of wood nailed to the wall."
"Exactly."
"You brat!" she exclaimed, lightly shoving the man.
"I'm kidding I'm kidding!" Seifer laughed. "Hey look, I have art next which is in this wing so I'll catch you at the lockers after school, okay?"
"Art? I don't picture you as the moody artsy type."
"Yea well it's only Art I and I needed a throw away class. And how do you know I'm not an artistic genius? My walls at home could be lined with years' worth of my masterpieces for all you know."
"True. I don't know. Catch ya later I guess." Quistis turned to continue walking down the hall to her Home EC class. Only one more period and she could go home and get started on her book project. Today has been hell, to say the least. Nothing has gone as planned so far. Woodshop wasn't so bad. Seifer left the sore subject touched on earlier alone the whole class period like he promised. Maybe with his help, she might pass the class after all.
After 45 minutes of syllabus talk and endless worksheets about kitchen utensils and food prep and sewing materials and crying baby dolls they will be taking home later in the year, Quistis was never so happy to hear a bell ring in her life. She was trying to make a beeline for the office to talk to principal Kramer about her schedule again. If she was lucky, kids already dropped some classes and opened things up for her.
She walked into the office and caught him just as he was gathering his things to leave.
"Mr. Kramer! Hi, I was wondering if any kids may have dropped any classes yet. Ya know, so I can get back into the classes I need."
"Quistis, you already have the classes you need. You just want extra classes. And no, sorry. No one has dropped anything of interest to you. Maybe at the end of the week you can come back and see me and have better luck."
"Thank you sir." Quistis said, looking down at the floor as she walked back into the hallway. Just her luck. By the end of the week, she will already be behind! She could catch up though. If she really put her mind to it, she could get it done. Maybe she should ask someone in those classes what they were working on so she could get a head start.
As she reached her locker, she noticed Seifer standing in the middle of the hallway against the wall looking around.
"There you are! What took you so long?" he said after spotting her.
"I went to principal Kramer's office to see if any classes opened up yet."
"Seriously? It's only the first day! And what, you don't like sharing half your schedule with me? I'm hurt!"
"Yea well, I'm desperate. I really want those other classes. It will make my life at college a lot easier." Quistis was quickly gathering books and folders to go home. "Where's your backpack? Shouldn't you be getting ready to go home?"
"I am ready. I only brought a notebook and I don't need to take it home. No one brings a book bag on the first day." Immediately after saying this, Quistis pulled out a pink and black backpack and began stuffing it with books. "Okay…I stand corrected."
"I happen to have homework tonight. I always bring a backpack. And definitely more than one notebook."
"All I've seen you do all day is homework! How do you still have some left to do?" Quistis quickly zipped her bag and began sprinting down the hall. "Hey, wait up! Why the rush?"
"I gotta catch my bus!"
"You rode the bus?" Seifer chuckled out. "Your car broke down or something?"
"Yes I rode the bus. I don't have a car."
"Seriously? That sucks."
"Yea, sometimes. Look I don't mean to be rude but I gotta go. See you tomorrow." And with that Quistis took off across the front lawn toward her bus along the curb.
Seifer stood there watching her climb the stairs and find her seat as the bus drove off. That girl was interesting. Definitely nothing like any of the girls he's ever been with. She was the type he normally poked fun of and ignored. Something about this one made him look twice though. This year might not be so bad after all.
Author's Note: I know I have an unfinished story, and I do plan to continue it...I just couldn't get this one out of my head and had to write it. I'm a bigger FF8/Seifer fan anyways so this one will probably be done before the other.
I was going to write at least half, if not all, of this fic before posting so I didn't run into the whole getting distracted and not updating for 3 years thing but I figured I would get some feedback before writing it all out. I'm usually not big on AU but I felt it was what was needed for this fic. I don't think it would translate the way I wanted to if I had them attending Balamb Garden instead of Balamb High. Keep in mind this doesn't entirely take place on the FF8 "planet", so there will be references to "earthly" things if you know what I mean (McDonalds, Macy's, ect.)
I hope to not make Seifer to Quistis too OC. The others may be, but those two I'm trying to keep sorta with their game personalities. Also every chapter won't be the whole school day like this one. I just wanted to get a layout of their schedules and such out there, and I HATE opening chapters. They are hell for me to write. Prepare for lots of angst and romance. I'm a sucker for both...emphasis on the angst haha There will also be some MA chapters written that I will have links to when the time comes. The MA parts will be cut from what's posted here for those who don't wish to read it. But just putting it out there.
Please let me know if you liked it, hate it, plan to read more...ya know, the sort of thing that keeps one's muses around. Thanks!