Author's note: I'm so sorry I didn't update for months. Things came up . .I'm so sorry. Thanks for everyone who still supports me! BTW, this has cursing. . .

(n da title dunt fit. .. )

Chapter 9: I Hate You!

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Quistis wanted to die. It was hell just making it back to her room. Everyone seemed to know, and everyone jeered at her, even the Trepies, though they were probably jealous that she was engaged.

'But I'm not getting engaged! This is all a mistake!'

She laid face-down on her bed and thought of all the possibilities of how someone could've seen them and think that. Well . . almost anybody could've seen them . . . but to actually think they were getting engaged? They would've have to go in and ask the clerk what they were doing in there.

'But why would someone do that?'

But she could only think of one person. Or rather. . . one type of person.

Of course it's a Trepie.

'I never thought they'd be a threat . . . they never did much . . . but I'd never thought they'd be so nosy!'

Quistis heaved herself from the bed. Sitting here would only make her think more and get even more depressed. She picked up her whip from the desk, not bothering to bring anything, or junction herself, she left the room.

~~*~~

Seifer walked the hallways of the garden, thinking. He wouldn't have believed it. Squall was too cold to Quistis, and he had been dating Rinoa for so long. He wouldn't just come out of the blues and ask Quistis to marry him. But he did believe it. He had seen Squall held her hands and said something, then they hugged, and walked into the store.

He was just as surprised then, but he didn't want to assume anything. It wasn't until he came back and heard it from some Trepies talking in the hallways that he had really believed it, because he had seen it. Then he left for his room, and didn't come out until he was hungry. By that time he found out that Squall and Quistis came back but denied everything. Rinoa was heartbroken, but wouldn't see Squall, so that meant that she didn't know about anything.

'I should ask Quistis.' Seifer stopped. 'Actually, we have a lesson tonight. I'll ask—'

He stopped when he saw a blur of peach run past him. It headed out for the training center, and he recognized it as Quistis when she stopped temporarily to swing open the door.

'Quistis must feel pretty bad.' He leaned against the wall and frowned, 'Sentimental rubbish . . she must be getting to me.' Seifer gave a scoff and headed the other way.

~~*~~

Quistis ran far into the training center, where no one else was. She didn't care for bugs or anything like that, they were a cinch. There was only one thing that could require her full attention and get her mind off of everything, that was a T-Rexar.

Just then a roar came from the side, and she whipped around. 'Good,' she dug her heels into the dirt, her hand distinctively moved to her whip, 'I love a good challenge!'

~~*~~

"Did you hear?? Commander and Instructor Quistis talked about it, and they said that they shouldn't marry afterall!! I bet that's just a lie though!"

Seifer twisted around. He was just a few steps from Quistis' classroom.

A girl shook her head. "You heard wrong! I heard Squall said that he didn't love her, so he just told her to get lost!"

"He wouldn't do that!"

"Says who? Commander is known as being cold and distant. I wouldn't be surprised if he was just toying around with her."

"I don't think he's that kind of person either. . ."

"Well I heard that Instructor Quistis was falling apart. I saw her run sobbing someplace!"

'Sobbing?' Seifer frowned. She didn't look like she was sobbing.

"Well I hope it's nothing serious . ." The girl shrugged, "but if I were her, I'd never wanna show my face again."

'Yeah, if you were a girl.' Seifer stepped into the classroom.

It was emptied, and the desk was cleaned, as if no one had touched it the whole day. Seifer had been 20 minutes late, but Quistis still wasn't here.

'She's probably too depressed to come see me." He grinned and sat down in her chair, smug about being able to miss another class. 'But then again, she's always depressed. She'd make a good actress for those suicidal characters, and she wouldn't even have to act!'

That got him sitting upright. 'What if she did go and kill herself? I wouldn't be surprised if she did!'

'But she's got too much to live for. .her job . .her -- . . .'

What did she live for?

"Oh shit!"

~~*~~

Quistis slumped down on the ground, glaring at the T-Rexar in front of her. Normally she would be able to handle it, but she was too confused today. She didn't pay attention and wasn't fast enough. Besides the fact that's she was worn out from her first one, she didn't have any potions to heal herself with.

There was a noise behind her, and she turned her head to see another one. Quistis didn't get a chance to do anything as it charged at her and tossed her to the side. She hit a tree and spewed blood. 'Where are they all coming from?!" She was getting dizzy, and couldn't see straight. Everything was smudged. She could only see the red of the T-Rexars as they advanced on her slowly. 'Great. . .I'll die here . . ' She made a groan from the back of her throat as a pain throbbed in her back, 'Oh well . .nobody would miss me anyways. . . ' She closed her eyes.

She snapped her eyes open again. She thought she heard someone call her name somewhere far off, but then it stopped. By now she was getting very sleepy. Quistis struggled to keep her eyes open to see what was going on, but she only heard another roar. Suddenly, the red of the T-Rexars were replaced by gray, and everything turned black.

*

~*~

*

It was very noisy. Everything buzzed, like there were bees all over the place, but there was no pain. 'So I guess this is hell . . .'

Quistis opened her eyes slowly.

Huh?

Hell looked a lot like the infirmary . . . infact . . it was exactly like the infirmary. She sat up a little and saw Selphie and Zell arguing softly at the end of the bed. 'Great. . I have to spend the rest of eternity with them . .at the end of my bed . .arguing. . .' She frowned and covered her head with a pillow. Hell really was awful.

The buzzing stopped, and was replaced by a shrill voice.

"Quisty!!!! You're finally awake!!!"

Quistis took her pillow away. Finally awake?

They made her way next to her, and Selphie propped herself on the bed. "I'm so happy! We were so worried that you were going to die. . but then Seifer found you soon enough! Thank Hyne for Seifer!" She gave her a hug, but was careful not to hug too hard.

Seifer?

"Seifer. . helped me?"

"Yep!" Zell sat down on the chair nearby. "But then he went off really fast though."

Suddenly Rinoa rushed into the room. Her hair was all messed up and she was out of breath. She wringed her hands and jumped up and down.

Zell stared at her. "Hey Rin, your hair's all messed up . . "

Rinoa shook her head, still out of breath. "It's Squall!

"He and Seifer got into a fight!!"

~~*~~

"You asshole!!"

The SeeDs walking in the hallway jerked their heads up.

Squall grunted as he hit the wall. He glared at Seifer, who was inches from his face. "He's dead . . " "What the hell is your problem??!!!"

"My problem??!!!" Seifer punched him in the gut. "It's your problem!"

"If it's my problem then why are you butting in?!!"

"Because your problem is my instructor!"

Quistis?

"Why don't you go take a look into the infirmary," Seifer said through clenched teeth, "Quistis is in there because of you!!"

"What does that have to do with me?!!"

"If you didn't toy around with her, and if you didn't go and "propose" to her, and if you didn't just leave her there, she wouldn't have tried to kill herself!!"

Squall took a chance to punch Seifer back, and advanced forward. "What are you talking about she tried to commit suicide? I was never engaged to her in the first place!"

"I saw you!" He grabbed Squall by his collar and rammed him into the wall again. "And do you think any idiot would go out to fight without anything on them??!!"

"You're lying! Quistis wouldn't do that! She's an instructor, not a 3 year old!"

Seifer shook his head. "Forget this!" He swung out his gunblade and hacked it at him. Squall ducked and pulled out his own. He forgot all about the SeeDs in the hallway and started charging at Seifer. He brought it down hard, even though Seifer blocked it.

Rinoa's voice broke through the clangs of the blades. She ran after Quistis, who was in a sleeping robe but held her whip. Squall turned to look, and Seifer took it as an opportunity. He swung the gunblade into place and brought it charging down.

Quistis' whip cracked, and Seifer's gunblade stopped. He jerked at it, and glared at his instructor. Immediately everyone started murmuring.

"What do you two think you were doing?!" Rinoa snapped. She was mad, Squall could tell. He sighed and dropped his position. "You two were fighting in the hallways with weapons while everyone else was around. You're the commander Squall Leonhart! People look up to you! What kind of example are you setting?!"

Squall frowned. "I know what I'm doing!"

Seifer grinned, but stopped when Quistis slapped him.

"What the hell was that for you bitch?!!!" Seifer shouted and rubbed his cheek gingerly. "I try defending you and you come over here to slap me! You should be slapping Squall!"

"What made you think I wasn't going to?!" Quistis raised her hand and slapped Squall, on the opposite cheek. She stepped back and wrung her hand behind her back.

Zell and Selphie ran up and stood behind Rinoa, who was gaping at the scene. She didn't look mad, just very surprised.

"I'm old enough to do things myself! I don't need any of you defending me! I certainly don't need any of you to take action over gossip! I can smooth things out myself!" Quistis took a breath and dropped her whip hand to the side. "You Squall, are the commander of this garden. I don't have the authority to yell at you, but I think you know what you did wrong."

She turned to Seifer, who was still rubbing his cheek. "And you! You are my student, so I'll think of something."

Rinoa grinned, and hooked her arm with Squall's. "We'll leave you two alone Quistis, but you shouldn't wear yourself out." She waved and dragged off Squall, who was muttering something.

Quistis looped her whip back up. "We'll talk about this in my classroom."

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