A Simple Kind of Life
An FF8 Fanfiction

By Aria
arianna@envy.nu

Part Two: Explore

The minute hand of the clock slowly ticked by. 7:00 p.m. was what it read. Quistis had thirty minutes, and still no date.

Feeling low, thoughts like "Why even bother?" or "It's useless," entered into her mind. She seriously doubted that she was going to get a date in time, and thus, she wouldn't be able to go. More than likely, she would be chewed out my Headmaster Cid for not attending, but rules were rules, and she knew that someone like her must definitely abide by them.

Sitting on a bench in the commons area of Garden, Quistis gave a very deep and long sigh. Never before had she felt so abandoned. It was as if no one even cared about her. While dwelling on this throught, she heard footsteps off in the distance, coming from the cafeteria. She looked up to see none other than Zell Dincht, her rather impulsive and quick-to-anger student. Zell changed course and walked over to her.

"'Sup, Quist? How's things goin' for yah?"

Quistis couldn't help but smile. Zell's grammar was always anything but good. "I'm..." Quistis debated for a moment. Should I lie, and send Zell off on his way, or should I tell him the truth, and send him into a massive attack of hyperbole?

"You're... bad, good, fine and dandy?" Zell flashed his maverick grin.

"Terrible," Quistis decided. "I'm very depressed and I don't want to be around anyone right now."

Zell, at the very least, was shocked. "What?! Depressed? That's like, REALLY RARE! Quistis Trepe is never depressed!"

"News flash, Zell. I am now." Damn, she thought. That sounded way too bitter to be good.

"Why?" Zell looked very puzzled, but that was appropriate due to the fact that he really was.

"I can't say..."

Suddenly, clouds parted. A ray of golden light shot through them, brilliantly lighting up the land below in a beautiful glow of sunshine. Quistis had an idea.

"Hey, Zell?"

Zell, his impatient nature taking him over, had begun to punch the air. "Wazzat?"

"Um... did you get invited to the Balamb Prom?"

Sighing, Zell slouched and sat beside the hopeful Quistis. "Yeah... I can't go."

Quistis couldn't help but feel better as every sentence of dialogue passed. The anxiety and curiosity was beginning to take their toll on Quistis. "Why is that, Zell?"

"I ain't gotta date."

The Hallelujah Chorus began playing. For once, Quistis was actually happy about something. Zell... he seemed so unlikely for her on the outside, but on the inside, Quistis knew that this, if started properly, would be a grand relationship. Zell and her were the only ones of the group not in a relationship, and due to their extremely obvious protagonistic vs. antagonistic behavior, they were perfect for each other. It was a unwritten rule that opposites attracted. For an example, Quistis took Squall and Rinoa. Squall, Mr. Anti-Social, and Rinoa, Ms. Sociality of all Balamb, were quite possibly the most well-known couple in the world. Quistis also had to admit... she did have a thing for compulsive blondes.

Now, she had to think through this carefully. What would "normal" Quistis do in this situation? Would she play the role of dominator and ask Zell out, or just let Zell make the move? She chose the latter.

"I don't either, unfortunately. That's why I'm in such a wreck." Quistis replyed matter-of-factly.

Zell didn't quite hear her correctly. "I really wish I could go, but I guess wishing doesn't really help--" Quistis' words finally caught up with Zell. "Um... Hey Quistis?"

Quistis looked up into Zell's face. "Um... yeah?"

Zell felt the same anxiety and curiosity that Quistis had felt a brief moment before. "Would you... um... like to go with me?" Not giving her a chance to respond, he quickly interjected, "I mean, you don't have to. I'm just saying it would be really nice if you could, 'cus I really like you, and hopefully you like me, and since we don't have a date I was thinking maybe--"

Quistis interrupted with a smirk. "Zell... I would love to."

Zell, had he been standing, would have been able to do about 5 backward-handsprings without even resting. "D-D-Did you just say...!?"

Quistis nodded, smiling. Her face was perfectly framed by flowing blond hair, and under the lights of the Garden Commons Area she looked more like some ethereal being of majesty than a Balamb Instructor.

Zell returned the smile softly as he brought up his watch and checked the time. "7:25. Want to go ahead and go in?"

"Wait.. shouldn't we go and get dressed more... um... appropriately?"

Weighing the options, Zell replyed. "Yeah, good idea. Let's meet back here, ok?"

Quists gave a nodded, and they both went opposite directions to their dorm areas.

*

Quistis rushed around her room extatically, gathering dresses, accessories, hair utensils, and the like. "What am I going to wear?!" The frantic Quistis talked to herself, still searching around the room. This was a very special occassion, and Quistis had to make sure that she looked nothing short than radiant. Finding her best earrings, the still pristine, never worn zircon-studded golden ones given to her by her great-grandmother, and spraying on her nicest perfume, Quistis began fixing her hair up. She took it out of the usual bun and instead let it fall free, pinning up small parts of it with her hair pinnings.

Wait. Reality check time- was this really happening? It was a well known fact that the only female of the Trepe family this generation was stunningly beautiful, but Quistis wasn't exactly considered a wife type. She always seemed to hold the reputation of being a strong, independent female, but Quistis thought this just gave her even more of a good opportunity to shatter this reputation. Thinking as such, she left her dorm.

*

The lights dimmed, and the orchestra slowly and skillfully decresed in volume, beginning to draw their bows across the strings of their instruments and releasing marvelous harmonies and chords. The result was a slow and romantic dance that served as a means of uniting two souls, which is exactly what it was doing for Quistis and Zell. Quistis leaned her head softly upon Zell's shoulder as Zell closed his eyes, swaying back and forth softly with the music. Never once did Zell pay mind to the male members of his class giving him the thumbs up, or to their preverse comments; he was far too focused on Quistis sheer beauty and the moment at hand.

Quistis whispered softly into Zell's ear. "This was a great idea... I'm really starting to like you."

Zell whispered back, his words not exceeding the volume of Quistis'. "I already have for a long time. Whether you 'knew' or not, I'm not sure, but... this is the truth."

Quistis almost gasped in slight shock. "Actually... I had no idea."

Zell closed his eyes again. "Let's just dance."

Quistis happily obliged, returning her arms to their position around Zell's neck. Zell held her body closely to hers, their bodies swaying in tempo with the soft and romantic music. Suddenly, she realized that she never felt so protected. She was there in Zell's arms, and it was as if they had a barrier around them and them only. Nothing could harm them, for they were together, and in love...