Chapter 3: Revelations Selphie found herself pushed into a cushy chair in Doctor Kadawaki's office. She shivered in her thin cotton bra and panties although she knew the infirmary was always well heated. Miserably she faced the doctor, Quistis and Fujin trying to read the looks on their faces. Quistis looked sympathetic, Fujin looked annoyed and Doctor Kadawaki looked neutral. "Do you know how you got the bruises Selphie? You can tell me honestly. Really. Does Irvine hurt you? It's ok to tell us because we're here to help you." Doctor Kadawaki asked her. Selphie was perplexed, "No never! Irvine never hurts me. Why're you acting like it's his fault? It's not! I don't know where I got the bruises! It's just in January I started feeling tired and achy all the time. And then recently I started noticing dark bruises all over and I hurt so much all the time. I cry myself to sleep at night because I hurt so much. It's like my bones are hurting. I don't know. But I didn't want to tell anyone. I mean I'm a SeeD! I can take care of myself right? So I didn't want anyone to know and worry about me. Irvine doesn't know. I hide the bruises from him. At first I covered them with make-up but lately they've gotten so bad that I had to wear the clothes to cover them up. I'm sick and weak all the time now. I can't eat. I just throw it up. I can't sleep because I hurt and magic isn't helping me anymore. I don't know what to do! But I didn't tell anyone I was sick because I'm not a little girl and I didn't think it was anything to worry about!" Selphie burst into tears and Quistis walked over and put her arm around her friend, "Oh Selphie... you should have told someone. You can't go on in pain like this. It's not good for you. What if no one had ever found out about the bruises? What if you'd never said a thing and this illness turned out to be serious? What if it killed you and none of us had ever known?" Selphie simply sobbed harder and Quistis put a hand on her forehead, "Dr. Kadowaki! She's burning up! I think we ought to take her temperature." The Doctor nodded and procured a thermometer, "Open wide Selphie and stick this under your tongue. Fujin, I hear a lot of noise in the hall would you mind taking care of it?" Fujin immediately exited and just then the thermometer beeped. Doctor Kadowaki pulled the thermometer from Selphie's mouth. She looked at it in surprise and shook her head. "105 degrees fahrenheit. This is serious! Quistis, I think she'll need to see other doctors then I. A hospital, I expect. She'll need to be taken to Deling City. That's the closest hospital I surmise seeing as the one in Balamb is still under construction. Quistis, please escort Selphie to her room and then I want you to go and see the headmaster and begin making plans." Quistis went into the hallway and came back with Selphie's clothing. She helped the frail young woman dress and then she helped her to the dormitories, "Selphie I want you to rest and pack some things up for your trip." After she'd left Selphie, Quistis made her way to the elevator and hit the button for the third floor. She was a bit nervous as she had never met the new headmaster. She realized that she did not even know his name. Quistis reached the third floor and knocked hesitantly on the door to his office. "Come inside please." A soft male voice invited her. She walked inside and found herself face to face with a bald man of perhaps 40. He looked at her with bright blue eyes rimmed with the most beautiful eyelashes she had ever seen. Quistis cleared her throat, "Sir I am Instructor Quistis Trepe. I have come on the behalf of Dr. Kadawaki to report on a student." The man nodded, "Quistis... I heard about you from Cid Kramer. I've been wanting to meet you. I'm called Tallin Rizel." She realized with some shock that he had an incredibly sexy voice. She tried to push the thought out of her head. She was here for Selphie and besides this man was at least 20 years older then her. So it didn't matter that she found herself inexplicably attracted to him, "One of the SeeDs is seriously ill and the doctor believes she may need to go to the hospital." "Of course... And she will need an instructor to accompany her on the journey." He agreed. "I'd like to do it. If I may. She and I are friends." Quistis looked into his eyes. Tallin smiled, "Yes then. I give my permission. We can't have one of our SeeDs ill. All must be done to see that she gets better." She bowed, "Thank you very much sir. Good day then." "Good bye Quistis. I hope to see you again." She exited the office and stood in the hallway waiting for the stilling of her rapidly beating heart. She couldn't be attracted to this old man. It was simply unreasonable. Meanwhile, Irvine had heard rumors about Rinoa's fight and Selphie's bruised and he decided to find his girlfriend and straighted things out. He found her sitting on the window seat in her room. She was wearing her yellow dress and a red hooded sweatshirt and he tried not to wince as he saw the bruises on her bare legs. "Hey babydoll." He said quietly. "Irvine." She acknowledged him, "You must be angry with me." He couldn't lie, "A little. Selphie, why couldn't you trust me? All I ever wanted was for you to trust me with your problems. It really hurts that you didn't feel like you could tell me. If you're in pain or anything I'm here for you. I wish you could feel like you could open up to me." Selphie sighed and looked at her feet, "I didn't want you to worry..." Irvine sat down next to her and wrapped his arms around her, "But I have been worried... Selphie, I love you. I hope you know that. I want you to be happy. If you're sick, I want to know about it rather then having to hear rumors in the hallways." "I know... I'm sorry. I have to go to the hospital. Irvine, I'm scared. What if I'm dying?" She started crying again; fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. Irvine kissed her tears away, tasting the bitter salt in his mouth, "Shh it's ok. I'm gonna be there for you. It's going to be allright. The doctors will take good care of you and you'll be better in no time." She smiled weakly, "I hope so. I wanna be there at your SeeD graduation. Yours and Rinoa." "Well we haven't quite made SeeD yet. We have to pass the exam. I would have been SeeD last year in Galbadia if Martine hadn't sent me on the sorceress mission with all of you." She leaned her head back on his chest, "But you will make SeeD Irvine. I know it. Do you remember that mission? It was the first time we met." Irvine kissed the top of her head, "How could I forget babydoll?" Later on Quistis came in and found them still sitting in the window seat. Selphie had fallen asleep in his arms and Irvine turned to look at Quistis. "You'll have to wake her up Irvine." Quistis said softly. "I know but she looks like an angel," Irvine said reluctantly but he kissed her on the cheek, "Wake up babydoll. Quistis is here to take you to the hospital." Selphie sleepily blinked her eyes but she stood up weakly and picked up a blue back pack off the floor, "Ok I guess I'm ready to go. I don't wanna though." Quistis took her hand like she would that of a small child and Irvine watched them leave. He sat and despondently stared at Selphie's room. He whispered, "Bye babydoll." |
