Chapter 7 Garden Festival/SeeD Graduation
Selphie twirled around with her arm spread out in Rinoa's dorm room. "How do I look? Like a rock star?
Rinoa forced a smile, "Sure…"
Selphie looked at her, "What
is it?"
"It's just… it's so hard believing
that you're really sick and you…" Rinoa sighed and looked out the window.
It was an awkward moment but
there had been many of those in the days following Selphie's diagnosis.
Selphie looked sadly at her friend,
"Rin, we're still gonna play in the Timber Owls and we're still gonna open
our daycare center in Balamb. I'm not dead yet. Maybe I'll
get well after all. Don't give up all hope Rinoa. I haven't."
Rinoa gasped, "Selphie, I must
seem like such a jerk. I wish I could be more optimistic like you.
I would have committed suicide the absolute instant I found out. "
"Rinoa, I'm scared to death of
this you know but I'd rather not think about dying. Now tell me how
I look?" Selphie pointed to her pink gown and the silken butterfly wings
attached to the back of it.
Rinoa managed a real smile, "Perfect.
How about me?" She referred to her white gown and fluttery ivory
wings.
"Like an angel…"
The rest of the Timber Owls showed
up then, Zone, Watts and Lens. They looked uncomfortable in suits and ties
but the headmaster had said if the band played they had to dress up.
Rinoa had to wear her SeeD uniform
for most of the night as it was her graduation party too but headmaster
had said while the band played she could wear her costume.
The auditorium was beautifully
decorated, even more so then the year before.
This year the new headmaster
had chosen to give the graduation and the Garden festival together as well
as officially introduce himself to all the students and staff members.
Quistis was especially looking
forward to Talinn's appearance at the party that night even though she
had told herself she was an idiot for having a crush on him. Quistis
had taken extra pains that night in dressing. She wore a strawberry
red gown and her usually pinned up hair was down with a red and pink flower
wreath in it. Some of the Trepies remarked that she looked like a
flower goddess.
Squall and Irvine were sitting
around waiting for the girls to arrive in the auditorium with their band.
Irvine for the first time wore a SeeD uniform and Squall wore his for the
millionth time. They both stared dumbfounded at Quistis when she
entered the room.
"Wow! I wonder why she's
all decked out." Irvine whispered.
Squall rolled his eyes, "Because
it's the Garden festival! Everyone is dressed up tonight."
Irvine said to Squall as he would
to an ignorant child, "Squall you have much to learn about women my friend.
Girls only doll themselves up that much if they want to impress men.I think
our Quisty has a special someone in mind tonight."
Squall was disbelieving, "And
who could that be? Seifer? No he's got that whore Carena.
Nida? He has both the diamond girls: Ruby and Garnet. Me? She
told me she felt like I was her brother. You? She respects
Selphie too much for that. Zell? Quistis thinks he's a moron
which he is. One of the Trepies? Don't make me laugh."
"Hey I didn't say I knew who
it was! I just know when something's up!" Irvine grumbled defensively.
Just then Talinn appeared on
the stage and all the students crowded around to get a look at him. "Hi
I'm Talinn your new headmaster. I'm sure all of you have heard rumors
about me." Several students laugh. "Well anyway I'm not big on talking
about myself but I'd love to get to know each and every one of you students.
So anyway I'd like to say congrats to all recent SeeD grads: Seifer Almasy,
Rinoa Heartilly and Irvine Kinneas and all the rest of you. Now I'd
like to introduce the Timber Owls featuring two Balamb Garden students:
the aforementioned Rinoa and Miss Selphie Tilmitt. Now Selphie has
been ill and I'd like all of you to support her."
"Enough with the PSAs..." Irvine
muttered under his breath, "If Selphie wants everyone to know she's ill
she'll say something."
Squall nodded but his attention
was drawn to the stage where the Timber Owls had just come out to play.
Selphie was on guitar and backing vocals, Rinoa was lead vocals, Watts
was bass guitar, Zone was on drums and Lens was the keyboardist.
Squall was practically drooling over how delectable Rinoa looked and Irvine
didn't blame him. Even Selphie didn't look ill tonight, in fact she
looked the healthiest she'd been in months.
Rinoa walked up nervously to
the microphone, "Hi well I suppose I'm nowhere near as good as my mother
Julia Heartilly was but anyway we are going to do a version of um an old
song called 'Silver Springs'. We didn't write it but um we love it
anyway."
Irvine had eyes only for Selphie
as he watched her play. He was a little proud in a way that he'd
pushed her to play guitar but he knew all the credit for her talent was
her own. It struck him then how much it would hurt him if she died.
How much it would hurt all of them. He stopped dwelling on it then
because the girls were at the chorus and he wanted to hear Selphie sing.
I'll follow you down til the sound of my voice will haunt you
You'll never get away from
the sound of the woman who wants you
When
the band was done playing, Irvine felt a little teary eyed. Maybe
it wasn't manly of him to cry but Irvine had a soft side, especially
when it came to his babydoll. He went over and hugged her after she'd
finished putting her guitar in it's case.
"Hey Irvy," She kissed him and
smiled.
"Great show tonight Selphie,"
Irvine reached to help her pick her guitar case up.
"Yeah... Hey how does it feel
being a SeeD, Irvine?" Selphie put her arms around him.
"Different... not a big deal
though..." He shrugged
"Ah..did you notice Quistis dancing
with the headmaster?" Selphie mentioned.
"No but I only have eyes for
you my Sefie. Do you think she has a crush on him? She was
pretty dolled up tonight?" Irvine looked around for Quistis and Talinn
but they were gone.
"Irvine... you're so sweet!
Must be why I love you so much..." Selphie laughed.
"Maybe... How're you feeling
tonight?"
"I'm fine... Oh Irvy don't worry
I'm not going to die anytime soon." She reassured him.
