FFVIII: Betrayals at Peace

Headmaster Cid was all smiles when they reported in his office the moment they arrived. Squall, as expressionless as always, stood beside her in front of the headmaster's desk. But Quistis could sense that beneath that calm facade was a clash of feelings. At least, that's what she hoped. Fervently. Her eyes were furtively trying to snatch glances of him, trying to see any sense of trouble or doubt in that handsome scarred face. That was what she had been doing all these times. Her heart was beating loudly, pounding with every pulse-beat. What was she doing? she thought. Trying to share the guilt that she felt right now with him?
"The corporation wants to extend their utmost gratitude for a job well done," Cid smiled, crossing his fingers in front of him as he sat in his swivel chair. "They were so thankful, in fact, that they added a little bonus to the original fee. You did not encounter any problems with the mission, didn't you?"
"No," Squall responded. "We had some...setbacks, headmaster...but nothing we can't deal with."
Quistis looked at him, surprise evident in her pretty face. How could he be so damn calm? Did she read him wrong when she thought, no, wished, that he felt guilty after their tryst?
"Ah, setbacks," Cid repeated. "Missions always have them. I knew I did not make any mistake putting you both in that mission. You both did a very fine job. Extra gil creds had been added to both your respective accounts. I'm sure you both need a rest after everything. You're both dismissed."
They both turned around, Squall never so much as looking back at the headmaster. Quistis hesitated for just the briefest of a second, and followed the young man.
"Instructor Trepe?" Cid called her just as she was about to walk out of the door.
She froze in mid-step. Damn it! But she was getting to be a nervous wreck all of a sudden! What was happening to her? She turned around, trying to maintain a passive face as she could. It was as if she was afraid that everyone might know what happened between her and Squall just from reading her face alone. "Yes, headmaster?"
Cid let out a grin. "Your students have been getting restless, wondering when you would be back. Of course, as expected, Ruth did an extraordinary job of substituting for you, but it seems that what they want was you. You have quite a following, Instructor."
"J-just some student admiration for their teacher, headmaster," she nervously blushed, trying to bite her lower lip. "Nothing more. I think it's perfectly natural. I will be resuming my class soon."
"Well, I'm sure they have every reason to admire you, Instructor," Cid said. "But I would hope that it goes to nothing more than that?"
"N-no, headmaster, certainly not," she hastily said. "I have no time to be feeling anything emotional to anyone right now. To me, my work is my passion. Nothing else."
"I am glad to hear that," Cid said. "You can go now. And congratulations for a job well done."
"Thank you," Quistis said, before turning away quickly. Her lips were quivering. You're a very bad liar, Quistis Trepe, she told herself. A very bad liar.

She found Squall waiting for him outside Cid's room, leaning on the wall, his arms and legs crossed in that aloof manner of his. She mustered the courage to walk up to him, trying to raise her head calmly and confidently.
"What did the headmaster say?" he asked.
"Nothing terribly important," she said, continuing to walk. Without missing a beat, Squall walked beside her.
"Quisty..." he started.
"How can you be so calm?" Quistis interrupted him. "Back there. Back at Rinoa's house. After everything that has happened, how could you afford to be so damn calm, Squall?"
"Look!" Squall said, stopping and holding her by her shoulders with both hands. She looked defiantly in his eyes. Those deep pools of dark brown which she so loved looking at nights ago. Right now, hers was brimming with tears behind those cute glasses which have become part of her identity. "Don't think that this hadn't weighed so heavily on me, as well. If there's anyone here who should be wrestling with his emotions, it should be me! And I am! Dammit, Quisty! Don't think I've shrugged everything off!"
"Then why don't you show it, Squall?!" she cried, her hands clenched into fists. Tears were running down her cheeks now. It did not occur to her that right now, they were in the middle of the Garden hall, and students and instructors alike were passing right by them, some stopping and wondering what's happening. But she did not care. To hell with them! "You act as if nothing of consequence happened! As if it was nothing more than a dream, or a nightmare, however way you would look at it! Damn you! Do you know how alone I felt right now? As if I'm the only one carrying this deep guilt inside of me?!"
People were starting to gawk now, looking at them both. Squall's eyes narrowed a bit, looking at her crying in front of him. It seemed like his hands were the only ones supporting her right now. He had never seen Quistis cry like this before. She had always struck him as one of the most confident and strongest women she had ever met. And right now, she was as defenseless as a naked woman in a battlefield. "Quisty, I'm sorry. Please don't be so hard on yourself. We both sha--"
"No!" Quistis said, interrupting him again. "I don't need your apologies. Or your consolations." She wiped away tears with the back of her wrist, and her eyes narrowed decisively at him. "I just want to be alone. Until I can think things over. Until I know just where the hell I stand, and how my feelings are. For now, Squall, I don't want to be near you again. Not until I can take control of my feelings and emotions again."
"Quisty, that's not fair!" Squall almost shouted. As if doing so would knock some sense into the young woman's head.
"You know what's not fair, Squall?" Quistis said, shaking away from him, stepping back. "Knowing the feeling you still have for Rinoa, and yet doing what we did back there. You're right. This is not fair. This is not fair for her. And I don't think this feeling I have for you is fair for the three of us, either. So just...go away. Please. I don't want us to be in contact with each other for now. For both of our sakes."
With that, she walked away towards the main elevator, tears still streaming down her face. The students and instructors who were there gave her way, some whispering to each other, no doubt asking just what was happening. The fact that everyone knew her and Squall did not help matters any.
Squall, for his part, just looked at her as the elevator door closed on her as she leaned on the circular wall, her beautiful face buried in her hands. Long after the elevator started, he was still there, looking where he saw her last. Just standing there like an idiot as Garden residents looked at him and trying to deduce what just happened with intrigue. Then he, too, walked away. The expression on his face caused people to jump out of his way as he passed.
Just what the hell did I do now? he asked himself.

When Quistis arrived in her room, she softly closed the door behind her, leaned against it for a minute and then sat on her bed, and buried her face in her hands again. She just realized what she did, and now, she didn't know if she regretted it or not. Everything was happening on impulse, and every decision she was making was made on shaky emotions and crumbled logic. She knew that she shouldn't be sputtering out decisions right now. Knew that doing so would only exacerbate the situation. But she couldn't help it. Before all this happened, being with Squall gave her a rush of girly feelings. As if she was a schoolgirl all over again, instead of one of Balamb Garden's most respected faculty. But now, being with him meant being reminded of the betrayal she made for Rinoa. Of the betrayal she made for herself. And of the betrayal of every virtue she so carefully tried to maintain all these years. Who could ever thought that that one act of abandoning all passion and emotions that one night (which seemed to have been like eternity ago already) could have this grave of a repercussion? In essence, the decision she just made had not only made her alienate herself from Squall, but also, she had just successfully alienated herself from the same person who could have probably helped her. She did not want to be far from him. Having recognized the real feelings she felt for him now, she realized just how much she needed to be with him. She realized that the only way this feeling of pain could be temporarily lifted from her heart is for her to just hold his hand, and see that warm, boyish smile she fell in love with everyday. But paradoxically, doing so would only cause her more hurt. To say that she was utterly confused was a gross understatement.
"Squall," she murmured in between sobs. "What have I done?"
What pushed her to that decision was Squall's attitude itself. She knew that. How she wished she could be just like him. Just hide whatever she is feeling in a mask of complete and total blankness. She wondered so long ago how Squall could ever bear to hide behind that mask. Now, she knew. And she realized that that was just what she needed right now. A mask. A false face of total expressionless stone. Cold, and hard, and unreadable. Right now, she was afraid that her sin would be written all over her face for everyone to see. And they would realize just how much of an "innocent and pure" instructor she really was. She wondered how many hearts would be broken with that? She could almost laugh.
It was at this point that the door softly opened, and in walked a pretty woman with dark-brown hair cut to her shoulders. She was wearing a smile when she peeked in, only to see the back of her friend, sitting there by the bed. Xu, who had been her friend and confidante eversince their cadet years. Dear old Xu who had advised her on her first love problem. And Xu, who can't get enough of teasing her with Squall. Right now, she was the last person she wanted to talk to. But paradoxically, she was the only person right now she wanted to talk to, as well. Her life was becoming a box of paradoxes.
"I heard that you've arrived from your mission in Trabia," she said. "So how did you and Sq--"
Quistis turned around to look at her. When Xu saw her eyes red-rimmed and in tears, she immediately wiped away the teasing smile she wore and immediately closed the door behind her and sat beside her friend, her face turning serious.
"Quisty," she asked softly, placing a hand on her shoulder. "What's the matter? What's wrong? Why are you crying?"
"It's...It's Squall..." she replied, sobbing again.
"Why? What happened to Squall?" Xu asked. "I thought the mission went wonderfully. He wasn't hurt, was he...?"
Quistis shook her head.
"Then, what's wrong?" Xu asked. "Did something bad happen between you two?"
It was then that Quistis realized. No matter how close a confidante Xu was, she could never tell her what happened. Not now, at least. Right now, she couldn't trust anyone else to understand her. How could she, when she couldn't even trust herself? When she couldn't even understand how she was feeling? She looked at the comforting face of her friend, that face who shared tears and laughters with her after all these years, and suddenly, she embraced her, tears streaming down her face to her friend's blue SeeD uniform. "I'm sorry, Xu," she sobbed. "I can't tell you everything. Not now. I...I have to get in terms with myself first, and with the people I have hurt. Only then can I talk to you freely...I'm sorry. Please understand...please...."
"With the people you've hurt?" Xu asked, genuinely perplexed at how her friend had been acting. "Quisty, who are these people? Who caused you this much pain? What's the matter?"
"Squall," Quistis said slowly. "I...I love him, Xu. Hyne help me, but I do! All those times you've teased me with him, I tried to brush it away. But with what has happened lately, I cannot deny it anymore. I love him. With all my soul. I do love him..."
"Oh Quisty," Xu said, and hugged her friend back, gently patting her back. "Then why don't you tell him? Why don't you go find him right now, and tell him this? I know he and Rinoa are still on, but if you just tell him, you'll feel better. Trust me."
She let go on Xu, and shook her head. "You don't understand. I...I just told him I don't want want to be anywhere near him. I...I can't be anywhere near him. It hurts too much..."
Really confounded now, Xu looked at her friend strangely. "You're not making much sense Quisty, you know that? After all the years we shared, I think this is the first time I've seen you not making a mite of sense."
Oh heavens, she thought, burying her face in her hands again. Lately, it seemed as if the darkness that was in there was her only comfort. And the sound that she made as each sob she let out was her only release. If only she could tell her. If only her emotions weren't so discombobulated right now. So many "ifs".
"I know, I know," Quisty said softly. "Everything's just so damn complicated." Or maybe, she thought that she was just the one complicating things. But she couldn't help that now. Her emotions were taking control of her logic.
She looked back at her friend, and her eyes showed pleading. Xu tried hard to remember where she saw those eyes before. It was then that she realized. She was looking at the eyes of a person who was trapped in quicksand.

He was angry. But above that, he was hurt. And confused. And other things which were adding to the whirlpool of pervading and conflicting feelings brewing and sloshing inside his heart and mind for days now.
Squall walked towards the dormitory, to his room, wearing a face of sullen and dangerous expression that made cadets hastily walk out of his way. Right about now, it would seem that people were avoiding him as if he was Seifer. All for the better, he thought, as he can't guarantee that he can't snap at anyone who would so much as talk to him right now.
Which was exactly what happened to Zell.
He saw Squall walking his way and he grinned, like he always did when he meets him. He and Irvine had just recently finished their mission in Dollet successfully, and he was on high spirits. Especially when Iris showed him four tickets to the acclaimed play "I Want To Be Your Canary". He can't wait to show it to Squall.
When Squall just passed him without so much as a glance, however, he raised an eyebrow, and started to catch up to him.
"Hey! Squallie-boy!" Zell said, walking beside him.
Go away, Zell.
"I heard you and Quisty got some trouble up in the Trabia alps," he grinned. "Glad to see that everything's A-Okay!"
It's not, so go away.
"Hey! By the way! Iris got us some tickets to that 'I Want To Be Your Canary' play-thingie," Zell went on, getting the four silver-tipped tickets from out his leather jacket.
I don't care. Just...leave me alone.
"Iris said that it was directed and produced by that famous Sakaguchi fellow! She was all so gushed up on it," Zell said, not caring to notice how Squall had been clenching and unclenching his fists. "She got four tickets. I was thinking that maybe, you and Rinoa could come with us? Or if she's not available, you and Quisty? I offered it to Irvine a while ago but he said that he and Selphie were b---"
Without warning, Squall turned to face him, his face unmistakably irritated and angry. "Look! I don't care about your damn tickets. I don't care about the play. I don't care about Irvine's reason, or whatever it was you want to tell me. Right now, I only want to punch someone. Don't let it be you."
"W-whoa," Zell said, taking a few steps back, both hands raised. "T-take it easy! Sheesh! If you don't want to see a Canary, you could just say 'No' like any normal person! You don't have to snarl at me like that! Look, I know you're into this lion thingie, but don't you think snarling just seems taking it a bit too far?"
Unable to control his anger anymore, Squall got Zell by the collar and, without so much as a pause, gave the tattoo-faced boy a punch that sent him sprawling to the Garden floor. The people around them gasped. Without so much as another glance, Squall walked away towards the dorm, leaving Zell touching his sore jaw. He got up, and looked at his friend, his face a mixture of question and confusion. "What the hell did I just say?"

He did not mean to do that to Zell. He wanted to go back to him and apologize, but his pride won't let him. He just mumbled a soft apology that went unheard by anyone but himself.
After unfairly venting his ire on Zell, Squall tried to clear his head, tried to better control his emotions. He finally got to his room and softly opened the door, and closed it behind him just as softly. Shuffling to his bed, he sat on it and leaned back on the wall, arms placed on either knee. Absentmindedly, he slowly and rhythmically knocked the back of his head repeatedly on the wall.
Quistis was a bit too unfair with her accusations, he thought. How the hell could she really think that what happened didn't affect him terribly? It was the only thing that managed to successfully blow apart his ordered world eversince they defeated Ultimecia and he went walking in nowhere in that great slab of rock after Time Compression. He thought that this event now was even worse, seeing as how that was purely physical while this was something that he had nurtured for the past year, with Rinoa. And now, a huge crack was slowly showing in his heart-carved world. He loves Rinoa. He does. She was the one who made him feel alive again. She was the one who showed him that he was a human who had feelings, and that those feelings can bloom given the proper attention and care. He loves the feel of her lips on his, and the feel of her silky black hair as it touched his fingers. He loves her smile, which she always has for him, and that mischievous look she always gives him whenever he turns too serious. He loves everything about her.
Then why the hell did he kissed Quistis that night in the cabin, which essentially was the fuse that started this whole goddamn thing?
Emotions were a dangerous thing. Especially when it was dancing with Mood. The soft light the fireplace gave the whole room back then; the soft warmth it gave together with her naked body; the feeling that no single soul except the two of them was present for many miles around---these were factors which made him clasp her lips. But they were only that: factors. There had to be something else. Something bigger. Otherwise, he'd just be acknowledging the fact that he was weaker than he thought.
He had always found Quistis attractive. She was a girl sensible enough to know the extent of her great charms, and yet tried to subdue it by wearing those glasses, and placing her hair in that style. Which made him comment on that while on the train on their way to Deling. That was, in his opinion, the time when he started to see her in a new light. That one act alone of letting her hair fall loosely on her shoulder, framing that angelic bespectacled face of hers. She was a woman who can exude sophistication in whatever clothes, and in whatever situation. Her attempts at trying to be natural, at trying to blend in with everyone by wearing those glasses and hairstyle, these ironically made her more sexy and charming. If circumstances were otherwise, he knew that she would have been a girl he would've fallen in love with, given time.
Would've.
But the fact was he didn't want to be in love then. The fact was it was Rinoa who showed him the great promise of that feeling. Quistis was always the Instructor-figure. The teacher to his being a student. She never showed him anything more than just attempts to understand him. Back then, she always showed special attention to him amongst her other students. Why, he did not know. And that made him wary of her intentions more. He had always been regarded as "fortunate" by many of his peers because of how the great Instructor Quistis Trepe paid extra attention to him. And there were rumours that she had a crush on him (which he found out to be true that night in the Dance when they passed their field exam). But the fact was, back then, he didn't trust anyone. He had always been alone, and for a girl to show him that emotion and attention in subtle hints made him suspicious. In fact, that was what he felt too, when he first met Rinoa. It was only purely by circumstance that she finally managed to break through his stronghold. Again, if circumstances were otherwise, would he have fallen for Quistis instead of Rinoa?
And now, after what happened in the cabin, after feeling her intimately; after probing the depths of her womanhood, Squall was beginning to see her beyond the bounds of a teacher-fighter-superior image. He saw her as a woman of his peer. He saw her as a sensual creature which gave him unheard of feelings of ecstacy that night. And he felt her as someone who truly loves him as a person and not as the Squall Leonheart who defeated Ultimecia. Or the Squall Leonheart many Garden girls thought physically sexy. Quistis trusted him enough to give herself fully to him. And that was beginning to put dents in the seemingly invincible world he and Rinoa made for the past year. Despite some heavy kissing and intimate moments he shared with Rinoa, he never felt the need to put it any further than that. Maybe it was because of something inherently within Quistis that's not in Rinoa. Maybe it was because...Quistis was more of a woman, while Rinoa was more of a girl. Hyne, this was beginning to complicate things more. He placed both hands on the sides of his head, trying to sort things out in his mind. It was like sorting a huge mound of differently colored tangled yarn.
There was a knock at the door, which was followed by a voice. "Squall? Are you there?"
"Fuck off, Irvine," he said wearily.
Instead, the door opened to reveal the cowboy hat-wearing former Galbadia Garden SeeD. As always, his face was calm and composed. He regarded him with a mixture of amusement and seriousness. "My. When you start using cuss words, I know something is definitely up." Squall sighed, not having the strength to make him go away. He was that weary.
"I just talked with Zell," Irvine said, leaning on the table just across his bed. "He said to tell you that if you ever have a change of heart and decide to give up gunblades, you definitely have a good future as a martial artist. Or a pugilist, whichever suits you."
Squall just managed to give his friend a tired smile. "Tell him I'm sorry for what I did. How is he?"
"Oh, Dr. Kadowaki said he'll be fine," Irvine replied. "Although I think he and Iris won't be doing any major French kissing for now. You broke his lip."
Squall winced, looking away for a bit. Sorry Zell. And Iris.
"So mind telling me what's the matter?" Irvine asked. "You're not exactly the type to go on throwing punches when you're not in the mood. That's usually Seifer's domain. Or maybe it's just a Gunblade-wielder thing?"
"You wouldn't understand," Squall said, resuming knocking the back of his head softly at the wall, his hands clasped in front of him on his knee.
Irvine looked at him for a full minute, his arms crossed, studying him. Then, he said. "Woman problem."
Squall stopped what he was doing, and looked at his friend with a slight surprise at his face. Was he that obvious? "H-how did you know?" He blurted out softly, and then regretted it.
Irvine gave him a slight laugh, looking away for a split second, and then looking back at him. Scorpios. Figures. They said most Scorpios have an uncanny sense of perception. Not that Squall believed in all that astrology-mumbo-jumbo stuff.
"So. You and Rinoa had a fight?" Irvine asked.
"No," Squall said. "It's not that easy. I...I dunno, Irv. As of now, I don't have a fuckin' idea what I'm supposed to do. Or what I'm supposed to feel." He was cussing again.
"Let me guess," Irvine said, putting a hand on his chin thoughtfully. "You think you're starting to fall for another woman, and now you can't tell Rinoa because she might go ballistic on you and also end up hurting her feelings?"
"S-something like that," Squall said. Hyne, he never had this problem before. But then, he supposed Irvine had. Although to what extent, he did not know. All he knew was that when it came to women, Irvine was the man for the job. Maybe he could help. "I don't care if Rinoa'll get mad at me for what happened. She had every right to. I just...don't want to hurt her feelings."
"Seeing that look on your face, I gather that you just did, Squall. If you tell her what happened, that is," Irvine said. "Just what the heck happened, anyway?"
Squall looked at his friend for a moment. He could trust Irvine, that much he knew. However, just telling him that he cheated on Rinoa was one thing. Telling him that he cheated on Rinoa, and the third person was Quistis was another. And telling him that he cheated on Rinoa with Quitis, and that something did happen with him and Quistis was a whole different world altogether. How would they react when they knew that he and Quistis had just explored each other's feelings, literally?
"You don't have to tell me the specifics if you don't want to," Irvine said. "Just give the third party an alias. Look, Squall, I know you're not exactly a pro when it comes to heart matters. I mean, before Rinoa, you only had, what, one girlfriend? And from what I heard you blew that clear off the water. But I know you're real serious with Rinoa. And the fact that she's my friend too...well, let's just say I don't want her to hurt, either. All of us had been through a lot together. You guys're about the closest friends I have. We can try and work things out together, before she knows whatever it is you just did. Besides, if you think I'll just let that fact that I had to play a bass guitar on that concert we prepared for you both back then go to waste because of a minor case of infidelity, you're wrong. So, tell me. What happened?"
"Minor" case of infidelity? Squall could almost laugh at that.
"I-I'm afraid it's not exactly that minor, Irv," Squall said. "The third party...well.."
"Hey, hey. You don't have to tell me the specifics, remember?" Irvine said. "Just--"
"It's Quisty," Squall finished, not bothering to hear what his friend said.
At that, Irvine's mouth froze in mid-speak. After a moment, he gathered his composure. "Q-Quisty?"
Squall nodded.
"Our Quisty???" Irvine repeated.
Squall nodded again.
"Hoo boy," Irvine said. "Forget what I said about specifics. W-when did this mess start?"
"A few days ago," Squall said. "During our Trabia mission."
"W-w-waitwait," Irvine said, frowning a bit. "I can believe that a person could fall in love instantly for someone else in a matter of a few days. But not you. Before Rinoa, I doubt if you'd be able to touch that particular feeling with a 20-foot gunblade. And especially not Quisty! You have never felt anything for her! At least, I mean, not that I can sense eversince I hooked up with you guys..."
"I know, I know," Squall said. "It's hard to believe. But..."
"Wait. Back then, you said something about 'what happened'," Irvine said, interrupting him again. "I suppose this 'thing' that happened happened while on the mission too?"
Squall did not reply.
"Squall, look at me," Irvine said, growing serious now. "Look at me, dammit!"
Squall hesitantly did. Under that piercing gaze, he knew the inevitable would happen.
"You did not...I mean, Quistis and you didn't..." Irvine stammered. He knew that Quistis felt something for Squall, no matter how much she said that it's just a 'crush'.
What Irvine saw in Squall's eyes just confirmed what the young sharpshooter suspected. He threw up his hands and rolled his eyes, unable to believe what he just found out. "Man. This just keeps getting better and better, doesn't it? Dammit Squall, what the flaming hell were you thinking?! And with Quisty at that! QUISTIS!"
"Did you think I didn't know that?!" Squall snapped back. "Why the hell did you think I've been having these guilt and doubts now? Why the hell did you think I punched Zell in the face? Dammit, Irv, you were supposed to help me! Not push me in deeper!"
"Okayokay," Irvine said, trying to calm things down. "First off, tell me what happened. How things led to one thing, and then another. We'll work our way from there."
And Squall poured out all his feelings. Let loose all his guilt. And Irvine just leaned on that table across him, hand on his chin, listening as his friend told him of the event that he never thought could happen.

"Instructor! Welcome back!"
"Congratulations on a mission well done!"
"We're glad to see that you're safe, Instructor!"
"Thank Hyne, I now have enough motivation to wake up early everyday!"
Everyone laughed at that. The young cadet who said it turned red in embarrassment. Quistis just managed a soft smile as she placed her books on the table in front of the class. She was wearing the comfortable fit of a Garden Instructor now. And she was glad to finally be at a world where she could momentarily forget her problems.
After yesterday, she tried to forget about Squall. It had been difficult, trying to maintain an air of nonchalance everytime she greeted a person she knew, or everytime a student (mostly male) would stop and greet her a very good morning. It was hard, trying to pretend that nothing happened. She still felt as she was wearing a sign telling everyone of what happened. Every corner, she prayed that Squall won't suddenly appear. She would never know what to do, then. A barrier was beginning to form, and Hyne only knows how that would affect things.
"I trust you all had a good time while I've been away?" Quistis smiled, as she leaned on her desk.
"Well, Jojo has been hyperventilating every morning while you were gone, Instructor," a young girl named Kayla giggled, as they looked at a young man with black hair sitting on the middle row. Everyone chuckled.
"I-I did not!" the young man reddened defensively. "It was only on the first day!"
Quistis just shook her head and smiled. If only it were someone else who did that for her. Instantly, she brushed the thought away. Don't think about him, she thought to herself. Don't even imagine his name.
"How was Commander Leonheart, Instructor?" a young girl from the back row suddenly asked. She immediately looked to see who asked that question. She found out that it was Reina, a beautiful, petite red-haired girl who had a tremendous crush on Squall.
"W-what do you mean, Reina?" Quistis asked. How the hell did they know? They didn't tell anyone that something happened to Squall. Does that mean that they also knew about...the incident? At that thought, she paled.
"Well," Reina said. "We heard rumours that..."
Oh my god!T-they knew?! She paled even more.
"...the synth-suit he was wearing had a bullet hole in it. He wasn't...shot was he?" Reina asked. "I-Instructor? W-was it something I said? Y-you're trembling."
"W-w-what? O-oh, n-nothing, Reina. No, it's nothing," Dammit Quistis! Get a hold of yourself. They didn't know. Only the suit. Just the suit. "Y-yes. Squ--I mean, Commander Leonheart was shot, but it was nothing serious. A dose of Curaga was all it took to heal him of the injury."
With that, Reina let out an obvious sigh of relief and sat back to her chair. Her classmates started teasing her about it, and the young girl blushed. This was all lost to Quistis, however, as she softly massaged her temple. Hyne, she was becoming paranoid.
"Okay," she said, interrupting the class teasings. "Today, we're going to discuss all about Junctions and how they can help you wi--"
She immediately stopped in confusion as her students' attention were focused on the door. Questioningly, she looked.
There was Rinoa. Her beautiful face was set in anger, those dark eyes narrowed in obvious contempt. She was wearing a beautiful light-blue blouse and dark jeans. It was a stark contrast to her expression.
"R-Rinny..." she stammered. "H-how are you? I did not expect you t--"
She never got to finish what she was going to say as Rinoa strode into the room, her anger getting more and more evident as they got closer. Then, without warning, she threw back her hand and slapped Quistis across the face. Hard. Quistis, in shock, could only touch the red mark that started appearing in her pale cheek. The class gasped.
"I...trusted you..!" Rinoa said, her eyes as red as hers from crying, before throwing down a crumpled piece of paper in front of her. Then, without another word, Rinoa turned around and walked away. The class followed her with their eyes until she was gone from the room. Then, in unison, they turned back to their Instructor, who still stood there, stunned and in shock.
Quistis' gaze followed Rinoa, even as the dark-haired girl disappeared from her view. Then, she slowly looked down, at her feet where the angry girl threw down the piece of paper. Slowly, she picked it up and opened it. It was a familiar page, etched in her mind now. The words were familiar too. "I love him. Dammit, but I do..."
With every word she re-read of it, her heart sank even more lower, and her eyes started to fall tears of their own accord. She was oblivious to her students now. Rinoa knew. She knew. The slap she gave was nothing compared to what she said. I trusted you.
When she lowered the paper down to see the door, she saw Squall there. Standing.