Author's Notes

I don't think this chapter's any longer but it is of MAJOR importance to the story! Absolutely no PWP here! Please enjoy.

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Chapter Seven: Rejected

"So there you are…" Rinoa murmured, a small smile coming over her lips as she strolled over to a sulking Zell.

Zell turned away from his view of Balamb Garden from the Secret Area. He forced a sad smile, a sadness could be seen in his beuatiful blue eyes. Rinoa found it strangely sexy.

"I've been looking all over for you," Rinoa revealed, eyeing Zell as she walked up to him. "We haven't seen each other…"

"For hours," Zell replied, finishing Rinoa's sentence for her.

"…Exactly," Rinoa said, smiling warmly. "…I've missed you."

"…It's only been a few hours…" Zell mumbled, looking away from the raven-haired beauty, adjusting his eyes to the brilliant lights of Garden at night.

"So you didn't miss me?" Rinoa inquired, her voice filled with hurt.

"…I don't know," Zell groaned, annoyed at how Rinoa was staying around.

She was pestering him, as if she were a three-year-old child or something. He wanted to just swat her away like one would do to an insect.

"…I…I need you," Rinoa murmured, looking up at Zell with teary eyes.

"…Why me?" Zell asked, his voice rich with disgust. "I'm not anything special. There's plenty of guys out there who'd love to have you…All of them better than me. All of them…"

Rinoa looked at Zell with a hurtful look. She couldn't believe her ears.

"What…what are you saying?" Rinoa managed, her voice shaking as she fought the tears.

"This…this whole relationship thing…It's not working," Zell replied. "You're using me, aren't you?"

"I'm…using you?! Why the hell would I do something like that?!" Rinoa cried, taken aback by Zell's accusation.

"To get back at Squall," Zell said coolly, as if it didn't mean anything to him. "He used Seifer for you…and you're using me for him…You…you two deserve each other."

"I…Zell?! Zell, why are saying these…horrible things?!" Rinoa demanded, her voice rich with pain.

"Are the true?" Zell asked, his voice as smooth as silk.

"…Zell, I…Zell…" was all that Rinoa could say. She knew Zell was right. He had caught onto this little game she was playing.

She was playing with his heart.

"It's true…" Zell mumbled, a strange grin crawling across his sensual lips.

"…Zell, I'm…" Rinoa breathed, her voice barely above a whisper.

Zell simply shook his head, his grin never faltering. But by the look in his eyes, Rinoa could tell he was hurt.

"…I'm…sorry, Zell…" Rinoa managed, rubbing a nervous hand through her soft black hair.

"And…and I have Hemophilia," Zell muttered. "And you…did this to me. How…could you?"

"…Zell, I…I do care about you…"

"Like hell you do!" Zell cried, a warm tear trailing down his right cheek. "You fucking used me to get back at your ex! And…he's gay! That makes me feel like…just any other guy! You're…you're sick…"

"…Zell…just…calm down…" Rinoa whispered, a lustful gaze appearing in those dark eyes of hers.

"Oh…oh so now you're…gonna' kiss me again?!" Zell exclaimed, the furious flame within his blue eyes burning vividly.

"…" Rinoa didn't say a word. Neither did Zell.

They stood in absolute silence for a few moments, and then Rinoa reached up to wrap her arms around the spiky-haired youth.

Rinoa expected to receive a warm embrace, yet instead she received nothing but humiliation.

"Get away from me," Zell demanded, his voice as cold as ice.

"…Hmm?" Rinoa hummed, her voice sweeter than honey. She knew what Zell had said, yet she continued hugging him, rubbing his arms up and down his muscular back.

"You heard me," Zell snapped.

Rinoa tightened her embrace around the tattooed blonde, rocking their hips together.

"Uh…" she moaned, enjoying the sensation of her sex touching his erection through their clothes.

"Get off," Zell growled.

Rinoa let one of her hands explore a little, tracing delicate lines on Zell's shirt. She let her hand trace down to where the hem of his boxers started. Reaching down, she touched gently at his throbbing meter.

"You like that?" Rinoa asked.

That did it.

"I said get the fuck off me, you wench!" Zell shouted, shoving Rinoa away from him.

She stumbled back a bit before tripping over herself and following flat on her ass.

"You…you pushed a girl," Rinoa replied. "You're so cruel…"

"You were fucking trying to molest me!" Zell cried, holding up his hands in disbelief.

"Did you like it?" Rinoa inquired, smiling wickedly.

Zell rubbed a hand through his spiky locks, letting out an aggravated sigh.

"You horny ass bitch…" Zell cursed. "I can't believe I kissed you. I fuckin' feel so dirty…I'm gonna' have to wash my mouth out with soap now."

"…So…you don't…want me?" Rinoa whimpered, her voice weak from the realization that Zell was rejecting her affections.

"Not if you were the last woman on earth," Zell whispered, his voice sharper than a razor blade.

"Ugh!" Rinoa cried, giving Zell an evil look.

Zell just looked at her, an expressionless look on his handsome face.

Rinoa stepped up from her uncomfortable position on the metallic floor. Walking swiftly to the entrance to the Training Center, she gave Zell a final look.

"…I really did like you, ya' know," Rinoa added, forcing a small smile.

Zell tilted his head up at her comment.

"I'm so sure," he said sarcastically.

And with that, Rinoa left the Secret Area. She left the Training Center. She left Garden. Rinoa Heartilly had stepped out of Zell's life…and into the unknown.

"Now…I'm alone…" Zell whispered, letting his eyes fall to the floor. "All alone, now…"

Suddenly a strange image entered Zell's head. It was of Squall…and how Squall had confessed his feelings to Zell. A strange feeling swelled within the pit of Zell's stomach.

"What's…this feeling?" he asked, looking down at his well-toned muscles through the tight material. "What's going on?"

Looking up into the starry night sky, Zell let out a soft sigh. He leaned against the railing, his blue eyes shining like sapphires.

"Is this…love?" he whispered.

TO BE CONTINUED/PLZ R&R