Note: I expected people not to review my story, since that last chappy was dumb. Anyway, I'm close to finishing this story and I'm thinking of making a sequel, depending on how many reviews I get. Sorry Medieval fans, you might have to wait for that story to finish after I'm done my trilogy. Anyway, here is the second... maybe last chapter before Epilogue of this story. Enjoy!
Chapter 23 - Follow Your Heart
He woke up, startled by the sound of the loud thunder banging against the window. Another dream had passed, this time, it felt more real than his usual dreams. Everyday, he would come back to that same place and would find himself scooping up more blood in his hands and staring at it like pure water. A woman appeared to him and lend out her hands towards him, inviting him for more blood. He would take her hand and lead him somewhere more deathly than the screams and cries of the people around him. Her words sounded sincere, yet he knew there was some kind of evil underneath it. Despite his willingness to refuse, however, he takes his hand in hers and they walked together back to the place where blood covered the whole world.
Seifer sat up from bed and glanced out the window, beads of sweat falling heavily down his tired brow. There were times that the dreams frightened him, but now, he had confidence in himself. He would think of Quistis and all his guilt would quickly wither away.
"Quistis!" he whispered, getting up from bed. Sun peeked through the window, caressing his cheeks and the warmth enveloped him, imagining Quistis' slender arms wrapped around his body. Seifer ran from his bedroom and across the hall where Quistis had stayed overnight.
Feeling his heart race, he knocked frantically on the door, calling out Quistis' name desperately. He just can't let her go. "Quistis!" he called. "Quistis! Open up!"
After a few knocks, he was relieved to find the door opening. Yet, to his disappointment, a short, stout woman with short curly brown hair appeared from behind the door. She had copper skin and small emerald eyes. He could tell by the way she was dressed that she was the hotel maid. She couldn't be more than thirty years old.
"Where is the woman who was staying here?" he asked, looking around behind her. The bed, the dresser and the floor of the room were neat and tidy and there was no trace of Quistis with her blond locks and her beautiful smile.
The woman seemed perplexed at the mere sight of a tall, handsome man knocking on the door at ten in the morning. "A woman? You mean the blond woman who just left an hour ago?" She put the cloth on her shoulder and stared up at him. She had to lean back and stare up at him, like a small dwarf staring at a giant.
Seifer closed his mouth shut and mumbled a short curse. He glanced at her one more time, before dashing out through the hallway and out the door. People stared at him as he ran, the thought of losing Quistis making him run faster. There was fifty percent chance that Ragnarok could still be taking flight.
He turned another corner and ran straight ahead. He was practically running through the streets, while people in cars swerved to the right and to the left to avoid contact with the crazy man running a marathon. Women holding their children's hand watched him dash pass the stores and pass the busy sidewalk, where he finally took the time to run where people walked instead of where cars drove on. The rest of the townspeople who saw him sprint by, ignored him, as if it was just one of those days that most people do on the weekends.
Seifer took another turn and finally made it to the landing pod where Selphie and Zell, he guessed would park Ragnarok. However, with all of hopes in his heart, the red flyer was already gone. Seifer took a moment to breath from the long pace and leaned his back against the walls of the airport.
"Shit!" he swore, slamming a fist against his open palm in frustration.
The destination was barely forty-five minutes. Ragnarok was quite fast and it took no time at all when it finally made it to the landing dock of Balamb Garden. Quistis stared out the window as Zell maneuvered the flying vehicle down to the opening side of the Garden, while Selphie navigated him to where to turn or where not to turn. The blond stared at the two, feeling envious of the close relationship they have with each other. Sometimes, she wished Seifer would wash away all the guilt he felt towards himself and join her back at Garden. But, she knew she couldn't change his mind. When it came for Seifer Almasy to make up a mind, he wouldn't dare change it for the world... even if it means, changing it for her.
Selphie and Zell were flirting among each other. Selphie stole a few kisses on his cheek when no one was looking. Quistis glanced to her right where Irvine was leaning his head against the window, tired from his 'night out' with the two girls whom he met at the club. Rinoa and Squall were all the way at the back, preferably, in Quistis' ideas, cuddling each other with Rinoa resting her head against his shoulder, while Squall caressing her hair lovingly.
'Today is Sunday,' she thought. Sunday was the day she marked all the homework and tests done on that week. Usually, her 'marking days' were on Saturdays, but since she was at the club... she decided to move her marking days on Sundays. She closed her eyes and brushed a finger to her lips where Seifer had kissed her last night. The moment was short, yet it felt like forever.
"Knock, knock!" Quistis blinked and opened her eyes. A pair of green orbs stared down at her.
"Hey Quis! Are you in there? We've landed already! Aren't you getting out?" Never mind... make it two pairs of green orbs. Quistis looked up at Zell and Selphie staring at her with curious looks. The blond forced a smile on her face, stood up and walked pass them, without taking another look to the couple. Her mind was somewhere else.
___________________________________
Seifer returned to the hotel a couple of minutes later, feeling low and pathetic. How could he let her go just like that? The moment last night was like heaven to him, as if he had died and an angel carried him off to the clouds.
He paused by the hallway. A man dressed in black stood by his bedroom door. At the sound of the blonde's footsteps, the man turned around and gave Seifer a slight smile, before opening the door to let himself in. Seifer sighed and joined him inside.
"Where did you run off to in such a hurry?" the man spoke, sitting himself down on the chair by the window.
Seifer shrugged. "It doesn't matter anymore," he answered.
"Never mind that then," he said, leaning his head back on the windowsill. "Seifer, you've stayed here for a week, so don't you think it's time that you find an apartment of your own?"
The blond sighed and sat down on the bed, sagging his shoulders a little. "Look Warner, what place I live in is none of your business. Besides, I already found an apartment that I could probably stay in."
"Hey, I'm just trying to be a friend, that's all. With your work and the amount of wage that you get, you can still afford to find a house of your own," Warner spoke, in a gruff voice.
"The house or the apartment is not my concern right now, Warner. Now, get the hell out of my room!" Seifer stood up and pointed out the door.
Warner stood up, feeling hurt. "Hey, Seifer... I'm just trying to tell you what is right, not what you should do. Trust me, with the choices that you've made so far, you know you can't get anywhere. The woman you were with last night was one beauty and you let her go just like that." The dark haired man turned and walked away, out of the room.
Seifer knew Warner was trustworthy, but the position he was in now, there was no point but to let him out. Warner was just being a pain in the ass. Warner meant well, he understood, but he had no right to tell him about Quistis.
The blond sighed and glanced at his watch. He only had a few minutes until he had to go to work. Seifer shed all his clothes and jumped in the shower quickly.
____________________________________________________
Quistis sat alone. No sign of the students and the faculty around the cafeteria or the main hallway. She guessed they were all at the training center getting ready for their SeeD exams coming up soon. She was impressed at how many students who were up early at the exam days, eager to take it and then pass with high marks.
She stared at the papers in front of her, blankly, while twirling the pen between her fingers. Strands of blond hair fell from her eyes, still wet from the shower she took the moment she came back. She spent half of her shower time, thinking of Seifer, instead of lathering her hair with shampoo and of his kiss rather than washing away the dirt from her body.
There was a slight pause of her pen twirling. She blinked and then continued to twirl her pen, much faster than she had hoped. Why hadn't she chosen to stay? She knew she couldn't leave SeeD, but she also knew that if her heart relies on SeeD all the time, she will never stop thinking about Seifer.
Someone sat down in front of her, yet she did not wish to see whom it was. Her mind was somewhere else, particularly on her decisions. The person who sat down beside her was very light and she could tell by how much the table moved, which wasn't a lot. She was stuck in between her love for Seifer and her love for SeeD.
"Hey, Quisty! How's it going?" She could easily recognize Rinoa's voice, but Quistis didn't really feel like talking to anyone.
"Fine," she mumbled. She continued to twirl her pen, staring at the papers in front of her, feeling no power to mark them.
"Listen, Quisty, I think you should follow your heart, not your instinct. SeeD may last forever, but love lasts even longer, if you just give it a chance." This was the same Rinoa, with a quirky attitude and the most appealing sense of humor talking to the blond woman. Sometimes, she wished Rinoa wasn't so nice.
Rinoa stood up and smiled. "Well, I better get going. Squall and I have somewhere to go to. Bye!" She waved her hand at the blond and quickly disappeared from Quistis' sight.
Quistis took a deep breath, absorbing every sentence Rinoa spoke of. The pen fell from her fingers and landed on the hard, cement floor. Quistis stared down at it, like it was the most interesting item she has ever seen. It made a short 'clicking' sound, before it finally stayed still, the rear end facing her, while the front pointed out the door.
The blond took another deep breath, standing up, feeling her decisions rise in her heart. The pen was the source of the power that has kept her all along in Garden. She took a step and another and another, until she made it towards the door. She glanced at the pen from far away, smiled at it, then walked out the door.
The table was left empty, the pen was left on the floor and the papers were left unmarked.
_____________________________________________________
"Are you sure about this Quistis?" The tall, elderly Headmaster stared at Quistis through his thick glasses. For many years he has known this girl and not once did she ever make such a risky decision.
As if reading his thoughts, Quistis adjusted her position on her seat and lifted her chin up proudly. "Things change, Sir," she spoke.
Cid pushed his glasses higher up his nose with his middle finger and nodded, sitting down on the desk. He opened the first drawer and took a piece of paper. This was the paper that made every SeeD's decisions. The Headmaster slid the paper across the table and to Quistis' waiting hands. She grabbed it gingerly and stared at it with anticipation in her heart.
"SeeD is going to miss you, Quistis," Cid spoke. He handed her a pen and watched her take it from him. For a moment, the pen dangled in her hands and he was even more curious when Quistis stared at the pen and smiled.
Quistis stared at the pen and smiled. It was ironic how the pen could symbolize her duties, while it could also symbolize her freedom and independence. 'Two sides of the coin' she thought. "I am sure they will, Sir," she replied to the statement the Headmaster made earlier. She moved the tip of the pen to the where she was suppose to sign and smiled again, before finally writing her full name on it. She took one last look at the resignation paper and handed it back to Cid, where he put it securely inside his desk.
Cid stood up, as well as the blond and offered her his hand. "I hope you come back soon," he said.
Quistis nodded. "I will, sir. I will." She shook his hand.
"I'll keep your files closed and you can return all you want. SeeD might need their best Instructor back."
Quistis smiled. "Yes," she replied, letting go of his hand.
________________________________________________________
"Hey, Seifer dude!" A dark skinned man, tall and lean waved towards the blond heading their way. The blond gave a short nod as a greeting and made his way to the working area.
"Where have you been?" another man spoke, one who was smaller than all the other men working at the docks. Despite his stature, the man, named Drain, was strong and could carry heavy equipment twice his size- no pun intended.
Seifer shrugged and leaned against the butt of the sea vehicle used to transport certain things. He reached inside his pocket and took out a pack of cigarettes- Esthar Light, his favourite company. Naturally, Seifer never smoked, but today was an exception. Instead of drowning his sorrows on a cold beverage, he was drowning his sorrows on a puff of smoke. They were both very unhealthy for the usual healthy blond. "Doing some shitty stuff," he spoke, putting a cigarette in his mouth. He grabbed a lighter from his other pocket and lit the cigarette with one flick. He inhaled, then exhaled, letting out gray smoke from his mouth.
"Wait! Wait! Let me guess!" Drain jumped down from the top of the transport vehicle and walked over to the blond. "Did you just get dumped by a girl?"
Seifer didn't answer. He hated sharing his personal love life to his so-called friends.
His no answer was certainly taken as a yes. "Damn! Who is it this time? Is it that hot red headed chick that you picked up from the Hell Mouth Club or is it that cute blond from Horizon Club? Which one is it?" The dark skinned man, who was named regularly by Drain as Overdrive, wrapped an arm around Seifer and grinned at him.
Seifer glared at him, wanting to punch the guy across the nose, but he kept his frustration to himself. "Shut the hell up," he answered.
Drain and Overdrive laughed and the laughter was later joined by more laughs from the rest of the men listening to their ranting. Seifer felt his cheeks go red, not of embarrassment, but of rage towards his fellow workers. "Yeah, yeah, whatever!" He climbed up the stairs to the transport vehicle and went inside the small hole to check if the vehicle was in good condition. That was his job as well. The whole hours spent was checking all of the transport vehicles to make sure they were running smoothly.
"Hey! Look at that babe!" He heard Drain yell from outside. Seifer rolled his eyes. The one time he wished they wouldn't check out women while on the job. He could hear hoarse laughter from all the men watching the women walk by.
"Man, she's hot!" came another voice, which Seifer guessed, is Harnet, a man taller than Seifer.
"Seifer! Come look at this! You can't miss this beauty coming this way!" Seifer rolled his eyes and continued his work, checking out the engines and the consoles.
"Hey baby!" Drain purred. Seifer figured the girl have reached the men.
"Hi, have you seen Seifer Almasy?" Startled, Seifer jumped up and hit his head on the roof. The voice seemed familiar. He rubbed his head, cursing at the pain and listened some more.
"Seifer Almasy?" Drain's voice faded from a deep voice into a disappointed, small voice, as if something hit his nuts. "Um... yeah... um..."
The man stopped laughing and all the blond could hear was silence.
Seifer chuckled at the thought of Drain chocking at the sight of a beautiful woman only to be turned down when the woman asks for someone else and not Drain.
"Hey, Seifer you heard her you jackass!" Drain yelled. He peeked his head inside the hole and glared at him. "Get your ass out here!"
Seifer scowled and pushed Drain's head out of the way so he could see outside. He lifted his legs up and was finally able to see who it really was looking for him. He gasped at the sight of Quistis staring at him with her intense blue eyes.
Quistis waved and smiled, with all the envy of the men around them. "Hi, Seifer. Can I talk to you?"
"Actually, I was just getting ready to work and-" he paused, feeling the men looking at him like he was such an idiot.
"It won't take that long, I promise," she spoke.
Seifer nodded. "Well, obviously not here. We'll talk inside the Inn," he said, walking over to her. He took her hand and together they walked down to the Inn. Drain, Overdrive and the men watched them go, green with envy. Drain cursed silently and went on with his work, while Overdrive's eyes widened in shock.
"How does the man do it?" the dark skinned man spoke after a few minutes of silence.
Drain frowned, glancing at the two blondes heading into the Inn. "Lucky bastard, I guess," he mumbled.
GoodGurl: Heh heh, the ending was funny. That teaches them to make fun of Seifer Almasy. Anyway, that's the last chapter until the Epilogue! I hope you all enjoyed this! See ya on the next chappy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chapter 23 - Follow Your Heart
He woke up, startled by the sound of the loud thunder banging against the window. Another dream had passed, this time, it felt more real than his usual dreams. Everyday, he would come back to that same place and would find himself scooping up more blood in his hands and staring at it like pure water. A woman appeared to him and lend out her hands towards him, inviting him for more blood. He would take her hand and lead him somewhere more deathly than the screams and cries of the people around him. Her words sounded sincere, yet he knew there was some kind of evil underneath it. Despite his willingness to refuse, however, he takes his hand in hers and they walked together back to the place where blood covered the whole world.
Seifer sat up from bed and glanced out the window, beads of sweat falling heavily down his tired brow. There were times that the dreams frightened him, but now, he had confidence in himself. He would think of Quistis and all his guilt would quickly wither away.
"Quistis!" he whispered, getting up from bed. Sun peeked through the window, caressing his cheeks and the warmth enveloped him, imagining Quistis' slender arms wrapped around his body. Seifer ran from his bedroom and across the hall where Quistis had stayed overnight.
Feeling his heart race, he knocked frantically on the door, calling out Quistis' name desperately. He just can't let her go. "Quistis!" he called. "Quistis! Open up!"
After a few knocks, he was relieved to find the door opening. Yet, to his disappointment, a short, stout woman with short curly brown hair appeared from behind the door. She had copper skin and small emerald eyes. He could tell by the way she was dressed that she was the hotel maid. She couldn't be more than thirty years old.
"Where is the woman who was staying here?" he asked, looking around behind her. The bed, the dresser and the floor of the room were neat and tidy and there was no trace of Quistis with her blond locks and her beautiful smile.
The woman seemed perplexed at the mere sight of a tall, handsome man knocking on the door at ten in the morning. "A woman? You mean the blond woman who just left an hour ago?" She put the cloth on her shoulder and stared up at him. She had to lean back and stare up at him, like a small dwarf staring at a giant.
Seifer closed his mouth shut and mumbled a short curse. He glanced at her one more time, before dashing out through the hallway and out the door. People stared at him as he ran, the thought of losing Quistis making him run faster. There was fifty percent chance that Ragnarok could still be taking flight.
He turned another corner and ran straight ahead. He was practically running through the streets, while people in cars swerved to the right and to the left to avoid contact with the crazy man running a marathon. Women holding their children's hand watched him dash pass the stores and pass the busy sidewalk, where he finally took the time to run where people walked instead of where cars drove on. The rest of the townspeople who saw him sprint by, ignored him, as if it was just one of those days that most people do on the weekends.
Seifer took another turn and finally made it to the landing pod where Selphie and Zell, he guessed would park Ragnarok. However, with all of hopes in his heart, the red flyer was already gone. Seifer took a moment to breath from the long pace and leaned his back against the walls of the airport.
"Shit!" he swore, slamming a fist against his open palm in frustration.
The destination was barely forty-five minutes. Ragnarok was quite fast and it took no time at all when it finally made it to the landing dock of Balamb Garden. Quistis stared out the window as Zell maneuvered the flying vehicle down to the opening side of the Garden, while Selphie navigated him to where to turn or where not to turn. The blond stared at the two, feeling envious of the close relationship they have with each other. Sometimes, she wished Seifer would wash away all the guilt he felt towards himself and join her back at Garden. But, she knew she couldn't change his mind. When it came for Seifer Almasy to make up a mind, he wouldn't dare change it for the world... even if it means, changing it for her.
Selphie and Zell were flirting among each other. Selphie stole a few kisses on his cheek when no one was looking. Quistis glanced to her right where Irvine was leaning his head against the window, tired from his 'night out' with the two girls whom he met at the club. Rinoa and Squall were all the way at the back, preferably, in Quistis' ideas, cuddling each other with Rinoa resting her head against his shoulder, while Squall caressing her hair lovingly.
'Today is Sunday,' she thought. Sunday was the day she marked all the homework and tests done on that week. Usually, her 'marking days' were on Saturdays, but since she was at the club... she decided to move her marking days on Sundays. She closed her eyes and brushed a finger to her lips where Seifer had kissed her last night. The moment was short, yet it felt like forever.
"Knock, knock!" Quistis blinked and opened her eyes. A pair of green orbs stared down at her.
"Hey Quis! Are you in there? We've landed already! Aren't you getting out?" Never mind... make it two pairs of green orbs. Quistis looked up at Zell and Selphie staring at her with curious looks. The blond forced a smile on her face, stood up and walked pass them, without taking another look to the couple. Her mind was somewhere else.
___________________________________
Seifer returned to the hotel a couple of minutes later, feeling low and pathetic. How could he let her go just like that? The moment last night was like heaven to him, as if he had died and an angel carried him off to the clouds.
He paused by the hallway. A man dressed in black stood by his bedroom door. At the sound of the blonde's footsteps, the man turned around and gave Seifer a slight smile, before opening the door to let himself in. Seifer sighed and joined him inside.
"Where did you run off to in such a hurry?" the man spoke, sitting himself down on the chair by the window.
Seifer shrugged. "It doesn't matter anymore," he answered.
"Never mind that then," he said, leaning his head back on the windowsill. "Seifer, you've stayed here for a week, so don't you think it's time that you find an apartment of your own?"
The blond sighed and sat down on the bed, sagging his shoulders a little. "Look Warner, what place I live in is none of your business. Besides, I already found an apartment that I could probably stay in."
"Hey, I'm just trying to be a friend, that's all. With your work and the amount of wage that you get, you can still afford to find a house of your own," Warner spoke, in a gruff voice.
"The house or the apartment is not my concern right now, Warner. Now, get the hell out of my room!" Seifer stood up and pointed out the door.
Warner stood up, feeling hurt. "Hey, Seifer... I'm just trying to tell you what is right, not what you should do. Trust me, with the choices that you've made so far, you know you can't get anywhere. The woman you were with last night was one beauty and you let her go just like that." The dark haired man turned and walked away, out of the room.
Seifer knew Warner was trustworthy, but the position he was in now, there was no point but to let him out. Warner was just being a pain in the ass. Warner meant well, he understood, but he had no right to tell him about Quistis.
The blond sighed and glanced at his watch. He only had a few minutes until he had to go to work. Seifer shed all his clothes and jumped in the shower quickly.
____________________________________________________
Quistis sat alone. No sign of the students and the faculty around the cafeteria or the main hallway. She guessed they were all at the training center getting ready for their SeeD exams coming up soon. She was impressed at how many students who were up early at the exam days, eager to take it and then pass with high marks.
She stared at the papers in front of her, blankly, while twirling the pen between her fingers. Strands of blond hair fell from her eyes, still wet from the shower she took the moment she came back. She spent half of her shower time, thinking of Seifer, instead of lathering her hair with shampoo and of his kiss rather than washing away the dirt from her body.
There was a slight pause of her pen twirling. She blinked and then continued to twirl her pen, much faster than she had hoped. Why hadn't she chosen to stay? She knew she couldn't leave SeeD, but she also knew that if her heart relies on SeeD all the time, she will never stop thinking about Seifer.
Someone sat down in front of her, yet she did not wish to see whom it was. Her mind was somewhere else, particularly on her decisions. The person who sat down beside her was very light and she could tell by how much the table moved, which wasn't a lot. She was stuck in between her love for Seifer and her love for SeeD.
"Hey, Quisty! How's it going?" She could easily recognize Rinoa's voice, but Quistis didn't really feel like talking to anyone.
"Fine," she mumbled. She continued to twirl her pen, staring at the papers in front of her, feeling no power to mark them.
"Listen, Quisty, I think you should follow your heart, not your instinct. SeeD may last forever, but love lasts even longer, if you just give it a chance." This was the same Rinoa, with a quirky attitude and the most appealing sense of humor talking to the blond woman. Sometimes, she wished Rinoa wasn't so nice.
Rinoa stood up and smiled. "Well, I better get going. Squall and I have somewhere to go to. Bye!" She waved her hand at the blond and quickly disappeared from Quistis' sight.
Quistis took a deep breath, absorbing every sentence Rinoa spoke of. The pen fell from her fingers and landed on the hard, cement floor. Quistis stared down at it, like it was the most interesting item she has ever seen. It made a short 'clicking' sound, before it finally stayed still, the rear end facing her, while the front pointed out the door.
The blond took another deep breath, standing up, feeling her decisions rise in her heart. The pen was the source of the power that has kept her all along in Garden. She took a step and another and another, until she made it towards the door. She glanced at the pen from far away, smiled at it, then walked out the door.
The table was left empty, the pen was left on the floor and the papers were left unmarked.
_____________________________________________________
"Are you sure about this Quistis?" The tall, elderly Headmaster stared at Quistis through his thick glasses. For many years he has known this girl and not once did she ever make such a risky decision.
As if reading his thoughts, Quistis adjusted her position on her seat and lifted her chin up proudly. "Things change, Sir," she spoke.
Cid pushed his glasses higher up his nose with his middle finger and nodded, sitting down on the desk. He opened the first drawer and took a piece of paper. This was the paper that made every SeeD's decisions. The Headmaster slid the paper across the table and to Quistis' waiting hands. She grabbed it gingerly and stared at it with anticipation in her heart.
"SeeD is going to miss you, Quistis," Cid spoke. He handed her a pen and watched her take it from him. For a moment, the pen dangled in her hands and he was even more curious when Quistis stared at the pen and smiled.
Quistis stared at the pen and smiled. It was ironic how the pen could symbolize her duties, while it could also symbolize her freedom and independence. 'Two sides of the coin' she thought. "I am sure they will, Sir," she replied to the statement the Headmaster made earlier. She moved the tip of the pen to the where she was suppose to sign and smiled again, before finally writing her full name on it. She took one last look at the resignation paper and handed it back to Cid, where he put it securely inside his desk.
Cid stood up, as well as the blond and offered her his hand. "I hope you come back soon," he said.
Quistis nodded. "I will, sir. I will." She shook his hand.
"I'll keep your files closed and you can return all you want. SeeD might need their best Instructor back."
Quistis smiled. "Yes," she replied, letting go of his hand.
________________________________________________________
"Hey, Seifer dude!" A dark skinned man, tall and lean waved towards the blond heading their way. The blond gave a short nod as a greeting and made his way to the working area.
"Where have you been?" another man spoke, one who was smaller than all the other men working at the docks. Despite his stature, the man, named Drain, was strong and could carry heavy equipment twice his size- no pun intended.
Seifer shrugged and leaned against the butt of the sea vehicle used to transport certain things. He reached inside his pocket and took out a pack of cigarettes- Esthar Light, his favourite company. Naturally, Seifer never smoked, but today was an exception. Instead of drowning his sorrows on a cold beverage, he was drowning his sorrows on a puff of smoke. They were both very unhealthy for the usual healthy blond. "Doing some shitty stuff," he spoke, putting a cigarette in his mouth. He grabbed a lighter from his other pocket and lit the cigarette with one flick. He inhaled, then exhaled, letting out gray smoke from his mouth.
"Wait! Wait! Let me guess!" Drain jumped down from the top of the transport vehicle and walked over to the blond. "Did you just get dumped by a girl?"
Seifer didn't answer. He hated sharing his personal love life to his so-called friends.
His no answer was certainly taken as a yes. "Damn! Who is it this time? Is it that hot red headed chick that you picked up from the Hell Mouth Club or is it that cute blond from Horizon Club? Which one is it?" The dark skinned man, who was named regularly by Drain as Overdrive, wrapped an arm around Seifer and grinned at him.
Seifer glared at him, wanting to punch the guy across the nose, but he kept his frustration to himself. "Shut the hell up," he answered.
Drain and Overdrive laughed and the laughter was later joined by more laughs from the rest of the men listening to their ranting. Seifer felt his cheeks go red, not of embarrassment, but of rage towards his fellow workers. "Yeah, yeah, whatever!" He climbed up the stairs to the transport vehicle and went inside the small hole to check if the vehicle was in good condition. That was his job as well. The whole hours spent was checking all of the transport vehicles to make sure they were running smoothly.
"Hey! Look at that babe!" He heard Drain yell from outside. Seifer rolled his eyes. The one time he wished they wouldn't check out women while on the job. He could hear hoarse laughter from all the men watching the women walk by.
"Man, she's hot!" came another voice, which Seifer guessed, is Harnet, a man taller than Seifer.
"Seifer! Come look at this! You can't miss this beauty coming this way!" Seifer rolled his eyes and continued his work, checking out the engines and the consoles.
"Hey baby!" Drain purred. Seifer figured the girl have reached the men.
"Hi, have you seen Seifer Almasy?" Startled, Seifer jumped up and hit his head on the roof. The voice seemed familiar. He rubbed his head, cursing at the pain and listened some more.
"Seifer Almasy?" Drain's voice faded from a deep voice into a disappointed, small voice, as if something hit his nuts. "Um... yeah... um..."
The man stopped laughing and all the blond could hear was silence.
Seifer chuckled at the thought of Drain chocking at the sight of a beautiful woman only to be turned down when the woman asks for someone else and not Drain.
"Hey, Seifer you heard her you jackass!" Drain yelled. He peeked his head inside the hole and glared at him. "Get your ass out here!"
Seifer scowled and pushed Drain's head out of the way so he could see outside. He lifted his legs up and was finally able to see who it really was looking for him. He gasped at the sight of Quistis staring at him with her intense blue eyes.
Quistis waved and smiled, with all the envy of the men around them. "Hi, Seifer. Can I talk to you?"
"Actually, I was just getting ready to work and-" he paused, feeling the men looking at him like he was such an idiot.
"It won't take that long, I promise," she spoke.
Seifer nodded. "Well, obviously not here. We'll talk inside the Inn," he said, walking over to her. He took her hand and together they walked down to the Inn. Drain, Overdrive and the men watched them go, green with envy. Drain cursed silently and went on with his work, while Overdrive's eyes widened in shock.
"How does the man do it?" the dark skinned man spoke after a few minutes of silence.
Drain frowned, glancing at the two blondes heading into the Inn. "Lucky bastard, I guess," he mumbled.
GoodGurl: Heh heh, the ending was funny. That teaches them to make fun of Seifer Almasy. Anyway, that's the last chapter until the Epilogue! I hope you all enjoyed this! See ya on the next chappy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!