"I am not your woman, I am not your friend
But you gave me something to remember....
I still here you say, 'Love yourself'."



"Is he okay?" Quistis asked, as her arms laid across her chest. Her eyes turned to Doctor Kadowaki, as she glanced back down at Irvine, who sat on the bed of the infirmary.
"He should be all right, it seemed to have calmed down," the doctor replied, simply, as she trudged over towards her desk. "It shouldn't be anything serious, unless he's really taken a liking to that alcohol," she joked, as she slowly took a seat.
Quistis' eyes turned away from the woman, as she glanced back at Irvine, who was now laying on his back, his cerulean eyes settled on a spot on the high ceiling. There was a long silence that came soon after, as Quistis eyes adjusted onto a deep scratch on his arm. Part of her wondered, what trouble the young man had gotten himself into this time around. He couldn't have possibly gotten that drunk, could he?
"Quistis," Doctor Kadowaki called out, interrupting the young woman's train of thought, "Just make sure Irvine gets to his room, without Headmaster Cid seeing this." Quistis smiled, reluctantly, as she uncrossed her arms, leaving it to fall at her side. She slowly took a step towards the tall man, as her ice blue eyes searched for his.
He then turned to her, without a bit of emotion, "What is it?" Quistis quickly gazed up, a bit startled, as she let out a sigh.
"What happened?" the young blonde woman questioned, as she signaled at his arm. Irvine slowly sat up, as he pulled up his sleeve slightly, pondering what she had asked.
"What's wrong with it?" he uttered, gently rubbing his arm, his eyes turned back at her. Quistis hesitated, as she solemnly ignored his remark. She already knew, but she couldn't help but stop a habit that always came about whenever she was around him. Had he really been with a woman again that night? She hated herself for even thinking, or acting as though she cared. But she couldn't deny it, either.
"Nothing," Quistis replied, forging a quick smile, "I should be getting back to my class, anyway." With that, the young woman reluctantly turned the other direction, as she bided the doctor good-bye and exited the infirmary.



Irvine slowly pushed open his door, as he entered the room, gripping to his stomach that ached still, but had somehow calmed down. He made way to his bed, as he plopped down on the mattress, without a slight bit of a thought entering his mind. He cared less of thinking too much, for he couldn't remember it anyway.
"Heeey!" Selphie's voice squealed out, as her tiny hands fixed upon her hip, an expression Irvine couldn't quite recognize, "I was looking for you, geeeez!"
"In the infirmary," Irvine replied, immediately knowing her next question. Selphie's eyes fixed upon him, odd silence following soon after.
"Good," she remarked, as she sat down beside the man, her movement causing him to blink. "You okay, Irvy?" Irvine's blue eyes turned to her, as that same trademark smile played across his lips. He slowly sat up, as he leaned his weight on both hands.
"Perfect," he replied, with a bit of enthusiasm, although Selphie knew it was a facade. She flashed her friend a wide grin, as she patted him on the back. Irvine quickly signaled her to stop, as she read the expression on his face of an upcoming vomit.
"We were really worried about you," she began, with a slight smile. Such an innocent smile it was, as usual. Irvine's expression loosened, as he watched her eyes move away. "You shouldn't get people so worried...."
"Are you sure you weren't the only one that was worried?" Irvine remarked, causing the young brunette to question him.
"Come on, Irvy," Selphie began, pouting, "I wasn't the only one that was worried! Quistis was too." That statement caused the young man's eyes to turn to her, a bit lost in thought. Selphie smiled, slowly standing up, "Yeah...that's right. She was worried. She might not be the person to admit it, but she asked more than anybody of where you were. So where were you?"
Irvine quickly stood up, as he began to stretch, "A pub."
"You know you're----"
"Save the lectures, Selphie," Irvine interrupted, as he slowly made way towards the bathroom, with a bit of a cocky smile, "You know I'm old enough to think for myself." Selphie's expression turned hard, as she realized in so long that he had rejected her quite simply. Something that Irvine Kinneas wouldn't have ever done, since they were so close. She slowly made way towards the door, when she turned back to see Irvine undressing for a shower.
"See ya later then," Selphie uttered, softly, as she exited.



The young man paused, as his hands dove into his coat pocket, as a smile ran across his lips. He couldn't say he wasn't intrigued by the way she was dressed. She looked so confident in her SeeD uniform, that it made him wonder. Quistis eyes gazed to one side, as she noticed Irvine standing quite pleasantly, enjoying his view. It bothered her more than anything, to have someone she didn't want around to be there. He was so full of himself, Quistis would always recall, although part of her knew that it was only bearable excuses. The blonde woman exhaled deeply, as she grabbed her clipboard, and walked out towards the exit of the Training Center.
"Hey," Irvine greeted, as she slowly came to a stop in front of him.
"Hey," Quistis replied, thoughtfully, trying hard not to be so rude, as she would have been on worse days. The tall cowboy gazed upon her, as she stared back up at him, waiting for a quick reply. Quistis quickly removed her clear glasses, as she opened her mouth to retort.
"Leave 'em on," Irvine instructed, as he solemnly placed it back over her eyes, "It makes you look intelligent."
The blonde woman let out a breath, as she gazed at him, offended, "Are you confiding that I'm not?" This sudden statement caused a smile to Irvine, as he stared at her, playfully.
"I wasn't confiding anything," he replied, rather cocky. Quistis rolled her eyes, shaking her head, as she pushed way passed that tall man.
"What? Not even an 'are you all right?'," Irvine uttered, keeping pace beside her. She quickly stopped, as she turned to him, a bit irritated.
"Are you all right?" she repeated, then continued on, "What else do you want me to humor you at? Cos, I honestly don't have the time to be playing games. I have another class in 1900 hours." Quistis immediately turned to face him, as his hand yanked at her wrist causing her to gaze up at him.
"Then that gives us 30 minutes," Irvine smiled. Leaving her to question if he meant it in a mischievous way or another.
Quistis quickly pulled away, as her eyes tensed, "30 minutes for what?" she retorted, rudely.
"For us," he quickly took back on his words, as he shook his head, "I mean-in a friendly kinda way." Irvine smiled, a bit proud of his cover-up, "Catch my drift?"



NOTE: I replaced chapter 6 for all you who read it before. Sorry bout that. But all of you who have stuck with this story before...I hope you can still stick with me til the end. I'll update real soon! Thank you....and I know I haven't written in the longest...sorry bout keepin ya waitin!