22: Dating

There were times in the past where I wanted to be in more than one place at the same time. Another such desire came over me in the days that followed. Since we all agreed to not break up Walter and Oonagh, or help Zell with his song, we had nothing to do. So all of us couples decided we should really be with the person we were currently dating. I think I was the only one that was aching to know what everyone else was doing on their dates. Quistis was the only one not dating and Konnor was determined to fix that little problem.

Irvine and I were walking down the hall hand in hand and we just so happened to come across those same two people. Okay, okay, we did it on purpose! We were both curious to see how Konnor would try and get Quistis to go on a date with him. Well, anyway, we saw them and stayed out of sight so we could watch what was going on. I know it's not nice to spy on people, but you kind of forget things like that when you've got nothing to do. Okay, we did have stuff to do, but you know what I mean!

"Hey, beautiful lady! Have you seen Quistis anywhere?"

"Konnor Bonaparte. I was wondering what happened to you." Quistis knows him too? Why doesn't anyone tell me anything?

"Were you worried?"

"Yes, but don't get any ideas."

"It's been a while since I've seen you. I must say I've never seen you so beautiful." Quistis rolled her eyes. "You're not seeing anyone, are you?"

"Konnor, I've told you before: I'm not interested in you."

"Ah, come on, Quistis!"

"No, I don't think so. I've seen how you treat all your other girlfriends. Not even Irvine is as bad as you."

"I swear I won't flirt with another girl if you go out with me. Just one date?" He gave her a pleading look. I bet he flirts with all those other girls, but he really likes Quistis. Quistis shook her head. "Are you scared you're gonna fall in love with me?"

"I just don't want to be around you. You're far too flirtatious for me." Konnor's smile dropped.

"You've got a boyfriend, don't you?" Quistis turned bright red. "Yeah, I thought so. Well, that's cool. Hey, do you have any lady friends that are single?" Oh, my Hyne! He is worse than Irvine! At my side, Irvine was shaking with silent chuckles. I poked him in the stomach.

"You are perhaps the most impossible man I've ever known in my entire life. No wonder you can't keep a girlfriend!"

"There are just too many beautiful women in the world!" Konnor laughed.

"Right. Well, why don't you go and find one?"

"Sure thing, doll. Quistis, once we've all got somebody, we should all hang out together. You know, you and the rest of the gang, the posse, and our respective dates. What do ya think?"

"Maybe."

"That's good enough for me! I'll see ya around, then!" Konnor waved and ran off to find another girl to flirt with. There goes one weird guy. I noticed that Quistis had made no effort to correct Konnor about her having a boyfriend. Did she do that just so he would go away, or did she really have a guy? Well, there was only one way to find out!

"Irvy, let's go talk to Quistis," I whispered.

"Let me guess: you wanna find out if she's really got a boyfriend, right?"

"Yep!"

"So do I. Let's go." I'm so glad we agree on stuff. We stepped out of the shadows and confronted Quistis.

"Oh, hi, guys. How are you two getting along?"

"Fine," I assured her. "Hey, Quistis, there's something I want to ask you."

"Yes? What is it?" I paused, trying to think of the best way to phrase it.

"Do you really got a boyfriend?" Irvine asked. Quistis and I stared at him. Poor Quistis looked confused and I was a little mad that he blurted it out. Not that I wouldn't have done the same thing.

"Were you two eavesdropping?"

"We couldn't help it, Quisty!" I whined. "We wanted to know what you'd say to him! Please don't be mad!" Quistis chuckled.

"I'm not mad. I suppose I should be grateful for friends that are concerned about me. And for your information, I don't technically have a boyfriend." She smiled slyly.

"You just let Konnor think that so he'd leave you alone?" Irvine awed.

"Not exactly."

"Wait… what?" I frowned.

"Allow me to explain. The difference between a male friend and a boyfriend is that you have romantic feelings for the boyfriend. If the definition of a boyfriend was someone that you spend time with and whom seems to care a great deal for you, then I already have one. I have no romantic feelings for this individual, so he's not technically my boyfriend."

"Who is it?" I asked eagerly. She winked at me.

"I think you know." She quietly walked away, leaving Irvine and I to ponder. Not technically her boyfriend? Who do I know that she hangs out with? Zell, Irvine, and Squall. Hmm… Oh, wait. Of course!

"It's Nida!" I cried.

"Where?"

"No. I mean, Nida's her 'boyfriend'!"

"You sure about that?"

"Well, I donno for sure, but it makes sense. Besides, the way she said 'I think you know' just gave me this feeling it was Nida."

"Well! I always knew there was a ladies' man somewhere inside that shy shell of his! I guess it just took a gal like Quistis to bring it out."

"Yeah. Hey, let's outside using the 'secret' exit."

"All right!" He offered me his elbow and we went out together. We just sat there and talked and enjoyed each other's company for the next four hours or so. All our classes were in the morning so we had afternoons to ourselves, and we took full advantage of this privilege.

_____

(The next few parts I wasn't around to actually see. Luckily my friends described them later in detail, so it was almost like I was there. I wish I had been, but that would've ruined the whole scene! Well, anyway…)

After we left Quistis, she had time to herself for all that fun stuff that Instructors enjoy. Grading papers, grading tests, and other stuff like that. She had a full load of work ahead of her and she was beginning to dwindle this load when there was a knock at her door. She sighed in exasperation. She was certain it was Konnor back to bug her about a date. She opened her door only to find Nida on the other side. Quistis later told me that Nida looked handsome in his SeeD uniform. He really does look handsome, especially for such a quiet guy that doesn't really stand out.

"Quistis? Pardon me for interrupting you."

"That's all right, Nida. Is there anything wrong?"

"No. I was just, ah… wondering if maybe you would, ah… like to, ah… maybe… go on a, um… date with… me." By the time he finished that sentence poor Nida was as red as a beet.

"What?" Quistis was blushing too.

"Please don't make me say that again! I don't think I can manage to get the words out!"

"Nida, are you asking me out on a date? As in, a boyfriend-girlfriend date?"

"Well, I…"

"I would be delighted to." This left Nida speechless. Quistis took his arm and pretty much had to guide the surprised man down the hall. Nida got control of himself and treated Quistis to the one thing he was very good at: listening. Their whole date was Quistis talking and Nida listening. Nida inserted a few words here and there but he mostly stayed quiet. This may sound like a strange date but Quistis thought it was the most romantic thing anyone had ever done for her. They agreed that on their next date (which was the very next evening) Nida would do the majority of the talking.

_____

From the beginning Fujin and Jake seemed like a strange pair. Fujin acted tough and loud, but she was really a shy and quiet girl. Jake was an extrovert for real and a very nice guy. Kind of weird that he's training to be a gunblade expert. Anyway, they didn't seem like they would hit it off very well and yet they did. I wish I knew more about how they met and how they grew to like each other that way because they really are cute together.

Before Jake asked Fujin to the Festival, their excuse to see each other was the fact that Jake was teaching Fujin how to read. But now that all their friends knew they were an item, they didn't bother making excuses. Their dates were always out of the blue and never planned. One would suggest a date and they'd agree to go that very evening with no plans. They would sometimes just sit and stare at the stars without speaking a word for hours at a time.

Fujin and Jake assured me they haven't kissed yet, but I sometimes have my doubts. They hold hands a lot and Jake sometimes kisses Fujin on her eye patch. If they really haven't kissed yet, I hope I get to be there when they do. Jake is like my little brother and Fujin is as close a friend as I can have outside the orphanage gang, except for Oonagh and Rinoa.

_____

Speaking of Rinoa, I had always wondered what she and Squall did on their dates. They had been a couple for a while but I never thought to ask what sort of things they did together. Squall didn't seem to me the romantic type. So I finally got up the nerve to ask Rinoa directly. She told me that it was always something different, and, believe it or not, Squall was very romantic.

She told me of one date in particular where Squall took her out on a cruise. Really! He rented a boat and the two of them sailed around the island. They didn't speak much but Squall made a compliment to Rinoa about how she looked in the moonlight. I guess when you're with the one you love, even people like Squall can be sensitive and romantic. I mean, up until a couple days ago I never expected Fujin or Seifer to find someone special. I guess anything can happen when love's involved.

_____

I have no idea what's been going on with Oonagh and Walter. Oonagh used to tell me everything about her dates with him. But lately she hasn't told me anything at all. I tried to ask Walter but he wasn't any help. He may be a nice guy, but he's still a guy, and guys can't really describe a date the same way girls do. So I've been unceremoniously left in the dark concerning those two. What a bummer!

_____

All I have to say about Konnor is that he honestly cannot keep a girlfriend for very long. That guy goes through more women than I do socks. I am so glad that Irvine isn't as bad as he is! I asked him why he's so flirty, and he told me it was because he liked the attention. Boy, did that sound like a Zell response. Konnor also told me that he once had a girlfriend that he really liked. He didn't say her name or what she looked like but I'm guessing she was one of a kind, because he had a dreamy sort of look on his face when he talked about her. One day they had a fight and the girl left the Garden and never came back. That would explain why Konnor's determined that Zell gets Oonagh back.

_____

Once I found out Angel and Seifer were an item, I just had to find out more about that girl. Apparently she transferred here after the posse returned and she had no idea that Seifer was the sorceress knight. She and Seifer met and they claimed it was love at first sight. Angel told me that Seifer asked her to the Festival before he even knew what her name was. The two just clicked from there, obviously. Angel's a quiet, sweet, loving girl that seems to like everything about Seifer that made him so disliked by everyone else. I say, you go girl!

Their dates are kind of a cross between Squall and Rinoa's dates and mine and Irvine's dates. They hang out and do fun stuff together but they also go to romantic places and Seifer makes it a point to compliment her every time they're out. Their meeting was sudden and their attraction towards one another was even more sudden, but when I catch them together they look really happy. I can tell they're going to be a cute couple that will stand the test of time. I'm so happy for Seifer!

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Raijin hasn't found anyone special yet but he doesn't seem like the type that would settle down with anyone. He claims he's happy for the rest of us. He's kind of like our love enforcer. If any of us got in a fight with our boyfriend or girlfriend, he would go and make sure we patch things up.

"Just making sure everything turns out all right, ya know?" he says. I'm glad that he's single, because he's also there to remind us that we were friends before we were lovers. It was a great time whenever the whole gang was together. When I say the "whole gang" I mean pretty much everybody except for Zell and Oonagh. I convinced Squall and Rinoa to join our little group but I still haven't gotten Oonagh. Zell's been busy with his song. If he didn't have that, he probably would've been hanging out with us.

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The one thing I couldn't get out of my head during this time was: What in the world is going on between Oonagh and Walter? Why doesn't anybody ever tell me anything?!

Author's note: I think it's now safe to tell you that I originally planned for this to be a Zellphie but I obviously changed my mind. I decided to pair Zell up with Oonagh, who is the "library girl" if you haven't figured it out already. Read on to see how I get them together!