Chapter 2- Transforming Quistis:
Quistis was walking down the halls of the Garden, trying to think of a way to get out of shopping with Selphie and Rinoa. She didn't want to go shopping; she didn't want to go anywhere. She wanted to sulk in her bed, and read her books on self-confidence. She knew that no one remembered it was her birthday in 3 days.
Faintly off in a distance, Quistis heard her name being yelled repeatedly by the vivacious Selphie.
'Just ignore her, Quistis. Don't turn around, she'll leave you alone.' Quistis kept repeated the phrase in her head.
The short giggly girl ran through the halls and caught Quistis as she tried to make a mad dash to the elevator.
"READY TO GO SHOPPIN' QUISTY!!!" Selphie virtually screamed in her ear.
'Not really, but.Oh, what the hell.not like I'm doing much anyway. I need the dress, and I guess I need to take a break from my work, anyway.'
"Yeah, sure, but I have to go get my purse in my room." Quistis answered.
"Okay, I'll go with you to your room, so you won't bail out on me!" Selphie replied, knowing Quistis all too well.
Quistis and Selphie went into the blonde's room, retrieved Quistis' small black purse, and ventured out to the parking lot, where Rinoa was waiting.
"Finally! You take WAY too long Quistis! Let's go hit the shops!!" Rinoa hopped into the passenger side of the vehicle. "I call shotgun!" she grinned slyly at Quistis.
'Really cute, Rinoa.'
With a slight groan and mumbling of choice words, Quistis reluctantly opened the door to the back of the gray car, and slid in.
* The three ladies drove all the way to Deling City, and parked the car in front of one of the stores.
"Deling Shop, how original." Quistis stated to no one in particular. She wasn't in the brightest of moods, partly due to the splitting headache, but mostly because Rinoa and Selphie were the ones to thank for giving her that headache. After hearing the two hyperactive girls, she knew that Corey Felton was cheating on Isabelle Sleat with Margo What's-her-name, who's married to the guy with red hair, who- well, you get the idea.
"Quistis, you are too funny!" Rinoa replied, giving Quistis a friendly nudge on the shoulder. "Let's go inside, and find us some HOT dresses! Squall is going to go crazy when he sees us!"
'I'm surprised that he hasn't gone crazy yet, being with you.'
The three ladies walked into the flashy boutique. Selphie and Rinoa ran toward a red dress and began fighting over who would wear it, while Quistis slowly made her way to the sales rack.
Quistis wore the same plain thing everyday, and has never worn a gown in her life. When the group was together, she was always the dateless one, which was why she hardly ever went out. Rinoa was always with Squall, and Selphie with Irvine. Zell's latest romance was with one of the instructors, Anya. In their circle of friends, Quistis was always left out. She wanted to fix that problem.
"How about this one?" Rinoa asked, coming out of the dressing room in a flowing black dress, that went down to the floor, and flowed out in the back. The top front had bunched fabric drooping down the front and the back. The dress was fabulous. Selphie stood there, pondering on if that looked good on Rinoa. It looked too big on her in some areas- the length and the chest area. In fact, the bottom of the dress went way past her feet. Rinoa was just too petite for the curvaceous dress.
'Quistis could fill in those areas just fine.' Selphie thought to herself. Then, she came up with an idea.
"Rinoa, take that off and let Quistis try it on. It's a great dress, but it just doesn't suit you. You look, uh, like your swimming in it. It's waayyyy too long. We'll find you something else!"
Quistis snapped out of her dream world, and gave the dress.and Selphie a strange look. She took a look at the price of the dress, and her jaw dropped.
"Selphie, this dress is way too expensive," Quistis said handing back the gorgeous dress.
"JUST TRY IT ON!" Selphie screamed. Now with everyone staring, Quistis had to do what she said.
'It couldn't hurt I guess. Just as long as it's not revealing.'
Rinoa came out of the dressing room with the dazzling dress in her hand. She handed it to Quistis, as Selphie made a hand motion towards the dressing rooms.
As Quistis walked into the dressing room and took a solid look at her in the mirror. 'Selphie always complains to me about how boring I am. I'm not boring, I just don't -socialize much? Wow, I really am dull- maybe this trip to Esthar will do me some good. Maybe I'll find someone to take my mind off of Squall. All of those feelings I expressed in Trabia- I was just lying to protect myself from hurting more. All I wanted was to believe those words. but I can't live a lie. I wish that I could just-'
Her thoughts were interrupted by a restless voice. "Are you done putting that dress on? Come out here and let Rinoa and me have a look!"
Quistis quickly slipped on the dress, and without even glancing at the mirror, she zipped up the dress and stepped out of the dressing room. A quiet hush ran through the store as everyone dropped what they were doing to see Quistis. Everyone's mouth dropped open - including Selphie and Rinoa's.
"What's wrong?" Quistis asked, looking at everyone. She began to become inferior with herself. "Quit staring at me! Does it look that bad? I'm just going to go ta-"
"No, nooo. Quisty, you look- you look.STUNNING!" Rinoa exclaimed, Selphie nodding her head in astonishment.
Quistis was about to turn around and look in the mirror, but Selphie quickly stopped her. "Take your glasses off. You are going to wear your new contacts right? You'll look great without these things." Selphie took Quistis' glasses off her head without permission, and threw them in the trashcan. Quistis turned around to see what the fuss was all about.
'Whoa. Who is that?'
Quistis definetly filled out the areas that Rinoa couldn't, her having the womanlier figure. The dress fit in all of the right places, and flowed where it needed to flow. Quistis' practically flawless body made that dress looked even better than it did on the rack. It was perfect-Quistis looked breathtaking! The inferior blonde was nervous about the neckline, plunging so low.
"You don't you think it may be showing a bit too much?" Quistis asked the awestruck girls.
"NO! Quisty, you ARE going to buy this dress, and you are going to wear THESE shoes!" Selphie held up a pair of open-toed black stilettos.
'NO- I don't want to embarrass myself by falling flat on my ass- nononono.'
"Yes Quistis, you are going to wear these, and you are going to look sooooo hot!" Rinoa exclaimed, taking the shoes from Selphie and handing them to her. "Any guy will want to be your date now! You look so much better like this!"
'And I wasn't pretty before? Thanks Rin. Big confidence booster there.'
Selphie looked at the expression on Quistis' face, and was determined to make her get the shoes. She tried reasoning with her. "At least try them on with the dress!" Selphie pleaded.
'Well, you want to look good for that special someone, right? Just go for it.' Quistis gave in to her self-conscious.
"What the hell. Give me the shoes, Rin." Quistis slowly slid her slender feet into the shoes, and buckled the thin straps around her ankles. She's definitely going to tower everyone at this event. The thin black heels were at least 3 inches in height, making Quistis just under six feet tall.
But she looked good. Really good. She could barely walk in the shoes, but it completed the outfit.
"I guess I'm going to have to get used to these huh?" Quistis said, smiling at the other two girls. * Rinoa found a petite dark blue a-line satin dress, tied in the back with a white flower, while Selphie bought a little pink dress that went straight down to her ankles, with a slit going up the left leg. * The group of girls left Deling to return back to the Garden. On the way, while Rinoa and Selphie chattered about their love lives, Quistis just sat back and began to think about the events occurring this week.
'My birthday. no one will remember it. Today is October the first. 3 more days until my birthday. I will turn 20, and I, oh, hyne, I haven't even felt a real kiss- not even placed upon my cheek. Not one that I can remember anyway. 20 years of a loveless life. All I've wanted all these years was.Squall. And the next few days are going to be torture. Seeing Rinoa-with Squall. Seeing Rinoa kiss Squall. I can't have that! No, I'm not going to let myself be a lovesick fool. but I just can't help it. If only they all knew about the real me. Then they'd understand-but it's too late now. I've always been the strong mothering figure, the instructor. never an object of one's affection. '
The girls got back to the Garden, and all went to the cafeteria. It was about 6:30 p.m. - dinnertime. At the cafeteria, they met up with Zell, Anya, and Irvine to eat.
"Where's Squall?" Rinoa asked the crew.
"Oh, he had some work to finish up, he should be down here anytime now." Irvine replied, getting out of his chair to greet Selphie.
"Yeah, he had to pack for the mission tomorrow. " Zell added. He looked down at his empty tray with a disappointed look, and then glanced at Anya's. "Hey, Anya. Do you want that?"
"No, of course not Zelly- I got it for you, 'cuz I knew you'd want it sooner or later!" The dark-haired Anya replied, letting him take the chocolate bar from her tray.
"How did your shopping trip go, Selph?" Irvine walked up to Selphie, placed his arms around her waist and kissed her on the forehead. "Did you find what you were looking for?" he asked, smiling brightly at her.
"Yea, but I missed you the whole time, baby." Selphie answered. They began to cuddle, which made Quistis' stomach churn within her.
Quistis tried to think of something to say to dismiss her from the depressing site. She was always uncomfortable around the crew when they were all together. The thought of everyone being so content with life, the blonde thought she felt out of place.
"Uh, you know, I'm not really hungry, and I have to pack for tomorrow, and get up early. so I think I'm going to go up to my room now. I'll see you all when I get back, and see you tomorrow Rinoa."
Walking slowly back to her room, with her bags banging her legs from side to side, Quistis thought about how she wanted to be loved. She wanted to have what they had so badly. She began to stare at the wall passing her with every step she took. Quistis stopped, then started again down the hall.
'I feel like everything is going too fast. Everyone's changing- Selphie and Irvine have their own life, traveling from Balamb to Trabia to reconstruct. Zell spends so much time (and money) on his "girl of the week" that he doesn't realize who his friends truly are. I I won't even get into it with Squall and Rinoa. no one seems to have time to stop and think about other things. people. me.
Just then, as soon as Quistis made the turn to go down the hall to the dormitory, she heard the huge steel doors burst open. The tough blond looked away from the dark wall she's been staring at. It was Squall.
"Quistis, you finished already? Is everyone coming back to the dorms now?" Squall asked tiredly, running his hand through his messy auburn hair.
"Um, well I decided to go pack tonight, so I wouldn't have to wake up so early tomorrow morning. No, everyone is still down there, waiting for you of course."Quistis answered, then glanced down at the ground.
"Oh, well, you have a lot of time don't you? I mean it's only 7:00 now. You should eat now, incase we don't have time to get something out somewhere before we board the train. I wouldn't want you fainting on me," Squall said, smiling at the awestruck Quistis.
'What's wrong with Squall.'
"By the way, I, uh, just wanted to let you know, um, for the sake of knowing I guess."
'Is this nervousness I'm sensing?'
".That we are going to stay at a the main hotel in Esthar, but we have to share one room."
'Share a room? With RINOA and you? Oh, no.'
"Well, thanks for letting me know Squall. By the way, are you feeling okay? You seem a little out of it tonight." Quistis replied smoothly, trying not to show any signs of her own nervousness around him, but she was curious to find out why he was acting so strange.
"I'm feeling. fine. Just tired, I guess. "Squall answered. "Well, I better get down there." He began to walk passed her, then stopped and turned to face Quistis. "You sure you don't want to come?"
"Yea, I'm sure, and besides, I have to take these bags and put them somewhere where they won't get ruined. "
Squall, with his hands in his pockets, glanced toward the ground, shuffled his feet a bit, then began walking down the hall. "Ok, whatever. See ya tomorrow at 5:30. We want to get to the station a bit early, so we don't have any problems."
"Ok, see you then." Quistis replied, with a hint of excitement. She quickly turned and practically sprinted towards the doors to the Dorms like a little teenybopper at their first concert. * Quistis packed her bags, neat and tight. She was going to take one bag, with a smaller bag for the dress and shoes. Besides, it was only going to be a few days. The blonde went through her daily routine before going to bed. She took her shower, got her night clothes on, brushed and flossed her teeth, braided her hair in one big braid, then went to open the covers from her neatly folded bed.
"I hope this week isn't too much of a disaster." Quistis thought aloud to herself, before hitting the light switch to go to bed. She slipped into bed, and quickly fell asleep.
Quistis was walking down the halls of the Garden, trying to think of a way to get out of shopping with Selphie and Rinoa. She didn't want to go shopping; she didn't want to go anywhere. She wanted to sulk in her bed, and read her books on self-confidence. She knew that no one remembered it was her birthday in 3 days.
Faintly off in a distance, Quistis heard her name being yelled repeatedly by the vivacious Selphie.
'Just ignore her, Quistis. Don't turn around, she'll leave you alone.' Quistis kept repeated the phrase in her head.
The short giggly girl ran through the halls and caught Quistis as she tried to make a mad dash to the elevator.
"READY TO GO SHOPPIN' QUISTY!!!" Selphie virtually screamed in her ear.
'Not really, but.Oh, what the hell.not like I'm doing much anyway. I need the dress, and I guess I need to take a break from my work, anyway.'
"Yeah, sure, but I have to go get my purse in my room." Quistis answered.
"Okay, I'll go with you to your room, so you won't bail out on me!" Selphie replied, knowing Quistis all too well.
Quistis and Selphie went into the blonde's room, retrieved Quistis' small black purse, and ventured out to the parking lot, where Rinoa was waiting.
"Finally! You take WAY too long Quistis! Let's go hit the shops!!" Rinoa hopped into the passenger side of the vehicle. "I call shotgun!" she grinned slyly at Quistis.
'Really cute, Rinoa.'
With a slight groan and mumbling of choice words, Quistis reluctantly opened the door to the back of the gray car, and slid in.
* The three ladies drove all the way to Deling City, and parked the car in front of one of the stores.
"Deling Shop, how original." Quistis stated to no one in particular. She wasn't in the brightest of moods, partly due to the splitting headache, but mostly because Rinoa and Selphie were the ones to thank for giving her that headache. After hearing the two hyperactive girls, she knew that Corey Felton was cheating on Isabelle Sleat with Margo What's-her-name, who's married to the guy with red hair, who- well, you get the idea.
"Quistis, you are too funny!" Rinoa replied, giving Quistis a friendly nudge on the shoulder. "Let's go inside, and find us some HOT dresses! Squall is going to go crazy when he sees us!"
'I'm surprised that he hasn't gone crazy yet, being with you.'
The three ladies walked into the flashy boutique. Selphie and Rinoa ran toward a red dress and began fighting over who would wear it, while Quistis slowly made her way to the sales rack.
Quistis wore the same plain thing everyday, and has never worn a gown in her life. When the group was together, she was always the dateless one, which was why she hardly ever went out. Rinoa was always with Squall, and Selphie with Irvine. Zell's latest romance was with one of the instructors, Anya. In their circle of friends, Quistis was always left out. She wanted to fix that problem.
"How about this one?" Rinoa asked, coming out of the dressing room in a flowing black dress, that went down to the floor, and flowed out in the back. The top front had bunched fabric drooping down the front and the back. The dress was fabulous. Selphie stood there, pondering on if that looked good on Rinoa. It looked too big on her in some areas- the length and the chest area. In fact, the bottom of the dress went way past her feet. Rinoa was just too petite for the curvaceous dress.
'Quistis could fill in those areas just fine.' Selphie thought to herself. Then, she came up with an idea.
"Rinoa, take that off and let Quistis try it on. It's a great dress, but it just doesn't suit you. You look, uh, like your swimming in it. It's waayyyy too long. We'll find you something else!"
Quistis snapped out of her dream world, and gave the dress.and Selphie a strange look. She took a look at the price of the dress, and her jaw dropped.
"Selphie, this dress is way too expensive," Quistis said handing back the gorgeous dress.
"JUST TRY IT ON!" Selphie screamed. Now with everyone staring, Quistis had to do what she said.
'It couldn't hurt I guess. Just as long as it's not revealing.'
Rinoa came out of the dressing room with the dazzling dress in her hand. She handed it to Quistis, as Selphie made a hand motion towards the dressing rooms.
As Quistis walked into the dressing room and took a solid look at her in the mirror. 'Selphie always complains to me about how boring I am. I'm not boring, I just don't -socialize much? Wow, I really am dull- maybe this trip to Esthar will do me some good. Maybe I'll find someone to take my mind off of Squall. All of those feelings I expressed in Trabia- I was just lying to protect myself from hurting more. All I wanted was to believe those words. but I can't live a lie. I wish that I could just-'
Her thoughts were interrupted by a restless voice. "Are you done putting that dress on? Come out here and let Rinoa and me have a look!"
Quistis quickly slipped on the dress, and without even glancing at the mirror, she zipped up the dress and stepped out of the dressing room. A quiet hush ran through the store as everyone dropped what they were doing to see Quistis. Everyone's mouth dropped open - including Selphie and Rinoa's.
"What's wrong?" Quistis asked, looking at everyone. She began to become inferior with herself. "Quit staring at me! Does it look that bad? I'm just going to go ta-"
"No, nooo. Quisty, you look- you look.STUNNING!" Rinoa exclaimed, Selphie nodding her head in astonishment.
Quistis was about to turn around and look in the mirror, but Selphie quickly stopped her. "Take your glasses off. You are going to wear your new contacts right? You'll look great without these things." Selphie took Quistis' glasses off her head without permission, and threw them in the trashcan. Quistis turned around to see what the fuss was all about.
'Whoa. Who is that?'
Quistis definetly filled out the areas that Rinoa couldn't, her having the womanlier figure. The dress fit in all of the right places, and flowed where it needed to flow. Quistis' practically flawless body made that dress looked even better than it did on the rack. It was perfect-Quistis looked breathtaking! The inferior blonde was nervous about the neckline, plunging so low.
"You don't you think it may be showing a bit too much?" Quistis asked the awestruck girls.
"NO! Quisty, you ARE going to buy this dress, and you are going to wear THESE shoes!" Selphie held up a pair of open-toed black stilettos.
'NO- I don't want to embarrass myself by falling flat on my ass- nononono.'
"Yes Quistis, you are going to wear these, and you are going to look sooooo hot!" Rinoa exclaimed, taking the shoes from Selphie and handing them to her. "Any guy will want to be your date now! You look so much better like this!"
'And I wasn't pretty before? Thanks Rin. Big confidence booster there.'
Selphie looked at the expression on Quistis' face, and was determined to make her get the shoes. She tried reasoning with her. "At least try them on with the dress!" Selphie pleaded.
'Well, you want to look good for that special someone, right? Just go for it.' Quistis gave in to her self-conscious.
"What the hell. Give me the shoes, Rin." Quistis slowly slid her slender feet into the shoes, and buckled the thin straps around her ankles. She's definitely going to tower everyone at this event. The thin black heels were at least 3 inches in height, making Quistis just under six feet tall.
But she looked good. Really good. She could barely walk in the shoes, but it completed the outfit.
"I guess I'm going to have to get used to these huh?" Quistis said, smiling at the other two girls. * Rinoa found a petite dark blue a-line satin dress, tied in the back with a white flower, while Selphie bought a little pink dress that went straight down to her ankles, with a slit going up the left leg. * The group of girls left Deling to return back to the Garden. On the way, while Rinoa and Selphie chattered about their love lives, Quistis just sat back and began to think about the events occurring this week.
'My birthday. no one will remember it. Today is October the first. 3 more days until my birthday. I will turn 20, and I, oh, hyne, I haven't even felt a real kiss- not even placed upon my cheek. Not one that I can remember anyway. 20 years of a loveless life. All I've wanted all these years was.Squall. And the next few days are going to be torture. Seeing Rinoa-with Squall. Seeing Rinoa kiss Squall. I can't have that! No, I'm not going to let myself be a lovesick fool. but I just can't help it. If only they all knew about the real me. Then they'd understand-but it's too late now. I've always been the strong mothering figure, the instructor. never an object of one's affection. '
The girls got back to the Garden, and all went to the cafeteria. It was about 6:30 p.m. - dinnertime. At the cafeteria, they met up with Zell, Anya, and Irvine to eat.
"Where's Squall?" Rinoa asked the crew.
"Oh, he had some work to finish up, he should be down here anytime now." Irvine replied, getting out of his chair to greet Selphie.
"Yeah, he had to pack for the mission tomorrow. " Zell added. He looked down at his empty tray with a disappointed look, and then glanced at Anya's. "Hey, Anya. Do you want that?"
"No, of course not Zelly- I got it for you, 'cuz I knew you'd want it sooner or later!" The dark-haired Anya replied, letting him take the chocolate bar from her tray.
"How did your shopping trip go, Selph?" Irvine walked up to Selphie, placed his arms around her waist and kissed her on the forehead. "Did you find what you were looking for?" he asked, smiling brightly at her.
"Yea, but I missed you the whole time, baby." Selphie answered. They began to cuddle, which made Quistis' stomach churn within her.
Quistis tried to think of something to say to dismiss her from the depressing site. She was always uncomfortable around the crew when they were all together. The thought of everyone being so content with life, the blonde thought she felt out of place.
"Uh, you know, I'm not really hungry, and I have to pack for tomorrow, and get up early. so I think I'm going to go up to my room now. I'll see you all when I get back, and see you tomorrow Rinoa."
Walking slowly back to her room, with her bags banging her legs from side to side, Quistis thought about how she wanted to be loved. She wanted to have what they had so badly. She began to stare at the wall passing her with every step she took. Quistis stopped, then started again down the hall.
'I feel like everything is going too fast. Everyone's changing- Selphie and Irvine have their own life, traveling from Balamb to Trabia to reconstruct. Zell spends so much time (and money) on his "girl of the week" that he doesn't realize who his friends truly are. I I won't even get into it with Squall and Rinoa. no one seems to have time to stop and think about other things. people. me.
Just then, as soon as Quistis made the turn to go down the hall to the dormitory, she heard the huge steel doors burst open. The tough blond looked away from the dark wall she's been staring at. It was Squall.
"Quistis, you finished already? Is everyone coming back to the dorms now?" Squall asked tiredly, running his hand through his messy auburn hair.
"Um, well I decided to go pack tonight, so I wouldn't have to wake up so early tomorrow morning. No, everyone is still down there, waiting for you of course."Quistis answered, then glanced down at the ground.
"Oh, well, you have a lot of time don't you? I mean it's only 7:00 now. You should eat now, incase we don't have time to get something out somewhere before we board the train. I wouldn't want you fainting on me," Squall said, smiling at the awestruck Quistis.
'What's wrong with Squall.'
"By the way, I, uh, just wanted to let you know, um, for the sake of knowing I guess."
'Is this nervousness I'm sensing?'
".That we are going to stay at a the main hotel in Esthar, but we have to share one room."
'Share a room? With RINOA and you? Oh, no.'
"Well, thanks for letting me know Squall. By the way, are you feeling okay? You seem a little out of it tonight." Quistis replied smoothly, trying not to show any signs of her own nervousness around him, but she was curious to find out why he was acting so strange.
"I'm feeling. fine. Just tired, I guess. "Squall answered. "Well, I better get down there." He began to walk passed her, then stopped and turned to face Quistis. "You sure you don't want to come?"
"Yea, I'm sure, and besides, I have to take these bags and put them somewhere where they won't get ruined. "
Squall, with his hands in his pockets, glanced toward the ground, shuffled his feet a bit, then began walking down the hall. "Ok, whatever. See ya tomorrow at 5:30. We want to get to the station a bit early, so we don't have any problems."
"Ok, see you then." Quistis replied, with a hint of excitement. She quickly turned and practically sprinted towards the doors to the Dorms like a little teenybopper at their first concert. * Quistis packed her bags, neat and tight. She was going to take one bag, with a smaller bag for the dress and shoes. Besides, it was only going to be a few days. The blonde went through her daily routine before going to bed. She took her shower, got her night clothes on, brushed and flossed her teeth, braided her hair in one big braid, then went to open the covers from her neatly folded bed.
"I hope this week isn't too much of a disaster." Quistis thought aloud to herself, before hitting the light switch to go to bed. She slipped into bed, and quickly fell asleep.