Selphie Tillmit smiled softly to herself as she watched the activity
across the room. Her friends Irvine Kinneas, Quistis Trepe, Zell Dincht,
Rinoa Heartilly, and Squall Leonhart were helping her set up for the Garden
Festival that was to be held that night.
"Ouch! Zell, watch what you're doing!" Irvine called up from where he was
holding the ladder that Zell was standing on as Zell dropped a hammer,
landing on his foot, causing him to almost loose his grip on it.
"Hey, Selph! Get your butt over here! This is supposed to be YOUR festival, remember?" Rinoa called to the petite brunette, laughing. Selphie ran over to her friends. "Thank you guys SO MUCH for helping! I don't think I could have pulled it off without you guys!" Her already happy features brightened even more as she wallowed in the friendship surrounding her. "There." Squall announced triumphantly as the last streamer was put into place. "I don't know, Selph." He exclaimed, giving her a warm look. "This might be the best festival yet." Selphie tingled at his look. 'Wait! I can't like Squall! He's Rinoa's! Think Irvine, Selphie. Irvine.' Yet even as she told herself this, she couldn't help but stare at Squall as he stood surveying the room, his arm around Rinoa's waist, wishing she were in Rinoa's place.
*** *** It was Festival night, everyone was dressed to kill and the party was in full swing. Selphie entered, fashionably late, accompanied by Irvine. She wore a yellow strapless gown of silk, her hair done up with yellow roses entwined in it. Irvine was dressed in a black suit, only due to Selphie's urging that he wear it. Selphie's bright green eyes scanned the room. There he was. Dressed in a black suit lined with silver, was Squall. He was dancing with Rinoa, dressed in a silvery-white gown that was held up daintily by barely there straps, her raven hair long and soft down her back. Selphie watched as they twirled along with the waltz, seemingly made for each other, painful longing creeping into her heart. Irvine gently tugged on her arm and led her to where Quistis and Zell were standing. "Hey, how's the party so far?" Irvine asked them.
"Not bad. But there's no hot dogs! Selphie, how could we have forgotten the hot dogs? Selphie? Selphie?! SELPHIE!" Zell had to call her name several times to get her attention. "What are you looking at?" He followed her gaze to Squall and Rinoa, turned back to Selphie, back to the couple, then back to Selphie again. "I get it!" He called out. "ZELL!" She cried, clamping her small hand across his mouth. "There's nothing to get." She said urgently, her eyes pleading with him not to say anything. "But."He started. "Dance with me." She pulled him out to the dance floor. "Zell, what do you think you get?" "You like Squall. It's written all over you!" "You can't say anything! That's crazy! Rin is my best friend, I would never take Squall from her." At that moment Zell felt a tap at his shoulder. It was Squall! "Could I?" He asked.
Zell pulled away, an unreadable look on his face. "The festival turned out incredible, Selph." She blushed as she felt his arm encircle her waist, pulling close as the song continued. Selphie thought she would burst with joy at having him so close to her. "Thank you." She whispered shyly, her head finding its way to rest on his chest. "I don't think anyone could have done a better job. Not even Rinoa." He said pointedly. "Really?" she asked, looking up into his eyes.
Squall smiled tenderly at the young woman in his arms, wondering how he had never seen how beautiful she was until this moment. He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her full red lips. "Does that answer your question?" His usual stony features were replaced with a smile. Selphie fought to keep herself from swooning in his arms, his kiss lingering on her lips. The spell was broken when she glanced up and saw Rinoa talking to Quistis. She obviously hadn't seen Squall kiss her.
"Squall, we can't." She was stopped by his finger against her lips. "Meet me in the secret spot. Midnight tonight." He whispered as the song ended. He gave her a squeeze and walked away, leaving Selphie in a daze for the rest of the evening. For every time she looked towards him, his eyes were beaming at her softly. *** ***
'What in Hyne's name am I doing?!?' Selphie asked herself. It was 5 of midnight and she had changed from her gown into her yellow jumper, leaving her hair up, and was waiting in a small balcony off of the training center, the 'secret spot'. 'How can I betray Rinoa like this? I have to leave.' She shook her head and turned toward the opening, running into Squall. She fell at the surprise. Squall held her by the waist and lifted her to her feet. "Are you alright, Seph?" He asked, not releasing her. "Of course, I'm fine." She trembled as she felt his strong hands envelope her tiny waist. "Are you sure? You're trembling." He said, uncharacteristic unless to Rinoa, concern in his voice. "I'm just a little cold." She told him. It wasn't entirely a lie. The night was chilly and her short sleeveless dress wasn't much warmth. He slid his jacket off, revealing he was wearing only a thin white tee underneath, and placed the fur-lined coat over her slim shoulders, the coat reaching down to her knees. "Thank you." The young man sat against the wall, pulling her down with him. He urged her closer so that she was right next to him, her upper body resting on top of his. He pulled his arms around her and they fell asleep to the sounds of the wind. That was how Rinoa found them in the morning. *** ***
Rinoa walked out onto the balcony around 7AM. She couldn't get to sleep and had taken a walk. She walked to the edge and almost tripped over something. She looked down and saw it was a very familiar boot. Her eyes traveled upwards and saw Squall cuddling with Selphie, both asleep. "WHAT!?" she cried out, waking them. Selphie looked up at her best friend in shock, jumping up out of Squall's arms, his jacket still covering her small form. "Rin, it's not what you think." She started to explain as Squall sleepily stood. "Not what I think?! I wake up to take a walk, and find my best friend in the arms of my boyfriend? Why?" She cried, tears forming in her eyes. "Rin." Selphie reached out to her. Rinoa pulled away and fled, tears streaming down her face.
"Squall? Now what do we do? Rin is so upset, and we didn't even do anything!" "We'll think of something, Seph." He reached out to pull her towards him. "Stop it, Squall! That's what started this whole mess!" She turned and followed Rinoa's path towards the dorms. But, on the way, she encountered Quistis. "Hi, Selphie!" The blonde ex-instructor called. "Um, Selphie? Why are you wearing Squall's jacket?" Selphie looked down at herself and slipped out of the jacket. "Ummmm.Rinoa was wearing it earlier and asked me to give it back to him for her because.. because she had to train." Selphie blurted out, not wanting anyone else to know she had spent the night with Squall. "Oh, ok. I have to get going. Later Selphie!" 'Why wouldn't Rinoa just return it herself?' Quistis asked herself as she watched Selphie head towards the girl's dormitory and not the guys. *** ***
Rinoa threw herself face down on her bed, crying for all she was worth. " Why would Squall do this to me? I thought he loved me!" She wailed as softly as she could. There was a soft knock at her door. "Who is it?" "It's Selphie." Rinoa didn't answer her; her scars were too fresh too even think about it. "Rin, I know you don't want to talk to me, but you need to know that absolutely NOTHING happened between me and Squall. We fell asleep, that's all." "What were you doing together in the first place!?" She fired behind the door. "I'm going to be completely honest with you, Rin. But you have to forgive me! You're my best friend and I can't lose you." Silence. "Here goes. I had a MAJOR crush on Squall. Well, I guess I still do. But I can't do this! I don't know what I was thinking except that I wanted to be you. You're so damned perfect and I wanted to know what that felt like and thought that maybe if I had Squall.But that's dumb and I realize that now. I don't want to lose a friendship over a guy; it's not worth it. Please, Rin. Open the door." Selphie sighed heavily when she realized Rinoa would not be forgiving her anytime soon. She walked away from her room and started toward her own.
*** *** Squall stayed at the balcony, contemplating his actions. 'Why did I do that to Rinoa? I love her more than anything in the world! How could I hurt her like that?' He smacked himself in the head for being stupid. 'I have to go talk to her.' He left the balcony and started towards Rinoa's room. When he got there, he just stood in front of her door, listening to the sounds within, which he knew was of his love crying. He knocked and waited for her reply. "Who is it?"
Squall blanched when he heard her pain streaked voice. He thought of turning and leaving, not wanting to face the pain he had caused her, when the door opened. She peered out at him, her face red and swollen from crying. "Oh, Rin." He reached out to stroke her face and she pulled back from him. "What do you want?" she asked icily. "Rin, I love you so much. I can't bear to lose the one person I could ever really trust." "How can I possibly trust you again?" she whispered, fighting back another torrent of tears. "Rin, I wasn't thinking last night. Selphie means nothing to me. She could never mean as much to me as you do." Rinoa looked up into his eyes, and upon seeing he was sincere, threw herself into his arms, so happy that he still loved her as much as she loved him. *** ***
Selphie watched from the edge of the corridor as her two friends made up. Her eyes glistened with tears, both happy and sad as she watched and heard. She heard Squall tell Rinoa she meant nothing to him, and that hurt worse than anything she had ever known. She cast her eyes down and entered her room, locking the door behind her. 'At least they're happy.' She sat on her bed and thought over the past two days, which had been, for the most part, wonderful. 'Will I ever see him look at me like that again?' she wondered. Only time can tell. *** ***
"Hey, Selph! Get your butt over here! This is supposed to be YOUR festival, remember?" Rinoa called to the petite brunette, laughing. Selphie ran over to her friends. "Thank you guys SO MUCH for helping! I don't think I could have pulled it off without you guys!" Her already happy features brightened even more as she wallowed in the friendship surrounding her. "There." Squall announced triumphantly as the last streamer was put into place. "I don't know, Selph." He exclaimed, giving her a warm look. "This might be the best festival yet." Selphie tingled at his look. 'Wait! I can't like Squall! He's Rinoa's! Think Irvine, Selphie. Irvine.' Yet even as she told herself this, she couldn't help but stare at Squall as he stood surveying the room, his arm around Rinoa's waist, wishing she were in Rinoa's place.
*** *** It was Festival night, everyone was dressed to kill and the party was in full swing. Selphie entered, fashionably late, accompanied by Irvine. She wore a yellow strapless gown of silk, her hair done up with yellow roses entwined in it. Irvine was dressed in a black suit, only due to Selphie's urging that he wear it. Selphie's bright green eyes scanned the room. There he was. Dressed in a black suit lined with silver, was Squall. He was dancing with Rinoa, dressed in a silvery-white gown that was held up daintily by barely there straps, her raven hair long and soft down her back. Selphie watched as they twirled along with the waltz, seemingly made for each other, painful longing creeping into her heart. Irvine gently tugged on her arm and led her to where Quistis and Zell were standing. "Hey, how's the party so far?" Irvine asked them.
"Not bad. But there's no hot dogs! Selphie, how could we have forgotten the hot dogs? Selphie? Selphie?! SELPHIE!" Zell had to call her name several times to get her attention. "What are you looking at?" He followed her gaze to Squall and Rinoa, turned back to Selphie, back to the couple, then back to Selphie again. "I get it!" He called out. "ZELL!" She cried, clamping her small hand across his mouth. "There's nothing to get." She said urgently, her eyes pleading with him not to say anything. "But."He started. "Dance with me." She pulled him out to the dance floor. "Zell, what do you think you get?" "You like Squall. It's written all over you!" "You can't say anything! That's crazy! Rin is my best friend, I would never take Squall from her." At that moment Zell felt a tap at his shoulder. It was Squall! "Could I?" He asked.
Zell pulled away, an unreadable look on his face. "The festival turned out incredible, Selph." She blushed as she felt his arm encircle her waist, pulling close as the song continued. Selphie thought she would burst with joy at having him so close to her. "Thank you." She whispered shyly, her head finding its way to rest on his chest. "I don't think anyone could have done a better job. Not even Rinoa." He said pointedly. "Really?" she asked, looking up into his eyes.
Squall smiled tenderly at the young woman in his arms, wondering how he had never seen how beautiful she was until this moment. He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her full red lips. "Does that answer your question?" His usual stony features were replaced with a smile. Selphie fought to keep herself from swooning in his arms, his kiss lingering on her lips. The spell was broken when she glanced up and saw Rinoa talking to Quistis. She obviously hadn't seen Squall kiss her.
"Squall, we can't." She was stopped by his finger against her lips. "Meet me in the secret spot. Midnight tonight." He whispered as the song ended. He gave her a squeeze and walked away, leaving Selphie in a daze for the rest of the evening. For every time she looked towards him, his eyes were beaming at her softly. *** ***
'What in Hyne's name am I doing?!?' Selphie asked herself. It was 5 of midnight and she had changed from her gown into her yellow jumper, leaving her hair up, and was waiting in a small balcony off of the training center, the 'secret spot'. 'How can I betray Rinoa like this? I have to leave.' She shook her head and turned toward the opening, running into Squall. She fell at the surprise. Squall held her by the waist and lifted her to her feet. "Are you alright, Seph?" He asked, not releasing her. "Of course, I'm fine." She trembled as she felt his strong hands envelope her tiny waist. "Are you sure? You're trembling." He said, uncharacteristic unless to Rinoa, concern in his voice. "I'm just a little cold." She told him. It wasn't entirely a lie. The night was chilly and her short sleeveless dress wasn't much warmth. He slid his jacket off, revealing he was wearing only a thin white tee underneath, and placed the fur-lined coat over her slim shoulders, the coat reaching down to her knees. "Thank you." The young man sat against the wall, pulling her down with him. He urged her closer so that she was right next to him, her upper body resting on top of his. He pulled his arms around her and they fell asleep to the sounds of the wind. That was how Rinoa found them in the morning. *** ***
Rinoa walked out onto the balcony around 7AM. She couldn't get to sleep and had taken a walk. She walked to the edge and almost tripped over something. She looked down and saw it was a very familiar boot. Her eyes traveled upwards and saw Squall cuddling with Selphie, both asleep. "WHAT!?" she cried out, waking them. Selphie looked up at her best friend in shock, jumping up out of Squall's arms, his jacket still covering her small form. "Rin, it's not what you think." She started to explain as Squall sleepily stood. "Not what I think?! I wake up to take a walk, and find my best friend in the arms of my boyfriend? Why?" She cried, tears forming in her eyes. "Rin." Selphie reached out to her. Rinoa pulled away and fled, tears streaming down her face.
"Squall? Now what do we do? Rin is so upset, and we didn't even do anything!" "We'll think of something, Seph." He reached out to pull her towards him. "Stop it, Squall! That's what started this whole mess!" She turned and followed Rinoa's path towards the dorms. But, on the way, she encountered Quistis. "Hi, Selphie!" The blonde ex-instructor called. "Um, Selphie? Why are you wearing Squall's jacket?" Selphie looked down at herself and slipped out of the jacket. "Ummmm.Rinoa was wearing it earlier and asked me to give it back to him for her because.. because she had to train." Selphie blurted out, not wanting anyone else to know she had spent the night with Squall. "Oh, ok. I have to get going. Later Selphie!" 'Why wouldn't Rinoa just return it herself?' Quistis asked herself as she watched Selphie head towards the girl's dormitory and not the guys. *** ***
Rinoa threw herself face down on her bed, crying for all she was worth. " Why would Squall do this to me? I thought he loved me!" She wailed as softly as she could. There was a soft knock at her door. "Who is it?" "It's Selphie." Rinoa didn't answer her; her scars were too fresh too even think about it. "Rin, I know you don't want to talk to me, but you need to know that absolutely NOTHING happened between me and Squall. We fell asleep, that's all." "What were you doing together in the first place!?" She fired behind the door. "I'm going to be completely honest with you, Rin. But you have to forgive me! You're my best friend and I can't lose you." Silence. "Here goes. I had a MAJOR crush on Squall. Well, I guess I still do. But I can't do this! I don't know what I was thinking except that I wanted to be you. You're so damned perfect and I wanted to know what that felt like and thought that maybe if I had Squall.But that's dumb and I realize that now. I don't want to lose a friendship over a guy; it's not worth it. Please, Rin. Open the door." Selphie sighed heavily when she realized Rinoa would not be forgiving her anytime soon. She walked away from her room and started toward her own.
*** *** Squall stayed at the balcony, contemplating his actions. 'Why did I do that to Rinoa? I love her more than anything in the world! How could I hurt her like that?' He smacked himself in the head for being stupid. 'I have to go talk to her.' He left the balcony and started towards Rinoa's room. When he got there, he just stood in front of her door, listening to the sounds within, which he knew was of his love crying. He knocked and waited for her reply. "Who is it?"
Squall blanched when he heard her pain streaked voice. He thought of turning and leaving, not wanting to face the pain he had caused her, when the door opened. She peered out at him, her face red and swollen from crying. "Oh, Rin." He reached out to stroke her face and she pulled back from him. "What do you want?" she asked icily. "Rin, I love you so much. I can't bear to lose the one person I could ever really trust." "How can I possibly trust you again?" she whispered, fighting back another torrent of tears. "Rin, I wasn't thinking last night. Selphie means nothing to me. She could never mean as much to me as you do." Rinoa looked up into his eyes, and upon seeing he was sincere, threw herself into his arms, so happy that he still loved her as much as she loved him. *** ***
Selphie watched from the edge of the corridor as her two friends made up. Her eyes glistened with tears, both happy and sad as she watched and heard. She heard Squall tell Rinoa she meant nothing to him, and that hurt worse than anything she had ever known. She cast her eyes down and entered her room, locking the door behind her. 'At least they're happy.' She sat on her bed and thought over the past two days, which had been, for the most part, wonderful. 'Will I ever see him look at me like that again?' she wondered. Only time can tell. *** ***