Disclaimer: I don't own FF8 and I don't own the song "Only Hope" by Mandy Moore.
Author's Note: I would like to say a special thank you to my friend SummonerYuna for helping me pick the song for this chapter. Thanks Yuna, this chapter is dedicated to you ^_^ And also, I know I've said this before, but it really applies to this chapter, I definitely suggest listening to this song as Rinoa songs it. It's a very powerful song and I think it really displays Rinoa's emotions well.
Rhapsody
Chapter 13- Only Hope
"There!" Rinoa exclaimed as she set her pen down on her desk. She was immensely relieved to have just finished her newest song. Personally, she thought it was her best song so far, but her opinion didn't matter. It was Squall who she was thinking about.
"Hey, Rin, you in there?" Selphie called from the hallway.
"Yeah, I'm here. Come on in, Selphie, it's open." Rinoa told her.
Selphie opened the door and entered the room with a big grin on her face. "Did ya finish your song?"
"Yup! Actually, I just finished it now. I don't know if it's very good, though." She told her.
"Can I see it? I'm sure that it's wonderful." Selphie assured her.
Rinoa grabbed her notebook where she wrote all of her songs and handed in to Selphie. "Take it easy on me, okay?"
"Tee-hee, Rinoa, you worry too much!" Selphie exclaimed. "Just let me read the damn song!" Rinoa obliged and Selphie read the lyrics that Rinoa had been working on for a while. She finished reading and smiled. "This is fantastic!"
Rinoa looked down nervously. "Thanks, but do you think Squall will like it?"
"He'll love it!" Selphie jumped up and down excitedly. "Now, hurry up and get dressed. We're going out for breakfast!"
"We? Who else is going?" Rinoa asked. "And why are we going?"
Selphie grinned. "We means you, me, and Quistis. No, Squall wont be going, it's only us girls, so don't give me that look." She laughed. "As to why we're going, tonight's your performance! It's our treat."
"First of all," Rinoa said, "You two are going to be up there with me, so it's not really my performance. Second of all, I perform all the time. What's so special about tonight?"
"Oh, come on, Rinoa! You know that tonight's different. Squall is gonna be there!"
Rinoa sighed. "Squall has seen me perform before, Selphie."
"Yeah, but not for a while. Besides, that was when you guys first met. You know tonight's gonna be special. You bought that beautiful dress he picked out, didn't you?" Selphie reminded her.
Rinoa threw up her hands in defeat. "Alright, take me out to breakfast if it makes you feel better. I'm just saying that it's not necessary."
"I figured you'd say that." Quistis said as she joined them. "And we're not hearing any buts. So get dressed and we'll meet you downstairs."
"Fine." Rinoa said. "I'll see you in a few minutes." Selphie and Quistis turned to leave, and Rinoa couldn't resist the urge to stick her tongue out at them.
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"So," Quistis said as she cut into her pancakes, "Tell us what went on between you and Squall yesterday."
Rinoa's cheeks turned a bright pink. "I already told you what happened. What more could you want to know?"
"Oh, come on, Rin, fess up!" Selphie exclaimed. "All you told us what that you and Squall went shopping together and he picked out that dress for you."
"Which, by the way, is gorgeous, Rin." Quistis told her. "Squall definitely has taste."
"That he does." Rinoa admitted. "Of course, he would never admit that." She laughed.
"Seriously, though. You're telling us that nothing happened after you went dress shopping?" Selphie demanded.
"We went out for lunch." Rinoa told them. "That's it."
"Ooh, you didn't tell us about that before." Quistis teased. "Why is that?"
"I just forgot about it." Rinoa lied. Images of Squall at the restaurant filled her mind. He was hiding something from her... "Can we just drop it, please?"
Selphie shrugged. "Sure, but I don't see why you're so upset."
"I'm sorry. I guess I'm just tired. We should probably get going, anyway. We need to rehearse for tonight."
"Rinoa..." Quistis said seriously. "You didn't...sleep with Squall, did you?"
"No! Of course I didn't sleep with him!" She exclaimed.
"Well, I just thought...you know...since you don't want to talk about it..."
"I have my reasons for not wanting to talk about what happened yesterday. Now, please, let's just go."
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"I don't know why you guys had to tag along." Squall grumbled as he entered the Star along with Zell and Irvine.
"You wanna be alone with Rinoa, huh?" Irvine winked. "I wouldn't have come if it wasn't for Selphie. You know how it is."
Squall groaned. "You are impossible."
They seated themselves at a table close to the stage. Squall wanted to have a clear view of Rinoa. He knew that he was a danger and Caraway's words were true, but that still didn't change the way he felt about her. Tonight, he was just going to try to enjoy himself and focus on Rinoa.
The lights dimmed and the crowd quieted down. Tim walked onstage to introduce them. "And now, here are Selphie, Quistis, and Rinoa!"
All three girls walked onstage. Selphie took her place with a violin, rather than her drums, and Quistis had no guitar. Instead, she sat in front of a piano. Then, there was Rinoa. She looked stunning, as usual, but even more so tonight because Squall had picked the dress she was wearing.
Instead of saying something before singing like she usually did, Rinoa said nothing at all. Quistis began playing the piano and Rinoa began to sing from the depths of her heart:
"There's a song that's inside of my soul
It's the one that I've tried to write over and over again
I'm awake and in the infinite cold
But you sing to me over and over and over again
So I lay my head back down
And I lift my hands
And pray to be only yours
I pray to be only yours
I know now you're my only hope"
Selphie joined in and played the violin.
"Sing to me the song of the stars
Of your galaxy dancing and laughing and laughing again
When it feel like my dreams are so far
Sing to me of the plans that you have for me over again
So I lay my head back down
And I lift my hands
And pray to be only yours
I pray to be only yours
I know now you're my only hope
I give you my destiny
I'm giving you all of me
I want your symphony
Singing in all that I am
At the top of my lungs
I'm giving it back
So I lay my head back down
And I lift my hands
And pray to be only yours
I pray to be only yours
I know now you're my only hope
mmmmm, mmmmmmmmm
oooooooooooooohhh"
Rinoa finished singing and was greeted by the strongest applause she had ever received in her life. All of her emotions had gone into that song as if her heart was on public display. Her eyes searched the crowd for Squall and finally spotted him right by the stage. She met his gaze with a look that was so gentle, filled with happiness and...love.
Squall stood up abruptly and ran out of the club. Rinoa, shocked and confused at Squall's actions, immediately ran after him. Once outside, she spotted Squall, standing in the pouring rain.
Rinoa grabbed his hand. "Squall, what's wrong?"
He turned around slowly and met her gaze. His heart was breaking, seeing her like this, but it couldn't be helped. Things had gone too far, and it wasn't safe for her to be around him. He forced his gaze to turn cold. "I'm leaving." He replied.
Rinoa frowned. "Leaving? Are you feeling sick?"
Water dripped from Squall's hair and clung to his face. "No, I just need to go." His voice was ice cold.
"Did something come up at Garden?" Sudden realization hit her hard. "It was my song, wasn't it? You didn't like it."
"Whatever...I don't have time for this. I'm leaving." Squall turned to go.
"Squall, wait!" She cried.
"What?" He snapped.
"You can't leave, Squall. That song...it was for you. Don't you understand what I'm trying to tell you?" She said exasperated.
"No, I don't, Rinoa. Why don't you tell me?" He said.
"I love you, Squall." She said softly, the tears escaping from her eyes mixing with the rain.
For a moment, Squall's eyes widened and the coldness in his gaze had vanished. But seconds later, the hard exterior was back. "No you don't. You don't mean that." Squall told her, his voice rising. "It's over between us, Rinoa."
Rinoa's soaking clothes clung to her body. She was drenched...on the inside and out. "You can't possibly mean that."
"Yeah, I do mean it. I'm sorry, Rinoa, but we can't be together." He turned and began walking away.
"Squall, come back!" She shouted, tears streaming down her face. "I love you, Squall! Please don't leave me!"
Squall kept on walking, never looking back.
The impact of Squall's words hit her hard and she collapsed on the cold, wet cement. "Squall!" She cried in agony.
She thought she had experienced pain before, but she hadn't. This was pain.
Author's Note: God, I really hope I didn't mess this chapter up too much. Before I even started writing Rhapsody, I saw a scene in my head with Rinoa and Squall in the rain, filled with heartache. Basically, I tried to center the rest of the story around that one scene and I really hope that I did it justice. Please tell me what you think.