Disclaimer: I don't own FF8...

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews everyone! For those of you wondering, the song in the last chapter, "Only Hope," is by Mandy Moore.

Rhapsody

Chapter 14- Breakdown

"I can't believe it!" Quistis sighed in disgust as she finished reading the article in the paper. "This is completely ridiculous."

Selphie picked up the paper and instantly understood why Quistis was so upset. The article read:

Popular Singer Has a Breakdown!

Rising star Rinoa Heartilly hasn't performed

in over two weeks. On the night of her last

performance, Ms. Heartilly sang a beautiful

song, supposedly about her boyfriend, Squall

Leonhart. After singing the song, Leonhart

fled the Star Club. Ms. Heartilly quickly

went after him, but things did not go well.

Sources say that Leonhart broke up with her

on the spot, claiming that he never wanted

their fling to go that far. Ms. Heartilly was

found outside, on the ground and in the rain,

by her friends and band mates, Quistis Trepe

and Selphie Tilmitt. Sources say that Ms.

Heartilly is having a breakdown; she won't

eat or talk to anybody and has been locked

in her room for two weeks. Neither Squall

Leonhart or Rinoa Heartilly were available

for comment.

"Where do they come up with this crap!" Quistis exclaimed. "That's not what happened."

"You know I agree with you, Quisty, but we weren't there. Since Rinoa won't tell us anything, we don't have any idea as to what really happened two weeks ago." Selphie told her.

"Even so, I saw what Squall and Rinoa had. I find it hard to believe that Squall would call it a 'fling'." Quistis argued. "But you're right, we won't know anything for sure unless Rinoa or Squall tells us."

"I don't want to face Squall. So the only one we can talk to is Rinoa." Selphie said. "The way she's been acting, there's no way she'll talk to us."

"I think we just need to give her some time. You saw how distraught she was when we found her in the rain. You know what they say...time heals all wounds."

"I know," Selphie told her, "But I'm so worried. The article was right about Rinoa's condition right now. She won't talk to anybody...she hasn't been eating...she won't come out of her room..."

Quistis nodded grimly. "I'm worried, too. She's going to hurt herself is she keeps this up. Maybe I can try to talk to her today."

"Yeah, she always listens to you, Quisty. Talk to her today...before it's too late."

"I'll talk to her, Selphie. The question is...will she listen?"

******************************************************************************************

"Squall, man, open up!" Zell yelled. "I need to talk to you!"

Squall got up from his bed and opened the door slightly. "Go away, Zell. I told you guys to leave me alone."

"Yeah, you told us, but do you really think we're gonna listen?" He smiled. "Just let me come in and talk to you. I'll be quick."

Squall sighed and reluctantly opened the door the rest of the way. "This better be quick."

Zell gasped as he saw Squall's appearance. Sure, he had been hiding out in his room for a while now, but Zell had never seen Squall look so terrible. His hair was sticking up in multiple places, his clothes were wrinkled, there were bags under his eyes, and he looked like he had lost weight.

"Well?" Squall asked. "Did you come here to stare?"

Zell's face turned slightly pink. "No, man, I came to talk to you about...Rinoa."

Squall's defenses immediately went up. "What about her?" He asked coldly.

"Come on, Squall. Everyone knows that something happened between you two that night at the Club. Why don't you tell me about it?"

"Why, don't you read the paper?" Squall asked sarcastically. "Look in there, it will tell you everything you want to know."

"Damn it, Squall, the paper is bull! I want to know what really happened and if it's worth you wasting your life."

Squall stood up angrily. "Wasting my life? You have no idea what it feels like to be me right now! You have no idea how helpless I feel!" He smashed his fist into the wall.

"No," Zell told him, "I don't know what you're going through right now. If you told me, maybe I'd understand why you let go of a wonderful girl like Rinoa."

"You'll never understand!" Squall shouted. "Just get the hell out of here, Zell!"

Zell shook his head. "Have it your way, man."

Squall shut the door and sank into his bed. Then, he did something he hadn't done since he was a child...he cried.

******************************************************************************************

Rinoa sat in her room, staring at the wall numbly. At first, it had hurt. Squall's words were like a knife slashing through her heart. The pain had been unbearable and she had retreated to her room, where she had been for the past two weeks. Of course, the intense pain was still there, but she had buried it deep inside her. Now, she felt nothing...she was completely numb.

A soft rapping on her door meant nothing to her. "Rinoa," Quistis called softly, "Please let me in. I'm worried about you."

She's worried about me? Rinoa thought. Well, let her worry. She doesn't have any idea what I feel like right now.

"Please, Rinoa." Quistis tried again. "It's about Squall."

Squall... She thought bitterly. Why did you leave me Squall? Was I not pretty enough for you? Was I too fat? Did my voice annoy you?

Quistis took a deep breath and prayed that her last attempt would work. "Rinoa...Squall's been hurt...badly."

Ha, Squall's been hurt. Squall's been hurt?! Rinoa sprang up from her chair and opened the door. "What happened?" She asked quickly.

"Can I come in?" Quistis asked gently.

Rinoa nodded impatiently. "What's wrong with Squall?"

Quistis shut the door and faced Rinoa. "He's hurting because he lost you."

Rinoa looked away in disgust. "Get out, Quistis. I don't want to hear about Squall's pain."

Quistis nodded. "You're right. How about your pain?" She sighed. "I know you've been suffering, Rinoa, you can't hide that from me. Something happened between you and Squall two weeks ago, but I don't know what. However, whatever happened, you still love him."

Rinoa snorted. "Thanks for the psycho-analysis, Quistis. You know exactly what's going on in my head, huh?"

"No, Rinoa, I don't!" Quistis said in frustration. "Only you can know that. You're hurting...horribly, and I want to help you."

The pain inside of Rinoa pushed to the surface and she collapsed to the floor. "He left me, Quistis. That's what happened. I told him I loved him and he left me."

"Oh, Rinoa." Quistis hugged her friend. "Do you know why?"

"No." Rinoa sobbed. "He just said it was over between us and then he was gone."

"It's going to be okay." Quistis reassured her. "Things will get better."

They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Without permission, Caraway entered the room. "I need to talk to my daughter."

Quistis nodded. "I'll see you in a little while, okay Rinoa? If you need anything, just call." She gave her friend another hug and left.

"Why are you here?" Rinoa demanded as she stood up.

"I read about what happened to you." He told her. "I came to see how you were doing."

"How am I doing? Do you really wanna know? How would you feel if the man that you loved walked away from you forever?"

"What did Squall tell you? He finally admitted to being a danger, huh?"

Rinoa looked at him strangely. "What? Why would he be dangerous to me?"

"Well, it was his fault that you got kidnapped in the first place. I'm just relieved that the boy finally came to his senses and heeded my advice." Caraway said satisfied.

"Your advice?" Then Rinoa understood. "He went to go see you that night you called him, didn't he?"

Caraway nodded. "That is correct. I told him that he was a danger to you and he should leave you before it was too late."

"Why would you do something like that?!" Rinoa asked incredulously.

"I was merely concerned for your safety, Rinoa." He told her. "I thought it was the best thing to do."

"Well you thought wrong! Squall is not a danger to me, and even if he was, I wouldn't care because I love him. Now I'll never know if he felt the same way..."

"Oh, he loves you alright. He wouldn't have listened to me if he didn't." Caraway told her.

"How would you know?" Rinoa cried. "Please, just leave before I loose it."

Caraway sighed. "Very well. I really did all this for you, Rinoa, and I am telling the truth when I say that Squall loves you. I know you don't believe me, but it is the truth." That said, he turned and left.

Author's Note: *Cringes* This was so bad! Sorry!