Disclaimer: I do not own FF8 … oh, what a big surprise. So do not sue me because I will send rabid monkeys after you.
~Chapter 4: Storm of Anger~
Rinoa tiptoed her way up the stairway to her room. A nice shower and a good night sleep would be comforting. Or at least it would temporarily ease the pain gnawing at her mind, spirit and heart.
She quietly entered her room and softly shut the door behind her. Sensing something wasn't quite right in the area she rapidly flicked on her light.
"What, no Squall?" Quistis asked.
Selphie was beside her, perched on Rinoa's desk. Rinoa gaped, "How did you get in here? My parents let you in here?"
"Nope!" Selphie seemed her regular hyper self, "We climbed up here!"
Rinoa rolled her eyes, "Weren't you afraid of breaking a nail or something?"
"What we go through for you." Quistis smiled mockingly. "Anyways, where's Squall?"
"He left after jumping up my ass." Rinoa replied sarcastically.
Missing the tone of the remark Quistis replied shockingly, "Are you serious?"
"She was joking, Quisty." Selphie covered for Rinoa who was rubbing her temples in annoyance.
"So … um … what happened?" Selphie asked as casually as the moment allowed.
"We went for dinner, we went for a movie and here I am."
There was a slight silence and Selphie whispered jokingly, loud enough for Rinoa to hear, "And that's how she failed creative writing."
"Oh fuck off." Rinoa fell back onto the bed in exasperation. "I don't know what to do."
"Ah, 'tis love." Quistis giggled.
Rinoa screwed her face into a grimace, "No, it isn't. I just … I … I'm not going to see him again."
"What? Why not?" The two others said in unison.
"Because I told him so." A slight tingling feeling invaded Rinoa's senses as a swift period of realization dawned on her.
"Because I told him so …" Rinoa's voice was weak and she flipped over, shoving her face in a pillow.
The two friends closed in and listened to the mumbles emitting from the pillow. They could make out only a few words, "Shit … dumbass … why?"
And then some more whining. Quistis threw up her arms in frustration and sat on the bed. "Why? You're asking, why? Why is this happening? Because you're a dumbass in waist deep shit!"
Quistis hit the nearby pillow in midst of her anger and then continued, "You liked the guy and he liked you. What happened two years ago didn't matter, Rinoa. Right now, you're being a stupid bitch."
Selphie looked at the pissed blond in awe. Never would she have thought that this other wise, calm and cool individual could be so … cruel. Still Selphie didn't understand everything that was going on.
"Um … did I miss something? What happened two year ago?"
"Two years ago …" Quistis sighed. "Ask her."
"Rinoa?" Rinoa didn't respond. "Rinoa? What happened two years ago?"
Still receiving no response Selphie began phase 2 of the information extraction operation: Threatening. "If you don't tell me, I'll start singing, wake up your parents and then tell them you went on a date with Squall."
"What, they didn't know?" Quistis looked genuinely surprised, "Usually nothing gets by Caraway."
"What do you want to know?" Rinoa lifted her face from the pillow and propped her chin on it instead.
"What happened two years ago," Selphie stated, "and don't tell me to ask Quistis."
"Fine." Rinoa grimaced yet again. "Two years ago … I went to a new year's party. Typically, political gatherings. So that year, he kissed me and I've sort of-"
"Details, I need details." Selphie urged.
"He kissed me … can it be any more detailed?" Rinoa grinded her teeth in annoyance.
"Yes it can. I give you the example-" Selphie began but Rinoa interjected.
"Ok, I don't want to hear how Irvine kisses. You aren't getting details on how Squall kisses either." Rinoa said and continued, "So ever since then I've sort of … been in love with him."
"Really been in love with him." Quistis offered.
"Shut up." Rinoa retorted, "And then … a couple of week after the New Year's party … the newspapers said he'd found a girlfriend. You know … she's pretty and I can see why he likes her but … if he was already in love with her why did he kiss me?"
There was a short silence and then Rinoa continued, "I mean, I thought he really liked me and just the fact that …he already had someone else. I don't know. I loved him … I still do but …"
"You don't want to get hurt again." Selphie replied softly. "Is he still with her?"
"Don't know." Quistis filled in. "I saw that newspaper article as well. We haven't heard from her since, though."
Rinoa sighed and flopped over and got up to a sitting position, "So I told him he wasn't my type."
"What?" Quistis hissed trying to retain a shriek, "He's everybody's type Rinoa! Did you see his body? His eyes? Helloooo Rinoa? That is one of the stupidest things you've done."
"Thanks Quistis." Rinoa whispered, "Always nice to have your input."
"Ok, ok, ok. Maybe not everybody's type." Quistis said slowly, "Almost everybody but not everybody."
"That doesn't make me feel any better." Rinoa didn't look at either of her friends, "Because I know he's my type and that I have no other type."
The group stayed silent as Selphie and Quistis looked at each other helplessly. Outside the hail began falling.
***
"I don't know what went wrong. I seriously don't know." Squall held his head in his hands. He was back at Balamb Garden and had made it just before the weather had started getting ugly.
"Does she know about Sarah?" Sefeir was always there, for moral support or just to be an asshole.
"No. There was only one article on Sarah and that was in the 'Wallstreet News'. What are the chances that Rinoa is an active stock holder?"
"Maybe she wanted quick cash." Sefeir offered.
Squall grunted and sat back in his commander chair. Sefeir continued pondering what Squall could have done that pissed Rinoa off. Well, Squall was the issue at hand here and the list of stupid things that he had done was extensive.
"Well, does she know that you're …"
Guessing what the other commander was poking at, Squall practically shouted, "I already said, NO!"
"No, no. I didn't mean about that. I don't ask the same questions twice Squall, rest assured. I was presenting the issue: Does she know you're gay?"
"I'm not gay, you faggot." Squall hissed.
"Ok, you're a gay and you're in denial." Sefeir grinned.
"You're not fucking helping!" Squall shouted and pounded his fists on his desk.
"Ok, ok, ok. Just go apologize to her. Just say 'I'm sorry.'. That what chicks want to hear."
"She isn't just a chick." Squall countered.
Sefeir stayed silent for a moment and then added, "Well … you're right. She isn't just a chick. You really like her don't you?"
"Yah … I do." Squall responded truthfully, "She's the one I've liked since before I even liked girls."
***
There was snow. On top of that snow it had rained … and then frozen. A thick layer of ice covered the snow. Driving conditions were terrible, dozens of accidents had been reported, school was cancelled but what did he care? He was climbing.
The Caraway mansion was particularly easy to climb because of the 'quoins' on the side of the house. So he climbed.
His fingers were cold, and he was getting vertigo. Finally he arrived at a window. Taking a chance he began edging towards the window ledge. Carefully opening the window with delicate ease he entered the room. SeeD training had taught him how to break into people's houses. Lovely skill to have handy.
Well, this was Rinoa's room because she was standing there, next to her desk ready to scream her head off.
"It's me. Don't yell, please." Squall begged.
"What the hell are you doing here?" She hissed. "It's 7:30 A.M.!!! Can't you use a door like everyone else?"
"I didn't want to go by your father." He explained hastily. "Anyways … I just wanted to come apologize! And, what are you doing awake at 7:30 A.M. dressed and everything?"
"First of all, Squall, do you even know what you're apologizing for?" Rinoa dodged the other question.
"No I was hoping you would know." He countered, "I just don't get you. I-"
"You don't get me? Try switching the situation." She retorted.
"How can you not get me? Can I be more obvious? I like you …ok? I … asked you out on a date … threatened you on a date. I like you a lot, ok? I'm happy when I'm with you. What else do you want?"
"Right, so I'm your current love interest." She snapped and then added rather cruelly, "So who's the highlight for next week?"
He stood there, shocked, his mouth slightly ajar at her brutality. Then finding the only thing written in his heart he said, "You. And the week after that, and then the week after that until I die."
"Look I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was engaged but-"
"You're engaged!?" She shrieked, "Ok, I thought you had a girlfriend but now you tell me your engaged?"
He closed his eyes. She knew about Sarah but she didn't know about the engagement. He was such an idiot.
"You didn't know." He said more as a statement then as a question.
"Get the fuck out …" She said quietly.
"Rinoa, I can explain. It's not me-"
"Get out Squall." She said as calmly as before, looking at her feet.
His eyes filled with pain as he turned away and exited through his entrance. Her eyes filled with tears as she went over to her bed and collapsed face first.
***
It was a perfectly normal morning for Sefeir. He yelled and cursed at different SeeDs and flirted with three different girls. He was having a wonderful morning until his secretary announced the arrival of Squall Leonheart.
He never minded seeing Squall; it was the state in which he walked in that bothered him. His head hung low and it looked at if he had stepped on a land mine.
"What the fuck is up your ass?" Sefeir asked immediately but already knew the answer, "Rinoa flushed you?"
"She didn't know about the engagement … and I opened my mouth …"
Sefeir started laughing hysterically, "You stupid, stupid, son of a bitch."
"This isn't funny, it feels like I've ruined my whole fucking life!" Squall exclaimed.
"Well, basically you have. I mean, without Rinoa you're stuck with Sarah." Sefeir said in an as-a-matter-fact way.
"Sefeir … I need help, not a status report." Squall sank back in a guest chair, "What am I supposed to do. It's not my fault, I didn't-"
"Oh good excuse Squall. Blame it on daddy." Sefeir looked at his companion piteously.
"Well I didn't choose it this way!" Squall said in his own defense.
"Pull your pants up, you asshole. Tell your fucking father to-"
"I can't! Don't you get it? The news is coming out tomorrow. I would disappoint my father so much if I-"
"Well then, you've lost her. She's gone. Get out of my office." Sefeir swerved his rotating office chair around to face the window.
Squall looked at him helplessly, "Please Sefeir, I need your help."
"I'll talk to her." Sefeir said simply. "Until then, stay out of my face."
Squall obediently got up and left. The clock struck noon.
***
Sefeir entered the Caraway mansion led by a maid. He had asked to see Caraway but that was only a cover-up. He would lead the old man into a pointless conversation and then ask about Rinoa. Without looking too suspicious, or so he hoped.
"Hello Sefeir." Caraway greeted him heartily. Caraway was always polite to Sefeir for the sole reason of his commandership at Galbadia Garden.
"Hello sir, I just thought I'd drop by. Galbadia garden is doing fine. SeeD exams are next week." He smiled.
"Ah, yes. I wouldn't doubt the situation of Galbadia garden; it's in good hands. Are all the students behaving?"
Sefeir allowed himself a chuckle, "Well, there are always rebels but otherwise, everything is under control."
Caraway smiled slightly, "So how is Squall Leonheart? I haven't seen him for a while actually, I didn't get to chat with him at the New Year's party."
"Squall's doing fine. A little depressed lately but hey, he'll cheer up." Seizing the opportunity he asked, "Hey, where's Rinoa?"
"Oh, I think she's up in her room. It's up the stairs to the right. Go see her. Meanwhile I'll fill out some work papers."
Sefeir raised both eyebrows in slight surprise. Caraway was suggesting that he go up to Rinoa's room? And stay and chat without supervision? Well, miracles happen everyday. Sefeir climbed up the stairs and turned a right.
He knocked. He rarely knocked, ever, but he didn't want to bust into the room. "Come in." Rinoa's voice came from beyond the door.
So he did. Shutting the door behind him and looking around the room.
She was sitting at her desk with a laptop. She must have been working on some holiday assignment for school.
"Hey Rin." He smiled.
"Sefeir, hey!" Sefeir remarked how she was able to mask her sadness so cleverly. "I haven't seen you in so long."
He smirked, "Yah well, I'm still the wonderful, smart guy you knew back three years."
"Wow you've changed." She allowed herself a smile and then frowning slightly she swerved off subject, "He asked you to come here."
Sefeir sighed sadly and nodded his answer, "He really likes you. The engagement was an accident."
"Yeah, I can tell it must have been one of his 'Whoops' moments. Maybe the ring fell out of his pocket." Rinoa's words were scarred with sarcasm.
Sefeir sighed once more and advanced towards her, "I just thought that maybe you should know … the engagement is supposed to be made public tomorrow in the papers. He's not happy, he didn't decide and it's not his fault."
"Of course not." She said bitterly and even more sarcastically then before, "Must have been that the pocket wasn't deep enough."
Sefeir bit his lip and turned around to leave but then said, just before exiting, "He'd do anything for you … and I'm sure you'd do the same for him."
***
Sarah pranced around the room happily, her dirty blond hair was cut a little longer then shoulder length and it was styled professionally. Her gray eyes glinted in her happiness. Squall watched her go, slightly emotionless.
"Isn't so exciting?" Sarah asked, looking into the commander's eyes.
He had taken a dislike to her eyes and he missed the soft brown eyes of Rinoa, "Whatever." He replied.
"What's that supposed to mean? In a few short hours the whole world will know we're engaged." She smiled.
"In a few short hours my life will end because I'll probably never see Rinoa again." He thought painfully. "Yah, isn't it great."
Squall's train of thought continued, "And you know what's also real great? When I fuck you, I won't even be thinking of you. Isn't that wonderful?"
"You know I've picked out a few names for our children!" She clapped her hands together, "I think four kids are a good number. Two girls and two boys. The girls' names will be-"
Squall wasn't listening, his train of thought hadn't reached the terminus, "There will be two kids. The girl's name will be Riana, she'll have raven hair like her mom and blue eyes like me. The boy's name will be Kevin and he'll have hair like mine … but brown eyes like his mom."
"The boys' names will be Jeffery and Jason, they'll look exactly like you and-"
Squall wasn't paying attention. They would both be smart kids because neither of their parents were stupid. Squall thought that maybe a dog in the family would be a good idea. And a nice little house in Balamb.
Fingers were snapped in his face and his eyes met those of Sarah. She questioned him suspiciously, "Are you listening?"
***
Rinoa looked through her window to the dark night eclipsing daylight. The streetlights reflected on the icy snow and the full moon was gleaming in the sky.
"If you really love me Squall, I just want to let you know that I loved you too. I did … but I'm letting go now."
Lying on the rug, Angelo took note of the lie.
Sammy-Chan: No this is not the end. Please, keep those reviews coming and that other chapter'll be up soon. Yah. HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!! Heh heh, sorry, I had to do that. So I really, really, really hoped you liked it, eh? Thank you and please R&R