Chapter 2

"So Seifer, what did you do with your life?"

Seifer took a sip of his drink and adjusted his arm around Quistis. His arm had been there the entire dinner, and he had recently let go of his grip on her hand. It was as if he needed her to prove that he had changed. Quistis saw that, and everyone else had come to the slow realization that he had. After a few drinks, even Squall had. Seifer was one of the group now, something he hadn't been in a long time.

Rinoa noticed that he kept sneaking little looks across the table at her, glancing away and pretending as though he wasn't ever looking at her whenever she caught him. Then he would turn back and give her his classic little cocky half-smile, and she would blush a bit. This went on during the whole dinner, through which Squall lightened up.

Even Selphie, who was stubborn at lunch, had changed her view towards him over a couple of hours.

Everyone had been drinking though, and perhaps that was why they seemed to like him.

Everyone but Rinoa had been drinking. Rinoa was pure, as always. She was constantly making sure that no alcohol ever touched her soft pale lips, fearing that she might become intoxicated with just one sip.

For some reason, just now she let go.

Everyone else seemed to, so she had some white wine. It matched her skin, whitest of white. Seifer nodded at her and stood up, slapping a twenty down on the table. He placed a cold hand on Quistis's shoulder, and whispered something in her ear. She nodded and took another sip of her red wine.

Rinoa excused herself and followed Seifer out the door, although she tried to be less obvious about leaving. It didn't matter, because no one would've noticed that she had left.

I'd walked casually up to Seifer, rubbing my shoulder as I went by. I remember bumping against a door, leaving a pink mark on my shoulder. I carefully walked behind him and then stood next to him.

We were leaning against a ledge overlooking the Balamb shore, his coat blowing gently in the wind. I traced the cross on his arm in my mind, remembering that one summer.

Less happened in that summer then had happened with Squall, surprisingly. I never really talked about it with anyone. All I could ever remember was how gentle Seifer was with me. He would never make me feel uncomfortable in any way whatsoever.

There were times when Squall made me feel very uncomfortable, but I could never tell him. That was just the way Squall was, and I would try not to worry about it.

At the time, I'd stopped and looked up and Seifer, who was inhaling the sea breeze deeply. I was guessing that we were the only sober ones in the group. We still had a long night of partying ahead of us.

Seifer looked down at me, probably anticipating me to say something about his past rebellion against us.

I wouldn't. I held myself from it, and silence followed.

It was a calming moment in time, myself and Seifer Almasy gazing out onto the sea. One might think we were a couple if they didn't know better. Finally he said something to break the moment.

"Remember when you were sixteen?"

I looked up at him again, curiously.

"I was just thinking that."

Something happened just then. It wasn't exactly awkward, just a nice pause. The first moment I ever realized his eyes were green.

"Seifer… you have green eyes."

He laughed and then grabbed my hand on instinct.

This wasn't the way it was supposed to be, I can now remember thinking. It's to be Squall and Rinoa, not Seifer and Rinoa. If it were, it would've worked out before.

I couldn't yank my hand away… it felt as if it had belonged there. I didn't know what I wanted then. I was happy for a second, and then…

Seifer let go.

"You're Squall's girl now. I'm sorry," he said, turning back to the dark water. I slowly turned back too, for some reason I was expecting more to have happened.

In a true love story, I would've leaned up to kiss Seifer, and Squall would run out of the restaurant to find me in his rival's arms. Squall would be furious and would push Seifer off of me, and demand an explanation. I would have to then choose between the rebel and the knight.

This obviously wasn't a real love story, and I the only choice I had to make, was whether or not to turn back towards the waves crashing heavily on the shore.

Squall wandered out of the restaurant, and didn't really bother to wander around the docks to look for Rinoa. He wandered around the parking lot, looking for his silver Spyder. Rinoa looked over at him with a little half smile, standing about six feet in front of him. He didn't notice her and continued to walk along the parking lot, in a dream-like state. He seemed to be walking away from Rinoa and away from his heart. She pressed her pale lips tighter together and fixed her gaze upon the ground as she turned back to the water.

It was vast and dark, lights dancing across it heading to the moon in the center, but never making it. Seifer tapped his cigarette against the railing and the water rippled, but the lights stayed in the water, rippling right along. Rinoa's reflection faded when the water rippled, partly because she had turned away from the water and was staring at Seifer.

Seifer, with his blonde hair smoothed back. His green eyes dark and shiny once filled with so much pain seemed so much gentler. His cold gloved hands holding a cigarette to his own pale lips and blowing out a perfect gray cloud of smoke that floated out in front of him and blew away in the wind. He looked down at Rinoa, noticing her gaze, and pulled the pack out of his pocket.

"Want a smoke?"

She shook her head and turned back to the water. He leaned back against the rail, throwing the cigarette into the water causing it to ripple again.

"Always the pure one, weren't you?" he asked sweetly. She looked up at him and thought that had it been anyone else who said that, she might've smacked them or stormed away.

There was something about Seifer though. It seemed like this was the way he had conversations.

"Yeah, but you already knew the answer to that anyway."

He gave a flash of his cocky half-smile to Rinoa and said, "Well you had something alcoholic tonight. First drink?"

She nodded and blushed, feeling somewhat too pure for her own good. He turned out into the water and asked, "What's it feel like?"

"What?"

"To be so pure for so long, and then finally get your first taste of sin?"

Rinoa suddenly wasn't sure she wanted to continue talking to Seifer, and turned around looking out to where Squall was, but couldn't see him anywhere. She sighed and leaned back against the railing, thinking that she might be able to take Seifer's questions for a little while longer.

"Well it was only one glass that I didn't even finish, and it was just white wine."

"It tastes like something though, and I'll never taste it."

"It tastes like grapes and smells like poison and it makes me dizzy and happy at the same time."

Seifer laughed a little and said, "That's what the white stuff will do."

"When'd you start?"

"Start what?"

"Smoking," Rinoa said, crossing her arms across her chest. Seifer took in a deep breath and said, "After I couldn't go back to garden."

He got up off of the railing and began to walk down the abandoned boardwalk. Rinoa ran after him and then finally caught up.

"How old were you when you-"

"When I tasted sin?" he laughed and continued, "I was way younger than you. 15."

She stared up in amazement and said, "But you were at garden, under strict… but Seifer, that's impossible."

"It wasn't for me."

"How?" she asked in disbelief.

"I snuck out and went to clubs in the middle of the night, and I'd cross the bridge to Dollet as soon as I could drive. Sometimes I would take little vacations from school and go to a hotel and party for a few days and then go back to class."

"Did you ever show up-"

"Drunk?"

Rinoa nodded and Seifer sighed and said, "Once, and the next day I thought that it would look suspicious if I ever did it again, so I had to come to class sober. As I got older I started drinking less because I would have to drive back to garden the same night and I was smart enough to know that I shouldn't be inebriated while driving."

"Did you ever got to class stoned?"

Seifer laughed and said, "I wasn't a druggie. I didn't even smoke then. I never thought drugs were that great unless I was already at a club and had a couple drinks. Then I thought that E and angel dust were the greatest inventions. I only took the truly dangerous drugs, just not the ones I had to shoot."

Rinoa stared up in shock but couldn't find any words except, "I'm cold."

Seifer smiled and took off his trench coat and handed it to her. She looked up at him, half expecting him to snatch it back, but he didn't look like he was about to.

She doubted it all, putting on another man's coat when she was already with Squall. It was only a coat though… and she was so far away from the parking lot where she last saw Squall, he would never know. Besides, he didn't seem to be too interested in finding her when she saw him in the parking lot. Suddenly full of a different confidence, Rinoa threw the coat over her shoulders and felt taken in by the mixed scent of smoke and cologne. She hugged it around her and tried to keep up with Seifer.

Seifer finally looked down at Rinoa and said, "I used to see you as a star you know."

Rinoa looked up and asked, "What made you think of that?"

It was a starless night; only the moon shining down onto the sea and the streetlights provided any light for the two to see each other.  Seifer continued, "Well, I just used to think you were so light and happy, and so white you looked like a star. I used to think that you shined more than any other star in the sky, in my sky," he said, giving her a little smile, "but now that I realize it, you never shined in your own sky."

Rinoa looked up at him curiously and he continued, "Maybe tonight is your night to shine."

He looked so full of confidence as he walked. He held his head high, and kept his hands in his pockets even though they were gloved. Rinoa had to skip a little to keep up with his long steady strides.

"Would you help me?"

"Help you shine?"

She nodded and he stopped and turned towards her. He began to move his face down towards hers, and then turned to the side and reached for the right pocket of his coat.

Rinoa let out a deep breath and looked down at Seifer picking through his coat pockets. All along she thought he still…

Seifer finally came back up holding out a red silk bag and said, "I was going to give this to Quistis, but she doesn't need it tonight. She's already a rock star siren without it."

Rinoa clutched it as though it contained all of the world's biggest secrets. She looked as if she were a little girl wearing Seifer's coat and clutching that bag. Rinoa turned to Seifer and asked, "What is it?"

Seifer laughed and said, "Don't worry, it's not pot."

Rinoa laughed along with him and then said, "Seriously though."

"Seriously? It's just little things that can turn you into someone else. Even if it's just for tonight."

Rinoa smiled and thought about the possibilities that this bag could contain. It was almost as if it was her Pandora's box, and opening it would let out all sorts of evils… but some good would come from it.

Even if it's just for tonight.

They were back at the parking lot, and she suddenly felt Seifer's hands reach down to her shoulders, pulling the coat off and throwing it around his. It was a perfect fit on him.

He leaned down by Rinoa's ear and said, "Don't tell anyone. It's between you and I, just like old times."

Rinoa nodded and Seifer motioned to the restaurant, where their friends were emerging. Squall seemed to appear out of the darkness, wandering up to Rinoa. Seifer walked to his car and said, "See you at the club."

Rinoa nodded, and noticed she was still clutching the red bag carefully. Squall walked up to her and smiled as he said, "Hi sweetheart."

Rinoa responded lightly, the words so soft Squall could barely hear them. He opened the car and said, "Could you get a ride with Selphie and Irvine? I'm done for the night."

Rinoa nodded. Squall turned back towards her and asked, "Are you sure you're going to be alright?"

She nodded again and said, "Love you."

He smiled, kissed her forehead, and got in the car. Rinoa backed away and headed towards Selphie's car.

Selphie pulled Irvine's arm off of her shoulders as Rinoa approached and said, "Need a ride?"

Seifer and Quistis sped past the group in a blur of silver, honking like mad and waving. They both looked so happy sitting together as they drove away…

"Hello? Rinoa?"

Rinoa turned back to Selphie and said, "Yeah, I'll have a ride. Thanks."

She opened the door to the back seat and Irvine said, "No, no. You get the front."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, it's fine," Irvine said, and opened up the door for her. She said happily, "Thank you, it's very nice of you, Irvine."

Irvine smiled and said, "It's nothing."

Selphie pulled out and rolled down the window, letting Irvine stick his head in.

"You going to get in the back or not?"

He shook his head and replied, "I have a ride."

"You do?"

"Yeah, I'll just go with Zell and Audrey."

Zell looked kind of pissed off in the background, thinking maybe he'd have some privacy with his beloved library girl, but Irvine just HAD to come."

Irvine smiled and said, "See you at the club."

Selphie leaned out the window, kissed him lightly, pulled back and drove away. Selphie smiled over at Rinoa and turned on the radio, blasting a poppy song as they sped down the busy streets of Balamb.

"You okay, Rinoa?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why?"

"You just seem… I don't know, kind of dazed."

Rinoa smiled and said, "No, I'm fine."

Selphie turned down the music a little bit. Rinoa decided to bring up a little conversation.

"Irvine's quite the gentleman."

Selphie smiled and said, "Yeah, isn't he great? I wouldn't change anything about us."

"Nothing?"

"Well, I wish he only had eyes for me… but he's getting better with that, really he is!"

"I believe you Selphie," Rinoa said, trying to comfort her friend.

That's how love should be, she thought. Nothing should be wrong, just little things that can be changed.

Selphie noticed the distressed look on Rinoa's face and asked, "Is anything wrong with Squall?"

Rinoa shook her head and said, "No, nothing's wrong with Squall. I'm fine Selphie, really I am. Just a little tired."

Selphie nodded and turned up the music. Rinoa looked over at her, finally noticing how pretty Selphie really was. It's hard to notice at first, but her brown hair was only slightly out of place, and blew a little bit in the wind coming in through the window. She took in short little breaths and had green eyes that shimmered in the neon signs they passed. Her skin was an almost perfect shade, and seemed so much darker compared to Rinoa's.

It seemed obvious now why Irvine loved her. Rinoa looked at her own reflection in the window. She was ghost white with no makeup and shiny black hair. That was Rinoa's complete description.

She looked down at the bag on her lap and Seifer's words flooded back to her.

It can turn you into someone else… even if it's just for tonight.