For those of ya who're hoping that Squall and Rinoa may share a kiss soon,you'll have to wait a little longer!!!There is some Squinoa action in this chapter...not much,but it's promising....their first kiss would be S-P-E-C-I-A-L!!!!Rinoa-J,you wanted Rinoa to be a lil nicer,right?Well,she's gonna be extremely sweeeeeeeeeeet to Squall from now on!Ahhh.....I'm talkin a lot now...just read.....
## FIVE ##
Squall opened his eyes slowly and was greeted with the sight of a high,white ceiling.He blinked a few times to adjust to the sudden brightness and carefully sat up,pressing a hand on his forehead.He heard the sound of footsteps walking to him,then a kind voice spoke.
"Ah,you're awake.That's good..."
Inhaling a long breath,Squall raised his head and saw the Balamb Garden doctor and counsellor,Dr.Kadowaki.She smiled at him and stood beside the bed he was on.
"What happened?" he asked,massaging his temples.
"That cut was quite deep,but luckily,you didn't loose a lot of blood.A bottle of Elixir was enough to clear it up....but....it'll leave a scar,though," explained Dr.Kadowaki patiently.Squall sighed and suddenly caught sight of his reflection in a mirror behind the doctor.His eyebrows rose.
A brown scar was diagonally between his eyes from the upper right to the lower left.His fingers touched it lightly.
"Oh great...." he groaned,falling onto his back once more.Zell and Irvine might think it as cool,but what would the other students think?Squall didn't want to mess his head up with that alarming thought.
He suddenly remembered what had happened during the SeeD Field Exam.Sitting up again,he looked at Dr.Kadowaki,who was busy writing on a notepad.
"How's Rinoa?What happened to her?" he asked.The doctor looked up,her eyes surprised.
"Oh,she wasn't seriously injured...got attacked by a Grand Mantis,she said..." Dr.Kadowaki paused for a while,hesitating."Um,she also said something about that other student,Seifer Almasy,right?"
"Yeah." The bastard...
The doors of the Infirmary slid open as Headmaster Cid walked in casually,his usual calm expression on his face.He smiled when he saw Squall and the doctor.
"Ah,Mr.Leonhart.It's good to see that you are alright." The headmaster advanced to him,his hands behind him.
"Thank you for your concern,sir," replied Squall politely.
"So that wound left a nasty scar,eh?Don't worry...you look fine..."
I hope... "Yes,sir."
A pause.
Cid cleared his throat and turned to Dr.Kadowaki inquiringly.As if he was sending telepathic messages to her,she nodded understandingly and went out of the Infirmary,still scribbling on her notepad.Cid turned back to Squall,who was looking astonished.
"Ms.Heartilly told me everything." Squall looked up at the headmaster at once.
"Every...thing?"
"I just need you to confirm something.Did Seifer Almasy....err...actually try to take advantage on Ms.Heartilly?"
Of course!!! "I'm positive,sir.When I reached the place,she was struggling with him.Plus,his trenchcoat and belt were on the ground...it's pretty obvious,sir...what he was trying to do...." Squall said defiantly.Cid nodded slowly.
"Ms.Heartilly had also said something similiar.I assure you,Mr.Leonhart,that action WILL be taken on Mr.Almasy.I'll see that the Disciplinary Committee knows..."
"One more thing,sir.He had magic on himself during the exam...that's how he got me off guard..."
"Breaking the exam rules....hmm....but I'm afraid you also did,Mr.Leonhart," Cid said with sympathy.Squall sighed and nodded.
"Yeah.Fighting with another cadet..." he admitted.
*No SeeDship for you,Squall...* a sneering voice sounded in his head.
Cid smiled."I'm glad you realise that,Mr.Leonhart.And....about Ms.Heartilly...I've also heard that you have tried to--how do you say it?--have a little interactions with her?"
Squall blushed unexpectedly.He ran a hand in his hair and smiled thinly."Umm....well...yeah.I guess I just wanted to know why she's always acting so...." he trailed off.
"Cold and unfriendly....anti-social...I know what you mean...." Cid completed his sentence.He exhaled heavily and pushed his hands into his pockets."Mr.Leonhart,your concern is very much appreciated,but I'm afraid I can just tell you this.Ms.Heartilly has her reasons for acting like that.I can't tell you anything else.Perhaps you will learn more if you try and gain her trust....?" Squall knew it wasn't a statement.It was merely an uncertain question.
"I'll try,sir.Um...is it already time for dinner?" Squall rubbed his hands together nervously.
"Dinner will start in a few minutes' time.In the meantime,why don't you get a shower and change into something more comfortable?" Cid replied.
"Yes,sir." Squall got up from the bed and stretched his limbs.He saw his gunblade leaning against the wall and took it up,strapping it at his waist.As he passed a mirror,he bent down to see his scar,grazing it lightly.
I wonder if Seifer also has a scar?My slash was pretty hard.... Shrugging,Squall followed the headmaster out.Zell and Irvine were there,fidgeting around anxiously.Relief clouded their faces when they saw him.
"Squall!Good to see ya,man!" Zell thumped him on the back.Irvine grinned and tipped his hat up.
"Hey,cool scar..." he remarked.
"Woooooow!!" Zell said in admiration,stepping back to get a good look at it."It fits ya!"
"Uh,whatever..." Squall replied.
"Hey,what happened,Squall?Ya gotta tell us!Man,when we went back for Seifer,he was crawling his pathetic ass towards the inn.Heard you and him had a fight,huh?" Zell said.
"I'll tell you everything later,okay?I need to take a shower,I'm bushed...God,I feel so damn tired that I think I'll miss dinner!" Squall groaned.
"Well,you can if you want to," said Irvine,sympathy on his face."Must have been hard work..."
"You can tell us tomorrow!" chipped in the eager Zell."Right?Please?"
"Sure." Squall felt his head aching."Hey,I'm going to my dorm...see you tomorrow..."
"Need a little help?" complied Irvine,but Squall shook his head.He looked around for Headmaster Cid and Dr.Kadowaki,but they were both not around.They were probably having some staff meeting....
" 'Night,Squall!" Zell said as he and Irvine took off to the Cafeteria.Squall waved them away and slowly made his way to the dormitories.All the students were having their dinners,so the hallways were all lonely and quiet.He didn't feel hungry at all,just tired.His head throbbed painfully.
Damn you,Seifer... he cursed silently.As he took out his swipe card to his dorm,he was about to open the door when a soft voice made him stop.
"Squall?"
He turned around at once,his headache disappearing like magic.Rinoa stood about a metre away from him.He suddenly noticed that her eyes were filled with concern and anxiety,making her seem more beautiful and human.Fascination struck him like lightning.
Wow...
"Oh,hey," he said casually.
She stared at him for a while,and he could see that her eyes were locked to his scar.He self consciously rubbed it.
"Oh God...it must have hurt like hell..." She reached out and pushed his hand away gently to trace the diagonal line.His heart took a big leapt to his throat as her skin touched his,but the only thing her could so was stand there and stare ahead like a zombie.
"It's...it's nothing...." he stammered."Um,you alright?I mean...Seifer didn't do anything to you,right?"
"I'm fine..." She drew back her hand and lowered her head.
Pause.
"I just....wanna thank you....you know,for saving me and all that..." she said.Squall suddenly gave out a laugh,loud and long.She looked up,a surprised expression on her face.
"What's so funny?" she demanded.
"It's just that you're always thanking me everytime we get to talk..." he answered and cracked up again.She studied him before turning away once more,a tiny smile carved on her lips.
"Really...I've never noticed..." she murmured.
"Hey,you missing your dinner or what?It's already 7:10 PM..."
"I'm not hungry..."
"Me too....how's your wound?Heard you got attacked by a Grand Mantis..."
"I'm fine," she said again,tucking strands of her raven hair behind her ear.
"No offense,but what happened to your weapon?You could've fight that Mantis off..."
Rinoa looked at him skeptically."Fighting isn't my forte..."
"Oh...."
"So...um..I guess I'll get back to my room..." Her voice was starting to get a little nervous,as if she was fighting to find the correct words to say.
"Like me to escort you?" he asked nobly.
"It's alright...you've already done enough for me...."
Squall grinned and nodded."Right...good night..." he greeted.Once more,her tiny smile touched her lips as she turned and walked off.Squall's blue eyes gazed after her,mesmerized.He opened his dorm door and walked in,placing his gunblade beside his desk.Suddenly feeling energyless,he took off his jacket and tossed himself onto the bed.
He was asleep in a second...
** ** ** ** ** **
Back in Rinoa's room,she sat on her bed,leaning against the wall.Her eyes were focused on a photograph she held in her hand.It was a picture of a good-looking man,a pretty lady standing beside him,and,in her arms,a young,smiling girl.
A tentative hand reached up to the silver ring at Rinoa's neck.She closed her eyes with a sigh and leaned her head back,taking long,deep breaths.She slowly drew her knees to her,hugging them.Dr.Kadowaki had taken care of her wound,but it still hurt a little.Her mind dived back to the moment when she was in the alleyway.She could still feel Seifer advancing to her,touching her like he owned her.She involuntarily shuddered at the thought.
And then HE came....he saved her....he scarred himself because of her....Rinoa sighed again and pressed her forehead onto her knees.She felt guilty towards him...but was it only guilt?There was another feeling....the feeling of.....
Of...
Admiration...
Her head snapped up.Admiration?!How could she admire a guy?She'd heard what people say....admiration turns to like....and like turns to...
Love.... Rinoa squeezed her eyes shut and ran her hands in her black hair.Love?!?!No way! After what had happened in her past,she was positively sure that she would never ever be ready for a romantic relationship with a guy.But she had to admit it,Squall Leonhart HAD intrigued her when he'd first offered to help her turn her computer on.She still remembered her cold reply.And then there was that moment at the balcony...how she'd snapped at him just because he asked a simple question...
Rinoa placed the photograph she held onto the desk beside her and wrapped her arms around her knees tighter.She tried her best to push away any thoughts in her mind(specifically thoughts about Squall...).
She just wanted to get some rest for once....
** ** ** ** ** **
The next few days passed,fortunately,with peace.The headmaster and SeeD Commander,Nayle Briggins,had announced the results of the SeeD Exams.The 2 lucky students were both from the senior cadets,Prest Lanne and Dylane Crey.
Headmaster Cid and Commander Briggins had a short private talk with Rinoa and Squall about Seifer after the announcement.They had decided that the incident that happened during the SeeD Field Exam should not be known by the other students,considering it'd ruin Seifer's image.Squall,though feeling a little angry,agreed,since one of his mottos was 'forgive and forget'.Rinoa drily said her 'yes' without much feeling.
"Wait,you haven't,by any chance,tell anyone else about this,have you?" Cid turned to Squall."Mr.Leonhart?"
Squall hesitated."Um,well...I WAS supposed to tell Zell and Irvine what happened,since they begged and begged me to.But I'll leave that incident out...." he admitted.Phew!!It's a good thing Zell was late for his class during breakfast...or I'd have already told them all about it....
"I'm glad to hear that.And please remember,Seifer will be heavily punished,but no one else is to know about this,alright?" Cid said,adjusting his glasses.
"We understand that it is quite a serious case,but if this is made known,Balamb Garden may even lose its good name..." Nayle added."Everyone else who knows about it,such as Dr.Kadowaki,has already promised to keep it down."
"I know,sir.You can trust me," replied Squall confidently."Er...how 'bout Seifer?He already knows,doesn't he?"
Geez,of course...
"Yes," said Nayle."And should anyone question you about the incident....well,I'm
sure you would know how to take care of that?"
"Yeah," answered Squall.Rinoa said nothing.
"I think that's all...." Cid frowned for a while."You may go."
"Thank you,sir." Squall looked inquiringly at Rinoa,who hastily mumbled something similiar.Then they both left the office.Cid stared at the closed office doors thoughtfully before looking at Nayle,who lowered himself on the seat in front.
"She still hasn't changed,has she?" Cid sighed."I'm beginning to wonder if bringing her here will do her good after all...."
"We just need time,Cid.That Leonhart boy has a very good record and behaviour.I'm sure if they...get along together all the time,she'll make it...." Nayle said with a smile,smoothing his black hair,with a few strands of grey in it,back.
"Well....I just hope you're right,Nayle..."
** ** ** ** ** **
"So...done your History homework?" asked Squall casually as he and Rinoa walked to the elevator from the headmaster's office.
"Just a little...I hate History..." she answered in a simple tone.
"Oh...why is that?"
"All the dumb dates and events and things like that..."
"It's really quite easy to remember if you do frequent studies on it.If you want,I can give you some tips on doing that..." Squall said helpfully,pressing the 1F button in the elevator.Rinoa gave him a small smile and replied,"Thanks,but I think you've helped me enough."
"Oh come on.It's no biggie.Or do you want me to drop by your dorm sometime and help you out?"
Rinoa threw him a grateful look but she shook her head."No,really...it's alright..."
"Oh well....okay..." Squall placed his hand on his hips and turned away.He suddenly realised that that moment would be perfect to ask her about what he was formerly dying to know.He sneaked a glance at her,noting her glossy raven hair and pretty features.
Okay....one.....two......
...........................
THREE!!!
"Rinoa,you know tha--" Squall began,only to be interrupted by the loud 'ding' of the elevator.The doors slid open and a group of junior students crashed in,talking fast and loud.The puny little fellows didn't even notice the older boy and girl behind them,or maybe they did,but didn't care.Squall gritted his teeth and groaned silently.He felt Rinoa leaning to him.
"You were saying?" she asked rather sweetly in a low voice.The group of boys in front didn't even look behind.
"Uh,never mind..." Squall replied.
Okay,I'm done.Exams are getting nearer so don't be surprised if you don't find any updates for a while!!Plz review!!!!!!!