## SIX ##
"Awww,come on!!" screamed Zell as he slammed his fist onto the table,drawing a few students' attention."You gotta be kidding?!?!"
"No,I'm not..." replied Squall calmly.
"Why can't ya tell us?" hissed Zell.
"He gave his word to the headmaster.What else?" chipped in Irvine.He waved a hand at Squall."Well,I don't care if you want to keep it to yourself.But I sure wanna congratulate ya for smacking that scar onto Almasy!"
"Grrr...." Zell grabbed a hotdog and squeezed it so hard the sauce in it flowed out without mercy.
"Sorry..." Squall apologised."But I really--"
"Hey,Zell.." Zell perked up immediately at a familiar voice and jumped up in attention,whirling round.
"Leane!" His annoyance was forgotten at once.A huge,silly smiled plastered his face.As he hugged her,Irvine sighed and rolled his eyes before leaning to Squall and muttering,"He never learns..."
"Whatever..."
"Hey,you know,I'm kinda wondering why you're not a SeeD..." Irvine frowned."Your skills are--"
"I broke an exam rule," Squall pointed out quickly.
"Oh yeah...forgot 'bout that..." Irvine withdrew himself and casually took a long gulp of his drink.Squall observed the excited Zell for a while before his attention was taken by a couple making out shamelessly,earning awed and shocked stares from students.
Oh no.....
Seifer...and Quistis..
What the hell are they trying to prove?That they're already a couple? Squall had to fight the urge to blurt out the secret he was suppose to keep,but he remained calm and controlled.After all,everybody makes mistakes...
Yeah...nobody's perfect....
"You going for the SeeD inauguration party?" asked Irvine.
"I guess I will if I've got nothing else to do...." replied Squall."Are you?"
"Of course!Who wouldn't miss even a minute of fun?" Irvine snorted."I heard there won't be any band,though...." He sighed in disappointment.
"Don't tell me it's just gonna speeches and all that the whole time through!" Squall looked shocked.
"Nah...there's gonna be an orchestra,I heard.One of the local ones,I don't know which.I don't know why the headmaster didn't want another rock band!" Irvine said,annoyed.
I can answer that.He doesn't want--
"Anyway," Irvine continued,breaking Squall's thoughts."There's gonna be dancin'!That's the point!"
"Dancing?To....an orchestra?" Squall blinked.
"You know,waltz!Couples holding each other and swinging 'bout?" Irvine waved his hands frantically.
"Oh...yeah..." Squall scratched his chin lightly."Then it wouldn't be that bad...I think I'll go..."
If... He added silently in his mind.
If Rinoa goes too....
** ** ** ** ** **
Squall stood outside dorm 304 and frowned.Was this the room?He wasn't inclined of knocking at some unknown student's dorm door...
Geez...no venture,no gain... He raised his hand and gave a 'knock-knock'.Waiting rather impatiently,he rubbed his hands together.Please...please...let me be correct...
He heard footsteps.Then the door opened cautiously.
Yeah!
Rinoa peered at him,surprise filling her eyes.For some reason,he simply stared back at her mutely.
"Yes,Squall?" she asked.
"Oh...good...so this is your room...." Squall grimaced silently after his lame words.Way to go....
Her eyebrows arched higher."Excuse me?"
"I mean...never mind..." He laughed lamely.
"Yeah?" she prompted.
"Are you going to the SeeD inauguration party?" he blurted out.She stared at him for a while.
"No...why should I?Did the headmaster say so?"
"Not really...I just...thought we could go together..." Noooooo....
Rinoa once more stared at him.Then she pushed the door open wider and leaned against the door frame,crossing her arms.He could vaguely see the inside of her room,but his eyes went to rest on her hazel ones.
"Wait a minute.Are you asking me out?" she demanded.
"Nooo...." He knew his answer was too immediate."I just...well...since I don't have a date,and I'm sure you don't as well,I thought maybe we could just go together and try and enjoy each others' company."
Nice going... His head sneered at him.
"You want to...go with me?" She was plainly shocked and amazed.
"It isn't a date.Really!" He pressed on."Will you?"
"Why me?You're a popular guy....there're plenty of girls out there for you to choose..."
"If I go with one of them,she'll think I'm trying to start a relationship with her!Oh,come on,you're practically the only girl friend I have now!I mean,girl friend,as in,a friend who is female,and not--" he hastily began to explain,but she cut in.
"I understand what you mean..."
"So...is that a yes?" He looked at her hopefully.Please...please...please...
When she looked at little doubtful and unsure,he pressed on again,"Come on,please?You need time off!Please,please,please?"
She gave him a weird gaze,then dropped her stare to the floor.
A beat.
"You said....it's not a date,right?You better be right.I don't want everyone else thinking we have something more..." Rinoa said,a tone of iciness in her voice.Squall immediately nodded.
"Nothing more!I'm absolutely sure of it..." he replied.
"Alright,I'll go..." She seemed reluctant.All the same,he was relieved by her answer.He smiled and gestured to his watch.
"It'll start at 7:30.We'll meet there,okay?" He didn't want to say that he'd come and pick her from her dorm,then have dinner together.God,she might think that he was lying about they being 'nothing more' and change her mind!
"Okay..." She nodded.As she closed the door,Squall notice a slight smile creeping onto her lips.
He stood in front of the door without a reason before he finally walked off.
** ** ** ** ** **
The atmosphere was cool and tranquil.Squall waited patiently at the hall entrance,adjusting his collar regularly.He glanced at his watch.7:45.Where was Rinoa?Did she forgot?Or maybe she changed her mind?
He averted his attention to the centre of the hall for a moment.The whole place was decorated with all kinds of stuffs,from ribbons to balloons.A long,huge table of food was placed on the other side,causing many students to crowd around and grab something to munch .An orchestra was seated at an end,playing soft,soothing melodious tunes.
Squall tried to find Irvine or Zell,but both his friends were no where to be seen.The instructors and staffs were all seated on the stage,but the headmaster and his wife,Edea Kramer,weren't there,though.
He pulled at his collar for the last time just as an impressed voice called out,"It's fine.You don't have to adjust it anymore."
Squall turned at once and froze.
Oh....
My....
God....
A tiny smile on her face,Rinoa stood in front of him without another word.She wore a sleeveless,silky dress,cream-coloured like her skin and hugging her slender figure.What took Squall's breath away was the sudden beauty she potrayed as her dark,shiny hair fell loose around her heart-shaped face.
Keeping calm,he grinned and said bluntly,"Whoa, you look good..." Not to mention gorgeous...
"Thanks.You don't look too bad yourself..." She stepped back and eyed his simple Garden uniform carefully.
"I didn't particularly want to wear a tux or something..." he admitted rather seriously.She covered her mouth with her hand and gave a soft laugh-like noise.Hearing her laugh for the first time,he simply stood rooted to the floor and stared at her.
She can laugh?? His absent-minded mind countered stupidly.
"Well,are we gonna stand here the whole night?" she said good-humouredly.
She can joke??
"Uh...no..." he replied,staring harder at her.His gaze must have been really surprised,since her smile faltered and she turned away self-consciously.He blinked and came to his senses at once.
"Okay!Why don't we go grab some food and then...err...hang around?" he suggested.
"I'm not really hungry...but if you are,we can--"
A cocky,sneering voice interrupted her rudely,"Why,hello,Squall,Ms.Heartilly...."
A flash of anger blazed in Squall's eyes as he turned,suddenly irritated.
"What the hell do you want,Seifer?" he growled,ignoring Quistis who was leeched to her grinning so-called boyfriend.Rinoa took a panicked step back and quickly shrank behind him when Seifer raised an eyebrow at her,slyness mirroring in his eyes.
"Lookin' good,Ms.Heartilly.I wonder,do y--" he began but Squall snapped at him in a voice that even shocked himself,"Stay AWAY her...."
"What's the matter,Squall?Can't stand me hitting on your girlfriend?Or would ya want me to add another scar for ya...?" Seifer's eyes gleamed dangerously.Quistis gave a dreamy sigh and cooed,"Oooh,Seifer,that voice was soooooo sexy!"
What the hell...?! Squall stared at Quistis in shock.She threw him a dull look and leaned up to Seifer,kissing him on the lips.Squall stared even harder.
She's trying to make me jealous.... He gritted his teeth.Surprisingly,he didn't feel hurt or sad just then.He simply cast the smooching couple an irritated look,took Rinoa's hand,Hm?She isn't resisting? and led her away,trying to ignore the moans and sounds behind him.A few other students were already observing the passionate couple.
When he reached a secluded and safe spot somehere near the food table,he released his grasp on Rinoa's hand and reached out for some drinks.He could still sense Rinoa's anxiety.
"Punch?Or juice?" he asked nobly,holding out two glasses,each filled with a different drink.
"I'll take this.Thanks..." She took the glass of punch and gulped it down as if she needed a cool drink.Just as Squall was beginning to take a sip of his orange juice,her glass was already empty.
"Err...if you want another--" he complied.
"No,no...it's okay..."
Shrugging,Squall took another sip of his drink and rested his eyes on the dancefloor,which was filled with students waltzing around.So Irvine was right.... He tried to find Zell and Irvine again and finally saw them dancing with Selphie and Leane.Irvine was doing great,but poor Zell seemed lost in his waltz.Squall grinned.
"Eyes On Me..." murmured Rinoa beside him.He turned to her in surprise.
"Huh?"
"This song...don't you know it?" She gestured towards the orchestra.Only then did Squall realise that the musicians had change their song to a more soothing and beautiful piece.
"No..." Squall answered,and got a surprise when Rinoa replied,"My mother wrote and sang it..."
He stared at her in amazement."Your...your mother?"
"Julia Heartilly...you don't know her?"
"I'm not one for music...but I think I've heard of her before..." Yeah..I think...
A tiny smile touched Rinoa's lips.She turned to Squall and reached out for his hand."Come on..."
"To where?" He resisted.
"Where else?" She nodded towards the dancefloor.He looked horrified and shook his head at once.
"Hey,wait!No way!I can't dance!" he said,panicked.
"I can.My mother used to teach me when I was younger.Come on..." she coaxed,slipping her hand into his and gently pulling him towards the dancefloor.
"I thought you said you didn't want the other students to have another impression on us!" he hissed but she merely shrugged and said,"It's just a dance...no big deal..."
When they reached the place,Squall could have sworn he heard her murmur,"I changed my mind..." but he couldn't ask anymore questions as she placed one of his hands at her slender waist and laid hers on his shoulder.Their other hands held onto each others'.
"Now,don't be difficult,please.Consider it just a...well..skill..you have to learn..." Rinoa said coolly.Squall narrowed his gaze at her but he replied,"Okay,fine.Note that it's for your sake..."
Smiling slightly,she nodded."Okay.First you just have to listen to the music,and then try to move along with it,following the rhythm.Like this...one..two...three....one..two..three..."
Squall tried his best to understand what she was telling him,but being the intelligent student he was,he got the hang of it after a few minutes.By the time the music reached its chorus,both of them were already able to dance a perfect waltz,impressing some other couples nearby.As if they were in a world of their own,their graceful dancing continued,their attention only on each other.
"Whoa...look at that!" Irvine stared,wide-eyed as he slowly swayed along with Selphie.They were both staring at Squall and Rinoa in surprise.
"I'm not dreaming,am I?" Zell came next to him with Leane."Tell me that guy isn't Squall!"
"It is..." Selphie grinned and then turned back to Irvine."Well,shall we continue?"
"My pleasure," Irvine said.
** ** ** ** ** **
Nayle observed the students below the stage as he took a sip of his champagne.His eyes suddenly caught sight of something and he sat up straighter for a moment before nudging Headmaster Cid,who was sitting beside him.Leaning in,he whispered,"Hey,Cid.Take a look at that..." He pointed at Squall and Rinoa among the crowd of students.
Cid stared out carefully.A look of satisfaction clouded his face and he smiled warmly.Then he took his glass of champagne and raised it to Nayle in a toast.
"Here's to that..." His smile widened."Cheers."
Awwwwwww,so sweet!!!Stay tune for the next chapter!!!Rinoa and Squall's relationship blooms and hopefully,her secret will also be revealed!!Angel Wings and Dark Raion,I said before that I'll post up chapter 7 up too,but....well...I'll delay it for a while!!
**I know that a lot of people will be wondering about Rinoa's and Julia's second name.Let's just say that the name Caraway doesn't exist at all..