I'm finally back!!!Sorry for the long update,but I've been crazy over Metal Gear Solid 2 that I just couldn't put the PS2 controller down!Anyway,this here chapter will reveal Rinoa's so-called secret and....well....just read on....and one more!!Anyone out there play Metal Gear Solid 2?If you do,mail me and tell me the goddamn plot!Geez,I've played the game and beat it like 2 times but I still don't understand what the heck the whole game means!!!Patriots here and la-li-lu-le-lo everywhere!!Argggh!!!!
@@This chapter is dedicated to Athena88.Here's the return!!
## SEVEN ##
I can't believe I'm doing this... Squall gaze dreamily at Rinoa as they continued dancing along the music.He didn't know how their dance could be so...perfect.And all that time,a sensational feeling was growing in his heart as he stared deeply into her hazel eyes.The music was ending,but right then,he just felt that he didn't want to let that moment go.A shocking thought struck him.
Am I.....
His eyes widened.
.....am I falling in love....?
His mind quickly snapped back in time to control his hand to pull her back to him in a graceful swing.Just as the music ended,they were both hand to hand,body to body.His face was only inches away from hers and he could feel her warm breath on his neck.He suddenly realised that the hall had darkened slightly.A loud,thunderous noise above him made him look up.
Beautiful fireworks were blasting brightly in the dark sky.As the colourful sparks spread like wild fire,his attention was on Rinoa once more as she gently pulled away from his grasp.He looked down at her but it was too dark to see the expression on her face.
"You're a very fast learner....." she remarked.He couldn't help smiling.
"And you're an excellent teacher," he replied.
He returned to gaze at the beautiful fireworks above him,the smile still carved on his lips.Rinoa looked up too,but,oblivous to him,she observed him from the corner of her eyes.
"Ahem.May I have your attention,please?" the headmaster's voice suddenly rang out.All the students turned towards the stage at once.Cid was at the microphone,Commander Briggins sitting behind him with the other instructors and staffs.
"I hope you're all enjoying yourselves," stated Cid with a grin and was greeted with some cheers from the students.He let his eyes go smoothly over Squall and Rinoa,actually to see how they were doing.Then he continued,"That's good.As you all already now,this party is held specially for the new SeeDs,two of them.I wouldn't want to waste too much of your time,so let us start with the speech from our SeeD Commander Nayle Briggins."
The students clapped cherrily as Nayle smiled and went up to the microphone stand.Among the crowd,Rinoa suddenly retreated and proceeded to stand in a secluded area behind the students.Feeling her leave,Squall stared at her in surprise,but followed her without a word.Nayle was already starting his speech and everyone was silent.
"What's wrong?" Squall whispered,leaning to Rinoa.He noticed that she had a slight anxious expression on her face.
"Don't like crowds..." she replied simply,crossing her arms.
"Oh...." Squall blinked for a while,then shrugged.He rested his eyes on the stage where Nayle was talking,but no words registered in his mind.Even when the new SeeDs were giving their speech,he was still blank.
He suddenly realised that he really wanted to know why Rinoa kept everyone out of her life...
Except...
Except me....
** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
Squall stretched his arms and yawned.The inauguration party had ended 10 minutes just before curfew.He was tired through,though he didn't know why.Maybe it was that waltz.....
That thought of the dance snapped his mind to Rinoa.When the students were leaving from the hall,he had actually wanted to escort her to her room,then realised it would make other people 'think differently' on them.Both of them parted just as they reached the dormitories.
As he stripped off his shirt,walking to the bathroom for a quick shower,there was a knock at the door.He grumbled something under his breath,wondering who would come at a time like that.Reaching out for the door handle,he slid it open.His eyebrows arched up when he saw the person outside.
"Rinoa?" he gaped.She was looking quite demure at first,back in her uniform,but when she saw his half naked figure,she stiffened,a haunted look covering her face.Her eyes were wide in sudden horror.
Thinking she was shocked to see him like that,he hastily said,"Uh,hold on a minute..." He grabbed his shirt and quickly slipped it on again.
"What are you doing here?" he hissed in urgency."It's past curfew!"
"Can we talk?There's something I need to tell you..."
"Look,tomorrow,okay?It can wait,right?"
"It's important.."
"But it's past curfew!If the headmas--"
"Is there somewhere we can talk in private?"
"Are you crazy?Curfew--"
"Squall,please..." Her hazel eyes were begging him pleadingly.He inhaled sharply,suddenly feeling himself lost in those melting brown eyes.
He sighed."Alright.But be quiet.I don't want the DC coming after me....."
What is this all about?
** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** **
The Quad was lonely and tranquil.The only sounds heard were the rushing water from a nearby fountain and the singing crickets.Tiny bits of light from stars shone on the sky.
Squall lowered himself on the grass,making sure no one saw him.He didn't want to think about what would happen to him if he was caught...worse,if he was caught by the headmaster or commander....
Oh noooo....
Rinoa sat down beside him silently.He had noticed that she suddenly became extremely quiet and also a little nervous.She drew her knees to her and laid her arms on them as she looked up at the dark sky.Saying nothing because he somehow knew she was going to start sooner or later,Squall waited patiently.His curiousity was almost killing him.
Finally,she spoke.
"It's beautiful,isn't it?" Her voice was quiet.
Does she mean the sky? Squall blinked,but assumed so.
"Yeah..." he answered.
There was a silence again.Rinoa's hand reached up to her neck and carefully fingered the ring there.Squall sighed softly,but remained quiet.
"My...my mother...she died in a car accident when I was 13......" Rinoa said quietly.Squall raised his head to look at her in surprise,wondering why she was telling him that.
I guess she just needs relief...
"My father then married this businesswoman....my stepmother...I can't say she treated me badly...but...I always had this feeling that....she didn't really like me...I didn't tell my father,though....didn't want him to think that I had this grudge against her..."
Pause.
"2 years later,my father died in the Galbadia-Trabia War...."
"Um....war?" Squall's surprise grew.
"He was a Galbadian General...had been for years....my stepmother remarried....her husband was divorcee....he had a son....Lac,his name...a guy about 5 years older than me...."
Squall rubbed his hands together,an uneasy feeling crawling up his back.It was as if he knew something bad was going to happen....
"And....and that's when he started it...." Rinoa turned away,but it was no doubt that she was going to break down.Her voice was shaky and slightly haunted.
Yet another pause.
"That's when he started what?" Squall prompted gently.Her next few words sliced through his heart as shock overwhelmed him,causing his whole body to turn numb.
"That's when he started raping me...." Her voice was bitter.She was already crying,her hot tears rolling down her pale cheeks.She pulled her knees closer to her and sobbed."Every week...it was almost as if it was all on my schedule...my stepparents never got to know about it...Lac threatened that he'd kill me if I told anyone....."
Oh...oh my God.... Squall could just sit there and stare at her with wide eyes.
"I was so scared....so afraid....but after a few weeks,it was just too much for me....I told my neighbour...the police got to know about it...and then I was sent to an orphanage....then brought here....."
Damn....
"I couldn't put my past behind me....I thought that,if I acted unfriendly and cold,everyone else won't bother about me...and by that,I wouldn't get to be abused anymore...but......but during the SeeD Field Exam....Seifer...he...Seifer--" She wanted to continue,but it was clear that she had difficulties.Squall silenced her at once.
"Shh....alright,alright...you don't have to say it...we both know what happened..." He hesitated for a moment before slowly edging closer to her.She was still crying and was obviously still terrified of what she'd talked about.Squall remembered her reaction when he first touched.....no wonder she acted like that....and no wonder she bottled all her feelings up and refused to interact with other people.Squall was sure that he'd do that too if he was....Raped.... like she was....
God,Rinoa....if I knew what happened,I wouldn't have asked....
"I was so scared....." she cried softly.Instinctively,Squall slid his arm around her drew her nearer to him.
"Hey...don't cry...umm...everything's fine..." He stammered.How lame is that?! He wasn't one to comfort upset people....
"I was just so scared....."
Squall wanted to say something....to soothe her and make her stop crying....to let her feel secured once again....but he didn't know what to say.It was as if his voicebox had shattered in pieces.Silently,he pulled her closer to him as she sobbed into his chest.
"Rinoa.....I....." He looked down at her,and that was the moment he realised how close his head was to hers.As if a sudden rush of guiltiness ran through him,he released his grasp on her."I....."
....I......
He didn't need anymore words to express his feelings.Leaning into her,he gently pushed away her dark fringes to expose her face and brushed away the tears with the back of his hand.His heart thumping hard against his chest,he slowly and carefully inched his face nearer to hers.Her hazel eyes lit up in shock and surprise,but she made no move to resist.She felt him moving closer and closer to her....and.....
........and...........
....and his lips gently yielded against hers.She couldn't help giving a soft gasp....the sensation was just so wonderful....
Squall himself was overwhelmed by pleasure as he grazed Rinoa's lips.God...she feels so good.... Quistis was nothing compared to her...he didn't even know how he could have fallen for Quistis. In reflex,his hand ran through Rinoa's raven hair and moved down to her neck,carressing it.Their passion rose immensely.He felt so good that he felt as if he was going to burst.Her nervous and inexperienced fingers rested on his broad chest,warm and inviting.
He didn't want the moment to end at all.His kisses became more and more insistent as he slowly pushed her back to lay on the grass.A tiny part of him was afraid that she'd resist,but when she didn't,he dismissed all thoughts from his mind....only focusing on kissing the beautiful,surrendering girl below him......
=======================================================================
~* Private Emotion *~ by Ricky Martin & Meja
Every endless night has a dawning day
Every darkest sky has a shining ray
And it shines on you baby can't you see
You're the only one who can shine for me
It's a private emotion that fills you tonight
And a silence falls between us
As the shadows steal the light
And wherever you may find it
Wherever it may lead
Let your private emotion come to me
Come to me
When your soul is tired and your heart is weak
Do you think of love as a one way street
Well it runs both ways,open up your eyes
Can't you see me here,how can you deny
It's a private emotion that fills you tonight
And a silence falls between us
As the shadows steal the light
And wherever you may find it
Wherever it may lead
Let your private emotion come to me
Come to me
Every endless night has a dawning day
Every darkest sky has a shining ray
It takes a lot to laugh as your tears go by
But you can find me here till your tears run dry
It's a private emotion that fills you tonight
And a silence falls between us
As the shadows steal the light
And wherever you may find it
Wherever it may lead
Let your private emotion come to me
=====================================================================
They didn't know how many minutes passed by....the whole world just seemed to freeze and stop....
...until....
"Mr.Leonhart,is that you?"
OH MY GOD!! Squall immediately looked up and got the biggest shock in his life.Standing with his arms crossed,a few metres away,was the SeeD Commander,Nayle Briggins.His expression was grim,but surprisingly,amusement and satisfaction lit in his eyes.
"Commander Briggins!I...err...umm...I mean....Rinoa and I....we...uhh....." Squall was at lost.Now what was he going to do? Oh geez,we're screwed!!How long has he been there?!He saw everything?!This is a nightmare!!!
Rinoa hastily got up and brushed her outfit,her cheeks hot and flushed."Sorry,sir..." she said casually but in an apologetic tone.Unexpectedly,Nayle smiled slightly and gestured towards the Quad entrance.
"I don't think I need any explanations,Mr.Leonhart and Ms.Heartilly.Being out here after curfew can mean punishment for you,but for once,I'll let you go off free.Return to your rooms,please," Nayle said sternly.Squall,dumb-founded,gave him a series of nods and scuttled off with a blushing Rinoa.
Behind them,Nayle stared after the couple,placing his hands behind him.
His smile widened.
** ** ** ** ** **
"I'll...umm....see you tomorrow...." Squall said as Rinoa slid open the door of her room.She gave him a shy smile and nodded.They had barely said a word to each other on their way to the dormitories.Both were deep in thoughts.
"Uh...good night..." Squall murmured.Rinoa looked up at him and gave him another tiny smile.
"Yeah...good night..." she replied.
For a moment,both of them simply stood there,staring at each other without a word.Then,as if encouraged by an invisible force,Squall lowered his head down to hers...
They kissed for a little while once more,as if wanting to continue where they'd stopped in the Quad.However,like before,they were calmly interrupted.
"Ahem.....Mr. Leonhart and Ms.Heartilly?" A cool and familiar voice shot through their ears.Squall's eyes snapped open and her took a hurried step back,staring at the owner of the voice.
This time,it was the headmaster himself.
Oh noooooooooooooooooooooo!!!I'm gonna die!!!He saw us too?!?!
"I'm fairly sure that both of you know it's already after curfew?What're you doing out here?" Cid asked coolly.
"We,umm...uhh...err....we were just saying goodnight,sir..that's all...." Squall blurted out,quite unable to contain the embarrassment.Absent-mindedly,he turned back to Rinoa,muttered another "Good night" and hurried off to his room at the other side.
Cid raised an eyebrow and nodded at Rinoa to go into her room.She obeyed silently.As the door closed,a figure suddenly appeared behind the headmaster.
"Did you see that?" Nayle's voice whispered,pleased.
"Of course I did..." Cid answered.
"Well,that's step one to the change,then." Nayle grinned.Cid gave a soft laugh and they walked back to their rooms,satisfied.
Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww~~~~~~~~~~~ Finally!!!The kissing scene took me quite some time...I had to...imagine...(hehe) how couples would kiss....was it fine?If it wasn't,say it and I'll try to improve!And one more important thing,please don't question why Rinoa wasn't pregnant.One magic word...[contraceptives ].I mean,COME ON!!!If you were to rape a person and don't want anyone else to know,would you go let her be pregnant and arouse curiosity and suspician??!?!??!?!?!?!Just an example....don't go doing it.........