Ch. 4
Dances with Strangers
Time some how seemed to drag by. Despite Squall not being sent on many missions he was kept busy with paper work and such. It was lame work, but at least it was work that wouldn't allow his mind to wonder.
One day during the week he caught everybody for lunch. They all seemed to be wrapped in conversation. Squall sat down and listened to what they were talking about.
"How does it feel to finally become a graduating cadet?" Quistis asked.
"Yeah I mean it only took you what fifteen years to do." Zell chimed in earning a glare from both Quistis and Seifer.
Most thing things they were all able to put behind them, but Squall was sure that the snide remarks between Seifer and Zell would never go away.
"I'm glad to be done with it." Seifer says to the three of them.
"Well I'm sure you'll look handsome in your SeeD uniform just remember to save me a dance."
Save me a dance? Why would Seifer being saving Quistis a dance? What were they talking about? Pining away his own confusion Squall continued to listen.
"So Quistis you got a date yet?" Zell asked the former instructor. Quistis just sighs.
"A couple Trepies have asked me, but I politely reclined. I don't feel like having one of them on my toes the whole night, but what about you two taking anyone special?"
Zell starts to blush. "Ya know that girl in the library, Laila Vickory? Well I asked her the other day and she agreed."
Squall saw Quistis smile at their friend. Squall, however, was utterly confused. What the hell was going on where they all would need dates? He was about to ask what they were all talking about when Quistis turned to Seifer asking the same question she asked Zell. "So who are you taking?"
"Well there was this girl I met back when Squall, Zell and I went out that night. Anyway we've kinda stayed in touch. Truth be told I'm kinda excited that she's going to be at my SeeD graduation."
SeeD graduation, how could he have completely forgotten?
"The graduations tomorrow!?" Squall asked suddenly startling everyone.
"What do you think we've been talking about this whole time man?" Zell asked laughing.
"You taking a lady Squall or you planning on going lone wolf?"
Seifer's question brought Squall to a conclusion. How could he go to the 'SeeD graduation' especially with a date? That was the place where he first met Rinoa.there was no way he could go.
Squall gets up and announces to his three friends "I'm not going," and before anyone could argue with him he walked away.
He escaped to his office where he thought he be safe. He had just settled into his chair when his door swung open and in walks headmaster.
"Good afternoon Mr. Leonhart."
Squall not looking up replied "You too sir."
"You ready for the big event tomorrow?"
Still not looking up Squall answers "I'm not going sir."
Squall could feel the headmaster's heavy stare upon him. "I'm afraid you don't have much of a choice Mr. Leonhart. You are the standing commander of this garden. You will make an appearance at tomorrow's graduation.
"But"-
"Mr. Leonhart that's final."
Squall felt like an eight year old boy. He didn't like being told what he can and cannot do, but the fact remained the same that the headmaster could in this case tell him what he could do. So Squall buckled down and accepted the fact that like it or not he was going to the graduation.
Quistis came with Squall to the graduation. He really appreciated Quistis going with him. It made it so much easier going with someone that he saw only as a friend and knew that's how he was viewed back.
Walking into the ballroom Squall took the chance to thank her.
"I really appreciate you coming with me."
"Don't worry it's my pleasure and I won't even make you dance with me."
He didn't say anything, but Squall was very relieved to hear Quistis say that. He only danced with a woman once in his life and he was damn sure that was going to be the only time.
The ball wasn't all that bad. He enjoyed hit time with Quistis and Zell and Laila, Zell's date, seemed nice enough. The four of them got along well enough.
Sometime during the night Squall caught Seifer's eye. He was sitting along with his date at one of the graduation tables. Squall didn't catch what Seifer's date looked like, but he didn't really care either Seifer would introduce her to everyone sooner or later.
In watching Seifer he had never seen the former knight look so smug and that was saying something. Seifer catching Squall's eye tilted his head in Squall's direction and raised his drink, Squall returned the gesture. He was truly happy for Seifer and considered it an honor that he was going to get the chance to work with him.
A little later into the evening the ballroom was filled with dancers. Zell and Laila had taken up the cause and started parading around the ballroom. Quistis had stolen Seifer away from his date to get her promised dance leaving Squall alone at the table.
Wanting to get away from the happy, dancing couples Squall left the table. He found a spot away from the crowds in the corner of the ballroom. He was secluded and holding a glass of champagne that he had brought with him from the table.
This was all too weird and painful for Squall. From his current view everything was exactly like the night of his own graduation, the night that he met Rinoa, the night that started everything.
He closed his eyes remembering her beautiful figure standing alone on the dance floor pointing up at a fated falling star. Suddenly from the back of his mind he heard Waltz on the Moon starting to play.
And without any power of his own the night that changed his life started to replay in his mind.
The floor was glowing with radiance. Each light in the ballroom seemed to be sparked by magic. The night sky was filled with dazzling stars that outlined the sky, but Squall couldn't see any of this. He couldn't see pass the drink that was in front of him, nor did he really want to.
Squall couldn't stand being in the ballroom much longer. He just wanted to go back to his dorm room and sit on his bed enjoying his solitude. Unfortunately Squall knew he still had a long night in front of him.
He was leaning against the wall; His eyes were grazing the dance floor. That was when he saw her.
A beautiful girl stood alone in the middle of the dance floor. She was pointing up at the sky Squall looked up at what she was pointing at he was amazed to see a star shoot across the sky. He looked back down towards the girl; her eyes had actually fallen on him. Their glazes locked and all of sudden Squall felt his whole inside start to tingle. He couldn't quite explain it all he knew was it wasn't a bad feeling. What took Squall back was when the girl started walking up towards him. At first Squall thought she was going to go talk to someone else, but when she stopped directly in front of him there was no mistaking who she wanted to talk to. God, she was even more beautiful up close.
"You're the best looking guy here dance with me," her voice spoke.
Squall didn't say anything to her bluntness it really caught him off guard, not that he would have said anything anyway.
"Let me guess," the girl continued "You only dance with people you like."
She got on her tip toes so she could look him straight in the eyes.
"You going to like me, you're going to like me." When she was finished she gave him a smile. Squall could feel his heart suddenly beat faster "Did it work?" She asked him her face bright and optimistic.
Squall didn't say anything at first and he wasn't planning on saying anything either, but he figured she wouldn't leave him alone until he did. "I can't dance," he told her.
She must have not considered that an excuse because she grabbed his arm tightly "Come on," she insisted dragging him to the dance floor.
Squall awoke from his day dream. He still to this day found it hard to believe that one dance could change everything.
Squall was about to close his eye's again when he heard a sweat voice call to him.
"Hey there handsome."
Squall turned around to the speaker, his eyes widened. There standing before him was a woman, she was utterly gorgeous. Her hair was about shoulder length and was a mix of auburn and brown. Her eyes were a brilliant emerald color with a swirl of blue mixed in them. She was smiling at him Squall got the oddest feeling that he had seen her before.
"So what is a good looking guy like you standing all alone?"
"I'm sorry do I know you?"
"I don't think so. My name's Emma Winston." She extended her hand, Squall hesitantly took it.
"Squall Leonhart."
"Are you really? I've heard so much about you."
Squall didn't know why she was talking to him. Most of him just wanted to leave, but something inside of him made him stay.
"It's really beautiful here. It's a shame you only use it for graduations."
"Makes it special." He told her.
"Yeah I guess your right."
"Is the rest of the garden like this?"
"Not as extravagant, but beautiful in its own simple way." Squall wished he knew why he was still talking to her.
"I would ask you to dance, but I have a feeling that you're not the type that dances with complete strangers."
Squall could feel his heart tighten. He wasn't the type to dance with strangers.until Rinoa."
"Pretty much." Was all he said.
"My boyfriend said you were real quiet and shy, but he failed to mention how handsome you are."
Boyfriend? For some reason Squall was disappointed to hear that. He suddenly started cursing himself inwardly for even feeling that. Still despite himself he asked. "Who's your boyfriend?"
"He would be the one dancing out there with another woman. Seifer Almansy, he said you two were friends."
It figured. Of course she was Seifer's girlfriend.
"Yeah were friends."
She smiles, she had a great smile. "I'm glad I'm finally getting the chance to meet one of Seifer's friends. It's so hard to even get a chance to see him let alone his friends."
"Well it's going to be worse now that he is a SeeD."
He watched her whole composure sadden "Sorry I didn't mean to dampen your spirits." Why the hell was he apologizing to her?
"Its okay I already knew that. It's just thinking about it makes me sad. Being a SeeD is a dangerous life what if one mission he."
Emma never finished her sentence because at that moment Seifer comes walking up to them.
"There you are Emma I've been lookin all over for you."
Seifer looks over at Squall. "I'm glad you finally got the chance to meet my bud Squall here Emma." Seifer pats Squall roughly on the back.
"Well Squall is a pleasure to talk to."
"I bet," Seifer said chuckling. He takes Emma's hand. "Come on let's dance."
Emma nods then turns to look at Squall. "It really was a pleasure," She told him. Seifer again pats him on the shoulder.
"I'll talk to you later."
The two of them went off to the dance floor leaving Squall standing there. He didn't know quite what he was feeling. Luckily he didn't have long to ponder about it because Quistis had walked up to him
"You glass is empty Squall why don't you fill it up."
Squall nods giving her a small smile. "Sounds like a plan." He told her. After a friendly nudge from Quistis the two walked off. Squall at least for the moment forgot his worries. He just didn't have the heart or strength to handle them.
Time some how seemed to drag by. Despite Squall not being sent on many missions he was kept busy with paper work and such. It was lame work, but at least it was work that wouldn't allow his mind to wonder.
One day during the week he caught everybody for lunch. They all seemed to be wrapped in conversation. Squall sat down and listened to what they were talking about.
"How does it feel to finally become a graduating cadet?" Quistis asked.
"Yeah I mean it only took you what fifteen years to do." Zell chimed in earning a glare from both Quistis and Seifer.
Most thing things they were all able to put behind them, but Squall was sure that the snide remarks between Seifer and Zell would never go away.
"I'm glad to be done with it." Seifer says to the three of them.
"Well I'm sure you'll look handsome in your SeeD uniform just remember to save me a dance."
Save me a dance? Why would Seifer being saving Quistis a dance? What were they talking about? Pining away his own confusion Squall continued to listen.
"So Quistis you got a date yet?" Zell asked the former instructor. Quistis just sighs.
"A couple Trepies have asked me, but I politely reclined. I don't feel like having one of them on my toes the whole night, but what about you two taking anyone special?"
Zell starts to blush. "Ya know that girl in the library, Laila Vickory? Well I asked her the other day and she agreed."
Squall saw Quistis smile at their friend. Squall, however, was utterly confused. What the hell was going on where they all would need dates? He was about to ask what they were all talking about when Quistis turned to Seifer asking the same question she asked Zell. "So who are you taking?"
"Well there was this girl I met back when Squall, Zell and I went out that night. Anyway we've kinda stayed in touch. Truth be told I'm kinda excited that she's going to be at my SeeD graduation."
SeeD graduation, how could he have completely forgotten?
"The graduations tomorrow!?" Squall asked suddenly startling everyone.
"What do you think we've been talking about this whole time man?" Zell asked laughing.
"You taking a lady Squall or you planning on going lone wolf?"
Seifer's question brought Squall to a conclusion. How could he go to the 'SeeD graduation' especially with a date? That was the place where he first met Rinoa.there was no way he could go.
Squall gets up and announces to his three friends "I'm not going," and before anyone could argue with him he walked away.
He escaped to his office where he thought he be safe. He had just settled into his chair when his door swung open and in walks headmaster.
"Good afternoon Mr. Leonhart."
Squall not looking up replied "You too sir."
"You ready for the big event tomorrow?"
Still not looking up Squall answers "I'm not going sir."
Squall could feel the headmaster's heavy stare upon him. "I'm afraid you don't have much of a choice Mr. Leonhart. You are the standing commander of this garden. You will make an appearance at tomorrow's graduation.
"But"-
"Mr. Leonhart that's final."
Squall felt like an eight year old boy. He didn't like being told what he can and cannot do, but the fact remained the same that the headmaster could in this case tell him what he could do. So Squall buckled down and accepted the fact that like it or not he was going to the graduation.
Quistis came with Squall to the graduation. He really appreciated Quistis going with him. It made it so much easier going with someone that he saw only as a friend and knew that's how he was viewed back.
Walking into the ballroom Squall took the chance to thank her.
"I really appreciate you coming with me."
"Don't worry it's my pleasure and I won't even make you dance with me."
He didn't say anything, but Squall was very relieved to hear Quistis say that. He only danced with a woman once in his life and he was damn sure that was going to be the only time.
The ball wasn't all that bad. He enjoyed hit time with Quistis and Zell and Laila, Zell's date, seemed nice enough. The four of them got along well enough.
Sometime during the night Squall caught Seifer's eye. He was sitting along with his date at one of the graduation tables. Squall didn't catch what Seifer's date looked like, but he didn't really care either Seifer would introduce her to everyone sooner or later.
In watching Seifer he had never seen the former knight look so smug and that was saying something. Seifer catching Squall's eye tilted his head in Squall's direction and raised his drink, Squall returned the gesture. He was truly happy for Seifer and considered it an honor that he was going to get the chance to work with him.
A little later into the evening the ballroom was filled with dancers. Zell and Laila had taken up the cause and started parading around the ballroom. Quistis had stolen Seifer away from his date to get her promised dance leaving Squall alone at the table.
Wanting to get away from the happy, dancing couples Squall left the table. He found a spot away from the crowds in the corner of the ballroom. He was secluded and holding a glass of champagne that he had brought with him from the table.
This was all too weird and painful for Squall. From his current view everything was exactly like the night of his own graduation, the night that he met Rinoa, the night that started everything.
He closed his eyes remembering her beautiful figure standing alone on the dance floor pointing up at a fated falling star. Suddenly from the back of his mind he heard Waltz on the Moon starting to play.
And without any power of his own the night that changed his life started to replay in his mind.
The floor was glowing with radiance. Each light in the ballroom seemed to be sparked by magic. The night sky was filled with dazzling stars that outlined the sky, but Squall couldn't see any of this. He couldn't see pass the drink that was in front of him, nor did he really want to.
Squall couldn't stand being in the ballroom much longer. He just wanted to go back to his dorm room and sit on his bed enjoying his solitude. Unfortunately Squall knew he still had a long night in front of him.
He was leaning against the wall; His eyes were grazing the dance floor. That was when he saw her.
A beautiful girl stood alone in the middle of the dance floor. She was pointing up at the sky Squall looked up at what she was pointing at he was amazed to see a star shoot across the sky. He looked back down towards the girl; her eyes had actually fallen on him. Their glazes locked and all of sudden Squall felt his whole inside start to tingle. He couldn't quite explain it all he knew was it wasn't a bad feeling. What took Squall back was when the girl started walking up towards him. At first Squall thought she was going to go talk to someone else, but when she stopped directly in front of him there was no mistaking who she wanted to talk to. God, she was even more beautiful up close.
"You're the best looking guy here dance with me," her voice spoke.
Squall didn't say anything to her bluntness it really caught him off guard, not that he would have said anything anyway.
"Let me guess," the girl continued "You only dance with people you like."
She got on her tip toes so she could look him straight in the eyes.
"You going to like me, you're going to like me." When she was finished she gave him a smile. Squall could feel his heart suddenly beat faster "Did it work?" She asked him her face bright and optimistic.
Squall didn't say anything at first and he wasn't planning on saying anything either, but he figured she wouldn't leave him alone until he did. "I can't dance," he told her.
She must have not considered that an excuse because she grabbed his arm tightly "Come on," she insisted dragging him to the dance floor.
Squall awoke from his day dream. He still to this day found it hard to believe that one dance could change everything.
Squall was about to close his eye's again when he heard a sweat voice call to him.
"Hey there handsome."
Squall turned around to the speaker, his eyes widened. There standing before him was a woman, she was utterly gorgeous. Her hair was about shoulder length and was a mix of auburn and brown. Her eyes were a brilliant emerald color with a swirl of blue mixed in them. She was smiling at him Squall got the oddest feeling that he had seen her before.
"So what is a good looking guy like you standing all alone?"
"I'm sorry do I know you?"
"I don't think so. My name's Emma Winston." She extended her hand, Squall hesitantly took it.
"Squall Leonhart."
"Are you really? I've heard so much about you."
Squall didn't know why she was talking to him. Most of him just wanted to leave, but something inside of him made him stay.
"It's really beautiful here. It's a shame you only use it for graduations."
"Makes it special." He told her.
"Yeah I guess your right."
"Is the rest of the garden like this?"
"Not as extravagant, but beautiful in its own simple way." Squall wished he knew why he was still talking to her.
"I would ask you to dance, but I have a feeling that you're not the type that dances with complete strangers."
Squall could feel his heart tighten. He wasn't the type to dance with strangers.until Rinoa."
"Pretty much." Was all he said.
"My boyfriend said you were real quiet and shy, but he failed to mention how handsome you are."
Boyfriend? For some reason Squall was disappointed to hear that. He suddenly started cursing himself inwardly for even feeling that. Still despite himself he asked. "Who's your boyfriend?"
"He would be the one dancing out there with another woman. Seifer Almansy, he said you two were friends."
It figured. Of course she was Seifer's girlfriend.
"Yeah were friends."
She smiles, she had a great smile. "I'm glad I'm finally getting the chance to meet one of Seifer's friends. It's so hard to even get a chance to see him let alone his friends."
"Well it's going to be worse now that he is a SeeD."
He watched her whole composure sadden "Sorry I didn't mean to dampen your spirits." Why the hell was he apologizing to her?
"Its okay I already knew that. It's just thinking about it makes me sad. Being a SeeD is a dangerous life what if one mission he."
Emma never finished her sentence because at that moment Seifer comes walking up to them.
"There you are Emma I've been lookin all over for you."
Seifer looks over at Squall. "I'm glad you finally got the chance to meet my bud Squall here Emma." Seifer pats Squall roughly on the back.
"Well Squall is a pleasure to talk to."
"I bet," Seifer said chuckling. He takes Emma's hand. "Come on let's dance."
Emma nods then turns to look at Squall. "It really was a pleasure," She told him. Seifer again pats him on the shoulder.
"I'll talk to you later."
The two of them went off to the dance floor leaving Squall standing there. He didn't know quite what he was feeling. Luckily he didn't have long to ponder about it because Quistis had walked up to him
"You glass is empty Squall why don't you fill it up."
Squall nods giving her a small smile. "Sounds like a plan." He told her. After a friendly nudge from Quistis the two walked off. Squall at least for the moment forgot his worries. He just didn't have the heart or strength to handle them.