Forget who you are
Chapter 3Rinoa followed Ellone in silence to the elevator, after a while Ellone decided to start a conversation.
"So Rinoa, what do you think of Esthar so far?" She asked nervously, watching Rinoa's face for any expressions that might show that she was not enjoying herself. Rinoa smiled.
"I like it very much. It's a beautiful place." Rinoa replied, breaking the tension that had built up between them.
"Well yes I suppose it is. But you've only seen the palace so far. There's so much more too see than this." Ellone informed her. Rinoa looked at Ellone in surprise.
"There's more?" She asked wide-eyed. Ellone stifled a laugh and grabbed Rinoa's hand in a friendly gesture. The Elevator operator opened the doors as they reached the chosen floor, and Ellone pulled Rinoa out.
"Wow, I've got so much to show you!" She said excitedly. Rinoa quickened her pace to keep instep with her guide and laughed.
"And I can't wait to see it!"
But it seemed that Ellone wasn't joking. There was a lot more indeed, and the next few days were spent following Laguna around on his daily duties. Although they were important matters, he always seemed to carry them through in what Rinoa observed to be his usual happy clumsy style.
After studying him for a while Rinoa started to observe his dress code. Whenever he wasn't in a meeting or greeting another important leader, he preferred a casual look of sometimes even jeans.
The people around him however liked to dress a little more conservatively. Rinoa took to watching Quistis for a few days, her dress sense was always adapting to every situation. This Rinoa found that she could admire with thankfully little jealousy. The woman could look stunning in combat boots and overalls as well as the other extreme of suits and dresses.
Rinoa realised that before she knew it nearly a week had passed. The time of the dance was nearing and the palace was brimming with excitement. But Rinoa found that no matter how hard she tried to disguise it, she was dreading this dance.
Again she was going to look out of place, a lowly girl mixing with some of the richest people on the planet. Even the amount of money they spent on their pet poodles was an intimidating sum to Rinoa.
In a few minuets Ellone would be bursting through the doors and demanding that they go shopping for a dress. Rinoa set down her pen, she had been writing for almost two hours and it was time for a break. Her scrambled notes and attempts at a start for the book looked feeble when she read over them.
Sighing Rinoa picked up her phone and walked out onto the balcony. Crossing her fingers she prayed that Selphie would be at home.
"Yeah, hi?" Selphie said as she answered the persistent buzz from her phone.
"Hi Selph, it's Rin"
"Oh it is, is it? You know when I told you to ring me later? I didn't mean this late!" Selphie exclaimed. Rinoa smiled sheepishly into the phone.
"Sorry Selph, I've just been so busy. You wouldn't believe how much this guy finds to fit into one day!" Rinoa said, the exhaustion showing through in her voice. Selphie laughed in response.
"So…what are they like?" She asked. Rinoa sat down on the balcony ledge.
"Well actually, their really normal! His daughter is real nice. Were going shopping later." Rinoa said musing and playing with one of the flowers in the hanging basket above her head.
"Aww Rin don't rub it in too much! It's been a whole month since I set foot in a clothes store, I think I'm having withdrawal symptoms." Selphie whined. Rinoa almost found herself feeling sorry for her friend, and then a little guilty. Here she was shopping and having a great time, while Selphie was still stuck in the gloomy office.
"Yeah but Selph remember, I was your idea to go on that holiday with Irvine. Don't go blowing all your money away; you need to pay back the debts." Rinoa said, her tone changing into serious mode.
"Don't worry Rin. Anyway can I borrow that little blue top?" Selphie asked.
"Sorry, I took it with me."
"Damn!" Selphie cursed playfully.
"But your welcome to anything else still left in my wardrobe!" Rinoa offered helpfully. She could almost see Selphie's nose winkle up at this offer, any moment now she would reply with a sarcastic comment. It was outwardly known that Selphie didn't hold Rinoa's clothes style in a very high regard.
"Yeah, Cheers." Selphie replied, and there it was; the sarcastic comment that always followed when discussing clothes. "So… have you seen him yet?" Selphie asked.
"Seen who?" Rinoa asked puzzled.
"You know… his son" Selphie answered, the last part of the statement a whisper as though it was some kind of huge secret.
"Oh! Him. No actually I haven't. I must keep missing him, or he is really good at avoiding me" Rinoa replied. Selphie laughed at this. "But I will see him tomorrow evening at the state dance. He has to turn up for that."
"A dance? Rinny!!"
"Sorry! I really wish you could take my place, honestly. I'm really dreading it Selph."
But Selphie's reply was lost, as Rinoa became involved in what was happening below. A red car had pulled up outside and a dark haired man in a pinstriped suit climbed out. As soon as he shut his car door a flock of servants descended on him, fussing about and one even began to straighten his tie.
Rinoa was sure that in any moment, one of them would start crawling around on the floor and start shining his shoes. But he seemed to have had enough of this and waved them away. One of the servants returned with a big bouquet of flowers from the back seat of his car, and started to take them inside. The smartly dressed man ran a hand through his untidy hair and mentioned for someone to hand him his briefcase.
Rinoa's Breath caught in her chest when his cold blue eyes looked straight up at her. There flickered away for a second before deciding that she was an interesting subject and focused hard on her face. Rinoa tried to smile but she found her face muscles had forgotten how to move. The soft wind rippled his clothing but his gaze remained locked onto her. Rinoa returned the gaze nervously, until realising that he probably couldn't see her all to well, because of the distance between them. But all the time Rinoa felt a growing awareness about herself and blushed.
Finally after what seemed to Rinoa as some very intense minuets he looked away, and started walking towards the entrance. His shiny black shoes moving with a self-importance and determination. Rinoa let out a held breath and became aware of a voice in her ear.
"Hellooo? Rinoa? You still there?"
It was Selphie.
"Oh Selph, I will have to call you back." Rinoa said hastily, and hung up the phone. A sharp knock came from the far end of her room.
"Hey Rinoa, you ready to go?" Ellone called through the door. Rinoa smiled and rushed over to greet her.
"Yeah I'm ready." Rinoa replied, and then stopped when she saw the flowers in Ellone's arms. "Nice flowers!" Rinoa remarked.
"Thanks, they're from my brother." Ellone replied, and then looked down at her feet bashfully. "It's my birthday"
"Why didn't you say?" Rinoa said excitedly. "Happy birthday!"
"Thanks"
"So where did your brother go?" Rinoa asked, trying to keep the subject light. Ellone looked at her suspiciously.
"Oh he's around." Ellone replied. "But why so interested?" Rinoa looked shyly away.
"Well, erm… if I'm going to write about you all, I'm going to have to meet him." Rinoa replied, wondering why she was feeling so guilty. It wasn't a lie. Was it?
"Well just don't expect a warm welcome. He's already stomping about in my fathers study, and he's only been here two minutes!" Ellone exclaimed. Rinoa laughed at Ellone's statement. A brother that buys his sister flowers on her birthday can't be all that bad surely.
When Rinoa returned later that evening, she felt as though she was the luckiest person alive. A new dress hung on the back of her door, shimmering its golden colours into the brightly lit room. Rinoa smiled when she remembered how the ladies in the shop had fussed around her, pulling dresses out of now where and adjusting them to fit her slim frame. Ellone had stayed with her the whole time, offering her opinion and joining in with Rinoa's excited giggles whenever she could.
Rinoa threw herself down onto her bed and wrapped the silken covers over herself. There was only one thing that persisted at the back of her mind now as she lay dozing I the huge canopy bed. What would she tell Seifer.
But before this could take a real hold over her mind, Rinoa reminded herself that he probably didn't care anyway and if he did wouldn't he have asked Selphie? Rinoa smiled with this new found knowledge and drifted off to sleep.
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"You can't avoid her forever Squall." Laguna warned, staring attentively at his son. He watched the anger flare up in those blue eyes and then vanish, to show the quickness of his mind working to find a spiteful reply.
"Watch me." Squall replied looking determined. Laguna shuffled in his chair.
"She'll be at the dance you know." He stated. Squall looked down at his hands. "You can't run from her there." But this seemed to strike a nerve.
"I'm not running form anyone!" Squall flared, his eyes flashing dangerously. Laguna sighed, she was used to the sharp out bursts of his son and had learned to take caution.
"Well prove it then." A challenge. "Prove to us that you're not running and turn up." Laguna said, working his psychology into the statement. Squall stared back meanly.
"I'll be there."
"Good, well I'll see you tomorrow then!" Laguna said, a happy tone in his voice as he walked towards the door. Squall scowled into his back, becoming aware that he had been tricked into the bargain. When the door closed Squall considered the promise he'd made.
"I'll be there," He repeated to himself.
A/N: I left out Rinoa's shopping experience as I thought it would just make this chapter too heavy. (Hope no one minds! lol) Please review!!
Thankyou to:
CTHKSI
Townberry
Lunatic Pandora
Mina Anio
Steel Magnolia
Star Slight
Kayli the maiden moon
AngelPrinczess29
Mip the demon fox (I can't believe I spelt wrong again! I was so careful that time!)
FFgal
Ink
Phoenix blade
The Angel of the Lion
CuteMooglez
Miss wings
Lionhart
