Renegade Seraph
Chapter 4
Falling in love
Rinoa looked at herself in the mirror, her bright excited eyes flashed back at her as she watched the movement of her dress over her hips as she turned.
"Yikes! The time! I'm gonna be late." Rinoa said to herself as she stumbled about the room collecting things and putting them in to a tiny gold bag that matched her dress. Finally she left her room and walked down the hallway, only to realise she'd forgotten her lipstick and had to rush back to get it.
A few seconds later she emerged, and walked calmly to the elevator. Once there tried to stop her stomach from feeling as though she had dropped forty feet. The operator offered her a friendly smile, which she returned.
"No need to ask which floor today then miss. I think I'm right in saying you'll want the ground floor?"
"Yes, the ground floor." Rinoa replied nervously.
The doors opened and Rinoa found her feet leading her out into the bright corridor. People were arriving through the big double entrance doors to her right, and she waited for them to pass her by before she made a move to join them. Rinoa walked into the ballroom and gasped, the whole room seemed to be filled with magic from the very lights on the walls to the diamond chandeliers. Even the people were beautiful; they glided across the floor with ease and precise movements.
Rinoa wandered about until she found someone she recognized. Ellone was standing alone on the edge of the room, and Rinoa decided to join her before someone else did.
"Ell, I didn't realise so many people would be here!" Rinoa exclaimed as she came nearer. Ellone smiled at her comment.
"Dad does like to invite a fair number." She replied. A man in a black suit walked over and bowed. Rinoa raised her eyebrows at his eccentric gesture.
"Ah my dear ladies!" He said. Ellone laughed and hit him on the arm.
"Stop it Zell." She warned. Rinoa smiled at them, it looked like this was done often.
"And who might this lovely lady be?" He asked, his eyes sweeping over Rinoa. Rinoa found herself blushing and smiled to try and hide it.
"Oh I'm sorry. Zell this is my friend Rinoa, she's staying with us for awhile. Rinoa this is my dearest friend Zell. Well actually he's my brothers friend, but I stole him." Ellone said, looking proud at her introducing skills. Rinoa laughed.
"It's nice to meet you Zell." She said holding out her hand for him to shake. But to her surprise he kissed it.
"No, no the pleasure was all mine. Would you mind so very much if I asked for a dance later?" He said smiling. Rinoa looked at Ellone who rolled her eyes.
"Sure! I mean I'd love to." Rinoa replied remembering her manners. Ellone giggled.
"You've done it now!" She warned when Zell left.
"Why?" Rinoa asked innocently. Ellone laughed at her friend's question.
"You want a drink? I'll get you one." Ellone said walking the bar that Rinoa hadn't noticed before. She saw Ellone give some kind of warning to Zell, and she watched as he threw his hands up in protest.
After watching them for a bit, Rinoa decided to look around the room until she saw and interesting character stood amongst a group of older men.
Rinoa stared, fascinated by the way he stood and his confident movements. It was the man she had seen arrive yesterday. The one with the shiny red sports car and the flowers.
As she looked she noticed his well-defined features. Those blue eyes were fixed on some blonde woman who was giving a speech to the group of men. She looked pleased at the attention and kept shooting shy sideways glances in the direction of Rinoa's study.
"He'll stay there all night you know. Unless provoked." Came a voice from behind her, Rinoa jumped.
"Oh um, I wasn't looking at…!" Rinoa defended but stopped when she realized it was useless. Ellone laughed and Rinoa joined her, until their laughter started to attract attention. Rinoa stopped abruptly as a pair of amused blue eyes fixed upon her. She smiled even though she was unaware of doing so, but it faltered when she received no smile in return.
The blue eyes travelled over her body, resting in certain places for more than they should have until returning to her face. Rinoa looked at him, trying to convey that she knew what he had just done. But his confident gaze only looked on, and he gave her another slow once over to show she wasn't going to look away any time soon. Rinoa scowled, but this only seemed to amuse him more.
Rinoa felt the colour flush up into her cheeks involuntarily and looked away. Trying to forget the eyes that were still burning into her face.
"Your brother is staring at me!" Rinoa whispered to Ellone. Ellone looked over in Squall's direction.
"I'm not surprised! I mean your dress is a little revealing." Ellone said aware that this wasn't the reply Rinoa was wanting.
"What! But you said this dress was fine!" Rinoa said, her voice rising from their whispered talk. Ellone shushed her.
"Yes it is fine. Rinoa stop worrying! But what I meant was you don't see many of the women here with plunging necklines and splits up the side." Ellone said, but after seeing Rinoa's face she thought better of her words. "I mean err, mainly because most of them are over fifty." Ellone corrected.
"My neckline isn't plunging, and besides I don't like him staring. Worst thing is that, he knows that he shouldn't be doing it." Rinoa defended. Ellone burst into laughter.
"You're the only girl I've met who has complained so far!" Ellone said causing Rinoa to frown. "Look I've got to go see Zell. He appears to be causing trouble." She said handing Rinoa her drink and walking away.
Ellone walked over to where Zell had about five beer bottles stacked one on top of the other, Rinoa watched as Ellone started laughing as Zell began dancing around them.
"Nice dress!"
"Oh it's you." Rinoa said trying to sound disappointed. "And don't play that game. I know you weren't looking at the dress." Rinoa warned. His blue flashed dangerously, and a smirk appeared on his face.
"Don't be so sure." He said. Rinoa rolled her eyes; she wasn't going to let him win this one. Especially since it was so personal.
"Oh, so I suppose you were just looking to see if it would fit you!" Rinoa retorted.
"Why, do you think it would good on me?" He asked. Rinoa looked at him surprised at how he could say such things with the slightest hint of embarrassment. But her over reactive imagination started working and she burst into laughter. "Now I have you thinking of me in a dress. I'm Squall." He said. Rinoa smiled and swallowed her laughter.
"Rinoa" She replied shaking his hand.
Rinoa found the next few moments awkward, as he seemed to find silence within himself and left to her thoughts. She was glad when Zell interrupted them with Ellone.
"Ah Squall, can I borrow this beautiful lady? She owes me a dance." Zell said taking Rinoa's hands in his. Rinoa smiled at Squall and wondered why she was waiting for his permission.
"Yeah whatever. Just bring her back." Squall said off handily. Ellone shot Rinoa an amused glance.
"Bring her back! I say usually you can't wait to get rid of them." Ellone whispered careful not to let Rinoa hear. Squall fixed Ellone with a warning stare and she mumbled an apology then burst into laughter.
Zell led Rinoa onto the dance floor and placed her hands in the correct positions. The music started into a tune Rinoa recognized from an old song her mother used to sing when she was little. A male voice began to sing over the melody in a soothing voice.
Squall walked around the edge of the dancers, he kept his eyes fixed on one pair in particular. Zell swung Rinoa out and pulled her back a little too roughly causing her to stumble a few steps into him. Squall saw the colour rise up into her cheeks as she looked about her nervously. Zell un-tactfully chose to move her once more; Squall noticed how she was becoming very self-conscious. She gave him a heavy glare when their eyes met and Squall looked away.
Rinoa watched helplessly as he walked away from her, looking back at Zell she tried to smile but her happy mood had dipped to a low. Before Zell could spin her once more she felt a tap on her shoulder and felt someone pulling her away from Zell. Rinoa found herself being held by Squall, his hand snaking around her back and holding her hand out to the side of him. Rinoa felt her heart forget to beat and she looked up in to his eyes.
Carefully she rested her free hand onto his shoulder and he guided the way across the shimmering floor. Rinoa began to listen to the words in the soft music, humming softly to herself. Squall smiled at her when he thought she could see him and swept her around again.
There's such a sad love
Deep in your eyes, a kind of pale jewel
Open and closed within your eyes
I'll place the sky within your eyes
There's such a fooled heart
Beating so fast, searching your dreams
A love that can last
Within your heart
I'll place the moon within your heart
But I'll be there for you
As the world falls down…
Falling…Falling…down
Falling in love
Rinoa looked around at the other dancers, most of them had stopped and where sitting down to their little lamp lighted tables and talking in light excited voices. Rinoa noticed that most of them were looking their way and smiling.
"Squall, maybe we should stop now. I mean there's hardly anyone dancing now." Rinoa said, hoping she didn't sound stupid. He was probably used to being in the spotlight. He didn't reply, only moved his hand further around her back to stop her from pulling away.
I'll paint you mornings of gold
I'll spin you valentine evenings
Though we're strangers till now
We're choosing a path between the stars
I'll place my love between the stars.
Falling in love
As the world falls down
Falling…
Falling in love
Rinoa let him guide her around the floor and between the few other couples left. Her heart pounding with every step, she wasn't a good dancer; she knew she wasn't and to have everyone's attention on her was frightening.
"All right, lets sit down." Squall said finally leading her to a table where her acquaintances sat. Laguna smiled as they approached and Squall let go of her hand to join the group of men he had been with originally. Rinoa watched him walk away and blew the air out of her cheeks in a tired fashion. Sure she was used to that, Seifer never paid much attention to her and he was supposed to be her boyfriend. So why should this man care?
"Rinoa come and sit here." Zell offered, pulling a chair out from what seemed like under the table. Ellone was reading a piece of white and gold card, which turned out to be a menu.
"Rin, Pork of fish? Oh wait, or pasta?" She asked as Rinoa sat down next to her.
"Pasta sounds good." Rinoa answered smiling.
"Ok then, waiter here is the card for our table." Ellone said handing over the card to a waiter who was hovering about the table.
A evil glint shone in Ellone's eyes and Rinoa knew what she was about to ask.
"So, you and my brother hey? I knew that was the right dress for the occasion!" Ellone said wickedly. Rinoa rolled her eyes.
"I'm never going shopping with you again!" Rinoa said, making Ellone laugh.
"How you doing with the book writing?" Ellone asked after the meals were brought. Rinoa looked worried.
"Well, I've written some. But I'm afraid it looks a bit feeble. I've been having so much fun, I confess I have neglected my writing." Rinoa said shyly. Zell looked over at this.
"Well just as well, no one wants to here about this lot anyway!" Zell said earning himself another playful kick from Ellone.
"Shut it Zell. But really there's no rush, you can stay as long as you want here."
"Thanks" Rinoa mumbled but Ellone missed it due to her new argument with Zell about the correct knife for the pork. Rinoa smiled and glanced over at Squall.
He was talking to Quistis and a few other people. Rinoa watched him for a while until his eyes flickered over to her, confidently he raised his glass in her direction. Rinoa darted her eyes away bashfully. Squall smirked; he was enjoying the effect he had over this woman.
"Ell, I think I'm going to go now." Rinoa said after the meal was over. Ellone looked disappointed.
"Well ok. Is something wrong? Do you feel alright?" Ellone asked concerned. Rinoa smiled.
"I'm fine really. I'll see you tomorrow." She said standing up, and making a move towards the exit only to be confronted by Squall.
"Leaving so early Cinderella?" He asked. Rinoa pushed past him.
"Yes I am." She replied, walking past him. Squall stumbled slightly and followed her.
"You were the girl on the balcony. Weren't you?" He asked, his voice demanding an answer.
Rinoa didn't reply but stepped into the elevator. Squall followed her quickly before the doors shut.
"I asked you a question." Squall said angrily. Rinoa leant on the wall, as the elevator made it's slow way up the floors.
"Yes." She whispered. "Look I'm sorry, but the wine has gone to my head. I really can't talk now." Squall laughed at this and followed her out onto the corridor.
"Wait, Rinoa." He said softly. Rinoa dropped her hand from the door handle and faced him.
"What?" She asked annoyed, but trying to keep her voice polite. After all she was in his home.
"Nothing, just this." He said watching the bemused look on her face before he rested his hand behind her head and kissed her softly. "See you soon!" He said as he pulled away and walked back to the elevator.
Rinoa stumbled into her room.
"Unbelievable confidence! Damn him." Rinoa said as she stood in the centre of the room. Rinoa hated him for the way he made her feel. "You stupid girl Rinoa, stop it now!" She scolded, but she couldn't deny herself the smile that refused to die on her lips. "Stop smiling, hyne it was only a kiss. Not even a very good one at that." She decided. "Oh who are you trying to kid Rin?" She said walking to the bathroom.
A/N: This chapter ended a little different from what I imagined, hehe. Things were going all to nice, I thought it would be fun to add in a few messed up emotions for Rinoa. If there is anyone out there who recognized that the lyrics in this chapter were not mine, they were right! I stole them from David Bowie, but doubt he is reading this so I guess I wont get into too much trouble.
Thankyou to all of you who reviewed the last chapter (especially all those who expressed wishes of seeing the dance chapter!)
Ink
Angelprinczess29
The Angel of the Lion
Fyrelighte snowfall
Mariko
FFgal
Rinoa Leonhart73
Townberry
Steel magnolia
Mina Anio
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Lionheart: whoops, *feels really embarrassed, hope he forgives me!* lol
Sandra Leonhart
Angel-Wing
