Chapter 15

And the truth hurts

            Rinoa walked into the restaurant and was met by Seifer standing just before the dining entrance. He smiled and walked over to her.

            "You look great Rinoa." He said kissing her cheek. Rinoa moved back from him.

            "Thanks." She said quietly.

            "Come on, let's go eat." He said wrapping his arm around her. Rinoa shrank away from his touch, but convinced herself there was nothing she could do.

            Seifer started talking about what he had been doing over the past few days, and paid little or no attention to what Rinoa said. Rinoa tried to steer the conversation into something she could take an interest in, but Seifer always turned it back onto his favourite subject of money. How much money he had won on the races, how much he could get for his old pendant, his ring, his watch, in fact everything he owned, he had had valued.

            Rinoa rested her head on her hand and watched him with boredom. She resulted to the old trick of just smiling and nodding at everything he said so that she didn't have to pay attention. Had he been this boring when they were together? How had she survived?

            Seifer continued to rattle away until he ran out of things to talk about in the money subject, and switched to cars.

            "You know Seifer, I think I'll just go to the bathroom." Rinoa said excusing herself and hurrying away. Seifer looked unperturbed at her sudden departure and started flirting with a nearby waitress.

            Rinoa applied her lipstick over her fading lips and stared at herself in the mirror. Did she really need to be here with this jerk? The answer she came back with was a no, and when she was sure no one was watching, she slipped out of the ladies and made straight for the exit.

            "Rinoa?"

            "Shit!" Rinoa whispered before turning around. To her surprise it wasn't who she was expecting. "S...Squall!"

            "What you doing here?" He asked. Rinoa felt herself blush.

            "Err...I was meeting someone here." She answered.

            "But they didn't show?" Squall said nodding, drawing his own conclusions from Rinoa's scattered explanations.   

            "Oh no they did, but now I'm leaving." Rinoa said turning to face the door again.

            "You're leaving without them?" Squall asked. Rinoa felt herself get angry and she spun around, why was he asking so many questions?

            "So what if I am?" She snapped before trying to leave once more.

            "Rinoa! Hey Rin! Where you going?" Rinoa looked over with dread to see Seifer pushing his way towards them. Rinoa held her breath, she was in trouble now. Seifer smiled, but halted abruptly when she saw whose company she was in. "Leonhart?" Seifer confirmed in a strange voice. Squall looked equally as shocked.

Rinoa wished she could be shot dead right on the spot; she looked around hopefully for someone to grant her wishes, but there was no one to save her here.

            "Seifer?" Squall asked to make sure he wasn't seeing things. "What the hell are you doing here?"

            "Well what a welcome!" Seifer said smoothly. Rinoa looked from one to the other; they both looked equally as pissed as each other. "I'm out on a date if you must know." He said putting his arm around Rinoa.

            "It's not a date." Rinoa said puling away from him. "It's not a date." She repeated to make sure they all understood. Squall nodded, and Rinoa saw the look of deep disappointment on his face.  Seifer must have noticed it too because he laughed.

            "Goodbye Squall." He said pushing Rinoa out of the door. Rinoa reluctantly let herself be taken away from Squall. "Now how about we go somewhere quiet?" Seifer asked smiling. Rinoa pulled herself out of his grasp, this had gone too far now.

            "I'm not going anywhere with you!" She said through clenched teeth. Seifer sighed.

            "Rin don't play this game." Seifer said smiling his confident smirk. "No guy likes a tease Rinoa." Rinoa's mouth fell open in disbelief to what she was hearing.

            "How dare you!" She exclaimed slapping him hard across the face. Seifer raised his hand to cover his cheek in a reflex and snarled.

Rinoa wasted no time in quickly flagging down a taxi and jumping in. "The presidential palace, and hurry please!" Rinoa ordered for the back seat. Seifer staggered forward and pounded on the window, making the driver hesitate. "Please hurry!" Rinoa said desperately praying the door was locked and that Seifer couldn't get in.

            The taxi sped off down the road, and Seifer stared at it blankly before hitting a nearby lamppost in fury and hastening away. His plan now was to lay low for awhile before attempting another meeting with Rinoa, and especially since she had some how managed the acquaintance of Squall.

Leonhart was the last person he wanted to see over here, this was Squall's turf, and he was at a disadvantage.  

            Squall drank the last of his drink, and pulled his coat back onto his shoulders with the help of one of the barmaids. The alcohol had clouded his vision and he stared around blindly until finding the door.  His car had been parked round the back, and this took some time to register in his mind. After a few confused minutes, Squall wandered around the back and spotted his car.

            A driver followed Squall out around the back of the restaurant after seeing that he was in no fit state to walk, let alone drive.

            "You know Sir, you really shouldn't drive." He said opening the door to the back of Squall's car.

            "I...c...c...can...d...d...drive.... (hick!)" Squall slurred almost falling over. The driver pushed Squall into the backseat and jumped in the front. "Hey.....g...get out of.....my car!" Squall protested as he lay face down on the backseat. The driver started the engine and drove out onto the road. 

            "You'll be back home soon sir." He driver said watching Squall from the rear mirror. Squall raised his head to look out of the window but gave up and slumped back on the seat.

            "Go home...see Rinoa" Squall mumbled inaudibly. The driver let him be, and continued on the road to the palace, looking over his shoulder every now and then.

            Squall wandered into the palace, and stumbled about the downstairs rooms. A vase unfortunately was in Squall's way and he knocked it over before sitting on the couch. The crash must have woken someone up, as there was now movement in the room above. Squall stared at the vase before saying 'oh no, oh no' and trying to stick the pieces back together while crawling on the floor.  

            "Squall? Is that you?"

            "The vase!" Squall said holding up some pieces and looking really upset. Quistis sighed.

            "Squall, you're wasted aren't you?" She said walking forward and helping him to his feet. Squall shook his head.

            "No."

            "Come on, I'll get you some water. Just sit here." Quistis said lowering Squall into a chair. Squall nodded and obeyed readily. When Quistis had gone, Squall snuck out into the garden. His mind was clearing slowly, and the memories of seeing Rinoa with Seifer came seeping back, although he had that hoped the vodka would've kill them.

            Quistis walked back into the room with the glass of water and scanned the room for Squall.

            "Where is he now?" She asked annoyed walking to the window. A dark shadow was moving across the lawn. "Squall, where are you going?"

            Quistis opened the glass door and headed towards Squall.

            "Squall, come in the house now." She pleaded softly. Squall shook his head and walked towards her. Quistis moved backwards, not sure what Squall was going to do.

            "I can't walk." He said still stumbling forward. Quistis rolled her eyes.

            "Fine, wrap your arm around my neck and I'll help you. Just don't mess up my jacket." Quistis said helping Squall.

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            Rinoa rolled over and gazed at the darkened window where the curtains hadn't been closed. A car's headlights flashed into her room and then rolled away. The dinner with Seifer kept playing over and over in her mind, until she was forced to get up and go downstairs to clear her head of thoughts of him. 

            Rinoa walked into the dining room and ran her hand over the piano keys; her face showed a lost expression as though the piano triggered hurtful memories of the past. She looked at it longingly before walking to the window. Squall was stumbling along the grass, and Rinoa squinted into the dim light. There was someone walking very close to him, a girl with blonde hair. Rinoa watched him with a feeling of despair, he hadn't been joking about the girls. Although Rinoa was sure that he had no problems getting girls to fall about at his feet, at the snap of his fingers if he wanted to.

            Rinoa walked out of the glass door, stepping over the shattered shards of china and out into the star lit garden. Folding her arms she waited for Squall to come nearer.

            The girl under his arm lifted her head, and Rinoa saw that it was Quistis. Rinoa's mood softened. Quistis didn't look drunk like Squall did, and it was obvious that she had not been out with him.

            "Rinoa!" She exclaimed as they came nearer. "Damn it Squall! Why are you so heavy? I'm going to have bruises on my neck in the morning." Quistis said pulling Squall off of her. Squall spotted Rinoa and frowned. "Can I leave him with you Rin? I'm so tired, and I can't stand to listen to anymore of his scrambled talk." Quistis said looking hopeful. Rinoa smiled even though it was the last thing she wanted right now.

            "So..." Squall said when Quistis had disappeared. "Where's Seifer?"

            "I don't know and I don't care." Rinoa said folding her arms again. Squall smirked.

            "Really?" He said mockingly. Rinoa nodded. "What the hell were you doing with him?" Squall shouted. Rinoa flinched.

            "Well I don't see how it is any of your business!" Rinoa shouted back equally as loud. Squall sat down silently and watched her. "Especially since you've been out all night with some girls." She added spitefully in a quiet voice.

            "I wasn't with any girls Rin." Squall said solemnly. His face persuaded Rinoa that he wasn't lying, and she stopped glaring at him. 

            "Oh." Rinoa replied quietly. 

            There was a long time of silence before anything was said, and Rinoa became suddenly aware of the cold air, now that her heart had slowed and her blood wasn't flowing quite as fast.

            "You know that I'm sorry for....well you know." Squall said quietly. Rinoa looked at the floor.

            "Yeah I know, but it doesn't mean I am." Rinoa said moving to walk back into the house. Squall grabbed her arm to stop her.

            "Rin please, I know I can be a dick sometimes, well ok a lot of the time. But I really do like you, and I don't want to fight anymore." Squall said, his voice dropping the slur as he sobered quickly.

            "Squall, I'll think about it ok." Rinoa said walking back from him.

            "You were with Seifer weren't you?" Squall asked. Rinoa stopped walking and looked back at him guiltily. "That's why you ran off after the interview."

            "Maybe I was, but I'm not anymore." Rinoa answered. "You're interview shocked me, that's all. I...I wasn't expecting it." Rinoa explained.

            "Well what were you expecting? Did you think because of who I am, my life would be all easy?" Squall asked slightly annoyed.

            "No! I mean yes, no, maybe....ok maybe I did think you would have it easy. But I guess I got that wrong." Rinoa answered backing away as Squall advanced towards her.         

            "Well you think on it." Squall said walking past her. Rinoa let out a sigh of relief; well there goes another strange conversation. "Hey! Oh, and Rinoa.... remember the dance."

            "I'm not going." Rinoa answered and then froze, why did she just say that? 

            "You're not?"

            "No."

            Squall looked at her strangely before walking away. Rinoa watched him leave her. Well what had she expected? For him to drop on his knees and beg, she wasn't exactly being very friendly.

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            The next morning Laguna awoke the house by screaming at his computer game. Ellone, whose bedroom was right next door, rushed into his room in a panic.

            "What? What's wrong?" She asked looking around the room in alarm. Laguna looked up innocently.

            "I just lost the level." He said smiling guiltily at her. Ellone looked at him in speechless shock. Squall rushed in after her, bashing the doors against the wall so they rebounded off in a loud clatter.

            "What is everyone's problem?" Squall shouted. Laguna looked really guilty now. Ellone folded her arms and looked at Laguna to explain.

            "I lost on level 1." Laguna said waiting for the burst of anger from Squall.

            "Level 1?" Squall screamed. Laguna smiled meekly. Squall glared at him before leaving with forced jerky movements. Ellone switched a worried glance with Laguna, and hurried out after Squall.

            "Squall, Squall! Don't get mad....." Ellone began. Squall turned back around fiercely.

            "Don't get mad?!"

            "You know he's an airhead sometimes. Please Squall we need you to talk to the headmaster of Balamb garden today, you know father can't, don't get into a mood." Ellone pleaded. Squall walked quickly into his room and lay on his couch in front of the TV.

            "Squall!" Ellone shouted at him.

            "Go away Ellone." Squall said flicking though the channels. Ellone came over to stand in front of his TV much to Squall's annoyance. "Get out of the way, I'm missing the part where she takes her top off."

            "Eww what are you watching?" Ellone said turning around and looking at the screen. "Oh it's a music video, you know, for a moment I thought...."

            "Ellone, just because you watch dirty videos doesn't mean we all do." Squall said smiling. Ellone looked shocked.

            "I do not!" She said; her voice becoming high pitched in frustration. 

            "Oh come on, you might as well admit it." Squall said switching the channel to watch the same video again. Ellone scowled.

            "Shut up Squall."

            "Oh so your not denying it?" Squall asked raising his eyebrow. Ellone widened her eyes.

            "Yuck, disgusting little brother!" Ellone said throwing herself down beside him on the couch. "But you remember when Laguna left one out?"

            "And you made me sit and watch it with you? Yeah how would I forget that scarring moment of my life?" Squall answered flicking the channel again, with the look of revulsion on his face.

            "It was the most stupid crap."

            "I think it damaged my young innocent my mind, I should have gone for therapy."

            "We only saw it for 2 minutes!" Ellone defended.

            "Yeah 2 minutes too long."

            "Aww was it too much for you?" Ellone asked poking him in the ribs.

            "I was 8!"

            "Fair enough. It was shit though" Ellone concluded.

            "Says the expert porn watcher."

            "I do not watch porn!" Ellone screamed. "Come down for breakfast?"

            "Sure change the subject."

            "Right, I'm leaving you here." Ellone said stomping out.

            "Why so you can go watch your videos?" Squall shouted after her. He heard her scream in a frustrated way as a response as she descended down the stairs. Squall smiled, and continued watching the skimpily clothed band dance about.

            Ellone found Rinoa and Quistis playing pool in the lounge and stood on the sidelines to watch them.

            "Ah ha! I win." Rinoa said after she hit her last ball into the pocket. Quistis frowned.

            "I'll get you next time." 

            "Yeah we'll see." Rinoa said putting her cue down. "Ell, you ok?"

            "Squall thinks I watch porn." Ellone answered without expression. Rinoa looked to Quistis would looked equally as confused.

            "Oookay, for a moment there I thought you said......um never mind." Rinoa said confused. Quistis shrugged.

            "Well....waffles anyone?" Quistis offered. "I better take some to Laguna, oh and Squall." Quistis said, taking a plate with a stack of fresh waffles that had just been deposited by a servant. "So...Where is Squall lurking today?"   

            "He's in his room" Ellone answered. "Oh but Quistis, I need those notes for the Garden conference today."

            "Oh, yeah um Rin can you..." Quistis said holding out the waffles. Rinoa took them reluctantly; guess it was another showdown with Squall.

            "Ell, you wanna just follow me and I'll get them for you." Quistis said leading Ellone out of the room. Rinoa watched them walk out before heading upstairs with the waffles.

            "Squall? You in there?" Rinoa asked outside of his door. There was no reply, but Rinoa heard him laughing at something inside. Rinoa opened the door slowly to find him with his back to her watching the TV. Rinoa knocked on the open door to get his attention.

            "I, err brought you some waffles." Rinoa said holding them out for Squall to see.

            "Oh, thanks" 

            "Squall, you ok?" Rinoa asked looking intently at him.

            "Never better, why?"

            "Just that I thought you might be hung-over this morning, that's all." Rinoa explained. Squall nodded.

            "Well, I'm fine. Thank you for your concern." Squall replied blanking her and returning to his TV. Rinoa began to walk out of the room, but Squall called her back with his next question. "You were with Seifer when we were together, weren't you?"

            Rinoa felt her stomach drop, the thought of telling Squall all about her and Seifer made her feel sick. She was prepared to tell him before, but the fact that Squall knew Seifer turned the tables in a way Rinoa hadn't been expecting. But there was no point in concealing it anymore, she couldn't lie again.

            "Yes I was." Rinoa answered, a tear running down her check. Squall laughed in a way that sent tingles down Rinoa's spine.

            "You know, now that's funny." Squall said still laughing, but this time it sounded a little forced.

            "What is?" Rinoa asked wiping the tear single tear off of her face.

            "All this time I've been feeling guilty about what you said, about you only being only a short fling and that...well it seems I've no need to anymore, thanks to you Rinoa." Squall said in a voice that longed to scream and shout, but held back by restraint.

            "Squall...I.." Rinoa stared walking forwards to meet him in the middle of the room.

            "Rinoa, I think you should just go. Your book has gone now, why don't you bugger off after it!" Squall said, stopping her from feeling sorry for herself.

            "Fine then! I will." Rinoa said throwing the waffles all over Squall's floor and stomping out.

            Squall stood looking at the mess on the carpet; he didn't know who was to blame for these arguments anymore.

A/N: Not fighting again! *shakes head*  Thank you all for the reviews!!

FFgal, CharlieGirl, Angelwingedprincess, omnitoad, Shattered Sword, CLOud, The Notorious Naurwen, Archangel_666, Sandra Leonahart, RPGHui, Angelprinczess29, Karla, Rinoa Leonhart73, Mariko, Lionheart. (Thanks guys!!)