Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII because it already belongs to SQUARESOFT.
Chapter VIII
Angelo tugged at his leash but I help my grip firmly, "Ok. When was the last sorceress war?"
Squall shrugged, dug his hands into his jacket pocket, and continued walking alongside of me. "I don't know."
Incompetent ass! I groaned in annoyance as the evening breeze whooshed by me, "Well at least take a guess!"
"Thirty years ago?" He threw out aimlessly.
"No." I replied, "You know, I don't have to do this! I could be doing homework right now-and yes I do have homework- but I'm helping you! Work with me!"
"Fine… But I really don't know!"
"How could you not know?" I demanded, "It was eighteen years ago!"
"Well, now I know." He said, I rolled my eyes at him.
"Who was the sorceress?" I skipped to the next question.
I saw the clueless look on his face and I couldn't help rolling my eyes again, "You really don't know anything… Do you?"
"No…" He finally replied, "I don't."
"The sorceress from the last war was Adel. She is currently frozen in space with three magic seals that can't be broken … No matter what. There is still a space ship, however, that guards her tomb making sure she doesn't escape." I explained.
"Why is it that I'm supposed to care?" He snorted.
"Well… Excuse me." I said sarcastically, "If Mr. Leonheart doesn't care, I won't bother explaining."
"I do care. Only for the purpose of the exam." He replied.
We came to a small park and a released Angelo from his leash into good, ol' freedom. He barked his thanks and ran off chasing Hyne only knows what. I went and sat on a bench.
"Ok, how about this… All sorceresses have a…" I let the sentence hanging, hoping he would get the picture and complete it.
He did… But not with the right answer, "Pathetic hairstyle."
"Can you be serious, please?" I rubbed my temples in agony. His stupidity was just overwhelming.
"All sorceresses have a knight." He said in a monotone voice, "There, happy?"
"Ok, who defeated Adel and sealed her?" I was positive he would get this one.
"Some powerful shitkicker …" He responded.
"Your father, Squall, your father." It would take one more smartass comment for me to abandon all sanity and strangle the idiot.
"So like I said," He repeated, "Some powerful shitkicker."
"Who will become Commander of Balamb Garden?" I didn't wait for him to respond, "Some powerful shitkicker Junior."
"Hey, shut up!" He grimaced, "You didn't know him; he wasn't your father, so just stay out of it."
I sensed anger in his voice, "Ok, sorry." There was an uncomfortable pause and so I asked, "You hate him?"
"What's it to you?" I could tell I had really pissed him off and I felt kind of
bad.
"I don't know; I just seem to care." Might as well reply with an honest answer, right? He seemed to jump a bit as if he was surprised.
"I hate him because he was always there for the rest of the country but he was just never there for me." He avoided my gaze and just stared straight forward.
"Sorry…" I murmured, I guess I knew how he felt in a way. My dad wasn't the very fatherly type either. I brushed a few annoying locks out of my eyes, "It's not like I have the best father ever, either."
"Whatever…" He replied, "Keep asking questions."
***
"The island with the strongest monsters?" I asked.
"Island Closest To Hell…" He grinned, "Man, don't you love the sound of that? The Island Closest To Hell…"
"I don't share the same morbid pleasures you do, Squall." I rolled my eyes. He was just so sick sometimes… Made me wonder if he was human.
We walked up the paved driveway when I heard someone call my name. I turned towards the direction of my neighbor's house… Oh Hyne… Not her.
She was Jessica, 9 months older than me. Let's be honest… We were never on the same wavelength… And we were never going to be. I handed Angelo's leash to Squall and walked over to the fence that clearly separated my property from hers.
"Yeah?" It was as polite as I was going to get.
"Uh… Haven't seen your brother in a while… Not all summer…" A smile appeared faintly at her lips. Gee, the kid's going through puberty… Of course he's avoiding you! I clearly remember when I actually found out.
"Are you listening to me? Hey! Mikey, answer me!" I wanted a goddamn answer to my goddamn question. Where had he put the TV remote?
His back was turned to me and he was staring out of a window. The window that over-looked her backyard. "Earth to Mikey, are you freaking listening?"
"Uh…Uh…" He stuttered, "Yeah…"
"Bullshit…" I went up to him and began poking him in the back of his head; I was trying to get a reaction…
"Stop it!" He turned around… And I wished he hadn't.
"Ahh! Mikey! Turn back around, turn back around!!" I yelled. I won't tell you what I saw; I bet you could guess for yourself. Here's a hint: Mikey was looking into her backyard where she was parading in her new bikini. He was just as embarrassed as I was and we both swore an oath to each other never to tell anyone… Not that I'd want to in the first place.
"He's been busy…" I replied, shutting my mind to very bad memories.
"So… Uh, who's the guy?" She nodded her head towards Squall, grinning. For some reason I felt like screaming at her 'BACK OFF!' … But I didn't know quite why. "Having fun without Jake?" Now wouldn't you wish… You slutty little… PEDOPHILE!
"Uh… no. His father was a deceased friend of my dad's. He's living with us." I felt like adding 'And if you make one move on him I promise to gouge your eyes out with a steak knife!' I'm still not sure why. "So anyways, have a nice evening…"
I ran back up the driveway and up the porch steps. Home… Away from her. That felt like heaven already. "Who was she?" Squall asked.
"We have neighbors…" I said irritably, "I've heard Esthar was a wasteland but I really did think you had neighbors…"
"Woah… You look pissed. I'm just saying… Who is she? As in… Hey, wait, you don't mind me asking, do you?" There was a hint of amusement in his voice. He was already getting on my nerves.
"No!" I replied, maybe a tad bit too brusquely, "If you want to go out with her then go out and knock on her door! What else can I tell you?"
"I… Don't think you two get along very well, do you?" He grinned.
"That's not it." I retorted, "She sees me as the sleazy neighbor bitch and I see her as… " I had to ponder for a while to know exactly what I thought of her, "The sleazy neighbor bitch…" Perfectly worded, if I may say so myself.
***
"Rinoa!" The thick accent of Jojo wailed, "You've grown up so much!" She hugged me and I nearly suffocated.
Jen clapped happily, "You have! Last time we saw you, you were 14 years old!"
Jen and Jojo, Jo's sisters. Jen stood for Jennifer, Jojo stood for Josephine. I had trouble pronouncing names when I was young; who didn't?
"Is that your boyfriend?" Jojo nudged me. Who, Squall? I nearly blurted but I kept my mouth shut and replied the honest truth… It was the honest truth, right?
"Nope, this is Squall. He lives with us." I explained.
"Uh… Hi." Squall looked confused, "Pleased to meet you?" He held out his hand. He looked so stupidly dumbfounded. I… Uh…Guessed he didn't realize they were triplets.
"Aren't you quite the cute one…" Jen giggled. I couldn't help but smile; I was sure Squall was going to simply love the next few days. Heh heh heh…
***
I shoved the math textbook back into my bag. "So what's with the sanity exam?"
"Uh… Nothing important." He responded and continued to tap the PS2 controller buttons aimlessly. This time, it was a giant Panda that he was trying to defeat. What kind of moron plays these games? Argh… Never mind… I don't want to know.
"No, tell me. I'm helping you with this so I want to know what's waiting for me at the end of the line." I was getting kind of worried about how to help him for a sanity exam.
"Uh… Well, it's not really a sanity exam…" He admitted slowly and he pushed the 'Pause' button. "It's a… Hormonal control exam."
My eyes went wide, "What? No… No way am I helping you study for an exam like that! You are on your own, buddy!" How was I supposed to help him study for an exam like that? Actually, I had a pretty good idea but I decided to ignore it for now.
"Well, if you want your biology book back, you're going to have to help me with this." Was that a threat in his voice? Why I ought to…
"You don't know where my bio book is." I countered, proud of myself. Now think, think, think, Rinoa! Where did you leave it last?
"Well… I don't think you do either." He smirked.
Bastard! The little… Asshole! Why didn't I have any control over him? I insulted him; he insulted me back! Why did he do this? Goddamn… Didn't he have a weakness, or something? Then it struck me like a Thundaga spell, 'He asked you to help him control his hormones… As in; he must have trouble doing so at the present time…'
I smirked and positioned myself right in front of the TV screen so that his eyes would fixate on me. I put on my perfected seductive voice (Yeah, Quistis and I used to practice everyday… It really did pay off.), "You're right… I don't know where it is… But… maybe…"
I climbed on top of him on the couch. His eyes went wide… Perfect. One leg on each side of his torso, I leaned over to the left a bit and brushed my lips against his neck. I felt him shudder, "But… Maybe… If you could tell me where it is?"
"Yeah… I don't think so…" His voice was slightly shaking but the ass was resistant. Ok… Well here goes nothing. I licked his ear, ever so delicately, "Please?"
"Uh… Did… Did… Did you look in my room? Un… der the bed." Oh God… Now I understood why he needed my help so badly. I smirked.
"Boy, are you ever fucked for that hormonal test!" I stuck out my tongue at him and darted off the couch. That would keep him out of my sight for a while.
He didn't have time to place one word forward; I was out of there, faster than a speeding bullet. I trespassed into the guest room and looked under the bed. Sure as hell, it was there. I reached for it grinning… Excellent.
I mentally gave myself a pat on the back. Another day gone by, another male sprung, another obstacle removed. Life was great. Besides, that was so much fun. Wait… Did I just say… Fun? An experience like that fun… with Leonheart? I should be grateful Jake hadn't walked into the room… But still…
Oh Hyne… It was fun. Not so much playing with him but… Actually being so close to him… What was I thinking?
Sammy: Yeah, now really … what is she thinking? I can't believe I just wrote that scene. Everyone should be proud of me … I usually have so much trouble writing those types of scenes … Well, so sue me. Review … pretty please? Thank you so much to those who are supporting me throughout this fic! I love y'all!
