Disclaimer: Me no own nothing … me no smart enough.
Chapter X
As much as I was looking forward to Wednesday… I found it to be a terrible day in the end. Horrible… Terrible. Driving a car was much harder than I imagined. That's not my fault! I was led on by commercialization!
The next worse thing…Was Leonheart. First off, I expected that he had some common sense when he was behind the wheel. Turns out that I was wrong. The guy's tips were not helpful and he was an awful teacher.
"Ok, you know the signs that they post up on the highway? You have to multiply them by five and then you get the speed that you're supposed to drive at."
Uh… NO, you insane sonofabitch. The number that's on the sign is the one that you abide by… Crazy bastard!
"Stop braking so goddamn abruptly! You treat the car the way your girlfriend wants you to treat her. Not so roughly… Softly… Slowly…"
"Ok, first off … I wouldn't know how my girlfriend wants me to treat her … since I don't have one! Give me something I can relate to…" I snapped.
We had driven off east, towards what tourists called 'The Tomb of The Unknown King'. There was a vast field that I could practice in without harming an innocent bystander…
"Well, you know you're not so bad. All in all, I give you an 'S'."
"An 'S'?" I asked, "What is that supposed to mean?"
"I go by a different grading system. 'S' stands for 'Stay off the road you slow bitch'."
"Asshole!" I lunged at his throat and smacked him in the head a couple of times in the head (which he said that he would sue me for).
We got back home and it was around nine. I didn't worry much because I had tomorrow off. After chatting a bit with Joan's sisters I went up stairs and with the intention of brushing my teeth.
"Don't you have any shame?" I asked as I saw his reflection in the mirror in front of the sink. He entered the bathroom in a pair of boxers and a t-shirt. He must have not known I was in here since he looked flustered as soon as he saw me.
"I'll bet you it's nothing you haven't seen before." He scowled at me but it really couldn't hide the blushes.
"I don't recall it being any of your business…" I answered as spread the toothpaste on my toothbrush.
"You're right… It isn't any of my business." He replied, "And yet I still know…"
If my mouth wasn't full of toothpaste… Boy, did I have a fucking response. Who the hell did he think he was? So I asked him… Right after I spat out the foamy substance, rinsed my mouth and wiped it.
"Who the hell do you think you are?"
"That whole spitting thing… That was very sexy." He rolled his eyes sarcastically.
"Fuck you." I replied, "In any case, my personal life is my own. And you are right… It's nothing I haven't seen before… And yours is probably less impressive than what I have seen."
I left him in the bathroom. His loss for words is my gain; take advantage of it while it lasts. I headed towards my room.
***
The next morning, I found myself thrusting my fists against the bathroom door because the stupid rat-assed prick decided to take a two-hour shower… Using up all the hot water.
"Squall, if you don't open this door I will shoot off your elbows and kneecaps… And then I'll throw you into a lake and watch you flop around before you go down! Open this door now!"
Jojo walked past by me and stared at me awkwardly and so I had to explain, "He's been in there for two whole hours!!"
She grinned evilly and handed me a bobby pin, "Break into the room… It's really fun to see their reactions."
Jen had come to watch and I could feel my face flushing a deep red, "Oh hell no! I can't do that!" I tried to give her the bobby pin back but she insisted.
I looked at Jen and she looked just as giddy. I started to pick the lock and finally heard the click. I slowly entered the steamy bathroom… Not really sure I wanted to do this… After all… How would I feel if he did it to me?
"Yeah, see… After your shrill, annoying screams stopped, I got suspicious… So I dressed myself."
His hair was wet… He was wearing boxers… He had no shirt. I think I nearly started drooling.
"Haven't you heard of human privacy?" He yelled out, "I could have been naked here!"
"Yeah… See, people don't take showers that last an eternity! Naked or not I would have kicked your freaking ass out!" I said finding my thoughts… Erm… Well, not really that I had any clean thoughts at that moment.
"I will get you back for this shit that you pulled, got that? Be afraid, be very fucking afraid…" And he exited.
"Yeah? Bring it on!" I called after him and followed him through the door.
"Hello ladies." He said politely to Jen and Jojo.
"Hello…" They smiled and him and when he was out of earshot they grinned at me. "So you didn't take a peek at 'la piece de resistance'?"
I rolled my eyes, smiling… "No, but now I got the bathroom!"
Closing the door and locking it… Hoping that he wouldn't strike back today… I striped down and went in for a nice… Fucking cold… Shower. I was going to kill the little bastard.
***
During the afternoon, I went back to reviewing with him. This time, we reviewed for the biology part of his exam. "Ok, for the eighth time… Name the three parts of the brain."
"The stupid part, the smart part and the part that's all mushy and gooey." He answered, really not paying attention. How stupid was he anyways?
"Ok, this isn't even considered basics!" I snapped at him, "Your exam'll probably be five times as hard as this… So will you please concentrate?"
"Listen, you just keep dishing out questions at me expecting an answer… When you haven't taught me anything yet!"
"I'm sorry… I thought you were intelligent! There are three parts of the brain: cerebrum, cerebellum and the medulla. Each serve a different purpose…" I stopped as I was rudely interrupted by his snoring sounds.
"Could you make it a little more interesting please?" He asked as if it was expected of me to do so.
I gave him a long, cold, death glare and finally I replied, "Well, how would
you go about it, Mr. Leonheart?"
"Ok, well, first I would get a pig, cut open its head and pull out its brain … then I would demonstrate." He grinned sardonically at me.
"You are the most morbid person that I have ever met!" I yelled at him, "Can you be serious for one minute, at least!"
He shrugged, "Fine then… Go on with your boring lecture. I'll just snooze here and…"
"Fail your exam…" I interrupted him with a clashing reminder.
He grinned, "And then you would have to put up with me for another year."
Damn, damn… DAMN! He was right, he was always right. No matter what I did he bounced back… There was no way to kill him off! Then it struck me… It's like a numbing feeling at your stomach and then it grows on you until you feel completely stupid and limp. I didn't really care if he left or not. Come to think of it… I didn't want him to leave at all. The fact that he wasn't leaving… Didn't bother me.
What the hell was this feeling? 'Ah, 'tis love…' Oh, yeah right! Bullshit… In love? With Squall Leonheart? Not likely… The guy pissed me off so much! How could I… No…Impossible! Not possible…
Just keep telling yourself that, Rinoa… Just keep telling yourself that…
And I tried to shut out the thought at the back of my mind… 'Just keep telling yourself that, Rinoa… You might actually start to believe it…'
I managed to reply, "So do you want to study or not?"
"Anything for you." He flashed me the grin. The one that states that he is the all-powerful smartass. For some strange reason, I believed that we were actually going to study.
He flicked on the PS2 and inserted 'Grand Tourismo 3'. Yeah, of course we were going to study. Boy, was I a dumbass.
"Ok, you don't want to study!" I hissed at him, "I can't believe I actually agreed to this! Why do I bother with you?" Very bad question to ask when he's wearing the smartass grin.
"You bother with me, because you love me." His smile grew wider. I knew he was joking… But at this specific moment I knew he was right and I didn't like that very much.
"Oh, you wish!" I snapped. Great, now I could feel my face turning red. Well… He was paying attention to the T.V., so there was no need to worry. Even so, I was angry with myself… Give me a break… In love?
I watched him race for a while. It'd be useless to teach him anything. And I just didn't want to leave him there. Leave him there alone. And why leave him there when you can be with him alone?
I watched as he swerved the '95 Supra into a ditch, "You suck ass." I commented, "You can't even keep the car on the road and if you haven't noticed… You're in last place."
"Hey, hey!" He warned, "I'm a beginner, I usually play Sly Cooper."
"Oh nice excuse. 'I could be better but I like to play dumb kiddy games which involve a stupid, ugly raccoon.'"
"Don't insult him! I like him! He's cool!" He countered. I started laughing.
"Ok, fine! If you think you can do any better than me then go straight ahead! Two player race, you against me!" He tossed me the second player controller.
"Yeah, you're on!" I replied, "I'll bet you anything that I'm going to kick your ass!"
"Anything?" He asked, "How's this then; Beat me and I'll be more attentive and less of an ass when you're trying to tutor me."
"You think you can handle that? Not being an ass, I mean." I grinned.
"Yeah, but if I win I get to kiss you." Kiss me? Oh hell… "Think you can handle that?"
"I won't have to, since I'm going to beat your ass!" Bad thing to say. Hyne, why am I such a dumbass?
Should I lose on purpose? … Hmm… That wasn't a bad idea. But… Hell no! I will not lose on purpose! No really… I won't.
I picked the car and he picked his and we agreed on a racing track. Unfortunately for me and my big mouth, he was good. I was usually good at those games too. But he was also… Or at least he was now. Little bastards pick the best time to get good, don't they?
I was tailgating him the whole way though… No really, I don't suck that bad at these games. No, really, when I used to play with my brothers I used to beat them all the time honest. Even my dad and my mom… And Joan.
Yeah, you want me to get to the point, don't you? You want me to get to the fucking point then FINE!! The point is that I fucking lost!!! I was ready to jump off a ten story building at this point. This was terrible… Oh so horrible!
"Ha! Beat you!" Again… With that 'smartass' grin. Boy, was I ready to lunge at his throat and kill him.
"Deal's off…" I stated quickly. At this point, I didn't know what my feelings were about him and I sincerely didn't want to be in love with him… And kissing him might confirm my fears.
"Hell no! I would have kept my end of the bargain so you have to keep yours!"
"That's easy for you to say since you aren't the one that lost!"
"Yeah, I guess it is." He shrugged, "Well, never mind then."
For once he actually looked honest. "Are you kidding me?" Again… Me and my big stupid mouth, "You're going to let it go, just like that?"
"I'm not a rapist… Or whatever." He answered.
"Ok, well wait." What was I doing? I don't know.
"What?" He looked confused and there was a sort of awkward moment where I avoided his gaze.
What about Jake? What're you going to do about him? Why do you care? Very torturing thoughts. Were you in love with Jake?
I'm in love with Squall. Do you know what love feels like? No I don't. Then how do you know you love him? I don't know… Then shut up and leave him alone! I can't…
"Ok… Um …" I started off, "Just one minute." Good job… Make him wait a minute. Sometimes I'm just the Queen of the Stupid.
He had gotten to a standing position from the couch and I had to grab his hand and pull him back down, this time, right next to me.
"Rinoa, are you ok? What are you doing?" Concern and confusion were swimming in his voice.
"I don't know, ok?" I snapped, "Don't talk right now! Just… Shut up."
"Ok." He agreed, still really confused.
"You know, you are such a pain in the ass!" I started. "I can't believe you sometimes, I can't believe you could just do this… You really piss me off!"
He cleared his throat and continued staring at me. "You have… The oddest manner! I can't believe that you…"
He interrupted me, "Ok, now you shut up. Because… You didn't let me leave the room and so face the consequences."
……… And then he kissed me. It was a pretty damn good kiss at that. The thoughts that tried to infiltrate my mind were blocked out by the pure ecstasy that I felt. Even the annoying little voice at the back of my mind was drowned out by this feeling I felt… and yeah, it did confirm my fears.
His hands were on my waist and I had subconsciously put mine on the back of his neck. The moment was flawless… But I needed air. I broke off the kiss and pushed him away. Breathing in deeply I was getting ready to yell out obscenities at him.
But something was odd with him. He was clutching his stomach as if I had hit him good (which I hadn't… At least I didn't think I had…).
"Are you … Ok…?" I asked, trying to make eye contact.
"Uh… Fine…" I could practically hear the pain in his voice. What the hell was his problem? "It's not you… It's me. Just… Never mind, ok? I'm going to go… ok? Good night." And he practically bolted out of the room.
What the hell had that been about? The phone next to me rang and I answered it impatiently, "Yeah, what?"
It was Jake.
Sammy: Yeah, finally. It was about time that they'd get together, no? Well, now that Jake has called that might momentarily not be possible. Thank you so much to Ekika (my beta-reader) for helping me write this chapter! I owe you my life, dude! *Wipes away a tear* You might have noticed that I write that 'I'll bet you …' idea a lot. Don't ask, it's like an ongoing, stupid joke. I'll tell you all the story one time and yes: that 'Bet thing …' will always be in my stories, sorry to bore y'all ^.~ Weelllll, review everybody!!! See y'all next week!
Ekika: Now we can go watch XMEN! Woohoo!!!!!!! Laters! (Sam in background: You're craaaazy!)
