Chapter 4 Of Sparkling Seas And Sunset
Author's Note: Nothing to say really, just thanks to those who kindly reviewed for me! Enjoy!
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Rinoa tapped her foot in anger as she surveyed the level of activity in the club. Irvine and Selphie were dancing energetically and Zell was nowhere to be seen. Though Rinoa's instincts told her that he was somewhere near the bar.
"Hey, isn't Squally-boy here yet?" A sweating Irvine came over, yelling over the noise in the club. Rinoa huffed. "I've been trying to call him but he switched his cell off. Oooh... if he's somewhere with some shitty girl - "
"He's gotta be twice the player than I credit him to be," Irvine chuckled as Selphie came over and hooked her arm around Irvine's waist - since she couldn't reach his neck. It was amazing how Irvine could stand having to bend down to kiss her each time. She turned to Rinoa, a huge smile on her face. "Where's Squally-wally?"
"I thought you were calling him Squally-boy?" Irvine asked curiously and Selphie grinned. "It has a better ring to it, right?"
Rinoa rolled her eyes. She sincerely hoped those two were on a high. "Astray," She answered crisply and Selphie raised an eyebrow. "He's never late for a rendezvous... Ohhh!" Her eyes lit up mischievously and Irvine pinched her. "He's not doing what you think he is, okay?"
Selphie shut her trap and glanced at the dance floor. "Yo, the floor's empty. Come on Rinoa, grab that hottie over there and join us! What, just because Squall's a good dancer doesn't mean other people aren't."
"Who cares?!" Rinoa threw her hands in the air in exasperation. "If he thinks I'm gonna mope then he's got it wrong. Let's pahtay!!!!"
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Squall unlocked the door to his apartment and absently reached around to shrug off his jacket - only to find it missing, He promptly remembered Quistis saying something about his jacket and he groaned inwardly.
He carelessly emptied the contents of his pants and realized his cellphone had accidentally switched off - probably in the collision. He sincerely hoped Rinoa didn't try to reach him, but as he lumbered in and out of the room it never rang. Maybe she forgot about him...or maybe she's pissed off. His stomach churned. Rinoa can get pretty bitchy when she's pissed off. His cell phone remained silent even as he waited, but his housephone did ring.
"Squall? Where did you go?" It was his father, Laguna. Contrary to the image he had weaved around himself, Squall was no ordinary Joe. Laguna Loire was one of the most prominent business figures in Esthar, and it was because of that Squall had decided to live in Balamb, using his mother's maiden name. He hated it when people treat him as 'Laguna's son'. It was unnerving, and also made him think people were shallow. His sister was the one who arranged for him to transfer to Acauld High and using his mother's maiden name. He wondered what she was doing now - Ellone hadn't called him in ages. He supposed she was working on her new project...
"Hey, Squall, are you still there? I heard you did good in the last exams. Who upped you?" Darn, Squall thought. Someone's sending reports back to Esthar? "I wasn't upped dad. The top spot has a permanent resident. I've gone as high as anybody else can get," Squall explained as he prepared a quick dinner of macaroni and cheese.
"Nonsense. But anyway, any plans after this? You know I don't force you, but you can always come back and have a place here..."
Squall remembered the Balamb Garden offer. He remembered his refusal...
There are other things more important than having fun... a soft yet firm voice echoed in his mind.
"Can't think yet," Squall stopped stirring his macaroni and stared blankly at it. Suddenly his appetite had vanished.
"Whatever it is, don't waste your time fooling around, okay? If you want to come back you know what to do."
"..."
"Oh, I thought of visiting your mother's grave this weekend. Do you want to come along?"
"What about Ellone?"
"She's busy... you know how sealed up she can get when she's on to something."
"Alright. But I already have plans, sorry."
"No problem. Maybe you can go later. Don't fool around, okay?"
Squall replaced the phone back on its cradle and stared at the macaroni again. "Balamb Garden..." He repeated thoughtfully. "Is that what's important?"
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"I very nearly wanted to kill you," Rinoa growled playfully as she sat on Squall's lap. He absently smiled at her. True, she had blithely ignored him for a few days and refused to answer the phone, but Squall knew she couldn't hold out for long. Nobody could. Besides, Irvine and Selphie helped speed things up. Those two are the greatest schemers on the planet. "Can't do this often, man," Irvine had whispered urgently. Selphie looked around, looking for someone. "Anyone seen Zell?"
"Yo guys!"
"Speak of the devil," Squall mumbled with amusement. Zell came rushing over - as usual - his plate piled high with hotdogs. No matter what the gang tried, he simply refuses to eat anything else. Sometimes they wondered if those hotdogs accounted for his hyper attitude, but then how to explain Selphie's?
"I did it man!" His eyes were shining either with excitement, or maybe it's just the hotdogs. "I did it! I've been accepted into the SeeD military Academy!"
"Are you sure they got the right Zell?" Rinoa inqured laughingly, much to Zell's offence. "hey, I have the chance to be somebody, okay? I'm going for it."
"That's the spirit," Irvine said approvingly.
"Yeah, Squall, heard you got an offer from Balamb Garden." Zell popped a hotdog into his mouth and chewed thoughtfully. Rinoa's eyes narrowed. "you did?" She glared at him accusingly. 'How come you didn't tell me about it?!"
"I told the geezer I'd consider. I didn't accept yet."
"So, are you going?" Rinoa pressed him, and out of the corner of his eye, he caught a figure moving towards the exit, eyes glued to a book. "...Maybe."
Quistis scanned the titles on the book bindings. Muttering to herself, she pulled out one and nearly jumped with shock. "Squall!"
He grinned from across the bookshelf and picked out the same title. "Is this what you read? 'Detailed Study In The Quantum Theory'?"
"It's just for light reading," She said absently and picked out other titles, completely oblivious to Squall's disbelieving stare. "Haven't you heard about 'girl mags'? Now those are light reading."
"They're trash," She said flatly and pushed a book back in the cavity, blocking his face. "What are you doing here? Is there a shortage of girls to chase aroud?" Qusitis moved along the shelves, reading the titles while Squall nursed his wounded ego. 'Actually I sort of... well I... " he rolled his eyes. "I need help."
She stopped in the act of pulling out a white bound journal. "On what? Female Psychology? Sorry, but I'm not an author on that subject."
"I thought of trying for it. Garden."
Now she really did freeze and her heart skipped a beat. Oh no... "What for? I thought you refused."
"Well, you made me reconsider."
Damn, she mentally slapped herself. Why'd you put ideas in his head?! "Oh? I did?"
"So you're going to help me out."
She gave him a sideways look and pushed the glasses up the bridge of her nose. "You don't need help," She said finally. "You just have to be a little more hardworking, that's all."
"Is that a compliment?"
"Don't expect more."
He grinned. "So you're helping me?"
Quistis sighed. She had a feeling she was going to regret this, but it wasn't inside her to refuse.
Anybody passing by the library would have done a double take should they care to look in. In a quiet corner, table piled high with book were the two opposites of the school, sitting at the same table, having an intellectual discussion. It's like the odds of Principal Martine's wig blowing off on a windy day.
"You're not attentive enough," She said patiently as she pointed out several things. Squall discovered she can be completely mute and deaf when she's reading - and blind too, for that matter. He had to resist the urge of tugging her blonde locks to attract her attention.
"But you missed that too," he pointed to a key paragraph that she totally missed; and she gaped at him. He burst out laughing and leaned back against the chair, grinning. "I think I learn enough today, teach."
"You were making fun of me, weren't you?" She countered with a small smile. "Alright genius, what else do you know that you purposely neglected to tell me?"
"You're stunning," he said bluntly, grinning and she blinked, stunned. Almost immediately her face turned pink and she quickly gathered her books. "I think that's enough for the day," She got up and left him frowning. Ignoring the pile of books, he gathered his things and ran after her. "Quistis!"
She stopped, took a deep breath and turned around. "What is it?"
He stopped a foot from her and ran a hand through his hair in helplessness. "Don't tell me... were you offended? Look, I was just being honest."
She looked away and then looked back of him, calm as always. "No it was really late. I need to be going."
"Let me take you home."
"I'm not going to faint in the middle of the road," She rolled her eyes but Squall had already pulled her hand and lead her to his bike. "No excuses,' he said, smiling. She sighed. "I suppose I must be honored to get to ride with you."
"It's a privilege given to few," He confided as she climbed behind him and held on to his shoulders. He revved up and soon they were speeding down the road, but she noticed he was heading the wrong way. Alarm seized her. "Squall, where are we going?!"
"Relax. Trust me."
She grit her teeth. She knew this was a wrong idea!
The scenery passed by in a blur as they sped down the freeway. To the right, the Balmab Sea stretched on, calm and clear as the sky above. The Wind rushed thought her hair, whispering in a language on God could understand.
"Here we are," The roar slowly died as did the wind and she could open her eyes. And they widened as big as they could go.
They were in a little promontory overlooking the ocean. Behind them was the lonely road, with the occasional car.
"What do you think, Quisty?"
She snapped out of her thoughts. "What did you call me?"
"Your name," he said simply. "It's a mouthful. Hope you don't mind me shortening it."
"You must have speech difficulties," She smiled. "Nobody ever needed to shorten my name, simply because it's a 'mouthful'."
He smiled tolerantly. "Then that name will be mine, right? You'll know it's me."
She ignored him and leaned forward against the railing, squinting and a distant shape across the water. "Is that Dollet?" She shielded her eyes against the setting sun as she pointed to the shape. There was a twinkling light, probably a lighthouse. Squall nodded. "Ever been to the Galbadian Continent? It's huge."
"A few times," Quistis replied briefly as her attention returned to the shimmering water. "Does this place have a special significance to you or did you really take a wrong turning?"
"No, It's just a great place to relax and think," Squall shrugged and ran a hand through his hair. Quistis noticed he did that a lot. Secretly she wondered why he didn't just cut it - and realized his hair was what made him so adorable. Wait a minute! She blinked. Did she just think what she thought she did? "Oh brother..." She groaned aloud. He looked at her and she shrugged. "Sunsets never fail to take my breath away," he said softly and she smiled.
"It's pretty romantic here," Quistis said after a moment. "is this where you woo your ladies?"
"Nope," he looked stung. "They're only interested in clubbing."
"Pity," Quistis chuckled and continued to admire the sunset. "No wonder Vikings want to be buried at sea... it's so glorious," She said softly. Squall carefully eyed her out of the corner of his eye. Even in the orange glow, her eyes remained a startling blue, and her face was bathed in a rosy glow; peaceful and strangely innocent. No, he corrected himself. She was truly innocent. For one, "I can't believe you'd rather stare at the scenery when you have me standing here," he voiced out his thoughts rather laughingly. She cast him a sideways glance that made him chuckle. "I remember... does it hurt to try?"
"Once a player always a player," She sighed, but he did notice the smile she gave to the sun. "So...after the infamous orange juice incident, did you swear of guys forever or what?"
"...There just isn't any time to think about it." She leaned forward. "There's always something to do... anyway," She suddenly chuckled; "You're the first person in years to give me a compliment."
" I suppose I'm also the first guy who accompanied you home."
"... And took me to watch a pretty sunset," She confirmed and laughed. "It wouldn't hurt to say you're the only guy in my life."
Somehow, her words made his stomach flutter.
Finally she pushed away from the railing. "I think we'd better head back..." She halted when she realized he was staring at the water rather strangely. "What is it?" She came up to him and he blinked.
"Vikings aren't the only one... my mother met God here too," he said quietly - so quietly that she could have mistaken it for the waved crashing below them. But there was no mistaking the sadness in his voice... "She was hit by a drunk when driving..."
Quistis wasn't exactly sure what to say. He had his share of pain too, she thought as she walked over to the bike. Trying to life the mood, she turned to him and said in a rather cheerful voice; "Is that why you ride a bike?"
He gave her the same sideways glance she was so fond of and she smiled. "Hurry up, or I might think of taking your bike too!" She laughed when he put on a serious face, but his eyes were twinkling. "Women. You're always so pushy!"
"Certainly," Was her clipped reply as he sat in front of her and kicked the starter to life. 'Or else men like you won't know what to do."
Squall grinned and revved up the engine. "I'll show you what I do to puchy girls."
The next moment Quistis wanted to scream when he recklessly tore down the road, weaving past cars and trailers and generally setting her teeth on edge. "Squall!!!!!" She screeched but he paid no heed and plunged through the city traffic without missing a beat. She caught several cars and bikes blaring their horns angrily but honestly, there was no time to apologize.
He finally stopped with a flourish right smack in front of her house. 'Here we go."
"In once piece," Quistis muttered as she dismounted shakily. If there was anything of a hell ride, that would be it. Squall took one look at her and burst out laughing. Quistis glared at him and he pointed to the side mirror. One look at her reflection almost made her laugh too. The ride had made her look so frazzled it was amusing. She looked like she had gone through a tumble-dryer. She glared accusingly at him. "Admiring your handiwork, Leonhart?"
He merely grinned and waved as he took off.
She stared at his retreating form and shook her head. She aught to be careful with him...
Footnote: Do you think my chapters are too long? Should I shorten them? Please, what do you think?
Author's Note: Nothing to say really, just thanks to those who kindly reviewed for me! Enjoy!
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Rinoa tapped her foot in anger as she surveyed the level of activity in the club. Irvine and Selphie were dancing energetically and Zell was nowhere to be seen. Though Rinoa's instincts told her that he was somewhere near the bar.
"Hey, isn't Squally-boy here yet?" A sweating Irvine came over, yelling over the noise in the club. Rinoa huffed. "I've been trying to call him but he switched his cell off. Oooh... if he's somewhere with some shitty girl - "
"He's gotta be twice the player than I credit him to be," Irvine chuckled as Selphie came over and hooked her arm around Irvine's waist - since she couldn't reach his neck. It was amazing how Irvine could stand having to bend down to kiss her each time. She turned to Rinoa, a huge smile on her face. "Where's Squally-wally?"
"I thought you were calling him Squally-boy?" Irvine asked curiously and Selphie grinned. "It has a better ring to it, right?"
Rinoa rolled her eyes. She sincerely hoped those two were on a high. "Astray," She answered crisply and Selphie raised an eyebrow. "He's never late for a rendezvous... Ohhh!" Her eyes lit up mischievously and Irvine pinched her. "He's not doing what you think he is, okay?"
Selphie shut her trap and glanced at the dance floor. "Yo, the floor's empty. Come on Rinoa, grab that hottie over there and join us! What, just because Squall's a good dancer doesn't mean other people aren't."
"Who cares?!" Rinoa threw her hands in the air in exasperation. "If he thinks I'm gonna mope then he's got it wrong. Let's pahtay!!!!"
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Squall unlocked the door to his apartment and absently reached around to shrug off his jacket - only to find it missing, He promptly remembered Quistis saying something about his jacket and he groaned inwardly.
He carelessly emptied the contents of his pants and realized his cellphone had accidentally switched off - probably in the collision. He sincerely hoped Rinoa didn't try to reach him, but as he lumbered in and out of the room it never rang. Maybe she forgot about him...or maybe she's pissed off. His stomach churned. Rinoa can get pretty bitchy when she's pissed off. His cell phone remained silent even as he waited, but his housephone did ring.
"Squall? Where did you go?" It was his father, Laguna. Contrary to the image he had weaved around himself, Squall was no ordinary Joe. Laguna Loire was one of the most prominent business figures in Esthar, and it was because of that Squall had decided to live in Balamb, using his mother's maiden name. He hated it when people treat him as 'Laguna's son'. It was unnerving, and also made him think people were shallow. His sister was the one who arranged for him to transfer to Acauld High and using his mother's maiden name. He wondered what she was doing now - Ellone hadn't called him in ages. He supposed she was working on her new project...
"Hey, Squall, are you still there? I heard you did good in the last exams. Who upped you?" Darn, Squall thought. Someone's sending reports back to Esthar? "I wasn't upped dad. The top spot has a permanent resident. I've gone as high as anybody else can get," Squall explained as he prepared a quick dinner of macaroni and cheese.
"Nonsense. But anyway, any plans after this? You know I don't force you, but you can always come back and have a place here..."
Squall remembered the Balamb Garden offer. He remembered his refusal...
There are other things more important than having fun... a soft yet firm voice echoed in his mind.
"Can't think yet," Squall stopped stirring his macaroni and stared blankly at it. Suddenly his appetite had vanished.
"Whatever it is, don't waste your time fooling around, okay? If you want to come back you know what to do."
"..."
"Oh, I thought of visiting your mother's grave this weekend. Do you want to come along?"
"What about Ellone?"
"She's busy... you know how sealed up she can get when she's on to something."
"Alright. But I already have plans, sorry."
"No problem. Maybe you can go later. Don't fool around, okay?"
Squall replaced the phone back on its cradle and stared at the macaroni again. "Balamb Garden..." He repeated thoughtfully. "Is that what's important?"
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"I very nearly wanted to kill you," Rinoa growled playfully as she sat on Squall's lap. He absently smiled at her. True, she had blithely ignored him for a few days and refused to answer the phone, but Squall knew she couldn't hold out for long. Nobody could. Besides, Irvine and Selphie helped speed things up. Those two are the greatest schemers on the planet. "Can't do this often, man," Irvine had whispered urgently. Selphie looked around, looking for someone. "Anyone seen Zell?"
"Yo guys!"
"Speak of the devil," Squall mumbled with amusement. Zell came rushing over - as usual - his plate piled high with hotdogs. No matter what the gang tried, he simply refuses to eat anything else. Sometimes they wondered if those hotdogs accounted for his hyper attitude, but then how to explain Selphie's?
"I did it man!" His eyes were shining either with excitement, or maybe it's just the hotdogs. "I did it! I've been accepted into the SeeD military Academy!"
"Are you sure they got the right Zell?" Rinoa inqured laughingly, much to Zell's offence. "hey, I have the chance to be somebody, okay? I'm going for it."
"That's the spirit," Irvine said approvingly.
"Yeah, Squall, heard you got an offer from Balamb Garden." Zell popped a hotdog into his mouth and chewed thoughtfully. Rinoa's eyes narrowed. "you did?" She glared at him accusingly. 'How come you didn't tell me about it?!"
"I told the geezer I'd consider. I didn't accept yet."
"So, are you going?" Rinoa pressed him, and out of the corner of his eye, he caught a figure moving towards the exit, eyes glued to a book. "...Maybe."
Quistis scanned the titles on the book bindings. Muttering to herself, she pulled out one and nearly jumped with shock. "Squall!"
He grinned from across the bookshelf and picked out the same title. "Is this what you read? 'Detailed Study In The Quantum Theory'?"
"It's just for light reading," She said absently and picked out other titles, completely oblivious to Squall's disbelieving stare. "Haven't you heard about 'girl mags'? Now those are light reading."
"They're trash," She said flatly and pushed a book back in the cavity, blocking his face. "What are you doing here? Is there a shortage of girls to chase aroud?" Qusitis moved along the shelves, reading the titles while Squall nursed his wounded ego. 'Actually I sort of... well I... " he rolled his eyes. "I need help."
She stopped in the act of pulling out a white bound journal. "On what? Female Psychology? Sorry, but I'm not an author on that subject."
"I thought of trying for it. Garden."
Now she really did freeze and her heart skipped a beat. Oh no... "What for? I thought you refused."
"Well, you made me reconsider."
Damn, she mentally slapped herself. Why'd you put ideas in his head?! "Oh? I did?"
"So you're going to help me out."
She gave him a sideways look and pushed the glasses up the bridge of her nose. "You don't need help," She said finally. "You just have to be a little more hardworking, that's all."
"Is that a compliment?"
"Don't expect more."
He grinned. "So you're helping me?"
Quistis sighed. She had a feeling she was going to regret this, but it wasn't inside her to refuse.
Anybody passing by the library would have done a double take should they care to look in. In a quiet corner, table piled high with book were the two opposites of the school, sitting at the same table, having an intellectual discussion. It's like the odds of Principal Martine's wig blowing off on a windy day.
"You're not attentive enough," She said patiently as she pointed out several things. Squall discovered she can be completely mute and deaf when she's reading - and blind too, for that matter. He had to resist the urge of tugging her blonde locks to attract her attention.
"But you missed that too," he pointed to a key paragraph that she totally missed; and she gaped at him. He burst out laughing and leaned back against the chair, grinning. "I think I learn enough today, teach."
"You were making fun of me, weren't you?" She countered with a small smile. "Alright genius, what else do you know that you purposely neglected to tell me?"
"You're stunning," he said bluntly, grinning and she blinked, stunned. Almost immediately her face turned pink and she quickly gathered her books. "I think that's enough for the day," She got up and left him frowning. Ignoring the pile of books, he gathered his things and ran after her. "Quistis!"
She stopped, took a deep breath and turned around. "What is it?"
He stopped a foot from her and ran a hand through his hair in helplessness. "Don't tell me... were you offended? Look, I was just being honest."
She looked away and then looked back of him, calm as always. "No it was really late. I need to be going."
"Let me take you home."
"I'm not going to faint in the middle of the road," She rolled her eyes but Squall had already pulled her hand and lead her to his bike. "No excuses,' he said, smiling. She sighed. "I suppose I must be honored to get to ride with you."
"It's a privilege given to few," He confided as she climbed behind him and held on to his shoulders. He revved up and soon they were speeding down the road, but she noticed he was heading the wrong way. Alarm seized her. "Squall, where are we going?!"
"Relax. Trust me."
She grit her teeth. She knew this was a wrong idea!
The scenery passed by in a blur as they sped down the freeway. To the right, the Balmab Sea stretched on, calm and clear as the sky above. The Wind rushed thought her hair, whispering in a language on God could understand.
"Here we are," The roar slowly died as did the wind and she could open her eyes. And they widened as big as they could go.
They were in a little promontory overlooking the ocean. Behind them was the lonely road, with the occasional car.
"What do you think, Quisty?"
She snapped out of her thoughts. "What did you call me?"
"Your name," he said simply. "It's a mouthful. Hope you don't mind me shortening it."
"You must have speech difficulties," She smiled. "Nobody ever needed to shorten my name, simply because it's a 'mouthful'."
He smiled tolerantly. "Then that name will be mine, right? You'll know it's me."
She ignored him and leaned forward against the railing, squinting and a distant shape across the water. "Is that Dollet?" She shielded her eyes against the setting sun as she pointed to the shape. There was a twinkling light, probably a lighthouse. Squall nodded. "Ever been to the Galbadian Continent? It's huge."
"A few times," Quistis replied briefly as her attention returned to the shimmering water. "Does this place have a special significance to you or did you really take a wrong turning?"
"No, It's just a great place to relax and think," Squall shrugged and ran a hand through his hair. Quistis noticed he did that a lot. Secretly she wondered why he didn't just cut it - and realized his hair was what made him so adorable. Wait a minute! She blinked. Did she just think what she thought she did? "Oh brother..." She groaned aloud. He looked at her and she shrugged. "Sunsets never fail to take my breath away," he said softly and she smiled.
"It's pretty romantic here," Quistis said after a moment. "is this where you woo your ladies?"
"Nope," he looked stung. "They're only interested in clubbing."
"Pity," Quistis chuckled and continued to admire the sunset. "No wonder Vikings want to be buried at sea... it's so glorious," She said softly. Squall carefully eyed her out of the corner of his eye. Even in the orange glow, her eyes remained a startling blue, and her face was bathed in a rosy glow; peaceful and strangely innocent. No, he corrected himself. She was truly innocent. For one, "I can't believe you'd rather stare at the scenery when you have me standing here," he voiced out his thoughts rather laughingly. She cast him a sideways glance that made him chuckle. "I remember... does it hurt to try?"
"Once a player always a player," She sighed, but he did notice the smile she gave to the sun. "So...after the infamous orange juice incident, did you swear of guys forever or what?"
"...There just isn't any time to think about it." She leaned forward. "There's always something to do... anyway," She suddenly chuckled; "You're the first person in years to give me a compliment."
" I suppose I'm also the first guy who accompanied you home."
"... And took me to watch a pretty sunset," She confirmed and laughed. "It wouldn't hurt to say you're the only guy in my life."
Somehow, her words made his stomach flutter.
Finally she pushed away from the railing. "I think we'd better head back..." She halted when she realized he was staring at the water rather strangely. "What is it?" She came up to him and he blinked.
"Vikings aren't the only one... my mother met God here too," he said quietly - so quietly that she could have mistaken it for the waved crashing below them. But there was no mistaking the sadness in his voice... "She was hit by a drunk when driving..."
Quistis wasn't exactly sure what to say. He had his share of pain too, she thought as she walked over to the bike. Trying to life the mood, she turned to him and said in a rather cheerful voice; "Is that why you ride a bike?"
He gave her the same sideways glance she was so fond of and she smiled. "Hurry up, or I might think of taking your bike too!" She laughed when he put on a serious face, but his eyes were twinkling. "Women. You're always so pushy!"
"Certainly," Was her clipped reply as he sat in front of her and kicked the starter to life. 'Or else men like you won't know what to do."
Squall grinned and revved up the engine. "I'll show you what I do to puchy girls."
The next moment Quistis wanted to scream when he recklessly tore down the road, weaving past cars and trailers and generally setting her teeth on edge. "Squall!!!!!" She screeched but he paid no heed and plunged through the city traffic without missing a beat. She caught several cars and bikes blaring their horns angrily but honestly, there was no time to apologize.
He finally stopped with a flourish right smack in front of her house. 'Here we go."
"In once piece," Quistis muttered as she dismounted shakily. If there was anything of a hell ride, that would be it. Squall took one look at her and burst out laughing. Quistis glared at him and he pointed to the side mirror. One look at her reflection almost made her laugh too. The ride had made her look so frazzled it was amusing. She looked like she had gone through a tumble-dryer. She glared accusingly at him. "Admiring your handiwork, Leonhart?"
He merely grinned and waved as he took off.
She stared at his retreating form and shook her head. She aught to be careful with him...
Footnote: Do you think my chapters are too long? Should I shorten them? Please, what do you think?
