Chapter 7 Wonderland
Author's note: This part of the story was done when I was listening to John Meyer's Your Body Is A Wonderland, and strangely it set the mood for a warm, fun afternoon. Anyway, I always thought going to a carnival was a sweet thing, especially for couples, so here we go! It's really, really old- fashioned, but tell me what you think! As usual, everything is accepted.
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"Is it me or is Squall studying harder than usual?" commented a frowning Selphie. Irvine shrugged. "What's usual to you? Null?"
"But it's strange," Selphie insisted. "Do you think he's regretting breaking up with Rinny?"
Irvine noticed him smile at a couple of starry-eyed girls. "Most unlikely."
"Then..." Selphie's eyes widened. "Maybe he's entering Garden?!"
That made Irvine grin. But inside he was feeling uneasy. Squall studying...and he saw him talk to the Ice Queen a few days ago. That isn't unusual after what happened, but he was smiling at her, and was it his imagination or did she WINK at Squall?! Maybe there's more than meets the eye...
Selphie caught sight of a girl who was sitting at a solitary table. Strange... was it her or she looking prettier? No, she didn't imagine it. Several guys nearby nearly walked into walls, staring at her. The guys, noticing the Ice Queen? She knew Quistis had always been beautiful, but this was the first time her beauty ever attracted attention...
Quistis finished sipping her latte and glanced at her watch. Nearly two p.m. - and she noticed Selphie Tilmitt and Irvine Kinneas staring at her. Deep inside she was squirming, but she kept a calm exterior. Are they scrutinizing her because of Squall? No...Squall wouldn't be idiotic enough to say anything about her...not that he knew anything. She was merely a passing memory... Maybe...
Trying hard to contain her nervousness she got up and calmly walked out. As she journeyed home she mentally outlined the things she would do that afternoon, perhaps go over her work, or clean the guest bedroom before her parents return... until she stopped short a few doors from her house.
Squall was leaning against his bike, staring absently at her gate, like he had a sixth-sense; he turned his head and grinned when he saw her standing there. "I thought this was your house," he motioned to her door. Feeling stupefied, Quistis walked up and frowned at him. "Maybe, but my gate doesn't usually have you in front of it."
"Consider me a temporary accessory," Squall quipped. "Anyway, I came around for my jacket."
Quistis smiled slightly. "Since you're my new gate accessory, you wouldn't mind waiting here, would you?"
"Certainly," Was his quipped reply.
Moments later she came out with the auspicious jacket slung over one arm. She smiled at him as she cocked her head. "Kindly tell me how you're going to wear it, when you already have one?" She observed. He shrugged. "Who said it's going to be me? Hop on," he motioned.
She frowned harder. "No, don't even think - "
"You should have a holiday," he said, grinning. "I wouldn't want you to faint during the entrance exam, would I?'
"Sure you would," She drawled, rolling her eyes. "Why should I waste my afternoon with you?"
"You know the answer," he cajoled and she gave up laughingly. "You're a persistent bastard, that's what you are. If I didn't know better I'd say you were flirting with me,: She teased as she sat behind him.
Maybe I am, he thought silently as he revved up and within the hour they were speeding down the freeway.
"Where are we going?" She yelled, which was quite unnecessary since she yelled into his ear. Grimacing, he looked over his shoulder. "You'll see."
Definitely not the Sunset Boulevard, she thought as she gripped his shoulders. The fur collar of his jacket tickled her cheeks as she tried to hide from the roaring wind. And she faintly caught a whiff of cologne. Deep, strong and definitely masculine. She also could tell it was bloody expensive. Strange, she reflected; the jacket, cologne, this bike...it just doesn't seem to fit into the property of an average clubber - it was like he was actually something else - something he was trying to hide.
Her ears caught something like music and she raised her head. Looming up ahead was... a giant Ferris wheel?!
Squall deftly parked the bike under a sycamore tree not far away. He climbed off the bike and waited expectantly for her to alight. But Quistis was staring strangely at the Ferris Wheel, the landmark for the Fire Cavern carnival.
"Well...?" He asked expectantly. 'Aren't you coming?"
She turned to him, the strange look still there. "The...carnival?"
"Let me guess...you've never been to one?"
"..." How could she say it? She had been deprived of a normal childhood...
He grinned and held out his hand, beckoning to her. "Come on!"
She hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do. His hand waited expectantly - offering her something she couldn't really grasp.
He grinned as she hesitantly held out her hand and he gripped it before she could change her mind. He was going to make sure she had fun today even if it kills him! Her hand returned his grip; a physical link between two souls, bridging the uncertainty harbored in her heart. A light laugh escaped her lips as he took her to the entrance. Already the infectious spirit of the place had flooded her senses, and his hand was there, guiding her, assuring her she wasn't dreaming.
The park was one of the old fashioned kind, giving it a rustic charm. Balloons bobbed up and down, carried by laughing seven-foot clowns. Music from different booths drifted and mixed around into a bizarrely strange medley; but nobody really minded - laughter droned out everything. Children shrieking and giggling, clutching fluffy cotton candy and sticky ice-cream; mothers laughing with their children; everything was new an interesting to her. It wasn't wrong to say she felt like a child herself, walking into new and amazing territory. She would've felt incredibly confused if it wasn't for Squall.
He grinned at her obvious bewilderment. "Don't look so lost," He teased. "Anyone would think you've never been to a carnival before,"
'Anyone is right," She admitted sheepishly. "I was... in an orphanage in Centra until I was seven... and after that I was simply too busy to think of such things."
An orphanage? Does that mean she's adopted? He looked at her strangely, trying to fathom her true identity. She turned red under his scrutiny. "What?"
"Which means you're going to ride, and do everything today," he suddenly announced. She blinked but before she could reply he was already dragging her off. She sighed. This is going to be a long afternoon, she groaned silently.
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"You know, Rinny, you should try harder," Selphie sighed. She had come around to Rinoa's house after the latter had been absent for a week. And she found a miserable wreck.
"He hates me!' she wailed, pounding her fists on the bed. "I've been trying to call him and message him but he's always not around or he refuses to answer - "
"Why don't you meet him in person, dolt?!" Selphie butted in. "Look, I know he might still be mad because you slapped him and cheated on him - "
"I slapped the bitch," Rinoa suddenly breathed in awe. "And... It must be HER!" She suddenly shrieked, going into overdrive. "He must be with her to get back at me!"
"Squall and the Ice Queen? Unlikely," Selphie mouthed flatly. "She told us he was found beat-up in front of her house. We should thank her instead of referring to her as the female dog," She paused; "And you know it's your fault Squall ended up there in the first place."
Rinoa grumbled but she didn't dare contradict Selphie's words.
"By the way," Selphie decided to change the distasteful subject; "If it makes you any happier, he hasn't gone clubbing since he got better," At her words, Rinoa brightened up. That was good news. That would mean he wasn't in the mood for fun.
"Great!" Rinoa declared enthusiastically. "I'll make him see, or my name's not Rinoa Heartily!"
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"Oh God," Quistis gasped, bent over double, laughing crazily. Squall just stood there as the proper tier gleefully painted a black teardrop on his right cheek. She took one look at that and coupled with Squall's obvious annoyance, she simply dissolved in giggles. 'Very...fetching," She tried to keep her face straight; failed; and had to wipe the tears off her face.
'Would you care to have a matching one, miss?" The proper tier grandly showed the hoop game Squall just a lost a while ago. With a vigorous shake of her head she quickly pulled Squall away. They had played seven games, visited the mirror house and in Squall's face, acquired a new make-up. Ad without realizing it, they had spent nearly five hours by simply wandering around.
"We should be getting back," Quistis looked up at the pink-tinged sky. Squall shrugged. "You forgot one,"
Oh, she felt her heart sink. He nodded at the giant Ferris Wheel, its lights blinking merrily in the fading sunlight.
Did he notice my steps dragging, she wondered as an empty car stopped at the bottom of the wheel and the door swung open. To make matter even worse, there were no protective bars on this one. Nothing would be between her and the sky...
And the ground.
The thought of it made her break out in cold sweat. But Squall was already waiting.
It's nothing, she told herself as she climbed into the car. She sat on one side and Squall seated himself opposite her. Why can't she look as comfortable as him? She could feel her hands grow clammy and her heart beat erratically when the car jerked and began its slow ascent. Focus on the sky, she told herself and looked out to the sunset, but her eyes fell n the milling crowd spread below them like scurrying ants. So far away, her mind registered. The ground seemed to turn under her feet and she was falling...
"Quistis!"
Someone was holding her and a warm scent enveloped her. The dizziness slowly faded and she opened her eyes to come nose-to-nose with a white shirt. She immediately knew what happened.
"...Why didn't you tell me you were afraid of heights?"
"...I'm sorry..."
He shook his head as he felt her tremble in his arms. Perhaps it was his fault... didn't she seem hesitant? But she went ahead anyway, another voice argued and he sighed inwardly.
Quistis bit her lip as she tried to pull herself together. It was fine when you can see the ground, but this... this was a little too much for her. She listened to his heartbeat, and wondered if she should tell him...
"There was a lighthouse near the orphanage, and we used to play there," She said unsteadily, remembering the vanishing memory. "There was a time when we used to dare each other to climb the lighthouse, and one day I did climb it, and I climbed all the way to the top," She could remember the feeling of elation when she reached the top, and the vivid colors of the lovely April afternoon... and when she had rushed to the railing to greet the sky, the railing gave way -
Falling. It's a fear Squall imagined his mother had felt when she soared over the railing; now he understood why Quistis looked so odd when he took her to the spot when his mother mat her death. It was because she understood...
He looked over her to the setting sun. The sun was half submerged ball of red fire, and the sky was a deep rosy gold, reflected by the sparkling ocean. It was a sight for sore eyes, and a breathtaking display of Nature's brilliance and beauty. He wanted her to see this, he thought. It's just a matter of quelling her fear...
"Hey," he nudged her gently. "Close your eyes."
She gave him a frown and he grinned. "Trust me."
She bit her lip and closed her eyes obediently, still frowning. She frowned harder when he gently shifted her to face the sunset, keeping his arms around her. "Okay, now open your eyes."
She opened them and jerked back in alarm. Squall tightened his grip around her and gently whispered in her ears; "Forget the fear, Quisty. I'm here with you, just remember that. Just forget whatever it is you're trying to run away from."
Slowly she loosened up, and as the wheel slowly reached the peak, he saw a smile form on her lips. That, and the feeling of her resting trustingly against him made him smile too. He couldn't understand why she mattered so much, or why even the light in her eyes could make his heart sing, but she did. It was the least he could do after what she had gone through for him.
"That was fun, wasn't it?" he inquired after they had clambered out of the car. Quistis merely smiled. If she told him she forgot her fear because he was with her, and she felt like she was soaring in the clouds instead of falling to the ground, what would he say?
Probably look disbelieving, she grinned inwardly.
"Aren't you the guy who lost five straight while go?" A loud booming voice made them stop in their tracks. It was the owner of the hoop booth where Squall had so ungraciously lost. The memory was enough to make her laugh again. This time the owner had set up something different; a swinging bulls-eye target. "Get a bulls-eye and you can win some silver for your lady," He winked conspirationaly and showed a display glass of some silver.
Squall was probably about to hurl some abusive words at him when Quistis stopped him. "You know, that tear on your cheek is kind of nice," She said, her eyes twinkling and she walked up to the stall. The owner accepted her money and handed her a bow and a single arrow. She raised the bow, tested it and deftly fitted the arrow. "Here goes," She pulled the bow back, pausing as she eyed the swinging target carefully. It was swinging erratically, and getting a 3-point, nevertheless a bulls-eye would be a feat worthy of William Tell. A split second later the arrow was quivering smack in the middle of the still-swinging target.
The owner's eyes could have popped out if they could. 'Lady, you're one fine archer!" Turning to a stupefied Squall, he winked again. 'I'd watch it if I were you, young man."
Quistis grinned and examined the display case. "Take your pick miss. I guarantee you these are all pure silver, no questions needed."
"How'd you do it?" Squall whispered urgently as Quistis picked out something and slipped it into her pocket. "I took archery when I was younger... guess I was just plain lucky."
"Explains some things," He wiped the tear paint off as they walked back to the bike. She was smiling as he mad sure there was no trace of the paint.
"What did you pick from that guy?" Squall asked as they cruised down the freeway back to town. Quistis smiled secretly. "Nothing," She replied as she gazed at the speeding scenery. Squall made a noise like an indistinct snort and dismissed the topic.
They came to a stop right in front of her door and waited for her to dismount. To his surprise, she suddenly reached around his neck and he felt something heavy settle on his chest. Looking down he noticed a silver pendant of a stylized lion's head with a glittering red eye, hanging off a silver chain. He felt the hair at the back of his neck rise as she did the clasp. 'There."
He looked at his reflection in the rearview mirror as she got off and smiled at him. "For a wonderful afternoon."
He pretended to grimace. 'How is it that other guys get a kiss from their girls but I get a necklace?"
She rolled her eyes. "Good night, Squall." She said firmly. He grinned and revved up the engine. "Can't blame a guy for trying."
Perhaps he imagined it, but he felt something feather-light brush against his cheek - but when he turned his head in surprise Quistis was already at the gate, and she looked over her shoulder, smiling. "I don't blame you."
Perhaps it was the wind, he mused as he rode away, but he couldn't stop his skin from tingling.
Quistis shut the door and leaned against it, smiling. She pressed a finger to her lips and wasn't surprised to feel it tingling. "I'm crazy," She said out loud, half laughing as she hummed a tune all the way to her room.
Author's note: (Grins evilly) well? Reviews please! Short, long, all will be read and considered.
Author's note: This part of the story was done when I was listening to John Meyer's Your Body Is A Wonderland, and strangely it set the mood for a warm, fun afternoon. Anyway, I always thought going to a carnival was a sweet thing, especially for couples, so here we go! It's really, really old- fashioned, but tell me what you think! As usual, everything is accepted.
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"Is it me or is Squall studying harder than usual?" commented a frowning Selphie. Irvine shrugged. "What's usual to you? Null?"
"But it's strange," Selphie insisted. "Do you think he's regretting breaking up with Rinny?"
Irvine noticed him smile at a couple of starry-eyed girls. "Most unlikely."
"Then..." Selphie's eyes widened. "Maybe he's entering Garden?!"
That made Irvine grin. But inside he was feeling uneasy. Squall studying...and he saw him talk to the Ice Queen a few days ago. That isn't unusual after what happened, but he was smiling at her, and was it his imagination or did she WINK at Squall?! Maybe there's more than meets the eye...
Selphie caught sight of a girl who was sitting at a solitary table. Strange... was it her or she looking prettier? No, she didn't imagine it. Several guys nearby nearly walked into walls, staring at her. The guys, noticing the Ice Queen? She knew Quistis had always been beautiful, but this was the first time her beauty ever attracted attention...
Quistis finished sipping her latte and glanced at her watch. Nearly two p.m. - and she noticed Selphie Tilmitt and Irvine Kinneas staring at her. Deep inside she was squirming, but she kept a calm exterior. Are they scrutinizing her because of Squall? No...Squall wouldn't be idiotic enough to say anything about her...not that he knew anything. She was merely a passing memory... Maybe...
Trying hard to contain her nervousness she got up and calmly walked out. As she journeyed home she mentally outlined the things she would do that afternoon, perhaps go over her work, or clean the guest bedroom before her parents return... until she stopped short a few doors from her house.
Squall was leaning against his bike, staring absently at her gate, like he had a sixth-sense; he turned his head and grinned when he saw her standing there. "I thought this was your house," he motioned to her door. Feeling stupefied, Quistis walked up and frowned at him. "Maybe, but my gate doesn't usually have you in front of it."
"Consider me a temporary accessory," Squall quipped. "Anyway, I came around for my jacket."
Quistis smiled slightly. "Since you're my new gate accessory, you wouldn't mind waiting here, would you?"
"Certainly," Was his quipped reply.
Moments later she came out with the auspicious jacket slung over one arm. She smiled at him as she cocked her head. "Kindly tell me how you're going to wear it, when you already have one?" She observed. He shrugged. "Who said it's going to be me? Hop on," he motioned.
She frowned harder. "No, don't even think - "
"You should have a holiday," he said, grinning. "I wouldn't want you to faint during the entrance exam, would I?'
"Sure you would," She drawled, rolling her eyes. "Why should I waste my afternoon with you?"
"You know the answer," he cajoled and she gave up laughingly. "You're a persistent bastard, that's what you are. If I didn't know better I'd say you were flirting with me,: She teased as she sat behind him.
Maybe I am, he thought silently as he revved up and within the hour they were speeding down the freeway.
"Where are we going?" She yelled, which was quite unnecessary since she yelled into his ear. Grimacing, he looked over his shoulder. "You'll see."
Definitely not the Sunset Boulevard, she thought as she gripped his shoulders. The fur collar of his jacket tickled her cheeks as she tried to hide from the roaring wind. And she faintly caught a whiff of cologne. Deep, strong and definitely masculine. She also could tell it was bloody expensive. Strange, she reflected; the jacket, cologne, this bike...it just doesn't seem to fit into the property of an average clubber - it was like he was actually something else - something he was trying to hide.
Her ears caught something like music and she raised her head. Looming up ahead was... a giant Ferris wheel?!
Squall deftly parked the bike under a sycamore tree not far away. He climbed off the bike and waited expectantly for her to alight. But Quistis was staring strangely at the Ferris Wheel, the landmark for the Fire Cavern carnival.
"Well...?" He asked expectantly. 'Aren't you coming?"
She turned to him, the strange look still there. "The...carnival?"
"Let me guess...you've never been to one?"
"..." How could she say it? She had been deprived of a normal childhood...
He grinned and held out his hand, beckoning to her. "Come on!"
She hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do. His hand waited expectantly - offering her something she couldn't really grasp.
He grinned as she hesitantly held out her hand and he gripped it before she could change her mind. He was going to make sure she had fun today even if it kills him! Her hand returned his grip; a physical link between two souls, bridging the uncertainty harbored in her heart. A light laugh escaped her lips as he took her to the entrance. Already the infectious spirit of the place had flooded her senses, and his hand was there, guiding her, assuring her she wasn't dreaming.
The park was one of the old fashioned kind, giving it a rustic charm. Balloons bobbed up and down, carried by laughing seven-foot clowns. Music from different booths drifted and mixed around into a bizarrely strange medley; but nobody really minded - laughter droned out everything. Children shrieking and giggling, clutching fluffy cotton candy and sticky ice-cream; mothers laughing with their children; everything was new an interesting to her. It wasn't wrong to say she felt like a child herself, walking into new and amazing territory. She would've felt incredibly confused if it wasn't for Squall.
He grinned at her obvious bewilderment. "Don't look so lost," He teased. "Anyone would think you've never been to a carnival before,"
'Anyone is right," She admitted sheepishly. "I was... in an orphanage in Centra until I was seven... and after that I was simply too busy to think of such things."
An orphanage? Does that mean she's adopted? He looked at her strangely, trying to fathom her true identity. She turned red under his scrutiny. "What?"
"Which means you're going to ride, and do everything today," he suddenly announced. She blinked but before she could reply he was already dragging her off. She sighed. This is going to be a long afternoon, she groaned silently.
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"You know, Rinny, you should try harder," Selphie sighed. She had come around to Rinoa's house after the latter had been absent for a week. And she found a miserable wreck.
"He hates me!' she wailed, pounding her fists on the bed. "I've been trying to call him and message him but he's always not around or he refuses to answer - "
"Why don't you meet him in person, dolt?!" Selphie butted in. "Look, I know he might still be mad because you slapped him and cheated on him - "
"I slapped the bitch," Rinoa suddenly breathed in awe. "And... It must be HER!" She suddenly shrieked, going into overdrive. "He must be with her to get back at me!"
"Squall and the Ice Queen? Unlikely," Selphie mouthed flatly. "She told us he was found beat-up in front of her house. We should thank her instead of referring to her as the female dog," She paused; "And you know it's your fault Squall ended up there in the first place."
Rinoa grumbled but she didn't dare contradict Selphie's words.
"By the way," Selphie decided to change the distasteful subject; "If it makes you any happier, he hasn't gone clubbing since he got better," At her words, Rinoa brightened up. That was good news. That would mean he wasn't in the mood for fun.
"Great!" Rinoa declared enthusiastically. "I'll make him see, or my name's not Rinoa Heartily!"
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"Oh God," Quistis gasped, bent over double, laughing crazily. Squall just stood there as the proper tier gleefully painted a black teardrop on his right cheek. She took one look at that and coupled with Squall's obvious annoyance, she simply dissolved in giggles. 'Very...fetching," She tried to keep her face straight; failed; and had to wipe the tears off her face.
'Would you care to have a matching one, miss?" The proper tier grandly showed the hoop game Squall just a lost a while ago. With a vigorous shake of her head she quickly pulled Squall away. They had played seven games, visited the mirror house and in Squall's face, acquired a new make-up. Ad without realizing it, they had spent nearly five hours by simply wandering around.
"We should be getting back," Quistis looked up at the pink-tinged sky. Squall shrugged. "You forgot one,"
Oh, she felt her heart sink. He nodded at the giant Ferris Wheel, its lights blinking merrily in the fading sunlight.
Did he notice my steps dragging, she wondered as an empty car stopped at the bottom of the wheel and the door swung open. To make matter even worse, there were no protective bars on this one. Nothing would be between her and the sky...
And the ground.
The thought of it made her break out in cold sweat. But Squall was already waiting.
It's nothing, she told herself as she climbed into the car. She sat on one side and Squall seated himself opposite her. Why can't she look as comfortable as him? She could feel her hands grow clammy and her heart beat erratically when the car jerked and began its slow ascent. Focus on the sky, she told herself and looked out to the sunset, but her eyes fell n the milling crowd spread below them like scurrying ants. So far away, her mind registered. The ground seemed to turn under her feet and she was falling...
"Quistis!"
Someone was holding her and a warm scent enveloped her. The dizziness slowly faded and she opened her eyes to come nose-to-nose with a white shirt. She immediately knew what happened.
"...Why didn't you tell me you were afraid of heights?"
"...I'm sorry..."
He shook his head as he felt her tremble in his arms. Perhaps it was his fault... didn't she seem hesitant? But she went ahead anyway, another voice argued and he sighed inwardly.
Quistis bit her lip as she tried to pull herself together. It was fine when you can see the ground, but this... this was a little too much for her. She listened to his heartbeat, and wondered if she should tell him...
"There was a lighthouse near the orphanage, and we used to play there," She said unsteadily, remembering the vanishing memory. "There was a time when we used to dare each other to climb the lighthouse, and one day I did climb it, and I climbed all the way to the top," She could remember the feeling of elation when she reached the top, and the vivid colors of the lovely April afternoon... and when she had rushed to the railing to greet the sky, the railing gave way -
Falling. It's a fear Squall imagined his mother had felt when she soared over the railing; now he understood why Quistis looked so odd when he took her to the spot when his mother mat her death. It was because she understood...
He looked over her to the setting sun. The sun was half submerged ball of red fire, and the sky was a deep rosy gold, reflected by the sparkling ocean. It was a sight for sore eyes, and a breathtaking display of Nature's brilliance and beauty. He wanted her to see this, he thought. It's just a matter of quelling her fear...
"Hey," he nudged her gently. "Close your eyes."
She gave him a frown and he grinned. "Trust me."
She bit her lip and closed her eyes obediently, still frowning. She frowned harder when he gently shifted her to face the sunset, keeping his arms around her. "Okay, now open your eyes."
She opened them and jerked back in alarm. Squall tightened his grip around her and gently whispered in her ears; "Forget the fear, Quisty. I'm here with you, just remember that. Just forget whatever it is you're trying to run away from."
Slowly she loosened up, and as the wheel slowly reached the peak, he saw a smile form on her lips. That, and the feeling of her resting trustingly against him made him smile too. He couldn't understand why she mattered so much, or why even the light in her eyes could make his heart sing, but she did. It was the least he could do after what she had gone through for him.
"That was fun, wasn't it?" he inquired after they had clambered out of the car. Quistis merely smiled. If she told him she forgot her fear because he was with her, and she felt like she was soaring in the clouds instead of falling to the ground, what would he say?
Probably look disbelieving, she grinned inwardly.
"Aren't you the guy who lost five straight while go?" A loud booming voice made them stop in their tracks. It was the owner of the hoop booth where Squall had so ungraciously lost. The memory was enough to make her laugh again. This time the owner had set up something different; a swinging bulls-eye target. "Get a bulls-eye and you can win some silver for your lady," He winked conspirationaly and showed a display glass of some silver.
Squall was probably about to hurl some abusive words at him when Quistis stopped him. "You know, that tear on your cheek is kind of nice," She said, her eyes twinkling and she walked up to the stall. The owner accepted her money and handed her a bow and a single arrow. She raised the bow, tested it and deftly fitted the arrow. "Here goes," She pulled the bow back, pausing as she eyed the swinging target carefully. It was swinging erratically, and getting a 3-point, nevertheless a bulls-eye would be a feat worthy of William Tell. A split second later the arrow was quivering smack in the middle of the still-swinging target.
The owner's eyes could have popped out if they could. 'Lady, you're one fine archer!" Turning to a stupefied Squall, he winked again. 'I'd watch it if I were you, young man."
Quistis grinned and examined the display case. "Take your pick miss. I guarantee you these are all pure silver, no questions needed."
"How'd you do it?" Squall whispered urgently as Quistis picked out something and slipped it into her pocket. "I took archery when I was younger... guess I was just plain lucky."
"Explains some things," He wiped the tear paint off as they walked back to the bike. She was smiling as he mad sure there was no trace of the paint.
"What did you pick from that guy?" Squall asked as they cruised down the freeway back to town. Quistis smiled secretly. "Nothing," She replied as she gazed at the speeding scenery. Squall made a noise like an indistinct snort and dismissed the topic.
They came to a stop right in front of her door and waited for her to dismount. To his surprise, she suddenly reached around his neck and he felt something heavy settle on his chest. Looking down he noticed a silver pendant of a stylized lion's head with a glittering red eye, hanging off a silver chain. He felt the hair at the back of his neck rise as she did the clasp. 'There."
He looked at his reflection in the rearview mirror as she got off and smiled at him. "For a wonderful afternoon."
He pretended to grimace. 'How is it that other guys get a kiss from their girls but I get a necklace?"
She rolled her eyes. "Good night, Squall." She said firmly. He grinned and revved up the engine. "Can't blame a guy for trying."
Perhaps he imagined it, but he felt something feather-light brush against his cheek - but when he turned his head in surprise Quistis was already at the gate, and she looked over her shoulder, smiling. "I don't blame you."
Perhaps it was the wind, he mused as he rode away, but he couldn't stop his skin from tingling.
Quistis shut the door and leaned against it, smiling. She pressed a finger to her lips and wasn't surprised to feel it tingling. "I'm crazy," She said out loud, half laughing as she hummed a tune all the way to her room.
Author's note: (Grins evilly) well? Reviews please! Short, long, all will be read and considered.
