DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN FF8, BUT WOULD LIKE TO

Chapter IV

Rinoa headed back to the dormitory to see if Squall was there. Most unlikely he would be. She knew he never took a break from work, and if he wanted to, there would always be something that was bound to happen to force him back to work.

Rinoa sighed. The party started at seven and it was only four. She didn't want to get ready, because she figured that would make her seem a little desperate, even though she was. She sat down on the bed and pondered on what to do. Zell and Quistis were still teaching class until five. She didn't want to go back to the library. The training center was out of the question for her. No way would she go in there without someone else. But then she had a thought in her head. Selphie might have arrived by now. She would most likely be in the quad if anything. Going to see her would definitely make the time go by.

Rinoa walked out of the dormitory wing and headed to the quad. When she arrived, sure enough, Selphie was there. She was surrounded by a few students sitting around her. She was sitting on a stool and playing an acoustic guitar and singing the old classic, "Eyes on Me."

Rinoa didn't want to disturb her. Especially with everyone watching. She figured she would watch her sing and play at the same time. This song always made Rinoa sad since it was her mother's song. She walked to the back on the group and plopped down onto the ground to listen.

So let me come close to you.

Close as I, want to be.

Close enough for me, to feel a heart beating fast.

Those words soothed Rinoa of the party, garden, and her troubles with Squall. Everything melted away when she heard those words. The pluck on the guitar strings combined with Selphie's sweet and pure voice made Rinoa lose track of thought. Soon, the song was over and Rinoa looked up to see all the students clapping for her. She shook her head a little bit to get herself out of the daydream. She had almost forgotten what she had come here to do.

"Thank you all so much!" Selphie replied to them all.

The students finished clapping for her song, and she got up from her stool and put the guitar away. The students also got up from their places and began to exit the quad or hang around looking at the ocean.

Rinoa got up from her place and walked over to Selphie.

"Selphie! It's me!" Rinoa hugged Selphie when she turned around.

"OH MY GOD! IS IT YOU RINOA!?" Selphie screamed as she looked at her face.

"Yeah, it's me!" Rinoa hugged a little tighter to Selphie.

"Oh my god! You're the first one I've seen today. This is like so cool." Selphie replied.

"Yeah, when'd you get here?" Rinoa asked.

"When you guys docked in Balamb, I took a vessel from Trabia and boarded."

"You don't say. It's so nice to see you again."

"It is isn't it." Selphie looked down at the ground.

"What's up?"

"Nothing much. How's Squall?" Her voice lost it's cheery pitch and went down to despair. Rinoa heard it, too. She felt bad because she knew why Selphie asked.

"He's fine. The same as last time. Well, maybe not the same as the last time you saw him, but he's not, you know." Rinoa had trouble answering this question. Selphie only asked a simple question and Rinoa turned it into a complete test.

"I see, is he still mad?" Selphie was still looking at the ground.

"Not really, just because no one mentions it. I don't know what it would be like if he came back though." Rinoa replied.

"Yeah, I know what ya mean. But if only. Anyways, did you like?"

"I loved it! It sounded really cool with the guitar. I've never heard it that way before." Rinoa tried her best to cheer her up.

"Thanks, I bet you'd be my toughest critic since it's kinda your song."

"I guess, but I loved. Of course, I love the song no matter what it sounds like."

"Of course."

"How have you been?" Rinoa asked her.

"Good. I like Trabia a lot because I've been pretty homesick since I came to Balamb, but it's nice to see things up and running again." Selphie replied.

"I heard you're the headmaster now." Rinoa smiled at her.

"Sort of, we haven't really appointed one, but they've really been trying to appoint me since I did kinda save the world a little bit."

"I get what you're saying. Things are the same since you left."

"Really? How are you and Squall?"

"We're...good. The same I guess."

"Uh-oh...you're lying. I can tell" Selphie looked at her queerly.

"I am not! We're good, maybe even better since you left." Rinoa got a little nervous.

"Okay, whatever you say." Selphie walked off a little bit.

"Are you coming to the party tonight?"

"Of course, I wouldn't miss it for the world!"

Rinoa walked up to her, "So have you heard from Irvine?"

"Yes, he came to Trabia a little while after you left and stayed for about two weeks. Then he said he had to go somewhere and left. I didn't know why and he didn't tell me. I wish I knew." Selphie stopped and brushed her eyes with her arm.

"I'm sorry." Rinoa apologized.

"It's not you fault. It was his for what happened. I don't blame you or Squall." Now Selphie was beginning to cry a little harder.

Rinoa took a tissue from her back pocket and gave it to Selphie, "That's not true. They were both stubborn and in the end, it got the best of them. I know this shouldn't have happened."

"Thanks. I'm sorry about this. I shouldn't be crying. This is such a happy day!" Selphie wiped her eyes. She sniffed her nose and looked at Rinoa with her red eyes.

"Don't worry about it. We have the entire day to talk and have fun." Rinoa smiled at her.

"I wish, but I have things to do. I'm sorry to leave you like that, but you know, SeeD stuff." Selphie smiled back at her.

"It's okay, that's the price I pay for not being a SeeD and living in the garden." Rinoa said.

"Well, I gotta go. Thanks for everything. It's was great seeing you again. Bye." Selphie gripped the tissue in her hand and grabbed her guitar case and left.

"Bye," Rinoa said as she looked onto the ocean, "and be strong."