Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII...

Author's Note: Thank you SO much to everyone who supported me against that flamer. You can't even begin to imagine how much your kind words mean to me. I'm sorry that this chapter took so long to get out, but here it is, finally. I hope that you all enjoy it, and please don't forget to review. Thanks again ^_^

On the Ice

Chapter 3- Decisions

"Squall, what the hell are you doing?" Quistis demanded. "You do know that we haven't practiced all day, right? Why are you just sitting there? We have work to do!"

Squall got up from where he was sitting and faced Quistis. Looking straight into her eyes, he said, "Is there anything you want to tell me, Quistis?"

Confused, Quistis replied, "No...is something the matter? You're not sick, are you?"

Squall shook his head. "Since you're not going to say anything, allow me to say it for you. Although I must admit that you had me fooled for a while. All the times you were coming onto me...I thought you were serious. Turns out that all along you've been sleeping with the other side."

"What are you talking about, Squall?" Quistis asked angrily. "If you have something to say to me, then just say it!"

"I think you know what I'm talking about, Quistis. Are you going to tell me that Seifer Almasy means nothing to you?"

Quistis' eyes widened. "How did you know?" She whispered.

Squall shook his head. "Did you think that I wouldn't find out? I can't say that this really surprises me, but still... I thought you were better than that, Quistis."

"That little bitch told you, didn't she?" Quistis shrieked. "I knew she was trouble from the moment I saw her!"

"Whatever, Quistis. You can do whatever the hell you want because I don't really care anymore. Just don't every talk to me again. It would be a blessing if I never had to see you again, but since that's probably not possible, I'll have to settle for never hearing you utter my name." Squall said, his voice dripping with hatred.

"Don't you act like this is all my fault, Squall! You're the one that had to be so damn stubborn! I did everything to get you, and still, you resisted. It's about time that I moved on to bigger and better things. Seifer can give me all the things you dream that you could." Quistis told him.

Squall shrugged. "Then have a nice time with him, Quistis. Maybe this is the boost in your career that you need. Although I think that it might not be so easy to practice a first-time routine with someone in less than twenty-four hours. Good luck, though." He said sarcastically, and turned to walk away.

"Squall!" Quistis shrieked. "Get back here! You are finishing this competition with me whether you like it or not!" Ignoring her, Squall kept on walking. "Squall! It's not only my career that's on the line! If you forfeit this competition, you're screwed, too!"

"Am I, really?" Squall called over his shoulder. "Oh well..." He said as he continued to walk away, until he was out of sight.

"Damn him!" Quistis shouted as she threw a chair against the wall. "He is not going to get away with this! Nobody acts like that towards Quistis Trepe!" That said, she marched out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

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Rinoa looked around her one last time. She hadn't the slightest idea as to when she would return to this arena. Things were not looking good for her at all. Sighing, she picked up the bag that held all her equipment, and walked out of the arena. There were so many good memories, but now there seemed to be only bad ones. Why did things have to get so complicated? She wondered how things were going between Squall and Quistis. Personally, she hoped that Squall would have the good sense to leave her, but who knows what was going to happen...

She spotted her car, and being sprinting towards it. She couldn't wait to go home...back in Deling City. People would most likely gossip about what had happened, especially when she didn't show up for the competition that night. Sighing again, she opened the trunk and threw in her bag. Just as she was about to open the door to her car, she heard someone calling her name. Turing around, she was surprised to see that it was Squall.

"I'm glad that I caught you before you left." Squall said, panting heavily.

Rinoa couldn't help but smile. "Um, do you want some water? You look like you could use it."

Squall shook his head. "I'm fine. I just wanted to tell you that I talked to Quistis."

"And...?" Rinoa prompted.

"Like Seifer, she didn't deny anything." Squall told her. "I told her that I never wanted to hear her voice again."

Rinoa snorted. "You told her that? I wish I could have been there to see the look on her face!"

Squall smiled slightly. "Yeah...well, I, uh, also wanted to tell you not to lose confidence in yourself. I mean, you're a great skater, and just because Seifer doesn't think so shouldn't let you down."

"Really?" Rinoa said happily. "You think I'm a good skater?"

"Seriously, I'm upset because of what Quistis did, and I wasn't even romantically involved with her. It must be a lot harder for you..." Squall shook his head. "I've never been good at these things. Sorry."

"No, it's alright. I really appreciate what you said. I mean, you could have just let me leave." Rinoa told him.

"Yeah, well, there was something else that I wanted to ask you." He said quietly.

"Really? What is it?" Rinoa asked anxiously.

"I know you don't have a partner right now, and you're not sure where your career stands. I was just wondering...do you want to team up with me?"

"Oh, I get it. Butter me up with compliments and pretend to act genuine so that I'll be your partner." Rinoa said angrily.

"Rinoa, that's not it at all! I meant everything that I just said to you. I'm serious about this." Squall told her.

"Are you serious, Squall? Because I really need to know. I can't team up with you if I can't trust you. Tell me the truth, do you want to be my partner because you think I'm a good skater, or because you feel bad for me?"

"Rinoa, I told you that you're an excellent skater. I don't feel bad for you at all. I know that what just happened to you is hard, but from the way I've seen you act, I have a strong feeling that it wouldn't set you back. Honestly, I would be honored if you said yes."

Rinoa looked down shyly. The way Squall said it, she believed him. She wanted to put up her guard...after what Seifer did to her, she had every right to. But for some reason, she found herself trusting him. "Okay." She told him. "I'll be your partner."

Squall grinned. "Great! I really meant what I said, Rinoa. I won't let you down."

Rinoa smiled. "Well, I guess I'll have to see about that. Anyway, I should really get going. I was going to head home tonight, but I guess I'll stick around now. I'm staying at the Morning View Hotel, so I guess I'll meet up with you tomorrow?"

"Yeah. I'm at the Fortune Inn, which I think is pretty close to where you're staying. Obviously we wont be in this tournament anymore, so we can discuss everything tomorrow."

"Sounds good. I guess I should get going. They are broadcasting tonight's tournament, right?" She asked.

"I think so, why?"

Rinoa grinned. "Oh, I just can't wait to see Seifer and Quistis make complete fools out of themselves."

Squall's face fell. "Damn."

"What is it?" Rinoa asked. "I thought you'd be happy about that."

"It's not that. Quistis, being the cheap person that she is, got us rooms without TV's at the hotel. Looks like I won't be watching it after all." Squall said, regret in his voice.

"Hey, that's alight! You can come and watch it with me! I have a TV in my room." Rinoa told him.

"Are you sure you're alright with that?" Squall asked.

"Of course!" She exclaimed. "Come on, Squall, please? It'll be fun, seeing them get publicly humiliated. Don't you think it would be even funnier if we watched it together?"

"Together?" Squall asked. That was a foreign word to him. He usually avoided doing things with other people, but with Rinoa, it seemed different. Maybe he would actually have fun. Wow, fun now, Squall? What has gotten into you? "Okay. Let's do it."

"Good! Come one over around 5:30, okay?" Rinoa asked him.

Squall nodded. "I'll see you in a little while then."

"Okay, see ya!" Rinoa said as she waved and got into her car. Things are finally looking up!

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Quistis was extremely nervous. She couldn't remember ever being this nervous in her life. She would not allow herself to be humiliated in front of all those people. Her and Seifer had spent the whole day going over a routine. They had talked to the administration, and it had been decided that they would be in third place position, as a new team. Quistis could deal with being in third place...for now, but what she couldn't deal with was making a fool of herself.

"Seifer, do you really think we're going to be able to pull this off?" She asked skeptically.

Seifer smiled. "Don't worry, Quistis. Have a little faith in me...in us. I mean, this is you and me we're talking about! We'll be fine!"

Quistis smiled, feeling better already. "You're right, Seifer. Honestly, the biggest mistake I ever made was hanging around Squall for so long, when it should have been you. I don't know what I ever saw in him."

"The same thing applies to Rinoa. I don't know why we're worrying about it, though. They're the ones that are out of a job." Seifer smiled. "Tonight, we'll introduce the world to the pair that will dominate all of skating. It's our time to shine, baby."

"Yes." Quistis said happily. "We'll be the ones on top! No one will be able to stop us! Squall and Rinoa are nothing but distant memories, soon to fade into nothingness. Seifer and Quistis will be chanted throughout the arena, Almasy and Trepe, the names in every newspaper!"

Seifer wrapped his arms around Quistis' waist. "Yeah, baby, you tell 'em. No one can stop us now."

Author's Note: Yikes! I really feel that this chapter is nothing but crap! I hope I'm not getting writer's block again. Also, I know that Squall is OOC in this fic, but I think his personality fits this fic, although it may not exactly fit him. I know that seems really confusing, but hopefully it will all come together as the story goes on.