Falling For You

Chapter Four

"What?" Rinoa asked incredulously. "You want me to do what?"

"Irvine dares you to go over there and ask him to dance," Selphie said.

Rinoa glared at her best friend. "Are you out of your mind?" she hissed.

Irvine casually put his arm over Selphie's shoulders. "Nope. We're perfectly normal and sane. Right, Sefie?" he asked while looking at Selphie.

"Right, Irvy," Selphie said sweetly. Then she faced Rinoa. "Rinny, if you really don't like the guy, you shouldn't be bothered at all. Not a teensy bit bothered."

Rinoa crossed her arms again and remained in her seat, lips pouting, silently wishing she could just kill the lovebirds at that moment.

Selphie tried to contain a giggle and Irvine just kept on shaking his head, quietly laughing at his cousin's expression.

Rinoa stood up suddenly and looked at the surprised couple. "Just one dance, okay? Just to wipe off those crazy smirks on your faces!" she said and stomped away.

Irvine just looked at Rinoa's figure approaching the guy by the wall. "I didn't think she'd take the dare…" he said.

"Let's just watch Rinny do her stuff, okay?" Selphie said to her boyfriend.

~.*.~ ~.*.~ ~.*.~

I can't believe I'm doing this! Rinoa thought to herself as she made her way across the floor. She almost bumped into a waiter who was carrying a tray.

"Oh, sorry… my fault," she apologized to the waiter.

The man just smiled at her and offered her one of the crystal goblets he was serving.

Rinoa looked at the goblet and raised her eyebrows in question.

"Champagne, mada'm."

"Oh…" She hurriedly got one and finished the sparkling wine in one big gulp. Then she got another, enjoying the liquid as it ran through her throat. She put the goblet on the tray and muttered thanks to the waiter.

Then she scanned the room again and found her target. He was staring at a goblet that he was holding firmly in his hand.

Rinoa didn't know why, but she suddenly had an urge to look up to the dark sky through the glass roof of the quad. She saw a shooting star across the sky.

Pretty, she thought. Then she remembered what had brought her walking across the room. She looked at her future-dance-partner. To her surprise, he was staring straight into her eyes.

Rinoa smiled at him. She pointed to the heavens above them, thinking he might have also seen the same shooting star. She saw him turn his head to his left, then to his right.

Probably thinking I'm smiling at someone else! Rinoa thought.

Then he looked at her again.

Rinoa flashed him her most brilliant smile.

Okay, hot guy, here I come! She marched her way until she was standing face to face with him.

She stood in front of him and crossed her arms. "You're the best looking guy here" I can't believe I said that… must be the champagne…

The man just looked at her like she was crazy or something.

Rinoa leaned forward and put her hands on her hips, inhaling his scent. Hyne, he smells good! she thought giddily. It's now or never!

"Dance with me?" she asked him.

He took a sip of his drink and turned his head away.

Rinoa wanted to strangle him, right there and then. But then she remembered the smug grins of Irvine and Selphie. Keep it cool, Rinoa, she coaxed herself.

"Let me guess…" she said sweetly as she teased him. "You'll only dance with someone you like.

He faced her, his eyes piercing hers inquisitively.

She raised her hand and wiggled her fingers in front of his face. "Okay, then… Look into my eyes," Rinoa said in a mesmerizing tone. "You're going to like me… You're going to like me…"

The man just stared at her, dumbfounded.

Rinoa put her hand down and continued to look into his eyes. "Did it work?" she asked him.

"… I can't dance," he said.

That has got to be the huskiest voice I've ever heard… She grinned at him. "You'll be fine. Come on," she said as she grabbed his hand and pulled him to the dance floor.

They passed by a table and the man put his goblet down as Rinoa dragged him to the middle of the floor.

The orchestra started to play Waltz for the Moon as Rinoa positioned the man's right hand on her hip. The man tried to lift his hand away but Rinoa repositioned it firmly. She placed her right hand in his bigger yet gentle left hand. Then she put her left hand on his right shoulder.

She started to lead him into waltzing with her, but the man just stumbled. Hyne, he's got two left feet! She again placed his hands in the correct position.

Rinoa pushed away from him, held his hand and pulled back to him. Again, the man's movements faltered and he almost knocked Rinoa down.

Rinoa giggled and regained her balance. The man's face turned a shade of red at what had happened. He pulled away from her, let go off her hand and started to head back to his favorite spot – by the wall.

Oh, no you don't! I'm not giving up on you! she silently said to him as she grabbed his arm. He again looked at her skeptically but she just smiled at him.

They began dancing again. The man was beginning to familiarize himself with the steps when, all of a sudden, they bumped into another couple who was waltzing.

The couple glared at them for being the clumsiest dancers on the floor. Rinoa just wrinkled her pretty nose and stuck out her tongue at the couple. When the couple left them, Rinoa stared into the man's eyes and smiled sweetly at him.

Hyne, I didn't notice it earlier… He's got the most gorgeous blue eyes I've ever seen, Rinoa thought.

They started to dance again but, this time, the handsome man got the hang of it. He danced gracefully, as if he had danced the waltz his entire life.

The lights dimmed. They stopped. When fireworks lighted the sky, they looked up and watched the fireworks together, holding each other close, oblivious to the other pairs waltzing around them. Then their eyes met and they just stared at each other.

I could spend my lifetime looking into those blue orbs, Rinoa thought dreamily as she smiled at her partner.

~.*.~ ~.*.~ ~.*.~

"Seif," Quistis whispered as Seifer began to dug into the wonderful dinner. "Look at Rin," she said softly.

Seifer scanned the quad for his best friend. "Rin? Where? What did she…" He was cut off when he saw the angelic Rinoa in the middle of the room… and in someone else's arms.

He felt blood rush into his veins. He thought the world was spinning. His Rinoa was with a stranger he didn't know. He felt as if the world stopped revolving around them and the only people moving were him, Rinoa and the waltzing klutz. He watched them as they danced their awkward dance in the ballroom. The couple only had eyes for each other, as Rinoa moved gracefully and the man stumbled on the dance floor.

Then the unbelievable happened. The clumsiest pair on the floor began to dance with such grace. As if Rinoa and the man were born to dance this song together.

When the fireworks lit above the university, he saw them both watch the display above them, and then gaze at each other.

I never saw Rinoa look at someone like that… She never looked at me that way… She'll never look at me that way, Seifer thought sadly.

He felt his heart shatter into a million pieces when Rinoa smiled radiantly at the man holding her in his arms. Seifer wanted to run across the room and tear the pair apart.

"Seif… are you okay?" a gentle voice beside him asked.

Quistis was looking at him with her eyes full of loving and concern.

"Why wouldn't I be okay?" he harshly answered.

Seifer saw Quistis look back at him in surprise… she looked hurt by his retort. He held her hand and kissed it. "I'm sorry… J-just hungry, I guess," he lamely reasoned.

~.*.~ ~.*.~ ~.*.~

A/N: Hi everybody! I would like to apologize for the delay of Chapter Four.

Again, thanks to my sister who helped me, as always, in this fic.

Thanks to the people who read it, but more thanks and appreciation to the people who read and reviewed it! Thanks you guys!

Keiry: I really appreciate you reading and liking the story! Like you, I'm also a Squinoa fan. Thank you!

XxPhoenix BladexX, FF9 Zidane, The Real Rikku and Billie the Kid: Here's the fourth installment of my fic. Hope you'll all like it! Thanks to all of you!

Seifer's Incarnate: Yup, no yaoi! :D And Seifer is a good guy here. R&R'ed Scarred. Please see the review. Thank you for reading!