Disclaimer: I do not own Squaresoft, Final Fantasy VIII nor its characters.

A/N: Hello, everyone! I would like to apologize first to Keiry and Billie the Kid. I was in a rush uploading Chapter Seven that I forgot to thank you. So now… to KEIRY and BILLIE THE KID, thank you so much for always reading and reviewing every chapter of my fic. I really hope you'll forgive me. *looks with puppy dog eyes*

Please don't hate me for the delay of Chapter Eight. I've been busy training a group of students for their choral competition. I'm really really sorry!

Anyway, I would like to, again, thank everybody who read my fic. Thanks to the following people who reviewed my fic:

remotemine: Wow! Thanks! That's quite a compliment! I hope you'll continue reading and reviewing my fic. Thanks, again!

Kieu: Thanks for the encouragement! Hope you like this next chappy! Thanks, again!

FF9 Zidane: Haha! Well, read on! Thanks for reviewing! Hope you like this chapter! Thanks!

Billie The Kid: Thank you so much! Here's the next chappy! Hope you like it!

sky: Thanks! Hope you like Chapter Eight!

Keiry: Thanks! Hope you like this next chapter! Please update Coldhearted? soon!

Falling For You

Chapter Eight

Rinoa looked at Squall. She looked back at Laguna. And then she looked at Raine. Why didn't I see it before? The resemblance!

Raine smiled at her son. "I think we should skip introducing our children, Julia," she said, facing Rinoa's mother.

Squall just stood there behind the kitchen door, still holding the plate of cooked chicken in his hands. Rinoa caught Squall's eyes and motioned for him to set the plate down on the table, silently thanking Hyne he did not drop the plate. Squall did and stood beside Irvine. "Dad, Mom… what are you doing here?" he repeated the question he asked earlier.

Laguna sat down and smiled at him. "You see, son, we have these social events to attend to. I talked with Vincent and we decided that we will ask Rinoa to… sort of, uhh… be your date for the functions."

Vincent added, "People will see that the government and the military are united, seeing both of you together. That Deling supports the newly elected president of Esthar—"

"And vice versa," Laguna finished.

The room became silent.

"Umm… That is if it is alright with both of you," Laguna said, sheepishly looking at both of them.

Rinoa glanced at Squall. Squall stared back at her. Then they smiled at each other.

"I take it from those smiles that it's okay with both of you?" Raine asked them both.

Squall and Rinoa nodded.

Laguna brought his hands together with a smack. "Well! That wraps it!" he said happily. "The food smells really good…"

"Let's eat, my friends," Vincent said.

The four seniors started eating and the four young adults stepped into the kitchen. They sat at the stools and began to eat dinner.

"Squall?" Selphie asked after she took a spoonful of green soup.

"Yes?" Squall raised his head and met Selphie's green orbs.

Even Rinoa and Irvine stopped eating and glanced at Selphie. She looked serious. Which rarely happens, Rinoa thought to herself.

"Why didn't you tell Rinoa? Why didn't you tell us?" Selphie looked sad and betrayed.

Squall put down his spoon. "Well… I really was planning to tell you, but we just met about an hour ago. I just wanted to enjoy your company without your knowledge that I'm the president's son. I was afraid that… umm… you'll only befriend me because of my relationship with him," he said meekly.

Rinoa raised her hand. "Squall, I understand. Just don't think about it, okay? We really would like you to be our friend, even if you're not the president's son."

"That's right, Squall," Irvine chimed in.

"We should always be honest. Anyway," Selphie said, smiling and being her usual self. "Quistis called. She is also one of our close friends," she added as she faced Squall. She glanced back at Rinoa. "She had been planning a day at the beach! And she invited us!"

"Gee… I didn't know about that," Rinoa said, suddenly remembering Seifer and Quistis. She could picture them at the beach. Irvine and Selphie together, Seifer and Quistis together, and she's all alone by herself.

"Well, Quisty is really the one who came up with that idea. She said to leave it all to her," Selphie said. "Squall, why don't you come with us?"

Squall glanced at Selphie and Irvine, and then at Rinoa. "Is that alright? I mean, I haven't met her yet…"

"Quisty told me to invite you," she said to Squall. Then she looked at Rinoa. "She was looking for you when she called. I said you were out with a guy," Selphie explained.

Squall and Rinoa blushed. Again, Rinoa corrected her. "Selphie, I told you it wasn't a date, it—"

Selphie cut her off. "Yeah, yeah… it was a 'tour'," she said, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, Quisty asked, 'With whom?' I told her 'You know, the guy she dragged last night on the dance floor.' Then she said, 'Oh, I remember him.' Then I said, 'Rinoa thinks he's hand—"

"Okay, okay, I get the picture," Rinoa immediately cut Selphie off, her cheeks burning.

Irvine just hung his head and silently laughed. Rinoa could see at the corner of her eye that his shoulders were shaking with laughter.

"Anyway… Squall, please say you'll come! The more, the merrier!" Selphie pleaded.

"Well, I really don't have much to do around town and I'd certainly enjoy your company… So, yeah," he said.

Selphie stood up and jumped around the kitchen. "Woo-hoo! Squall's coming with us!"

The three just looked at each other and smiled at Selphie's antics.

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

"Y-you're leaving?" Seifer asked Quistis.

They were at Balamb Café having coffee after their dinner date.

"My boss asked me to go to Esthar and assigned me to head the construction of a new mall there," Quistis explained. "I'll be leaving on Monday."

Seifer looked away and remained quiet. Quistis is leaving? He felt Quistis touch his hand that was resting on the table.

"Seif, you know how much my work means to me."

Quistis loved her work so much. She was the only female engineer in their company. She was well known and well respected in Esthar for being a female engineer and her brilliant ideas and works.

He fixed his eyes with hers. "How long?"

She shrugged. "I really don't know… a few months, maybe."

Seifer forced himself to smile. He knew he was being a jerk. I should congratulate her… I should be happy for her. He entwined his fingers with hers. "I know I'm being selfish… We just got together for a month. But I'm really happy for you, Quisty. I really mean it."

Quistis sadly smiled at him. "I know. I want to be with you, too. But you also have your work here in Balamb," she reminded him. "Anyway, we can call each other."

"And there's e-mail," Seifer added.

"I can visit you here for a day or two."

"I can visit you there, too."

They just looked at each other, fingers entwined.

"Anyway," Quistis broke the silence. "I asked Selphie and everybody on Saturday. I was thinking of going to the beach."

"Oh?" he said, the smile wiped off his face. "With everybody?"

She smiled at him. "Only on Saturday. I'll spend Sunday with you, of course."

Seifer relaxed and smiled. "Okay."

After finishing their coffee, they got out and Seifer took Quistis to the hotel. He went home immediately. After showering and getting into his boxers, he lied down on the bed with his arms behind his head.

Quistis is leaving… Well, that gives me some time to spend with Rinoa. Seifer felt guilty. Quistis hasn't even left and he's already thinking of Rinoa. It's not that! I've been neglecting her for a month. She's my best friend and we haven't even celebrated her graduation yet. I'll visit her on Tuesday and invite her to a movie, he decided as he dozed off.