Disclaimer: I do not own Squaresoft, Final Fantasy VIII nor its characters.
A/N: Hi everyone! I'm really really sorry! It's been almost two weeks since I last updated. I've really been very busy. Anyways, here's the ninth installment. I honestly don't know how this chappy turned out... I think it's a little lame. I just really have very little time to think about this. I just wanted to put a little humor. Anyway, I hope you'll like this chappy. =D
Again, I'd like to thank the following people who never get tired of reviewing!
XxPhoenix BladexX: Thanks for the encouragement! Hope you'll like this chappy. =D
Keiry: That's alright. *hands you back stick* =D Thanks again!
Kieu: I'm really sorry Chap8 was, as you said, a little dull. But nevertheless, thanks! I'm glad you that pointed out and I could just really use some good criticisms! I hope you'll like this chapter.
remote mine: Thank you so much! I'm glad you love this fic. I'll be sending you an e-mail soon! I'm really getting behind with so much work in school.
styx: Here's Chap9! Hope you'll enjoy this! Thanks!
Falling For You
Chapter Nine
It was a bright sunny Saturday morning. Seifer drove the Mitsubishi Space Gear that Quistis rented for the occasion. Music was blasting from the car stereo. Quistis was nodding her head in time with the song.
He was looking forward to this day. After two exhausting days of working non-stop on a new website he was designing for a softdrink company, he was finally going to have some fun and relaxation with Quistis and his friends.
Seifer glanced at her. She really looks beautiful, he thought to himself as he took a left turn in Rinoa's street. Quistis put her hair up with a red ponytail. He could see the straps of her red bikini top which was peeking from the white shirt she was wearing. She was wearing a pair of black denim shorts which showed her legs. A lot of legs, he silently added. She wore black slip-ons on her perfectly pedicured feet.
This will be his first time to see Quistis wearing a bikini. And he was looking forward to it. Not that he had a perverted mind, but he was wondering how Quistis looked in a skimpy outfit. As he slowed to a stop, all thoughts of Quistis quickly vanished from his mind. He saw Rinoa standing on the doorstep.
She was wearing a light blue floral sundress and light brown sandals. A white straw hat was perched on the top of her head. She was a perfect sight. Seifer let out a sigh as Rinoa gracefully tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Seif, you tired already? We haven't even arrived at the beach yet," Quistis asked worriedly, immediately sending Seifer back to reality.
He smiled at her and shook his head. "Just getting hungry," he lied.
He pulled the handbrake and turned off the engine. Quistis got off and waved at Rinoa. The two women met halfway on the pathway and hugged.
"Where's everyone?" Quistis asked as she looked around.
"Oh, they're inside. Wait, I'll get them," Rinoa said and went inside the house.
Seifer walked towards Quistis and put an arm around her. This is to remind yourself that Quistis is your girlfriend, he reminded himself.
The door opened and Selphie came out carrying a huge picnic basket.
"Quisty!" she called aloud. She put the basket down and hugged Quistis.
Quistis hugged Selphie back and grinned. "Is he here?" she asked Quistis with a knowing smile.
Selphie nodded while grinning.
Which Seifer noticed. 'He'? Who's 'he'? he asked himself silently. His question was answered when Irvine walked out the door carrying an Igloo cooler at one end. On the other end was the handsome stranger that Rinoa had danced on her graduation night.
Seifer closed his eyes shut, trying to erase the picture he just saw. That can't be. He rubbed his eyes with his free hand and when he opened them he saw Irvine and the man standing in front of them, the cooler at their feet. They were both smiling at them. Irvine was looking at him questioningly. He looked at Quistis as she held out her hand.
"So, you must be Rinoa's new friend," she said.
The handsome man accepted Quistis' hand and shook it firmly. "I'm Squall. And you must be Quistis," he said with a smile.
Quistis put her hand around Seifer's waist. "And this is Seifer," she introduced him.
Squall held out his hand and smiled at him. "Hi! You must be the legendary Seifer Rin's telling me about," he said.
He's already calling Rinoa her nickname? Alarms went off inside his head. He felt Quistis nudge him. He looked at her. Then he looked at the man named Squall. He was still holding out his hand.
He quickly shook Squall's hand. "Sorry… I spaced out again. I haven't eaten breakfast yet," he lamely said.
"You haven't eaten yet?" he heard Rinoa speak from Squall's back. Seifer saw her rummaging at the back pack Squall was carrying. I'm so spaced out I didn't see Rinoa… Hyne, they are that close already? he asked himself as he looked at Rinoa produce a sandwich out of Squall's bag.
"Ta-da!" she said as she handed him the sandwich. "Peanut butter and jelly sandwich!"
"Thanks," Seifer mumbled as he accepted the sandwich.
Irvine and Squall picked up the cooler again and carried it towards the van as Selphie opened the door at the back. Rinoa went back inside the house and Quistis followed her inside. A few seconds later, as Squall, Irvine and Selphie loaded their things into the van, Quistis emerged with another picnic basket and Rinoa locked the front door after putting down the huge plastic bag she was carrying. Seifer just stood there, the sandwich forgotten in his hand.
Rinoa turned around. She eyed the sandwich in Seifer's hand. "I thought you said you were hungry," she said as she opened her bag and put the house keys in it.
Seifer remembered the sandwich she gave her. He immediately ripped the sandwich bag open and finished the sandwich in three bites. He grabbed the bag at Rinoa's feet, put it into the van and got inside the vehicle.
He revved the engine. He turned on the air conditioner, enjoying the cool air blasting on his face. He looked at the rear mirror and saw Irvine and Selphie as they claimed the seat at the back of the van. From the corner of his eye, he saw Quistis reclaiming her seat beside Seifer. Again, he looked at the mirror and saw Rinoa climbing in and sitting directly behind him. And then he saw Squall sit beside Rinoa.
Seifer gritted his teeth. His knuckles went white as he clutched the steering wheel. He suddenly remembered Quistis beside him when he saw her turn the stereo on. He silently scolded himself for being a jerk. "Are we ready to go?" he asked everybody while looking at everybody, except Squall, at the mirror.
"Woo-hoo! Balamb beach, here we come!" Selphie yelled as she grabbed Irvine's cowboy hat and put it on her head.
~.*.~ ~.*.~ ~.*.~
"They look good together, don't you think?" Quistis said as she adjusted her sunglasses.
Seifer and Quistis were lounging on the beach loungers. They had arrived at the beach thirty minutes ago. After loading their things into the rest house Quistis rented, Selphie raced Irvine to the waters. Squall and Rinoa settled under a beach umbrella near the loungers. Seifer and Quistis decided to relax first.
Seifer sat up and looked at what Quistis was looking at and saw Squall and Rinoa talking animatedly. From the looks of it, Squall was telling Rinoa a joke and she was listening very intently with a huge smile on her face.
"Come on, you guys! The water's great!" Selphie, wearing a yellow bikini, yelled on the shore as a wave engulfed her petite body. Irvine rushed to help Selphie get up as she sputtered.
Quistis laughed and stood up, stretching her bikini-clad body. She stretched her hand out to Seifer. "Come, let's join them," she said.
Seifer took hand and stood up. He made sure his dark blue shorts were tied tightly around his waist. He wouldn't want the waves to take them off. They walked towards Irvine and Selphie who were now splashing each other with water. Selphie immediately splashed water on them.
"Hey! Cut that out!" Seifer scowled as he tried to shield himself from Selphie's water attack.
"Don't be a party pooper! Quistis paid for all of this so that we could have fun!" Irvine whispered to him.
Seifer glanced at Quistis who was happily engaged in a water splashing contest with Selphie. Again, another wave came and the two couples disappeared. A few seconds later, the wave rolled back to the ocean and the four appeared, sputtering and hair covering their faces.
Squall, wearing black shorts, and Rinoa, donned in a black and white bikini, were standing a few feet away from the shore and laughing their hearts out.
"That was a classic!" Rinoa squealed in between laughs. Beside her, guffaws were heard from Squall as he clutched at his stomach.
"Ha ha... very funny," Irvine sarcastically said as he adjusted his brown shorts.
Quistis was laughing, despite the fact that a wave just knocked the four of them down. Selphie joined in and later the six of them were all laughing.
Rinoa decided to join the four and started to walk towards them. When she noticed Squall wasn't beside her, she spun around and saw him still standing by the shore.
"Later," Squall said. Suddenly his expression changed to surprise. "Rin, look out!"
Before Rinoa could react, another wave, a stronger one, crashed on the shore. Rinoa was knocked down. The last thing she saw was Squall rushing to catch her. The wave engulfed all of them.
Irvine and Selphie were the first one to recover from the crash. Seifer was just getting up when he heard Irvine whistle.
"And that's what you call karma!" Irvine said.
Seifer followed Irvine's eyes. His eyes widened as he saw Squall and Rinoa on the shore in a very improper position.
Rinoa was lying on top of Squall, her head on his chest, her stomach on his... you know what. Both were just looking at each other, not knowing how to react. Both of their faces were a shade of red deeper.
Rinoa's eyes suddenly popped open. She and Squall immediately scrambled to get up. Squall rushed to the cottage with his back to the five of them. Seifer thought Squall appeared to be covering the front of his shorts.
Seifer looked at Rinoa and saw that her face had turned a deeper shade of red.