Chapter Three

The next morning

At the front gate, bright and early ready to do business, Selphie walked over to the group with a Starbucks in her handjust kiddingwith a notebook, and a pen stuck behind her ear.

"Hi you guys and gals, I just came over to ask you if you wanted to help me with this year's Garden Festival. So who'll help me?" Immediately, Irvine's hand shot up ready to help a girl in dire need of a man. "Okay, I have one volunteer, anyone else?" Silence still reigned through the crowd, while Irvine's hand was still upVERY high. "Anyoneoh well I guess I'll have to pick now. Let's seeI've got it all mapped outIrvine, Zell, Quatre, Squall, and Heero." As soon as the young men assembled in the front, she gave them instructions, "Ok, that settles it. I want you guys to pick up the heavy equipment and put it on stage for me. Thanks!"

Squall picked up the guitar from off the side of the stage, while Heero picked up the heavy speakers.

"Weaklingis that the heaviest thing you can pick up? She asks you to help and you pick up the lightest object." Heero said completely disgusted with Squall, causing him to narrow his eyes at the comment Heero had made. Squall walked over to the stage placed the guitar down, and then proceeded to pick up the piano.

"What is he trying to prove? Is he trying to act all tough" Squall thought as he attempted to lift the heavy-duty electric piano, and injured himself in doing so trying to not show the pain on his face or in his eyes for that matter.

Across the room, Selphie was looking at the setup of everything, and directing the guys on where to place the objects. As they were setting up, she looked behind her to see if anything still needed to be placed in order.

"I need one of you to help me with something over here." Selphie yelled to get the message to guys far and wide. Irvine immediately offered to help, but instead Selphie looked over him, and picked Quatre, who had approached her.

"Oh no just dumped by the lady of my dreams" Irvine sat sitting on the chair standing before him tipping his hat so it shaded his eyes. As Zell walked over carrying a box of stuff, he told Irvine, "Don't worry Irvine there are plenty of other ladies"

Irvine looked up from his position directly at Zell, reached in his trench coat, and pulled out a list, "You're rightDon't worryTiffany, Emily and Alexandriayour stud man is here" he flicked his hat back up, away from shielding his eyes.

"Oh brotherlook what I didI've created a monster" he said holding his head in his hands, as Mikail walked by watching Irvine pull out a mirror from his trench coat beauty salon.

"Don't worryhe's been like that since birth" I patted him on the shoulder, causing him to look up at him and give me a look saying 'don't touch me', "My bad"

Throughout the hallways, the intercom could be heard turning on as the bells struck thrice, while the announcer made his announcement.

"Just remember tomorrow is the summer dance for all of Balamb Garden. Dress properly, and stay cool. The dance starts at 8:00 pm. Have fun!" the message ended with three strikes of the bell once again. After hearing the message, voices began conversing again, and echoing through the hallways. Relena and Rinoa had been talking about none other than the dance, and who was going to take whom. Rinoa walked away from Relena in search of Heero, while Relena talked to Kirielle.

"Who are you going to take to the dance?" Rinoa asked Heero, who was taking a break from helping Selphie out with all the work.

"" he just glanced over at her, as she stood across from him.

"Oh Heero, you're so boring you need a little spunk in your life. Pick me up at 8, okay? See ya, bye!" Rinoa said quickly leaving him no room to object as she ran out of the Quad. Relena watched as Rinoa left the Quad, and walked over to Heero.

"Good day Heero" Relena said her long strands of hair gracing her face.

"What do you want?" he asked impatiently.

"I was wondering if you would take me to the dance?" she asked turning her eyes from his causing her to shiver.

"I would if" he began.

"You will?!" she asked rather shocked to hear that from him no even recognizing that he said a soft 'no', "I'll see you at 8 p.m. then. See you later! I've got class!" she said turning and heading towards the hallways. In the short distance, Squall laughed under his breath, causing Heero to raise an eyebrow and ask, "What's so funny?"

"It's just so amusing that you're going to take the both of them out on the same night, same time" Squall laughed as he headed towards the exit.

"What in the heck am I thinking?" Heero asked himself, as he stood there thinking of a solution.

When the clock strikes 8the late night fervor awakes

It was 8'oclock and Squall was ready for some nighttime comedy courtesy of Heero Yuy. He walked out to the main hallway of the dormitory sector, where he encountered Heero all dressed up and ready to go with what seemed to be no solution to the problem at hand.

"Who's your date?" Heero asked Squall as he appeared in his line of sight.

"Oh I don't have a date. I'm just going to see how you're going to work this thing out." He said looking at Heero with an amusing expression on his face. As he spoke, Rinoa and Relena walked up the hallway together, as Squall spoke once again, "Here they come."

"Who're you going to the dance with?" Relena asked Rinoa kindly.

"He's really nicewho're you going with?" Rinoa relayed the question back to Relena, who was standing elegantly.

"Oh he's cute and sensitivethere he is right now." They both ran to Heero, and they bonked heads as they both attempted to grab hold of him.

"Get off my date"

"He's my date"

"Dream on"

"Try me darlin'" Relena said ready to go after Rinoa, as the two argued back and forth.

"Ladies, please." Heero said getting quite annoyed with not only the arguing, but also Squall's constant laughing.

"So who are you taking to the dance Heero? You can't take both of us." Relena asked stating the obvious.

"That's why my trusty sidekick will be taking one of you, ladies, to the dance." Heero said turning to watch Squall timeless expression.

"WHAT?!" Squall immediately stopped laughing and watched Heero in shock.

"Since Rinoa asked me first I'm going to have to go with her" Heero said allowing Rinoa to take his arm.

"Oh okay I'll just go with Squall" Relena said not very enthusiastic about the whole idea, and dragging the still stunned Squall.

At the dance

Irvine walked through the doors in his white suit, and non-matching cowboy hat, immediately putting on a smile as he looked at the beautiful candidates around the room.

"Hey Tiffany, looking goodElizabeth, nice going, keep it upQuistis beautiful as ever" Irvine said greeting the young ladies as he walked by through the crowds looking for his one and only. Soon enough a pathway cleared, and Irvine spotted his target, Selphie, in a beautiful and elegant yellow gown. To make sure he was the only that got to dance with her, as he saw the throng of young men flock around her, he pushed them out of the way, and took her hand after bowing politely, asking Selphie to dance. She took off his cowboy hat as he bowed before her, and placed it on her head as she took him to the dance floor. Not too far away Squall had been dancing with Relena and Heero with Rinoa. When they were watching each other, they made faces at each other, not very nice ones. After the dance, the two talked together to sort out their differences.

"Rinoa I think we have the wrong dates" Relena pointed out.

"Switcharoo" Rinoa said nodding in total agreement, "No hard feelings right?"

"Yeahthat face you made back there was actually quite amusing" Relena said laughing as she thought about it.

"It only happens once in a lifetime" Rinoa said. When they entered the dance hall, Rinoa danced Squall and Relena with Heero giving each other a quick smile. Immediately, the two guys were totally confused. Then as they neared each other, the both of them said, "Just thought we'd spice things up for the remainder of the evening"

Across the room entering the ballroom

Mikail walked in holding onto Seifer with her eyes turned up to the ceiling, causing all activity to stop once again like at the last party. Here and there were a few whispers of the following:

Ohmigoshis the world coming to an end? Seifer and Mikail? This is history! Call the press! She looks so beautifulgosh I'm jealous. Is this a match up in the making? She's the 'Italian Nazi'! I wonder how they work it out? I mean she's harsh, and he'stoo demandingof attention. This is phenomenal.

The last statement was incredulous. Mikail could not believe her ears, and Seifer was smiling: "Seifer is so brave. He must have her on a leash or something"

"Hey you!" Mikail separated herself from Seifer, "Seifer is brave my ass" she emphasized each word, "He's as weak as every single one of you in this room. Second of all, I am not on a piece of rope! You're lucky I didn't have my rapier otherwise your head would be on a rope. Thirdly!" she said ready to blow up at every person that made any comment relating to her.

"Chill out Mikail" Seifer said dragging her away from the throng of people gathered, "Hey! Continue what you were doing!"

"Ughget your frickin' hands off of me! Once is too much!" Mikail shouted once they were outside as she struggled to get out of his grasp.

"And I thought I had major temper problems" Seifer laughed still holding on.

"What? Are you saying that I have a temper problem?" Mikail asked removing her arm from his grasp finally, "Boyyou better recognize"

"Sotell me what made you change your mind about asking me?"

"you were the last guy in this dreaded place that I could ask. No other reason"

"Because they're all too scared of you" he said, "If you haven't realized I'm the only one that will actually stand less than five feet away from you."

"If we aren't just talking about guys, then let's see Relena, Rinoa, Kirielle, Selphie, they'll all stand near me. Even Irvine and Zell and they're a bunch of chickens"

"I suppose" he said, "You know you're not that bad"

"Really? Not much good I can say about you" she said looking over the balcony.

"Hurt that you think that way. You don't even know me completely."

"I'm not sure very many people dolet alone want to" Mikail said, "ButI like your attitude."

"A compliment"

"Don't let it go to the head mister. That's the only good thing you'll ever hear from me" she smirked, and watched his eyes seeing a bit of his true self in it. Loyaltyhe was a loyal, royalpain in the assbut then again most guys were. She stood up, as he looked at her eyes. Cold on the outside, but one had to look inside to find who she truly was, but no one could figure her out. Pretty soon their lips were touching unconsciously, as if the subconscious minds were secretly attracted to each other, with neither knowing it. Soon enough, Mikail realized what was going on and came crashing back to reality removing her lips from his.

"EWW!!!!!!" Mikail wiped her lips over and over, "What kind of a demon are you?! Eww" she began to freak out, "UghI've got to gowash this disgustingness off my mouthso gross" Mikail said walking out, acting insanely mad, as she stomped out of the ballroom.

"She likes me" he said quite satisfactory, as he entered the ballroom.

"DON'T THINK I LIKE YOU!" Mikail said as she headed towards the doors.