A/N: Two chapters this time ya lucky kiddos! I wan only going to post one, but I changed my mind for two reasons: 1. The first one was too damn small and 2. There's not much plot evolution (how surprising!) 'cause I kept it all for the next chappy. 'Sides Sal has been feeling kind of grumpy and she hasn't been very helpful! Next chappy will be much better, I promise!
Chapter 31: A weekend get-away
Two weeks later…
Quistis was heading towards the cafeteria after yet another exhausting day. While walking down the stairs from the elevator, her cell-phone rang. She reached into her pocket for it and checked the number who was calling. It was Seifer. With a smile on her face, she accepted the call.
- "Hey… Where are you? Have you reached the station yet?" she asked.
- "Yeah, I'm at the station. I'll be there in about half an hour. Y'know why I called? I just saw something here that caught my attention…" he said.
- "What?"
- "Tickets to Esthar. Pretty cheap. October's coming soon and hardly anyone goes on vacation, so everything's cheap. Whaddya say?"
- "You want to go to Esthar on vacation?!" asked Quistis surprised.
- "Why not? We've hardly seen each other lately, we could use a weekend get away…"
- "I dunno… I've got classes tomorrow…"
- "We'll leave right after you finish and be back Sunday night." Seifer insisted.
- "What am I going to say to everyone?"
- "That's the least we should worry about. So… Should I buy tickets for tomorrow or not?" he asked.
- "*Sigh* Buy them… I guess we need some rest after all…"
- "Yes! I'll see you in a bit babe. Ciao!" said Seifer cheerfully.
Quistis terminated the call and put her cell-phone back in place 'And now I need an excuse for the others…' she thought.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
- "Deling?" asked Selphie "What business do you have there?"
- "Edea asked me to go instead of her to take care of something." replied Quistis.
- "And what's that?" asked Zell.
- "It's personal information Zell. I can't tell you…" replied Quistis.
- "But why is she sending you?" asked Rinoa.
- "I dunno. I guess she trusts me…" said Quistis shrugging, making a mental note to herself to inform Edea about this.
- "Don't you have classes?" asked Irvine.
- "Of course. That's why I'm leaving Friday noon and coming back Sunday night." replied Quistis.
- "You shouldn't be going there by yourself… Deling City is a pretty dangerous place…" said Irvine.
- "Really now!" said Quistis exasperated.
- "Irvine's right Quistis…" said Rinoa "When I still lived there, I always felt scared to roam around the streets alone. Even during the day."
- "Rinoa, you were less than sixteen then…" said Quistis.
- "All I'm saying is that it would be best if someone came with you…" said Rinoa.
- "Hello Instructor Kinneas!" said two girls who just walked over, interrupting the conversation.
- "Hi girls!" said Irvine politely "Can I help you with something?"
- "We were just wondering whether we should hand in the assignment you gave us on the next lesson." said one of them.
- "You can hand it in tomorrow if you have it ready, but you've still got time until next Wednesday." replied Irvine.
- "OK thank you Instructor. Have a nice day!" said the other girl and the two of them left giggling like mad.
- "Looks like the Trepies have finally met someone to give them a run for their money…" said Shizuka grinning.
- "I think I should be patrolling your classes from now on…" said Selphie crossing her arms, shooting Irvine a poisonous look. Everyone burst out laughing.
- "What's so funny?" said Seifer, who had just walked inside the cafeteria, joining the rest.
- "Hey Seifer! What up?" asked Zell.
- "How was your mission?" asked Rinoa.
- "Went well. Nothing too exciting though…" Seifer said, taking a seat "What were you guys talking about?"
- "About Irvine's fan club." said Shizuka "Quistis has lost the monopoly…"
- "Oh shut up already!" said Irvine pretending to be annoyed.
- "Heh, heh… I'd like to see how the Trepies will react when they hear of this…" said Seifer smirking "Hwaah!" he yawned "I need some rest. Damn, I'd kill for some time off. I've been in three consecutive missions in one month…" he said.
- "Why don't you go away for the weekend?" said Selphie.
- "Hmm… Not a bad idea… I hear Esthar's great at this time of the year…" said Seifer.
- "Hey!" said Rinoa, her face lightening up "Why don't you escort Quistis to Deling?"
- "Huh?!" said Seifer looking at her wide-eyed. Quistis' mouth flung open.
- "She has to go to Deling City for the weekend for business and we think she shouldn't go alone." said Selphie.
- "Guys, I have to go there on private business…" said Quistis.
- "Seifer could escort you around and then go and do whatever he likes…" said Rinoa.
- "Uh, hello? Are you even asking him if he wants to?" said Irvine.
- "Why wouldn't he?!" asked Selphie "Seifer, do you have a problem with that?" she asked, turning to look at Seifer, looking as if she wouldn't take 'No' for an answer.
- "Well…" said Seifer awkwardly "I guess Deling would be OK too…" he said shrugging.
- "Then it's settled!" said Selphie cheerfully.
Seifer and Quistis turned and looked at each other, not knowing what to say or think.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Quistis was lying on her bed, ready to go to sleep, when her cell-phone rang. Seifer again…
- "I know what you're thinking…" she said as soon as she answered it.
- "Man…" said Seifer "They either know everything and they're messing with us, or we're just too damn lucky!"
- "I only hope it's the second…" said Quistis.
- "Either way, we get to leave with everyone's blessings…" said Seifer.
- "Yeah… Who'd know?"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Friday noon…
- "Come on… It can't be that bad…" said Seifer, waiting patiently outside a bathroom door.
The pair had left Garden for their weekend get-away and were temporarily staying at Balamb Hotel for a few hours. Seifer had come up with the idea of some sort of disguise for them to pass unnoticed during the weekend, just like they'd done in their mission at Lucius Wallace's mansion. They'd agreed that they'd both be dying their hair. Quistis would be also letting it down, while Seifer would be wearing black contacts. Quistis had gone first, while Seifer was waiting for her in their room.
- "Quistis… We don't have all day y'know? We'll miss our train…" he said tapping his foot impatiently on the floor.
Quistis finally came out of the bathroom. Her hair was now flaming red and was let down, much opposed to her usual hairstyle. As soon as she walked inside the room, Seifer's eyes shot wide open.
- "That bad?" she asked.
- "Quite the contrary…" he said approaching her, touching a lock of her hair "I think I like it better…" he said smiling.
- "Seriously?" asked Quistis in disbelief.
- "Yeah… It makes you look… hot!"
- "Are you implying that I wasn't 'hot' before?" she asked putting her hands on her hips, raising an eyebrow.
- "Before you were beautiful, but a bit… conservative. Now you're beautiful and hot!" he said pulling her up into a hug. Quistis crossed her legs behind his waist and kissed him.
- "Your turn…" she said smiling.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
In less than an hour's time, the couple was on the train and on their way to Timber. From there, they took another train to head to Esthar. It was already 8:15 when they were approaching the city. Quistis was resting her head on Seifer's shoulder, looking outside the window. Seifer was holding her hand, looking outside as well. The sun was just setting and the sky had turned purple-red. Quistis smiled at the beautiful sight taking place right in front of her eyes.
- "Look at it… It's so beautiful…" she said sighing.
- "Yeah, it's pretty amazing…" said Seifer "You know… When I was a kid back at the orphanage, I used to…"
- "Try and catch the sunset?" said Quistis interrupting him "Yeah, I know… I remember seeing you trying each and every day and always failing, with a look of disappointment in your face…"
- "You remember…" said Seifer looking at her.
- "Yes…" she said looking at him too "But I never understood why you were trying to catch it… You never told anyone… Not even Matron."
- "I was trying to…" he said looking away "…I was trying to hold on to the one thing that was beautiful in my life…" he said with sorrow on his face.
- "I see…" she said nodding, never taking her eyes off him "So… Are you still chasing sunsets Mr. Almasy?"
- "Not anymore…" he said turning back to look at her "I've found something much more beautiful to hold on to…" he said touching her chin softly, with one finger.
Quistis looked at him as if she was really seeing him for the first time. Seifer smiled at her; she returned the warm smile and quickly kissed him passionately, so that he wouldn't notice the silent tear of joy that ran down her cheek…
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*