Author's Note: Yay! Review for me! Thank you, PasifiKStaR! Coolios! Anyways, back to the story. Have fun!
Chapter Two
"The party is moved next, next week, Squall, did Selphie tell you?" Zell said. Squall didn't say anything, as always. "Oh yeah," Zell muttered. "I forgot you didn't care."
"Whatever," Squall mumbled. His thoughts were on the girl. She was still at the inn and she was still unconscious when he left her that morning. It had been about three days since he found her. The doctor had said it wouldn't be long before she woke up. But he also said that she received blows to the head and though she'll surely live, he wouldn't be surprised if she woke up with amnesia. Amnesia…she might not remember anything. How would Squall get rid of her now? He can't help her recover her memory since he knew nothing about her.
"Hey!" Zell said, "Are you even listening?" He had been telling Squall so many reasons on why not giving a damn about anything is not good and Squall had not heard a word of it.
"Whatever," he said again. He glanced at the clock and said, "Got to go."
"Why?" Zell questioned.
"I have something else I have to take care of," answered Squall as he got up and left. It was late in the afternoon and the sun was beginning to set. He drove to the inn and went inside. He didn't bother the woman at the counter and instead went straight to the girl's room. He found her still in bed, but her eyes were open and she was staring at the ceiling.
"You're finally awake," he said.
She looked at him, a questioning gaze in her eyes. "Where am I?" she queried, her voice soft, almost fearful. "Who are you?"
"You're in Balamb," he said, sitting on a chair by her bed. She stared at him, her brown eyes gazing deep into his blue-gray ones. "Do you remember anything?" he asked.
"…No…" she said. "What happened to me? Who…who am I?" Her fingers were tracing the letters on a bracelet she wore that Squall had only bothered to notice. "Rinoa…" she murmured softly, looking at the bracelet. "Is that my name?"
"Yes," he answered. Her expression showed hints of pain and he wondered what it was like to just wake up and not remember anything about yourself. He wondered what it felt like to just lie there, looking at your surroundings, the people around you, and not know where you are or who those people are. "How long have you been awake?"
"I'm not sure…" she replied. "Some time now…I've been trying to remember anything but nothing comes…my head hurts…"
He brushed a strand of hair away from her face to better see her eyes and she smiled. "Who are you? What's your name?" she asked.
For a while he said nothing. An idea just came into his mind. She had no idea who she was, where she was and what happened to her. In a way, she had no past, no friends, no relatives, no home…and she must have been thinking he knew.
"I'm Squall," he said, "your boyfriend."
- : - : - : -
"Tell me about myself, Squall," she said. "What was I like?"
Squall was taking her on a walk around Balamb. It had been two days since he said he was her boyfriend. Surprisingly enough, she didn't question him. "What were you like?" he said.
"Uh huh," she said.
"You were…" he said. "Perfect." Irvine had used that word when he had spread that rumor and it was the first word that entered Squall's mind.
"Perfect?" she said. "What do you mean perfect?"
"Just perfect," he told her.
She smiled at him, a look of pure trust and reliance in her eyes. He hated it. Or did he? "Why are you so quiet? Were you always like that?" she questioned.
"Yes," he said. She didn't ask anything for a while, she just watched him. She was seated on a bench and he was looking at the sea.
"Squall," she said.
"Yeah?" he asked.
She got up and stood beside him. "You must have been easy to fall in love with. You're quiet but you're so nice," she murmured sweetly. "I can't help but wonder what it was like before I forgot everything. I must have been happy with you."
'Nice?' he thought. 'Happy? With me? Who would ever be happy with me?'
She latched her arm onto his and looked up at him, the smile still perched on her lips. "You sure you don't remember anything?" he asked.
She nodded. He looked at her hand and saw the ring she wore. He had told her it was from him and she believed it. He wondered if her real boyfriend was looking for her. She had been kidnapped after all. 'Deling…' he thought. 'That's where she's from…' He would surely be in trouble the moment everyone learns the truth. Why didn't he think of this before? He had rushed into things and he knew he would regret it.
"Squall?" she asked. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," he said.
She just watched him again for a minute then said, "I want to know more."
"About what?' he asked.
"About us," she said. "I want to remember everything. Tell me about us, Squall. Tell me what we used to talk about, where we usually go, what we do…everything."
"That's long, Rinoa," he said.
"Do you love me?" she said.
He stared at her. What kind of a question was that?
"Squall?" she said. "Are you paying attention?"
He was about to answer when he caught sight of Irvine and Selphie not too far from them. "Later," he hastily said. "Come on; let's go back to the inn." He shouldn't let anyone from Garden know about Rinoa. Not yet.
- : - : - : -
"You know you're spending too much time outside Garden," Zell said. They were in the cafeteria, having an afternoon snack. Or at least Zell was having an afternoon snack and Squall had no idea why he was there. The party was only three days away and Squall had yet to tell Rinoa. He wasn't even sure if he should continue with what he was thinking or just tell her that he had lied. "What do you do anyway?"
"None of your business," Squall answered. She had trusted him completely and depended on him for everything. It seemed annoying when he thought about it but on the other hand it felt nice to have someone trust you so much.
"So, Squall, are you going?" Selphie asked, shocking Zell a little.
"Could you not do that?" Zell asked. "You just pop out so suddenly! You could give someone a heart attack, you know!"
She stuck her tongue out at him and smiled at Squall. "Irvy said you wouldn't go so I decided to ask you myself. I want everybody to be there! You didn't come at the last party. Or the one before that…or the one before that…you don't come to any party."
"Why don't you believe your boyfriend?" Squall said.
Zell nodded, "You ask him every day and he says he won't come every single time. Selph, I think once is enough."
Selphie pouted. "Come on!"
"No."
Selphie glared at them for a minute then left. Zell watched her go as Squall stood up and said, "Got to go." He hurried away before Zell could ask why, again, and went to Balamb.
"Squally!" Rinoa greeted happily.
"Hi," he said.
"Will you take me to Garden during the party?" she asked him.
"What?" he asked.
She frowned. "You're invited to a party, you told me, remember?" Squall thought he hadn't mentioned it. "I decided I want to go, even though you haven't asked me yet. Will you take me with you?"
He thought about it. It was what he wanted to do in the beginning, just to show Irvine. But then he didn't want to get himself into trouble. He looked at her, her eyes holding such a pleading look. "Please, Squall," she said.
"It's just a dumb party," he said. "And I need to tell you something first."
"Okay," she said. "What is it?"
Squall looked at her. She was smiling at him and he felt a pang of guilt. It had never been so hard to tell the truth before. He had never hesitated like that before, either. He hardly even knew her and yet it was already so hard. What was it about her? Was it because she needed him? No, impossible. He never considered the fact that anyone would ever need him. Was it because she would be hurt? He's hurt other people before; why should he care now?
"Rinoa…" he said, sitting down beside her. "Don't be angry and I'm sorry if this would hurt you or something..."
She said nothing but the way her smile slowly faded made him feel a second twinge. He could almost hear her heart beating so fast, almost as fast as his own heart. 'Wish I knew what you were thinking…' he thought.
"Squall…" she said softly. "If it will hurt…then I don't want to know…I don't want you to tell me." She wrapped her arms around him. "I need you, okay?"
'I'm all she has right now,' he told himself. 'What is she thinking? Does she think I'm going to…leave her…? Hell, does that make sense?'
He turned his gaze to her. She was trembling. 'I've only known you for a few days....but maybe…' He couldn't say another word. Instead he just held her.