Author's Note: Okay, first, I know now that Angelo is a girl. You learn something new everyday. But since I started the story with Angelo is a boy, I hope you guys wouldn't mind that I continue it that way. I don't have time to fix the other chapters if I decide to correct the gender stuff. Now, the chapter is extremely short. The reason for that is…I'm a little stuck. I haven't planned out this part of the story yet. I will be extremely grateful if you guys could give me ideas. Don't send it through reviews, though, I'd prefer it if you emailed me instead. My email is in my profile page. Here are the thank you notes!
SquallsGIRL – Sorry I wasn't able to update soon. And sorry that this isn't really a good update. Thanks for reviewing the previous chapter. The drama issue is okay, I mean, it really does have too much drama, doesn't it?
The wise – At long last you'll know the answer. It's a but unclear but it's in this chapter, you'll see. Thank you for reviewing. I'm sorry that this chapter isn't really…good.
PasifiKStaR – Thanks for clearing up the Angelo thing and thanks for reviewing. Do you really want Squall and Rinoa to run off together that bad? Well…hm…they won't run off together but the story will end as a Squinoa. I've already thought up the ending, I just need to get out of this part of the story first.
flare draco – Thank you for the review and the…uh…concern. Yes, I hope I do get well soon. Haha! Why couldn't Angelo have been called Angela or just plain Angel? It would have been easier to know her gender.
lostfallenangel – Thanks for the review. Oh, and can I just answer your question? I can't help it anymore and I think you guys will have difficulty understanding if I don't just say it. The thing about why Zeon hates Rinoa, I'll put it in a second author's note at the end of the chapter. Oh, and about my test…I'm very happy with the results! Tee hee!
Lionheart823 – Um…the last review wasn't rash…at least, not to me. Thanks for reviewing Chapter Twenty. Sorry this chapter isn't as good as the others, as I said, I'm pretty stuck. I don't know what Squall and Seifer should do.
Rebekka – Thanks for the review. Don't worry, I have no plans of giving up on this story. I'll try to get the next chapter up soon, but I'm not sure if I can.
Tai-Style – It wasn't that bad of a cliffy…I think. Thank you for reviewing, TS, but I'm sorry this chapter isn't so good. I'll try to get the next chapter done soon, but I haven't even started it so…uh…I guess you can't count on that much.
Chapter Twenty-One
"Please tell me, Squall…" Rinoa said.
Squall looked at her intently. "No, I'd rather not," he said. "I think it would be much better if Seifer told you himself, Rinoa."
"Why?" she queried.
"Because," he answered.
He got up from his seat and she frowned. "Stay," she said. "I don't want you to go yet." How he wanted to ignore her yet wanted to stay with her and shower her with attention at the same time. "Squall," she called, reaching out to him.
Squall took her hand and kissed it, before leaning over the bed and giving her a quick kiss on the lips. "Ill just come here and see you tomorrow, okay?" he said as he stood up straight again. "For now I have other matters to take care of."
"Promise?" she asked.
"Promise," he replied.
"Okay then…" she said with a small hint disappointment in her voice. "I'll see you tomorrow, Squall." He turned to leave but then faced her again and said, "Not a word about this to Seifer."
She nodded and he left. Once he had gone out of the room and closed the door, Seifer came up. "What are you doing here?" Seifer asked harshly.
"None of your business," Squall answered.
"Fuck you," Seifer shot back. "Leave Rinoa alone, asshole, or you're just going to get her shot again. I had better not see you here again."
Squall chose not to retort and instead walked away, taking out his cellphone. He hastily dialed a number and when it was answered, he said, "Hey, sis, it's Squall."
"Hi," replied Ellone. "How's Rinoa?"
"Awake," said Squall. "She seems to be better."
"That's good," said Ellone.
"Yeah," Squall muttered. "Anyway, I have a question."
"What is it?" Ellone said.
Squall looked for the right words, and then said, "How do you tell someone that…"
"That…?" asked Ellone.
Squall hesitated, and then said, "That she was molested as a child?"
Rinoa had turned her gaze back to the starry sky, not noticing that Seifer had come inside. He stood there, watching her for a minute. Something was different about her. Seifer just didn't know what it was. "Rinoa?" he said.
She faced him and smiled. "Hello, Seifer."
"How are you?" he queried.
"Good," she replied. "How much longer do I have to stay here?"
"Not much longer," he answered. "A few days, maybe…"
She turned to the window again and Seifer frowned. It made him feel like she didn't want to look at him. He stared at her. She seemed to be so deep in thought and he wished he could tell what she was thinking. It would make everything so much easier.
"Rinoa," he said, taking the seat that Squall had sat in earlier. "Do you want to tell me anything?"
"What?" she asked, facing him.
"I don't know, I just want to know what you're thinking," he said with a shrug.
She studied him for a moment, and then asked, "What did you do to your father?"
"He's…um…in…a mental asylum," replied Seifer.
"Why?" asked Rinoa.
"Because he's suffering from a mental disorder," he answered.
She tilted her head a little. "What kind of mental disorder?" she queried softly. Maybe this had something to do with what Squall didn't want to tell her. "Seifer?"
"Something's just wrong with him, okay?" he said.
"What's wrong with him?" she questioned. "I want to know, Seifer. Does…does it have anything to do with me? Is that why you don't want to tell me?"
He shrugged and Rinoa sighed. Seifer was keeping something from her. Even Squall had said so…well, sort of. She wanted to know what it was but there wasn't really much she could do about it. She wasn't in the mood to squeeze it out of Seifer. Instead, she decided to change the subject for now. "Do you know how Angelo is doing?" she asked.
Author's Note II: This is the answer to the question: "Why does Seifer's father hate Rinoa?"
Okay, you know by now that Zeon molested Rinoa…poor, poor Rinny…because of the psychological disorder pedophilia. That disorder only applies to children so as Rinoa matured, Zeon lost interest in her. However, when Rinoa starts showing feelings for Seifer, Zeon cracked and decides to kill Rinoa. Is that understandable, or it's a bit unclear?