Author's Note: Forgive me for the extremely late update. I'm terribly ill…can't breathe…it's so hard to move…ack…anyway, I'm sorry this Chapter is a bit…off…I just wrote it today and my head is throbbing and the room is spinning. I am so sorry…I'll make the next chapter as soon as I'm better…promise…Oh, and I can't make individual thank you notes today…I swear, my head will explode if I try…there are 10 of you…so, um…thanks, reviewers. There's just this question from Welsh Dragon I have to answer before I forget to: Nope, not 16.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Seifer avoided the bedroom for hours, knowing Rinoa was inside. He had no plans of getting further on her nerves. And moreover he didn't want to have to lose his temper again. One murder was far from enough. But as the evening wore on, he knew he just had to talk to her. Their wedding was a few days away and Seifer was well aware that it was definitely not a good idea to have a frustrated bride.
He stood in front of the closed door, composing himself. Finally, he opened the door and went inside. Rinoa pretended not to have noticed, even as Seifer closed the door behind him. She had the chocobo doll Squall had given her on her lap and she was petting its head. "Rinoa," he said. "We have to talk."
"About what?" she asked casually.
Seifer frowned. "I'm sure you know." He walked towards her and she instinctively moved so that he could sit beside her on the bed.
"Look," he said. "Things…things aren't going so well, I know. And I also know that I had a lot to do with everything. I'm sorry, Rinoa, I just really screwed it all up didn't I?"
"Seifer," she spoke, placing the chocobo doll aside for a while, "I don't know if I can go through with this wedding. I'm not sure if I still love you, because of all of the things that you have done. We are supposed to be married in a few days, and---"
"Rinoa, I'll make it up to you, I swear," he said, placing a hand on hers. "I know you're probably extremely mad at me right now…but I promise it will all be better. I'll make sure it will get better. I swear, Rinoa, just don't let go yet."
She looked at him, a weak smile forming on her lips. "You don't have to…" she said. "I'm sorry about what I said earlier. I didn't mean to be so rash. It's okay…" She paused for a minute then added, "But…I need you to promise me other things."
"Anything," he said.
"No more fighting with Squall or anything like that. I don't want you to keep thinking that I'll leave you for Squall. He and I are just friends. Close friends. You have to trust me. Okay?" she asked.
He nodded. "And secondly," she continued, "I don't want you spending your spare time inside those bars anymore. You just get drunk and…well…I don't like what happens when you're drunk. I already asked you to stop going there before…I don't understand why you still keep doing it anyway. Could you please stop?"
Seifer nodded again, but asked, "What happens when I'm drunk anyway? You know me, when I drink, I don't stop until I can't think anymore. I don't remember anything that happens except that the next morning I end up having a really bad hangover."
Rinoa shook her head. "Never mind, it isn't important."
"Anything more?" he asked.
She nodded. "There's this one last thing. I don't want you pressing me to have sex with you until we're married. Do you understand?"
Once more he acquiesced. Rinoa smiled wider now. "Thank you," she said, hugging him. He returned her embrace, smirking to himself.
- : - : - : -
"Hi, Squall!" Selphie greeted with unmistakable glee when Squall entered Balamb Garden. Headmaster Cid required Squall to return. His little vacation became a lot longer than planned. "How was your vacation?"
"Hell," he answered, trying to avoid conversation with them. It was very early in the morning, he wanted to get to Garden before anybody was awake, but his friends were as wide-awake as ever. Especially Selphie…
Selphie frowned. "Come on, give us a smile! Everybody missed you!"
"Sure they did," he said in a sarcastic tone, marching past her and the others, heading straight to his room. They all watched him and Selphie sighed. "You think this has something to do with Rinoa?" she asked.
"Of course it does," said Irvine with a shrug. "Lately, everything in his world has been revolving around Rinoa."
"You know it," Zell said, punching the air. "It was nothing but Rinoa whenever I paid him a visit. He didn't really talk about her, but you could easily tell, what with the way he's acting. It's getting a bit annoying that he's thinking of nothing but Rinoa."
"If you ask me it was better when he thought of himself more," Irvine said.
Quistis sighed. "Boys. Well, I think it's sweet that he pines for her so much."
"Sweet?" Zell and Irvine asked at once. "You call that sweet?"
"Yes," answered Quistis. "It just shows how much he really loves her. And I'm sure Rinoa loves him, too, she just needs a little push. You agree with me, don't you, Selphie?"
The brunette nodded happily just as Quistis' cell phone rang. "Who could be calling so early?" she groaned, answering the call. Making her best sleepy-voice impression, she spoke into the phone, "Hello?"
"Quis? I hope I didn't wake you up…"
Quistis smiled. 'Speak of the devil,' she thought. "Hey, Rinoa, how are you doing?"
"Good," Rinoa replied as Quistis put the cell on loudspeaker.
"That's great," Quistis said. "So, why did you call so early?"
Rinoa paused, then answered, "Well, my wedding will be in Balamb, remember? So I'm going to be there soon. Actually, I'm on a train right now, on the way. I was wondering if you, Selphie and I could have a talk when I get there…I need…help."
"Sure, that's no problem at all," Quistis said, the smile still present on her face. "Around what time will you be getting here?"
"I'm not sure," she spoke. "I'll give you a call when I am there."
"What about Seifer?" asked Quistis.
"Oh…" said Rinoa. "I forgot. Um…I don't know, but I'll get him out of the way long enough so that we can have a good talk."
"Okay," said Quistis. "So I guess Selphie and I will see you later."
"See you," she said, as she hung up.
Quistis looked at the other three. Zell and Irvine were frowning. "Don't you just hate girl-talks?" Irvine said. Zell nodded in agreement.+
- ~ - ~ - ~ -
"What seems to be the problem, Rinoa?" Quistis queried as the three of them were taking a walk at the beach.
Rinoa hid her hands behind her back and said, "Well…um…it's simple, really. I need to talk to Squall."
Selphie raised an eyebrow. "What do you need us for?"
Rinoa turned away and drew spirals on the sand. "I don't think he wants to talk to me…besides…what I need to tell him is really stupid."
"What is it, anyway?" asked Quistis.
Rinoa smiled. "It's…a secret." Selphie and Quistis frowned as Rinoa faced them again. "Besides, you won't understand if I tell you."
A little distance from them, Irvine, Zell and Squall were squatted behind rocks, a portable sound amplifier in their hands. "Now why are we doing this again?" asked Zell.
"Just shut up and listen!" said Irvine.
They pressed their ears to the speaker…
"Try us," Selphie said.
No reply came from Rinoa. The three assumed she just shook her head or something. Then Quistis spoke. "Come on, just say it."
Rinoa, however, said something out of the subject. "Have you guys seen Angelo?"
"Shit!" said Squall, knowing Angelo had a knack for finding him. "I have get away from---" but he was cut short as a loud bark erupted from the amplifier.
"You're on your own!" said Zell, crawling away, still in the shadows.
"Best of luck, Squall!" Irvine muttered, crawling away, following Zell.
Just then, Angelo was all over Squall. Squall had no choice but to stand up and look straight at Quistis, Selphie and Rinoa, all with unreadable expressions.
"They made me do it," Squall said, pointing in the direction Zell and Irvine went to.
"Ha ha ha, really cute, Squall," Quistis said sarcastically as her phone rang. She answered it and mumbled a few words.
"We have to go, Selphie," said Quistis.
Rinoa frowned. "Sorry, Rinny…" Selphie apologized. "Squall over here will keep you company…won't you, Squall?"
He glared at Selphie as the two walked hurriedly away. Squall groaned as he turned back to Rinoa, only to find that she was walking into the water. "Now what?!" he said, running to follow her. "Rin! What are you doing?"
"Nothing," she said, turning to face him. "Checking if you would follow."
Squall placed a hand on his waist and Rinoa walked back to him. "Say you love me," she commanded.
"I love you," he said. Then added, "Why do you keep asking me to say that?"
"Because it sounds true when you say it," she answered.