Chapter 10

Squall's POV

Well, that stung like a bitch. Why would it matter? Why should it matter? My mind kept trying to come up with a plausible answer to it all but nothing seemed to fit... other than how much she hates Sheryl. But how was I supposed to know this way back when? I mean, it's not the past that makes us who we are, it's the choices we make...Right?

I trudged over to the elevator and continued to try to think up the reasons why; I think the little line she said before she left sobered me up a little and I was able to walk in a straight line. I just don't get it. All girls should live by at least one rule... And as soon as I find out what rule that is, I'll tell you.

In the elevator, the old man and his wife were there once more. I tried to ignore them as they tried to talk to me.

"Is it girl problems, son?" The old man asked.

"Or is it problems with your hoo-hoo?" The old lady asked.

"God! Just leave me alone! I'm aloud to take the time to think about issues, right?" I yelled. I will run them over one day, put the rest of the world out of it's misery. People that old ought to be forbidden to utter a word about the problems they had as kids. The elevator dinged and I got off anyways, my floor or not. I wasn't going to be stuck there with old and horny.

I had gotten off at the second floor while people got on. As they rose upwards, I pushed the up button and a lift dinged shortly afterwards. I got into the empty cubicle and stood in silence, still thinking about what Rinoa had said.

I got off at my floor and went into the room only to find Selphie there, sitting on her bed, watching some sitcom or another.

At the sound of the door opening, she turned to look at me, then at the clock, then me again and went back and forth for quite some time until I finally asked, "What?"

"Your date over so early? It's only a quarter to eight!" She looked stumped.

"Yeah. I don't want to talk about it. The time trials are tomorrow. I need my sleep. "I said as I walked over to get my pyjamas and hopped into the shower. The water felt refreshing and I had a better hold on the thoughts that ran through my head. I still don't get it; why would she say something like that? What had i done? High school was a lifetime away!

I got out after brushing my teeth and this time, my shirtless-ness didn't shock Selphie. She looked over at me one last time before turning off the TV and the lights.

Tucked into the covers of the bed, and not quite asleep yet, she called over to me, "Squall?"

"Yeah?" I answered.

"Are you asleep yet?"

"No."

"Ok. Could you tell me what she had to say to you or is that off limits too?"

"No. That was off limits too. Go to sleep Selphie."

"Ok."

"..."

"Squall?"

"What now?"

"Have you ever wondered what our purpose in life is?"

"Why are you asking m this?"

"Well, it's just that it's been on my mind for quite some time now and it's bugging me. I need a second opinion other than to make the most of it and to learn from our mistakes. It's not profound enough to be the actual meaning of life."

"Does it have to be profound, Confucius?"

"Yes because if it isn't then it's not the true purpose of life."

"Well, then, try thinking along the lines of being the best you can be without forgetting to be modest; not to let others bring you down; and to remember that you are the most important person."

"Hm..That just might work."

"Good. Now go to sleep."

"Ok."

"..."

"I like apples. Do you like apples? Apples are good."

"Selphie, what are you talking about?"

"I can't sleep, Squall. Sing me a song."


"What? No! Never! I DON'T sing."

"Aww... But then I won't sleep..."

"Argh! Fine! If it'll shut you up... " I never thought that I would ever sing for anyone but she's just getting on my nerves so much that I needed to find a way to shut her up... so I obliged, "Twinkle, twinkle little star. How I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high. Like a diamond in the sky. Twinkle, twinkle little star. How I wonder what you are. There. Happy? Good. Go to sleep!"

"..."

Finally. Peace and quiet. That's some good stuff.

***

"Squall! Wake up! We're gunna be late!" A high-pitched girly voice screeched into my ear. At the word 'late' I shot out of bed and into the bathroom. Without looking at the clock. Without seeing that the time was five thirty. In the morning.

"Selphie! What time's it?" I groaned. I had a massive headache from the tequila taking its toll.

"Ten thirty!" She lied.

"Holy Shit!" I yelled, hopping into the cold water that ran in the shower. I repeated the cuss once more, only to hear laughter in the other room. My head was not helping either.

"Selphie! What's so funny?" I yelled at her.

"You are!" She squealed at me.

That was when I poked my head out the curtain and looked around for my watch. My eyes rested on the object on the counter and, sure enough, I saw the smaller hand rest on the five and the larger hand rest on the six. Great. I had fallen for it again.

"Argh! You need to stop doing that!" yelled through the wall.

Outside the bathroom, I could hear the T.V on, broadcasting the news for its millions of watchers. There was no reply, but that suited me just fine. I began to think about last night's events and why it had ended so badly.

I listed them out in my head as the water gradually got warmer. The first being that I got totally hammered and now had a hangover for the time trials. The second was that I found a really great girl and she wants nothing to do with me. The third being the possibility of my house burning due to a ... Wait. I never turned on the stove. Ah. Much better.

I finished my hygiene routine and searched for an Asprin but found none.

"Selphie," I called, "Would you happen to have an Asprin?" I didn't really like to ask her for stuff but desperate times called for desperate measures.

I heard her laugh and reply, "Yeah, I do. You're luck that I tend to get severe headaches under stress... But don't they take drug tests?"

Was she stupid or something? Why would they take a drug test? It's not like steroids help you drive faster... Or did she mean for traces of pot or crack? Maybe I'm stupid. I've been to a million other competitions before... I should know the procedures.

"Yeah, they do... But it's an Asprin. Gimme a break!" I yelled back.

"Would like a broken arm or a broken leg?" She answered laughing.

"Just gimme an Asprin." I growled as I strode into the room.

"Spoil sport." She said as she handed me two Advils and a glass of water.

I stared at the glass. "Where'd you get the water?"

"I opened a bottle from the mini-bar."

"Oh. Ok." I drank the water and downed the Advils.

***

A half hour later, I stepped out on the pavement before the immense white building. The building towered over us as we emerged from the car.  There wasn't much to say about the building but it had a corporate look about it. It may have been the Caraway Corp. sign that loomed above us.

We walked through the glass doors and were instantly greeted by a sign that said "Drivers" and an arrow below indicating the left that sat on a golden tripod. Now that was a stupid move.

We human beings (yes, drivers are human beings a well) tend to value our privacy. However, with that sign, there is no privacy. It was a free sign to the media about our whereabouts so that they could swamps us in the camera lights and a million questions fired per second. Perhaps they had their reasons for placing it there. But I don't see the reason why they couldn't set up an information desk in the front.

Anyways, I say we return to the topic at hand.

So, when we turned to our left, there was another set of glass doors. Note to self: NO roaming around butt-naked in only a towel; big, white ass on the covers of newspapers is BAD. Second thought: get big, white ass copyrighted.

Beyond the glass doors was what looked like a registration table. Behind the table sat a very cheery lady with red hair and dull, hazel eyes. Her teeth were another story. They were so white and straight that they looked liked they were ripped out of a Colgate add.

"Hi, my name is Squall Leonheart and this is Selphie Tilmitt. We're competing in this race. We're from the-" I said but was cut off abruptly.

"The Coke Company. I know. Sign where the X's are. Room 43; third door to your right." she said while shoving a clipboard into both our hands. Suddenly, she didn't look so cheery.

I looked down at the sheets on the board and estimated about ten pages with about three X's on each. I'm sure that by the time I'm finished, the only thing I'll be able to say is "Squall Leonheart".

In about a half hour later, I was finished. As it turned out, there was somewhere between fifty to sixty X's. I got up and gave Mary Damper-Bottoms the clipboard back and she gave me a laminated pass and said, "Good luck, sunshine." and blinded me with her Colgate teeth. I wasn't too sure about that whole 'sunshine' ordeal and I was very sure that I didn't want to know about it either.

I said nothing as I walked past her and went to find the room. She was wrong. I was seven to my right. I got in to find Selphie already there.

"How're you feeling?" She asked.

"Fine." I replied.

"You do know what fine stands for, right?"

"What?"

"Freaked-out, Insane, Neurotic and Emotional."

"The hell did you come up with that?"

"The Italian Job was on the Movie network last night.

"Oh."

To some extent, she was right. I was freaked-out. I want to see Rinoa again but I'm freaked out about the outcome. I am insane. There is no way that I can drive if those two Advil's don't hold up. I'm not too sure what 'neurotic' meant but I'm sure that I was to some extent. But hell, don't call me a girl, but I am emotional. Driving was the last thing I ever talked about with my brother.

A/N: So, with the chapter out of my way, I'd like to say that no, I have not died... yet. I'd also like to say sorry for taking my sweet-ass time but I can guarantee that I already began to write the next chapter, but knowing me and my lazy writer's habits, that won't come out before my birthday... Or at least that's what I got my money on. (Note: my birthday's the 15th of November) Anyways, those of you that read, I thank you for actually having some remote interest in this story and please review. The last time I got the urge to write was because I got a very encouraging review... Not to say that the others aren't.

Oh! And if anyone knows of any mistakes I make every here and there, please tell me. And do tell if this is a complete work of shit.

Thanks!