Trust My Heart
by: Cathy-chan
~~~~~~~~
Chapter 2: Lovers' Day
It was a cloudless, humid day when Balamb Garden landed on the shores of Dollet. Its inhabitants were soft-spoken and glad; a stark contrast to the explosions and yelling during their unforgettable SeeD Test. The only type of noises that remained were music coming from the different joyous bars and restaurants, and the laughter of playing children. The Juniors especially wanted to howl with mirth at finding themselves on a beach on a perfect day. But no other announcements thrilled them more than hearing their Commander Squall said, "You can go and do anything you want, as long as you're in Dollet and abiding its laws. We are to assemble on this location by sunset, understand?"
Even the older students couldn't resist giggling or starting off on their fun while answering a "Yessir!" The lucky SeeDs who weren't on call for a mission had the same instructions as the students. Surprisingly, a few of them had started a huge torrent of hooting and howling after Squall spoke. Showing all of Balamb Garden and Dollet that a vacation was one luxury they hadn't experienced.
Quistis smiled as she saw students and SeeDs alike jump and play on the sand. They really deserve it, she thought. Everyone worked so hard this year. Stepping out into the bright glare of the sun, her eyes adjusted to the noon's brilliant prelude. The sun was too hot for her leather gloves and regular clothing. Thus, for their day of relaxing and tanning, she chose to wear a spaghetti-strap sun-dress that beautifully adorned her tall, slim figure.
"Wow! Sure is hotter than usual today, eh?" Irvine tucked his hat more into his head, admiring the scent and view of the sea surrounding them. "...Reminds me of our days in the orphanage with nothing to do but watch the waves roll onto the sand."
"Yah, I know! Hey, that reminds me. Can we go to the beach now!? I wanna try out my new swimsuit!" Selphie tugged on Irvine's coat and winked. He in turn, winked and responded with a salute of his Stetson.
Zell stared at the two for a moment, then said, "Not yet! There's plenty of time for some surfin' and..." He wrinkled his nose and waved a hand. "...all yer lovie-dovies stuff. I'm starving! Lets find some grub first."
"Good idea! I know a great place to eat here! Caraway took me and my mother here during his business trips. C'mon, everybody!" Rinoa encouraged her friends to hurry and follow her. She led them to a cheery restaurant emblazoned with vibrant colours and country-side ornaments. Apparently Rinoa came to the restaurant often. The owner/chef of the restaurant, the waiters and waitresses, even some of the customers knew or recognized her. It was a very busy day for the small establishment. It was packed with people; six people crammed in a table for three. But the owner managed to find a special spot beside the window for Rinoa and her friends.
"Hey, Rinoa Heartilly, is it? I haven't seen you in ages. My, my, my! You have certainly become taller after all these years. And what a beautiful young lady you have become too!" The plump, happy chef said to Rinoa.
"And you certainly have aged beautifully, Piere!"
"I used to remember when you and your folks would go here to eat your usual food. I bet you sing as well as your mother!"
"...Oh...not really! I never tried. I'm sure I'm terrible at it."
"Pooh! Nonsense! Why I bet..."
While Rinoa's conversation with the kindly chef carried on, Quistis caught a glimpse of a young man not far from where she sat. Perhaps it was her lack of meeting many men--she was a busy, responsible SeeD after all-- but she found him to be handsome. Extraordinarily so. He was tall and lean; she speculated he must be almost six feet tall. Even if his age ranged from eighteen to twenty-one, his strong, defined features made him look half a dozen years older. But that didn't make him look uninteresting, on the contrary his older appearance gave an air of elegance, implying subtlety and wisdom. His eyes, which captivated her, were no doubt green, yet blue; the colour of the sea in a dark storm. He had hair the colour of a setting sun, hinted by dark chestnut at some strands; long bangs covering almost all of his right eye. He seemed to be physically a hard worker. His shoulders and torso were broad with arms that often did physical, arduous work. He was wearing a plain shirt, jeans, gloves and heavy boots. Quistis was certain he did labour work by the dirt and oil on his attire. By his side, leaning against the wall, was a pretty woman. Over the many conversations floating in the room, she didn't hear what he said that made the woman laugh. She must be his lover or something. For reasons she could not grasp, she felt disappointed at the thought. How unfamiliar it was, the unnamed trouble in her heart. She was not a woman prone to petty emotions of envy and jealousy. So what brought her spirits down suddenly? Quistis' view was obscured by a horde of people passing by. A moment later, she lost hope of seeing the enthralling man. She hid a secret, coy smile and a blush with her hands, then exhaled a long sigh. It was fun shamelessly ogling a man for a while.
A waitress handed them their menus after Rinoa's friendly chat with the chef.
"Great! The menu! Hey, Rinoa, what's really tasty here?"
"All of them of course, but I like to order the sweet 'n' sour beef with homemade style potatoes. That one." Rinoa pointed at it from Zell's menu.
"Ah, I remember you used to order chocolate ice cream with chocolate syrup on it," Piere said with a cheeky, jolly chuckle.
She giggled and said, "Yup! You got it, Piere! I can't resist chocolate, y'know!"
"Hehehe...You should remember that fact, Squall! Might be important for future reference. Chocolate does have this chemical that enhances 'you know what.'" Irvine playfully nudged Squall.
"Ah, is he your, as we say in French, l'amore, Rinoa?" Piere asked, teasingly.
"Whu--? My--! M-Maybe....I dunno." Rinoa said at the same time with Squall's dismissive "...Whatever."
They laughed good-naturedly at Rinoa and Squall turning red from embarrassment. Their lunches were accompanied by jokes and laughter. Everyone enjoyed the company and food. They could tell Zell enjoyed it most of all because he had three, enthusiastic helpings. Before everyone left the restaurant Zell and Rinoa waved goodbye to the friendly chef and his employers.
"Mmmm, that was deelicious!" Zell punched air in front of him energetically. "I'm stuffed! Now what do you guys say to going to that beach!?"
"Woo-hoo! The beach! Okay!!" Selphie jumped up and down.
~~~~~~~
It was still fairly sunny by mid-afternoon. The sun hid behind a few, soft clouds below humid, bright shores. Similar to the restaurant, the beach was also bustling, but still had room for more people to enjoy the scenery and waters. Little children waded in the shallow areas while adults were either resting on the soft sands or surfing on the strong waves. Zell hurriedly changed into his swimming boxers, and charged into the waves with his surfing board. On the shore, Selphie was putting sun tan lotion on Irvine's back while Rinoa slowly dragged Squall close to the waters. Quistis prepared the umbrella, blanket and radio. Afterwards, she decided to simply enjoy the heat of the ground on her belly. Her blue eyes brightened with a soft giggle as she surreptitiously watched her comrades' schemes and frolic with equal observation and amusement.
"Surfs up, dudes!" Zell dived into the water with his surfing board. He found a good, big tidle wave and slowly stood on his board screaming, "Waaahooo! Yeah, baby!! Whoops! Oh noooo!" Zell's voice disappeared into the splashing waters. His feet and surfing board shooting up into the air.
"Are you gonna swim with that hat? Why don't you take it off too?" Selphie asked Irvine as she finished rubbing lotion on his back.
"Are you kidding?! Irvine Kinneas doesn't remove his hat for swimming." Irvine shoved his favourite cowboy hat snugly down his dome. A charming, diabolic smile came upon his lips. "I much rather stay here with you. We could hide behind my charmin' hat and show you a thing or two when it comes to..." His voice trailed into a whisper at Selphie's lips. She returned him a playful shove, cheeks warm with a blush. Her small display of modesty had Irvine laughing and snuggling beside her. He placed his brown, stylish hat unto her head, grinning madly as Selphie impressed how adoring, but tough-as-nails cowboy chick she looked with his "charming" hat.
Meanwhile, Rinoa was still pushing Squall closer to the water. "Come here, Squall-darlin'! There's something I want to show you," she said in a musical voice.
".....Darlin'?" Squall's brow arched, frown firmly in position. He looked vexed, yet also puzzled. "That's a stupid name."
"No, it's not! What else should I call you besides Squall? It sounds kind of cute. Not unless you want me to give you another pet name. Sweetheart, Squall-chan, Squally, Honey, Lovey,......" Rinoa went on and on with her list of names for Squall. She knew exactly how horrid those name sound, but with her love so fixedly scowling at her, she couldn't resist.
Squall was becoming impatient with Rinoa's silly games. He knew all along Rinoa had plot to tease and provoke him. Every step Rinoa succeeded in drawing him closer to the water, his brows knitted tighter: she had not only a plan in mind, but a goal too. Yet what would she achieve in getting him wet, he wondered? "Are you done yet? What were you going to show me?"
He would know soon enough. Without saying a word, she circled behind him, and shoved him bodily into the water, soaking him thoroughly from the toes in his boots to the long, brown hair on his head. Everyone had a good laughter from Rinoa's prank. The Garden's students especially who saw it chortled themselves to insanity at poor, soaked Commander. Annoyance was written all over his face at what Rinoa had done.
"Sorry, Squall. It must be really hot in there so I thought you might need to cool down with some water," she voiced as innocently as an angel.
"Actually, it was fine. I am very comfortable with my clothes." he said sternly with a knowing hint in his blue eyes. So that's what she wanted, he hid a smile behind his lanky, dripping hair. "I'm not that soaked. It'll dry off soon anyway." He started getting up, but Rinoa stopped him with a lift of an index finger.
"Yes you are. Very much soaked. And you're not getting away. You could at least take off that heavy jacket and those gloves of yours. Please? For me?" she pretended to plead. It was such a poor imitation of sad, puppy-dog eyes that he nearly chuckled.
"No. Make me, if you can," he uttered simply, almost threateningly.
"All right I will! And I sure can! Come here!!" Since she was already in her swimsuit, she dived on him, and playfully wrestled him for his jacket. "If you don't take those off now, I swear: I'm going to scream! Loudly!! Or worst yet, I'll sing 'Row Row Row Your Boat'!! I'm warning you, you don't want to hear me sing that song." Rinoa grabbed Squall's jacket, trying to yank it down. He fought back with turning her over to the water. While he was trying pin her down, she finally managed to get one sleeve off.
He knew then he lost the bout against her. Squall sighed, grudgingly admitting defeat. "Fine. I'm taking it off. Get off of me."
She screeched triumphantly, her fingers dancing on his jacket. "The belts, your shoes, the shirt and the necklace too!?" she asked eagerly.
He hesitated. "Yes. But you have to get off first."
"Will do!" she got up quickly. Her fingers toyed nonchalantly on her hair while her eyes did a full scan of his drenched body. "Do you need any help?"
"I can do this myself." He turned around and quickly took off everything except his leather pants. On his back, he felt Rinoa's brown eyes become larger. "Satisfied now?"
"Oh yes! Very much. Although it's going to be very hard for you to swim in leather. Oooh, you look so nice.....so sexy! I've never seen you without your jacket before!" Her gaze lingered longer on the two belts around his hips. "Umm, what do you have under those pants?"
The female students on the beach agreed he looked good too, they stared at him foolishly. For fun, Selphie leered, screaming, "Oooh, baby! You're a hottie! Woo woo! Work it, Sexy!" Selphie didn't stopped waving her arms around, and hooting until Squall shot her a menacing glare. She abruptly stopped and started a rush of giggles with Irvine.
Lovers. It was the first word that came into Quistis' mind while she watched them. Rinoa's right. That is the first time we've ever seen him half naked. The games were not over yet. Evidently, Rinoa wanted more than Squall's shirt and jacket. They started a dramatic debate all over again. Quistis heard a lot of "I'm not going to swim." from him, and "Yes you are!" from her.
While the argument was still in progress, Quistis brought her attention to the beautiful scenery. Other couples were on the beach besides the two, motley pairs. They were scattered on the beach, holding hands, talking or kissing; some so far and passionately beyond kissing she abruptly looked away, turning redder than her flower-patterned dress. Quistis thought that they all looked very happy and worry-free. She sat there quietly for a while in rapture of the scenery, until she heard someone's footsteps behind her.
"Couldn't help seein' ya here all alone, milady." Quistis heard from behind her. The voice was deep and friendly with an unusual accent. She turned around to face the owner of the male voice, then temporarily lost her ability to speak. It can't be him, the thought came even as the man's bold, green eyes were directly before hers. "Hi there. I've seen you before. The restaurant, right?" he asked her politely.
Quistis managed to untie her tongue after a second. "....Y-yes, that's right. I've seen you before too. You were leaning on the wall with a woman. Mr...." She prompted cordially for a name, all the while her mind continued: Nice, Trepe, you've just admitted gawking at his body recently.
"I'm Bradley. Bradley Greynard Atkins. My chums call me Brad."
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Atkins. My name is Quistis Trepe."
"Pleased to meet you, Ms. Trepe." He formally bowed in front of her. His grin reached deepening a dimple on his left cheek. "So are those your very active friends over there?" He gestured to four frolicking teenagers gathered around Squall. It seemed that "Operation: Get Ol' Cap'n Swimming" was still active. Zell, Irvine and Selphie joined in Rinoa's childish game.
Zell was the loudest of them all. His booming voice spanned the shore. She heard him wail, "Don't tell me you're afraid of water, Squall?"
"No. If I don't feel like swimming, I won't. Plain and simple." It was surprising to hear Squall's voice close to a shout.
"Well, you can't have everything, Rinoa. At least you got Squall's shirt off. Now that's an improvement!" Selphie yelled at the top of her lungs, as if she was declaring victory in a war. She intentionally made it twice as loud to make everyone in the beach hear the phrase, 'Squall's shirt off.' Rinoa laughed happily and hugged Squall's soaked arm. He, however, wasn't so pleasant. After a few minutes of jolly laughter, Quistis turned to the man beside her to answer.
"Yes, as a matter of fact, those are my friends. Usually they're not that active, but I guess they're really having fun with Squall today."
Relaxed humour showed in his smile and voice as he said, "Squall? You mean that poor young man they're teasing?" He took a glance at the scowling, young man.
"That's right. He's usually a very quiet student--I mean person. He likes to be alone and do very well in his studies."
He chuckled softly. "I bet that started to change when he got that girlfriend over there." He directed his gesture to Rinoa.
"How did you know they were together?"
"Looks like it. I saw her push the poor guy to the water. They really love each other, though."
"Really? Is it that obvious?"
"Sure. He surely doesn't agree to anything easily. But, he wanted her to be happy, so he let her have her way."
"Ah, I never thought of it that way. I thought Rinoa's constant hammering finally caved Squall in."
"A guy like that? Cave in? I'm sure hardly, maybe never. He looks strong willed and dedicated to whatever he sets his mind to."
"You're a very good judge of character, aren't you?"
"Of course! I always think so. That's why I think a beautiful, young lady such as yourself doesn't want to be just watching. Would you like to go for some coffee? My treat." Bradley's huge grin made Quistis smile back.
She knew he was flattering her immodestly; she imagined he was a known flirt in this town. Faintly in her mind, she knew of the precautions she usually took when it came to men such as Bradley. In light of her recent musings on life, she chose to ignore the faint warning by smiling and saying, "I have a better idea, lets have dinner together."
"Fantastic! Sounds like a date to me! Shall we, mademoiselle?" Bradley kindly and gracefully handed his hand to her. Quistis took it without hesitation; his callous palm touching her delicate, soft hand. Proving her earlier hypothesis of him as a physical labourer. It also revealed that he used his hands often. She was aware of what Squall and the others might speculate if she wandered into the streets with a stranger. Yet she felt relaxed, amazingly not bothered by her spontaneous decision.
No scenery could've been more perfect for a slow walk in Dollet. The suns descending rays gradually tainted the sky with streaks of different oranges. The mountains in the background and the classic, vintage houses coming together as one in a bright, surreal monochrome. Somewhere close by, a melody played lazily from a variety of instruments. Quistis let the sound of the faint music release her tension. She closed her eyes, smelling the scent of a summer, sea breeze. The wind swept her long, strawberry blonde hair; both wind and sunlight playing with its tresses. Then in that exact moment, the thoughts about her job fleeted, and fantasies began to resurface. What was in her dreams long ago, before her career took over? She recalled of a dream of a cottage surrounded by flowers near the ocean...a companion beside her...a family...Abruptly Quistis realized she had been daydreaming. A cottage, a man and a family? She couldn't conceive how the topic could nonchalantly usurp her mind. Perhaps, it was because of the moment, or even perhaps this man.....That's ridiculous! Absolutely ridiculous! she chided herself. She didn't realized how long her mind had been away, until she saw their destination. "This is the place." she said to Bradley.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Ladies first, of course." He opened the door, and gestured for her to enter first.
"Thank you." Her bright smile was genuine when she accepted his courtesy. She was surprised, too, to be dating a gentleman. Opening a door for a woman, she thought, was long forgotten at their day and age.
The restaurant was quaint and pleasant. Little patterns of roses are painted throughout a long wall full of murals. A vase of daisies are set in each table. As they sat at their seats to wait for their order, Quistis decided to know more about her date.
"So, Bradley. What do you do for a living?"
"I fix machines and autos most of the time, but sometimes, also a bit of paleontology. Just to explore the world when I need to."
Quistis wasn't sure which amazed her more: his exotic occupation or his casual demeanor when he spoke of it. "Interesting," she said sincerely.
"So how about you?"
"I'm a SeeD from Balamb Garden. I used to be an instructor, but then I got demoted."
"Oh, no wonder ya called Squall a student! I used to be a SeeD too, but then military ain't my thing. I'm more into seeing the world and researching long extinct GFs. Did you know there are most unidentified species of Guardian Forces than what most people know of? The vastness of their species is simply.....amazing!"
Quistis listened to Bradley as one story or fact concluded into another. She was beguiled. A long history of Guardian Forces and the planet's geographical evolution would normally bore a person to sleep. Yet his passion for the subject left her hanging on every word. Even the very extensive lists of extinct GFs she listened to. He told about eerie, strange, funny, ridiculous stories he could remember from his far, tough journeys. Bradley stopped abruptly, a sheepish look forming on his face. "Woah! Sorry, I guess I've been yapping to much, huh?"
"Oh no, not at all. Those were incredible stories!"
"But I can't learn anything about you if I keep yappin'."
"I'm sure you wouldn't want to hear about me." She shrugged and made a dismissive gesture. "Nothing much to talk about."
"Nothing? Hell, there must be plenty!" He leaned closer to her. "Tell me your experiences with being a SeeD or an instructor. Tell me about your students and friends. Where and when were you born? What's your favourite colour? What's your hobby? What's your favourite genre of music?"
Quistis laughed from being overwhelmed. "That's a lot of questions all at once, don't you think?"
He laughed softly. "I didn't expect for you to answer all of them at once. They're just some we can start with. You're an interesting person, Quistis. I'd like to talk to you more, if that's okay with you, that is."
....An interesting person? Now she was truly overwhelmed. Their conversation had her doubtless of his intelligence. His deportment was mature and calm, yet humour and boyish candor always lit his eyes. Her interest for him increased at his every action and words. Moreover, his boldness thrilled her. Other young men had tried courting her before. A member of The Trepies was infatuated by her; a few students couldn't help stuttering while they asked about her weekend plans. Though, most of them were intimidated by her. Even as a SeeD, she was known as a tough, no-nonsense leader. Nevertheless, Bradley was unperturbed. I should be worried that someone is taking so much interest in me. Or no, I should be more concerned about falling for his charms, she counseled herself. Spontaneity was not her strongest trait, she was mostly careful about a lot of things. She had often said Squall was predictable, even when she thought the same of herself. Now even her anti-social, favourite ex-student was changing. It was time for her to change as well.....
"I'd like that. I'm due at Balamb Garden before 9 o'clock. Would you like to visit the facility? I can give you a tour, if you want."
"I'd be honoured by that, Quistis."
The day's festivities had been unexpected and different. A mysterious man out of nowhere talking to her, treasuring her company. And she in return, accepted his company for a while longer. Not a trace of corrupt intentions were implied from him, yet she sensed she was taking a risk. A thrill raced through her body; it had nothing to do with nervousness.
To be continued...
by: Cathy-chan
~~~~~~~~
Chapter 2: Lovers' Day
It was a cloudless, humid day when Balamb Garden landed on the shores of Dollet. Its inhabitants were soft-spoken and glad; a stark contrast to the explosions and yelling during their unforgettable SeeD Test. The only type of noises that remained were music coming from the different joyous bars and restaurants, and the laughter of playing children. The Juniors especially wanted to howl with mirth at finding themselves on a beach on a perfect day. But no other announcements thrilled them more than hearing their Commander Squall said, "You can go and do anything you want, as long as you're in Dollet and abiding its laws. We are to assemble on this location by sunset, understand?"
Even the older students couldn't resist giggling or starting off on their fun while answering a "Yessir!" The lucky SeeDs who weren't on call for a mission had the same instructions as the students. Surprisingly, a few of them had started a huge torrent of hooting and howling after Squall spoke. Showing all of Balamb Garden and Dollet that a vacation was one luxury they hadn't experienced.
Quistis smiled as she saw students and SeeDs alike jump and play on the sand. They really deserve it, she thought. Everyone worked so hard this year. Stepping out into the bright glare of the sun, her eyes adjusted to the noon's brilliant prelude. The sun was too hot for her leather gloves and regular clothing. Thus, for their day of relaxing and tanning, she chose to wear a spaghetti-strap sun-dress that beautifully adorned her tall, slim figure.
"Wow! Sure is hotter than usual today, eh?" Irvine tucked his hat more into his head, admiring the scent and view of the sea surrounding them. "...Reminds me of our days in the orphanage with nothing to do but watch the waves roll onto the sand."
"Yah, I know! Hey, that reminds me. Can we go to the beach now!? I wanna try out my new swimsuit!" Selphie tugged on Irvine's coat and winked. He in turn, winked and responded with a salute of his Stetson.
Zell stared at the two for a moment, then said, "Not yet! There's plenty of time for some surfin' and..." He wrinkled his nose and waved a hand. "...all yer lovie-dovies stuff. I'm starving! Lets find some grub first."
"Good idea! I know a great place to eat here! Caraway took me and my mother here during his business trips. C'mon, everybody!" Rinoa encouraged her friends to hurry and follow her. She led them to a cheery restaurant emblazoned with vibrant colours and country-side ornaments. Apparently Rinoa came to the restaurant often. The owner/chef of the restaurant, the waiters and waitresses, even some of the customers knew or recognized her. It was a very busy day for the small establishment. It was packed with people; six people crammed in a table for three. But the owner managed to find a special spot beside the window for Rinoa and her friends.
"Hey, Rinoa Heartilly, is it? I haven't seen you in ages. My, my, my! You have certainly become taller after all these years. And what a beautiful young lady you have become too!" The plump, happy chef said to Rinoa.
"And you certainly have aged beautifully, Piere!"
"I used to remember when you and your folks would go here to eat your usual food. I bet you sing as well as your mother!"
"...Oh...not really! I never tried. I'm sure I'm terrible at it."
"Pooh! Nonsense! Why I bet..."
While Rinoa's conversation with the kindly chef carried on, Quistis caught a glimpse of a young man not far from where she sat. Perhaps it was her lack of meeting many men--she was a busy, responsible SeeD after all-- but she found him to be handsome. Extraordinarily so. He was tall and lean; she speculated he must be almost six feet tall. Even if his age ranged from eighteen to twenty-one, his strong, defined features made him look half a dozen years older. But that didn't make him look uninteresting, on the contrary his older appearance gave an air of elegance, implying subtlety and wisdom. His eyes, which captivated her, were no doubt green, yet blue; the colour of the sea in a dark storm. He had hair the colour of a setting sun, hinted by dark chestnut at some strands; long bangs covering almost all of his right eye. He seemed to be physically a hard worker. His shoulders and torso were broad with arms that often did physical, arduous work. He was wearing a plain shirt, jeans, gloves and heavy boots. Quistis was certain he did labour work by the dirt and oil on his attire. By his side, leaning against the wall, was a pretty woman. Over the many conversations floating in the room, she didn't hear what he said that made the woman laugh. She must be his lover or something. For reasons she could not grasp, she felt disappointed at the thought. How unfamiliar it was, the unnamed trouble in her heart. She was not a woman prone to petty emotions of envy and jealousy. So what brought her spirits down suddenly? Quistis' view was obscured by a horde of people passing by. A moment later, she lost hope of seeing the enthralling man. She hid a secret, coy smile and a blush with her hands, then exhaled a long sigh. It was fun shamelessly ogling a man for a while.
A waitress handed them their menus after Rinoa's friendly chat with the chef.
"Great! The menu! Hey, Rinoa, what's really tasty here?"
"All of them of course, but I like to order the sweet 'n' sour beef with homemade style potatoes. That one." Rinoa pointed at it from Zell's menu.
"Ah, I remember you used to order chocolate ice cream with chocolate syrup on it," Piere said with a cheeky, jolly chuckle.
She giggled and said, "Yup! You got it, Piere! I can't resist chocolate, y'know!"
"Hehehe...You should remember that fact, Squall! Might be important for future reference. Chocolate does have this chemical that enhances 'you know what.'" Irvine playfully nudged Squall.
"Ah, is he your, as we say in French, l'amore, Rinoa?" Piere asked, teasingly.
"Whu--? My--! M-Maybe....I dunno." Rinoa said at the same time with Squall's dismissive "...Whatever."
They laughed good-naturedly at Rinoa and Squall turning red from embarrassment. Their lunches were accompanied by jokes and laughter. Everyone enjoyed the company and food. They could tell Zell enjoyed it most of all because he had three, enthusiastic helpings. Before everyone left the restaurant Zell and Rinoa waved goodbye to the friendly chef and his employers.
"Mmmm, that was deelicious!" Zell punched air in front of him energetically. "I'm stuffed! Now what do you guys say to going to that beach!?"
"Woo-hoo! The beach! Okay!!" Selphie jumped up and down.
~~~~~~~
It was still fairly sunny by mid-afternoon. The sun hid behind a few, soft clouds below humid, bright shores. Similar to the restaurant, the beach was also bustling, but still had room for more people to enjoy the scenery and waters. Little children waded in the shallow areas while adults were either resting on the soft sands or surfing on the strong waves. Zell hurriedly changed into his swimming boxers, and charged into the waves with his surfing board. On the shore, Selphie was putting sun tan lotion on Irvine's back while Rinoa slowly dragged Squall close to the waters. Quistis prepared the umbrella, blanket and radio. Afterwards, she decided to simply enjoy the heat of the ground on her belly. Her blue eyes brightened with a soft giggle as she surreptitiously watched her comrades' schemes and frolic with equal observation and amusement.
"Surfs up, dudes!" Zell dived into the water with his surfing board. He found a good, big tidle wave and slowly stood on his board screaming, "Waaahooo! Yeah, baby!! Whoops! Oh noooo!" Zell's voice disappeared into the splashing waters. His feet and surfing board shooting up into the air.
"Are you gonna swim with that hat? Why don't you take it off too?" Selphie asked Irvine as she finished rubbing lotion on his back.
"Are you kidding?! Irvine Kinneas doesn't remove his hat for swimming." Irvine shoved his favourite cowboy hat snugly down his dome. A charming, diabolic smile came upon his lips. "I much rather stay here with you. We could hide behind my charmin' hat and show you a thing or two when it comes to..." His voice trailed into a whisper at Selphie's lips. She returned him a playful shove, cheeks warm with a blush. Her small display of modesty had Irvine laughing and snuggling beside her. He placed his brown, stylish hat unto her head, grinning madly as Selphie impressed how adoring, but tough-as-nails cowboy chick she looked with his "charming" hat.
Meanwhile, Rinoa was still pushing Squall closer to the water. "Come here, Squall-darlin'! There's something I want to show you," she said in a musical voice.
".....Darlin'?" Squall's brow arched, frown firmly in position. He looked vexed, yet also puzzled. "That's a stupid name."
"No, it's not! What else should I call you besides Squall? It sounds kind of cute. Not unless you want me to give you another pet name. Sweetheart, Squall-chan, Squally, Honey, Lovey,......" Rinoa went on and on with her list of names for Squall. She knew exactly how horrid those name sound, but with her love so fixedly scowling at her, she couldn't resist.
Squall was becoming impatient with Rinoa's silly games. He knew all along Rinoa had plot to tease and provoke him. Every step Rinoa succeeded in drawing him closer to the water, his brows knitted tighter: she had not only a plan in mind, but a goal too. Yet what would she achieve in getting him wet, he wondered? "Are you done yet? What were you going to show me?"
He would know soon enough. Without saying a word, she circled behind him, and shoved him bodily into the water, soaking him thoroughly from the toes in his boots to the long, brown hair on his head. Everyone had a good laughter from Rinoa's prank. The Garden's students especially who saw it chortled themselves to insanity at poor, soaked Commander. Annoyance was written all over his face at what Rinoa had done.
"Sorry, Squall. It must be really hot in there so I thought you might need to cool down with some water," she voiced as innocently as an angel.
"Actually, it was fine. I am very comfortable with my clothes." he said sternly with a knowing hint in his blue eyes. So that's what she wanted, he hid a smile behind his lanky, dripping hair. "I'm not that soaked. It'll dry off soon anyway." He started getting up, but Rinoa stopped him with a lift of an index finger.
"Yes you are. Very much soaked. And you're not getting away. You could at least take off that heavy jacket and those gloves of yours. Please? For me?" she pretended to plead. It was such a poor imitation of sad, puppy-dog eyes that he nearly chuckled.
"No. Make me, if you can," he uttered simply, almost threateningly.
"All right I will! And I sure can! Come here!!" Since she was already in her swimsuit, she dived on him, and playfully wrestled him for his jacket. "If you don't take those off now, I swear: I'm going to scream! Loudly!! Or worst yet, I'll sing 'Row Row Row Your Boat'!! I'm warning you, you don't want to hear me sing that song." Rinoa grabbed Squall's jacket, trying to yank it down. He fought back with turning her over to the water. While he was trying pin her down, she finally managed to get one sleeve off.
He knew then he lost the bout against her. Squall sighed, grudgingly admitting defeat. "Fine. I'm taking it off. Get off of me."
She screeched triumphantly, her fingers dancing on his jacket. "The belts, your shoes, the shirt and the necklace too!?" she asked eagerly.
He hesitated. "Yes. But you have to get off first."
"Will do!" she got up quickly. Her fingers toyed nonchalantly on her hair while her eyes did a full scan of his drenched body. "Do you need any help?"
"I can do this myself." He turned around and quickly took off everything except his leather pants. On his back, he felt Rinoa's brown eyes become larger. "Satisfied now?"
"Oh yes! Very much. Although it's going to be very hard for you to swim in leather. Oooh, you look so nice.....so sexy! I've never seen you without your jacket before!" Her gaze lingered longer on the two belts around his hips. "Umm, what do you have under those pants?"
The female students on the beach agreed he looked good too, they stared at him foolishly. For fun, Selphie leered, screaming, "Oooh, baby! You're a hottie! Woo woo! Work it, Sexy!" Selphie didn't stopped waving her arms around, and hooting until Squall shot her a menacing glare. She abruptly stopped and started a rush of giggles with Irvine.
Lovers. It was the first word that came into Quistis' mind while she watched them. Rinoa's right. That is the first time we've ever seen him half naked. The games were not over yet. Evidently, Rinoa wanted more than Squall's shirt and jacket. They started a dramatic debate all over again. Quistis heard a lot of "I'm not going to swim." from him, and "Yes you are!" from her.
While the argument was still in progress, Quistis brought her attention to the beautiful scenery. Other couples were on the beach besides the two, motley pairs. They were scattered on the beach, holding hands, talking or kissing; some so far and passionately beyond kissing she abruptly looked away, turning redder than her flower-patterned dress. Quistis thought that they all looked very happy and worry-free. She sat there quietly for a while in rapture of the scenery, until she heard someone's footsteps behind her.
"Couldn't help seein' ya here all alone, milady." Quistis heard from behind her. The voice was deep and friendly with an unusual accent. She turned around to face the owner of the male voice, then temporarily lost her ability to speak. It can't be him, the thought came even as the man's bold, green eyes were directly before hers. "Hi there. I've seen you before. The restaurant, right?" he asked her politely.
Quistis managed to untie her tongue after a second. "....Y-yes, that's right. I've seen you before too. You were leaning on the wall with a woman. Mr...." She prompted cordially for a name, all the while her mind continued: Nice, Trepe, you've just admitted gawking at his body recently.
"I'm Bradley. Bradley Greynard Atkins. My chums call me Brad."
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Atkins. My name is Quistis Trepe."
"Pleased to meet you, Ms. Trepe." He formally bowed in front of her. His grin reached deepening a dimple on his left cheek. "So are those your very active friends over there?" He gestured to four frolicking teenagers gathered around Squall. It seemed that "Operation: Get Ol' Cap'n Swimming" was still active. Zell, Irvine and Selphie joined in Rinoa's childish game.
Zell was the loudest of them all. His booming voice spanned the shore. She heard him wail, "Don't tell me you're afraid of water, Squall?"
"No. If I don't feel like swimming, I won't. Plain and simple." It was surprising to hear Squall's voice close to a shout.
"Well, you can't have everything, Rinoa. At least you got Squall's shirt off. Now that's an improvement!" Selphie yelled at the top of her lungs, as if she was declaring victory in a war. She intentionally made it twice as loud to make everyone in the beach hear the phrase, 'Squall's shirt off.' Rinoa laughed happily and hugged Squall's soaked arm. He, however, wasn't so pleasant. After a few minutes of jolly laughter, Quistis turned to the man beside her to answer.
"Yes, as a matter of fact, those are my friends. Usually they're not that active, but I guess they're really having fun with Squall today."
Relaxed humour showed in his smile and voice as he said, "Squall? You mean that poor young man they're teasing?" He took a glance at the scowling, young man.
"That's right. He's usually a very quiet student--I mean person. He likes to be alone and do very well in his studies."
He chuckled softly. "I bet that started to change when he got that girlfriend over there." He directed his gesture to Rinoa.
"How did you know they were together?"
"Looks like it. I saw her push the poor guy to the water. They really love each other, though."
"Really? Is it that obvious?"
"Sure. He surely doesn't agree to anything easily. But, he wanted her to be happy, so he let her have her way."
"Ah, I never thought of it that way. I thought Rinoa's constant hammering finally caved Squall in."
"A guy like that? Cave in? I'm sure hardly, maybe never. He looks strong willed and dedicated to whatever he sets his mind to."
"You're a very good judge of character, aren't you?"
"Of course! I always think so. That's why I think a beautiful, young lady such as yourself doesn't want to be just watching. Would you like to go for some coffee? My treat." Bradley's huge grin made Quistis smile back.
She knew he was flattering her immodestly; she imagined he was a known flirt in this town. Faintly in her mind, she knew of the precautions she usually took when it came to men such as Bradley. In light of her recent musings on life, she chose to ignore the faint warning by smiling and saying, "I have a better idea, lets have dinner together."
"Fantastic! Sounds like a date to me! Shall we, mademoiselle?" Bradley kindly and gracefully handed his hand to her. Quistis took it without hesitation; his callous palm touching her delicate, soft hand. Proving her earlier hypothesis of him as a physical labourer. It also revealed that he used his hands often. She was aware of what Squall and the others might speculate if she wandered into the streets with a stranger. Yet she felt relaxed, amazingly not bothered by her spontaneous decision.
No scenery could've been more perfect for a slow walk in Dollet. The suns descending rays gradually tainted the sky with streaks of different oranges. The mountains in the background and the classic, vintage houses coming together as one in a bright, surreal monochrome. Somewhere close by, a melody played lazily from a variety of instruments. Quistis let the sound of the faint music release her tension. She closed her eyes, smelling the scent of a summer, sea breeze. The wind swept her long, strawberry blonde hair; both wind and sunlight playing with its tresses. Then in that exact moment, the thoughts about her job fleeted, and fantasies began to resurface. What was in her dreams long ago, before her career took over? She recalled of a dream of a cottage surrounded by flowers near the ocean...a companion beside her...a family...Abruptly Quistis realized she had been daydreaming. A cottage, a man and a family? She couldn't conceive how the topic could nonchalantly usurp her mind. Perhaps, it was because of the moment, or even perhaps this man.....That's ridiculous! Absolutely ridiculous! she chided herself. She didn't realized how long her mind had been away, until she saw their destination. "This is the place." she said to Bradley.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Ladies first, of course." He opened the door, and gestured for her to enter first.
"Thank you." Her bright smile was genuine when she accepted his courtesy. She was surprised, too, to be dating a gentleman. Opening a door for a woman, she thought, was long forgotten at their day and age.
The restaurant was quaint and pleasant. Little patterns of roses are painted throughout a long wall full of murals. A vase of daisies are set in each table. As they sat at their seats to wait for their order, Quistis decided to know more about her date.
"So, Bradley. What do you do for a living?"
"I fix machines and autos most of the time, but sometimes, also a bit of paleontology. Just to explore the world when I need to."
Quistis wasn't sure which amazed her more: his exotic occupation or his casual demeanor when he spoke of it. "Interesting," she said sincerely.
"So how about you?"
"I'm a SeeD from Balamb Garden. I used to be an instructor, but then I got demoted."
"Oh, no wonder ya called Squall a student! I used to be a SeeD too, but then military ain't my thing. I'm more into seeing the world and researching long extinct GFs. Did you know there are most unidentified species of Guardian Forces than what most people know of? The vastness of their species is simply.....amazing!"
Quistis listened to Bradley as one story or fact concluded into another. She was beguiled. A long history of Guardian Forces and the planet's geographical evolution would normally bore a person to sleep. Yet his passion for the subject left her hanging on every word. Even the very extensive lists of extinct GFs she listened to. He told about eerie, strange, funny, ridiculous stories he could remember from his far, tough journeys. Bradley stopped abruptly, a sheepish look forming on his face. "Woah! Sorry, I guess I've been yapping to much, huh?"
"Oh no, not at all. Those were incredible stories!"
"But I can't learn anything about you if I keep yappin'."
"I'm sure you wouldn't want to hear about me." She shrugged and made a dismissive gesture. "Nothing much to talk about."
"Nothing? Hell, there must be plenty!" He leaned closer to her. "Tell me your experiences with being a SeeD or an instructor. Tell me about your students and friends. Where and when were you born? What's your favourite colour? What's your hobby? What's your favourite genre of music?"
Quistis laughed from being overwhelmed. "That's a lot of questions all at once, don't you think?"
He laughed softly. "I didn't expect for you to answer all of them at once. They're just some we can start with. You're an interesting person, Quistis. I'd like to talk to you more, if that's okay with you, that is."
....An interesting person? Now she was truly overwhelmed. Their conversation had her doubtless of his intelligence. His deportment was mature and calm, yet humour and boyish candor always lit his eyes. Her interest for him increased at his every action and words. Moreover, his boldness thrilled her. Other young men had tried courting her before. A member of The Trepies was infatuated by her; a few students couldn't help stuttering while they asked about her weekend plans. Though, most of them were intimidated by her. Even as a SeeD, she was known as a tough, no-nonsense leader. Nevertheless, Bradley was unperturbed. I should be worried that someone is taking so much interest in me. Or no, I should be more concerned about falling for his charms, she counseled herself. Spontaneity was not her strongest trait, she was mostly careful about a lot of things. She had often said Squall was predictable, even when she thought the same of herself. Now even her anti-social, favourite ex-student was changing. It was time for her to change as well.....
"I'd like that. I'm due at Balamb Garden before 9 o'clock. Would you like to visit the facility? I can give you a tour, if you want."
"I'd be honoured by that, Quistis."
The day's festivities had been unexpected and different. A mysterious man out of nowhere talking to her, treasuring her company. And she in return, accepted his company for a while longer. Not a trace of corrupt intentions were implied from him, yet she sensed she was taking a risk. A thrill raced through her body; it had nothing to do with nervousness.
To be continued...