Disclaimer: I do not own Squaresoft, Final Fantasy VIII, nor its characters.
You are the One for Me
Chapter Three
Xu's forehead wrinkled as she saw a delivery boy with a bouquet of peach roses at the gate of their house. The wrinkles got deeper especially when the security guard called for the daughter of the caretaker of their house at Winhill. The girl was smiling radiantly as she received the bouquet and walked back to the servants' quarters.
The first time that maid arrived at Esthar, Xu was infuriated. That girl sucks up to my mother! She's too ambitious! She wants my brother to be her boyfriend? That would be the day! My brother has taste!
But what made Xu hate Rinoa more was what that maid did to Squall. That was too much! She just got splashed with mud... and what did she do? Break his car windows ! And my stupid brother even sided with that bitch! As if something that is new.
When she was still young, she already witnessed the rivalry between Seifer and Squall in just about everything. And that was also the reason why Seifer would not allow her to be 'too friendly' with Squall. Seifer was the reason why she still hid her feelings for Squall up to now.
But she still hoped that the two men would fight over her. When that happened, Xu would have a chance with Squall.
As of now, she mind went back to that bitch Rinoa. Xu had to admit that Rinoa was beautiful. Maybe those flowers were from some boy in school.
She was wondering why Rinoa looked very happy. Xu knew that look. Rinoa always looked very happy and radiant whenever Seifer was around.
She decided to observe Rinoa.
The next day, a bouquet of pink tulips arrived for Rinoa. Fortunately, for Xu, Rinoa was not at home. Xu decided to receive the flowers.
She almost dropped the bouquet when she read the card. She was so shocked that she read the card again.
Rinoa,
These flowers are beautiful...
But not as beautiful as you.
Squall
Xu blinked. She stared at the card that she was holding. That's impossible!
She waited for Rinoa to come back from school. Holding the bouquet, she went to the servants' quarters. Rinoa was just opening the door.
"These flowers arrived for you," Xu said as she handed Rinoa the bouquet.
"Thank you!" Rinoa said as she grinned from ear to ear.
Xu restrained herself. She did not want the maid to notice that she was upset. It would be difficult to get information from Rinoa if she would confront her about the flowers.
"Those are from Squall," Xu added, hoping Rinoa would tell her more.
"Ah, yes! I think he had given me around four bouquets already. He said sorry and he wanted to kiss and make up – just make up, you know? – with the first one. But when he sent me those other flowers, I really don't know why. Maybe it's possible that he's trying to win me over with these flowers?" she asked Xu as she cocked her head prettily. She sniffed the flowers.
Xu's eyebrows arched. She almost told Rinoa that Squall had not lost his mind yet to send her flowers.
"But if he would court me, there's nothing wrong with that, right? He's still single," Rinoa continued as she hugged the bouquet to her chest.
"It's possible that those flowers mean friendship," Xu said.
"No, I really really have a strong feeling that he likes me," Rinoa said.
Xu decided to leave the delusional maid. She could not listen to another word of Rinoa's fantasizing.
But what Rinoa said kept echoing in her mind.
Yes, it's possible that Squall was courting Rinoa but not because he liked Rinoa. Squall was courting Rinoa because he found out that Seifer is falling for the maid.
Seifer was doing sit-ups when she barged in his room.
"Seifer, tell me the truth! Are you and Rinoa having a relationship?"
"What are you talking about?" Seifer said scowling as he sat up straight.
"You're too kind to her!" Xu said.
"So? I'm just helping the girl to adjust to her new environment. And she sort of helps me with my problems."
"Do you know that Squall is courting her?"
Seifer laughed out loud as he stood up. "You must be kidding."
"I am not!" Xu screamed at him. "Squall sends flowers to that girl in this house!"
All the doubt on Seifer's face disappeared little by little as he listened to Xu.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~
"Marriage?" Squall blurted.
"That is the only way I could think of so that Yumi won't sue you," Zell explained. "I would suggest also that you get the best lawyer if you won't agree to her terms."
"That is exactly what I will do! That girl thinks she could easily manipulate me." Squall plopped down on his swivel chair and ran his fingers through his wavy chestnut hair. "Women! They only bring problems to this world!"
Zell shook his head. "Your luck just ran out when you met Yumi."
"I should never have succumbed to her charms!" Squall angrily said.
"You think Yumi might win this case?" Zell asked him.
"You know me, Zell. No one has ever defeated me."
"Uhm... may I remind you of someone named Seifer?"
"Zell, are you really my friend or not? You're making me angrier! And may I also point out that he does not win at all times. I also beat him!"
Zell shook his head as he leaned back on the couch in his friend's office. "When will you ever stop this stupid contest of yours?"
"This would only stop if one of us will give up, which I remind you will never be me," Squall said smugly.
"Okay, okay. Change topic. Let's go back to that problem with Yumi. I think I have a solution for that."
"What?"
"Remember the saying 'fight fire with fire'?"
"So?"
"Why don't you use a girl to give that problem a solution?"
Before Zell could even explain what he was saying, the door opened and Seifer came in.
"Did I come at a bad time?" Seifer asked as he noticed Squall's problematic face.
"Do you have an important reason as to why you're here?" Squall demanded.
"Of course! This concerns the accounting firm that we hired. We need to change them."
Zell stood up.
"We'll talk next time, Squall. See you around, Seifer," Zell said as he nodded towards Seifer.
When Zell left the room, the two men started to discuss, or rather, debate on the pros and cons of the accounting firm. They argued if they should retain the firm or not.
At the end, Squall had to give up. Seifer's reasons for his decision were better. Squall knew that the company would suffer if they pursued with Squall's ideas.
Squall knew he lost this battle. He became angrier not because of his loss but because the problem with Yumi kept occupying his mind.
"By the way, not that I'm interfering with your personal life. It's just that I found out that you're courting Rinoa," Seifer said.
"Rinoa?" That was the first time Squall had heard that name in his life.
"C'mon, Squall, don't pretend as if you don't know her. I know you're sending her flowers! I'm just wondering... why the sudden turn around? I know how furious you were with her when she broke your car windows."
Squall stood there with his mouth hanging open. He remembered the maid at Seifer's house. Why the hell would I court that bitch?
"I just want to remind you that that girl is different. She's one of a kind. Her father taught her how to fight and defend herself. When the time comes and she finds out that you're only playing her..." Seifer shook his head. "Who knows what she could do?"
Squall stared at the man in front of him. It was clear that Seifer was telling him to stop this madness, to stop courting Rinoa, which he was clearly not doing so to begin with. Is it possible that Seifer's interested in that bitch?
But the biggest question was who sent the flowers? Squall was definitely sure that those flowers weren't from him.
~*~ ~*~ ~*~
Rinoa was very happy when she went to school. Her plans were working! Because Seifer thought Squall was courting her, Seifer was now kinder to her. Proof was he started driving her to school again!
Xu did not know that she helped a lot in Rinoa's plan. It was so simple. Rinoa just needed to pretend Squall was courting her even if that was not true. She didn't worry about the money that she spent on the flowers. She had saved up by having a soda and crackers for her lunch at school. She would do anything just to get Seifer to notice her.
The afternoon went by swiftly. When she got out of the school, she was so surprised and happy. Seifer was standing near the school gate. He waited! This was the first time Seifer would take her home from school.
"Hi!" Seifer said casually. "I just happened to pass by and I said to myself, why don't we go home together?"
She smiled at Seifer and he opened the passenger door.
"Rinoa!"
Both of them spun around to the person who called her. Rinoa did not know what to do nor say when she recognized the figure behind them.
S-squall?
"Did you forget about our date?" Squall said as he forced a smile at her, his blue eyes boring deep into her chocolate ones.
She felt Seifer's gaze upon her.
"Uhh... date?" she said dumbly.
"Of course! But I forgive you for being forgetful. We can still go, right?" Squall said as he stepped beside her.
Rinoa almost ran away when Squall casually put an arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him.
"Sorry, Seifer. First come, first served," Squall said, smirking at him.
Rinoa looked at Seifer. His jaw was clenched. Is he jealous?
She looked at Squall.
"Let's go," the man beside her said as he pulled her.
Rinoa pondered. If she refused, Seifer might notice that she didn't like Squall but that was the message that she wanted Seifer to see. But if she went with Squall, she didn't know where Squall would take her and she would never know why he was there.
"I'm really sorry, Seifer," she apologized. Rinoa decided she could easily escape Squall. And if Seifer would get jealous, more power to her.
She secretly triumphed as she saw Seifer's face turn dark. She forced herself not to smirk as she heard Seifer slam the car door loudly.
Rinoa got in Squall's car. Squall revved the engine and drove the car. When they were a few blocks away from her school, Rinoa faced Squall.
"I think you better stop the car. I'm going to get off," she said with a straight face.
Squall stepped on the gas pedal and the Evolution VIII moved faster. Rinoa shut her eyes tight as she began to feel nervous.
"I think the two of us have a lot to talk about," Squall said as he stared straight at the road.
"If you're thinking that I went with you because I like you, you're wrong!" Rinoa snapped at him.
"Really? Then why did you make everyone believe that I'm courting you? I called up the security guard and asked him if he knew what the flowers were and from what shop they were bought from. He told me that they were peach roses, pink tulips, white and red roses, and the lilies – they were all from Flower Haven," he said. "And may I add that this store had only one branch in Esthar which was conveniently right across your school."
Rinoa felt as if the world was closing in on her.
Squall made a sharp turn and continued to drive at a high speed. "I went there earlier this afternoon and asked about the person who ordered these flowers. And what do you know? She looks just like you! Black hair with brown highlights, creamy complexion, heart-shaped face!"
Rinoa kept silent. She knew she owed Squall big time. She had used him.
"I think I could guess why you did that," Squall continued. "You wanted to get Seifer to notice you or you wanted him to get jealous. Am I right?"
Rinoa pouted.
Squall chuckled.
"Are you only going to do that? Where was the tigress that I saw before?"
"If you won't stop this car, you're going to see that tigress again," Rinoa warned him.
Squall slowed down to a stop in front of a restaurant.
"We still have a date. Remember?" he said sarcastically.
"Okay, okay! I admit it! I used your name. But nothing bad happened," Rinoa said.
"Nothing bad happened? Young lady, do you know that as soon as one of my relatives discover that I am 'courting' you, they will disown me! They will say that my behavior was inappropriate! Unbefitting of Loires! You owe me, Rinoa, and you have to pay for that," Squall said sternly.
"All you have to do is," Squall continued. "Get Yumi out of my life. She would also ruin my reputation. If you could do that, I can tell you that we're even. I could even help you with your infatuation with Seifer."
Rinoa wanted to correct Squall that she did not feel infatuated with Seifer but she chose to keep silent.
"If you refuse my offer, I can do many things to make him dislike you," he said smugly.
She looked at him with anger in her eyes. This is blackmail! But did she have a choice? And she would not pass up the chance to make Seifer fall in love with her.
"What will I do so that this Yumi will stop pestering you?" she asked.
Squall grinned triumphantly. "Use your imagination. Besides, you're both girls, you know what could scare her or stop her. If you need to tell her that you're my wife, that's fine with me. Just make sure that she is the only one who will hear that. I don't want rumors and scandals."
Especially me! I would never ever tell the whole world that this bastard is my husband! I'd rather die!
~*~ ~*~ ~*~
Fight fire with fire. That was what he did. And Squall believed Rinoa was successful. Yumi had stopped calling him and visiting him in his office for four straight days. Whatever Rinoa did was really effective.
He breathed in the cold air that the morning brought as he opened the front door of his house. Squall was sure that this day would be a very good day for him.
"Sir Squall!" one of his housemaids called him inside. "There's a phone call for you."
"Who?"
"Zell. And he said that it was really urgent and he needs to talk to you."
He accepted the cordless phone that the maid was holding.
"Zell?"
"Squall!"
Squall noticed Zell had a worried tone.
"Yes, what? What's the problem?"
"I just heard that something happened to Yumi on the radio. I think you should call a lawyer."
"Why should I call a lawyer?"
"Yumi was found dead. Murdered!"
A/N: Hi to everyone! I really hope you liked Chapter Three. Please please please don't get mad at me for the very very late update. *begs and throws herself on her knees*. Again, to my very dear friend remote mine, thank you for beta-reading! I'm really sorry if my grammar was horrible. *sigh* I rarely speak in English here in the Philippines... please please plase forgive me. *hug*
Woah! Reviews??? Thank you so so much! *hugs everybody*
*^cadette^*: I'm glad you liked this fic and it 'rocked your jox'. What does 'jox' mean? Anyway, thanks!
Teapottie: Thank you so much for reading and enjoying this fic! I really appreciate your review. Thanks!
.: Hehe! I didn't notice that Squall and Rinoa kick ass in this fic. Anyway, thanks!
Cassandra: I'm sorry for the delay of the update. *looks at you with puppy dog eyes* I hope you liked this chapter! Thanks!
Tobu Ishi: I've watched Sabrina but I really didn't base the plot on that movie. Anyway, I didn't notice that the movie and this fic had a similar storyline. Thanks for pointing that out, though! I'll do my best to improve on the description part on the next chapter! Thanks so much!
remote mine: You're not bad luck! This fic is not cursed! Hehe! I hope you didn't have another headache beta reading this chappy. Anyway, thank you (again!) for beta reading. I didn't know that you're from California. =D Again, thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks!
Please R&R! Comments, suggestions and criticisms are greatly encouraged. Thanks!
~bembem~