This is a re-released story as I made a small mistake in the last chapter
and apparently if I remove the last chapter I remove the whole thing. Grrr!
So sorry if you get a strange sense of dejavu.
"One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life; the word is love" Sophocles
We returned heroes. The whole world knew what we had done, our lives and us. We met world leaders, superstars and appeared on every TV show and in every newspaper.
We were famous.
Headmaster Cid held a ball in Balamb garden a week after our return. Nearly every SeeD that had ever passed thought the halls of Balamb, Trabia and Galbania gardens was there. The president, Laguna Loire, and his closest friends, Kiros and Ward were there.
There was one person missing though, Seifer. He had not been excused for his crimes, even though he had claimed to be under mind control by Ultimecia.
I visited him in a high-tech Ethar prison. He was a broken man, thin, scared, and barely able to speak. I sat there for an hour listening to his mumbling about the blood on his hands and how he heard the screams of his victims whenever he closed his eyes. I held my self together in his cell, but as I walked out into the hall I slid down the wall crying. He had never been my favourite person, but now. he was destroyed inside.
Fujin and Rajin weren't imprisoned. They spent their time fishing in Balamb, trying to forget everything that happened. A difficult task with the worlds press knocking at your door. They did attend the ball though; I think they wanted to plead Seifers case to Laguna.
Selphie and Irvine got together following a heated argument in the quad followed by an even hotter kiss, they always knew how to do it in style. And Zell spent most of his time following the library girl who we eventually discovered was called Lana. I think she was more interested in newly found fame than his hotdog rambling.
I myself just carried on everyday life as a reinstated teacher, I loved my job truly I did but there was always something missing.
Finally the happy couple, Squall and Rinoa. What can I say about them? I wanted to hate her I truly did, but I failed miserably. She was just too nice to dislike. It was obvious they were in love; you could tell by the way they held hands under the table at lunch, or gazed into each other's eyes when they thought no one else would notice.
Every time I saw them together another crack was added to my broken heart. But I couldn't avoid them and there couple Dom. I still loved Squall with all my heart and seeing him nearly killed me. It wasn't helped by him treating me like a Marlboro. If he saw me in the hall he would turn and walk the other way and he always addressed me as 'Instructor'. I think he knew how I felt and thought that I would burst into passionate tears if we were ever to become friends or even be more than civil to each other. But he didn't know, no one did except of course matron. I never gave them the slightest indication of my feelings, I hated slowing my weaknesses. People take advantages of you if they know your weaknesses.
Anyway back to the night of the ball. The hype was insane, it was all everyone talked about night and day. The preparations around Balamb were huge. Shipments of decorations, food, supplies arrived every hour for a whole day. And several of the garden staff had to go the infirmary to rest. Selphie, Lana and Rinoa dragged me out to Galbania to buy a dress. I hadn't thought about buying a new one and was just going to go in my SeeD uniform, apparently no one else was. So we ended up in the most expensive boutique we could find using and abusing General Caraway's credit card. Selphie ended up with a long yellow dress with a very high split up the leg and a pair of towering heels. She looked beautiful and Irvines breath was later taken away by it. Lanas dress was a shimmering silver, knee length and flowing. It was strapless and she wore her hair up to show off her long neck. Rinoas gown was pink and floor skimming; she was as always, striking. My dress..well It wasn't one I'd have chosen for myself, I didn't have a choice in the matter it was picked for me. It was silk, black and came down to the floor. I was so embarrassed to leave the changing room because there was a long split from my navel to my neck. It didn't show anything of course, just a long strip of skin.
On the night of the ball I put on my flashy dress and reluctantly left my quarters. Everyone was already in the grand hall when I arrived. The waltz was playing and all the radiant couples were dancing on the huge dance floor Cid had installed two days ago.
Squall and Rinoa were of course dancing, holding each other close, and looking perfect.
I wanted to leave, wondering why I'd even bothered to come, I hated these things and seeing them dancing made me want to cry. I left the dark but glittery room and headed to the starlit balcony. I couldn't help it tears rolled down my cheeks, I cried for everything. Seifer, the souls he had destroyed, the hard ship we were going through, for the lonlieness I felt, and mostly for my broken heart. I raised my head to stare at the sky unable to cry any more tears. I saw a shooting star and turned as I herd footsteps approaching behind me.
It was Squall of course. Who else could it be? He had been the only one to notice my disappearance. I gasped in shock.
" Quistis?" He said gently, forgetting the usual 'Instructor'.
"Um. I thought you'd be enjoying yourself in there?!" Was the meek answer I came up with.
"I, uh, we need to talk" He walked over to my side and stared at the sky with me.
"I.well. Why do you avoid me?" I could answer I was so shocked. I thought he had been avoiding me!
I just stared at him in shock.
"Why do we never talk any more? I mean, you look at me with hate and crawl back into your shell" I cracked and the tears started to flow again.
" Look Squall, I thought you were avoiding me. You spend all your time with Rinoa. You've chosen that door and walked through it! Don't you realise how hard it is for me to see you two together! I still. I still love you Squall!"
It was his turn to look shocked, but instead of answering me he grabbed my shoulder and pulled me into the kiss I had been longing for, for so long. It lasted a lifetime and could have gone on forever but we were disturbed by the sound of crying behind us. He pulled away and turned to see Rinoa Hunched up in a ball. She was screaming so upset by the sight she witnessed. Squall quickly started to walk towards her but she turned and ran. Before running after her he faced me and said,
"That was a mistake. I had already chosen the right door"
At that point I knew I couldn't stay in Balamb garden any longer, it wouldn't be right.
I left the next morning, without saying goodbye to anyone.
End
This took me sooooo long to write so if you've managed to get through it I would love reviews!!PLEASE!!!!! Tell me if I should write ne more! Flamer's welcome (grrr). Oh I got inspiration for this from Scary grandmother. That's an amazing story!
"One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life; the word is love" Sophocles
We returned heroes. The whole world knew what we had done, our lives and us. We met world leaders, superstars and appeared on every TV show and in every newspaper.
We were famous.
Headmaster Cid held a ball in Balamb garden a week after our return. Nearly every SeeD that had ever passed thought the halls of Balamb, Trabia and Galbania gardens was there. The president, Laguna Loire, and his closest friends, Kiros and Ward were there.
There was one person missing though, Seifer. He had not been excused for his crimes, even though he had claimed to be under mind control by Ultimecia.
I visited him in a high-tech Ethar prison. He was a broken man, thin, scared, and barely able to speak. I sat there for an hour listening to his mumbling about the blood on his hands and how he heard the screams of his victims whenever he closed his eyes. I held my self together in his cell, but as I walked out into the hall I slid down the wall crying. He had never been my favourite person, but now. he was destroyed inside.
Fujin and Rajin weren't imprisoned. They spent their time fishing in Balamb, trying to forget everything that happened. A difficult task with the worlds press knocking at your door. They did attend the ball though; I think they wanted to plead Seifers case to Laguna.
Selphie and Irvine got together following a heated argument in the quad followed by an even hotter kiss, they always knew how to do it in style. And Zell spent most of his time following the library girl who we eventually discovered was called Lana. I think she was more interested in newly found fame than his hotdog rambling.
I myself just carried on everyday life as a reinstated teacher, I loved my job truly I did but there was always something missing.
Finally the happy couple, Squall and Rinoa. What can I say about them? I wanted to hate her I truly did, but I failed miserably. She was just too nice to dislike. It was obvious they were in love; you could tell by the way they held hands under the table at lunch, or gazed into each other's eyes when they thought no one else would notice.
Every time I saw them together another crack was added to my broken heart. But I couldn't avoid them and there couple Dom. I still loved Squall with all my heart and seeing him nearly killed me. It wasn't helped by him treating me like a Marlboro. If he saw me in the hall he would turn and walk the other way and he always addressed me as 'Instructor'. I think he knew how I felt and thought that I would burst into passionate tears if we were ever to become friends or even be more than civil to each other. But he didn't know, no one did except of course matron. I never gave them the slightest indication of my feelings, I hated slowing my weaknesses. People take advantages of you if they know your weaknesses.
Anyway back to the night of the ball. The hype was insane, it was all everyone talked about night and day. The preparations around Balamb were huge. Shipments of decorations, food, supplies arrived every hour for a whole day. And several of the garden staff had to go the infirmary to rest. Selphie, Lana and Rinoa dragged me out to Galbania to buy a dress. I hadn't thought about buying a new one and was just going to go in my SeeD uniform, apparently no one else was. So we ended up in the most expensive boutique we could find using and abusing General Caraway's credit card. Selphie ended up with a long yellow dress with a very high split up the leg and a pair of towering heels. She looked beautiful and Irvines breath was later taken away by it. Lanas dress was a shimmering silver, knee length and flowing. It was strapless and she wore her hair up to show off her long neck. Rinoas gown was pink and floor skimming; she was as always, striking. My dress..well It wasn't one I'd have chosen for myself, I didn't have a choice in the matter it was picked for me. It was silk, black and came down to the floor. I was so embarrassed to leave the changing room because there was a long split from my navel to my neck. It didn't show anything of course, just a long strip of skin.
On the night of the ball I put on my flashy dress and reluctantly left my quarters. Everyone was already in the grand hall when I arrived. The waltz was playing and all the radiant couples were dancing on the huge dance floor Cid had installed two days ago.
Squall and Rinoa were of course dancing, holding each other close, and looking perfect.
I wanted to leave, wondering why I'd even bothered to come, I hated these things and seeing them dancing made me want to cry. I left the dark but glittery room and headed to the starlit balcony. I couldn't help it tears rolled down my cheeks, I cried for everything. Seifer, the souls he had destroyed, the hard ship we were going through, for the lonlieness I felt, and mostly for my broken heart. I raised my head to stare at the sky unable to cry any more tears. I saw a shooting star and turned as I herd footsteps approaching behind me.
It was Squall of course. Who else could it be? He had been the only one to notice my disappearance. I gasped in shock.
" Quistis?" He said gently, forgetting the usual 'Instructor'.
"Um. I thought you'd be enjoying yourself in there?!" Was the meek answer I came up with.
"I, uh, we need to talk" He walked over to my side and stared at the sky with me.
"I.well. Why do you avoid me?" I could answer I was so shocked. I thought he had been avoiding me!
I just stared at him in shock.
"Why do we never talk any more? I mean, you look at me with hate and crawl back into your shell" I cracked and the tears started to flow again.
" Look Squall, I thought you were avoiding me. You spend all your time with Rinoa. You've chosen that door and walked through it! Don't you realise how hard it is for me to see you two together! I still. I still love you Squall!"
It was his turn to look shocked, but instead of answering me he grabbed my shoulder and pulled me into the kiss I had been longing for, for so long. It lasted a lifetime and could have gone on forever but we were disturbed by the sound of crying behind us. He pulled away and turned to see Rinoa Hunched up in a ball. She was screaming so upset by the sight she witnessed. Squall quickly started to walk towards her but she turned and ran. Before running after her he faced me and said,
"That was a mistake. I had already chosen the right door"
At that point I knew I couldn't stay in Balamb garden any longer, it wouldn't be right.
I left the next morning, without saying goodbye to anyone.
End
This took me sooooo long to write so if you've managed to get through it I would love reviews!!PLEASE!!!!! Tell me if I should write ne more! Flamer's welcome (grrr). Oh I got inspiration for this from Scary grandmother. That's an amazing story!