Me and Ash's first fic together! You've gotta read and review, come on, I mean honestly: HAVE YOU even THOUGHT of a Zell/Rinoa before? I always liked the idea.

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Squall...

"Rinoa?"

Let's kiss one more time...

"RINOA!"

Rinoa's eyes flashed open as something slammed down on her desk. She looked up and saw Quistis glaring at her, a large textbook in her hands. Did I fall asleep AGAIN? There was no time to think about that anyways, because just as she opened her mouth, Quistis opened hers. "You need to stop falling asleep in class, Ms. Heartilly. You will never get the grades your father expects if you continue that habit---I suggest you pack your things and head back to your dorm. The lesson, for you, Rinoa, is finished." Several students snickered. Rinoa said nothing, just left with her cheeks burning and chin held high, books in hand. This developed more snickers.

Walking down the hall, Rinoa started to cry. She was tired of being here, but she wanted to hold it together for her friends' sake---but mostly Squall's. Their relationship had taken an odd turn, because Rinoa suspected Squall was having a fling with none other then Quistis. In the last few weeks, this subject had started several arguments between the two. The last had been very recent, one that was still very clear to Rinoa.

Flashback

"What is wrong with you?!" Rinoa huffed at her boyfriend's question and glared at him. "No, what's wrong with you?! You haven't been acting like you used to!" She sat on her bed and crossed her arms, a sign that she was becoming annoyed. "You ignore me, barely kiss me, and don't think I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU HANGING AROUND THE CLASSROOMS AFTER SESSIONS!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. Honestly, did either of them give a damn if anyone heard?

"You just don't trust me enough!" Squall walked over to the window, maintaining his cool and collected attitude, including the same monotone.

"Who the hell said you were TRUSTWORTHY?!"

"Not everything I do has to be about you. I don't have to be there to spoil and pamper you 24/7! Besides, maybe it's you who's been cheating. Lately, all you've been doing is hanging around Zell! Who KNOWS WHAT YOU TWO DO!"

Rinoa's face turned red. "He's there to talk to," She stood up and yelled directly in Squall's face. "UNLIKE SOME PEOPLE!"

"Maybe a relationship doesn't require talking," Squall said, facing away from his mad girlfriend.

Rinoa let out a long breath. "There you go AGAIN!" She shouted, causing him to turn, "You always talk with authoritive air as if you are the leader of the world! You think you know everything, but you don't! You were never there for me; you just want to be around Qui..."

Rinoa was cut short by a slap. Squall, a slapper? Never would have thought.

"HOW DARE YOU!" He yelled, watching Rinoa sink to her knees. "You always ASSUME that the world is out to get you---the sooner you realize that you are just another person, the better!"

She said nothing, but held up a hand to where she was positive her face had gone red from the slap. She stood up. "Now..." She said, tears forming and anger rising, "I seem to be the only one to know your true form." Anger flashed across Squall's face and he proceeded to hit her again. She shook her head.

"Don't hit me!" She begged, "I may accuse you of flirting but I don't deserve physical abuse...and what would that do for you, your girlfriend walking around school with marks and bruises!"

Just as he was about to hit her again, Rinoa backed out of the room and down the gall. All the way she walked backwards, in case Squall came out after her. After four minutes of walking, she bumped into a wall and stayed there. Nobody came past for awhile, but the first was...

"Oh my god...Rinny?" Selphie.

She nodded. "Hi Selphie. Don't ask what happened."

Selphie walked straight over to Rinoa. "You're hurt!" Rinoa nodded again.

"Squall slapped me after we had a fight...nothing major."

Rinoa ignored Selphie's shocked expression and forced a smile on her face. "Rinny...this is major. You might have a bruise for on, let's go to the infirmary." But I don't want to go. I want to be alone. No matter what she felt, Rinoa had to go. The redness still hadn't faded away, and the cheek was becoming purple. As the two of them walked down the hall, Selphie kept asking questions.

"Were you two arguing again?" Rinoa nodded slowly. This seemed to her the millionth time they had argued, and frankly, she was tired of it all. "Maybe you should just break up with him and find a guy who'll treat you better." Selphie grabbed Rinoa's arm and squeezed affectionately. The sorceress smiled back at her friend. I should...before it gets any worse. They reached the infirmary, and the nurse looked at her in pure shock. "Oh my---" She shot out of her seat and examined Rinoa's face. "What on EARTH happened to you, dear?" Rinoa felt more tears coming out of her eyes.

End Flashback

"I hate this." Rinoa sunk into the sheets of her bed. "Squall, SeeD, Quistis...I hate THEM ALL!" She buried her face into the pillow and screamed. Just as she was about to throw a glass vase full of flowers from her father, someone knocked on the door.

"Go away." The person knocked again, louder. "WHAT DO YOU WANT?!" Rinoa walked over to the door and swung it open. Zell was standing in front of her, his fist right in her face. "Ah! Sorry, Rinoa. Was 'bout to knock again, that's all." He grinned and hugged her, in a friendly way, of course. This lightened Rinoa up---a little.