Romeo and Juliet (FF8 Style!)

Hey to all of you! Received some reviews. Thanks SO much!

SuicideQueen mentioned about my grammar and spelling. Ok, this I need help from you guys! Because I can't find anything wrong with it! Zell is meant to speak with that whatever slang! If you notice any spelling in the future chapters please tell me exactly where! Thank you!

Sweet Demon Slayer mentioned about the music added. Thanks so much! Hope you guys understand the fact that the music for this chapter is not English!

Anyway, this is Chapter 3! Enjoy and please give comments!

Chapter 3 – Dinner? And what's with Zell?

At Balamb Garden, many people looked on as the duo consisting of a tall guy dressed like a cowboy, and a blonde spiky-head guy slightly shorter, walking together. It was quite an unusual sight, it's hard to explain. They look so funny together. The on-lookers mused.

The cowboy finally asked the blonde guy with a tattoo on his face, "Hey, Zell, what's all that Firzen guy about again?"

"I told ya! He's Rinoa's childhood friend! And he looks really creepy!" Zell replied, making big hand gestures.

"In what way? And besides, isn't Squall like, Rinoa's boyfriend or something?"

"He looks creepy! He…" And Zell looked dumb-founded with the loss of words to describe the visitor that they have met earlier. "Argh… I don't know. And for your second question, Squall hasn't made any move, or so Rin told me. I've been wanting to ask Squall for some time, but things got in the way somehow yeah?"

"Err… Since when are YOU so close to Rinoa anyway?"

"Haha, it's a long story!" Zell laughed. True, it wasn't obvious, but he was good friends with Rinoa for a long time. Somehow, they liked talking to each other.

When she first met Squall, he realized that they weren't on good terms. He rather sympathized her, because she seemed to be one always left out of everything because she wasn't that great in combat. So he made the first move to be nice. And they became great talking friends after that, even after Ultimecia's defeat. Rinoa is such a nice person, always smiling, always there when he just wanted to blab about things and all. He smiled and turned to Irvine, "Let's see what you've got for tonight, cowboy!"

"Won't this do?" He grinned as he paraded his scruffy cowboy self.

"N-O-P-E. C'mon! This is a dinner with Selphie! Be good to yourself for once and impress her!" Zell pushed Irvine into his room.

Irvine sat on the bed and laughed. "Gee, you sure sound gay." Then he was for a moment filled with shock, as he began to suspect. "Wait… you're not, right?"

Zell raised an eyebrow. "Oh, the things you don't know…"

Irvine widens his eyes. "YOU ARE?!?"

"I'm just kidding! I… never mind… "Zell broke off. "Stop asking me questions! It's about you now!"

Irvine raised his hands in surrender. "Ok, ok! Whatever you say!" He groaned. "So, back to our main objective, what should I wear tonight?"

At 1915 hours, Selphie half-ran back from her dormitory. Quad meeting ended half an hour before, but she rushed back for a quick shower because she looked a mess. Now, she is late. She crossed her fingers and hoped that Irvine wouldn't be offended. He can really be a meanie sometimes.

She found Irvine tapping his foot impatiently as he waited for her outside the Quad. He was dressed in a grey trench coat instead of his usual dusty one. Whoa, she thought. He looked really good for once.

"Hey!" She beamed. She made a head-to-toe inspection. "Looking good!"

"You too," Irvine couldn't believe his eyes. Selphie looked MORE than good. She looked… amazing. Her peach tube dress made her hair look softer, her eyes sparkled softly. Wait… is that just the effect of the lightings in the Garden?

She looked at him with curiosity. "What are you looking at?"

"Nothing! Let's go!"

She agreed and they left the Garden. He asked, "So how's the meeting?

"Good! I got them all excited about the things and the auditions!" And with that, she started talking about the plans and all. "… I am planning to have the auditions next week. But I need to get to Squall about that. What do you think?" She looked at Irvine.

"I think that you are the most gorgeous girl in Balamb tonight." He grinned as they entered Balamb.

"Irvine!" She laughed, playfully punching his arm.

"Hey! Watch it with the trenchie! It's new!" He laughed.

The restaurant in the basement of Balamb Hotel was in a rather festive mood tonight, in the upcoming celebration of Christmas. The lights were dimmed as usual, and classical music played through the speakers. Selphie scanned the room for familiar faces.

"Rinoa!"

The raven-haired girl looked up. "Hey!" She almost yelled, and the people around her sent her disturbed looks. But she didn't care. "Sit with us! I want you to meet someone!"

Why can't she leave us alone? Irvine wanted to say, but Selphie was already dragging him to Rinoa and Squall's table. Wait… that isn't Squall! He's…

"… Firzen, my childhood friend. Firzen, some of my allies I told you about." Rinoa said. She looked fabulous in the chiffon blue dress that brushes against her knee as she walks.

Everyone exchanged their greetings. Selphie smiled. "You looked really great, Rin." She grinned and said her thanks. Then she looked at Firzen. Good-looking. She thought to herself.

And she wasn't kidding. Silvery white hair (did he dye it?), tall. That's just about the general description about him. He looked very "book-ish", no, he just looked… gentle, intelligent and so much more, but his grayish eyes seemed to have a mind of its own. For a moment he looked absolutely gorgeous, and a little scary, actually.

Wait, isn't Rinoa going out with Squall or something?

"Why don't we sit down?" Irvine smiled. Everyone agreed and sat down at the round table.

"Selphie? As in, the one who organizes that play "Romeo and Juliet" for the upcoming celebration?" Firzen excitedly asked.

"Yeah! Gee, I'm getting famous around here!" She grinned. "You mean you are interested in participating in the play?"

"Of course! Absolutely! I love theatre acting!"

Selphie grinned. She can't believe that there's someone that is interested in her play! "That's great! Wait… you are Rin's childhood friend. Are you like coming back to Balamb for something?"

"In a way, yes. Just want to settle down here and see my friend for quite some time." He smiled at Rinoa, "But I definitely want to try and do a part in this play!

"Sure! I… mean… I… I…" Selphie was at loss for words.

"What Selphie is trying to say here," Irvine tried to finish her sentence. "Is that she is more than happy to have people to act out in the play. I'm so sorry, but this pretty girl here hardly gets people enthusiastically signing up for her activities."

"Yeah! It's just SO irritating!" She pouted. "And how many times must I tell you, stop flattering me!"

Irvine threw back his head and laughed. Taking a gulp of the wine (illegally!), he said, "Do I have the honour of having a dance with you?"

Selphie grinned. "Sure, escort!" With that, he led her to the dance floor.

Rinoa turned to Firzen. "So? Having fun?"

"I don't know. Are they, like, going out? I feel like we are interrupting them somehow."

"Hmm… Irvine is like in love with Selphie since forever! It's just that Selphie is too naïve to realize it. So since she have no idea about Irvine's feelings, I say it's safe to 'interrupt' them!" She grinned.

"I see. Hey, you know… I seem to be picking up some vibe here. Correct me if I'm wrong, but, it seems that you and that Squall guy kind of have something going on."

Rinoa laughed, "No! Silly! We are just friends…" She looked away. How can he even believe that they are together? No, actually, she should be the one asking herself.

Truth be told, she haven't stopped thinking about that kiss at the celebration after Ultimecia's defeat. Every time she sees him, she can't help but wonder, what does Squall mean with that kiss? Is he interested in me or what? Argh… he's a great kisser. They must've taught them that in Balamb too. She mused.

"Hmm?"

"What?" She asked.

"You just sorta', spaced out there."

"I'm ok," She ran her fingers through her hair. "Just a little sleepy."

"Want to hit the dance floor before the food arrives, and shoo away the 'z' monster?"

"Sure! Why not?" Rinoa grinned as she uncrossed her legs and went out with Firzen to the dance floor.

"Hey, Irvine… What do you think of Firzen?" Selphie asked Irvine as they made their way into the middle of the hall.

"Not much comments on that guy. Though Zell thinks he is a potentially dangerous person."

"Are you serious?" Her brown eyes widens with surprise. "What about you? Do you think so too? I thought that he is rather cute."

What? Irvine couldn't help but gape in shock. It was his turn to say, "You serious? He is cute?"

"Haha, why not? But he kind of likes Rinoa. I can see that."

What the… He thought."What makes you think so? Zell also thinks that Firzen likes her too."

"Well…" She trailed off as she thought of words to explain. "The way he looks at her when he thought we weren't looking, and so on."

She looked around her. Instead of the usual classical music, they played some song with funny language that Selphie couldn't understand.

"What's that weird music?"

"It's a song not in our language. It's in Chinese, and the song is called "One night in Beijing", as you can hear from the guy sing."

Selphie tried to make out what the singer is singing. The words sounded funny, and the only sentence she recognized is "One night in Beijing", but she loved the weird rhythm and the melody. It makes her want to dance. She tried to sway with Irvine, putting her hands on his shoulders, and then on his waist when she realized that she was too short to put up her hands for a long time. Heey… She thought. He is a good dancer for slow songs…

Irvine tried to enjoy himself in her presence, he was scared stiff. For a moment, their gaze locked each other's. This is it. He thought as realization dawned on him. I thought I've never fallen in love with Selphie, and it was all infatuations.

I was wrong.

It was 2100 hours; Rinoa and Firzen are walking home from the Hotel. They had a great time with Selphie and Irvine, talking about the reign of Ultimecia then, their weapons, the magic that are now forbidden and so on. Selphie and Irvine are at the restaurant, dancing. Rinoa looked at her frosty breath as it fills the cold November air.

"That was fun isn't it?"

"Mmm… Yeah…" She mumbled.

"You know, you don't sound okay…"

"Well, I guess… It's just that I… never mind…"

"Rin…"

"I am okay… Look!" She started dancing around and laughed, as she did that, she entered the grasslands, and did not realize that a Caterchillar was behind her, ready to attack.

"Rinoa! Behind you!" Firzen yelled, Rinoa turned around and the Caterchillar attacked, narrowly missing her. Her quick reflexes served her well. She regained her balance, and cast "Blizzaga" on it. Before Firzen could reach for his rapier, the Caterchillar curled up, and died, disappearing from the grasslands, it was peaceful once more, as if there wasn't any sign of an attack.

"Whoa!" Firzen exclaimed, putting his rapier away. "That was one GOOD attack! What level are you anyway?"

"40, 50 something?" She frowned. "I couldn't really remember. I junction magic, here and there." And she smiled a little smugly.

"That's good! I didn't know you've improved so much!"

"Hey! I fought alongside with Squall and the gang! I… could do it…" She retorted, and remembered those times when she felt as if she was the one that couldn't do anything to help. She felt so useless then. What happened that made her so strong in the end?"

Squall… the voice spoke lightly. He was the one that stayed with you, even when you were possessed by Ultimecia… He came to rescue you when you were trapped in space trying to release Adel… He was there…

She looked up. "Let's go, Firzen. I don't feel well." Firzen gave his consent; his steel grey eyes looking at her with concern.

Hey! That's it for Chapter 3! Another unplanned chapter! Geez… I'm running out of ideas… comments! I hope the facts are still correct! Tell me that too! I'm playing it again so I know what is happening. Just finished fighting Edea in Galbadia Garden! Today's featured song is a Chinese song called "One night in Beijing". So sorry if you guys cannot hear that song. Don't worry, it's really a weird song! Haha! Bye!