Quistis Trepe sat reading in her favorite spot beside the beautiful white
roses, outside of Balamb Garden. She felt the cool breeze blow through her
long blonde hair, and felt the warm sunshine on her arms. She had been
coming to this spot lately to escape the hustle and bustle of garden life.

Since she had decided to become an instructor again, she had been teaching up to four classes a day, and barely had time for herself anymore. She cherished the
moments when she could escape from the academy, and sit amongst the
beautiful white roses in the garden.

Today, though, she was having a hard time concentrating on her book. Lately a certain garden student had occupied her thoughts.

Seifer Almasy.

Almost a year ago, he had shown up at the front door of Balamb Garden, asking for forgiveness. Squall, although reluctant at first, had forgiven him and let him come back to the garden to try and be a SeeD again.

 So far Seifer had shown great improvement, and it seemed as if he had given up his rebellious ways. He had even enrolled in one of Quistis' classes. This was the reason why he was occupying her thoughts. Since he had returned to the garden, he had taken an interest in the beautiful instructor, and was sure to let her know every day.
 
  "Those eyes…always on me." Quistis thought with a small shiver.
Everyday Seifer took his seat in class, and never took his dark green eyes
away from her.

Lately Quistis had been finding "anonymous notes" from someone who signed their name "fire cross".  She, of course, knew who this was, and wasn't so sure that "fire cross" didn't want her to know who he was.

Quistis couldn't bring herself to accept the fact that she might actually like him a little bit.

She sighed quietly to herself, and attempted to again concentrate on her book.
It was, of course, a love story.

Quistis had been reading many of these lately, due to the fact that her own love life was practically non-existent.

She had thought for a while that she was in love with Squall. That is,
until Rinoa came into the picture. This extinguished any hope of her ever having him for herself. There was no bitterness between herself and Rinoa though She actually loved the girl like a sister, and they got along very well.

After Quistis had gotten over Squall, she had gotten involved with a fellow
instructor, Gabriel Lewis. Gabriel had been everything Quistis had been
looking for. Handsome, romantic, kind.

The tall, blue-eyed man was the object of her affection for a year and a half, and she would've married him, were it not for one night.

"That night." Quistis thought, her sapphire eyes narrowing. Almost a year ago, she had decided to surprise her love with a candlelit dinner in his room. He had told her earlier that day that he was going to be cooped up in the room all night, grading papers. She thought it would be nice to give him a break from his work.

She had went out and bought a beautiful black dress, and all the food for the surprise. That night, her hair let down and black dress on, she walked with the picnic basket in hand to Gabriel's room. She put the key that Gabriel had given
her into the keyhole, and turned it with a small "click".

Quietly, she opened the door, and stepped into the darkened room. "Kind of dark to be
grading papers," she had thought, "Maybe he stepped out for a few minutes."
She couldn't see three feet in front of her face, so she turned on a light, and saw that Gabriel's bedroom door was closed.

"I will set the picnic up in there." she thought.

Quistis walked up quietly, and opened the bedroom door. What she saw next, though, made her gasp in surprise and pain.

There was her love, Gabriel, in the bed with, of all people, one of his students!

"Oh my!" Was all Quistis could say. She dropped the picnic basket and heard as the bottle of wine inside crashed and broke on the floor. Gabriel sat up straight in the bed, and abruptly shoved the young black-haired girl aside. As Quistis turned and ran from the room, she could hear Gabriel's voice calling after her. "Quis! Come back! I'm
sorry!"

"Sorry," Quistis thought with a smirk. "Sorry as the day is long."

She still had a picture of his face, the next day, when he approached her crying form
in the same spot she sat at now. She remembered how he had nervously ran a
hand through his curly brown hair, and tried to comfort her.

"Quis. Please listen. I do love you, but...."

"I don't want to hear it Gabe!" she had yelled back. "You are the lowest of the low. I hope you get hurt one day. Just like I have been. I never want to see your face again!"

She had stormed off after that, and avoided her ex-love from then on. A few
months after that night, Gabriel moved to the newly built Trabia Garden, and the
last Quistis had heard, he had married another instructor there.

She had loved, been loved, felt the pain of heartbreak, and felt the sting of loneliness.

"Will my luck ever change?" She thought, as she turned her attention to her book.

*****Meanwhile*****

"And Sir Laguna! Here is our cafeteria!  They serve the best food here!"  Selphie said excitedly, as she pulled Laguna's hand toward the tables full of garden students. "You must have lunch here one day!"

"Try the hot dogs." Zell said with a smile. "They are the best."

After being shown every nook and cranny of Balamb Garden, Laguna, Selphie, Zell, Irvine, and Rinoa had ended up at their last stop—The cafeteria.

"Now that you have seen all of Balamb Garden, Sir Laguna, you must come with me to meet some of my friends on the Stardust Masquerade Committee! They will be so excited to meet the President of Esthar!"  Selphie said, attempting to drag Laguna toward the cafeteria door.

"Selph, maybe Laguna is tired, we have been everywhere there is to be in the Garden."  Irvine said, trying to calm the small girl's eager actions.

"Actually, Irvine, I am a little tired."  Laguna said, grateful to the tall cowboy for saving him from another round of handshakes and greetings.  " I think I just want to go up to my room for a while, and relax."

"Awwww!  All right Sir Laguna. But you will have to meet them later! We still have so much to talk about!"

"Definitely Selphie."  Laguna said with a smile.

"Mr. Laguna, do you need help finding your room?" Rinoa asked timidly.

"No Rinoa, Thanks.  Why don't you all go and have some fun, instead of hanging around an old geezer like myself." 

"See you later Mr. Loire." Irvine said laughing at his comment.

He, Selphie, Rinoa, and Zell all left Laguna to fend for himself.

This was something that Laguna didn't mind one bit.

************************************************************************ 

Poor Quis!  Will she ever find her one love???  Hmm…..keep reading to find out!  Ch. 4 will be up soon!