Selphie Kinneas
"Journey To The Past"
Chapter Six- Squall's Unexpected Choice
Squall took a step back and observed Rin's surprised appearance. He rubbed his neck and blushed slightly. "Sorry," He started unsure of what he was trying to say.
"No,I started that... but it's okay. We're friends and friends can do that right?" Rin smiled cheerfully. Squall nodded.
"Right. Well goodnight then." Squall turned on his heels and made his way to the door. "Oh Rin." He curved his head back to the brunette, "I haven't spent much time with Ellone lately, and so we were going around the city tomorrow, she REALLY wanted you to come. Do you want to come?" Squall invited showing some effort that wasn't there before.
"It sounds great, I'd love to come… course if you two want me too."
"Yeah sure, it'll be great." He waved his hand in a friendly gesture and gaveasmile. His smile was oddly changed.
Rin shrugged as she concealed herself under the blankets. Maybe things have changed, I mean I don't think Squall used to smile at all... but that seemed really, sincere. I should stop concentrating so much!
oooo
Morning didn't wait as the sun rose and the two Loires left with Rin. The day wasn't exactly how you expected to spend your time, but it turned out well. They went to the theater had lunch at the park went to Zell's apartment and hung out there, then nightfall came.
"I made reservations at the 'Eden Gardens'" Squallsaid to Ellone in a calm manner. Rin gave a puzzled look as she stared at Ellone. Her face lit up with joy then disappointment, she didn't show Squall her second appearance. She bit her lip innocently and grasped her ankle.
"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUCH! MY ANKLE! IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTSSSSSSSSSSS!" She cried. Squall stepped on the breaks and checked her ankle.
"Is it bad, do you want to go to the hospital?" He interrogated with worry.
"No, I just want to go home." Ellone moaned softly. Squall scratched his head and fell back to his seat.
"Are you sure?" He asked for the final time. Ellone nodded as Squall started the car again.
They drove hastily back to the palace as a guard aided Ellone out of the car. Politely Squall opened the door for Rin to exit. As she reached for her crutches Ellone screamed.
"OH NO! Please, Squall don't waste your reservations because of me. You two enjoy. Please for my sake?" She insisted sweetly.
"…You sure Ellone?" Squall and Rin said simultaneously.
"Yup! Bring me something home, okay?" The guard led Ellone inside as Squall placed himself back into the car.
"Well I guess it's you and me Rin." He sighed. Rin nodded as the engine hummed softly. Ten minutes later Squall drove into the parking lot of an enormous restaurant with large glass windows, crystal carvings and elegant fountains. Immediately Rin noticed that they eating somewhere pricey.
The two entered and spoke to a hostess and they were seated on at fancily set table. "Oh Squall, what a beautiful restaurant." Rin gasped as she looked around.
"When me and Ellone were kids, she told me she'll come here when she gets the money. She always imagined what it would be like in a nice restaurant. I don't like it very much. Too noble." Squall concluded with a chuckle.
"You're a really nice older brother Squall. You're so kind to Ellone." Rin commented reluctantly. Squall gazed at Rin and shrugged.
"Ellone doesn't have anyone who she trusts too well. She really has taken a liking to you. But other then that, she just studies. My parents are too busy and she's isn't really social. So I'm all she has."
"But in general, I've seen siblings all the time… but you are just so adorably sugary to her. And you're nice to me too, you're well mannered."
"Oh sheesh Rin you're making me blush." Squall said sarcastically. They opened their menus. Squall observed it with interest but Rin looked blankly at the scribbles written on it. They only thing she could read were the prices. Her jaw dropped as she found the cheapest price was $300.00 gil. She nervously looked at Squall who had put down his menu. "Need some help I reckon?"
"Does it show?" Rin asked bashfully.
"The entire menu is written in Eugser. It's the native tongue in Esther. I think it sounds like chocobo's talking to each other. I'll order for you if you like."
"Thanks that'll help."
Squall ordered for them both and the food arrived. They started eating when Squall spoke abruptly. "So what're you going to do after your leg heals?" Rin silenced at once and stared blankly and Squall.
"… Go home I guess."
"What! You're going to leave?" Squall raised his voice.
"What'd you expect?" Rin asked bluntly.
"N-nothing. It's just-"
"I'm going to miss you too Squall."
Squall's eyes shot open as he stared at Rin. She was leaving and he couldn't do anything. How could he make her stay? "Maybe I should hit you again and break both legs," Squall uttered under his breathe. Rin didn't speak after that conversation. The odd silence continued throughout dinner.
They drove home with the same silence. Rin felt uncomfortable. Slowly Squall helped Rin to her room. As they reached the doorway, Rin stopped and turned to Squall. "Dinner was great Squall. Thanks." With that Rin turned her head and gave a Squall a small kiss on his cheek. She left hastily leaving Squall with a blank gaze.
He cupped his hand over where Rin had laid her lips and smiled thinly. Rin… why do you have to leave?
A month laterSquall held open the door for Rin. She held her balance and stepped inside.
"How does it feel to walk again?" Squall asked. Rin gracefully took another step.
"IT FEELS FREEEE!" She cried happily.
Abruptly she fell weak in the knees as she stumbled to the ground. Squall laughed shortly and aided her to her feet. "Careful now." He said wisely. Rin nodded as she turned forward. Ellone was there rushing towards them.
"Rin! You're walking!" She peeped excitedly.
"Yeah, just had cast taken off." Rin replied.
Immediately the two began chattering non-stop leaving Squall out of the conversation. He shrugged as he left the two.
"So what are you going to do now that you can walk?" Ellone interrogated with great enthusiasm.
"…I guess I should start packing to go home."
oooo
Squall laid himself back on a bench in the garden. A patrolling guard paced by him.
"Hello Arthmas." Squall mumbled at sight of the young adult.
"Something's eating you." Arthmas accused hastily.
"Does it show?" Squall sighed as he brought himself to his feet.
"Hurry and tell me, I only got ten minutes to patrol this place."
Squall groaned, slightly embarrassed he began his tale. "I'm in l…"
"Love?" Arthmas finished for him.
"Damn you!Yeah, in love. But, it's with someone who's leaving me soon."
"It's Miss Rin isn't it?" Asthmas commented smartly. Squall pulled his head high and gave him an awkward stare,
"How the hell are you doing that?"
"Well, I may have been in hall when you two had your midnight chats. NOT THE POINT! Listen, don't you understand when Rin leaves, she ISN'T coming back?" Arthmas urged.
"Well… yeah." Squall replied bluntly.
"There's only one thing you can do Squally boy,"
"…?"
"Marry her. Pop up the question. If she says yes, she'll stay. Stay engaged as long as you want, but make her stay with you. You two sound married anyways."
It was normal for Squall to give Arthmas a dirty look, instead he sat deep in thought. Marry Rin? What'll she say? Arthmas kept quiet as Squall struggled to fit the pieces together. After a moment the idea began to sound absurd. Squall shook his head as he left. Rin probably considered Squall a stranger. How could ask her to marry him? He only knew her for a few months.
Dinner that nightEveryone was quiet that night. No one spoke, no one wanted to. They all knew what was happening. Rin was leaving it, no one liked the thought of it, not even Rin.
"Don't leave Rin." Came the sudden ice-breaking voice of Squall . Rin dropped her fork and looked to him. "Please, you've been great, and it's been a lot of... I guess fun. Don't leave. Not so soon."
Rin's eyes looked around the table, "… I can't." I want to. Rin circled a seconded time then excused herself from the table.
How can you answer to something so sweet form such a nice family? From such a nice guy?
oooo
The next few days went by with a tone of sorrow. Everyone kept asking Rin the same question, "Why are you leaving?" Rin didn't know the answer to that but didn't have the heart to either. Raine and Ellone doted on Rin constantly making her feel guiltier by the moment. Squall just had to take the liberty of telling every person she was poor. Okay so it slipped out at the dinner table, point was he told!
Soon the week came to an end and all Rin's belongings, mostly gifts, were packed. Her ticket was scheduled to leave the next day but there was something missing from all of it. Rin didn't want to leave now. The rest of the family was beginning to acknowledge the fact she wasn't staying and accepted it. Ellone gave her hopes up and Selphie, Irvine, and Zell said their goodbyes. There was a single person who wouldn't accept reality.
Rin brushed her hair as she prepared to sleep. It was her last night here. She inhaled deeply as she glanced to her door. Squall would usually arrive and introduce their little chats. Tonight, Squall didn't come. Rin, slightly disappointed climbed into her bed and attempted slumber.
oooo
Squall sat in his room, a shrine to Griever the Lion and gunblades. His back leaned on his bed as he stared at the high ceiling. He pulled his right hand to his face and observed it. On his ring finger he a thick silver band with another carving of Griever the lion.Rin is leaving tomorrow. I'll probably never see her again. If I'm in love, I should take the risk. If she loves me back, she'll stay… I HAVE TO TELL HER HOW I FEEL. But how? No, I'm not losing her, not so easily. If I asked the question liked I planned to last time, it wouldn't have happened. She wouldn't have left… and- NEVERMMIND! I need Rin to stay, if she feels the same way I do, she'll say yes.
Squall slipped the ring off his finger as he headed to Rin's room. Inside, it was dark, Rin was already asleep. Of course this didn't stop Squall. He marched over to her bed and cupped his hand over Rin's mouth. Rin awoke with a startle. Squall's finger was held over his mouth beckoning her to stay quiet. She nodded as Squall released his hand.
Still slightly confused, Rin watched Squall pace slowly. Eventually he held Rin's arm and led her out of the room. He kept waed through the stairwells and slender corridors until he reached the palace gardens. He wet his lips and slowly began to talk.
"Rin, a few months ago, I felt like I made the clumsiest mistake in my whole life. Today, I feel like the happiest person Rin, no matter the results I get…" Squall laid his silver ring on Rin's palm.
"… Marry me Rin Heartilty."
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