"Sierra, I'm pleased that you have already been certified as a SeeD. I can dispatch you immediately on a mission. I have looked into your missions file. You have a very high success rate. Higher than most, matter of fact. 95% of your missions have achieved without flaw. That's why I intend to send you on this mission. You are to enter Esthar. There is a Galbadian base. They have some sort of weapon-like Guardian Force. They call it Griever II. It junctions itself to you. This GF is similallar to the original one that Ultemecia junctioned Griever that made her evil. So, be warned, it will most likely attempt to junction itself to you. If you get caught, Galbadia will wipe your memories and train you as a Galbadian Soldier. Be careful. Your objective is to destroy Griever II. I have no further information. Your partners will be Selphie Tilmitt, Squall Leonheart, and Seifer Almasy. Any questions?"
"No sir." I nodded stiffly.
"Good luck to you and your comrades."
"Thank you, sir."
"And by the way, before you leave tomorrow, there is an end of term party. I request everyone's attendance."
"Yessir."
~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~
~*~
I took a look in the mirror. I didn't look like myself. My long, straight brown
hair was hanging down my back. I had always worn it in a ponytail or a braid. I
always, also, wore jeans, a t-shirt, and sneakers. I felt so awkward. I wore a
very short, strapless dark red dress that ended about four inches above my
knees. I had on red high heels and silver hoop earrings. It was the first time
in a long time I'd worn makeup. I wanted to go, but part of me was scared. For
some reason I was afraid of getting hurt. I wasn't quite so
plain as I normally was. I was afraid that if a guy from Balamb danced with me,
and then later asked me out, and I fell in love with him, he would love me for
my appearance, and if I dropped my appearance, he would dump me. If that
happened, I probably wouldn't be able to force myself to dance with or date a
guy again.
"Sierra! You ready?" asked a voice outside my door.
"Just a minute." I put on a silver locket and opened the door. Sefie stood there with Raijin.
"You look great!" she exclaimed.
"Thanks. You too."
The three of us took off walking down the hall. Sefie looked over at me.
"Poor Xu has to drag Squall to the dance."
"He's… different." I was thinking about the training center.
"Understatement, ya know? He's cold, man!" Raijin said.
"He probably has a reason." Sefie commented thoughtfully, and added, "Sierra, why don't you have a date?"
"Because. I just don't."
"Well, lotsa people will probably ask you to dance, so it doesn't matter."
"Sefie, do you always look at the glass half full?" I asked, a little annoyed.
"I guess."
Nothing was said the rest of the way to the dance, and when we got there we kinda drifted apart in the crowd. For the first few minutes, while everyone was talking and there was no music going yet, I sat alone on one of the bleachers. I sat there and thought about the last time I went to one of these dances. I shook the thought out of my head. I had to think not all guys were the same. I hoped so, at least. I watched the regular lights dim, and the gymnasium lit up with softly pulsing string-lights. They flashed in rhythm in time to the beat. That must've taken a little while to set up. It was quite pretty. It couldn't seem as beautiful as it truly was, because I hated being alone. Maybe that's dumb of me, but I'm miserable alone. Streamers danced in the breeze through the open window. Little paper hearts hung from the ceiling. The hardwood floor was spotless, reflecting the lights strung out all over the walls and the couples now gathering there.
"Hey Sierra." Said Seifer cheerfully.
"Yo."
"Hey,
why aren't you with your date? Are you feeling okay?"
(SEIFER'S POV!!!)
Woah.
I can't believe her date isn't afraid of losing her to another guy. She's
beautiful!
"I don't have a date." She said quietly.
What the hell?!
"Oh."
She looked away from me, and I cursed myself for being so stupid as to assuming she had a date.
"It doesn't matter though." Her voice was low, as if veiling emotion.
"I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"... Assuming you had a date." "
.Whatever."
"Hey."
here goes.
"Um. would you like to dance?"
I
saw the hesitation in her eyes. Like afraid to dance with me, past memories
surfacing.
(SIERRA'S POV)
No. I won't do that. I don't know you well enough. Last time I let myself loose
and truly fell in love, I got hurt. I'll only get hurt. I can NOT, under ANY
circumstances say.
"Yeah."
I smiled. Tonight, I felt like taking a chance. I let Seifer pull me by the arm down onto the hardwood floor. Was this the big mistake? Had I gotten myself in for another heartache? Or had I determined a little of my destiny? I placed my arms around his neck. I listened to the song that seemed to envelope us. It was 'Here Without You', by 3Doors Down. About halfway through the song unconsciously I laid my head on his shoulder. Maybe I had made the right choice. Maybe. Hopefully. There were 12 other slow songs played at the dance, and Seifer asked me to dance every one of them. Possibly. taking this chance was a good thing.
