AN: This is the story that the author Glycerin and I were co-authoring, but she disappeared. So I guess I'll do it on my own. If you don't like it, well then, you can go away.

Chapter 1: There wasn't always hatred

The sky was gray, and the rain was falling hard on the sidewalk. It was one of those gloomy days where you just wanted to stay inside. Well, most people that is. As a girl walked past the record store, she stopped to read the flyers covering the window. She read them aloud:

"BE Records and Rock TV present: Battle of the Bands. If you have a rock band and are between the ages of 15-20, show up at your local Record Store on the dates provided below. Log on to www.BErecords.music.bm/BOTB for complete list or rules and regulations. Blah blah blah"

The girl grabbed the flyer and ran, her boots splashing in the puddles the faster she went. She turned the corner and headed straight for a slightly open garage door.

"Hey Selphie, Quistis." The brunette said casually.

"Rinoa, you're soaked! Where have you been this afternoon anyways?" A short girl with green eyes asked.

"Yeah…you could have caught pneumonia?" Quistis stated.

"Jeez, you guys sound like my mom…" She stopped suddenly after the last part "For your information, I have got the answer to our prayers. How to get the exposure our band needs! Take a look at this." She said as she handed them the flyer.

Quistis took it and gave her a weird look. "Rinoa, dear. This is just a wet wadded piece of paper. It's completely illegible."

Abruptly, the rain let up. Rinoa looked around. "Well, come to the record store with me and I'll show you what I meant."

"Ok, fine" Selphie told her. "Lets go."

The girls got up off the couch as they followed Rinoa out the door. They got down to the record store as Rinoa ran up and showed them the flyer.

"See you guys! This is what we need to do." Rinoa said as she started walking backwards.

Selphie and Quistis examined the paper as Rinoa kept on walking. Suddenly, she bumped into someone.

"Watch it Ri-hoa!" She heard a man behind her say.

She turned around, already knowing who it was. "Why don't you watch it Leonhart!" she sneered.

He glared and walked passed her, Zell and Brian following.

"Hey Rin." Zell said as he waved.

"What's up Rinoa?" Brian asked stopping to converse with the girl.

"Hey Brian. We were just talking about signing up for the contest." She said pointing to the flyers taped to the window. She smiled at him coyly.

Squall turned his attention towards the two. "God..." He muttered rolling his eyes "Brian, get your ass over here!"

He hurried over as soon as heard the order.

Squall ripped a piece of paper of the large glass and read. "Ha! Wait a second Rin...your telling me you and your little chick band think you actually have what it takes to sign up for this! That's cute babe, really cute."

Rinoa gave glared at him. "Oh, and I suppose you think your little Simple Plan-wannabe, Emo band could do any better? Please, you haven't even seen us perform, but I've seen you and I can honestly say you sure as hell wouldn't last a second in that competition."

He just gave a week snicker. "Oh yeah? My band can beat your band any day!"

"Ha! You wish! We would kick your sorry Asses so hard you wouldn't know what hit you!" She yelled back.

"Oh yeah?" He asked

"Yeah!"

"Well why don't you put your money where you mouth is. $50 says we last longer in it than you do!" he smiled.

"$50 bucks? That's it?" Rinoa asked confidently "Too afraid you'll lose? Lets make it $100! No! $150!"

"Fine!" He answered shaking her hand powerfully, as she struggled to tear it away.

The two continued to argue while the rest of the group just looked at each other.

"Why do they always have to flirt like this?" Zell asked to no one in particular.

They both turned and said in unison "We are NOT flirting"

They looked at each other briefly and turned their backs.

"Come on you guys, we actually have practicing to do!" Rinoa said marching away, signaling the girls to follow her.

"Good, cause you'll need lots of practice going up against me Rinoa!" Squall shouted.

"Um, excuse me Squall" Zell interrupted "Don't you mean us?"

"You guys know what I meant. 'Hit Her' can beat their band any day." He said.

"Grrr! Who does that asshole think he is?" Rinoa asked angrily.

"Yeah...Rinoa you said you had some new songs, right? Let's here them!" Selphie said excitedly.

"...Ok. I was kind of...blah, you know, in a weird mood last night so...yeah." Rinoa said looking down.

"You've been in a weird mood all week Rin. You seem, I don't know... depressed. More than usual that is.

What's up?" Quistis asked sincerely.

"I agree. You have been acting kind of strange..." Selphie added.

Rinoa just rolled her eyes and said, "What's the hell? It's nothing! Probably just PMS, you guys don't have to get all after school special on me!" She turned around and walked away as Selphie and Quistis exchanged worried glances.

"Ok, like that's normal?" Selphie asked.

"Well, maybe for Rinoa..." Quistis answered.

"Yo guys!" They heard a familiar voice as they begun to turn around.

"Hey Zell, Brian." Quistis said. "Where's Squall?"

"Dunno. He said he forgot something at the park." Brian answered. "What about Rinoa?"

"She got upset after we asked her what was wrong with her lately." Selphie told them.

Quistis looked down, and then suddenly said, "I know one reason she's been so upset. Next week is her birthday. And the 11-year anniversary of her mothers death."

"That's right! And her dad isn't even giving her a sweet sixteen! Oh my gosh you guys, I have the greatest idea ever!" Selphie said in an ecstatic tone.

They all turned their attention towards the girl.

"We can throw her a huge surprise party! We can throw it at my house, I'm sure my parents would say yes!" She exclaimed.

They all looked at each other in agreement.

Rinoa had been wandering around a while and decided to go to the park to let off some steam.

"God, why do people always worry like this?" Rinoa thought, "It's like their lives are so dull, that they have to go over board at the slightest little thing. Calm down Rinoa. They're your friends. They care about you, that's all. Think about something else, like the contest. The nerve of that guy, thinking he's so hot! Although his band was pretty good when I saw them. Not that I'd ever admit that out loud."

She took an old notebook out of her book bag and began to write.

Kringle
I got that special disease
That knocks the shit out of me
Cause when you break it, you buy it, you own it,
Cause you get nothing for free
He got that special disease
He eats the scabs off my knees
I've got a genocide hand on his forehead
But he got nothing on me
He smokes the cigarette trees
He loves my hostilities
He brings me flowers and candy and Kringle
But that won't satisfy me
I try to hate equally
They say that's misanthropy
Cause when I want it, I break it, I burn it, I own it, I have it, you'll see
Collecting things that I've already owned
I'm schizophrenic when I'm on the phone
I guess that's why I'm never alone
Cause I am never myself
He wants to feed me the pentagram cereal
He puts the spoon in my mouth and I choke
He pushes farther and farther and farther down
This stuff won't fit down my throat
I got that special disease
That knocks the shit out of me
Cause when I break it, I buy it, I'll own it, I have it, I love it, you'll see

She finished the song, when she felt a presence behind her. She turned around to see a tall, blonde man reading over her shoulder.

"What do you want Seifer?" She asked him.

He sat down next to her, and gave a compassionate look. "I want another chance."

She looked up at him into his eyes, but quickly turned her head towards the ground. "Seifer, you say this every fucking time, and the last time I took you back, I just ended up getting hurt again."

"But I've changed since then. Please, just give me one more chance. Please Rinoa..." he begged.

There was a long moment of silence.

Finally she whispered, "What the hell do you expect me to do Seifer? How do I know that I can trust you, why should I give you another chance?"

He quickly stood up, with a frustrated look on his face.

"Because no one else gives a fuck about you but me. I'm the only person who will love you. I'm all you have."

She sat there for a second, sorting her thoughts. She looked up at him once more and said, "...maybe your right. Fine, Seifer, but this is your last chanced. Don't screw it up."

He gave her his trademark smirk and kissed her.

Meanwhile...

Squall walked around the empty playground. He heard footsteps behind him and turned around to see who it was.

"Hi Quistis."

"Hey Squall, um, Have you seen Rinoa any where?" She said in an eager tone. "I've been looking all over for her."

He looked at her angrily and said "Why the hell would I know where Rinoa is?"

Quistis sighed and was about to give a reply when she spotted her friend talking to Seifer.

Squall noticed the expression on her face and looked over to what she was staring at.

"What the fuck is he doing over there?" Squall asked.

"Shut up, I can't here what there saying." Quistis shushed him and they watched the seen unfold, her eyes widening as she saw the two kiss.

Quistis got up as Zell and Selphie came over them.

"What are you guys gawking at?" Selphie asked, looking over to Rinoa. "Oh I see…"

Squall stood up with a uptight look on his face.

"Squall, do I sense some jealousy?" Zell asked in a mocking tone.

"Fuck off! I would never be jealous of that ass hole. Rinoa's just a spineless bitch!" Squall said rushing off.

"God, what's his problem?" Zell asked while Selphie nodded her head.

"Him and Rin, like, used to be best friends." Quistis told them.

"No way. When was this?" Selphie asked

"Way before you guys moved here. Squall and I have known Rin since we were really young." Quistis said.

"Ok, this is the first time you anyone's ever said anything about this. Dish!" Selphie said bouncing up and

down.

"Well no-one really talks about it. There's lots of drama involved." She answered.

Selphie gave here a dull expression. "Since when has that ever stopped you before?"

"Ok, so it goes like this; we had known Rinoa for a long time. Squall and I lived on the same block as each other and went to the same school. Rinoa moved from Galbadia when she was three, and she happened to move to our block. Anyways, being from Galbadia, she still didn't speak English very well and had trouble in school, and being the remarkable eight year olds we were, Squall and I helped her. The rest was history.

Then the summer before 9th grade started, and totally changed everything. Rinoa started dating Seifer. Squall and Seifer had already hated each other, but when Rinoa started going out with him, Squall despised him even more. After awhile there were rumors going around school that Seifer and Rinoa had...well, you know. Then a lot of guys started going after Rinoa.

Squall got even more jealous and one day after school he confronted her about it. Now if she really did do anything with Seifer, I have no business telling you. I don't even really know, but it's not important. So, Anyways, he confronted her. I watched them argue, having no power to stop them. They got in a huge fight about it and he called her a whore. She slapped him and told him to never speak to her again.

I remember Squall running off and Rinoa crying on my shoulder. She had never cried that hard since her mother had died. After that they didn't speak for a longtime. And now they only argue. But I still think they're just hiding their true feelings. Squalls scared and Rinoa's still hurt." Quistis finished.

Whoa, that's crazy. I never knew that's what happened..." Zell commented.

"But what about Rinoa? Why is she back with Seifer again? Didn't he cheat on her the last time she went out with him?" Selphie asked.

"He's fucked her over so bad every time she's dated him. I don't know what it is that she sees in him I guess she just wants the attention.." Quistis sighed.

"Isn't their anything we can do?" Zell asked

"She won't listen to us. She's too stubborn." Quistis answered again. "It's her life. All we can do is let him break her heart again, and hope that she won't break along with it..."

: Awww, so how was it? Do ya like it? Tell me what you think, cause I actually like this story. : GASP: and I wrote this months ago! I even have Chapter 2 partially written, I'm just waiting for enough reviews to update. :