Wish You Were Here

Chapter 1: Evil Blondes

She jumped slightly as the school bell rang and the students filed out of their classrooms. Every time that damned bell rang she jumped. It was time for lunch and students rushed and pushed towards the hotdog stand, of course, the first person in line was Zell Dincht. She entered the cafeteria and sat down next to her best friend, Selphie Tilmitt, who sat across from Irvine, her best friend (and could be boyfriend if he'd ask her out…) Rinoa smiled at the two and looked around. "Squall's late, he's usually here before I am."

Selphie gave her a sympathetic look. "Actually, he left a few minutes before you got here. He said he had to do some combat training with Quistis.."

Rinoa winced. Quistis… Was she still at it? She knew the blonde had a thing for her boyfriend, but she couldn't still.. No, she couldn't be trying to steal him away from her.. No possible way. Nope, no. Of course not! Why would she even think that? Quistis was her friend! She wasn't an evil conniving miscreant from the bottom of the ocean that steals her friend's boyfriends.. She suddenly felt very very worried.

Irvine laughed as Zell arrived. "Don't worry about it, Quistis wouldn't try anything." Zell took a seat next to him and Irvine stole on of the many hotdogs from him.

Zell gave Irvine a glare and started to devour his food.

Selphie eyed Irvine, "And why wouldn't she? Do you happen to know Quistis more then Rinny and I? Or has she told you this?"

Irvine raised a brow. "Well, I kind of just figured.. I mean we're all good friends and all and…H.." He was at a loss of words. He knew if he said something wrong, she'd leave and hurt him later. "….H….H…..Hippo?"

Selphie glared at him then turned her attention back to her friend. "I have a class to teach in a few hours, but afterwards, do you want to go shopping in Balamb? I heard they have pretty new dresses in that one clothing store you likeee!" She smiled as her friend perked up a bit.

"Alright, we should go do that, maybe a new dress will make me feel a little better.." She stood up and snatched a hotdog from Zell's plate, resulting in another glare, and said, "I'll see you then Selphie! Just give me a ring.. I have to go check up on some.. Things. Bye!" She rushed off, stuffing the hotdog in her mouth, towards the training center….

Selphie sighed. "Poor Rinny. I hope her and Squall get things settled," she turned her attention towards Irvine. "You on the other hand.. Hippo? What does that have to do with anything! You're impossible!" She stood up and stormed off towards her classroom.

Irvine slapped his forehead. "I'm the King of idiots, aren't I?"

Zell nodded. "Yep, and the King rules alone.." He continued to stuff himself full of hotdogs as his girlfriend arrived. He left Irvine alone to think things over.

Irvine sighed and scratched his chin. If he wasn't so damned nervous about Selphie rejecting him, he would have already asked her out.. But he didn't know what she wanted! Did she want to date him? Did she just want to be friends? What was up with that girl. He slammed his head on the table maybe just a little bit too hard and stood up, grabbing his duster off of the chair behind him. This week, he would ask her out! He was determined!

Rinoa arrived at the training center and checked up on her equipment. Her weapon was all set and polished and she had many potions in her bag just in case she ran into a T-Rexuar. She walked around the center, running away from every battle she faced (she wasn't the best fighter, she knew that.. And Squall told her not to come in there without a party member..) And looked around for Squall and Quistis. They had to be around here somewhere… What if.. No, they couldn't be at the spot. Squall wouldn't go there with Quistis.. He never even went their with her. Not even once. The spot, yeah, right, like he'd go their with her.. She rounded the corner and walked a little faster towards it. She stopped suddenly when she found something on the ground, oooh, 10 gil! She crouched down to pick it up hen she heard it.

A loud crunching noise echoed behind her. She was afraid to turn around. She knew what it was. What else made that kind of noise. She stood up slowly and winced when she heard it roar incredibly loudly. She looked over her shoulder and sure enough, there it was.. A T-Rexuar. Just her luck. She turned around and was about to run for it when she heard another roar. A Pincer attack formation! Two T-Rexuars! TWO!

Her mouth went dry. She had a few good spells that she had drawn from a spot earlier, but nothing that could take down two T-Rexuars! She didn't even have a elixer, just a few potions! She did the only thing she could do in the situation. She screamed like a little girl as loud as possible.

Squall and Quistis stood face to face. She came closer, slowly, but surely. Then she did it. Her whip struck out towards him and he dodged it to the left. He rushed towards her, countering her attack, but she was too fast, she somersaulted backwards and lashed out at him again, catching him on his right cheek. He was about to lash out at her again when he heard it. A very loud, familiar scream that echoed through the training grounds. Other students around the two also raised their brows towards it. "Rinoa!" Squall turned towards the scream and rushed towards it, Quistis trailing behind him, getting her equipment ready for whatever battle could have gotten Rinoa so scared.

They arrived right as one of the two T-Rexuar's lashed out at Rinoa, the girl almost dodging the attack, getting whipped in the back with it's large tail. Squall quickly casted Cure3 on the girl and ran up beside her, checking to see if she was too injured.

Rinoa had been knocked out cold. Squall sighed and yelled at Quistis to get Rinoa out of the training center. He could handle the two large beasts, easy. He made sure Quistis got Rinoa out of danger's way and cast his favorite spell, Ultima, and watched with satisfaction as the two beasts fell.

Rinoa woke up with a start. She felt something cool on her forehead. She reached up and felt a small towel there, moist with cold water. Wait. This wasn't her room, it was Squall's. She looked around. No one else was around her. Why was she in Squall's room? The events that had took place flashed through her mind and she rubbed her eyes. She felt stupid. Stupid and weak. Incredibly stupid. How could she have been so stupid? She should have never went their. Now Squall was going to be mad at her, and Quistis would steal him away, and then she'd be alone. Her eyes welled up with tears and she let them fall onto her cheeks. She felt foolish. She banged her head against the pillow many times and pulled the covers of the blanket over her head, knocking the towel on the floor beside her.

She heard the door open and the shuffling of feet as someone entered. Squall. Of course. Now he was going to hell at her and she'd lose him forever..

She was surprised when she felt him wrap his arms around her, laying his head on her stomach. She peeked at him from beneath his covers and saw the worried expression on his face. He looked at her.

"Are you alright?" He said, concern flowing through his voice. He then noticed his tears and quickly sat up. "Are you in pain? I'm sorry! I shouldn't have-"

"No.. It's just.." She wiped her tears away on the blanket. "I-I.." he gave her a puzzled look. "I'M SO STUPID!" She pulled the covers over her head again and sounds of sobbing came from under them. "You told me so many times not to go in there alone, but Selphie said you were with Quistis and I had to go see and she's so much better and stronger then me and I'm so stupid-"

She stopped talking when she heard him laughing. She pulled the covers off of her head and looked at him. He smiled at her, like that night on the balcony. She started to cry some more.

"Rinoa, I'd never ever choose anyone over you." He wrapped his arms around her protectively and lay his head on her stomach again. "When I saw you there, laying there, I felt helpless. If anything had happened to you.. I don't know what I'd do." He sounded like he was in pain.

Rinoa stopped crying. Everything was fine. The passion was back, and she wouldn't let it go. Fucking pinwheels don't know anything.

Fin