In fifth grade, Selphie and Rinoa met Quistis. Quistis was different than them and not just in appearance. Her blond hair was always clipped up while the other two left theirs down. She always wore the clothes considered "in" but the other two wore what they wanted to. She was also into make-up and they were not. Julia always said Rinoa didn't need to wear make-up because she was naturally beautiful. "But if you REALLY want to wear make-up, I can get you some," Julia told her. "But let me show you how to do it. Okay?" Quistis wasn't of popular status because she spoke her mind and stood firmly behind her opinions. If it were not for that, she wouldn't be hanging out with Selphie and Rinoa. At first, Rinoa was afraid of accepting Quistis for fear of breaking the strong bond with Selphie. But this just drew the two closer. Neither Selphie nor Rinoa felt they could completely trust Quistis.

Quistis's parents were well off like Rinoa's. In fact, her dad was a partner with Rinoa's father. For this reason, Quistis felt that her and Rinoa should be good friends. Rinoa didn't feel the same way, however. Once when Quistis asked Rinoa to spend the night, Rinoa begged Quistis to let her bring Selphie too. The two listened to Quistis talk about things their mother's hadn't gotten round to discussing with them yet. She even suggested they go out and buy a training bra. Needless to say, they didn't jump at the idea. "You could get one like this," Quistis said showing them one she had on- she wasn't shy about ANYTHING. Even Selphie turned a little red at the subject. Rinoa felt slightly ashamed because she hadn't started developing quite yet. Selphie later commented to Rinoa that she thought Quistis had stuffed the training bra.

"What you mean?" Rinoa asked with a confused look.

"I mean she probably put some tissues in it or something," Selphie said.

"Oh."

"If you ask me, she's a spoiled brat."

"Well, maybe but we can't just abandon her."

"I never said we had to. The thought hadn't crossed my mind. I don't think she's a bad friend. She's just spoiled. YOUR parents have a lot of money and YOU don't get every little thing you want, now do you? ... Well?"

Rinoa sighed, "No I don't. But we should still be nice to her and let her play with us."

"Whatever you say," Selphie answered. "I don't trust her as much as I trust you though." Rinoa couldn't argue with that. That was how she felt too. After school one day, Rinoa asked her mom if she knew Quistis's parents.

"The Trepe's? Yes, I know them," Julia told her.

Rinoa said, "What are they like?"

"I don't know much about her father but Quistis is just like her mother. They even look alike. Mrs. Trepe likes to spend money... and brag about it. But that doesn't make her a bad person."

"I know. Sometimes I feel a little weird around Quistis. She's so different from Selphie."

"Yes she is. You're going to meet a variety of people throughout your life. Some will be nice, some will be mean, some will be shy and some outgoing. You can't expect everyone to be the same."

"I know."

Near the end of their uneventful fifth year in school, the three girls had a fight. It was Quistis versus Selphie and Rinoa at the side. Secretly though, Rinoa was cheering for Selphie. It started when Selphie entrusted her two best friends with a secret, which happened to be that she liked a boy in her class named Steven. The next day, Quistis was undoubtedly flirting with him. Rinoa was just as mad as Selphie. Before Selphie had told them this, Quistis was completely disgusted with Steven. Now she was just trying to make Selphie jealous. The fight started small. Selphie asked Quistis why she'd do that to a friend. Quistis replied, "I don't know what you're talking about." Then Selphie gave her the silent treatment but Quistis kept on talking like there was nothing wrong. One day Selphie snapped.

"You're just trying to make me mad," Selphie practically yelled. "Now I've had enough." Once the words left her mouth, Selphie slapped Quistis as hard as she could. Quistis didn't cry or anything. Rinoa tried to get Selphie calm. Selphie and Quistis didn't speak to each other again until the very last day of school, when Quistis apologized. In fact, her apology went even further than a mere "sorry". She invited both of them to go with her to spend a week at a hotel where she used to live. Her dad had to make a business trip. He said it was okay for her and a few friends to come. Their parents gave them permission so they packed to go.

The car ride was only a few hours but it seemed like a long time. Rinoa stared out the window as Quistis talked on and on about her old friends. Rinoa wasn't really listening though. When they got there, the three got to share a room. The hotel had two floors and they were on the first. It wasn't really anything special, which surprised Rinoa. Apparently Quistis's father didn't spend loads of cash when traveling. The white walled room had gray carpet, a small bathroom, a little table in the corner, and beds with multicolored quilts on them. They piled their bags in a corner. Quistis suggested they go to the pool down the hall. Rinoa thought the poolroom was fairly nice. It had everything a typical hotel would have there: the bathrooms, the hot tub, the sauna, some chairs, and obviously the pool itself. At first, Rinoa was afraid to go in. She knew how to swim of course; she'd been to summer classes. But for some reason, a bad feeling had stirred in the pit of her stomach. She was happy just sitting on the small staircase where the water's surface was around her ankles. Selphie and Quistis jumped in to where they could touch. Their splashes made droplets of water hit Rinoa's skin. The glass doors opened and shut as some adults came in.

"Hey Selphie," Quistis said. "Are you a good swimmer?"

She thought about this for a few seconds then answered, "Yeah, kind of."

"I bet you five dollars you can't swim to the deep end and back."

Rinoa said, "Um, I don't think that's the best idea in the world."

Quistis sighed, "Aw, you're just being a baby."

"I'm not a baby," Selphie protested. "Fine, I'll do it. Watch me." She started forward before Rinoa could say any more. Selphie was going straight down the middle of the pool and was quickly in the four feet deep part. By time she reached the six, her arms were heavy. As she tried to rest the water slowly sucked her in. It was to her chin before she tried to move again. Panic took over her mind as her head disappeared in the water. Rinoa's yelling sounded so distant. Selphie's little lungs needed air but she didn't want to breathe the water in. She wasn't ready to die.

Cold air pricked Selphie's skin as she was pulled out of the water and se onto the tiled floor. One of the strange men who had come in earlier had saved her. Rinoa and Quistis were immediately at her side, hugging each other and crying along with the friend they almost lost. Quistis choked out apologies between sobs. They never mentioned the incident to Quistis's father.

The next morning they all went to the town Quistis used to live in. Her father dropped them off and went to his meeting. Rinoa was a little nervous going around where anything could happen to them without a parent keeping an eye on them. Quistis was trying to look older than she was by wearing her belly shirt and mini skirt. Rinoa thought Quistis was crazy. The first thing they did was stop at a small shop to buy some drinks and snacks. Quistis paid. After that, they headed for Quistis's previous school. There they sat on the swings and consumed their candy. "Maybe we can find some cute guys around here," Quistis said.

Rinoa said, "Aren't we too young for boyfriends?"

Quistis laughed, "Are you kidding? I've had three already." From the corner of her eye, Rinoa saw Selphie shake her head. When they finished eating, Quistis said, "Let's go."

"Where?"

"We're gonna find some boys."

Quistis walked ahead as Selphie whispered to Rinoa, "I don't want to do this."

"Me either," Rinoa whispered back but neither of them spoke up. Luckily for them, they were left alone except for the adult who rang up whatever they purchased. For Quistis, the week was uneventful and boring.