Thanks for reviewing again everyone! And just to say…! I'm nowhere near finished and a lot's still gotta happen! So read!

I arrived home that night less than happy. I didn't bother saying hello to my father, instead I rushed straight up to my room and threw myself on my bed.

I began to think. Right. I had to do this! I couldn't put it off. Anyway, he seemed alright with me. Maybe Quistis's plan was working?

Yeah, right.

"Rinoa? Is that you?" called my father. I sighed to myself.

"Yes," I replied, getting up and forcing myself back down the stairs.

He was sitting reading the newspaper. "Back already?" He asked without looking up.

"Looks like it," I tried to say with the least amount of bitterness I could. Me and my father didn't generally get on too well. But I had nowhere else to go. I hadn't seen my mother for years, and I had no other relatives that I could go live with…but I couldn't help feeling that if I had grown up with my mother, life would have been a lot different. My dad's the one who's made me like this, really. He's encouraged everyone to make a fuss of me.

I just wish he'd do the same sometimes…I feel like I'm invisible when I'm in the same room as him.

"First day back, wasn't it?" he asked again.

I nodded, then realised he wasn't looking at me so I responded with another yes. Part of me hoped he'd ask how it was, but no such luck.

I stood there for a moment, pondering on whether or not I should go back to my room. I decided I should, and headed towards the stairs when I heard his voice again.

"That girl called a minute ago,"

I stopped. Who? It couldn't be Quistis, surely. She wouldn't know my number. Or would she? She could have bullied someone into giving it to her.

I waited, before asking who.

"That annoying one who came round here once,"

Oh. Selphie…great. Yeah, she came round last year…my father doesn't appreciate me having people over though, so it was a one off thing.

"Oh…"

"I told her you'd ring her back when you got home."

"Oh…" I said again. Now what?

He silently handed me the phone. I forced a smile and rushed off to my room.

I began to dial the number, then stopped. I didn't want to. I'd wait until tomorrow and see how things go with Squall first…if he was alright with me, I could dump Quistis since I wouldn't need her anymore, then maybe Selphie and I could be friends again.

Ahh, Rinoa, too much thinking is never good for you. I decided I'd go to sleep.

And the next thing I knew…it was morning.

"Rinoa!" Called that familiar voice.

"Coming," I groaned.

I discretely arrived at school. I considered just finding Squall now, and get it over with. Was this a good idea?

Even if it wasn't, I thought I would anyway.

I walked along with my head down, but occasionally looking up and around. Then I noticed Selphie prancing towards me, with a less than excited expression on her face, but still…I couldn't escape this one.

"Rinoa, I called you last night,"

"Really?" I put a fake tone of surprise in my voice, hoping she wouldn't see through it. "I…I er, didn't know that!"

She looked at me for a moment, then shook it off. "I feel like you've been avoiding me. What have I done?"

I felt almost guilty for the first time in a while, but I couldn't falter. I had to get this over with first.

"Nothing…look, I'm in a hurry. I'll catch you later…maybe," I mumbled and walked ahead.

"Why are you in a hurry? We have first class together. It's cooking,"

I groaned. Great, me and Selphie would always work together in that…

"Um, sure. I'll catch you later," I avoided her question and walked further ahead.

Ok. Time to look for Squall.

Until Quistis found me.

"Rinoa," she smiled her disgusting smile. She linked my arm and lead me away from the direction I was planning on going in.

"Quistis," I too faked a smile.

"Where were you going?"

"I…I was going to, er, cooking," I lied.

"Sure. I'm not in that class. Wanna hang out with me instead?"

"No, I…" I had to do a lot of lying today, I figured. "I can't, because, in cooking, there's, this guy in my class I really want to be mean to?"

She laughed for a second. "Ok, whatever Rinoa. Do it," she unlinked me and walked away. Well, that worked very well.

Before I knew it though, it was time for cooking. I thought I might as well go…after all, Squall could be there. It was just Selphie that was bothering me.

I walked the long way round, as I found myself doing lately, and eventually found the Food room where Selphie was already standing. Zell was in this class too, but I avoided his eye.

I stood next to Selphie, who I was also deliberately not looking at.

Today we were cooking bread. How…fun.

Actually, I quite enjoyed cooking, but not right now.

Selphie didn't try any small talk though, which was lucky. I only spoke to her when I needed to…like, if she had some flour I could borrow…

And before I knew it the lesson was nearly over. That went very well! Until she spoke to me.

"Are you going to hang out with me today, Rin?" she said in her tiny voice.

"When?" I pretended to pack my ingredients away…unfortunately I did it in such a hurry that my bag (well, Selphie's, rather) of flour ripped and spilt all over my dress.

"Oh, I'm so stupid," I groaned. I tried to brush it all off but it was just staying put.

"I asked you a question," she repeated.

"You think I can be bothered to answer that right now?" Hey, this was pretty convenient.

So I just stormed out of the class, bumping right into someone.

"Oh, I'm sorry," I said, agitated that everything wasn't exactly going to plan today. Then I looked up and saw it was Sqall. "Or…not. Whatever," I put on my spiteful tone.

He raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, I guess I should watch where I'm going…" he said in a strange way, so that I couldn't tell if it was sarcasm or not. I assumed it was somewhere in the middle.

"Yeah! You should! You know…you know…" My voice trailed off. Why not do it now, Rinoa?

No. You can't do it now.

Yes I can.

You can't! It won't work.

I don't care.

You will when he turns you down.

Why would he turn me down? I'm Rinoa Heartilly. The gorgeous princess.

Gorgeous? You're just mean!

"Go out with me," I said forcefully to drown out my thoughts. I hated the whole good/bad thing going on here. Then I realised I did it. Hey, that was easy!

"Excuse me?" He said disbelievingly.

"You heard. Yes, I'm asking you out, feel honoured," I was becoming more and more confident! He'd love that, surely?

He raised his eyebrow again. "What do you honestly think I'm going to say?"

"Well, I'm thinking you can't resist me. Why would you say no?"

He gave a quick sarcastic laugh. "Well, if you really think I'm going to say yes after the way you've been treating me, you're even more delusional than I thought,"

He walked away, leaving me dumbstruck.

Did he just turn me down?

Told you.

I tried to ignore my thoughts, which was difficult. He turned me down. Not just because he doesn't like me…but because…Quistis's theory obviously doesn't work.

I can't believe she'd do this to me. I thought she was helping me. But…she gave me dodgy advice instead?

I couldn't help but feel hurt, as I was turned down, and betrayed by her.

Not that she was even my friend in the first place, but I thought I was the one using her, not the other way round.

What could I do now? Patch things up with Squall? Yeah right. Talk to Quistis? Yeah. Like that was going to work. But I didn't have anyone else. Now Selphie probably hated me, and I'd totally run out of people.

I walked along gloomily when I ran into Quistis and her posse.

"Hey," she said.

"Hey," I couldn't hide my disappointment, and before I knew what I was doing, I was telling her that I had asked Squall out and got rejected. Then it dawned on me that I'd made a mistake. Why was I telling her that her advice hadn't worked and I knew that she'd been lying to me?

"You asked him out? How stupid are you?"

Usually, when she'd say something like this, it had a hint of laughter in her voice. Now it was anger.

"W…what?"

"Did I tell you to ask him out?"

"No…"

"Then why did you? You're stupid! I always knew he'd never like you anyway! You know why? Because he's weird, his mind doesn't work the same way as the guys I go for! And you know what? You're weird too. I never liked you."

"I never liked you either!" I shouted back and walked away.

Great. Now I had no hope in hell with anyone…

Woooh chapter 11 done! And it was a bit longer I think. Anyway…lots more to come! R&R!