"IF ONLY YOU SAW ME"

Chapter Nine: The Ball (Part One)

"...With a Simple smile... My heart Leaps... From my feet I fall.. catch me..."


For one whole day, Rinoa and Squall stayed up together, talked, laughed. She did even mention what had happened to her mother the night before it. She hadnt feel it was neccessary to ruin the one day they were going to spend together. She hadnt went to school, yet went to her professours to pick up late work she had to be assigned. And when she had returned, again Squall was waiting for them to continue their day.

Now, the sun was massively pouring the bedroom window. Rinoa yawned, thinking about the great day she and Squall had the night before. Opening her eyes, she saw the drapes wide open. She quickly looked at it and ran to shut it. Looking back at the bed, she saw Squall was completely covered by the quilt.

She smiled and sighed, "Thank god..."

She walked back to the bed. (Who would have opened the curtain?) She thought. She moved the quilt away from Squall, feeling the scars on his back. He was sleeping peacefully. She smiled at it. Slowly, she crept out of the bedroom, not bothering to recover him. She walked to the bathroom, where she gave a quick peak to see if Sephiroth was inside. He wasnt. She gave a laugh to herself. Of course he wasnt, it was morning. She looked at herself in the mirror, grabbing her toothbrush and slowly began to hum.

She kind of wished at that moment at that Angelo would run into the bathroom and lick her toes. But she knew deep down that he wasnt gonig to come. She simply sighed at the thought and continued humming.

After brushing her teeth, she stept into the shower, taking a quick cold one to wake her up.

Within 30 minutes, she was completely dressed and walking out the front door. In her hands, she had her assigns which Squall had helped her with as best he could the other night. She walked through the feild, looking up the sun shining down her. That moment, she was having one of thise days. Those Wonderful days. The sickening feelnig she had two nights ago was completely gone. She wasnt feeling it at all.

She skipped to her own humming, smiling a great big smiling. "Hey Rinoa!"

She looked forward to see Zell riding his hoverboard toward her. She smiled at him, "Hi Zell."

He stopped beside her and walked at her pace, "Where's that guy you're with?"

She looked at him, "Squall?"

Zell rolled his eyes, "I dont give a damn what his name is-"

"Hey!"

"Alright. Yeah him."

She smiled and nodded, "He's sleeping."

Zell stopped in front of her, "Sleeping?"

She nodded, "Yeah. Did I stutter?"

He shook his head, "Why is he sleeping? Its almost noon."

She gave herself a big grin and smiled at him, "We had a busy night last night."

A look of discust hit his facem "You mean you-"

She nodded and continued walking. He followed close beside her. "Rinoa I cant believe you.."

She looked at him, "How do you know what I meant by busy?"

He shrugged, "I just figured-"

She stopped in front of him, the angriest look on her face, "Well, look, what I meant by busy was we were up all night diong my homework becuase I had missed one day of school, not that you would notice."

Zell shrugged, "I'm sorry..I just.."

"You just what, Zell?"

"I miss you okay."

Her expression changed. She saw the sadness in his eyes. She dropped her books on the soft grass and grabbed Zell into a hug, "Oh Zell. I'm sorry."

He hugged her back, "It was hard seeing you with someone else." He looked at her, "You havent even called me in over a year."

She lowered her head, "You never returned my calls... "

Zell looked at her, "You never called me.."

She nodded, "Yes I did. I called you alot. You're mother said she would give you the message every time."

Zell's face filled with anger, "Damn her..."

"What?"

He looked at her, trying to calm down, " She never told me shit..."

"oh.." Rinoa grabbed him in a tighter hug.

Zell rested his head on her shoulder, "If it wasnt for her...we'd still be together..."

Rinoa didnt know what to say, "Maybe Zell."

Zell looked at her, "Rinoa...didnt you love me?"

Rinoa nodded, "I did but.."

"But?"

"You cant change what happened, Zell. You're mother never liked me much and you knew that. She ruined us, yes she did. But because of her, I cant look back and see a change."

Zell lowered his head, "I know..."

Rinoa smiled and looked at him, cupping his face, "Look on the brightside, I"m still here. I'm still your friend."

He smiled, "Couldnt we be something more?"

She laughed and picked up her books, continueing her walk toward balamb, "Zell!"

He ran after her and accompinied her toward Balamb and into her school.


Rinoa laughed, looking back at Zell as she said good bye. "Hey Rinoa! I'll see you at the ball tonight?"

She completely forgot the ball was tonight. She nodded, "I'll see you there."

He gave one final wave and turned back to Balamb on his hoverboard. Rinoa smiled and closed the door. She placed her books on the floor, stretching. "Oh what a day," she said.

She heard a swift sound and felt Squall beside her. She shrieked, "Ah! Oh Squall, you're fast."

He grinned at her, "You never complained."

She laughed and turned around, laying kisses on his lips. They heard a laugh coming from the top floor, "You young ones need to get ready if you want to go to the ball."

They looked up and saw Sephiroth dressed fancy at the top of the stairs. Rinoa laughed. "I"m not young." Squall said, "I'm older than you, Sephiroth."

Sephiroth laughed, "Yes, of course."

He walked down the stairs, patting Squall on his back. Squall gave a slight hiss and shot Sephiroth a look. Confused, Rinoa looked at Sephiroth, sighing. Sephiroth looked at her and sent her a worried look. She nodded, understanding what he was saying in his silent words. Rinoa cupped Squall's face, pulling him toward her, "Let's get ready, Squall."

"A ball?"

She nodded, grabbing his hand and leading him up the stairs. He followed willingly. She walked into her room to grab her suit case and stopped. "Squall...all the.."

He nodded, "I replaced everything you had taken off. I know you wont sleep here much, but even so, its not much fun to have an empty room."

She looked at him, "Squall...I'm sorry."

He laughed, shaking away his apology, "Dont worry about it, love. I know it was hard for you... Its alright."

She smiled. He gave her a hug. "Dont worry. Its all my sheets, not Joia's."

She smiled again, "Its alright. i wouldnt have minded."

He laughed, "Yes you would."

She gave him a harder hug and withdrew when he hissed in pain. "Squall?"

He looked at her, "No worries, love. Just had a bad sleep."

she nodded. "Are you sure?"

He nodded and kissed her forhead. "Now you tell me..what do I need to wear to this ball?"

She laughed, "Your finest clothes, Squall."

He nodded. "I"ll get to that then." He left the room, leaving Rinoa laughing to herself. She sighed after about 5 minutes worth of laughing and turned to her suit case. Pulling out a white pearl dress, she admired it. Her mother had made it for her to go to the ball the previous year, yet she hadnt gone. Zell never caled to take her. Thats where their relationship ended. She looked back at that morning where she had the talk with Zell... and how it was his mother who ruined them. She smiled (Maybe it was for the best) she thought. She pressed the dress toward her, and walked toward the mirror. Dancing around, she imagined how she would look wearing it. She gave herself a giggle and ran toward the bathroom.

An hour later, Squall looked in the mirror, fixing his ponytail to fail softly over his shoulder. He looked at himself. His clothes were a bit out of date. Decades out of date. And he worried that he may catch the attention of the other people there. He sighed. Of course he would. Especially since he figured her previous boyfriend would be there, he needed to make a simple stand for himself.

He looked at himself one last time before walking out the room and descending the stairs. At the bottom of the steps, he saw Sephiroth talking to Rinoa. "Rinoa.." He said.

She looked up at him. Her hair was done elegantly while she wore a pearl white dress that crossed around her neck. He looked at her in awe as she smiled at him, tilting her head. She smiled, "Are you ready to go, Squall?"

He nodded and walk the last few steps, taking her hand, "You look very beautiful, Love."

She blushed, "Thank you."

Sephiroth smiled and nodded at Squall, "How are you feeling?"

Squall nodded. Sephiroth nodded in return. Rinoa looked at them both and sighed, "Men." She said.

Squall laughed and picked her up in his arms. She laughed, laying her head on his shoulder. "Lets go, Love." He said.

She smiled and nodded. He placed her on the floor and together the three of them left the house toward the ball.


A/N: I hope U all enjoyed the chapter :D