A/N: Thank you for all your reviews! Sorry I'm a bit late but I've been a bit busy with school lately and I'll try update more frequently. Anyways, it's midnight on a school day over here and I've decided to write another chappie ... so sorry if it's a bit rusty. Updates will be a lot quicker, judging on whether I can get a hold of the Internet or not... v.v But anyways, hope you haven't fogotten about me! Please review!
Lost Memories of My LoveChapter 9 – Back to School
Rinoa waited until Squall's car was completely out of sight before she went back inside. She plodded upstairs and went into her room. As she flipped on the light switch, she saw Ashleigh sitting on her bed, as if she was waiting for Rinoa.
Rinoa just ignored Ashleigh's stares and began brushing her hair in front of the mirror, pretending as if she didn't exist.
"Where were you today?" asked Ashleigh.
Rinoa just kept on brushing her hair. "I was locked in a closet. Where were you?"
Ashleigh narrowed her eyes. She didn't want to tell her sister that she was hanging out with Squall while she was locked in that closet.
Rinoa smirked but didn't say anything.
Ashleigh rolled her eyes and just lay down, burying herself under the blankets.
She ruined my day, thought Ashleigh.
Rinoa put her brush down and switched off the light. She hopped into bed and thought about the day's events, looking forward to her trip to Esthar with Squall.
---
"Oh! Um, dad!" called Rinoa, rushing out the door the next morning before Caraway left for work.
He turned around. "Hmm? What is it, angel wing?"
"Well, before you go," said Rinoa, tidying her hair, "I wanted to ask you something."
"What is it?" asked Caraway.
"Well," said Rinoa, twisting a lock of her around her finger, "Squall's heading up for Esthar next year..."
Caraway nodded slowly. "And..."
"And, well, he asked me to come with him," said Rinoa. "So, umm, can I go?"
"Whoa, slow down there, angel wing," said Caraway. "Give me the details."
"Well, he's leaving after this year," said Rinoa, "To, like, see Mr Loire and learn how to be president and stuff."
Caraway nodded. "Okay then, how long?"
"Um ... four years?" asked Rinoa. She squeezed her eyes shut, afraid that his answer would be no.
"Four years?" repeated Caraway in amazement. "That's a long time."
"I know," said Rinoa slowly, "But ... I really want to go..."
"What about Garden?" asked Caraway.
"Don't worry, Squall's got it all covered," said Rinoa reassuringly.
Caraway nodded and smiled. "If you say so. Of course you can go."
Rinoa grinned. "Thanks a lot."
---
The rest of the vacation went by quickly. Rinoa was home a lot of the time, but occasionally she would go out with Squall and the others. Finally, the day to return back to Garden came.
Rinoa was packed and ready to go. Ashleigh and Seifer were too. It seemed that they were all glad to leave the house and get away from the place.
Caraway was going to drive them all to Balamb. Rinoa only had one suitcase while the Ashleigh had four of them. Ashleigh and Rinoa were both in their uniforms looking sharp, but Seifer, however, did not wear the uniform for some odd reason.
Rinoa sat in the front seat next to her father while Seifer and Ashleigh were sitting behind. Seifer was going to walk to the train station again, but Caraway wouldn't hear of it.
The ride was long and silent. All three of them spent the whole time staring out the window at the passing scenery. Caraway didn't say anything, not because he had nothing to say, because he didn't know what to say.
As they reached Garden, Rinoa hopped out of the car and closed the door. Ashleigh made Seifer carry two of her suitcases as she got out of the car as well.
"Well I guess this is goodbye for another year," said Caraway. "Be good and do well, okay?"
Rinoa nodded.
"Of course, father!" said Ashleigh brightly. "Anything to make you proud!"
Caraway smiled at his stepdaughter. By then Seifer had already left to go into the Garden.
"Well, bye," said Rinoa.
"I'll really miss you, father," said Ashleigh, "Take care of mother!"
Rinoa felt that she was going to puke, so she just left Ashleigh to brown-nose her father.
"Rinoa!"
She looked up as she walked through the front gate, to find Selphie and Irvine conversing.
Rinoa smiled and rushed up to the pair of them.
"Welcome back, Rin-Rin!" said Selphie happily.
"Been kinda dull without you around," said Irvine, tipping his hat.
"Yeah, I've been itchin' to come back," said Rinoa. "So, what're you guys doing out here?"
Selphie grinned. "Well, I'm just getting ready to set up for tonight's dance!"
Rinoa's heart skipped beats. The dance ... I've forgotten all about it, she thought. What am I supposed to wear now?
"Yeah, no classes for us today," said Irvine with a smirk.
"Aww, I wish I could help," said Rinoa, her mind still set on what she was going to do.
"Nah, I've got it all worked out," said Selphie, "And the Committee's enough help anyways!"
Rinoa smiled.
The first bell rung for class.
"Oh damn, there goes the bell," said Rinoa. She handed her suitcase to Selphie. "Do you mind throwing this in my dorm?" She handed her the key to her room.
"Sure, no problem," said Selphie.
Rinoa nodded. "Well, I'll see you guys later."
She withdrew from Selphie and Irvine and headed to the elevator for class. I didn't even get to wear that dress once, thought Rinoa as she scanned the panel of buttons on the elevator. She had to get used to it again.
Seifer headed into the elevator at that moment and smirked when he saw Rinoa trying to work the elevator.
"It's this one, smartass," said Seifer, pressing one of the buttons.
The door closed and the elevator headed up.
"Oh," said Rinoa, slightly embarrassed, "I gotta get used to the place again..."
Seifer rolled his eyes. "You're not gonna get really far if you don't even know how to work the elevator."
Rinoa laughed nervously. "Yeah, I guess."
As the elevator came to a halt, Seifer abandoned the elevator in a hurry. Rinoa blinked and just headed out slowly.
"Oh, Rinoa."
Rinoa looked up to find Quistis heading towards her, a bunch of files in her hands.
"Hey Quistis," said Rinoa. "Back to work again, huh?"
"Ugh, yes," said Quistis, "Cid better give me a raise for this lot."
Rinoa laughed.
"Well, I'm your instructor for this year," said Quistis.
"Great!" said Rinoa, "Go easy on me!"
The two of them walked to the class together. Rinoa was disappointed that she hadn't seen Squall yet, but she was sure she'd see him at lunch or something.
Ashleigh was sitting at the desk Rinoa usually sat at. She tried to take no notice and head to another desk, but Ashleigh's posse had occupied the whole back row.
Looks like I'll be sitting at the front this year, thought Rinoa.
She headed to the desk that was on the far right and sat down quietly. The whole class was making a huge ruckus, throwing paper aeroplanes at each other and chattering about the vacation.
"Okay, that's enough," said Quistis loudly.
The one order quietened the class.
"Welcome back to another year at Balamb Garden," said Quistis. "I'll be this class's instructor for this year. I can see some old faces and some new faces, nevertheless you all know the rules and are expected to follow them. That includes no gum in class."
Quistis shot a look at Ashleigh.
Ashleigh rolled her eyes as the whole class turned towards her. She took out the gum from her mouth, and when Quistis's attention turned away she stuck it under the chair.
"Now, as you know tonight is the opening dance for the year," said Quistis. "You are all expected to dress formally and good behaviour is required..."
"Do you know what you're wearing tonight, Ash?" whispered one of Ashleigh's friends.
"No, I was going to wear the dress from the dinner we went to together, but my big sister spilled ink all over it," hissed Ashleigh back. "She said it was an accident, but I bet she did it on purpose. But I forgave her anyway..."
Rinoa bit her bottom lip and restrained herself from turning around and yelling at Ashleigh. Instead she tried to continue trying to listen to Quistis.
"Jeez, what a bitch," whispered another one of Ashleigh's friends.
"But at least you're nice..."
Rinoa couldn't take it anymore. She didn't mind them talking about her and Ashleigh lying all she wanted as long as Rinoa wasn't there to hear it.
She turned around and glared at Ashleigh.
"What do you want?" hissed one of Ashleigh's friends.
Rinoa just narrowed her eyes and turned back into Quistis' direction, not wanting to cause any trouble.
"Why is she eavesdropping on our conversations?" asked one of the girls.
"Don't worry, she has a habit of doing that," whispered Ashleigh, making sure Rinoa heard it.
Rinoa did indeed hear it. She turned herself around, giving Ashleigh the dirtiest stare.
"Will you stop talking about me as if I wasn't right in front of you?" hissed Rinoa angrily.
"Well don't listen then!" said one of the girls.
"Yeah, after all Ashleigh's done for you!"
"SHUT UP!" cried Rinoa angrily, forgetting where she was.
Quistis looked over at Rinoa. "Is there a problem over there?"
Rinoa completely ignored Quistis and was prepared to tell Ashleigh off.
"You haven't done anything for me, you little brat!" shouted Rinoa. "Just stop your little game, okay? I don't want to play it!"
"Rinoa, is there something—"
Quistis was cut off short as Rinoa stomped out of class angrily. All eyes followed Rinoa out of the room.
Ashleigh smiled triumphantly. "Don't worry, Instructor, she'll get over it. Don't go too hard on her, she's just got serious attitude problems."
Quistis eyed Ashleigh suspiciously.
Ashleigh just smiled sweetly when everyone in the classroom turned towards her.
Quistis shook her head, deciding that she would go talk to Rinoa later.
"All right, attention here please," said Quistis, "I'll talk to Miss Heartilly. In the mean time, please keep your comments to yourself, Ashleigh and company."
---
Rinoa stomped to the girls' dorms angrily. She wasn't planning to go back to class for the rest of the day. She hated Ashleigh with so much passion that she didn't even want to attend class.
Rinoa spent the day in her room, unpacking all her stuff from the suitcase Selphie set down for her. She was amusing herself by rearranging the room, of which she had rearranged four times already until she decided on the one style.
She heard the lunch bell go after a period of time. She decided to get up and see what everyone else was up to.
As she walked down the corridor, she bumped into Quistis.
"Rinoa," said Quistis.
She looked up at her, her face nervous. "Quisty, I'm so sorry for stomping out of your class like that. I—"
Quistis shook her head. "It's all right. I have a feeling little Miss Ashleigh said something horrible to you?"
Rinoa looked down at the floor. "Yeah ... yeah she did." That wasn't exactly it, but she didn't want Quistis knowing exactly what it was.
"I suppose she doesn't know that I know you pretty well," said Quistis. "She said you had some attitude problems."
Rinoa stomped her foot on the floor angrily. "That's what I mean!"
Quistis nodded. "Well, she isn't my favourite student in the world. I'll watch out for her. Just don't worry about her, if she takes it any further I'll have a bit of a chat with her."
There we go again, I need someone to back me up, thought Rinoa. I can't do anything without help. I'm meant to be a strong girl.
Rinoa nodded. "Thanks, Quistis."
Quistis smiled. "It's all right. Now, let's get some lunch and forget about her."
Forget about her, mused Rinoa, I don't think that's possible.
A/N: Okay, so boring chapter, I didn't know how to start off the school year –sweat drop- Sorry if it's a bit rushed, I can tell it is o.O Anyways, please review! I'm appreciating them!
