Disclaimer: You've heard it all before...
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Chapter 6: Let's Face the Music and Dance
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Don't know what to do whenever you are near
Don't know what to say my heart is floating in tears
When you pass by I could fly
Every minute every second of the day
I dream of you in the most special way
You're beside me all the time
- Don't Know What to Do, Don't Know What to Say (Lea Salonga)
. . .
Squall frowned, not clearly understanding what she was saying. "What's your fault?"
She started slowly, "I'm the reason Rinoa hates you."
"How could that be? That doesn't make sense," he rallied as he gave her an unbelieving look.
"I didn't know until a couple of years ago when Rinoa was telling Quistis why she hated you and Seifer…and I overheard. It wasn't anything you did – it was all me." She eyed him warily, slowly continuing. "I've always felt guilty about what I did, but I didn't know Rinoa blamed you for everything."
His eyes narrowed at his cousin. After a moment, he breathed a sigh. "Okay. Wait. Back up. You wanna explain everything to me?"
"Alright." Emily swallowed nervously before beginning. "Well do you remember her sixth birthday at the park?"
"Vaguely," Squall replied with a slow nod.
"I think it was Quistis' doll you'd hidden a tree. You and Seifer were pissing yourselves laughing and Rinoa beat the crap out of you two, do you remember?"
Once again he nodded with a hint of a smile.
"You thought she beat you up because of what you did to Quistis, but really…she did it because of what I did to her cake."
"And what exactly did you do?" He queried, obviously amused by the memory she'd brought back to him.
She bit her lip apprehensively. "Promise not to laugh?"
"Promise."
"And you won't ever tease me about this?"
"Of course not!" Squall answered, shocked that she'd actually double-checked him. She might as well have made me 'pinkie promise'.
She paused once again, trying to think of a way to put her thoughts together. "Well, I wasn't happy with her at that time - I was holding a grudge against her for what she did at my birthday party. Geez I'm so glad I got over that obsession." Emily rubbed at her head, shaking it as if she were shaking her head at the little six year old inside of her. "At my sixth birthday, she was invited and I thought she was my friend. Anyway, when it came time to blow out the candles, she wouldn't let me have such pleasure. She blew them out for me, I have photos to prove it. So when her birthday came around, I was determined to pay her back the same courtesy. Not only would she not blow out candles, she wouldn't have a proper birthday cake."
"So what did you do?!" He guffawed in disbelief. I never thought Emily capable of revenge!
This is going to sound so unbelievably idiotic! "Please remember I was 6 at that time and completely stupid."
Squall smirked at her. "Nothing has changed."
She quickly slapped him in reaction. "Shuttup!"
"Okay seriously, what did you do?"
"I found some dog shit and smeared it over the top…" Emily whispered, turning away from Squall in embarrassment.
He was rendered speechless for a minute or two, his mouth open with shock. "You what?!"
"I'm not repeating myself! I'm not exactly proud of what I did. I ran away and sat behind a tree as soon as I did it, just waiting to get caught. When the time came for the cake I saw her run in your direction and beat you up…" She gave Squall a sidelong glance. "Do you remember that she demanded her father to get a new one?"
"Yeah."
"And he didn't come back."
Squall breathed in deeply, putting two and two together. "Rin blames me for killing her father?"
Emily nodded silently.
"That's why she hates the sight of me," he murmured to himself.
"I feel so bad about it. My conscience never lets me forget it, and the fact that I see her everyday doesn't help either." She closed her eyes, covering her face with her hands.
"But you didn't kill her father."
"I know I personally didn't kill him. I've tried telling myself that. But if she hates you and Seifer for something she thought you did, how badly is she gonna hate me for actually do it."
"She'll have to understand."
Emily looked up at her cousin, clearly aware of what he had to do to get rid of the rift between him and Rinoa. "Why? You're going to tell her the truth, aren't you?"
"I can't have her hate me forever. I don't want her to. You don't mind my telling? Even if it means that she'll 'dislike' you?" Squall asked delicately, trying to find the right way to put it.
His cousin shrugged in response. "She doesn't like me that much, anyway. It'll be okay. As long as it works out for you." She eyed him warily, not quite sure what he was thinking. "You do know that she has a boyfriend, right?"
"Yeah I know. We're friends," he stated plainly.
Emily raised an eyebrow. "You are?"
"Yup. From Esthar. We're pretty good friends actually."
"You don't plan on breaking them up?" she queried, sounding as if she'd come to the conclusion that Squall had the intention.
How could she think that of me?! My own cousin! "No way! I wouldn't do that to Jem. I just don't want her to hate me," Squall explained.
"I'm sorry I let it last so long." She nudged him apologetically, allowing herself to lean her head against his shoulder.
"It's okay. Doesn't matter." Squall put an affectionate arm around her, rubbing her arm. "So how have you been? You got a boyfriend, too?"
She pulled away from him in shock. What the…? "Me? God no! I'm apparently a nun," Emily laughed.
He snickered in response. "Say's who?"
"Everyone," she chortled. "Except my friends."
"No way! Why?"
"Because I choose to concentrate more on my studies." Her laughter died down. "I did have my eye on someone. But he's taken."
"Who was it?" Squall watched as her eyes darted here and there, avoiding his gaze. Finally, after scratching her head, she glanced up at him with a shy smile.
"Jeremy."
- - -
Quistis turned to face Rinoa, mouth wide open. Rinoa's eyes were still trained upon the door that the two had exited the room by. Finally meeting her friend's gaze directly opposite her she opened her mouth to start several times, no word able to escape her mind.
"Did I just see that?" the blonde asked for Rinoa.
She could hardly find the words to say. Instead she laughed at the situation. "I think so…but…Emily!"
"Come on, there is no way Emily Vella could act that way around him unless they were really close," Quistis reasoned. "There's obviously a logical explanation. I'm sure we'll find out about it by the end of tonight."
"Probably." I wonder what it could be…
"Maybe they've been having a long distance relationship all this time!"
Rinoa shot her friend a doubtful look. "Spanning from the age of six? I don't think so."
"Well she used to go away during the summer holidays, didn't she? Maybe she met up with him occasionally."
"Again, it seems pretty unlikely."
"Do you have any better possibilities?"
"Nope, nor do I care," she put in, though neither she or her friend believed it.
Yeah, sure you don't, Rin.
"Oh look who finally decided to turn up." Rinoa nodded towards the door.
Quistis turned to face that direction and smiled. "Trust Seifer to be 'fashionably' late."
She eyed him as he made his way over to them. "You do realise that if he comes over I'm gonna have to go."
"Why?"
"There's only so much room for me and his massive ego." Rinoa smirked. "Besides, I haven't talked to Irvine yet, and it is his party."
"Fine, fine. Go."
Rinoa left as soon as Seifer snaked his arm around Quistis. "Where she off to?"
"To see Irvine," Quistis replied, turning to kiss Seifer on the cheek. "Hi."
"Hey there," he smiled, pulling her slightly closer to him.
"Guess who's back in town!"
- - -
Rinoa exited the kitchen, peering over the crowd to find Irvine. Instead, she spotted a familiar black-haired boy calling her over.
"Hey, Jem, you seen Irvine?"
"Right there," he answered with a smirk, nodding his head towards the 'dance floor'.
She looked over her shoulder and saw Irvine and Selphie dancing 'rather closely'. Turning back to face Jem, she snickered profusely, leaning her forehead against his chest. After a few minutes she composed herself, glancing back at the couple dancing. "Have they had something to drink?"
"Just the usual 'Rum and Cola'."
"How much?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.
He struggled to suppress his laughter. "Enough, I'd say. Do you wanna dance?"
Rinoa eyed him suspiciously. "How much have you had to drink?"
"Rin, I don't partake in underage drinking."
"Bullshit," she scoffed.
Jeremy scratched his head in defeat. "Only a few sips. I'm driving you home, remember."
"Oh, yeah."
"Why? How much have you had?"
"None. Unless you count a few drops of Midori in my lemonade," she bit her lip furtively.
"That counts," he murmured, moving closer to her, wrapping his arms around her.
Instinctively, Rinoa's arm found their way around his neck.
"Did I tell you how beautiful you looked tonight?" Jem whispered receiving a slight nod before their lips made contact.
Rinoa was about to move closer when she jumped from shock as her cell-phone vibrated in her pocket. Pulling away, she gave him an apologetic smile and, glancing at the number, rolled her eyes. Mom. "It's mom. I'll be right back."
Jeremy nodded in response and eased his arms from around her. "I'll be here."
She could think of no other place that would be quieter than the backyard and so made her way there, completely forgetting that Squall and Emily had exited in that direction. Answering the phone quickly, she frowned slightly. What could be wrong? "Hey mom, I'm just finding somewhere quiet. Gimme a few seconds." Stepping outside, a nippy wind hit her skin causing her to hug herself. She continued off the veranda and down the stairs, her eyes downcast at her feet, making sure she didn't step on anything unpleasant. "Hi, what's up?"
"I just wanted to know if you got there safely," Rinoa's mother asked, concern evident in her voice.
"Mom, it's Jem. Don't you trust him?"
"Oh I'm not saying that I don't trust Jeremy. It's just that anything could've happened."
She rolled her eyes knowingly. "What did you hear on the radio?"
"That there'd been an accident on Elm street. That's about four blocks away form us, isn't it?"
"Yeah it is. We're fine, mom. Nothing happened."
Mrs Caraway sighed in relief. "Well I'm glad to hear that. How's Squall enjoying himself?"
She hugged her arm around her some more, her head still down trying to get herself a bit warmer. "Squall? He's fine I guess. I'd say he's having a very good time. But I wouldn't know for sure. He went off with some chick a few minutes ago. I wonder what they could be up to," Rinoa said slyly, knowing full well how her mother would react.
"Rinoa Caraway! That's a very horrible thing to say! I don't appreciate you saying such things about my friend's son!"
"I was only kidding, mom. Don't worry."
"And Jem is driving you home?"
"Yes, mom. Me and Squall."
"Alright then. Be sure to say good night when you get in."
"Shall do. Bye." She hung up and stared at her phone. After the backlight had turned off she looked up, hearing a few laughs. Glancing to her right where the gazebo stood, she saw two figures sitting together on the steps. Narrowing her eyes to see better, she saw that it was Squall and Emily. Shit…they heard what I said. Embarrassed, she took a step back towards the house but then backtracked, making her way over to the couple. "You didn't just hear that did you?"
"Yup, completely," Squall said in between laughs.
Rinoa forced a smile. "What's so funny then?"
He pointed to himself then Emily. "The fact that you thought me and Em were…"
"Ew! Incest!" Emily squealed, her arms around her tummy.
"You and Emily are…?" Rinoa waited for them to continue.
"Cousins. We're cousins," Squall finished quickly.
Gee…that makes sense. "Oh, sorry about that then." She scratched her head in embarrassment.
"It's okay."
"Well, um, I'm gonna go back inside." Rinoa pointed to the house before turning to walk away.
It took Squall a second to glance at Emily and stand up, taking hold of Rinoa's arm. "Rinoa wait. There's something I need to talk to you about."
. . .
A/N-ACK! It's really quite late. I just came home from watching 'Spiderman 2' and its past 11:30 pm, so I hope you'll forgive me for not writing responses...I got a lot of reviews for last chapter and I...well, I'm plain lazy, but don't worry...review this chapter and you're sure to get a response if you want one ;) hehehe, tricky, tricky. I know I practically promised to update very, very regularly, and I really have tried to be on schedule every single time, but the reality is. There's only so much one can do in a day, and i spend most of mine sleeping hehehe. But seriously, I will try to keep up, but at the end of the day, if it's done then it's done and i will update. If not, well...it will only take a day or two more. Anyhoozy, thankyou everyone for R&Ring, I hope to hear from you all again and just a special [very special] note to wcigtdniw - I don't care how lame you think your reviews are, I LUV THEM! [huggles]. THANKS AGAIN EVERYONE!
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