Disclaimer: You should know what I own and don't own. I own nothing.

Author's Note: I don't know if I made it clear before... but the story is in past tense. So everything that's italicized and in present tense are her thoughts at the time of the event. Does that make any sense? I hope so.

Rainy Days: Chapter 6 - Starry, Starry Night

The phone rang. And rang. And rang and rang and rang. Whoever it was that was calling didn't want to give up. And whoever it was that was calling never left a message either. They simply hung up and dialed again.

The fifth time the rounds of rings began again, I groaned loudly from under the covers and pillows and rolled over in bed towards the table where my phone was. Urgh, it was 8 in the morning. Who would be calling at an hour like that? I'm trying to sleep here!

I stretched out my arm and picked up the phone, grunting out an unhappy "Hello?" before sinking dead back into the pile of pillows.

"I should've known you'd still be in bed," a male voice chuckled into the phone.

I shot up like a rocket when I heard his voice. Oh my gosh! "Squall! Wha - I mean why - no! wait..." I twisted and turned in bed, frantically trying to find a way out of the sheets. "Oof." I finally fell out backwards and sprawled out on the floor, the phone above my head. I could hear him laughing at me over the phone. Growling, I picked up the phone and gathered myself off the floor, heading towards the bathroom. I glanced at my cell phone on my dresser. I only remember giving him my cell phone number...

"How'd you get my number again?" I mumbled.

"Irvine."

"Right."

There was a moment of silence as I brushed my hair. "Squall? Hate to be rude but - why'd you call me at this ungodly hour?"

He went silent for a while, and I was beginning to think that he was gone already. I was just about to hang up when he finally spoke up.

"What are you doing tonight?"

I was surprised and nearly dropped the phone. I definitely wasn't expecting this. "What?" I paused and smirked. "Well this is different. It used to be that I was the one who had to be the one who took you everywhere and get you to open up," I joked and leaned the sink counter. It was true. He was so shy before, I had to practically drag him to places that were outside of his dorm.

"Rin-" he began to argue back, but I cut him off.

"Nothing. I have a free schedule tonight. Why'd you ask?"

"I'll pick you up at seven."

"You still haven't answered me why though, Squall."

He was silent again after I said it.

"Squall, we already tried the whole dating thing. It didn't work, remember? There's a reason we aren't dating anymore. You're lucky I began talking to you again. Don't go all silent mode on me now."

He still didn't speak. I could tell he hadn't hung up yet though, because I heard him sigh, and could hear his breathing on the other end of the line. "If you don't say anything in the next five seconds-"

"Wait Rin," he finally said. I smiled. Works every time... "It's... it's a surprise."

"I told you, we already tried da-"

"Not a date," he said firmly. "Just... a surprise."

I fiddle with the things on the counter for a little bit in deep thought. "Alright," I answered with a sigh. If I knew anyone who was honest to a fault, it was Squall. "Tonight at seven."

Squall is always precise, true to his words; and as long as it's under his control, it will go exactly as planned. At exactly seven o'clock that night, my doorbell rang.

"Right on time," I told him, smiling sweetly and closing the door behind me.

He glanced at me for a second, and shrugged himself. He led me to his car where he opened the door for me before he got in himself, and treated me to a quick burger-and-fries dinner.

"Not a date, huh?" I asked him, getting into his car a second time. He shut the door for me smirking, and got into his own door. He shook his head and started the car.

"Not a date. If you call fast food a proper date, you're crazy."

"It happens," I shrugged. I had a guy take me to Burger King every single time we went out. "And the opening of doors for me?"

"Manners," he said simply, keeping his eyes on the road.

I stared out my window. For how long though, I have no idea. Soon after that quick little chat, my eyes began to droop. Whoever said when your stomach is full of food you fall asleep easily is right. When I woke up, we were no longer in the middle of a city. We somehow ended up in a forest.

Squall had shaken me awake and was now doing something outside. He told me to just wait outside until he got back to get me. I was still a little drowsy though. Why am I in a forest?

I slowly got out of the car and stretched out, hoping it would wake me up. By then, whatever it was Squall was doing should've been done. There was a rustle in the bushes nearby. Squall was still far away though, he couldn't have heard it. I got myself read in case it attacked, but it seemed to be gone. A hand touched my arm and I leaped in surprise, but it turned out only to be Squall, getting me.

As I tried to calm myself and slow down my breathing, he took a handkerchief out of his pocket.

"I need to blindfold you."

My eyes widened. "What? Why?" It's nighttime in the middle of a forest. It's already dark, what would I see!

A half smile played on his face. "I need to blindfold you..." he said holding up the handkerchief, "or else it won't be a surprise."

"Umm..." I looked at it weakly and bit my lip. Still feeling uneasy I let him blindfold me, but clutched his right arm tightly with my left hand.

"Don't worry..." he said. "I'm not throwing you off a cliff." I knew he meant that only as a harmless joke, but I clutched his arm tighter, suddenly feeling extremely nauseous.

When he pulled off the blindfold, I nearly screamed. I was standing in front of a cliff! It dropped at least fifty feet straight down just five steps ahead of me. Both of my arms flew around his torso in fright. He laughed at me when I did this, and tried to pry my digging nails off his body.

"Look past the cliffs and trees," he whispered softly into my ear. My eyes had shut themselves tightly when I my arms went around him, and I had pulled my head close to his body. I loosened my grip and slowly opened my eyes.

"Wow..." I breathed out. From the cliff, you had an aerial-like view of the city. I could see the bright neon lights of the stores twinkling back at me like little stars.

"Now look up," he whispered again. His arms somehow found their way around me, but I felt comforted like before. It didn't bother me in the slightest bit.

I smiled and tilted by head up, and laughed knowing that I was enjoying myself. What are you planning Squall?

The wow I had earlier couldn't even describe the sight that was above me. If he hadn't been holding on to me, I might've just twirled off the cliffs. I wanted to spin around and look up from every possible angle. Millions of shining lights stared down from me. They weren't like the city lights at all. Artificial lights only gave so much delight; the stars were exactly like the song. Like diamonds in the sky...

"Oh, they're so beautiful..." I whispered, my eyes not diverting from the night sky. "Thank you for taking me here." I hugged him tightly, not caring at all that I used to be mad at him and avoided him.

"Did you think this was it?" he asked me. I looked up at him confused. What did he mean? This was awesome! What more is there? He pointed inland a bit more, further from the cliffs where he had a telescope set up with some blankets and books.

I gasped. This was so exciting! I never took astronomy, however much it interested me. When we sat down, he shrugged. "It's an assignment I have to do. Just thought you might want to help me. I remembered how much you liked the stars, so..."

I grinned and nodded. I rubbed my arms a bit. I was beginning to be cold. But Squall was prepared for that. He wrapped a blanket around my shoulders and had me sit down beside him on another blanket that he had laid out beside the telescope for us to sit on. He took out the books and began to give directions while I watched attentively. He showed me pictures in the book, and then showed me in the sky. He then pointed out the ones he still needed to find and had me help him. I either found them for him or wrote down what he saw.

It was probably around 8 or 9 when we drove up into that forest. While we were up there we seemed to have lost track of time. I took a short break and sat watching him, and ending up falling asleep again on his shoulder. He shook me awake and took me home. I swore I could last a bit longer, but he insisted he take me home, and that it was around midnight anyway.

Before leaving the mountains we caught a shooting star as it flew across the sky.

I giggled and pointed up at it. "Just like our first kiss, remember?" I smiled at him and he smiled back. I don't hate him anymore. My old feelings were coming back though, and I wanted him to kiss me right then and there. He came closer to me and put his arm around me, but the kiss never came. He lead me to his car instead, and let me sit and wait inside where it was warm as he packed up his telescope, books and blankets.

I was disappointed and upset. Not at him, of course, but at myself for having feelings for him again. What was I thinking? I rested my head in my hands and took a deep breath. He got into the car right then.

"Tired much?" he asked. I lifted my head and shook it.

"No, not really." He looked doubtful, but went along with it anyway. Luckily, this time I didn't fall asleep in the car.

It was near 1 or 2 when we got back to my apartment. He was kind enough to walk me to the door, claiming he didn't want any crazy guys jumping out from corners and raping me in my own apartment. I laughed at him and hit him in the chest, telling him he was over-exaggerating, but let him walk me to the door anyway. The walk just to the door took forever though, because we kept playing and flirting with each other. He learned to open up more thanks to me, and I guess along the way he learned to be a bit more playful as well. I was picked up and swung around 3 times in the parking lot alone; and Squall actually laughed - hard - that night.

It didn't feel like we were ex-boyfriend and girlfriend anymore. There was no tension or bad feelings between us, and my bad memory stopped coming up in my mind. In fact, it was almost like we were dating again. There were no more kisses though, just friendly gestures like pats and half hugs with only one arm. We're not dating anymore. My mood always dropped a bit when this fact of reality hit me.

When we finally got to my door, he told me to take care. "I'll call you and let you know if you aced it," he joked with a twinkle in his eye. I laughed and nodded in agreement.

"I hope I did well for my first time," I told him.

He smiled back at me. "Don't get sick, alright Rin?" There was no disgusting goodnight kiss like a few nights before with Zell; just that goodnight grin and wave. Though I wanted that kiss with Squall, the smile was enough for me.

When I got inside I leaned against the door. I miss you Squall, I really do. I just never knew it 'til now. Irvine's words came floating back to me from yesterday. Have fun tomorrow Rin! I smiled at the thought. I did Irvine... hope you're satisfied. I sat there for a few minutes just thinking about what happened that night. I needed to get to bed though, so I moved and got changed and headed towards bed, ignoring the flashing light saying that I had messages for the starry lights outside that had left me speechless earlier that night.

 Ending Author's Note: I'm trying to make the chapters longer, but they always turn out shorter than I think they'll be. This entire chapter was Squall/Rinoa based. I'll try to add in more Seifer/Quistis and Irvine/Selphie action later, and... something else with Zell. Reviews help much! v