Chapter 7 – Decent Proposal

Squall and Rinoa were talking to each other at the celebration when Irvine came running towards them.
"Zell and Seifer are drunk!" Irvine shouted over the noise. He was barely able to stand up himself.
"So?" Squall shouted, "Nearly everyone in this room is drunk!"
"Yeah, I know!" Irvine leaned on Squall's shoulder to keep himself upright, "You should see what they're doing!"
"See what who's doing?" Selphie asked Irvine as she and Quistis appeared.
"Zell and Seifer. Now come on, before you miss it!"

When everyone saw Seifer and Zell, it was easy to tell that they were drunk – they were dancing with each other!
"Oh…my…GOD!" Rinoa exclaimed, laughing.
"Well I can say something," Irvine began, still using Squall as a support, "I never thought I'd see that happen!"
"I think someone should go check on them." Rinoa advised.
"Go on then!" Squall shouted, unable to stop laughing.
"I don't wanna!"
"Come on!" Squall said, getting Irvine to hold his wine glass, "I'll come with you." He finished, walking with her towards Zell and Seifer.
"What are you doing?" Rinoa asked as they drew closer.
"What does it look like?" Zell laughed. It was a good thing he was holding on to Seifer – he would have fallen over otherwise.
"I think you'd better get some sleep!" Squall suggested, almost losing his own balance.
"No, I wanna-" Seifer moaned.
"Don't argue!" Rinoa ordered, taking Seifer by the arm, "Now you come with me. Squall, you deal with Zell and meet me at the Training Centre afterwards. You said you wanted to talk."
"Come on then…" Squall said to Zell as they both followed Seifer and Rinoa to the dorms.

"I…wan…g…eep…" Zell moaned as he sat down on his bed, "…o…ay…all!"
"You must have had a lot of wine to want to dance with Seifer!" Squall joked.
"I…ouldn't…ind a…partner…"
"You seem to have forgiven him easily."
"…rgiving Seifer…takes time…" Zell slurred, burying his face in the pillows on his bed.
"Well," Squall said, standing up, "I'll leave you alone," he stopped at the door as if thinking, and then said to Zell, "I feel sorry for you, y'know."
"Why?"
"You're gonna have a pounding headache in the morning!"

"You okay?" Rinoa asked Seifer, handing him a cup of coffee. They were in Seifer's room now, sitting on the bed together.
"Thanks," Seifer said gratefully, taking the cup, "I…I am sorry, you know."
"I know," Rinoa said, smiling, "…Y'know, it's gonna sound stupid but…"
"Yeah?"
"When I thought you were dead," Rinoa began. She knew this was going to be a heart-pouring moment, "I realised how much I'd lost, or thought I'd lost, and I…I missed you. I mean, I know how much of a…" she stopped for a moment, trying to think of the right word.
"Bastard might be the word you're looking for." Seifer suggested.
"You said it!" Rinoa laughed, "Seriously though, when I thought that you were gone…I realised how much I still loved you…"
After Rinoa had finished, an awkward silence filled the room. Seifer was the first one to break it.
"I think you should go." He spoke, not daring to look at the woman sitting opposite him.
"Y…Yeah…" Rinoa said, getting out of the room as quickly as possible. As she got nearer to the Training Centre, she wondered what Squall wanted to talk to her about.

Squall turned as he heard footsteps coming from behind him. He thought it was Rinoa but it was just some random student. Where was Rinoa?
"Sorry I took so long!" Rinoa said, appearing out of nowhere.
"C'mon," Squall said, letting Rinoa place her hand in his, "Let's go to the 'Meeting Area'." The 'Secret Area' had since been re-named the 'Meeting Area' due to the growing number of people who went to meet each other there.
"What do you want to talk about?" Rinoa asked.
"I'll tell you when we get there." Squall said, smiling to himself. He had his right hand in his pocket, holding something.
"Okay." Rinoa didn't care what they talked about, so long as it was nothing to do with Seifer. She didn't want to talk about Seifer.

"When Rinoa and Squall arrived in the 'Meeting Area' they sat on a sofa, which was one of many new additions to the room.
"What do you want to talk about then?" Rinoa asked, her eyes fixed on Squall.
"Well, y'know how much we've been through together…" Squall began.
"Yeah?"
"And you know how much I love you, right?" Squall's nervousness was very obvious.
"Yeah…?" Rinoa said again, confused.
"Well there's one more thing I want to know."
"Oh, Squall! Get to the point!" Rinoa exclaimed, frustrated. She noticed that, at these words, everyone quietened down. They were now listening to her and Squall's conversation.
"Rinoa…" Squall began. He slowly got down on one knee and then resumed speaking, "…Will you marry me?"
Rinoa stared at the beautiful ring that was being held before her. She looked at the people surrounding her, as if for help.
"SAY YES!" everyone shouted.
"I t-think…" Rinoa choked, taken aback by Squall's proposal, "I think they said it for me. Of course I'll marry you!"