Sweet Music
Chapter Five: A Rainy Night in Esthar
By PasifiKStaR
All Standard Disclaimers Apply: I do not own Final Fantasy or anything associated with it.
He pulled up to the parking lot of a familiar park in one of the middle class areas of Esthar City and slowly killed his engine. As he rested his forehead against the steering wheel, he closed his eyes and listened to the sounds of rain drops falling on his car.
Squall lifted his head, his blue eyes adjusting to the darkness as he peered out his blurry window and looked out in front of him. Three fields, each with a soccer goal on each end, lined the grassy glen, just past the sand pitted play ground.
If he squinted, he could still see himself running from one field to the other, kicking a ball with his cleat clad feet as Seifer chased him along with a chorus of swear words a boy his age shouldn't have known. Other teammates were cheering them on as they waited by the goals or ran after them. His hand tightened on the wheel.
Hyne, he missed those days. Sighing, he pulled his keys out of the ignition and stuffed them in his pants before he got out of the car. Worn athletic shoes splashed in the small puddles that had begun to form on the pavement as he stepped down and headed for the trunk of his car. He lifted the back and looked down at the seven soccer balls bound neatly in a black mesh bag.
Squall grabbed it and slammed is trunk closed before walking through the play ground and on to the now vacant field. A lone street lamp, just before the small slope downwards onto the fields, was the only source of light and as he walked towards the nearest goal, his eyes had to adjust to the changing darkness.
He opened the bag and the balls tumbled out around him, splashing on the wet, flooded grass. He always felt in control of the situation when he was on the field. He knew how to handle things and was good at the sport. Kicking around the ball would send him into a Zen like state - where his body just did what it was supposed to do. No thinking.
That's what he needed. He needed not to think. No thoughts on Rinoa. No thoughts on her forlorn face. On her big brown eyes that sucked him in...Squall shook his head and tried to rid himself of the gnawing guilt that was building up inside of him. He walked back a few steps and took a deep breath as he turned around. Without waiting another second, he ran forward and lifted his leg.
The black and white blur flew into the goal.
The engine died as Rinoa turned the key and took out of the ignition. She looked outside her window hesitantly as big rain drops fell mercilessly on her car. Through the rain, she saw another ball fly high into the air and made up her mind.
The door slammed behind her as she put her feet on the ground.
From where he was kicking in the middle of the field, Squall couldn't hear the sound of the car engine as it parked or the sound of the door as it slammed behind Rinoa. He continued to kick the muddy soccer ball around with his worn, rain soaked shoes.
Rinoa wrapped her arms around herself, mentally cursing for not bringing a jacket along. She trudged up the small incline and stopped as she reached the top. Brown eyes looked down at the lone figure running in the light of one field spot light.
His sweatshirt was soaked with water, making it heavy and splashing out water with each step and turn he took. His pants were clinging to his long, lean legs like a second pair of skin. She grinned lopsidedly as she watched him turn and saw just how tight those pants were on him.
The hems of the pants were muddy, just like his shoes and the ball they were kicking. Large drops of water collected in his hair and gathered at their tips, falling around his angular face like water from a roof top.
Rinoa bit her lip as she looked down at the wet grass and began to carefully make her way down the small slope. She made it one step when her foot slipped on the green and flew forward.
Rinoa yelped as her arms flew out to the sides in a futile attempt to steady her. She closed her eyes tightly as she felt her legs slip out and her butt slam on the ground. But it didn't end there. The slope was too steep and too wet. Rinoa went sliding down.
"OhmyHYNE!" A female shriek snapped Squall out of his zone, making him turn around just in time to watch the petite figure fall on her bum and slide down the hill.
"Rinoa?" he gasped as he kicked the ball one last time before stopping to stare in disbelief.
"AHHH! Ouff!" Mud slashed around her as Rinoa slowly cracked open one eye. Mud on her shoes. Mud of her clothes. Mud on her hands that had landed on either side of her in an attempt to slow her down. She opened both eyes and frowned. Mud was everywhere. She lifted her dirtied hands up and groaned.
A ball rolled slowly and bumped into her booted foot. She looked down at it and slowly raised her eyes as a shadow fell over her. Squall was looking down at her, a wary look on his face as he stopped at her feet. The two locked gazes silently with each silently praying that the other would start off. Rinoa remained seated in the mud, still too much in shock to say anything. This wasn't the entrance she was hoping for. Squall finally took a deep breath and frowned.
"What are you doing here?"
He grimaced inwardly. He hadn't intended to make it sound so harsh. He studied Rinoa's face and watched as her soft pink lips tightened into a tight line and her eyes narrow. "I just fell. You could've at least help me up or ask if I was okay."
Squall jerked his head back as Rinoa lifted her leg and prepared to push herself with her arms. "Sorry," Squall said quickly as he knelt down by her side and put an arm under hers. "Hold on a second..." Cold, muddy fingers tightened around his sweat shirt, leaving dirty stains, as he hoisted her up on to her feet. "How's that? Can you stand?"
"Yes, I'm fine!" Rinoa snapped. A sudden wave of anger had swept through her, his earlier tone combined with his actions earlier that night were still fresh wounds. "Let me go! I can stand on my own!" She pushed herself away from him and Squall stumbled back slight, his arms still extended to the shape of her body.
Rinoa's annoyed face turned to him and she took one step forward, her mouth opened and ready to bombard him with questions. Her foot hit the ground and her eyes widened and her face contorted with pain.
"Rinoa!" Squall gasped.
"AHH!" She was going down. Rinoa closed her eyes and prepared herself for another shot of pain as she fell heavily to her right. Her fingers tightened around wet cloth and she gritted her teeth. The pain never came as she expected.
"I think you sprained your ankle..."
Rinoa opened her eyes and found her head pressed against Squall's broad chest. His warm breath caressed her forehead as her body leaned against his. She swallowed nervously as she trailed her eyes down to her hands and found them woven tightly in his sweatshirt. His arms were around her, keeping her steady.
'Oh...this feels good...No! Rinoa, you're supposed to be mad!' Her mind argued. She blinked and jerked her head away from him. "Let me go! I said I'm fine!"
"Sure," Squall said as he gave her a disapproving frown. "We have to get you off your foot...it's going to start swelling soon."
"What do you mean WE?" Rinoa hissed. "Hey...hey!" Her arms instinctively wound around his neck as one of his arms went beneath her knees and lifted her off the ground. "What are you doing? Let me go! Let me go, this instant, Squall!"
"Don't be stupid," Squall told her roughly as he began to climb up the incline. "You can't walk. You did something to your ankle when you fell."
"That's no reason for you to be...HOLDING me like this! Just help me up the embankment and to my car-"
"You really think you can drive like this?" Squall scoffed. "Maybe you hit your head on the way down, too."
Rinoa's eyes were wide open as she gasped. "You really are a jerk, Squall!" she shrieked maliciously as she started to wiggling in his arms.
"Rinoa, stop moving! You're going to make me fall, too!" Squall growled as he steadied himself half way up the slope.
"Let me go! I don't want to be held by someone as mean and..." Rinoa trailed off and stopped her movements. "Oh my Hyne...you...you meanie!"
Squall rolled his eyes and then fastened them back on their destination. Just a few more steps... "Now what?"
"Is this some sick excuse to hold me?"
Squall nearly stumbled and sent them sliding back down the embankment. Wide blue eyes looked down at her. "What?" he gasped. "Rinoa! You FELL and HURT yourself! You can't get back up without someone carrying you-"
"Oh, don't give me that!" Rinoa told him frustratedly. "First you hold my hand and are so sweet to me on the train and then you glare at me at your concert - as if that entire girlfriend rumor was completely MY fault. When I tried to talk to you, you RAN AWAY, and now you're pretending to HELP me just so you can HOLD me?"
"I AM helping you!" Squall exclaimed. They finally reached the top. "Damn it, Rinoa! I'm not trying to take advantage of you!"
Rinoa narrowed her eyes as he carried her to the parking lot. She had apparently parked two spaces from where his car was parked. "So this isn't some excuse to hold me?" Squall felt his cheeks heat up and he forced himself not to look down at her. Rinoa waited for his answer and tugged on his sweater sleeve. She felt his heart quicken against her cheek and she looked up at him. He took a deep breath as they reached his car and placed her gently on the hood. "Well?"
Squall paused as he unlocked the passenger side door and opened it. "What if it was?" he whispered in a low voice.
Rinoa gasped and stared at him as he walked around the door and lifted her up again. Her arms wound around his neck as he carried her to the seat and laid her down on to the plush leather interior. When she was comfortably placed within, he closed the door.
He walked around the car and opened the trunk to take out a small red bag before closing it and getting into the driver's seat. Rinoa swallowed nervously as Squall adjusted his seat back and reached over to adjust hers. "Squall-"
"Can you move your leg up," he ordered rather than asked. He laid the red bag on the arm rest between the two cars and dug out a tan roll to bind her ankle. Rinoa nodded and lifted up her leg. She frowned as the water that was on her bare legs tracked mud over his car. "Don't worry about interior. Just give me your foot."
Rinoa nodded once more and tilted her body so that she could place her right foot on his tight. Without any hesitation, Squall untied her shoe and Rinoa blushed as he peeled off her damp sock. A dark bruise was forming over her ankle and she knew it was going to be painful.
"I hate soccer." she mumbled.
Squall's head was down, examining her ankle, but the corners of his lips curled up slightly at her comment. He took the bandage and began wrapping it firmly around the heel of her foot to the lower part of her calf. Rinoa watched, trying to keep the slight jolts of pain from making her scream out. However, every time she tensed, Squall would stop.
He would pause before gently rubbing her foot and leg and continuing his work. "You'll have to stay off of it for a few days," Squall said in a low voice as he began packing up the first aid kit back into it's red bag. "Try to keep it elevated."
"Thanks..." Rinoa whispered. He closed the bag and tossed it into the back seat.
"Lean back." Squall ordered. Rinoa silently followed his instructions as she laid back on the reclined chair. Squall reached down and grabbed the bottom of his sweatshirt. Slowly, he tugged it up and over his head, peeling the wet sleeves off his bare arms.
'Oh...my...Hyne...' Rinoa's eyes were pasted on soft, pale skin over the firm muscle of his arms. She could see them move beneath his smooth, wet skin with every movement of his body. Slowly, she looked over his upper body. A white T-shirt, transparent with rain water, clung to every hardened curve, setting off the definition of sculpted abs and chiseled pectorals, a defined set of clavicles, and a lean neck.
Her eyes traced his jaw line, making a note of the slight stubble that was growing. His lips, still dripping with water that had collected in his hair, that was sliding down his face. Rain drops had landed on his long, dark lashes, off setting his brilliant blue eyes...that were staring back at her. Looking slightly concerned...
"Rinoa?"
"I'm fine!" she replied loudly, tearing her eyes away from his body. Her heart was racing as she tried to look ANYWHERE but at Squall. Her face was flushing and she nervously hoped he didn't notice.
Squall folded his wet sweat shirt and placed it on the dash board. He had felt her eyes on him from the moment he lifted up his sweatshirt. It was quite intense and he couldn't help but feel flattered and almost PROUD of what he had made her do. He glanced up and saw her head turned out the window, seemingly staring out at her own car just two spaces away.
Her leg was still on his lap. "I'm going to move your leg." he warned her. Rinoa turned her head back at him and quickly apologized.
"Oh! Sorry-" she gasped, lifting up her bandaged foot.
"I said I am going to move it," Squall said as his warm hands cupped the heel of her foot and the soft underside of her calf. Gently, he moved his palms beneath her leg to adjust it, noticing Rinoa give shiver in the seat next to him. "Just relax..."
Rinoa nodded and blushed as her leg felt tingly from his touch. He moved her leg upwards and placed it on the soft, wet folded sweatshirt. His hands stayed where they were, as if afraid that she would fall apart if he let her go. "Thanks again..." Rinoa mumbled weakly.
"Does it hurt?" he asked. He pulled his hands away from her leg, having lingered there longer than he would've liked. He was still refusing to look at her face.
"It feels fine right now," Rinoa admitted. "But it'll probably hurt later."
"We should get it looked at-"
"No, it's fine," Rinoa insisted. "I'll ice it when I get home."
"Home..." Squall whispered. His head jerked upwards and he looked at her. "I should get you home. It's late and-"
"Aren't you even going to ask why I'm here?" Squall's words died in his mouth as Rinoa looked at him pleadingly. "Aren't you even curious? You're right. It is late. And I came out at night in the middle of the rain, on to a soccer field to talk to you. Don't you even want to know WHY?" Rinoa asked, a look of question in her eyes.
"That can wait," Squall told her in a low voice. "Your ankle-"
"My ankle is going to be FINE," Rinoa stressed. "Squall...what happened tonight?"
The guitarist looked away from her. "You should be getting home-"
"Squall, just answer me!" Rinoa demanded loudly. Squally didn't flinch. He expected that. Rinoa's lower lip trembled. "Why were you glaring at me at the concert? Why didn't you stop when I saw you at the stairwell? Why did you leave the after party before I got to you?"
Squall felt his heart twist in his chest at the sound of her pained voice. "I never liked after parties. I always try to leave as soon as possible." he merely stated. Rinoa narrowed her eyes and shook her head.
"And what about when I saw you at the stairs? I called your name and even ran to the door, but you never answered!" Rinoa exclaimed.
Squall closed his eyes as his hands tightened around the steering wheel and Rinoa watched as his hands turned white. "You were busy..." he stated as normally as he could. Rinoa could hear the bitterness in his voice. "I didn't want to bother you two."
Rinoa squinted and looked at if as if he were crazy. "Bother us two? What are you talking about? The only other person up there was..." Her mouth dropped. "Are you serious...?" That was it? He was JEALOUS? Rinoa quickly shut her mouth. Laughter bubbled within and Rinoa her lip to try to suppress her amusement.
The sound of her giggling grew louder and louder until Rinoa burst into a fit of laughter. She tossed her head back against the seat's head rest as she clutched her sides. Squall's grip on the steering wheel was suddenly released as he whirled around to look at her.
"Why are you laughing?" he demanded furiously. Was this some big joke to her? Was it all just one big joke? He face was flushed with anger as glared at her. "This isn't funny!"
"Yes, it is!" Rinoa laughed as she wiped the corners of her eyes. She looked up at him, a warm, beaming smile on her face. "Squall, that was just Zell!"
"Yeah, I kind of figured," Squall scoffed sarcastically. "The guy you live with."
"So you know, what's the big deal?" Rinoa asked, an amused smile still on her lips. "My roommate was giving me a hug. What's so wrong about that?"
'Roommate?' Squall's tense look eased slightly and she noticed. Rinoa took his moment of silent to continue.
"Zell is my roommate. He saw me run out earlier, because of YOU, I might add, and came out to see if I was okay," Rinoa assured him. She had a confused look on her face as she looked at Squall's stoic face. "Did you think he was my boyfriend?"
"What was I supposed to think?" Squall shouted in his defense. He threw his arms in the air and crossed them over his shoulders. "You live with a guy, I automatically assumed that you two were seeing each other-"
"Wait a second," Rinoa frowned as she pulled back and gave him a questioning look. "How did you know that I lived with Zell?"
'Oh shit...' Squall looked away. 'Great...how are you going to explain this one, genius? Tell her you tracked her down...like some STALKER.' "I..." His hands fell on to his lap as he stared out the windshield glass, the shadows of the rain drops dancing over his face. "I was trying to find you for a week regarding that rumor in the papers..." Squall began.
Rinoa narrowed her eyes. "What did you do? Hire a private investigator?"
"No," Squall shook his head, as if the very idea was completely stupid. "I looked you up and found out you worked at some teaching thing at Esthar University. I went there the other night and asked for you...the girl at the front counter called your house and said that some guy answered the phone..."
"The guy I lived with...Zell..." Rinoa trailed off. She sighed and leaned back against the seat. "I swear, that Rikku... sometimes she just talks and talks and talks and doesn't have a clue what she's saying..." She shook her head and looked back at Squall. His eyes were still directed outside. "So you thought when she said that I was living with a guy...you thought he was my boyfriend. And when you saw him hugging me tonight..."
"What other conclusion would I have?" Squall spat out. "I hardly know you. How was I supposed to know that he's just your roommate? I don't know anything about you."
"Except my name, the fact that I work for an Esthar University teaching program, and that my roommate is a male named Zell," Rinoa stated, crossing her arms over her chest. "And after all of that, you automatically knew my entire love life." she added bitterly.
"It was a mistake-"
"And you sure didn't take it well!" Rinoa scoffed. "I came to that concert tonight to talk to you and all I received were cold looks. I didn't know what the hell was wrong..."
Squall looked down and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry..." he mumbled in a low voice.
"You know WHY Zell was hugging me tonight?" Rinoa asked, almost daring him to answer, as she tilted her head and looked out her window, her jaw clenched tightly. "Because I was crying...because I wanted to see you again and I thought I could at least talk to you and instead you looked at me as if you hated me..." Rinoa closed her eyes as her arms tightened around herself. "As if I was the big bad guy and it made me feel like I was worthless..." Rinoa shook her head and took a shaky breath. "I couldn't even be in the same room as you...I had to get out of there..."
Squall was staring at her. Her head was turned away from him, but he could see her expression reflected in the glass. Her eyes were closed and her lips were trembling. Her arms were hugging her body tightly. Dark hair was still wet and matted against her pale skin. She was shaking as the sound of her shallow breaths reached his ears.
He watched the water on the outside of the glass slid down over the reflection of her face. His hand slowly rose and reached out for her shoulder. "I didn't mean-"
"Can you turn on the heater in here?" Rinoa asked, her voice unusually loud in the small car. She merely looked over her shoulder slightly, pretending not to see his outstretched hand. "I'm kind of cold."
Squall paused and swallowed nervously. He nodded and retracted his arm, moving it towards the ignition. The car turned on and he adjusted the heating system. Rinoa's hands were moving up and down her upper arms, trying to regain some lost heat. Being dressed in wet clothes obviously wasn't helping her.
"I felt the same way..." he said as he turned tore his gaze from her. "When I thought you had a boyfriend...I spent a week looking for you, trying to figure out a way we can deal with the rumor, and then all of a sudden I thought you were involved in someone and all my work was for nothing."
Rinoa stopped moving her hands over her arms and turned to look at him. "Is that it?" she asked, disgusted. "You were just mad because you thought that an entire week was WASTED?" She choked back the shock. "I had to deal with an entire week getting kicked out of studios and record labels while trying to talk to you because they didn't believe I was your girlfriend. And then I kept getting nasty looks from all sorts of women believing that I WAS your girlfriend! Clearly, the one who suffered more was I."
Rinoa turned to look at him and found him leaning against his door against a propped up elbow, gazing outside at the rain. She shook her head. Hadn't he felt ANYTHING?
"Fine," Squall spat out, annoyed. "So what now," he stated simply as he turned to look at her. "We finally get to TALK," he said, gritting his teeth as the word left his lips. "What do you want to TALK about?"
Rinoa's dark eyes lowered and slowly looked around. "How about...how about the rumor?" she asked after a few moments. She lifted her head up proudly. That was the reason she was trying to find him again, wasn't it? To straighten everything out? Rinoa took a deep breath. "What do you suppose we should do about it?"
"It's up to you." Squall replied uncaringly. Rinoa narrowed her eyes.
"It's up to ME?" she asked, sounding upset as she stiffened in her seat. "WHY would it up to ME?"
Squall turned his head to look at her, an emotionless look on his face. "My manager and the record label wanted to go with the rumor. They think it'll make me look more 'human' and 'approachable'." Squall rolled his eyes, remembering Nida's explanation the other day.
Rinoa relaxed against the leather passenger's seat and lowered her eyes. "Okay..." she whispered. "And what do you think about it?"
Squall shrugged. "I don't care. Whatever."
Rinoa looked at him, as if he a complete idiot. "You HAVE to care. This is YOUR life that's being put out on display! You can't just let them dictate your life-"
"They're not dictating my life," Squall snapped as he turned to look at her. Rinoa jerked his head back. Her gaze locked on his intense one. "As far as I'm concerned what the public sees isn't MY life. It's just a facade. A show - just like the one we put on tonight! The public doesn't see ME. They see the Scars Bass Guitarist!"
Rinoa shook her head and curled her hands into fists. "And I see Squall! The guy from the train! Is he fake, too?" Rinoa demanded angrily. "Was that kiss on the hand meaningless? Was that smile false? Were you even really concerned when I hurt myself? Hell, is your name REALLY Squall?"
"Of course it is!" Squall boomed. His heart was racing as he stared at Rinoa. Her eyes held the same amount of fire as his did. "Just tell me what you think!" he said as he pulled away from her. "Are you going to play the part of my girlfriend or not?"
Rinoa stared at him, disbelieving. She shook her head and bit her lower lip to keep from screaming at him. So he really didn't care? Well, she did. Too bad for him. "No," Rinoa stated firmly. Squall stiffened in his seat. "No, I won't be your girlfriend."
It hurt.
Squall felt his body go numb for a moment. His heart froze in his chest and all time seemed to stop. 'You asked the question Nida wanted you to ask. You got your answer,' his mind was telling him. Squall's eyes softened as he felt a pain in his being. 'So why does her rejection hurt so bad?'
Rinoa couldn't look at him. She looked out the window at the side mirror, looking at her rain soaked reflection behind glass and water droplets. "I refuse to be a pawn in someone's FAKE life. I won't PRETEND to be anyone's girlfriend. So, no...you can forget your little publicity stunt," Rinoa angrily retorted. "I won't have any part in a meaningless relationship."
She felt like crying. Just a little over a week ago, she bumped into this man right next to her and she thought he was perfect. Kind and warm. Now she found out he was just a shell. Cold and unresponsive. Everything had probably been fake with her...for all she knew, it had been a publicity stunt from the very beginning. And she was just an unknowing target. Just some girl new to the country...naiive and completely innocent. A victim.
"I thought so," Squall said softly. He suddenly sat up straight and began to adjust his seat. "Put on your seat belt. I'll drop you off at your place."
"No need," Rinoa said in a toneless voice. She was looking out the window and Squall followed her gaze. A dark colored car pulled up next to Rinoa's. A car he didn't recognize. "I'll get a ride...with my FRIEND."
"What do you mean, she's not home yet?" Zell asked as he drove back from dropping off his date. He was in a good mood. He got a sweet kiss on the lips from a pretty girl and even scored a second date. Everything had been going well and he needed to share his new found joy with one of his friends.
He called the apartment and Quistis answered only to deliver the worried news. "She's should've been home by now," Quistis said. From the sound of her voice, Zell assumed she had been pacing. "I keep calling her phone, but no one is answering. Selphie hasn't heard anything from her, either."
"Did she say where she was last?" Zell asked as he slowed down on the wet streets.
"She called just as she was leaving Scars' pent house," Quistis told him. "She said that she went there to talk to Squall, but he wasn't there, so she left. She should've been here by now."
"She's fine...she probably just stopped to get some coffee or something." Zell offered.
Back at their apartment, Quistis shook her head. "No," she insisted. "It's raining hard out there and she was on the verge of tears, Zell! What if she was in an accident? What if she got hurt?"
"Quistis, calm down," Zell told her. "I'll drive around the area a bit and see if I can find her. If you get any calls, call me immediately. I'll look for her, okay? You stay there and man the phone."
"Fine," Quistis said. She sat back down on the edge of her bed and ran a nervous hand down her face. "Call me if you find anything. Bye." She hung up the phone and tossed it to the foot of the bed.
"She'll be fine," a deep voice said behind her. A large hand rubbed her back reassuringly as she was pulled into a warm embrace. "She might've actually find Puberty Boy."
"Seifer, this isn't funny." Quistis snapped as she removed her glasses. She massaged the bridge of her nose as she was pulled back into the bed.
"I'm not trying to be funny," the shirtless lead guitarist told her. "I'm serious. She might've actually found him."
Quistis rolled her eyes and turned to look at him. "What are the chances of that happening? You said so yourself that you and Irvine still don't know where he disappears to. The odds of her finding him in a city as big as Esthar are slim."
"So are the chances of us keeping this relationship out of the public eye," Seifer reminded her. He leaned over and kissed her cheek softly. "I guess people like us are lucky."
Quistis took a deep breath and nuzzled her head against his shoulder. "I hope she's as lucky as we are."
Zell just hung up the phone when he was about to turn a corner. From the corner of his eye, he caught the sight of a familiar car parked in a parking lot in front of a play ground and field.
"Rinoa?" he mumbled. He signaled quickly and changed lanes to double back. He pulled into the parking lot and parked right next to Rinoa's car. He reached into the back seat and grabbed an umbrella before slipped outside and opening it.
From the inside of Squall's car, Rinoa watched as Zell got out of his car and walked around to check Rinoa's car. "I should get out and have him help me." Rinoa mumbled. Her hand reached for the door handle. Suddenly, she felt a pressure on her shoulder and she turned her head. Squall's hand flew out and held her back. His eyes had a confused look in them. He looked as if he wanted to say something, but couldn't get the words out. "What is it?" Rinoa asked impatiently.
"That night...at the train station," Squall began reluctantly. "I..."
"Rinoa?"
"AHH!" Rinoa screamed as she jerked her body away from the glass. Immediately, Squall had reached over and grabbed her. He pulled her against him protectively against his body as he glared at the face outside the tinted glass.
"Rinoa? It's Zell! Are you in there?" the tattooed blond called uninhibitedly at the glass.
"Oh Hyne..." Rinoa's heart was dancing in her chest from the surprise. She lifted her hand and ran it down her face. "Damn it, Zell!" she growled. She was about to reach out and open the door, but Squall held her back. "Squall-"
"Let me finish." Squall told her sternly. His arms held her firmly against him and he looked down at her.
'There it is again...' His eyes were so soft...containing none of the harsh glare that she had been graced with earlier that night. 'There's MY Squall...'
"I wasn't pretending to-"
"Hey!" The couple inside the car jumped at the sound of Zell's voice. "I know this car is on! I can see the lights inside! Rinoa? Rinoa, are you in there? Are you okay?" He knocked on the glass, a frown on his face.
Rinoa growled at her friend and pulled away from Squall, frustrated. The blue eyed brunette reluctantly let her go as he fell back into his seat and ran his hand through his hair. Rinoa grabbed the handle and pushed the door open, earning a yelp from Zell as he jumped back.
"I'm FINE! Zell, what is the big rush?" Rinoa exclaimed as Zell looked into the car.
"Rinoa?" Zell asked, genuinely surprised that she was actually in there. Rinoa rolled her eyes and nodded.
"Yes!" she sighed. "What is it?"
"I was talking to Quistis and she said you hadn't gotten home yet. So I came out to see if you were okay." Zell told her.
Rinoa nodded and released a breath she had been holding in. "I'm fine, Zell," Rinoa insisted. "I just sprained my ankle that's all."
"What? How?" Zell gasped. He suddenly remembered that he was standing in front of a car he didn't recognize and frowned. "And whose car is this?"
"It's mine," a rich voice said across from him. The driver's side door closed as Squall walked around the car to Rinoa's side. "She came to see me and she slipped on the grass and hurt her ankle."
"Squall?" Zell asked, looking surprised. He looked over at Rinoa and then back at Squall and then back to Rinoa. "Since when were you dating Squall?" he gasped.
"What do you mean 'since when'?" Rinoa asked as her mouth dropped. "Zell, we've been talking about that rumor all week!"
"What rumor?" Zell asked, confused. Rinoa groaned and fell back against the soft seat of Squall's car.
"Forget it..." Rinoa mumbled.
"Can you open your car's passenger door?" Squall asked Zell. "I'll carry her in there," Squall finally circled the car and paused just before he reached Rinoa. He narrowed his eyes and studied Zell's face. "Dincht?"
Instantly, Zell had a wide smile on his face. "Wow! You do remember me!" he laughed, obviously pleased.
"Wait...how do you two know each other?" Rinoa asked as her eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"We used to play soccer together," Zell said. "But Squall quit early on...I hardly saw him afterwards."
"YOU are the Zell she lives with?" Squall asked. Zell nodded.
"Yep," Zell nodded. "For a few months now. We went to school in Deling City and I know her family," Zell informed the guitarist. "So..." he said, looking from Squall to Rinoa and back. "How long have you guys been dating?"
"Zell, we're not dating...we were just talking." Rinoa told him. Zell lifted an eyebrow and gave her a knowing grin.
"Right...'talking'," Zell nodded as he winked. "Well...I'll go over there and open the car door...SLOWLY."
"Oh, please..." Rinoa ran her hand down her face once more. She shook her head as Zell attempted to move away from them.
"Give me your arm." Squall said as he stood over her. Rinoa sighed tiredly and raised her arms in the air. He bent over and scooped her up, making sure her arm was placed securely over his neck. He stood up straight and tossed her slightly to adjust him arms.
Rinoa let out a little gasped as she was raised and tightened her hold around his neck, pulling herself closer than necessarily. She snapped her eyes closed and didn't open them until a warm breath caressed her rain splattered cheek.
Dark lashes lifted to reveal deep brown eyes. Squall didn't bother pulling his head away from hers as he could feel her breath against his skin. He stood there, unmoving, with the petite woman in his arms as the rain fell on them relentlessly.
Slowly, her eyes lowered and lingered at his lips. She unconsciously licked her own. "Squall..."
"I'm sorry if I hurt you," Squall whispered. Rinoa closed her eyes as his voice coursed through her body. "I didn't mean to get you dragged into this."
Rinoa nodded slightly. "I'm sorry if I mislead you...good luck...on finding someone who'll...umm... be your fake girlfriend." Squall nodded, hiding his disappointment and hurt behind a cool mask. He lowered his own eyes and put some distance between their faces. Rinoa looked away, relishing the cool water falling on her heated face.
"Ready to go?" Zell called from the passenger's side of his car.
Squall nodded as he began carrying Rinoa towards Zell's car. Her leg was still elevated and the bandage was now becoming soaked with rain. Zell stepped aside and headed over to his side of the car while Squall placed Rinoa into the prepared seat.
After he let her go, Rinoa's arms kept their hold around his neck. Before he could say something, Rinoa leaned upwards and whispered in his ear. "I really liked that guy on the train," she told him softly. "I wish I could see him again."
Squall's eyes widened and Rinoa unwound her arms from his neck. She pulled away and reached for the door.
It slammed closed and Squall stood there as Zell backed up and pulled way from the parking lot. He watched the car disappear into the darkness. It wasn't until he finally felt the chill of the night air and the cold rain on his skin that he finally moved.
Squall fell back into his car and leaned back against his seat. He ran a hand down his face, wiping the rain water off and clearing his thoughts for a moment. The truth was...the guy on the train wanted to see her again, too.
Her booted feet ran up the stairs of the train station. It had taken her a week to get back to her normal walking pace again. And then another week of Quistis nagging her to be careful and wear a brace just in case it gave out or something. A week after that, she received a boot and a sock in the mail. Selphie was confused, but Rinoa immediately knew. That was it.
Squall had mailed her the things she had left behind in his car that rainy night when she sprained her ankle. When he gallantly carried her up a wet embankment and bandaged her injured ankle. Rinoa had sat on her bed, staring at the package that had arrived. Before she knew it, her face was wet. She ran her hand down her smooth face and quickly wiped the tears away before shoving the package out of her sight.
Soon, a month had passed. She was back to her normal routine and had just come back from the Strife's home, yet again. Dreams reminding her of a blue eyed guitarist still haunted her, as did conscious thoughts of him. It was worse. Whenever she watched television, she would always seem to see him or his band on the news. Probably because Selphie always left the television on the music channel.
Rinoa sighed as she reached the top stair and headed out on to the platform. She glanced up at the clock and let out a relieved breath. She was right on time for the last express train of the night. She walked closer to the edge of the platform and looked down the railway. She couldn't see it yet.
Suddenly, the sound of her phone went off and she jumped. Rinoa patted her jacket's pocket until she found the phone. She looked at the caller and had a quick flash of deja vu. "Hello?"
"Hey! It's me!" Selphie piped with her usual introduction.
Rinoa let out an exasperated sigh. "Yes, Selphie?"
"We're out eating sushi! Did you want us to bring home any for you or did the Strifes feed you again?" Selphie asked casually.
"They fed me," Rinoa told her. She paused for a moment. "But bring me some anyway. Anything is fine."
"Okay! Are you home yet?" Selphie asked.
"Almost...I'm at the train station..." 'THE train station' her mind added. Rinoa inwardly groaned.
"Oh, all right. Well, you might get home before us. But if we get there and you're asleep, we'll leave it in the fridge for you."
"Great, thanks, Selphie! Bye." She flipped the phone closed and slipped it back in her jacket.
Rinoa looked up at the sky and sighed tiredly. It was a clear night. She could see the stars over head. "AHHH!" A voice screamed and Rinoa whirled around. Her eyes were wide as she scanned the platform. "Honey! Watch out!"
"I'm sorry, mommy!" a little boy said as he quickly picked up the spilled can of soda. Rinoa lifted her hand over her heart and took a slight step back. The child tossed the useless can into the nearest trash bin before scampering over to his mother and taking her hand.
Rinoa watched as they walked down the stairs. She shook her head. "He's not coming, Rinoa..." she whispered to herself. Behind her, she heard the train whistle screeching. She glanced at the clock once more. "He would've been here by now..."
The express train was approaching and an automated voice told her to step away from the edge of the platform. Rinoa took one step back and felt a rush of cold wind blow past her and her downcast face as the train slid into the station.
"This is the last call for Train 24 to Western Esthar. It is the last train from this station to the Western Esthar station tonight."
Rinoa shivered as the train was called. It was that same train. The doors slid open automatically in front of her and she took a deep breath and walked into the barren train car. She hadn't seen him in a month. Rinoa stepped on to the train and reached out for the metal railing. She'd never see him again.
The train's doors closed behind her and a whistle was sounded to mark it's departure. Rinoa felt body jerk as the train began to move. She turned her back to the cabin and looked out the window at the passing city.
Slowly her eyes adjusted and she found herself looking at her reflection on the glass. Rinoa stiffened as she stared at blue eyes reflected back at her. She whirled around and looked up at the figure standing behind her.
Her heart stopped as her hand held the railing to steady her. Soft, unruly brown hair fell over blue ice colored eyes, marred in between by a scar. Rinoa's voice was small and disbelieving. "Squall?"
"The guy on the train...he," the young guitarist paused. "I wanted to see you again."
A.N. - No, it's not the end! But I hope this chapter was Squinoa enough. :) Thanks for reading everyone! There is more to come, so please be patient! Thank you to everyone who helped with the Tagalog lyrics for that song! I really appreciate it. THANK YOU, guys, for reading! Much Love!