Hatred to Love

Chapter 8 – Dear Stepsister Part I

The rain on the outside showed what fifteen year old Rinoa Heartilly felt on the inside. Cold, lonely and very gloomy. She had finally moved into her father, General Caraway's mansion in Deling City. It was her home, before her parents had gotten a divorce and her mother, Julia Heartilly moved to Balamb and took Rinoa with her.

Rinoa rolled over on her queen sized canopy bed and stared out her window. The view was normally picture perfect, like it always was, but this morning, it was grey, cloudy and pouring heavily with rain. She yawned. She still wasn't used to living in her father's mansion yet. Although she knew the whole place like the back of her hand, she still wasn't used to living in it once again.

She sat up and looked around her bedroom. It was her bedroom until she had moved to Balamb with her mother. It was the only room that she actually felt safe and comfortable in. Every other room in the Caraway mansion was either too formal or made her feel unwelcome in.

I might have only lived here in this…place for a week, but it feels like a year. I never knew that I'd miss Balamb, all my friends and Squall so much! I sort of regret deciding to move here to Deling now…

Rinoa got off her bed and quickly made the sheets. In doing so, she also knocked several glass photo frames with pictures of her friends, Squall and her mother onto the marble floor.

As she knelt down to pick up the photo frames, her knees felt the coldness of the smooth white marbled floor. She shivered as she slowly and carefully picked up the delicate glass frames. Luckily, none of them had smashed into small fragments of glass.

She managed to smile a bit as she glimpsed at one of the photos that she was gently holding onto. It was the group photo, with Selphie, Quistis, Zell, Irvine and Squall. She remembered how hard it was just to get that photo. It was just last month, in March when they were on an excursion to Balamb's beaches for their Geography class. They were all allowed a lot of free time, so Selphie suggested a group photo to keep as a memory for when they were all grown up.

Flashback

"What's wrong with taking a photo Squall? Everyone else agreed to it…" Selphie said with a small frown on her face.

Squall rolled his eyes. "I don't see the point in standing in front of an electronical device just to get a piece of paper with our images on it in return. Besides, I haven't taken a photo since last year,"

Zell raised his eyebrows. "And back then, he still had that same blank expression on his face,"

Squall glared at Zell.

Rinoa laughed. "Please, just one photo Squally? Do it for me," She pleaded while gazing into his electric blue eyes with her own brown ones.

Squall looked down at her with an emotionless, blank face. He took a deep breath and sighed.

"I hope that means a yes. Cos' dude, there's nothing wrong with taking a photo," Irvine said.

Quistis smiled at the whole scenery in front of her. She leaned down to let the crystal clear beach water cool her own warm hands.

"Quisty? Come join us for the photo," Rinoa called.

Quistis nodded an "I'll be there in just a second" and quickly got up and hurried over to where they were all gathered.

"Who's going to take the photo?" Quistis asked curiously while taking out her water bottle to drink.

Selphie smiled cheekily. "Yoo-hoo! Xu!"

Quistis almost spat out the water that she was drinking from her bottle. As she wiped it from her mouth she asked with shock, "You trust her!"

Zell, Irvine and Rinoa politely greeted Xu as she approached them. Squall on the other hand was playing the guy with the 'don't give a damn attitude'.

"I don't, but for now I do," Selphie replied stubbornly.

Zell placed a hand on Quistis' shoulder. "Who cares about who takes the photo? I know that Xu isn't your favourite person on the planet, because she wrote nasty things about you in the school newspaper, but all she's going to do is just take one photo," He whispered gently into her ear.

Quistis gave him a weak smile. Zell returned the smile.

"Ok, smile!" Xu said loudly.

Then the flash on Selphie's digital camera went off.

End Flashback

Rinoa felt hot, wet tears trickle slowly down from her eyes. She remembered how much fun they had, but that was all in the past. She needed to concentrate on the present, otherwise it would distract her. She gently wiped away her tears using her pyjama sleeve.

And after that, I dragged Squall off with me so we could sit down on the nice, warm sand alone and just talk about…everything.

"Miss Caraway?" A voice interrupted Rinoa's thoughts.

Rinoa looked up to see who was speaking to her. It was one of the many maids that worked in her father's…wait, now her mansion.

"Good morning Evelyn. I do prefer you calling me just Rinoa though. Not Miss. Caraway," Rinoa said once she got up from where she was sitting.

Evelyn bowed. "I understand. I'll call you that from now on,"

Rinoa smiled kindly at the young woman. "What did you need Evie?"

"Your father wanted to talk to you in his office, after you have breakfast that is Rinoa," Evelyn said.

Rinoa raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow. "Did he tell you why Evie?"

Evelyn shook her head. "No Rinoa. General Caraway didn't tell me why he wanted to talk to you in his office,"

Rinoa nodded. "Um, if that's it, would you mind to…um,"

Evelyn smiled at her. "I'll leave now for you to get changed Rinoa,"

With a last bow, she quietly left Rinoa's bedroom, closing the door behind her.

As Rinoa rummaged through her huge wardrobe (mainly filled with expensive designer outfits that her father had bought for her as gifts) for clothes to wear, she thought about what her father might want to talk to her about…

Maybe he's finally going to announce that I'm going to meet Amber, the home wrecker and her stepdaughter, probably a self-centered, bitchy snob. Since Father is kind of well-known, maybe his so called new 'family' will be a feature article in some magazine. Oh joy. Or maybe he's going to say that some relatives from his side are coming to visit. I'd like to meet them though.

Rinoa finally settled on wearing a pair of slim-fitting pale blue jeans and a woollen fluffy pink jumper. She walked over to where her make-up table was and reached for a hairbrush. She ran the brush through her hair a couple of times to make it smooth and straight again.

She curved her lips into a small smile as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. She gently placed the hairbrush back onto her make-up table and walked out of her room, shutting the door behind her.

She made her way down the many stairs in her mansion (the house is five storeys high in this fanfic) and she sighed as she reached the bottom of the stairs and the bottom level of her mansion.

She slowly took a deep breath and gracefully made her way to the kitchen. Her breakfast was awaiting her.

"Did Rinoa move to Deling City to live with her father already?" Ellone asked when she and her younger half-brother Squall were in the Leonhart-Loire Mansion's kitchen washing up after breakfast.

Squall almost dropped the plate that he was drying. "Ellone, how did you know?"

Ellone smiled. "Rinoa's mother told Mum a while ago who told me,"

Squall continued to dry the plates and glass cups. "So basically you're saying that I was the last one to know?"

Ellone's eyes widened. "No, no Squall. Mum didn't want to tell you because she knew that Rinoa should be the one to tell you and not her. She wanted you to stay…well, happy,"

Squall stared at the black and white tiles of the kitchen. "Whatever Ellone," He said quietly and left the kitchen.

Ellone could only hope that what she said didn't hurt Squall deep inside. She didn't deliberately mean to tell him, but for some reason, she felt that it was right.

Squall quickly walked up the stairs leading to the first floor of his house and to his parents bedroom where they had gone to after they had finished breakfast.

He also passed his father on the way.

"Why good morning Squall. Did you enjoy the breakfast I made?" Laguna asked cheerfully.

Squall could only look at his father in an eccentric way. "Where's Mother?"

Laguna sighed. "Well, she took a nap. She's feeling rather ill right now, Squall, so she's resting in her bedroom,"

Just as Squall was about to enter his father and mother's bedroom, he felt someone pull his arm back.

"Squall, your mother's resting right now," Laguna said sharply.

Squall just simply ignored what his father said. "I need to discuss something with her!"

He snapped.

Then at that very moment, Raine Leonhart-Loire walked out to see what all the commotion was about. She was beautiful, but being sick, she looked tired, but nevertheless strikingly pretty.

"Why is there so much noise at this time in the morning?" Raine asked soothingly while glancing at both her husband and her teenage son.

Laguna and Squall stopped in their tracks to face Raine. They half expected her to be really frustrated and angry, but the look on her lovely, young face was kind, warm and caring. Like how she normally was regardless of her mood.

Laguna was about to speak, but Squall quickly cut him off. "Mother, why didn't you tell me that Rinoa was going to move to Deling when Julia told you?"

Raine looked at Laguna with an expression that read 'Did Ellone tell him?' and looked at Squall with a heartbreaking smile.

She walked over to a white stylish sofa that was situated in the hallway of the first floor and sat down. Squall looked at her and she nodded. Laguna knew that he wasn't needed so he left for mother and son to talk.

Raine coughed. "Squall…I know that you're mad at me right now…" She started.

Squall looked at her straight in the eye. "How could you? It would've been best off if you had told me when you found out from Rinoa's mother!"

Raine could only smile sadly in return. "Squall; there is a reason why I didn't tell you earlier,"

Squall, who was staring at the tiled floor, looked up at his mother's caring face.

"…"

Raine started to stroke Squall's smooth, silky dark brown hair. "How would you have reacted if I told you instead of Rinoa?"

Squall was silent. Actually, I would've been angry!

"I'd…I'd been really mad at everyone…and Rinoa. Maybe especially Rinoa for not telling me herself,"

Raine nodded. "That's exactly why I didn't want to tell you. I knew that it was best if Rinoa told you herself. You were so miserable after Adelina died. You lost the person that was not only the closest to you, but your best friend. I also knew that if I told you Squall, you might've acted that way as well. I was so hurt after that and you were too and I didn't want to experience that all over again darling,"

Squall looked at his loving mother with small tears in his electric blue eyes. "I'm sorry Mother," He whispered and hugged her.

Raine was shocked at her son's sudden affection, but was all the same happy.

"Thank you very much for breakfast," Rinoa said kindly to the cooks in the kitchen.

"That's alright Miss Caraway; you better not keep your father waiting now,"

Heartilly! My last name is Heartilly! Not Caraway! I want you to either call me Miss Heartilly or just Rinoa! Her mind screamed.

Rinoa then courteously excused herself and made her way to her father's office.

On her way, she admired beautiful paintings, portraits, decorative ornaments and other rare artefacts.

While she was walking and admiring things, she knocked into someone who apparently wasn't looking where they were going either.

"I'm so sorry!" She gasped and she offered her hand to help the other person up.

He looked up and gazed at her face in an amused way. "Is that all you can say?"

"When you accidentally knock someone over, you offer them your hand and you apologise! You on the other hand should take my hand and say that it's alright! Not ask me if that's all I can say!" Rinoa snapped, not bothering to look at him to see who he was.

The young man quickly got up by himself. "Rinoa, don't you recognise me?"

Rinoa stopped in her tracks and looked at his face closely. "Nida!"

Nida chuckled softly and leaned over to embrace Rinoa. "What the hell are you doing in my house Nida?"

He let Rinoa out of his arms and gave her a hurt look. "What? Can't your first cousin visit you whenever he wants to?"

Rinoa's lovely brown eyes looked into his own piercing emerald green ones. "Well, maybe Nida. What are you doing here though?"

Nida scratched his head. "Your Aunt Sophia, my mother suggested I come over to see you and your father also invited me over as well,"

Then they both started walking towards Caraway's office together.

"Nida, why did my father invite you over?" Rinoa asked.

Nida looked down at her and grinned. "Dearest little cousin, you sure are full of questions today. Uncle Richard invited for some special occasion and he wants all his relatives including yours truly to come and celebrate with him. And he wants us to see you again,"

Rinoa looked puzzled at what he said. "What's the occasion?"

Nida smiled. "Didn't Uncle Richard tell you? Anyways, it'd be best off if he told you himself,"

Tell me what? Rinoa thought.

"Good morning Rinoa! Welcome Nida," Richard Caraway said once they were in his office.

"Hello Uncle Richard. Thank you for having me here," Nida said politely as he leaned over to shake his Uncle's hand.

"Good morning Father," Rinoa finally said.

"Have a seat you two," Richard said and he gestured to the two black leather armchairs situated in front of his table.

Rinoa hastily sat down on one while Nida sat down on the one next to her.

"As you can see Rinoa, your first cousin Nida is here," Richard started.

I can see that. I'm not that slow Father, Rinoa thought.

"I've invited all of your relatives on my side of the family to come here to our house so that they can meet my fiancée and her daughter. I want the family to get to know Amber and her daughter as soon as possible," Richard continued.

When her father wasn't looking, Rinoa rolled her eyes. How on earth did I know? I guessed both of them right, She thought sarcastically.

"And most of them should be arriving between this afternoon and tomorrow morning," Richard said.

Nida smiled. Rinoa didn't know whether to be excited about her relatives visiting or miserable because she was going to meet Amber and her daughter.

"So, is there going to be a big party or what?" Rinoa asked.

Richard and Nida smiled. "Of course there is! A dinner party tonight and a little vacation at our Esthar summer house tomorrow for two nights and three days," Richard replied.

"Rinoa, dear, you look troubled. Is there something that I haven't explained?" Richard asked in a fatherly way.

Just as Rinoa was about to open her mouth to speak, she was cut off by a loud noise.

Richard, Rinoa and Nida quickly got up out of their seats and peered out the door to see what had caused the commotion.

"Don't tell me what I can or cannot do! I may be elderly, but that doesn't mean I need an entire entourage escorting me at all places!" A shrill voice snapped.

"Oh Hyne no," Nida muttered.

Richard placed a hand over his mouth, too shocked to say anything. Rinoa was baffled by the whole scenery.

"Richard, I thought I told you not to send escorts to pick me up in Timber! Just because your father was sick, does not mean I cannot drive here on my own!" She screeched.

Richard remained silent.

"Nida! How are you my dearest grandson?" The woman said grabbing Nida by the arm and pulling him into a tight embrace.

"I'm…I'm fine," Nida said gasping for air.

Grandson…? Then that must make her my…

"Rinoa! My darling granddaughter, how you've grown up so beautiful. You look just like your lovely mother. I haven't seen you since you were 11 tears old," The woman said with a beam.

The woman let go of Nida and embraced Rinoa.

"Grandma….Caraway?" Rinoa said confusedly.

"Dear, don't call me that. That makes me feel so old. Call me Grandma Elle," She said.

Then she stopped in her own tracks. "Richard!" She shrieked.

Richard, who had just sat down on his chair, almost fell out of it, thanks to his mother's sudden outburst.

"Yes…yes Mother?" He said shakily.

"Just what have you done to Rinoa to make her forget me?" She barked.

"Nothing…nothing Mother," Richard replied uneasily.

"Grandma, I thought that you wouldn't be here until tomorrow," Nida said.

Richard had left the room by then, so the three of them sat down on a sofa.

"Silly child, no one can tell me when I can or cannot come," She said.

Rinoa smiled. Hard to believe that this woman raised my father.

"Thanks Zell," Selphie said.

Zell blushed. "You're welcome Selphie, besides I just adore little Nicole," He said and picked up the blonde toddler and tickled her.

The two of them were taking a walk in a local Balamb Park with Selphie's little half-sister. It was only 9pm in the morning, but it looked like the afternoon. It wasn't raining in Balamb, just very cloudy.

Nicole smiled sweetly at Zell and Selphie.

"Selphie, seriously, tell someone about Catherine," Zell said with a worried look on his face.

Selphie's eyes suddenly saddened. "Zell, no one would listen. Catherine is this, Catherine is that, Catherine is a loving and doting stepmother to you. Everyone thinks she's this perfect woman who wouldn't dare hurt a baby or her own stepdaughter,"

Zell exhaled. "Selphie, I saw what she was like. She bloody abused you! You have to speak out before she hurts you even more!"

Selphie suddenly fell to her knees and let all her tears flow out of her emerald green eyes.

"Zell, you're the only one that I can trust. Please don't tell anyone! Not even Irvine, Quistis or Squall. I can handle this on my own!" She choked.

Zell took out a packet of tissues from his pocket and offered one to Selphie.

"Big sister, don't cry," Nicole said in unclear manner.

Selphie looked at Nicole. Selphie took her out of Zell's strong arms and hugged her tight.

"I love you Nicole. It's hard to believe that you're Catherine's own daughter when you look nothing like her," Selphie whispered softly in the toddler's ear.

Zell placed an arm around Selphie's slender shoulders and helped her up.

"Come on Selphie, you can come back to my house now," Zell said.

Selphie looked up at Zell gratefully and smiled. "Yeah,"

So Zell and Selphie with Nicole in her arms walked back to Zell's house.

"Grandma Elle, what do you think of Father marrying Amber?" Rinoa asked as she was sitting on her bed in her room while her Grandma was brushing her hair.

Elle snorted. "I think it's ridiculous. Besides Richard should've let me and your Grandfather meet her first before whisking her off and proposing to her. But as always, he doesn't listen to what I have to say,"

"Your hair is so smooth darling. I used to love brushing your hair when you were a little girl," Elle said gently.

Rinoa smiled. "Thanks Grandma Elle,"

Rinoa stood up and modelled her outfit for her Grandma. It was a light blue dress that had no straps and fell just above her knees. Her matching heels made her creamy white legs look even longer than usual.

"Very pretty dear and appropriate for this occasion. It makes you look just like a teen model," Elle said.

Rinoa walked over and stood by her window. "The rain has eased," She said pointing to the sky.

"You know what Nida? Amber must love being fashionably late," Rinoa whispered.

Nida laughed. "It's good hanging out with family again, isn't it?"

Rinoa smirked. "Yeah, but its not good hanging with you again,"

Just as Nida was about to snap back teasingly at Rinoa, he was called off by someone to help out in the dining room.

Rinoa sat alone on the stairs, wondering when Amber and her daughter would arrive.

Then the doorbell rang. It disrupted her thoughts but she was ecstatic.

She carefully got up and walked over to the front door. She unlocked it and opened it.

There was a girl standing there in a knee-length candy pink halter neck dress and Rinoa was pretty sure that that was Amber's daughter. She couldn't help but feel that she had seen this girl before.

"Mum! Hurry up!" The girl called out,

"Can I help you?" Rinoa asked.

The blonde girl turned around and smirked. "Sure you can help me…Rinoa,"

Rinoa was astounded. The blonde girl was none other than Mandy.

"You must be at the wrong place Mandy, because you weren't invited here. Now if you excuse me, I'd like to shut the door," Rinoa said grouchily.

Then Nida and Richard appeared behind Rinoa to see what all the fuss was about.

"Wow, Mandy's going to be my step cousin!" Nida commented playfully.

Rinoa glowered at him and elbowed him in the stomach. She might be your step cousin, but that…that bitch could be my stepsister!

"Mandy, dear! What took you and your mother so long to arrive?" Richard said and leaned over to kiss Mandy on the cheek.

Rinoa looked horrified.

"My mother and I apologise to keeping you and your family waiting so long, but you do know that at night, there is a lot of traffic," Mandy said sweetly.

"Rinoa and Nida, do you know who this girl is?" Richard asked pointing to the now smirking Mandy.

Rinoa rolled her eyes and Nida forced a smile.

"She's Amber's daughter, big deal," Rinoa muttered.

"I'm going to be your stepsister Rinoa and your step cousin Nida," Mandy said in a phoney high-pitched voice with a sickingly sweet smile on her face.

Richard gave the three of them a smile before disappearing back into the house.

"I see that I'm not needed here, so I'll go," Nida murmured and he quickly left.

"You're going to be my stepsister!" Rinoa spat once Nida left.

Mandy toyed with her blonde hair and smiled at the fuming Rinoa. "It's a small world Rinoa,"

Mandy brushed past Rinoa and whispered into her ear. "Hell yeah I'm going to be your stepsister. And I expect you to be nice and polite to me tonight as well,"

"And what makes you think I will be?" Rinoa shot back.

Mandy smirked. "Well, there is always a little white lie to tell,"

Rinoa looked at her in the eye. "You wouldn't dare,"

Mandy shrugged. "I'm capable of absolutely anything,"

And then Mandy walked inside and greeted some of Rinoa's relatives. Rinoa was still a little shaken after that. She was breathing heavily. She looked up into the night sky and held on tight to her necklace. And she let one single tear drip from her eye.