A/N: Took longer to update, alot of college work and had writers block, sorry! To whom was wondering: Characters are usually in their SeeD uniforms during the day, but after hours, they are in their own clothes, which would explain in the previous chapter why Celia had a Dior dress on . . . .

"Men kick friendship around like a football, but it doesn't seem to crack. Women treat it like glass and it goes to pieces."

--

Squall, Rinoa and Irvine were already sitting in the café when Zell and Selphie walked in.

"Over here guys!!" Rinoa said with a smile, waving her hand in the air.

Selphie wasn't sure if Zell did this on purpose, but he went over to the waitress at the front bar to order something, leaving Selphie no other choice than to slide into the conjoined seat next to Irvine.

He didn't move his arm, which was draped over the seat back casually. It looked like a poor attempt to make moves on Selphie, but she knew it wasn't; this was just how he sat all the time.

Rinoa beamed at Selphie, "How are you feeling girly?"

"I guess I'm okay. The drugs that doctor gave me are making me really tired. I don't look stoned do I?"

Rinoa laughed, "No, you look fab . . . doesn't she Irvine?"

Selphie silently cursed her friend for this. Rinoa didn't know she was doing any harm; bless her, but the last person Selphie wanted to talk to was Irvine.

It was like she was back at the beginning again, afraid to talk to the cowboy in case she blushed or hiccupped or sneezed.

Irvine turned his head slowly to the right and scanned Selphie, resting his eyes maybe a bit too long on her chest.

"Yup. Nice top. Didn't realise you had such big boo-, ow! Rinoa!"

Rinoa had kicked Irvines leg under the table before he could finish his sentence.

"Don't be such a pervert!"

Squall piped up at this. "He can't help it if he likes to stare at women's breasts."

Rinoa elbowed him in the ribs. "Don't encourage him!"

"Why? What's wrong with what he's doing? I look at yours all the time."

Selphie giggled at Squalls unexpected response as Zell walked over and sat next to her.

"Whatcha all talkin' bout?"

"Boobs," came Irvines undignified response.

"Wicked"

Selphie turned to look at Zell with an 'I'm-not-impressed' look in her eyes, whilst Rinoa slapped Irvines hat off his head.

"Hey hey! Don't touch the hat!"

Rinoa rolled her eyes and said, "I'm sorry. Squall and Irvine were drinking before they came out."

"Yeah, where were you, Zell?" Irvine asked, tilting his head and reapplying his hat.

"Erm . . . . Not sure."

Zell knew very well where he was when Irvine and Squall were boozing.

Sorry I couldn't come along guys; I was fighting with Celia in the trainin' centre.

The blonde was still contemplating over whether he should mention it to Selphie or not.

"OH! Selphie!" screeched Rinoa, pulling Zell out of his thoughts.

"I saw this dress the other day that would look fantastic on you! It's black with these mesh kinda see through arm sleeves. I think it's about as long as your yellow dress and-,"

"Is it tight?" Irvine interrupted the girls fashion conversation.

Selphie took a chance and turned to look at Irvine. Unbeknown to her, he had been looking in her direction for some time.

Jade green eyes met up with indigo fused with grey, holding a gaze that seemed to last forever.

Why is he looking at me?

Becoming nervous, she tore her eyes away from his quickly, before she drowned in the swirls of blue and violet and glanced towards her other friends.

Rinoa and Squall were mock-arguing about something petty, Zell was looking at the red-headed waitress coming over with their food and Selphie was pretty sure that Irvine was still gawking at her. That is until the red head placed the food down on the table, bending down rather provocatively in front of him, not caring about how much cleavage her low top was showing.

Selphie watched the two of them, and saw the way Irvine licked his lips when the waitress walked off with an extra wiggle in her hips.

She couldn't help but feel a pang of annoyance and maybe a little jealousy.

"What a slut," Selphie murmured, more in Zells direction than anyone else's.

She thought he was too busy stuffing his mouth with one of his mustard smothered hotdogs for him to pay any attention, but he looked at her intently.

After swallowing what he had in his mouth, he said, "Who's a slut, Irvine or the waitress?"

"Both," Selphie replied sullenly.

Zell looked over to Rinoa, who was stabbing her fork into a baked potato whilst shooting death glares in Irvines direction.

Seems like he's gettin' on everyone's nerves . . .

"Rin, are you gonna eat that or just kill it slowly?" Zell asked the ebony haired girl.

Rinoa looked across the table at him.

"Oh, didn't realise anyone was actually watching me." A blush crept slowly over her face.

Squall rolled his eyes, Selphie giggled (realising she had been doing the same thing to her salad) and Zell had already gone back to devouring his food.

Irvine on the other hand was still eating, but also staring at Selphie, with no particular emotion in his eyes.

Selphie could see him by looking out of the corner of her eye. Finally, it began getting to her. She swiftly turned to face him.

"What's your problem?!"

Irvine continued looking at her, hoisting an eyebrow, as if wondering what had caused the teenagers' outburst. Zell cast a worried glance over to Rinoa. Squall simply stopped eating, hovering his double cheeseburger in mid-air.

"Why do you keep staring at me? Do I have something on my face?"

Irvine smirked a bit, re-adjusted his hat and then shrugged.

Selphie gritted her teeth and swatted him in the stomach.

"Answer me!"

"Woah! Calm it, lady."

"You make me so mad, Irvine!!"

Rinoa decided to speak up after this comment, "She's right. You piss me off too."

Selphie cast a small thank-you smile in her friend's direction.

"It's a free country; I can stare at you when I want."

Zell frowned at how arrogant that sounded, coming from Irvines mouth.

"Look man, don't tease the girls."

Rinoa shot one last 'boys-are-stupid' glare in Irvines direction before getting back to her food.

Selphie didn't really feel hungry anymore, not that she did in the first place.

I wish I'd never come . . .

Zell nudged her leg with his.

"Are you okay?"

Selphie nodded in reply.

"OOH!" Rinoa chirped, "Let's all go to the beach tomorrow! We've all got a day free!"

"Im up for it," Zell replied. Squall nodded.

"Can I come, princess?" This came from Irvine.

"Oh . . . okay. But don't start any fights. Are you going to join us, Selph?"

Recognising the pleading in Rinoa's eyes, she reluctantly agreed.

"Great. I'll ask Quistis too. OH, and bring your swim stuff!"

Big whoop. They all get to ogle at my cuts . . .

--------------------------------------------------------

Selphie lay in her bed, unable to sleep for what seemed the hundredth time that month.

Glancing over at her yellow sunshine shaped alarm clock, she realised that it was around two 'o' clock in the morning.

Groaning, she found herself getting up, grabbing her stuffed toy penguin and making her way over to Zells dorm room. She hadn't done this lately and found herself wondering if Zell liked it better without her interrupting his sleep.

However, when he opened up his door and smiled at her, all her reservations melted away.

"I can't sleep," Selphie said, still standing in his doorway, her hair ruffled and her large nightshirt swamping her petite form.

Zell himself was standing there clad in only a pair of black boxer shorts and wondered what this midnight meeting would look like to student's late home from drunken partying. Literally shaking the thoughts out of his head, he told Selphie to come inside.

"Did I wake you up?"

"Nah, haven't even been in bed yet."

Selphie pouted, "So that means you haven't warmed it up for me?"

Zell laughed and threw back his bed covers, getting in rather ungracefully, Selphie following close behind.

"Zelllllll, its cold!!!"

"Oh, shush."

Zell was still in thought over what happened in the training centre earlier, until Selphie placed her feet on his legs.

"AH! Hey, they're cold Sef!"

She simply laughed a bit and left her feet where they were, looking up at her blonde friend, who hadn't yet snuggled down, but was half sitting up.

"What are you thinking?"

Zell rubbed the back of his neck and shifted around a bit.

"Er . . . Don't be mad at me when I tell you this, but . . ."

He looked down at Selphie, who had now turned to lay on her front, her arms propping up her head, waiting for him to continue.

". . . I had a run in with Celia in the training centre, before we went to Balamb town for food . . . and I sorta . . . beat her up . . . just a bit."

Zell could of sworn he saw some sort of wicked smile form on Selphies lips before she spoke.

"Why would I be mad at you for beating up my main bully?"

"Ah, I don't know. You're always going on about me not thinkin' and how I shouldn't solve things with my fists."

"Yeah, but this is different. I'm glad you did it . . . thank-you."

"Erm. S'okay. She was makin' fun of you cuttin' and stuff, so I kinda couldn't stop myself."

He watched the way Selphie's eyes seemed to drop down in sadness and immediately knew he shouldn't have mentioned her problem.

"Heey . . . don't go all sad on me."

"Sorry," adding a fake smile, "Are you going to the beach tomorrow . . . technically today . . ."

"Yup, you?"

Selphie pulled at her fingers, making the joints pop.

"Not sure."

"Oh, go on. Don't let the fact that Irvines goin' ruin things."

"It's not that."

"Then what is it?"

Selphie looked into Zells blue eyes.

"I . . . uh . . . don't want people to see me in my bikini."

"Why? You looked great in it last time we went."

He can be so dense sometimes . . .

"The scars and cuts . . . people will . . . stare, I don't think I can handle that."

"Ah."

Is that all he's got to say?

Zell pulled her into a hug, somewhat clumsily under the bed sheets.

"Well, you don't hav'ta wear it. You could just wear a top with the bikini bottoms or something if you wanna cover up."

Selphie said nothing but continued sighing into his side.

"I know for a fact that Irvine thinks you look great in it . . ."

Oops, maybe I shouldn't have mentioned him . . .

"He does?"

"Yup."

"Oh. Maybe I shouldn't have freaked at him today."

"Well, he was being kinda rude staring at you for so long . . . I told you he'd get sprung."

"Huh? Shut up!"

Zell turned his bed side light out and settled down for sleep. After about five minutes of laying in the dark, focusing on the strip of light under Zells door, Selphie spoke again.

"Zell . . .?"

"Wha?"

"Do you think he still likes me?"

"Sure."

"Then, what was he doing with Celia and the other two? And why does he still flirt with other women if he likes me?"

"Because that's who he is. And as for the Celia thing, who knows, maybe he was going through a stage where he only liked to screw bitches."

Selphie turned to lie on her side, away from Zell, and also moved further to the edge of the bed.

Zell mentally smacked himself for, once again, speaking without thinking.

"Uh . . . sorry selph."

"Sorry for what? Reminding me that he touched those sluts and that I'll never be able to forget it, even if I do end up with him? No problem."

Zell noted the sarcastic, vicious underlying tone in her voice and decided it'd be better off to just let her fall asleep in a mood, than risk digging an even bigger hole.