Disclaimer: (see Parts I or II.)
A/N: Chayn is a character that I made up; I own nothing else but the plot of this story.
To QueenAdreena (my only reviewer) Thanks for reading, here's another update.
-----
Irvine tapped his pen on his open notebook half due to boredom, and the other half due to nerves. He looked up from his notebook to Selphie, who was sitting not more than one row up and two seats to the right of him.
She was copying down the note that was being scrawled on the blackboard by there instructor. Just because they were SeeDs, didn't mean that they didn't have to keep their knowledge sharp.
Even though the situation with Selphie was still on Irvine's mind, thinking about her wasn't affecting him as much as it had been the previous day.
He was beginning to think that maybe once Selphie had spent a little time away from him, she would get bored with Seifer and come running back into his arms, saying that she never should have left him in the beginning. When that happened, which Irvine was sure that it would, he would pretend to consider taking her back or not, but would definitely forgive her in the end.
The instructor was explaining her illegible diagram to the class when she was interrupted by a knock on the door.
Irvine twirled his pen around his thumb mindlessly.
The instructor opened the door and spoke to the person outsidebefore returning to the classroom, "Irvine Kinneas?" She scanned the classroom.
Half the class turned to look at Irvine, who raised his hand. "Here."
"There's a message at the door for you; make it quick." The instructor went back to explaining her diagram.
Irvine stepped out into the hall to find a young SeeD-in-training with a proud look on his face.
"Hello, sir!" he greeted, "Are you Irvine Kinneas?"
Irvine nodded. "Who are you?"
"I'm Chayn; I'm helping Dr. Kadowaki in the Infirmary. She asked me to come by and inform you that she would like to speak with you today before noon."
Irvine stared at the boy for a moment. He wasn't much taller than Zell, but his blue eyes were nearly identical. He squinted down at Chayn as if this were some sort of joke. Why would Dr. Kadowaki want to see him?
Chayn shifted his weight and straightened his jacket before the man's examining eyes. "Um… Sir, is everything all right?"
Irvine blinked back to reality and gave his head a nod. "Sure, before noon. Thanks."
Chayn smiled genuinely and disappeared down the hall, while Irvine, still rather confused, went back to class.
-----
The class ended early, around 10:45am, and Irvine found himself with a few extra minutes before his next class would begin, so he made his way down to Dr. Kadowaki's office in the Infirmary to find out what she wanted to talk to him about.
He knocked on her door and the doctor immediately opened it and welcomed him to sit down in the chair in front of her desk.
Irvine removed his hat, walked into the office, and flopped himself down in the cushioned chair.
Bustling about in the office, Irvine recognized Chayn from earlier.
Chayn looked up from where he was fixing a bed with fresh white sheets and said, "Hello, sir."
Irvine gave him a faint smile.
Dr. Kadowaki sat down in the chair opposite to Irvine. Chayn walked into the room and sat in a chair against the wall.
"Irvine, I believe you've already met Chayn; he's my new assistant," said Dr. Kadowaki. "You don't mind if he sits there and observes, do you?"
Irvine looked over at the boy.
"You don't have to worry about me, sir," said the boy. "I've signed a waiver to ensure that all of the happenings that take place in this office are kept confidential. Besides, I'm not one to gossip."
Irvine blinked confusedly as everything that the Chayn had just said went in one ear and out the other. He was actually quite shocked at Chayn's articulacy. "No, I don't mind."
Chayn took out a notebook and pen.
"What's that for?" asked Irvine.
"Oh, I'm just going to take notes. Don't worry; I won't use your real name."
Irvine turned back to the doctor. "So what's with the meeting? I didn't do anything wrong."
"Actually…" Dr. Kadowaki began, "A little birdie told me that you were planning to do some harm to yourself."
Chayn scribbled something down in his notebook.
Irvine was shocked that the doctorhad been told about what had happened the previous daybut he hid it. "I don't know what you're talking about, Doc," he said coolly, putting his feet up on the desk and slouching in the chair.
"I think you know exactly what I'm talking about, Irvine," said the doctor, pushing his cowboy boots off of her once sanitary desk.
"Well, nothing happened; no biggy." Irvine got up to leave.
Dr. Kadowaki cleared her throat and pointed her finger at the chair across from her. "Sit."
Irvine did so, and Chayn made another note.
"Now, how about you tell me what happened," said the doctor.
Irvine crossed his arms in front of himself and looked to the floor.
"Irvine," Dr. Kadowaki said gently, leaning closer to him, "I'm here so that you can talk to me. Now take this chance and let me help you."
Irvine looked at the woman with uncertainty.
-----
Several minutes later, Irvine was on his way to his next class. He'd told Dr. Kadowaki about how he and Selphie had split-up after he had discovering that she was with Seifer, but he hadn't gone into detail about his decision to jump off the Garden and Dr. Kadowaki didn't ask. He figured that she wanted to save that topic for their next meeting.
As Irvine walked swiftly to class, a blur of motion sped past him. He watched as the red-vested boy with blue jeans hurried along, holding a book up beside his face to hide his identity.
"Hey Zell, wait up!" called Irvine, causing the shorter boy to start running.
Irvine shook his head and followed the boy at a slower pace to the classroom where Zell would eventually have to face him. After all, it would be impossible to avoid Irvine in the classroom; Zell sat right next to him.
-----
When Irvine walked into the classroom he took his regular seat beside Zell, who was sitting with his head buried into his arms in order to avoid anything that he might have to explain.
Irvine placed his books on the desk and leaned over to whisper into Zell's ear so that the whole room wouldn't hear him.
"I know what you did, Zell Dincht," he said in a low voice.
Zell didn't move.
Irvine sat up straight again and opened his book to the page that had been written on the board. The heavy textbook made a loud bang when it hit the desk.
Zell flinched and poked his head up. "Hey, aren't you gonna hit me or something? Ya know, make it even?"
Irvine looked down at Zell by his side and narrowed his eyes. "Nothing I could physically do to you right now could make what you've done to me even." He flipped through his book for page 233.
Zell sat up. "So… are we still buddies?"
Irvine was silent.
Zell should have known better than to ask such a stupid question. He had tattled on his friend. What kind of a friend would do that? But Zell didn't regret what he had done; he was very proud of himself. Who knows what kind of things Irvine could have done to himself if Zell had just been a silent observer.
Zell rummaged through his knapsack for his books.
"Zell," Irvine began.
"Yeah?" said Zell, not skipping a beat.
"We're still buddies," he confirmed, putting a goofy arm around Zell's shoulders. He pulled the shorter boy closer to him. "But if you ever do that again…" Irvine wrapped his arm around Zell's neck and squeezed a little tighter, choking him in a pretend manner.
"Okay, I get it!" said Zell, pushing Irvine's arm away. "Oh, and since we're buddies again, can you put your textbook a little closer to me so that I can look on with you? I forgot mine," Zell grinned widely.
Irvine pulled his textbook closer to himself. "No way, man! Get your own," he said in monotone.
-----
When class had ended, Irvine waited outside the classroom until the instructor had finished scolding Zell for talking throughout his lesson, not to mention forgetting his textbook and not doing his homework.
"Man, I hate that class!" said Zell.
"Well, if you would do your homework like a good little boy and not forget your books, you wouldn't have these problems," Irvine replied rationally.
"Oh, shut up!"
Irvine smirked. "What is your mark in that class, anyway?"
"Uh…" Zell muttered something incomprehensibly.
"What?" asked Irvine.
"54."
Irvine's eyes widened. "54?!"
"Yeah," said Zell quietly. "Mind not telling the world?"
"Sorry, it's just that… 54?! It's only supposed to be a refresher course!"
Zell shook his head. "Man, talk to me again when you aren't going to make fun of me. I get enough of that from everyone else; I don't need it for you, too." Zell turned around and walked away in the opposite direction, leaving Irvine speechless.
-----
Later that night, Irvine found himself lying in bed, wondering what had got Zell into such a grumpy mood. Maybe it was the talk with the instructor. Irvine couldn't think of any other reason as to why Zell had become all moody so suddenly.
Irvine recalled the scene again in his mind. Zell said that he was getting a 54. Maybe that was what had made him so angry. Well, if that was all that it was, Irvine could help him with that.
-----
Zell rolled over onto his back, put his hands behind his head, and stared up at the ceiling in the pitch-black room. He sighed, almost wishing that he hadn't left Irvine in the hall like that. He wasn't even sure why he had done it himself.
If the stupid instructor hadn't of spoken to him after class, he probably wouldn't have acted that way.
The instructor had told Zell that he thought that he should take a break from being a SeeD, and use his time to do some growing up.
"Ch."
Even the instructors picked on him! All his life Zell had been teased and picked on. He could never even hope to the perfect SeeD let alone the perfect boyfriend.
Once again Zell found himself lamenting his pathetic life. If people didn't respect him as a SeeD, he wouldnever find someone who would treat him with respect if he were just a regular Joe.
Maybe he should just quit being a SeeD and go back home to live with Ma. He would live out a happy life under Ma's roof, and never have to worry about anybody picking on him ever again. That would be the coward's way out – the Zell way.
-----
End of Part IV.