Author's Note: Sorry for the long delay. My life has been a little hectic lately. Now, on with the next chapter!
Disclaimer: I do not own FF8 in any way, shape, or form.
Chapter Four
Rinoa sat at her desk, twirling the stem of a black rose between her finger and thumb. She lifted the flower to her face, and inhaled the sweet scent. She smiled softly, thinking of the man who had sent her the flowers. Every day for the past two weeks, he had sent her black roses. Most people thought she was morbid for loving them. They felt that the dark petals embodied death. Maybe she was morbid for liking them. Ever since she was younger, she had always been fascinated by the stories of vampires, demons, witches, all the things the world looked on as being evil. She could remember before she was old enough to realize that they only existed in books and movies, she used to believe that one day she would find them hiding and become one of them. She laughed at herself. She stood up and walked to the window. She placed the rose back into the crystal vase, along with the others. She looked out the window and watched the puffy clouds travel across the blue sky. She felt her gaze being drawn down, as she looked over the parking lot, she spotted him. She smiled and waved to him. He motioned for her to come outside. She turned around, grabbed her purse and walk out of her office. She headed for the elevator, and realized that Selphie was not sitting at her desk. By the stack of papers sitting on it, she had not been there all day. Rinoa frowned, she hadn't seen much of her friends since the night she asked Zell about Squall. She hadn't even talked to any of them in the past week. Not even Selphie, who she seen every day almost. She pressed the button on the elevator and waited. The doors slid open and she went inside the box, and pressed another button as the doors slid closed again.
Squall leaned against his midnight black Jaguar. He stared at the entrance doors to the building in front of him. Waiting for her to come out. The past two weeks had been eventful. He was not used to spending his time with people, especially women. He usually stayed to himself for the most part, not really interesting with anyone. He couldn't remember the last time he had talked to someone he considered a friend. He knew that he was not always as he was now. There was a feeling and a shadow of a memory that told him this. He woke up one morning, and most of his memories of the past were gone. For awhile he had tried to learn what had happened to him. He eventually gave up looking. The door swung open, and Squall straightened. Nope, it wasn;'t her. He reached in his pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. He withdrew one of them from the pack, and placed it back in his pocket. He lit the end, and took a long drag off of it.
"Long time no see there Leonhart."
Squall knew who it was without even turning around. "Go away, Seifer."
"I can't do that. You need to come with me. There is much that we need to discuss."
"By 'we' I assume that you mean Selphie, Irvine, Zell, Quistis, and yourself."
"And you Squally-boy."
Squall turned around. "There is nothing that I need to discuss with any of you. Now, go away. I am waiting for someone."
"I know. Your waiting for Rinoa. She is what we need to discuss. Now, are you going to come willingly, or am I going to have to drag you along kicking and screaming like a baby?" Seifer smirked.
"You and I both know that your no match for me. No matter how strong you become. You'll never be in the same bracket as me. Leave now, before I get angry. I think you forget what happens when I am provoked, otherwise you would have left by now." Squall dismissed him with a wave of his hand. Seifer's hand wrapped around his neck quickly...
Rinoa stepped outside into the blinding light. She squinted her eyes, waiting for them to adjust. She turned and headed in Squall's direction. As she got a little closer, she realized Squall was talking to someone. She leaned to the side to see who it was. As the other person came into view, Rinoa knew him immediately. Seifer! what was here doing her, and talking to Squall. What if they are friends? No, Squall would never be friends with someone like Seifer. But then, she had been friends, and even more then friends with him. She seen Seifer lift his arm, and wrap his hand around Squall's neck. She tried to scream, but for some reason her voice was stuck. She started to run to the pair. As soon as she did, they faded away. Rinoa stopped and stared. She blinked a few times. She couldn't believe what she had just seen. Had they really just disappeared? yes, she was sure they was really standing there. Now they was gone. She quickly ran to her car and got in. She stared the engine and drove home as fast as she could. Once there, she went inside and went up to her room. She grabbed the cordless phone on the way up there. She claimed onto her bed, and quickly dialed Zell's number.
"What the fuck! Seifer, how dare you! I know that it hasn't been long enough for you to forget who exactly you are dealing with." Squall screamed in outrage.
"Hey Squall, long time no see."
Squall looked around the room. As he had guessed, they was all there. "I would say it is good to see you, but we all know it would be a lie."
Irvine looked at him. "Squall, look... Can we just put the past behind us?"
Squall laughed at the idea. "You really think that I could just forgive and forget what you all did? Your sadly mistaken. I do not think kindly of traitors. Now if you will excuse me, I have plans that does not include any of you." Squall's body turned to smoke as he started to fade away.
"If it involves Rinoa, it involves us." Selphie blurted out. Squall's form slowly became solid again. "That's what I thought."
"Listen to me. All of you. Whatever is going on with me and Rinoa, is none of your concern. If you want to be here friend, I will not try and stop you. Unless you force me to."
"How do you think you can manage that? Rinoa loves us." Zell finally spoke up.
"Easy. I'll tell her what you really are. Do you think she will be able to stand in the same room with any of you if she knew?"
"True enough, but what about you? You think she would be happy that she is fucking a guar..."
Squall rushed across the distance and punched Seifer in the jaw. "Shut the fuck up, Almsay."
"Squall, there is something about her that you don't know." Selphie stood up and walked over to him. She handed him a large book. "If you won't listen to us, at least read this. It will tell you more then we can."
Slowly, he took the book. Not sure if it was a trap. "Ok, Selphie. I will read it. I'm not saying I will believe it. But I will read it."
Selphie looked at him. She looked like she was about to cry. "Squall, we never meant to..."
"Selphie, shut up. He'll find out the truth soon enough."
"Whatever. I'm out of here." Squall said and faded away.
Everyone sat there in silence.
A ringing broke the silence. Zell quickly answered his phone. "Yeah? Rin...are you...Yeah...okay, we'll be there." He shut the cell phone off. "Guys, that was Rin. She need us to come over."
