Chapter Two--- Careening into Oblivion

Squall sat in the farthest corner of the cafeteria he possibly could and waited for Fujin. He never ate the school food. God know's what the macaroni and cheese was really made of, but it sure as heck wasn't no cheese. School food just wasn't safe and he was too lazy to actually make himself lunch, so Fujin's mother made a lunch for both of them. Squall loved Fujin's mother. It was her rarely seen father that scared him to no end.

"Squall." Fujin's voice startled him from his thoughts and he found Fujin accompanied by Seifer and Quistis. He raised a brow.

"We insisted on following her. Rinoa won't leave Seifer alone and Irvine won't leave me alone." Quisits explained, casting him a pleading look. How could he say no to such beautiful azure eyes?

"...I guess if you want..."

"Thanks!" She smiled at him and Squall found himself smiling ever so slightly in return. When had anyone other then Fujin smiled at him?

"So, I guess we're supposed to be making a poster on a figure in history and blah blah blah...right?" Seifer chuckled a bit and Fujin nodded absently, staring at a blank piece of paper, her pencil poised and ready to draw something though her head had not figured a suitable subject yet.

"...I've got a lot of art supplies at my house, so we should have everything we need." Squall offered and Seifer grinned.

"So all we need is a person to report on...how about Helen Keller? She was a radical in her day, not this 'we-shall-overcome crap they try to sell us in class."Quistis laughed.

"So...Squall's house, after school? That ok with you, Princess?" Squall scowled at the blonde boy but nodded. Seifer was teasing him. Everyone else teased him, but Seifer was different about it. Somehow...light-hearted. Did that mean they were...friends?

"Sure...Seify-Poo." It was Seifer's turn to scowl while Fujin looked at Squall in delighted wonder. He was attempting to make friends. He might as well, in Fujin's ever present opinion, because it didn't seem as though Quistis and Seifer were going anywhere.


It was the last hour of the day and Seifer sat between Fujin and Squall, legs propped on his desk, (Mr.Kindell had repeatedly asked him to get his feet off the desk and had finally given up), staring at the ceiling in mind-numbing boredom while Fujin continued her random doodles and Squall slept.

"Hey, Seifer. We're going to Ray's after school, come with and we'll show you around." Rinoa glanced distastefully at Fujin and the sleeping Squall and cast a sickeningly sweet smile onto Seifer.

"...I have homework." Still, the smile did not falter.

"You can do it after."

"Maybe I don't want to. Besides. It's a group project. Meaning Quistis and Fujin." Rinoa persisted.

"I'll come with you. We can go after your done. Or maybe they can start without you." Squall raised his head now, glaring viciously at her.

"Dear god. Please tell me you are not that dense or that you were dropped several times as a baby. Just as long as you are seriously not this stupid on your own free-will." Rinoa opened and closed her mouth for lack of a reply (bloody miracle).

"The project is at my house and like hell if I let you set a foot on my property. Take a hint and get lost. God. Can't even sleep in this class anymore. Seifer, I hope you know I blame you for this." Squall proceeded to go back to sleep while Rinoa walked away pouting.

Fujin smiled at Seifer. He had a good effect on Squall.


"Are we there yet?" Seifer was simultaneously kicked on the shin and slapped upside the head by Fujin and Quistis. He waited exactly 45 seconds and asked again. Squall sighed.

"Yes, Seifer. We're almost there."

"Oh, goody. I hope you have actual food. What do they serve you guys at this school anyway? Sheep's brain in disguise?" Seifer was referring to the macaroni and cheese. See, I told you it wasn't cheese.

"Seifer, for the love of all that is still good in this world...SHUT UP!" Quistis pleaded. Seifer pouted and Fujin chuckled. He really was just a big kid.

"...Dad's home early..." It was unusual for his father to be home before 5:26 on the dot. It was the only thing Laguna was ever on time for.

"..Dad? I brought some friends over...we're going to work on...Dad?" Squall entered the kitchen to find his father holding his head in his hands, far to somber and a sense of dread filled Squall.

"..Dad..."Laguna looked up, tears in his eyes. Squall started to back away from him, shaking his head as if to deny the unknown. Whatever it was, it just wasn't true.

"Squall...your mother and Ell..." Squall continued shaking his head. 'Not Mom...not Ell...dear god, please not ell...' He thought, tears threatening to spill and he didn't even know what was going on.

"There was an accident...a pile up on the way home from Ell's school...Raine didn't make it."

"No." Squall's voice sounded to sure it almost convinced Squall himself.

"Squall..."

"No! She's...no! She's not dead! You're lying!" Squall turned to run, but found himself in Seifer's arms. Fujin wiped a few tears away, Raine being like a second mother to her too. Squall allowed Seifer to comfort him for a few moments before he turned back to Laguna.

"What about Ell?"


A.n: Ohhhhhh such the sadness! Review!

i Ultimate!