Disclaimer: I don't own it now, and I won't own it ever. (One thing you'll learn about me is that I never say never.) heh..
Chapter 6: Truth or Lies…
Seifer Almasy walked inside his condo in downtown Balamb, tossing his keys onto a dresser as he shut the front door behind. He had rented the place out for a week and after awhile, decided to buy it from his landlord. Despite the rest of Downtown Balamb, which reeked of city constructions, his condo was faced near the sea and held one of the best views of the ocean, but with the city directly behind, he often felt like he had been living with his father in Deling City once again.
Being a first class rich kid, Seifer had grown up with many luxuries and often got his way when growing up. But as he had matured, he realized not everyone was thrilled because of his family's wealth. He was despised and feared, and often had trouble with 'friends', hence, people only befriended him because of his money or just because being with him would somehow make them important. Deling City, a city of hungry moneygrubbers, a city he had moved from to live life somewhere the people would appreciate him for who he was without his money.
The blonde ran a hand through his hair and walked to his refrigerator to grab a bottle of water. Although tiny, the condo was more than enough space for one person, to him at least. He didn't mind having only one bedroom and bathroom, or that there was only one big living room where the countertop worked as a dividend between the living room and the kitchen.
Seifer saw a red light blinking on his telephone as he pulled the bottle away from his mouth; he realized someone had left a message for him. "…Oh great…who needs a favor now?" He pushed down the confirm button swearing if it were his parents, he'd pull the phone from its plug and out of the wall. But to his surprise, he was relieved to find Rinoa's voice coming from the phone instead.
"…Hi Seifer, it's Rinoa. I just wanted to tell you that I won't be able to see you for a while. Things aren't exactly going well right now, and I…well I have a lot of business to take care of. Please understand, and thanks."
"Business?" He questioned aloud, remembering their date days ago. He understood she hadn't felt too well when he dropped her off, so what if she was trying to avoid him now? Had he really made her uncomfortable? Seifer groaned, thinking he might have rushed things between the two of them. He realized that she still had a busy life, raising a daughter on her own, trying to find a job to support them; he admired Rinoa.
In all his life, he never dated a woman with such a good and intelligent head on her shoulders until Rinoa. Despite her current dilemma, she wasn't dating him for his money. Rinoa had never begged for a single piece of gil from him, though he wouldn't mind supporting her. If anything, he wanted to see little Rori happy, to have new clothes and toys like any other kid should have. Seifer smiled to himself when he remembered Rori snuggling against a bear that he purchased for her; a little brown bear whose fur was a soft as cotton and feathery against the skin, and the best part was its glassy blue eyes, a favorite feature to Rori. Rinoa told him the child could never sleep without it, something that warmed his heart; something that made him appreciate the two of them even more.
Unsure if he should return her call or not, Seifer rubbed his chin with the side of his water bottle then set it down onto the countertop. He groaned, wondering if her calling was a hint to leave her alone, or if it were a cry for help; after all, her voice had sound a little edgy over the phone. Deciding against the odds, Seifer picked the phone up and began to dial for Rinoa's home, but instead found that no one was there to answer. Sighing in defeat, Seifer let the phone rest and bit his lower lip fiercely.
"…What if she really can't stand me anymore?" He asked, folding his arms as he leaned against the counter and rested his head into the seat his arms had created. He recalled her distant behavior when the two had been dancing in the restaurant at Balamb, how Rinoa had almost pushed him away when he kissed her goodnight.
Seifer rubbed his forehead and tried to relax his shoulders. He needed to be sure the two of them hadn't fallen out…he needed to see her again and soon.
"What do you mean Squall saw Rori?" Rinoa gasped into the phone, almost choking on the food she had been chewing.
"It's true." Selphie said while hiding herself from the hallway that lead to the bedrooms in her home, assuring Rori wouldn't overhear her conversation with Rinoa. She had long put the child to bed since the earlier incident occurred in which Rori had indeed spoken to her father unknowingly.
"Selphie, that's not good. What if…" Rinoa said, managing to cease her coughing. "…What if he knows now? …What if he appears again just to see her?"
"Well, I can't say for sure, but I don't think you have anything to worry about. Rori doesn't know who he is…and I know I can say the same thing for him."
"…Still…it's too risky, Sel. I can't let her stay over there anymore, not another day. Selphie, please pack Rori's things…because first thing tomorrow, I'm coming to pick her up, okay?"
"Rinoa…when will you tell him about her?" Selphie asked without warning. She was concerned for her friend and trusted she could do well on her own, but sometimes the things Rinoa suggested, like this for example, was completely wrong…
"…I'm sorry. Just…please have Rori ready to go by the time I get there tomorrow, okay?"
Selphie sighed, "…Okay."
"Thank you." Rinoa muttered, and after listening to Selphie muffle one 'mHm,' she hung up her phone. The two women, although separate at the time, sighed simultaneously and eased back onto their sofas, thinking about the troubling things that occurred so quiet and secretly.
The following morning, Squall rose, feeling as though he could take on the world. He smiled at the reflection staring back at him, overtaking the dullness that once filled the entire room and his own soul. For once in the mirror, he saw a person he could be proud of, he saw himself…
With Rinoa opening up to him once again, Squall knew better days would be in store for the two of them. He smirked and whispered, "Goodbye, mystery guy." Laughing at his own sarcasm, he realized he needed to apologize to Zell about walking out after the blonde had told his own joke, a joke that had strangely stood out in his mind. Squall thought to himself, Why would Zell even joke about some girls anyway? The guy's a nutcase…
With a shrug his shoulders, he sighed, "…Well, whatever, I can't afford to lose another job. I better go apologize to him today." He said, getting together and later marching out of his room to take on another day in Balamb.
The hostess smiled at the front desk, "Have a good day sir."
"You too." He said, heading out of the door quickly.
Squall had almost jogged through the town, passing a few houses and shops on the corners just to get down the street and into Zell's shop. When he approached the opened garage door, he was surprised to find Zell talking with a tall brunette whose hair was kept back in a tight ponytail, and wore a burgundy apron that was tied to the back around his t-shirt and jeans. The two men turned around, wide-eyed for a moment before the brunette chucked out, "Speak of the devil! Squall, long time no see man!" Irvine held out his hand and walked toward him, and Squall, almost confused at the sudden change of reaction, had shaken it off to return the gesture. He smiled and greeted his longtime friend.
"Yeah, likewise." Squall said, moving back from their greeting.
"We were just talking about you; about the good old times when we'd all hangout."
"…Reminiscing about me like I'm dead?"
"No, you know that's not how it is! Anyway, I gotta run back to the store before I get fired." Irvine smirked and turned back to Zell, "Zell, I'll see you later. Just make sure you keep an eye out for my stuff!"
"Sure, I will. Seeya!" Zell called back, waving Irvine off with a soggy towel he had used to wipe an oil-stained piece of machinery. Zell stuffed the rag in his back pocket and eyed Squall, "So…have you come to beg to get your job back?"
"…Beg?" Squall questioned, folding his arms and shifting most of his weight to his right leg. "…Look, I'm sorry about what happened yesterday…it wasn't appropriate, and it won't happen again."
Zell remained silent and folded his arms also, his stern face quickly changed into a smile, "I'm just kidding around, Squall, you don't have to take me so seriously, and you especially don't have to beg me for your job. Get in here!"
Squall raised an eyebrow, "Who said I was begging?"
Zell laughed out loud and bent over because he had laughed so hard. "Yeah, don't try and play that way to me. I know you were serious." He raised his head, "And you don't have to worry. I won't tell anyone…it's our little secret."
"…I… think I wanna quit-"
"No! I really need help today, we've got a lot of work to do!" Zell pleaded and ran toward Squall, then pulled the man inside the garage quickly before he could escape. Squall couldn't help but laugh too.
Soon, the two men began work on an automobile that needed to be fixed by the end of the day. The entire time, they had an off and on conversation about Irvine's stuff; models of guns and real shotguns he had been keeping in Zell's shop for the time being because Selphie would never allow them inside their home. Respecting his future wife's wishes, the cowboy had found a way that would make everyone happy: Selphie could live with the satisfaction of never having a single gun her home, Irvine would be able to keep and tune his weapons while having his good friend keep an eye on them, and Zell would have protection from anyone that might decide his shop is an easy target for a robbery.
Even so, there were things Zell didn't tell Squall, like why, for instance, the two had become nervous when Squall first showed up at the Garage's front door. Before Squall arrived, they were gossiping like two old women about the latest on Squall and Rinoa's relationship…
"Just as soon as we're free, I'm taking Selphie to the city for a little while. She's been complaining about not having comfortable clothes anymore-"
"Ah, the feminine hints, eh?"
"Yep…so, whenever she's free of Rori, I'm gonna take her there. Of course, the Gun Show is coming soon, so that'll be my excuse." Irvine let out a sneaky laugh and Zell sighed until he realization hit him.
"Rori? What-is she at your house or something?"
"Yeah, Sel agreed to keep the kid until Rinoa got things under control with Squall, but Rin's coming over to pick her up from our place sometime today. …I don't know what's going on between those two… Anyway, Squall is very slippery. I haven't run into him since I heard he was back in town."
Zell grinned, "…Oh really? Don't worry about it; he's acting differently lately, meaning, if you see him…Beware."
"Nah, he won't be so grouchy. We go way back, Squall and me." Irvine said, touching his thumb to his chest. "Have you forgotten?"
"Well I've known him since we were kids, and right now he's got a serious temper, but I can't put it passed the guy."
"Yeah, Selphie said Rinoa's trying to get a divorce, but that was all… she doesn't know what's happened as of yet."
" Divorce? …You don't say." Zell grabbed his chin, "No wonder he was angry yesterday."
"…What happened?"
"He got upset when I made a joke about Rinoa and Rori…but…I didn't know why he reacted so…violently." The blonde said, his eyes moved about the room as he thought back to Squall's rage.
"…" Irvine looked at the ground, and then pulled Zell into the shop from the lot, meeting his eyes alarmingly. "Zell, you idiot! You didn't tell him about Rori, did you?"
"…Um…not really. All I said was girls... Why? What is so wrong with that word?"
"The whole point of Rori staying with Selphie and me is to hide her from Squall. Selphie says Rinoa doesn't want him to know about Rori; she wants to ditch the guy and push him out of Balamb!"
"No way! You're kidding!" Zell yelled in disbelief. All that time he thought Rinoa and Squall were working through their problems but in reality, Rinoa was trying to destroy him…
"No, I wish I was!"
"That's bad, really bad. What the hell is wrong with Rinoa? She can't do that to him, besides Squall has to know about…you know who…" Zell said as Irvine let go of his shirt.
Irvine had lowered his tone, "…I agree, but Rinoa would kill us if we said any-"
"Uh…" A foreign voice echoed from the ramp of the garage's driveway. And both men turned around to face Squall, looking like deer in headlights. Irvine gulped and displayed a cool smile before chucking out, "Speak of the devil! Squall, long time no see man!"
As badly as Zell wanted to, he could not break his promise and tell the man the truth. Now wouldn't have been the time… Squall seemed to be in a much better mood than before, and he realized he would probably need to wait until after the day's work; the car that was parked in his garage was a tough case, he would need all the help he could get.
Rinoa lifted the pages of her calendar hanging on the refrigerator's front; she fingered her way down a few months and stopped at one in particular. After carefully studying it, she realized the little girl was right. In about four months, Rori would in fact be, "Four! See, See! I told you momma! I'm makin' four in four months!" She raised four fingers in the air and swirled around excitedly. Four being her birth number, four being one of the first of the highest numbers she had ever counted to on her own before.
Rinoa smiled, shaking her head and kneeling down as she grabbed the girl's tiny hand and brought it closer to her face. Rori was stopped and faced to meet her mother's eyes, grinning from one ear to the other as Rinoa whispered, "You're going to be a big girl soon Rori." She said, touching Rori's chubby cheek and giving her nose a soft dab. "I love you."
"I love you too, mommy." Rori embraced her with a fierce bear hug that made Rinoa giggled, surprised at the little girl's strength. "Mommy?"
"Yeah sweetie?" Rinoa asked, still holding the girl to her chest.
"…Can I get a pony?"
"A pony? …Rori." She smirked and pulled away from the girl but found that Rori had been smiling; already knowing her mother would turn down the request.
"I know!" Rori said, "No, I can't get a pony." She kissed Rinoa's cheek and broke out of her arms.
Rinoa laughed and stood up straight while yelling out, "Rori, since you're heading to your room…why don't you start getting your bed clothes out for me, alright?"
"Okay!" She shouted, her tiny voice traveling from her bedroom.
Rori can be so cute sometimes… Rinoa thought as she imagined the girl digging through her drawers to find her pajamas. It was unbelievable that in four months, Rori would be making four. To Rinoa, it felt almost like yesterday when she was on that table pushing so hard that her brain could seep from her ears. Who knew that pregnancy could be such a terrifying experience, certainly not men, that's for sure. Suddenly the thought of men and pregnancy stirred her stomach…something that always happened whenever she thought of Squall's absence during her own. Could the timing have been more perfect? Did he know she was pregnant when he fled that night?
It was impossible, she had only learned she was pregnant the day after his leaving… He surly couldn't have known that beforehand, could he? No, it would remain impossible. Had he known, the first thing he would've asked for was his child… If anything, her secret was still safe; Rinoa knew that much. And if Squall was concerned about the child he had run into before, then he would've called and asked her about the kid. She could be thankful the man had a knack for spitting out the first thing on his mind, something he practiced daily and took ages to perfect.
Just as she fought off the rotten feelings and left the kitchen, she heard a familiar rapping on her door. After making her way to the front door, she opened it partially while peering through at her visitor.
"Hi Rin…" Squall's voice immediately flowed to her ears. How his voice had begun to calm her nerves once again, the way he held her at the docks… Rinoa wanted to come clean and confess everything to him, but…she couldn't understand what was holding her back.
Oh no! Rori's here…with me! With Squall so near and Rori there also, things were moving too fast for the young woman, and she felt her heart pounding in her chest again. "Rinoa?" Squall questioned, moving closer to the door, but Rinoa pushed her way out and closed it behind. Squall had stayed where he was, but Rinoa had run into him and felt her body pressing against his with her back to the door. He smelled fresh, fresh like he had just gotten out of the shower and put on his best cologne, one that hadn't clogged her nostrils like Seifer's had, one that she could snuggle with underneath the stars. Both blushed for a second before Squall took a step back, not wanting to appear too desperate.
After a moment of soft laughter from pure awkwardness, Rinoa lured him out to the steps and away from the house, away from his daughter.
"…Squall…we really should talk. You know…" She said, not wanting to give him direct eye contact; instead, she brought her eyes down to the concrete walkway, sneaking peaks of his body along the way. Sometimes she hated herself for thinking about the ups and downs of their relationship, sometimes she just wanted to jump on Squall and thank him for coming back to her life. Squall had on an ordinary white t-shirt with black pants and boots to go along with it; if she had seen another man wearing this, it would be just another person…but with Squall…it was a different story. Rinoa could remember a time she had missed him so terribly, that she fell into the clothes he left behind in their closet, taking in the scent that remained…she was foolish.
"I know. I'm not expecting you to just…take me back instantly. I know it'll be a long time before that ever happens because…you're so ready to move on with your life. But I'm not…I can't." Just listening to his voice had tingled her insides, she wondered if butterflies had softly grazed throughout her system. Rinoa shook away her sensitivity and fought back with whatever was causing her this grand distraction, and she remembered… It's that cologne! Damn you Squall… Damn you for knowing what will work on me… She thought to herself as he continued, "…I can't move on Rinoa…"
No, he definitely didn't know of Rori's existence, and if he had, she wouldn't be speaking to him now. He would probably leave just like any coward does; after all, it was done before, leaving for four years, so think how easily it could happen again. Rinoa feared what might happen if Squall learned of Rori now. He would probably expect to have her all to himself, but when the child is thrown into the relationship, the reality sinks in, and everything goes wrong. Disaster was bound to happen regardless of which way Rinoa turned. So she summed up all her strength and responded, "…Squall, honestly…how long has it been? Do you really believe we can pick up where we left off?" She asked, her voice as soft and calm as his.
"I know we can. …If you were completely ready to leave me, then you would be engaged to another man by now. Rinoa…" He took a step closer and reached for her hand, "I've changed… Things will be different this time…not like before when I stopped pampering you and gave up… Back then, I didn't know what love was… I just bought you everything I saw. I wanted the best for you…for us. …I wanted to please your father because…" He looked at the ground and muttered, "…Because he thought I didn't deserve you."
Rinoa was lost within her vessel…she wanted to rid this man from her life, but at the same time she wanted to hold him and be with him forever. She hated Squall for always knowing her weaknesses; he knew how to get his way with her. Using the father trick had always worked whenever the two of them had a rough argument. A simple 'my father was right about you' could send any argument into heated flames that would eventually end in the two of them making up, something they both looked forward to. But this case was different…if she would say that, then Squall might not make up with her. He would leave, and she would never see him again. Wasn't that what she wanted? Wasn't it all she wanted was to have Squall hitting the road and out of her life forever? Somehow…hearing the truth had ached her heart terribly, and she felt guiltier than ever. Accusing him of being selfish and leaving, but there she was, keeping his life, his flesh away from him, Rori.
When Rinoa raised her eyes to meet Squall's again, she saw tears gradually welding. She wanted to speak, but couldn't get passed his eyes. Those azure eyes matched Rori's perfectly, and there was no denying that he was her father, indeed. And if she could count every single day she had looked into Rori's blue eyes, wishing for Squall…Rinoa would count days for eternity. With her soul weighing down the toll of compassion, Rinoa knew she had to get the truth to the surface, and right away. Just as she parted her lips to confess from her drying throat, Squall released her hand gently as he muttered, "…He was right…wasn't he?"
"…Who…?"
"…Your dad…I guess I'm as easy to read as a book cover…" Squall said, thinking back to the words his own father spat to him the night before their wedding. If that man had never released his venom, he would never be in this situation now. He was stupid for taking his father's advice and enjoying his life on his own, depending on no one and always alone. He had even begun to hate the man with a passion because of the nonsense, but when Rinoa's father made a perception about him before he had ever left, he just couldn't take it any longer. Squall was weak and bought almost anyone's words, that was his main flaw. But now…what if this man wasn't wrong about his observation, what if his statement made all the sense in the world? What if, in fact, Rinoa really hated him? After all, she never responded to his words about her father, had she? So that meant she would secretly agree with her father and take his side, right?
Deciding he could take the pain no more for one day, Squall turned away from Rinoa and paced to the road before her house. There was nothing he could do to change her mind because it was already set on their divorce. And if she really wanted it that much, then… Squall sighed as he thought to himself, Then I'll let her have her way- But he felt a soft and gentle hand grab his own from his left side to pull him back with force; all his shoulder yanked backward toward the pull that demanded he stop.
When Squall turned his head, he saw Rinoa clutching his hand in hers with tear-drenched cheeks and heartrending eyes. Her soft pale face crinkled and quickly became rosy pink, and her feathery bangs had fallen softly passed the corners of her eyes. The long dark strands, drenched by her tears, were sticking to her moistened lips, yearning to be picked away and caressed by him.
Squall faced his entire body toward Rinoa as he realized she was crying for him, stopping him from leaving. And even in her saddest state, Rinoa could be more beautiful than anything he had ever seen or imagined.
Through her parting lips, Rinoa grimaced, "…Don't leave me again…" She had taken a deep breath, but felt a rush of emotion expend and caused her to cry out, "Squall…!"
And Squall immediately moved his hand closer to her face and peeled away the stubborn locks that clung to her innocent features. He pushed the bangs behind her ear as he closed the gap between their bodies with a gentle hand on her waist, pulling her closer. Rinoa could barely keep her eyes open as she wasunsure to have actually given in to Squall, giving in to her need for him, and Squall never wanted to close his eyes; he had waited too long to be this close to Rinoa, he didn't want to miss any second. Staring into her chocolate eyes that were lost in his own, he hoped she would savor every moment as he when he inched his face closer to hers, feeling her breath heavy against his. And Squall brushed his lips across hers, remembering every detail and feel as he pushed harder against the firmness, pressing softly into them until he felt Rinoa return his gesture. He could feel her lips and her body moving closer to his warmth, leaving a lingering kiss on his lips as she had rested her hand on his chest, and pushed him back, unlocking their kiss just as soon as it began.
She looked down, purposely avoiding his eyes, not wanting to see the hurt she would cause him, "…Squall…I…" Rinoa had no idea what she wanted to say; all the thoughts and words had hidden themselves from her mind.
He covered her hand with his and pressed it harder onto his chest near his heart, so she could feel it pounding underneath her fingertips, and he muttered, "You're not the only one who's scared…and you're the only person that can make my heart beat so many times in a second… I wasn't lying to you when I said I was hurting everyday because of what I did. And saying that I'm sorry will never…it will never do… That's why I need to come back…and that's why I want to be a part of your life again Rinoa… I lo-"
She had silenced his words with a hand covering his mouth; if he had continued, she could never forgive herself. There he was, admitting to his sins and wrongdoing, and blaming himself for everything that ever went wrong, when she stood before him, just as guilty as he was. Somewhere deep in her heart, something warned her that if she would tell him about Rori now, he would take back everything he said and leave again… Not wanting things to end on bad terms once more, Rinoa broke from his grip and took a step back. She had gained control of her senses and cleared her throat before speaking, "…It's getting late… You should go…" She said, the sun had already been on the verge of vanishing behind the clouds, the orange sky told them so. Still, where was she sending him, certainly not home, this was his home.
But before she could make her words clearer, Squall nodded once and smiled, "Yeah…"
Rinoa was relieved to see him turning and walking away. Although a little lonely about his leaving still, she felt confident that he wouldn't leave Balamb, not after a kiss like that. Rinoa placed a curious finger over her lips, rubbing them softly as she wondered if Squall knew she was still in love with him also. The thought sent chills down her spine and made her shiver, from the cold or heat, Rinoa could not determine, but she knew in her heart that she could never, just as he, could never live without him either.
Squall walked toward the hotel, smiling to himself about what had just happened. He made excellent progress, broke the ice around Rinoa's heart. He knew that whatever would happen next; Rinoa would never forget that moment…an eternity in one minute. He smiled satisfactorily…
"Hey you!" A voice yelled from beside him on his right. When Squall looked over to the road, he saw a blonde emerge from the driver side of the crimson sports car, and walk closer to him. "Who do you think you are!" The man yelled angrily.
Squall immediately lost his smile when the blonde paced toward him quickly and stopped inches away from him. "Don't you ever put your hands on Rinoa again!" He said, pushing Squall back, but when Squall got a good look at his car and then his attacker, he realized who the blonde was.
"Mystery man." He muttered before retaliating with a hand that lunged toward the younger man's neck and rammed him against the side of his parked car. Anger flushed within him as he recalled this same man being inside her house, closing her curtains, taking her to dinner, and kissing her! Squall squeezed his hand around the man's throat, and through gritted teeth he spoke, "For your information, Rinoa is my wife. That means you stay the hell away from her… Do I make myself clear?"
Seifer hadn't expected the shorter man to fight back with such force. From a distance, the brunette didn't appear to be too much of a challenge; thereby, a quick threatening would scare him away from his girl for good. He had watched them from afar the entire time, hoping that the man was just an acquaintance of hers and would leave soon, but as time went on, the two had gotten closer to one another and Seifer knew what would happen next. He had pulled away from his parking spot and decided to teach his competitor a lesson. Little did he know, the man was actually the long lost husband of Rinoa…the same man that left her to rot for so many years of her life with a child. Remembering this, Seifer decided to hurt the man's ego…
Squall hadn't waited for an answer; instead, he released the frightened blonde and backed away. He watched the young man scamper off to the driver side of his car and get in quickly while yelling, "She may be your wife, but I know you don't really give a damn about her or Rori!" And with that, the blonde peeled off from the side of the road, leaving Squall with a trail of dust to dirty his face and sting his eyes, and also…a name.
Squall looked at the ground and thought for a second about the blonde's words, and finally questioned aloud, "...Who the hell is Rori?"
Once upon an Author's Corner
(hehe…)
Didn't I say the wheels have been turning…be it good or bad, you can totally blame on me. So go ahead, lend me a review and tell me how I've interested you. Thanks! ---also note that the chapter is longer than the others simply because it might be awhile before I can update again---
Of course, thanks to: (And you guys scared me, I had thought I did something wrong here, lol)
Amy- It's been awhile, hasn't it? I'm glad to see you're doing okay. Thanks for the inspiring words, and I hope to hear from you again sometime!
Lady-Rinoa- I'm sorry I made you cry! -wipes your tears and hands you cookies- Don't worry, I hope to make it a little better for you. (And of course you're my friend, as much as you've looked out for me, I couldn't ask for anything more!)
RinLeonhart- Thank you so much, your constant support is really driving me to finish. I know I can do continue, now!
Ayato-Hey there, I've been challenging myself a little more and I hope to see more improvement in my writing, so thanks for the compliment. It really means a lot!
Blue- Talk about Mushiness! Lol, I don't know where all that came from…and I'm a little surprised at myself you know? And I do believe this chapter to be the corniest of them all, lol. What do you think? And as for Seifer, he's a tough guy but don't worry about it. (I'll say I've given him a rough time too many stories now, right?) So you can relax 'cause Seifer's alright. lol
Silver-Nex- Yeah, Rori is really cute! Lol. Like I told the person before you, Seifer is looking out for Rinoa, so he shouldn't be too much of a problem…right? I'm really glad you reviewed again, thanks so much!
Okay everyone…that about wraps it up for me this time. There isn't much to say about this chapter except…well…it took a lot of work, so review or whatever. lol Thanks again!
StardustRay(And today marks the day I post my newest action/fantasy story up, Woo!) Actually…it's just a teaser… :P ---Eternal Breath---