I'm really sorry, guys. I've been pretty sick lately. In fact, some dirty monkey gave me the effing flu, so I'm pretty miserable. Hey, guys. I noticed that some of you aren't too happy with what's happening, but don't worry. It gets better…eventually. You have to understand. This story is not a hero story where the guy always gets the girl because life isn't always like that. Sometimes the guy gets the girl, and sometimes he has to work a little harder for it. Squall will get the girl; it's just a question of when he'll get her. Trust me, okay?
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII characters, places, or ideas. All rights reserved to Square.
Life Less Ordinary
Chapter Twenty-Three
"The Bad News"
Squall woke up cold and wet. He'd been hidden for hours now, more hours than he'd kept track of, and now, he was ready to go home and face his fears. He knew a lecture would come from his parents and probably hateful words from his friends, but he didn't care anymore. His life was practically over, and nothing else mattered. He wanted nothing more than to go home to his own bed just for a few hours of peace before all hell broke lose on what was left of his pitiful life.
Squall's hiding place had been nothing short of ingenious. It was a place that he was all-too familiar with, no matter where he was. He'd hidden himself under the docks where the only dry spot of sand met the crystal blue water. He'd always found it very peaceful at the water's edge, and it proved to be a place where he could think clearly, but now it was time to return home.
He'd parked his car behind a building a few blocks away from the docks. He was surprised that no one had found him. At one point, he'd heard voices a few hours before that belonged to his brother and Zion. He was sure that they would know where to look for him, but no one ever came to him. He remained in his own solitude, hidden away from life for a few hours.
Driving back to his house was more painful than he had anticipated. He was beginning to have regrets about going home to what he knew would be Hell. He deserved everything that his mother and father would throw at him, but that didn't mean that he was ready to face it. He could take their harsh words and lectures, but he couldn't take the disappointment that they would feel. He'd never wanted to disappoint his parents, but he knew that he had this time.
When he arrived at his house, he just sat in his car for a few minutes, afraid to actually get out and proceed inside. He was sure that they were worried, but he was even surer that they would be mad. But he did it anyways and opened the front door.
The slamming of the front door caused three people to yell and fall across the floor in a tangled heap. Of course, it was Drag, Zion, and Bryce. They all saw Squall and went crazy.
"Squall!" Zion and Bryce yelled, jumping up to hug him, which he repulsed.
"Dude!" Drag pulled him into a great big bear hug. "Where have you been? You had us totally freaked!"
"I've been hiding." He produced a very weak smile that faded suddenly after the kitchen door opened and his mother and father appeared outside.
"Squall!" Raine shrieked, running to hug her son. "My baby!" she wrapped her arms around his neck and nearly squeezed the life out of him.
"Mom, mom!" He choked out, barely. "Mom, choking, not breathing!" she released him and touched his face affectionately.
"I'm glad you're here." She smiled, ears of joy filling up in her eyes. "You had me so worried."
"You had us all worried, son." Laguna said as he walked over and hugged his son as well.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make everyone worry. I just needed to get away for a while. It wasn't intentional. I'm sorry." He looked away, ashamed.
Raine looked to Laguna who motioned that it was time to break the bad news. She frowned and looked to her son sadly. She didn't want to have to do this, but her husband thought it would be best, even if she did not.
"Boys, could you excuse us for a while? We need to speak to Squall alone." Laguna said keeping his eyes trained on his son's face. He saw him become suddenly very uneasy and knew that this would be highly difficult.
Drag, Zion, and Bryce all left, heading to the basement, but they already knew Squall's fate.
Laguna and Raine both waited until they could hear the sound of three sets of footsteps going down the basement stairs before they took Squall into the living room.
"I guess his is where my lecture comes in, right?" Squall asked, uneasy. He sat on he couch. His mother sat beside him and took his hand in hers while Laguna stood.
"No, I don't think you need a lecture. By this point, you've probably had enough lectured." Laguna replied. Squall was shocked at this, as it wasn't at all what he had expected, but he remained silent.
"No lectures, sweetie, only bad news." Raine added, squeezing her son's hand tighter.
"Bad news?" he asked, uncertain. What could honestly be worse than what the Winter Formal had brought him?
"Your mother and I have decided that some things need to change." Laguna began in a stern voice that Squall had never heard him use before. "We have looked back over the past and realized that we have little control over you."
"What your father means to say is you're a little wild and not necessarily a good influence on your brother and cousins. Sweetie, you're a good kid. You're smart, you're talented at what you do, but Esthar has corrupted you, and we need to fix that problem." Raine said, interrupting her husband to explain this more gently to her son.
"I know I've done some stupid things, and I'm not proud of them, but what is this all about?" Squall asked. Whatever this was, he didn't like it.
"Son, I think it's time you set a better example." Laguna said. "We got a call from your Principal."
"I'm expelled, aren't I?" Squall asked, unbothered.
"Yes!" Raine exclaimed as she burst into tears.
"Principal Kramer said that the school board only expelled you because you told your principal that you deserved it. I admire your honesty, but now we have to decide what to do with you." Laguna sighed. "Your mother and I have decided that Military School would be best."
Squall hadn't expected that. He thought that he would be getting a lecture and be yelled at, but this was not what he had anticipated from his parents. "Military school?" he asked, shocked.
"Yes," Laguna nodded. Raine was still crying her eyes out and gripping her son's hand so tightly hat he was beginning to lose circulation.
Squall sighed. "If that's what you think is best."
"We do. Military school will do you a world of good." Laguna was unsure of why Squall wasn't freaking out about this like he had expected.
"When?" Squall asked.
"When I return to Esthar. I've already talked to my friend who runs the school in Esthar and he's willing to take you." Laguna answered.
"You return next week, right?" Squall asked, and Laguna nodded. "Okay." He pulled his hand out of his mother's death grip.
"We leave Wednesday." Laguna added.
"Okay," Squall nodded. He stood. "Anything else?"
His parents shook their heads, and Squall walked out of the room to the basement. He held his shock inside and didn't let his parents see that he was deeply affected. Now hat he was alone, his mask had fallen down, and he was suffering. They were sending him to Military School! He couldn't believe it. He knew that he'd screwed up, but he didn't think Military School was necessary. They were jumping into conclusions too soon, treating him like a criminal and shipping him off to a place worse than boarding school- Military school.
He passed his cousins on the couches, watching some stupid TV show and went straight to his room. He flopped down onto the bed and growled into the pillow in complete aggravation. He then threw the pillow across the room.
"Military School!" he exclaimed, throwing another pillow. "I don't believe it!" He reached again for something else but his hand rested on a thin, flattened piece of paper. Brining it to his attention, he saw that it was a picture of two little children standing in front of an old country cottage. One was a boy, tall and tanned with a goofy smile on his face, and the other was a pale, dark-haired girl with big brown eyes that displayed her happiness more than her smile did. She gripped the boy's arm with both hands, face to the camera. His other arm was outstretched to something out of the picture, but his face was also to the camera.
The picture made Squall smile and recall fond memories of the summers in Win hill when nothing mattered. His heart ached for those days, and he wished for nothing more than to return there where he didn't have to worry about the impending danger of Military School.
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Rinoa applied the cold ice to the tiny lump now forming on the back of her head, wincing. Her mother and John stood beside her, checking to make sure that no initial harm had come to her.
"Sweetie, are you alright?" Julia asked, lightly touching her daughter's head. "We didn't intend to shock you."
"That was quite a fall there, Rinners." John smiled playfully. "Are you okay? Is there any lasting damage?"
"No," Rinoa said shaking her head. "I just think I killed a few hundred brain cells." She winced again at the pain and gladly accepted the Tylenol her mother placed into her hand.
"Oh, well, that's no bog deal!" John laughed, obviously picking on his soon to be stepdaughter.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ooh!" she groaned, moving the ice to a better-suited area. "I'll be feeling that tomorrow!"
Julia tried to laugh, but she was still very nervous about the news that her daughter had received so suddenly. "Rinny, are you sure that you're okay with all this? I know you really don't want to return to Galbadia, but right now we don't have much of a choice." She played nervously with the hem of her white, cashmere sweater.
"No, no. It's okay. I can't hide from that place forever." Rinoa reassured her doubtful mother. "Just, when are we leaving?"
"Once you're finished with exams." Julia answered. "John and I have been engaged for some time. We just never go up the courage to tell you. We wanted to wait for the perfect moment. I hope you're not mad."
Rinoa shook her head again, "No, I'm not mad. It's fine. I'm happy for you." She attempted a smile and only ended up with a weak version.
"Selphie and Quistis can come over during Winter Break and Spring Break." John added.
"That would be fun, but really! I'm fine with this! It's exciting. It really is!" Rinoa tried to tell them, but they just wouldn't listen. They kept insisting that things would be the same as they were now, just in another city.
After a while, Rinoa was tired of trying to convince hem that she was fine with this new arrangement and retired to her room with the beginnings of a very nasty headache.
She lay on her bed and took Squall's ring off the chain. She held it in her fingers almost as if it were a part of her and inspected it. She hoped that he was either home or safe. She was still very worried about him, but she couldn't'. She was alone; soon to leave Balamb forever, and all she had left was is tarnished, old ring.
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"You're MOVING?" Selphie exclaimed with wide eyes.
"Yeah," Rinoa replied sadly as she and Selphie found a seat on a couch in Joe's. School had just ended, and everyone was drained from all the exams. They had only three more days of exams before Winter Break.
"Oh, that sucks." Selphie whined. "I don't want you to go, Rinny."
"I know, Selphie, but I have to," Rinoa opened her soda, avoiding Selphie's eyes. She had made a point to tell her best friend first, but now she was regretting that decision. She hadn't intended on Selphie to take it this hard.
"No, you don't! You can come live with me!" Selphie protested. "You could stow away in my closet."
"I don't think so," Rinoa smiled weakly. "You know you can always come visit me. I'll only be about three hours away."
"Yeah, only." Selphie scoffed. She crossed her arms and pouted.
Quistis walked over moments later with Seifer, Drag, Zion, and Bryce. "What's with her/?" she asked, pointing to Selphie.
"She's a little upset because I'm moving." Rinoa replied.
"You're MOVING?" Quistis demanded, her jaw flying open in shock.
"Yeah, that's what I said," Selphie said, rolling her eyes.
Rinoa sighed, "Here we go again."
"When?" Seifer asked.
"After Exam Week." Rinoa was beginning to hate this.
"Well, it looks like everybody's going away," Drag snapped bitterly, crossing his arms over his chest. Zion elbowed his brother o shut him up, but the damage had already been done.
"You guys are leaving, too? No!" Selphie exclaimed.
"No, we're not, Squall is." Seifer replied.
"Is he back?" Rinoa looked up, focusing all her attention on Seifer.
"Yeah, he came back last night." Seifer shrugged.
"Is he okay?" Rinoa asked, now on her feet.
"He's fine. I think." Seifer frowned and plopped onto the couch.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Squall's leaving?" Selphie demanded.
"Yeah, we found out last night," Zion answered, frowning.
Selphie and Quistis exclaimed their protests, but Rinoa remained silent, sinking back down onto the couch. She was bereft of feeling and emotion. Squall was leaving? And she was leaving, too. Was this a sign? Were they not meant to be together?
"When's he leaving?" Rinoa asked.
"Wednesday," Seifer answered in a whisper, sitting beside her.
She shook her head, wondering how she could survive this week, and thoughts of her new life filtered through her brain. She suddenly didn't want to leave Balamb, didn't want to leave her home and her life. Things were just fine the way they were, and she wanted to remain here. This was where she was safe, where she belonged. She was happy here, and they were trying to take her away from her happy place.
"We've gotta stop this! We can't let Rinny or Squall leave!" Selphie exclaimed.
"What can we do, Selphie?" Quistis demanded. "Squall leaves in two days. How are we going to stop him from leaving in two days?"
"Oh, come on! We'll think of something!" Selphie whined. It was hard to blame her for wanting to keep her friends here, but Quistis had a point. There was little that could be done to keep them from leaving in two days.
"Selphie, face it. There's nothing we can do." Quistis threw her hands up in defeat and sat down, sick of this conversation.
"Why is he leaving?" Selphie asked quietly a few moments later.
But they never answered her. Squall had just walked in, and none of them wanted to talk about it any longer. It was too awkward.
"Hey, guys." Squall said with no rest enthusiasm. He looked down, really down and plopped himself onto a vacant couch.
They all fell into an uneasy silence. All of this was putting a damper on the entire holiday. The Winter Break that was coming would not be the same, and none of them were looking forward to it.
It was killing Rinoa; she wanted to talk to Squall. He was so close to her, but she couldn't get to him, not while everyone was around. They needed to talk, but that couldn't happen right now. She would have to wait for the perfect time and hope that it would be before Wednesday.
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After a while, Rinoa just couldn't take the torture and go up to leave. "See you guys later. I've got a lot of stuff to do, so yeah." She shrugged and just walked out, feeling no better than she had earlier.
She was halfway to her car when someone grabbed her arm, stopping her. She turned around to find Squall standing there, still holding her arm.
"Wait a second," squall said.
"What?" she didn't look at him in the face but focused on his shoulder. She wasn't strong enough to face him just yet, but that didn't mean they couldn't talk.
"I guess you've heard," he whispered, looking away, too.
"Yeah, you're leaving," she didn't like where this conversation was going. "But why?"
"They expelled me," he could barely speak now.
Rinoa turned her head and looked him in the face now. "What?"
"Kramer and the School Board expelled me. I deserved it." He whispered. "I told them to…"
"No!" she gasped. "Squall this isn't fair! What are you going to do?"
The words were difficult to get out, but he managed to somehow. "…Military School." He replied, forcing it.
Rinoa couldn't speak. She could only stare at Squall in shock and disbelief. Her head managed to start moving, shaking to let him know her opinion.
"I'm sorry," he released her arm. "I told you nothing good would ever become of me."
He walked away, ashamed and leaving her standing there just like always, but this time he was leaving for good.
A/N: I hope you guys like this story and aren't too mad at me. I know it may seem like something is terribly wrong, but I have a few tricks up my sleeve, so trust me. It's not over till the fat pencil sings. Wait! Can a pencil sing? I dunno. It'll be something that I'll have to investigate. R&R. Later Days!