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The voices in his head returned as he sat there.
What were you thinking? Zell is your best friend! He deserves the truth instead of lies you give him! Said the first voice.
At least he's cool with the story I gave him. The second voice told him.
Think about what you're saying! Zell accepts the story because that's how he is. He's your friend so when you tell him something he's going to believe it!
So, when I tell him the truth he should believe that too, if we ever make it there...
No, wait a minute, he's not going to believe it because he won't know what to believe since all you do is lie to him!
It was like a battle between Squall's good conscience and his bad one. The bad side was screaming at him to lie for the benefit of himself and the good side was telling him to tell Zell the truth. He half expected to see two fairies sitting on his shoulders when he opened his eyes: the good fairy in white, donning a harp and the bad fairy in red, with little horns perched atop his head.
He decided to talk to Cid, his only paternal friend.
Talking to Cid won't get you out of this mess.
But Cid knows the whole story so he can understand me...right?
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About twenty minutes later, after telling Cid most of the story, Cid was trying to reassure Squall that it would all work out but Squall was having his doubts.
"I'm telling you-"
"No, I'm telling you. It will all work out." Cid assured him, in his office.
"Fine."
"Well, if it doesn't, I'll give you your money back for this session, okay?" Squall smiled.
"Okay, it's a deal. Especially considering, coming to you is free." He got up and walked to the door. "Thanks." And left.
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Get a hold of yourself. Come on, take deep breaths. It'll be fine. Everything will be just fine.
She stood, breathed in the air, and walked back into the Garden through the main entrance.
"Hey Quistis, you okay? I saw you run out of here about ten minutes ago." Said the guard at the doors.
"Oh I'm fine, I just have allergies. Just a reaction to uh...some dust."
"Oh, okay. So, When are you taking the newbies to the center?"
"Well, they only visited the training center once and it was on the tour of the Garden so we won't be in till next week. Are you overseeing the center this month?"
"Yes."
"Well, good, then I guess I'll see you sometime late next week."
"Okay."
"See ya." Glad to get away, she reluctantly walked back to her room.
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Walking outside, the sun hit him.
So, Quistis isn't upset about yelling at me, she's upset because she thought I was being sweet on my sister. Riiiiiight.
He was walking along the road, an occasional vehicle rumbling by. Not many people used that road during the week anymore. It led to the city of Balamb straight from the Garden. He wasn't really paying attention to where he was going. He was just...walking.
But how could she not know I have a younger sister. For crying out loud, what doesn't she know about me?
Just walking, walking, walking...
Balamb was in view. He had, of course, skipped work before but in his mind this was probably the least productive thing he had ever skipped work for. He strode right into the streets of Balamb when he reached it. He had barely ever been there on his own. It was strange to him that he barely knew where he was, having lived just down the street from it, all his life.
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The next day...
Geez, 140 is way at the end.
Quistis was walking down the newb hallway to find Kelsey's room but it was proving more difficult than she expected. Newbs were everywhere. In the hall they were laughing and talking and trading games or marbles in clusters since their next class wasn't for another half-hour and they weren't supposed to wander around during their first few months. She made her way through, some giving her wary looks as to ask why she was wading down the newb hallway when their next class wasn't starting yet, let alone they had a different instructor that day. She got to 140 and knocked on the door. A girl from her class, Erica, answered.
"Oh! Instructor Trepe!" She said surprised.
"Hello. I was wondering if I could speak to Ms. Griffith. Is she inside?"
"Yes. Let me get her." She retreated a few steps and yelled, "KELSEY!" Kelsey came out and saw Quistis.
"Oh! Hey!"
"I don't want to intrude on anything but either I come inside or we go somewhere else." She told Kelsey in a low voice.
"No please, come inside. Please excuse the mess." She opened the door for her. It was a mess. Just proof that four teenage girls shared the dorm. "Hey Erica, Courtney, Yuka, can you excuse us for a moment?" She asked the other girls in the dorm. They filed out wishing a hello to Quistis. Kelsey shut the door behind them and locked it.
"Please sit down." Kelsey told her. But there didn't seem to be a place where she could sit so she brushed the playing cards off to the side of the bed and sat.
"I wanted to come by to arrange a time to…see Lisse."
"Whenever possible!"
"Well, I teach classes all week and you attend classes all week so that won't work. And I know you have training on weekends so when do you suppose we do this? I mean, unless you want to wake up at like three in the morning." She joked. But suddenly Kelsey's face lit up.
"I'll do it! What day?" But Quistis had really only been joking.
"Uh...?"
"Is Saturday okay?"
"Uhhh.…...sure." She said, going with the flow of things.
"Alright! Then were should we meet." Quistis jerked out of her daze of thinking maybe Kelsey was joking too.
"Uhhh...How about at the entrance gate?" She sputtered, trying to figure out what had just happened.
"I'll be there!"
As Quistis, wandered back down the newb hallways, she wondered how that had gone so wrong. Okay, will you chill Quistis? She told herself. Just do what you would expect what your instructor to do for you.
But Kelsey wants me to take her to Lisse. If anybody finds out, we'll be in some serious trouble. But...I would want someone to get in trouble for me.
The thing is...she'll want to meet Lisse and get acquainted and everything. I'm just glad she is my best friend and I'm glad she's only really gone from this place and not my heart. And maybe...Squall's heart. I think she helps Squall know what to do. I just hope he listens sometimes...
Most times...
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But Thursday soon evaporated and Saturday approached at high speeds...
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Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap. Her footsteps echoed through the empty entrance hall.
This is insane. How could I get up this early for a student? Is she insane? Or am I insane?
The girl looked up and stared into the eyes of her instructor.
"How long have you been sitting here?" Quistis asked, breaking the silence loudly.
"About a half-hour."
"I told you three, not two-thirty. What if someone caught you?"
"The thing that matters is that they didn't."
"Let's go before I decide against it. Your attitude is annoying."
"Did you call Lisse? Did you tell her we were coming this early?"
"No need."
"What is she...an insomniac or something?"
"Something like that..." Kelsey gave Quistis a piercing look, almost as if she were trying to look right through her.