"I thoroughly hope you enjoyed the meal. May the rest of the night smile upon you and let the festivities begin." Cid spoke into the microphone which was on the stage.
The DJ immediately began playing music. Couples littered the dance floor, Zell watched Rinoa drag Squall onto the dance floor as Seifer (who was ashamed still of his past) shrewdly led Quistis onto the dance floor. Of course, Selphie and Irvine had been the first two on the dance floor.
Zell watched with a frown on his face and his arms crossed over his chest. He was 50 feet above the crowd, low enough to see his friend's faces, high enough where they wouldn't notice him. Yet, the music flowed to him making him all the more melancholy.
Breezes flew across the balcony, tousling Zell's hair and making him look like a laconic,
majestic, yet aristocratic soul.
* * *
Rinoa danced with Squall silently, which Squall found unusual. Her eyes scanned the perimeter, searching for Zell. Her eyes caught sight of an unusual tuft of hair, waving in the wind. Those golden locks could belong to one person only. She took one last glance, memorized which balcony he was in, and turned back to Squall.
Squall looked at her worriedly. "You okay, Rinoa?" Squall asked, somewhat scared of what was wrong.
"No, just thinking. I'm sorry, I'll try to get more into the party." Rinoa promised.
"I feel terrible about Zell." Selphie said confiding in Irvine.
"I thought you might have something to do with this…" Irvine commented.
"No, it's just Zell told Quistis to just go with Seifer and Rinoa and I never said anything to Quistis about going with Zell." Selphie said putting her head on Irvine's shoulder.
Irvine pulled her closer to him and rubbed her back. The song ended to much clapping and merriment.
"Squall, I'll be back in a few minutes." Rinoa whispered and started to leave without another word.
"Well, are you alright?" Squall called after her. "Rinoa!" Squall threw his hands up in defeat, he shook his head as he walked to a seat.
* * *
Rinoa walked as fast as she could towards garden, when she entered it she started to run towards the elevator. When she reached it, she hit floor 2 and pushed close door. When it opened again, she took a deep breath, and brushed her hair back into place. She walked towards the balcony she knew Zell was in.
She saw him, leaning on the railing, staring at the people, dancing stories below him. His eyes were fixed on one spot, which she assumed was where Quistis was. She could hear the music, even up here, the wind carried it to her eyes, the dance floor was beautiful from up here, the night sky, had faded from it's usual hue into a gorgeous, deep blue, the kind that you saw only one place. She could hear that a slow song had started and she realized Zell hadn't noticed her presence yet.
"May I have this dance, Mr. Dincht?" Rinoa asked sweetly.
Zell dismissed her words with a wave of his hand, he didn't turn around and his eyes never moved from their spot.
Rinoa slowly walked up to him. She wrapped her petite arms around his waist. Zell turned around and wrapped his arms around her, embracing her with a fervor Rinoa had missed from Zell.
"Why are you so good to me, Rinoa?" Zell asked dejectedly.
"Because I love you Zell. I'm looking out for you. You've always been there for me, and I wanna do the same for you, no matter what." Rinoa said sincerely.
"You've been there for me Rinoa." Zell said and gently kissed her on the cheek.
Rinoa loved that feeling, knowing she'd done something for her friend, although she knew he was Squall's best friend, she's always considered Zell to be her best friend. Ever since he'd made that ring for her.
"Zell, I'm always here for you." Rinoa said sympathetically. She reached up and planted a kiss on his lips. A friendly kiss, they both knew it and neither one was uncomfortable with it.
"So, how about that dance?" Rinoa asked seductively.
"Your beguiling has won me over." Zell said with an air of sophistication. His voice returned to it's normal state and he smiled, "I'd love to dance."
Rinoa stepped towards him and encircled his neck with her arms. Zell, despite knowing this was his friend was nervous. She pulled her hands off their perch and wrapped his hands around her waist and returned her hands to their spot around his neck.
Rinoa pulled her body closer to Zell's until she was pressed close against him. She softly laid her head on his shoulder.
"My you're sure forward." Zell said incredulously.
"When I want to be." Rinoa responded.
They started to dance slowly, like two deeply in love would do, Rinoa was scared what Zell's reaction to the events of the day would be.
Their bodies floated across the balcony floor, elegantly and gently. Zell enjoying the moment, knowing that Rinoa really did care for him. Rinoa, happy to help her friend through his rocky time.
The song was gorgeous and amplified the mood of their environment, both happy to be in each other's arms. Zell, finally getting some form of affection from his dearest friend, which at the moment he needed desperately. Rinoa, glad to get a break from Squall. She loved him, but his presence was so serious and at the same time so benevolent, it exhausted her. She was able to let her hair down, have some fun and just be able to talk freely around Zell. Whenever she wasn't feeling well or was depressed Zell was always there with a joke to cheer her up.
"Zell, it's so tranquil up here." Rinoa whispered in his ear, almost as if afraid to break the moment.
Still leading her across the balcony floor, he whispered, "I know, that's why I come up here, it's stunning, absolutely breathtaking, just like you are."
As the dance ended, Zell pulled her into a hug and she returned the embrace. As she pulled away, she gently placed her hand on his cheek and in a hushed voice said "Thank you Zell." She leaned in for the second time that night and lightly brushed her lips to his, reveling in his taste, something new, she was so used to Squall's taste, a refined, almost dignified taste. But Zell's taste was different, wild, untamed, almost fierce with hunger and passion. All that from a tiny kiss between friends. A friendly, nonchalant, yet loving in an unexplainable way kind of kiss.
They both walked towards the railing. As they looked over the edge, Rinoa followed Zell's gaze and of course it was pointed right at Quistis.
"You know Zell, I'm really sorry about not telling Quistis to go with you." Rinoa said compassionately.
"Rinoa, it doesn't matter anymore. Besides, you've done enough for me." Zell said dismally.
"Zell, you know she really feels terrible, she knows how bad this is killing you." Rinoa confided.
"Really, well…if she knows it's killing me, you couldn't look at her and tell, you see my heart's breaking, and she's sure taking it well." Zell commented bitterly.
Rinoa glanced at Quistis and could see her face, staring directly at Seifer's, laughing and joyfully smiling.
"I'm sorry Zell." Rinoa cried, and threw herself onto him. His mood had set back in and it was making him melancholy.
"Zell, I've gotta get back to Squall, I'll talk to you later, please, please do anything drastic." Rinoa pleaded.
"Why would I do something drastic?" Zell said indifferently.
"You've always been a sensitive person, I know, you try to act like nothing bothers you, but from your usual outbursts…" she paused hoping that she hadn't brought up a negative thought. Her voice got extremely soft. "and from knowing the incredible person you are, I know that you're an emotional man, Zell, that's a great thing, that is something every woman wants, but don't let those emotions control your actions. I'll see ya soon Zelly." Rinoa concluded her speech.
Rinoa walked down the corridor to the elevator and hit the 1st floor button.
* * *
Zell stared at the dance floor, he could see Selphie and Irvine, deep in conversation, and could see Rinoa walking towards Squall, he seemed a little angry, wondering where she had run off to.
Of course, there was Quistis and Seifer lost in each other's eyes, holding onto each other so tightly he thought one would burst.
Rinoa and Selphie kept glancing over at Quistis, however she didn't seem to notice.
* * *
"Squall, I made a terrible mistake." Rinoa said quietly.
"What happened, Rinoa?" Squall asked concernedly.
"I should've told Quistis to go with Zell, instead I just ignored it." Rinoa complained to herself.
"Oh, so that's why she's here with Seifer." Squall said as the realization hit him.
"Okay folks, last dance of the night. It's gonna be a slow one. So ladies grab your guys and drag em out here.
The last dance was exquisite.
Selphie and Irvine danced forgetting about everyone else, just staring at each other and allowing their love to sink into each other.
Rinoa and Squall held each other like no one else could. Only two as deep in love as they were, could hold each other like that.
Seifer and Quistis last dance was filled with love and Quistis felt that hole within her gradually disappear, she had found the one she was looking for.
As the dance ended, Quistis looked up into Seifer's eyes and pleaded with him, she'd been waiting for so long. Seifer saw that look and returned it. Two loners, scared of what was about to happen, but at the same time, yearning for the rewards of love.
Seifer's mouth jumped as he felt Quistis press her lips to his and the kiss became more passionate with every passing second.
"I love you Seifer." Quistis moaned. "I love you too, Quistis." Seifer whispered.
* * *
That was it, the last event he could take. All of the world had taken arms up against him and he couldn't cope, it was the last time, and he felt himself die inside and his world, his mind didn't even make sense anymore.
He decided to go back to his dorm, he knew he wouldn't get any sleep, but he had a lot of packing to do.
The DJ immediately began playing music. Couples littered the dance floor, Zell watched Rinoa drag Squall onto the dance floor as Seifer (who was ashamed still of his past) shrewdly led Quistis onto the dance floor. Of course, Selphie and Irvine had been the first two on the dance floor.
Zell watched with a frown on his face and his arms crossed over his chest. He was 50 feet above the crowd, low enough to see his friend's faces, high enough where they wouldn't notice him. Yet, the music flowed to him making him all the more melancholy.
Breezes flew across the balcony, tousling Zell's hair and making him look like a laconic,
majestic, yet aristocratic soul.
* * *
Rinoa danced with Squall silently, which Squall found unusual. Her eyes scanned the perimeter, searching for Zell. Her eyes caught sight of an unusual tuft of hair, waving in the wind. Those golden locks could belong to one person only. She took one last glance, memorized which balcony he was in, and turned back to Squall.
Squall looked at her worriedly. "You okay, Rinoa?" Squall asked, somewhat scared of what was wrong.
"No, just thinking. I'm sorry, I'll try to get more into the party." Rinoa promised.
"I feel terrible about Zell." Selphie said confiding in Irvine.
"I thought you might have something to do with this…" Irvine commented.
"No, it's just Zell told Quistis to just go with Seifer and Rinoa and I never said anything to Quistis about going with Zell." Selphie said putting her head on Irvine's shoulder.
Irvine pulled her closer to him and rubbed her back. The song ended to much clapping and merriment.
"Squall, I'll be back in a few minutes." Rinoa whispered and started to leave without another word.
"Well, are you alright?" Squall called after her. "Rinoa!" Squall threw his hands up in defeat, he shook his head as he walked to a seat.
* * *
Rinoa walked as fast as she could towards garden, when she entered it she started to run towards the elevator. When she reached it, she hit floor 2 and pushed close door. When it opened again, she took a deep breath, and brushed her hair back into place. She walked towards the balcony she knew Zell was in.
She saw him, leaning on the railing, staring at the people, dancing stories below him. His eyes were fixed on one spot, which she assumed was where Quistis was. She could hear the music, even up here, the wind carried it to her eyes, the dance floor was beautiful from up here, the night sky, had faded from it's usual hue into a gorgeous, deep blue, the kind that you saw only one place. She could hear that a slow song had started and she realized Zell hadn't noticed her presence yet.
"May I have this dance, Mr. Dincht?" Rinoa asked sweetly.
Zell dismissed her words with a wave of his hand, he didn't turn around and his eyes never moved from their spot.
Rinoa slowly walked up to him. She wrapped her petite arms around his waist. Zell turned around and wrapped his arms around her, embracing her with a fervor Rinoa had missed from Zell.
"Why are you so good to me, Rinoa?" Zell asked dejectedly.
"Because I love you Zell. I'm looking out for you. You've always been there for me, and I wanna do the same for you, no matter what." Rinoa said sincerely.
"You've been there for me Rinoa." Zell said and gently kissed her on the cheek.
Rinoa loved that feeling, knowing she'd done something for her friend, although she knew he was Squall's best friend, she's always considered Zell to be her best friend. Ever since he'd made that ring for her.
"Zell, I'm always here for you." Rinoa said sympathetically. She reached up and planted a kiss on his lips. A friendly kiss, they both knew it and neither one was uncomfortable with it.
"So, how about that dance?" Rinoa asked seductively.
"Your beguiling has won me over." Zell said with an air of sophistication. His voice returned to it's normal state and he smiled, "I'd love to dance."
Rinoa stepped towards him and encircled his neck with her arms. Zell, despite knowing this was his friend was nervous. She pulled her hands off their perch and wrapped his hands around her waist and returned her hands to their spot around his neck.
Rinoa pulled her body closer to Zell's until she was pressed close against him. She softly laid her head on his shoulder.
"My you're sure forward." Zell said incredulously.
"When I want to be." Rinoa responded.
They started to dance slowly, like two deeply in love would do, Rinoa was scared what Zell's reaction to the events of the day would be.
Their bodies floated across the balcony floor, elegantly and gently. Zell enjoying the moment, knowing that Rinoa really did care for him. Rinoa, happy to help her friend through his rocky time.
The song was gorgeous and amplified the mood of their environment, both happy to be in each other's arms. Zell, finally getting some form of affection from his dearest friend, which at the moment he needed desperately. Rinoa, glad to get a break from Squall. She loved him, but his presence was so serious and at the same time so benevolent, it exhausted her. She was able to let her hair down, have some fun and just be able to talk freely around Zell. Whenever she wasn't feeling well or was depressed Zell was always there with a joke to cheer her up.
"Zell, it's so tranquil up here." Rinoa whispered in his ear, almost as if afraid to break the moment.
Still leading her across the balcony floor, he whispered, "I know, that's why I come up here, it's stunning, absolutely breathtaking, just like you are."
As the dance ended, Zell pulled her into a hug and she returned the embrace. As she pulled away, she gently placed her hand on his cheek and in a hushed voice said "Thank you Zell." She leaned in for the second time that night and lightly brushed her lips to his, reveling in his taste, something new, she was so used to Squall's taste, a refined, almost dignified taste. But Zell's taste was different, wild, untamed, almost fierce with hunger and passion. All that from a tiny kiss between friends. A friendly, nonchalant, yet loving in an unexplainable way kind of kiss.
They both walked towards the railing. As they looked over the edge, Rinoa followed Zell's gaze and of course it was pointed right at Quistis.
"You know Zell, I'm really sorry about not telling Quistis to go with you." Rinoa said compassionately.
"Rinoa, it doesn't matter anymore. Besides, you've done enough for me." Zell said dismally.
"Zell, you know she really feels terrible, she knows how bad this is killing you." Rinoa confided.
"Really, well…if she knows it's killing me, you couldn't look at her and tell, you see my heart's breaking, and she's sure taking it well." Zell commented bitterly.
Rinoa glanced at Quistis and could see her face, staring directly at Seifer's, laughing and joyfully smiling.
"I'm sorry Zell." Rinoa cried, and threw herself onto him. His mood had set back in and it was making him melancholy.
"Zell, I've gotta get back to Squall, I'll talk to you later, please, please do anything drastic." Rinoa pleaded.
"Why would I do something drastic?" Zell said indifferently.
"You've always been a sensitive person, I know, you try to act like nothing bothers you, but from your usual outbursts…" she paused hoping that she hadn't brought up a negative thought. Her voice got extremely soft. "and from knowing the incredible person you are, I know that you're an emotional man, Zell, that's a great thing, that is something every woman wants, but don't let those emotions control your actions. I'll see ya soon Zelly." Rinoa concluded her speech.
Rinoa walked down the corridor to the elevator and hit the 1st floor button.
* * *
Zell stared at the dance floor, he could see Selphie and Irvine, deep in conversation, and could see Rinoa walking towards Squall, he seemed a little angry, wondering where she had run off to.
Of course, there was Quistis and Seifer lost in each other's eyes, holding onto each other so tightly he thought one would burst.
Rinoa and Selphie kept glancing over at Quistis, however she didn't seem to notice.
* * *
"Squall, I made a terrible mistake." Rinoa said quietly.
"What happened, Rinoa?" Squall asked concernedly.
"I should've told Quistis to go with Zell, instead I just ignored it." Rinoa complained to herself.
"Oh, so that's why she's here with Seifer." Squall said as the realization hit him.
"Okay folks, last dance of the night. It's gonna be a slow one. So ladies grab your guys and drag em out here.
The last dance was exquisite.
Selphie and Irvine danced forgetting about everyone else, just staring at each other and allowing their love to sink into each other.
Rinoa and Squall held each other like no one else could. Only two as deep in love as they were, could hold each other like that.
Seifer and Quistis last dance was filled with love and Quistis felt that hole within her gradually disappear, she had found the one she was looking for.
As the dance ended, Quistis looked up into Seifer's eyes and pleaded with him, she'd been waiting for so long. Seifer saw that look and returned it. Two loners, scared of what was about to happen, but at the same time, yearning for the rewards of love.
Seifer's mouth jumped as he felt Quistis press her lips to his and the kiss became more passionate with every passing second.
"I love you Seifer." Quistis moaned. "I love you too, Quistis." Seifer whispered.
* * *
That was it, the last event he could take. All of the world had taken arms up against him and he couldn't cope, it was the last time, and he felt himself die inside and his world, his mind didn't even make sense anymore.
He decided to go back to his dorm, he knew he wouldn't get any sleep, but he had a lot of packing to do.