Chapter 18
An Eventful Night
Squall went down from his own room after sleeping for half the day. "I wonder what'll we have for dinner, I'm starving." The brunette thought to himself as he descended down the staircase. "OUCH!" he suddenly exclaimed, after hitting his head on a loose floor board of one of the higher steps.
"Zell! Will you please fix this frigging floor board?!" he yelled as he saw the blonde martial artist come out from behind the column.
"Why should I? It's not my job anyways… it's Kinneas'." The blonde responded as he went to the kitchen. "Well, you better ice that head Squall."
Damn… My brain hurts…and I don't feel hungry anymore. Squall thought as he clutched his throbbing forehead.
"Hey Capt. Puberty, what are you doing clutching your head like that?" another blonde emerged from one of the offices on the ground floor and patted his head. "You seem to have become clumsier than before…tsk, tsk, this is just not good." He shook his head mockingly while trying to suppress a smile.
"I might demote you because of this…" he added as he rubbed his chin.
"Real funny, Seif." Squall smirked. "I'm just gonna ice this…" indicating his throbbing forehead. "I'm not so hungry anymore." He added.
"Aww…" Another voice, now coming from the kitchen, startled, the already dizzy, Squall. "But I cooked the dinner—western style steaks baby!"
Irvine was carrying a huge tray with some steaks and gravy. "This is my specialty." He was beaming and was super proud of what he made.
"Look, I just lost my appetite…" he said as he clutched his head even more. "I'm just going to get some ice for my forehead and I'll eventually head out." The brunette said as he went to the fridge to get some ice. "Maybe next time, cowboy."
"That sounded gay man…" Irvine replied while shaking his head. "Anyway sure thing," (quick recovery) "want me to save some for you?" The cowboy asked.
"Sure, I'd appreciate that. Anyway I gotta go check up on Rinoa." Squall said as he checed the grandfather clock in the receiving area and saw that it was a quarter past 9pm. Shoot. "She should be taking her medications, or else, she'll get woozy." He muttered to himself unconsciously.
"Wow, lover boy. He he he." Seifer coaxed from behind. "She'll be fine, man. You are so head over heels for this girl…can this be love?" he teased while batting his eyelashes and was protruding his lips towards Squall; while Irvine and Zell pretended to be angels with harps and huge wings.
"This is stupid you guys, I really need to be going there." The brunette finally getting sick of it, pushed past the three stooges and went to open the large oak doors.
Seifer sighed and then laughed. "I guess he really is in love…" he said to himself quietly. "Boys,"
"It's a success!" Zell cheered. Seifer smacked him on the head.
"No you idiot! It's an accomplishment!" Irvine interjected before Zell could retort to what Seifer just did. "An accomplishment for the three—"
"STOOGES!" Zell, once again, exclaimed.
This time both Irvine and Seifer smacked him on the head. "Idiot! We're the three musketeers!" the cowboy elaborated.
"MUS-KE-TEERS!" the other blonde added and muttered something incoherently as he glared at the martial artist for calling him a stooge.
Meanwhile, Squall was jittery and excited to see Rinoa that he almost fell three flights down the front stairs. "…you idiot! It's an accomplishment!" He He Irvine's scolding Zell again; I could almost imagine Seifer's face. But heck I need to really see her that I can't even see him properly in my head.
Squall rushed to his golf cart and jumped start the car with utmost force that the engine didn't almost start. "Whoops, my hands were too heavy." He said as he tried to start it again properly. He sped up the corner turning left on the spine road and found himself face to face with the Iota House.
He gave the cart one final pump on the gas and then turned it off. "Hmm, it's seems quiet here." He murmured as he stepped out of the cart and went to approach the door.
DING DONG!
The doorbell resonated in the whole house that almost everybody was startled by it. Selphie even let the glass of water she was holding fall and spill all over the kitchen floor. "Dammit! Who the heck is that?!" she said as she wiped off the water and got a rag to clean the mess up. "Can someone answer the door please?! I am kind of busy here!" she said indicating her present predicament.
"So sorry Selph, Imma get the door." A freshman on the other corner said. She went to open the door to reveal the whistling Squall. The freshman almost fainted when she realized, after a couple of seconds, who it was.
"I, um, hi?" Squall said, clearly perplexed.
"Err…um… oh my Hyne," the freshman murmured while her eyes were affixed on his face. "Um…"
Squall was starting to feel awkward and was going to say something that was, err…obviously mean, because his eyebrow was already raised. But before he was able to hail mean words to the dumbstruck freshman, Selphie intervened and asked him why he was there.
"Um… Margaret, you mind stepping sideways? I'll handle the guest you can go back to what you were doing just now." She said as she gave Squall an apologetic side glance and shooed the dreamy frosh. "So sorry about that Squall!" she said as she went and led him to the porch. "You mind talking here instead? I mean for the safety of the other sisters?" Squall just smiled and nodded. "So, came to see Rinoa?" she asked.
"Yeah. I wanted to check if she took her meds, I mean she hasn't answered her phone and I don't know your number so… I decided to check on her personally." The brunette replied as his eyes wandered to the staircase, which was visible through the thin lavender curtains. Selphie took note of this and smiled. "I think she's still asleep. Do you want to come up to our room and wake her up?" she suggested as she motioned to the doorway.
"Uh…sure." He said as the bouncing Selphie led him inside, to be stared and wooed at by the other women. He felt like a movie star walking on the red carpet and the women were taking photographs of him with their eyes. Selphie rolled her eyes at a couple of junior sisters who were ogling at the only man in the room.
"So this is how a movie star feels like," Squall whispered to Selphie. "and I even heard some saying I'm the "Prince" or something." Selphie just nodded then giggled at what Squall heard. "Well, technically… you are one."
As they reached the room, Selphie stomped her foot. "Why? What's wrong?" Squall asked thinking that it might make Rinoa up. "Is something wrong…errr…Selph?"
"Oh my Hyne! I am so sorry Squall! I totally spaced out from the broken glass and the stupid frosh, that I totally forgot that she's not here!" Selphie explained. "I'm sorry!" Squall was thoughtful for a moment and then asked, "Where is she then?"
"I think she went out to eat or something… I wanted to tag along but I was too late and wasn't able to catch up to her. I'm really sorry for not saying sooner!" Selphie replied as she started fiddling with her dress' pleats. Squall looked at her for a while and finally said, "Well, I better check the restaurants around campus first, if she was on foot then she won't be able to go out." Then he went downstairs and straight to the front door. Selphie was quickly following his wake. "I can't tag along this time! I have chores!" she yelled as she halted on the porch of the house.
Squall gave a small wave and started his golf cart to go back to the Kappa Gamma house and get his Jaguar. "I better get my Jag; I don't think it'd be an easy chase with her tonight." He said as he turned right.
He ran up to his room and bumped into Irvine on the way. "Hey man, how is she feeling?" he asked the rushing Squall. It's seems as though he wasn't heard because he just went into his room and grabbed his keys. "Okay…thanks for talking… goodbye!" Irvine called out while scratching his head. "That was weird."
Squall ran to his car and revved up the engine and within 3seconds he was back on the road on his way to his first destination… the Brewing Cup. The Brewing Cup is the only coffee shop inside the campus and was famous for their Fly Coffee…wherein they send your cup and saucer with hot coffee, sugar and cream, flying towards you. Some get hurt, but hey, it's a trend so why not?
"Shoot. I don't think she'd be here." He said to himself as he pulled over in front of the store, whose door sign read 'CLOSED FOR RENOVATIONS.' "So much for a near by coffee shop. I better check out the Italian café." He said as he started up his engine again and went left from the coffee shop.
Meanwhile, Rinoa was being held captive by a group of students who are apparently angry at her. She tried to let loose their grasp but to no avail, they only tightened it.
"What? Did you really think we'd let you get away from us? After what you did… we'd never let you outta our sight!" Keena yelled. Then the blonde snapped her fingers at the other girls behind Rinoa to make them tighten their grip even more.
"Just a little bit more time and we'll tie her up. Make sure she stays in that position until then!" she said to the others behind her. There were a total of 6 women in the restaurant and Rinoa was, sadly, one of them.
Keena motioned to the others to find rope and duct tape in the premises… but there was none. "What the hell? They don't even have packaging tape?!" she yelled at her posse. "Do I have to provide everything?! Celine!" she snapped her fingers towards the brunette on her right. "Go get the tape and rope from the Zeta Beta house! Now!" Celine nodded once and went on her way.
"Don't worry; I won't let my sorority get tainted…" then she grabbed Rinoa's chin and forced her to look at her. "I'm going to use one of the boys' supplies—because you are not special." Then she threw her head back with such force that it hurt her nape. The girls behind Rinoa were becoming tired from holding her like that.
Ugh… finally their grips loosen up. I think I could escape but I need to distract them… how? Keena? I need to talk to Keena… if I get her pissed enough… she'd try to hurt me… and if she does these two would have to let go…. But I only have until Celine comes back with the duct tape or else… I'm screwed.
"Hey Keena," the kneeling Rinoa said. "You think you're special by being like this? And you think no one can compare to you… when in fact a whore can satisfy better than you do." Oh Hyne this is it!
"—Wait—what did you just say to me?!" she was a bit shaken by Rinoa's comment. "You're saying that YOU could satisfy better than me?" Keena retorted.
"No… I am saying a WHORE…. W-H-O-R-E, can satisfy better than you do… I for one am not a whore, maybe you're 'sisters' are but not you." Rinoa said. She looked proud of herself when Keena suddenly threw her phone and yelled.
"I'm sorry, I thought you were one." She said as she tried to look composed. "but I guess, road-kills can't become prostitutes." Is this the best she's got?! My Hyne, I have her eating on the palm of my hands.
At that exact moment Celine came back holding some duct tape and rope, "I went through the shortcut and got cut." She said as she showed them her bleeding arm. "We'll clean that up later… right now I want the rest of you to tie this bitch up." Keena ordered the others to do as she says and to make sure Rinoa was not able to escape.
Dammit! I ran out of time! Ugh… the ropes are hurting my wrists. Rinoa's arms were already sweaty from being tightly grasped and held that her skin became soft. "Make sure you tie her up good, wrap her ankles too."
Keena went to pick up her phone and then smiled at Rinoa. "I'm sure you'll be fine… only bruises and a couple of wounds." She said. "Now, "pet" I want you to tell me who you are."
"Hasn't the magazine article mentioned anything? And I thought you're the Queen of Gossip?" Rinoa said while writhing. Keena took notice of her pain and said, "You speak like you hold the Ace card, when in fact, it is with me… and it's not against you." Then she smiled again. She looked like an angel—an angel from hell. "It's against your boyfriend."
Squall went to the Italian café but there wasn't anyone there either. Dammit Rin, where are you?! He thought as he turned 180degrees towards the exit and went to outside campus to go to the other near restaurants. "I guess she'd be outside, I mean food there is better." He said to himself as he checked his watch. It read 11:58pm; damn it's late. Where could she be?
"Would any restaurant outside entertain customers even at this time of the night?" he said as he killed his engine to go and walk outside and check out the restaurants. He checked every restaurant and every food stall he could find, but Rinoa wasn't there. He checked his watch again and it read 12:30AM. He's been walking for almost an hour now and Rinoa was still nowhere to be found.
"Where the hell are you?!" Squall yelled out loud, out of frustration. Everybody on the street turned their heads to find who yelled. Good thing he was wearing a black hoodie and was able to cover up most of his face or else there would another issue for him to resolve.
And I haven't even fixed up the older issue, which is the cause why Rinoa got pretty sick. Oh wait, it was her winning that is to blame for her getting sick! Not the article, not the issue...Whew! He said as he went back to his black Jag and went back to the dorms. "Maybe she went back already?" he asked himself.
"But she'd try to call me or at least SMS, because I left her like…15 messages and 22 missed calls." He said as he sped up the front gate of their campus. Maybe I just missed a couple of buildings or establishments? Or she might've fallen back to sleep… I don't know… damn I hate this.
He thought again as he reached the Iota house. "Dammit, I'm back from where I came from." He checked his watch again to find that it was already 1:15AM. "Shoot." I wonder if Selphie is still awake… if I could only find her number… oh wait I have a tracker! From dad of course.
Squall went to rummage the passenger seat for his bag. He searched his bag for the green phone. "Aha! Found you." He said as he pulled a green plastic phone out of his bag.
"Now, who am I looking for again…ah… Selphie… Selphie… uh… I think it was Tilmitt?" he asked himself as he punched in his username and password. He then typed in Selphie Tilmitt and got two phone numbers, one was for the Iota house and another was her personal cell number. Why didn't I just asked for her number while I was there?
"There!" he exclaimed as he dialed the number with his phone.
I must remember to thank Dad for this nifty gadget. And I thought tracking people only applies in movies! Well I guess being with Rinoa is like a movie… wait, scratch that…way too cheesy!
He laughed at what he was thinking and was intently waiting for Selphie to pick up. He checked his watch again and saw that it was already 1:30AM. Is this watch a joke? It's that late?!
Finally, after the 15th ring, Selphie picked up. "ungh…. Herro?" she said in a weird voice. "Hey Selph, it's me Squall." Selphie checked her watch and saw that it was 1:30AM. "Wow, it's really late Squall, anyway, what can I help you with?" then she yawned.
"So sorry to wake you up, but I was wondering if Rinoa is back there now?" he asked anxiety and worry present in his voice.
Wow he's really nervous… "Um, so sorry Squall but she hasn't come back, I figured she was with you already and I didn't bother calling you… sorry." Then another yawn escaped her lips.
"Oh okay…thanks Selph. I'll go look for her." Squall said and bade Selphie a goodnight then snapped his phone close. Dammit Rinoa! He thought as he started up his engine again.
Rinoa was being held against the wall by Keena's posse. And to add to the feeling of being squashed against the wall, she was also feeling her wrists being scratched severely by the chaffing of tender skin against rough ropes. Oww… shoot, who can save me at this hour? SQUALL! She desperately prayed that he show up.
Keena was eyeing her as she ordered the girls to let Rinoa loose. "Let her loose, I have had my fun." She said devilishly as she approached Rinoa.
"Aww..." she cooed. "Look at your poor wrists… they're so red… oh! And look at the other one," she said as she pointed Rinoa's left wrist, which was covered in scarlet blood. "It's already bleeding."
This bitch… I just wish I could kick her ass right now! Rinoa desperately tried to distract herself from her bleeding wrist. Heck I just got out of the hospital! Am I that unlucky?!
She tried to move towards Keena and lash, at least her teeth, on her. But to no avail…her legs were buckling up and she was held paralyzed. Keena laughed at her unsightly appearance. Rinoa was kneeling and her hair was messed up, not to mention that her clothes were all wrinkled and blood stained. She also had a new bruise to come up on her left and right arms, and on her right cheek bone too. She was definitely a sight.
"Aww, I'm having such fun with you!" Keena exclaimed. "But I am a bit tired… I guess I should just finish this." She let out a yawn then called for Celine again.
"Celine… can you finish this up for me?" She asked her sweetly. Then said something like, "…double the dosage… " and Rinoa was not able to hear anything anymore because Celine approached her with a handkerchief and held it against her mouth and nose. "Wait! What is th—." She tried to protest but she fell, almost, instantly out.
"That's a wrap! Now we go." Keena snapped as she led the way back to their dorms.
Squall was roving the campus thinking that Rinoa might've fainted while walking and thus cannot make it back to her dorm. "Rinoa… where could you be?" damn
Then Squall came across a poster of Burglar Burgers, and was petrified. "Damn I totally forgot about that place!" he said as he made a U-turn and double backed to the maid road. He sped up and found himself facing the establishment.
He killed his engine and went to check up the place. As soon as he tried to push past the door, his attention was caught by a small moan.
What was that? I think it came from behind the counter. He carefully went to check it out. "Hello? Is anyone here?" he asked out. But no one answered.
He went to the counter and checked behind it and found, under the sink, a black haired creature that was writhing in pain. He rushed to her side and tried to wake her up. But to no avail she was out cold. Shoot! Why does this always happen?!
He took off his jacket and wrapped it around her. Then he dialed Ellone's number. "Hello? Sorry to wake you up; but something came up, I'm coming over. No, I'm not alone, I'm bringing Rinoa along. Make sure you have a room ready okay? Ayt, I'll see you in a few." He then shut his phone again and collected Rinoa in his arms.
The bruises on her face were already starting to form and she's starting to writhe in pain again as she was regaining consciousness. "Hush…" Squall kept whispering to her as he placed him on the back seat of his car and revved up the engine to head to the palace.
"Squall!" Ellone said as she descended the main stairs of their home. "You sounded weird on the phone, are you okay?" she was very nervous and not to mention shaken by the sudden call from her brother at 3am.
"Is the room ready?" he asked
Ellone just nodded and said, "Everything you asked for are ready, I don't know why you want Dr. Yang but I did call him and he's in the clinic." She was having a hard time catching up to Squall who was panting because of the extra weight on his arms.
That was the time when Ellone noticed the bundle in his arms. "Squall, what or who is—oh my Hyne! Rinoa!" she exclaimed as she saw the pale white skin from behind the messy hair. "What happened?" she kept asking Squall.
Squall just went straight to the clinic and placed Rinoa on a chair and waited for the doctor. Ellone finally caught up with them and said, "What the hell Squall?!" she said the moment she opened the door. "Oh my Hyne," then she got distracted by Rinoa again. "What happened?" she asked once more as she took a look at Rinoa's wounds.
"Can't you use Cure or Curaga on them Elle?" Squall finally spoke.
"I could, but it'll only make the wounds go away, not necessarily bring back the blood she lost." She said as she started to heal the wound. "Any ideas on how this happened?" she asked again.
"None." He said as the doctor came in and went to fix Rinoa up. "Oh my, what happened to her?" he asked. "I don't know doctor, I just saw her like that."
As soon as Ellone finished up with the wound, the doctor went to check up on her. "She seems diluted. By, I think…" he said as he scraped up some traces of powder on her nose. He put the substance under his microscope and found out that there are traces of Floutane, a component used to create sleeping gas. "She's been put to sleep. I am not sure how huge the dosage or inhalation of this is but I shall check." He said as he got a syringe from the cabinet and some isopropyl alcohol.
"Ellone, can you help me?" he asked as he pointed to the cotton balls near her. She went and gave it to Dr. Yang. He inserted the syringe to Rinoa's arm and drew blood.
"I'm sorry, I know she lost blood but we have to do this to make sure." Squall just nodded and after he was finished he asked if he could take Rinoa to her room.
Then he carried her again, this time he took her to her room which was right in front of his room. "Look Ellone," he said as he went to open the door. "I do not want her aunt to find out about this, because the moment she does, Rinoa'll be pulled out of the school and be sent back to Deling." He explained to his dumbstruck sister.
Ellone didn't move or said anything just nodded and decided to gather clothes for Rinoa. "I'll call you when she's dressed." She said as she let Squall out of the room. I wonder what happened to her… her face is all bruised up. Poor girl.
She went to call Squall up and said that she's all set. "Thanks Elle, you better get some rest." He said. "Don't worry about me, if you want to stay here it is fine, you could sleep on the other bed… you had quite a night too, get some rest. As for your school," she added remembering that that morning was the first day of classes. "I'll call them. Using our family name." then she bade them goodbye and went to her own room.
That morning, Squall was sleeping on the bed beside Rinoa's and was snoring. He didn't even bother changing.
"Ungh…" Rinoa said as she regained consciousness. "Where am I?" she asked aloud. Squall woke up the moment he heard foreign sounds. "Rinoa!" he exclaimed.
"What are these?" Rinoa asked him. "Why do I have dextrose? And why am I here at your place?" she said as she indicated the emblems on the covers.
"You don't remember anything?" Squall asked.
"Remember what exactly?" she asked him back.
A/n: nanayt people... *yawn* R &R please i kinda edited this XD
