Squall peered out through his window at the downpour of rain. Quistis had just rang, and just hearing her damn voice made things, somehow, worse. She was meeting up with Selphie, Irvine, Zell and Seifer and wanted to know if Squall could come. She was organized a study group at her house. So that's what she's calling it now huh? pfft, how lame. Of course he had declined, and no mention of Rinoa was even made. Rinoa... He sighed to himself as he watched Gray's car pull up in the drive way. The asshole was finally home. His steely blue eyes gazed out into the empty and dull sky and his mind wandered back to his thoughts of her.

"I can't do this Squall! It's wrong okay?" her voice would be forever etched in his mind. How could she say such a thing?

How can it be wrong? when it feels so damn right...Squall stood lost in these thoughts as the song on his stereo changed.

"Turn that damn crap music of yours down!" he heard Gray's voice shout. Fucking hell, why can't this jerk just get lost? Squall walked away from the window and straight out of his room. He angry. And simply refused to turn the music down. Squall walked into the kitchen, where he found the man standing by the fridge, gulping beer down as quick as he could.

"That's mine" Squall said in a flat monotone. Gray smirked, and let out a small chuckle.

"You're kiddin' right? hah. You're still a minor, you can't drink beer- and besides-" he paused for a moment.

Squall walked closer to him, evidently pissed off. Not only was this man giving him commands about how loud his music could be, but he was also drinking his beer.

"Besides What?" Squall asked.

Gray laughed into the air. "Boy, this is my house, I'll drink whatever the fuck I want to drink."

That was it. Squall was about to lose it completely...

Then Raine walked in.

"Mum?" Squall nearly shouted. He was in shock, this was the first time he'd actually seen her in days. Awake. And smiling...wow..that's my mother. Squall spun around, forgetting about Gray, as his mother took him into a tight embrace. "Hey Squall" she cooed as she held him for a moment. "Hey..." Squall smiled as he relaxed in her loving hold. It was good to see her. "How come you're home?" Squall asked, "Ah, They sent me home, things were flat at the bar for a few hours-" she said. He looked up at him, her smiling expression became one of concern. She noticed the bruising on his jaw and her eyes lowered. She didn't need to ask. She already knew. This wasn't the first time. She released him quickly and walked over to Gray.

"Hi honey, I've missed yah" Gray said, giving her that sleezy trademark smirk of his before giving her a peck on the cheek.

Squall turned and got ready to head back to his room.

"Oh Squall!" Raine called after him. "I'll cook us dinner tonight, we all can sit together and catch up."

"Great..."

"Squall?"

"..What?"

"Turn your music down! Gray has been at work all day, and I'm sure he'd appreciate some peace and quiet."

------

The group of five sat down together on the floor, in the middle of Quistis's room. The decore wasn't too grunge, but the walls were covered in plenty enough posters. Her dresser was covered in bottles of perfume and make-up, and there were clothes everywhere. A moment of silence passed as they all watched the rain pouring outside her bedroom window.

Quistis swallowed down some more beer and let out a tiny sigh. "Squall's not coming" she said flatly.

Seifer grinned.

Irvine and Zell gave each other a high-five, while Selphie crawled over to her friend and gave her a pat on the back.

"Quisty...We all knew he wouldn't be interesting in studying for the play anyways..." Selphie told her. Quistis shrugged. "Oh well, so whose gonna go for Romeo?" Quistis asked. Selphie and Quistis had already agreed that Quistis would play Juliet, Selphie was unable to pronounce half of the words in the chapters, so she decided to audition for a minor role.

"Anybody?" she asked again, this time snapping. Everyone remained silent.

She grabbed her cigerette and took a large drag from it. "Fine, whatever...could you guys go? I need to be alone" she said in aggrivation.

"Only if I can take three beers with me!" Zell pouted, he was already nearly half drunk, and he wasn't exactly the early quitter type.

"Okay, just...get out" she spat.

Irvine shrugged, as Zell stumbled up, ready to be on his way home, balancing three bottles of beer in his hands.

Selphie grinned and gave Quistis a tight hug. "Call me?"

Quistis nodded, her eyes were looking bloodshot as if she were about to cry. "I'll call you tonight."

Selphie and Irvine headed off, helping Zell as they went. Seifer, however, was still lingering by the door.

Quistis put out the smoke in the ask tray and walked over to the window, she gazed out into the cold, winter-like sky. Her fingers traced down the sides of the window,

"Go away Seifer, I can see you standing there, I'm not in the mood for your games.." she said. The sadness in her voice was genuine.

He took a few forward steps back into the room, and slowly, with all the courage he had in him, he swallowed his pride. He walked behind her a gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'll be at the audition tomorrow...for the role of Romeo.." he said, before leaving her room.

And Quistis burst into tears.

------

Rinoa, still feeling a mixture of a emotions, decided to crawl into bed.

She rolled to the side, pulling the covers high up her neck, she listened to the rain as it hit the window.

"Rain, rain, go away, come again another day.." a voice lulled in her mind. A sweet voice. A voice, that from time to time became distant to her, but it was a voice that the world would never forget. Julia Heartilly, the famous singer and pianist. She would be forever remembered for her song 'Eyes on Me'

But there were so many other songs Rinoa remembered her singing.

She gripped tight to her bed sheets as memories flooded back to her. So many years had passed, and she still couldn't believe her mother was gone. The familiar sound of four friendly feet came trotting into her room, she felt something warm and heavy jump up at the end of the bed. Angelo. She smiled, the company right now as welcome. She sat in an upright position, as she watched him curl up near her feet. She leaned over and petting him softly on his head. His fur was beautiful and soft.

"Don't ever leave me Angelo" Rinoa cried as she hugged his neck. She listened to him whimper softly in response.

"Everyone I know, goes away in the end.." she said as a few warm tears rolled down her cheeks.

And that's what I'm afraid Squall will do...

------

Squall has spent countless hours in his room now. In total silence. He could hear Raine and Gray talking in the kitchen. Gray had been bitching on about how the school had rang up about Squall's behaviour. He was telling Raine that Squall needed be be punished. And from the sounds of it, she was agreeing.

All for his fucking money...Squall thought as he lye there on his back, gazing up and the white blank ceiling.

It just pissed him off even more thinking about. He had to put up with all these strange men, assholes, coming into his house and dating his mother. And he wasn't like, she was even in-love with any of them, it was only so she could use their money. To pay for bills and food. But Squall knew, she was doing it for him and for Ellone. He just hated it so much. Everyone was suffering because of Gray. He was a total prick. Squall sighed as he rolled to his side, he grabbed the drawings that were on his bedstand and flipped through them.

When he came to the drawing of Quistis, in all his anger, he tore it into a hundred shreds and threw the pieces on the floor.

Right now, he just wanted to scream. Where the fuck is my real father right now?

"Squall! Dinners ready!" he heard his mother calling.

Squall got up and slumpered into the kitchen, with a heavy sigh he sat down at the dining table. And began shovelling the rice onto his plate.

"Bit much there kid" Gray grumbled, looking un-impressed at the amount of food Squall had on his plate.

"I didn't eat lunch" Squall smirked, putting extra vegetables, just to piss the man off.

"Your attitude is fucking rotten!" Gray exclaimed, banging a fist on the table. Squall shot a look at his mother. She looked scared.

"You need to learn some respect...were at the dinner table here, so mind your damn manners!" Squall shouted.

"Please-" Raine interjected.

"This is my fucking house! You stupid fucking shit!" Gray snarled, his face exploded into an angry shade of red and he jumped from his seat and raced over to Squall. His grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and threw him back against the wall.

"Now, You listen to me boy!"

Raine jumped up from her seat, "Don't Gray! Just leave him! Please!" she was screaming, her face was flushed and her eyes wavered with tears.

"Shut the fuck up!" he bellowed. His whole body shook with anger, he glared into Squall's eyes.

"Things are gonna change around here, boy!" I know they are...

Squall swallowed hard as the man pushed him hard into the wall once more before letting him go. Gray stormed off, slamming the front door behind him. Seconds later, his car could be heard speeding off down the road. The silence.

Raine paced over to her son, tears still streaming from her eyes, "I'm sorry...Squall I-"

"I'm leaving." I can't deal with this shit. Not right now. I can't do it anymore.

Squall didn't think twice about what he had just said. He turned and went into his room and started searching for a bag. I'm not going to stay here like this...This is going no where and I can't take it. He retrieved a large duffle bag from under his bed and began shoving clothes in. Raine walked into the room. "No!" she screamed, "Please!" but it was too late, he'd heard enough. In only moments, he filled the bag with clothes and other things he thought he'd need aswell as all his money.

He walked straight past his mother and out the front door. She of course followed, he jumped in his car, and she slammed her fists down on the hood of the car. "Squall!" she shouted. "Squall!"

He felt his heart sink. It wasn't her fault. So many years...and it had finally come to this. He knew deep down, she did it out of love for him. But...he couldn't take it here anymore. And if Gray wasn't going to leave, then Squall sure as hell had to. Slowly, he got out of the car, looking his mother in the eye. The woman that had raised him and made up for the absence of his real father. "I'll be back to visit.." he said, as she wrapped her arms around him. sobbing. The embrace was quick. He jumped back in the car and left.

As he drove he honestly didn't no where to go or what to do. His heart screamed for him to run to Rinoa and just hold her in his arms. Just seeing her could melt all the pain away. Years of it. No one really understood. But even she thought it was wrong the one thing in his life that he knew was right. She'd told him it was wrong. I can't see her. I couldn't bare it. He'd made up his mind. She didn't want him. He reached into his pocket and grabbed his cell phone out and rang Zell.

"Yo! Squall, Missed ya buddy"

"Hey man...Is it cool if I stay at your house for a few days."

"Whats up? shit with your dad again?"

"Yeah, he's not my dad. Look, is it okay?"

"Hang on bro, I'll go and ask ma, she should be cool.."

Squall waited, while driving in the direction of Zell's home. He sighed. Maybe I should have called Seifer?

"Yo! Squall, It's okay, come over, Ma says it's all good."

"Thanks, Be there in a few mins."

He snapped shut his phone and snapped shut his mind from the one person who could have cured his tragedy. Rinoa.