Rinoa sighed in relief as the bell rang. Another day over. She slipped through the crowd of students, everyone was in a mad-rush to get to their lockers. It was Friday at last. The weekend had finally landed. But try as she might, she couldn't join in with everyone else's excitement. Squall hadn't shown up to school for the past couple of days..And she couldn't shake the thoughts of what had happened from her mind. And Quistis still knew nothing...I nearly betrayed my own friend...How could I be so fucking selfish? In the past couple of days she had began to realize, just how different her life was now becoming. She actually had plans tonight. For the first time in so long...She had plans!

As she finished weaving her way through the sea of faces, she arrived infront of her locker, Selphie was already their waiting for her.

"Rin!" Selphie smiled from ear to ear, obviously happy to see her friend. "You're late! I've been waiting here for like, and hour!" Selphie said whilst stomping her foot.

Rinoa rolled her eyes at her friends exaggeration. Frustrated, she began to put her combination into the lock. "...Um, the teacher made me stay back for a bit..." Rinoa said flatly.

Selphie leaned closer, It was so noisey! the students were all down the hallway, throwing bits of paper, yelling, screaming, fighting...It was the absolute definition of insanity!

"Why did you have to stay back, Rinny?" Selphie said.

Finally! Rinoa got the damn lock to open! As quickly as she could, she began shoving books into her bag for weekend study. Not like I'll do it anyways. Rinoa felt a poke on her shoulder as she slammed shut the door to the locker and started off towards home. She wasn't feeling herself. I must be getting a really bad head ache she thought as she continued on her way, forgetting about Selphie completely.

"Rinoa!" Selphie groaned, catching up to her friend who was already out of the building and nearly out the front gate.

"Oh...I'm so sorry!" Rinoa said sincerly to her friend as they walked together down the foot path.

Selphie smiled, "What happened after class?" she asked. Rinoa's eyes lowered.

"Rin, It's okay, You can tell me, It's just between us..."

Rinoa looked straight forward, avoiding eye contact. She didn't really know what to say...or how to say it. A feeling grew in the bottom of her stomach, and her mind screamed out to her. Just tell her a lie. She shook these thoughts away. No.

"...The teachers don't think I should hang around with you guys anymore" Rinoa nearly cried out. "They don't want me to be around your group..."

Silence.

Rinoa felt her heart sink. She knew this would come across as hurtful to Selphie...and everyone else for that matter. What the teachers had told her was ridiculous. For the first time in my life, I have friends...and they want me to leave them alone because they are a bad influence? The two girls walked the rest of the way wordlessly. Until they arrived at Selphie's house.

"Rinoa, We all love you, But if you think were-" Selphie began,

"No" Rinoa interjected, "I love you guys too...I don't care what they say, Nothing is going to change."

Selphie gave her friend a genuine hug before she skipped up her drive-way. "See you at the party tonight! CAN'T WAIT!" she beamed.

"Me either! See yah!" Rinoa giggled, as she headed on home.

----------

"Yo! Squall man...Get up!" Zell said as he shoved the mans shoulder.

Squall groaned, lifelessly, he rolled over onto his side. His eyes opened slightly, but he quickly shut them again in detest to the open curtains. "Shut them."

Zell obeyed his friend's command, he drifted over to the windows and shut all of the blinds. "There, now get off my god damn couch!" Zell whined, "It's been TWO DAYS!"

Squall nodded knowingly before he wiped up some drool with his sleeve. Indeed, it had been two days on Zell's elegant and oh-so-comfy black leather sofa. Squall still didn't feel as though he had enough strength to face the world. He'd created his own artificial permanent night-time. The curtains were drawn at all times, and he didn't dare step outside into the sunlight.

Squall was sick of everything.

"Squall...It's friday, aren't you coming to the beach party?" Zell sighed.

...Party...Squall thought. "Is Rinoa going?" he rasped out.

Zell nodded. "Yeah, Irvine said she's coming along with Selphie."

Squall slowly pulled himself into a sitting position. And a disgusting feeling suddenly registered. "I'm up" he said with a tiny yawn.

"Yesssss!" Zell cheered, "So! You're coming to the party right?" Zell asked all wide eyed. Squall looked at him. He looks different...weird...I've never actually noticed just how weird this kid is...Hrm...

"Whatever..." Squall said still with a blank expression, "I'm gonna take a shower...and get changed and stuff."

Zell nodded, as his friend headed off to the bathroom, Zell plonked himself down on the couch.

"Ahhh...Good to have you back Zell leaned back into the huge couch. Squall had forsaken such comfort from him for days, Zell could smell...something. And it wasn't pleasant. The bleach blonde gave out a huge huff...Man...he didn't even notice my new piercing...Zell thought and he grabbed the remote and switched on the television. He could hear the shower water start running. Zell grinned and gave his 'imaginary friend' whom he named 'bob' a high five. Getting Squall into the shower would prove to be the sucess of the day!

----------

"GET OUT NOW!" Quistis bellowed, jumping onto her feet and shaking her fists. "I don't know why you're in my room! Get the hell out! NOW!" she shouted into the air. To most people, these frustrations would have made someone scared enough to jump out of their skin.

But Seifer wasn't most people. Seifer, was use to this kind of treatment.

"Why am I here?" he snarled, now also getting onto his feet. "I'm here because you INVITED ME! or has that slipped your mind O fair lady?" he growled in sarcasm of the situation. Seifer still couldn't believe his luck. Once again, he was in her room. But, this time, they were alone. Shakespeare could not distract him from his true reason for being there...

"...Why can you speak to me so fluently when you shout at me, but when you read from this book you sound like a gagging toad!" she exclaimed shoving the book back in his hands.

"Oh...and what? Squall could do sooo much better than me right? Because Squall is just sooo dreamy!" Seifer hissed.

"Fuck you Seifer! I Quit! NOW GET OUT!" she continued as she barged past him and over to her dresser.

"No."

She took a blade from her drawers, where it had been displayed for a decoration. She started slowly towards him, her eyes flickering with rageous venom. Seifer, too proud for his own good stood there. Refusing to back down to her demands. "I said get out" she said flatly, the two stood now only inches apart. She could almost hear his heart racing as she stood there, unsure of what she was actually doing. Their eyes ventured into a longing lock. He hand quickly snatched her wrist as he ripped the blade from her grasp and threw it to the ground.

She gasped.

The shock had left her vunerable and unable to moved as he slowly leaned in towards her. Surely, she knew what would happen next right? No urge grew in her to push him away. She remained motionless as he breathed down her neck. Out of his sight, she took a moment to indulge the feeling of him against her as she closed her eyes. her guard was down. She was still seething mad, but all these sensations had left her paralyzed. Much to her dismay, he suddenly took a sharp step backwards, she felt her self nearly collapse.

"Quistis...um-" He said. She looked up into his eyes, he looked just as embarrased as she was.

She could feel the red in her cheeks. Like him, she had alot of pride. And she would never admit to what had just happened. Instead, she would pretend it never happened. It means nothing anyway...He's just a stupid...arrogant...son of a-

Her thoughts were interupted by his smile. She watched him for a moment, dumbfounded. His cheeks were red...and for the first time in her life a thought crossed her mind. He looks so damn...cute.

"So...ahh...you're coming...um...to the thing...down at the beach tonight yeah..?" he asked, his green eyes lowering to his feet.

"Yeah. I'll be there" she said, actually smiling back. Just then her phone rang. And the trance was broken...

Fucking hell! They both thought in union.

"You should go and get ready at your house, I'll meet you down at the pier with the others, okay?" she said, as she retrieved the phone from her bag.

He nodded. "Sure, see you then." He left the room, and she closed the door behind him, feeling as though she could scream. Even though she was unsure why. She flipped open her mobile phone. And smiled to hear Rinoa's voice on the other end.

"Oh hey Rinoa, you coming tonight?"

"Yeah...um...I'll be there...What time are we meeting up?" she asked.

"8 PM Down at the pier...do you have a ride?" Quistis asked as she wandered of to her closet and began sorting through her clothes looking for something suitable to wear. Rinoa was silent for a few moments and Quistis just gave a small chuckle.

"I'll call Squall and have him pick you up, see yah later girl! Love yah!" Quistis said and she flipped shut her phone.

She'd ring Squall in a few moments, but first thing was first.

She was gonna get ready.