He watched her in silence. His hand fumbled and turned the volume down on the stereo. As he watched Rinoa, walked toward the car, in all her glory. Looking just as stunning as always, and if not, more. She was perfect. The way her shiny hair hung loose around her perfect shoulders. Her pretty face. Her opted choice of clothing. His favorite colors. Black and red.

As she climbed into the car and slammed the door shut. Squall felt sick.

What could a guy like me, ever really offer?

"Hi Squall" she mumbled, as if in annoyance as she fastened her seatbelt. Ouch. He quickly turned the keys in the ignition and started the car. The music played softly as he drove. He watched her from the corner of his eye, her eyes were fixated on the world passing them by.

"How are you Rin?" he said. It took everything in him just to utter those words. She took his breath away. This is so stupid...

"I'm fine" she said quickly, not bothering to look at him.

"Argh...Rinoa, look, whatever it is I did, I'm sorry!" he blurted. He ran a hand through his messy hair in frustration. "I've missed you..." he went on.

He listened to her take a deep breath. As though she was preparing herself to explode. "I can't do this with you!" she said.

"Huh? What? What do you mean? What are we doing that's wrong?" Squall asked in pure confusion.

"You! Me! I can't be near you it's just wrong okay? what happened the other day at your house was wrong-"

"What? When I hugged you? Why is that wrong Rinoa?" he interjected.

"Shut up!" she exclaimed. "Just shut up. Drive. And leave me the hell alone Squall!"

Why should I even bother...?

------

Selphie rolled around in the picnic rug like a maniac. "This is soooo stupid! Where is Rinny?" she whined.

Irvine tossed Zell another can of beer. They'd started a small bonfire down on the beach, and the sun would soon be setting. The sky offered a glorious sight. A mixture of red, orange and grey. Almost as though someone has tossed a blend of tropical fruits into the sky.

Seifer watched Quistis from across the fire in silence. She knew damn well he was watching, but pretended not to notice.

"Selphie! Quit that! You're gettin' sand in your hair darlin'! C'mon" Irvine moaned. And just to spite him, she rolled around even more rapidly like the total idiot she was whenever she has even the slightest bit of alcohol in her system.

Zell glanced at his watch. "They're like 30 minutes late, I wonder what could have gone wrong...Hrmm...maybe I should call Squall?" Zell piped up.

"No" Quistis said with a tiny wry smile, she dared to look into Seifer's eyes for a lingering moment. "They'll be here soon. Don't fuss over it."

Zell opened the can and chugged a quarter of it's content down.

"I'm so bored, anyone up for a swim?" he said.

"YEAH!" Selphie roared jumping to her feet. "Let's goooo!" she said, ready to run off in the waters direction, only to be restrained by Irvine's 'loving grip'.

"Nuh-uh sweetie, I don't think so."

-----

"Okay asshole, what exactly do you think you're doing?" Rinoa asked.

"Oh so NOW you wanna talk huh?" Squall huffed, throwing his hands up in the air.

"WHY ARE WE PULLED OVER!" she screamed, her pale cheeks flushing with pink.

"Because you are being a heartless god damn bitch!"

Her body shook. She swallowed. Reality wasn't even real anymore. What does he want from me? does he expect me to just fuck up my friendship with Quists..? How could he even think about cheating on her...when she's so pretty...and I'm...

"Rinoa..."

He concluded her thoughts for her, offering a small and wry smile. "I'm sorry if I...made you feel uncomfortable at my place the other day" he began. His grey-blue eyes wandering into hers.

"It's okay...I mean...if you don't want to...w-well, we can just be friends if that's what you want" he finished. He was trying so hard to look brave.

Friends...? Squall...you know that's not what I want...isn't it obvious?

"Alright" she said in a small voice. "Alright" she said again nodding her head slowly. no...no...no...

"Alright then, Friends?"

"Friends."

With a heavy heart, Squall started the car back up and drove off down the road. They weren't far now from the pier. The remaining light of the day had melted into a star studded sky.

Friends...

-------

Selphie, Zell and Irvine erupted into laughter once again. Drunks... Since when was roasting weeners all that funny anyway?

"Oh my GOD!" Selphie shrilled. "Look! Look!" Zell squeeled in a hysterical fit of giggling.

"Yumo! You have soooo gotta try one 'o these!" Irvine chuckled as he munched down the 'burn-to-a-crisp-weener' only to gasp out in pain. HOT.

The cowboy dropped down on the picnic blanket and chugged down the rest of his beer to relieve the pain.

And as if on que, Selphie and Zell glomped over the top of poor Irvine for a game of 'stacks on'.

The three of them were too drunk to even notice that Quistis and Seifer had 'disappeared' together for a quiet stroll along the shore line...

-------

With out-stretched arms, Quistis let out a peaceful sigh before spinning herself around in a circle three times. Trying to wake herself up from what appeared to be a dream...

Seifer lingered close behind her, his green eyes highlighted by the bright stars and moon. He smiled silently, standing close beside her, just in-case she were to fall...

"You're different.." he spoke softly.

She smiled brightly, pulling her long honey-blonde hair free from it's restraints, to feel the warm summer breeze rush through it. "I'm not so sure Seifer, I still feel like me" she cooed. She sighed again before letting herself fall backwards, knowingly, right into his arms.

"Careful..." he said, as he lowered them both onto the sand in a sitting position. The whole time, he dared to keep her in his arms. He closed his eyes a moment, to breathe this all in. A moment like this was surely too good to last. Especially with the way she was. But right now, under the star shine, he wouldn't change her for the world.

Quistis let herself relax in his arms. She had drank enough to forget her 'normal' way of acting. She stared out into the vast ocean, glowing in pale moonlight, and enjoyed the sounds of the waves gently crashing on the sand.

Her mind was numb, and flooded with so many thoughts...

"People...don't have to know" she said, breaking the welcomed silence.

Seifer carefully peered into her eyes from over her shoulder, he smiled again, just knowing how lucky he was to be in this situation. With his other hand he gently brushed her soft cheek.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Everything" she began. "The...way...the way that I feel, they don't know."

Seifer narrowed his eyes at her words. Not from anger, but from empathy. I know...I know all too well what you're saying Qui-

"Seifer, It's lonely.." she said in a tiny voice. Lonely.

His hold on her tightened, and he turned her to face him, his hands planted firmly on her shoulders. "It doesn't have to be this way!" he exclaimed placing a soft kiss on her lips, followed by many feverish kisses that she returned. Her hands traveled slowly down his back, pulling his chest closer to hers, as the two finally gave into their feelings. He kissed her again and again, and she kissed him back and held him tightly against herself.

Moments like this are too good to last.

------

Rinoa laughed out loud as she strolled content by Squall's side down the shore line.

Squall had explained that the pier was not far ahead, and the two of them were happy to spend some time talking a walk to clear everything up, rather than parking down by the bonfire.

"I'm serious, Irvine wore pink pants everyday for a month, that was the deal" Squall said in a serious voice, meanwhile, Rinoa was hysterical.

"You guys are so damn mean, the things you do to each other I swear..." she said, while trying to compose herself.

It was a beautiful night. Perfect. One unlike any other she remembered. Even though it hadn't quite started the way either of them had intended. Everything was okay now.

"Rin, I'm sorry you know..." Squall mumbled.

This isn't how things should be...

"Don't mention it, we can just forget it ever even happened."

Like hell! They both thought in union.

The continued up along the tides edge. The waves were calm, the they rolled over the sand with a relaxing gush. All the peace never lead them to expect what they were about to see. Or prepare them for what would happen next..

"Holy fucking Hyne!" Squall almost shouted.

Rinoa smiled in his direction. "What?" she asked dumbfounded.

No further explaination was needed.

There they were. Ontop of one another...

The two most Hyne damn unlikely people in all the universe...

Seifer and Quistis.