Disclaimer: I only own what you don't recognise. Commit that to memory.

Author's Note: Well, I'm back, and planning to introduce more issues and problems with the Gang. Lolz, how evil am I?

" – Speech

Italics – Thoughts

Line breaks – Another scenario

-- : -- : - Time lapse

Bold – Emphasized words/Flashbacks

Selphie had just been poring over a board game that she had bought with Gabriel, and was just about to explain the meaning of a 'Geezard Gust' when a couple of light knocks on her dormitory door alerted her. Gesturing at Gabriel to carry on playing, Selphie opened the door and came face-to-face with Jamie.

Allowing curiosity to mar her face, Selphie addressed the brunette, who looked as if she had just refrained from crying, although with not much success. "Hey, J. What happened?"

Even Gabriel allowed his attention to get caught and also turned to look at Jamie. When she uttered something in a low voice, Selphie simply nodded and opened the door even more. As Jamie made her way to sit on Selphie's bed, she gave Gabriel a small, watery smile; one that he couldn't manage to return. Somebody had hurt her … Just as others had hurt and trampled over him.

Selphie made her way to her bed and sat next to Jamie. Slightly hesitant, Jamie looked at Selphie. "It … was – I guess – my fault. I was just so …" Hopelessly, she sighed and shook her head. Allowing a few seconds to pass, in which she composed herself, Jamie began to inform the two of what happened between Irvine and the anonymous female.

"And I was already upset over the fact that Seifer and Rinoa had slept together, and I guess … I just wanted some company", Jamie finished, somewhat dejectedly. Pondering to herself, Selphie asked a question.

"And – you have no idea who this female was?"

"No." Jamie shook her head. "I don't think I've seen her around Garden until recently. But, all I know is that she had silver hair –"

A gasp from Gabriel drew the two females' attention to him. "I saw someone with silver hair as well! But, it was a guy."

Selphie questioned him further. "Where exactly did you see him, Gabby?"

"He was on his way to the cafeteria, when I last saw him."

Selphie looked back at Jamie. "Heeey – what if they're related? I mean, it's kind of funny, isn't it … Two strange visitors with silver hair …"

Jamie looked down at the carpet as she spoke her next words. "Yeah, but … It's not like I'm going to want to talk to him – or her."

"But it'd be great if we could suss out where she came from by talking to her brother!"

Jamie shook her head. "Selph, we can't be sure that they're even siblings. And", she started, since Selphie looked as if she wanted to interrupt. "I really couldn't care less where she goes; I just don't want her to get in the way of me and Irvine's friendship … Or anyone else's, for that matter."

There was a terse silence, where Selphie absentmindedly began to play with a loose thread from her Chocobo-printed bedsheets and which was then broken by Jamie, who looked at Gabriel. "So, you ready to go, Gabby?"

With a nod and a smile, Gabby made his way to the door. Jamie rose up from the bed, as did Selphie.

"Where are you -?"

"Thanks a lot for looking after Gabby, Selph. But, I think it's best if I get out of your hands."

"- Don't be silly, J. I enjoyed the company."

Allowing a smile to unveil itself, Jamie grasped Selphie in a friendly hug, which Selphie returned with equal respect. A couple of seconds later, and the hug was broken.

"Well … look after yourself, Selphie."

"You too, J."

As Jamie exited, Selphie called Gabriel back. Puzzled, Jamie stood where she was, and looked back. Selphie picked up the board game she had been previously playing with Gabby and gave it to him. "Here. I think you'd enjoy it more than I would."

Eyes glistening with gratitude, Gabriel thanked her a couple of times. Selphie beamed at him. "Hey, don't worry about it."

Making his way to Jamie, Gabriel peered at the cover of the game; in awe that he had a game that he could play himself. Looking back at Selphie, Jamie gave her a bigger smile. "Thanks again."

Glad that the two were happy (or as happy as can be, in Jamie's case) Selphie smiled back. "Anytime, J."

However, as the duo made their way back to their dorm, Selphie's smile slowly slid away. Now, she had just realized that she wasn't the only one with problems. Heck, her problems were possibly tiny compared to her friends' various issues and complications. Looking at two photos visible from her nightstand, she smiled at the memories.

The first one was of all of the Orphanage Gang: where Irvine was seated next to Selphie, both with huge smiles upon their faces. Seifer and Jamie, the latter with her head leaning against the blonde's shoulder, both smiling slightly. Then was Quistis, with a smile across her face, seated next to Zell, who had a goofy grin across his face. Then was Squall and Ellone, the former with a tiny half-smile across his face, and the latter radiantly beaming at the camera.

The second one was with the Gang again, but Rinoa had replaced Jamie, and Seifer was absent. First, Squall was seated in a chair, and Rinoa had her arms wrapped around his neck, both smiling. Next was Irvine and Selphie, who had their arms around each other, beaming like they usually do … did. Quistis was there, standing, and had her arms folded, but her face was concealed by the laugh she had been trying hard to muffle with her hand. Next to her, Zell was sheepishly grinning, and had one hand placed at the back of his head: an old habit, Selphie deciphered.

However, the longer she kept staring at those pictures, the more she realized that things were never going to be the same. No matter what.

Jamaila had just been talking to Gabriel about his board game and had unlocked her dormitory door, when she was attracted by a sudden flash of blue. Looking back, she saw Rinoa walking through the corridor. Then, without warning, Jamaila felt a powerful feeling rise inside her: hate, which had possibly been formed from her previous feelings of envy and general dislike.

Uttering a 'Be right back' to Gabriel, who looked at her with confusion, Jamie made her way towards Rinoa, who had stopped walking and watched Jamie with no clear expression on her face which revealed what she was thinking. As soon as Jamie reached Rinoa, she stopped; her eyes narrowed only slightly. However, her voice was oddly calm and controlled.

"Did you enjoy the party?"

Rinoa looked at Jamie uncertainly, and hesistantly answered. "Um … yeah, it was al-alri –"

"I heard you and Seifer went off somewhere together afterwards."

Rinoa's eyes blazed fiercely. "Look, whatever you heard – it's all a –"

"Don't tell me it was a lie, Heartilly. You just damaged a young boy's innocence, doing what you two did …"

"Look, Jamie –"

"Don't you feel guilty? At all?!" Jamie exclaimed. "The Commander of this Garden loves you! And you go off and betray his trust!"

"Look, I didn't know –"

"Is it just Seifer? Or have you done some others - ?!"

Rinoa's eyes widened in shock. How dare she?! She's trying to … make out that I'm some sort of – whore! "I am not someone else's plaything." She spoke darkly: her eyes narrowed into slits.

There was a silence, where Rinoa and Jamie did nothing else but glare at each other. A few seconds later, then Jamie slowly shook her head and took two steps back: Rinoa's eyes still locked on firmly on Jamie. Suddenly, and unexpectedly, Jamaila's fist collided with Rinoa's nose.

With a yelp of pain, Rinoa landed on the ground, holding her nose, which was desperately flowing with blood. Looking down in stunned disbelief, Jamie was barely aware of anything around her apart from what she had done. However, a shout woke her up from her thoughts.

"Rinoa?! Are you okay?!"

Without thinking about what she was doing, Jamie turned and sprinted back towards the circular Garden hallway, just as Seifer ran towards Rinoa. No way … That can't have been …

Placing one hand on the raven-haired beauty's back and one on the back of her head, Seifer lifted her slightly and placed her head securely on his lap. He cursed, as he groped around for an unused tissue in his pocket. Locating one, he tenderly pressed it to Rinoa's nose: easing the blood flow only slightly.

Rinoa was about to open her mouth, but Seifer interrupted. "Look, I'm gonna take you to Kadowaki, alright? Try to get up now …" He said, and helped Rinoa to her feet. With slightly wavering feet, Rinoa and Seifer made their way to the Infirmary, the former still dazed beyond words.

Jamie kept herself hidden, her heart hammering like mad. Just what had made her do that? The brunette had always had something against Heartilly … She couldn't doubt that …

Yet, that punch was far too much, even for her. She had always had a slight difficulty in controlling her anger, but yet after just recently channelling her sorceress powers –

"You know, that was something."

With a gasp, Jamie swiftly turned around and faced the speaker: a male with silver hair, attired in beige combat bottoms and a blue hooded top. Composing herself, Jamie asked him, quite fiercely. "And what does that mean?"

"Whoa, chill", he said, placing his hands in front of him; like a shield. Jamie was involuntarily reminded of Seifer. However, that did nothing to alleviate her. "Look, I saw what you did. And, I'm not hatin' on you, either."

Jamie just stared at him mutely; desperate to find out if there was going to be any commotion stirring now. But, then again, most of the students would possibly be in class. And, the corridors were deserted when the incident occurred, after all. But, in time …

"You got anywhere else to go?"

"Hmm?" Jamie looked up at him, and realized that his eyes were a startling violet. About to contemplate his distinct appearance, he spoke again and this time, Jamie listened.

"I was just wonderin' if you were busy."

"Oh – N-No, I'm not …"

"Great. You wanna come stroll with me?"

Jamie stared at him. He wasn't exactly handsome, but he had an intriguing aura about him. And, besides … she could use the company.

"Um … sure."

He grinned. Jamie saw the face of Seifer again. "Great! Let's go to the Quad!"

And gesturing for Jamie to walk beside him, the two set off for the Quad, Jamaila hoping to erase her previous thoughts out of her mind.

Irvine was still intent on finishing his lunch as quickly as possible. He felt really awkward … What if that female came back? He would have to talk to her … sort the mess out …

Or what if Jamie entered right this moment? He felt as if an invisible hand had just clenched around his chest. Trying hard to shake that feeling away, he raised his head enough to see the silver-haired female make her way towards him. When she seated herself opposite him, Irvine spoke.

"Um … hey again."

She beamed. "Hey. Nice to see you again." When Irvine didn't say anything, she continued. "So … I have some spare time. And I was wondering –"

"No." Irvine said it so abruptly that it barely sounded like him at all; a fact which the female had also realized, and looked slightly offended. Hastily, he added "I'm sorry. But I'm busy, you know … SeeD stuff and all ..."

"Oh – you're a SeeD." She said.

"Yeah … So I'm going to be pretty busy for a couple of days …"

Her stare was so intense that Irvine looked down as he hastily ate: hoping to get out as fast as possible. Why did she make him feel that way … ?

"Well, any time you're free … Just ask around for Hekora."

Irvine looked up, puzzled. "Heko -?"

"My name."

"O-Oh …" He looked down again, and gulped down his last spoonful. "W-Well, I'll be going now …"

She barely moved a muscle as Irvine got up and left the table. Wasn't she good enough for him … No, she convinced herself it wasn't that … After all, he had kissed her back that time at the Quad.

Well, there's just one thing for it – Find out what's distracting him, and consume it, envelope it. Until I am his only distraction.

: -- : --

The evening passed quite smoothly for most, but Squall Leonhart was still nervous. Why? Because he convinced himself that this would be it: his proposal to Rinoa would be today. Sure, he hadn't spent as much time with her as he should have; being her Knight and boyfriend. But, he had promised himself, that would all change today.

That is, if she accepted. Every time he though that, however, he ended up even more nervous than he had originally been. Stop it. He chided himself. Of course she would accept; not stop being a coward. And just after he had thought that, the object of his desire entered his dorm. He still couldn't believe the rumours going around; he just hoped that Rinoa's nose would go back to normal.

"And it would." The doctor had said. "Just make sure not too much pressure is applied to it, and if you follow my instructions, everything should be fine."

In fact, when she smiled, she still looked as beautiful as ever. A special smile, just for him … "Hey, Squall."

"H-Hey." You can't back out now … "S-So, have you heard of the new restaurant that just opened around town?"

Rinoa nodded. "Yeah, I have. 'The Blue Dragon', right?"

"Yeah … Well, would you like to -?"

"Check it out with you? Sure." She smiled at him, when he stared at her. "… Sorry. I couldn't help it."

Squall gave her a small smile. "Around … 7:00 okay with you?"

Rinoa smiled back at him. "Sure. Can't wait!"

Squall nodded. "Then, it's settled. I'll pick you up at 6:00."

Rinoa gave him her own nod, when Squall's cell phone suddenly rang. After registering the Caller ID, Squall raised his index finger, as if to excuse himself, and made his way outsisde, leaving Rinoa to her thoughts and the occasional pain shooting through her nose.

: -- : --

Squall had insisted that he was far too busy to deal with any of the caller's documentation, which left Rinoa touched; he really wished to spend more time with her. However, she had barely thanked him, when she went straight back to her dorm to get dressed, and waited for Squall, who had gone and rented one of the Garden cars; not too flashy, but it was fine for Rinoa. However, the short car journey there was quite awkward: Squall was nervously shifting around slightly, which only perked up Rinoa's nervousness.

But before she had fully registered it, both her and Squall were both seated and eating, albeit silently. Squall looked deep into Rinoa's chocolate brown eyes before speaking; as if he could see through her nervousness.

"Rinoa …" She looked up. "You know, we've spent a lot of time together, and … I guess I'm saying this sooner than I expected." When Rinoa stayed silent, he took this as his cue to continue. "I just … never realized how much you mean to me. So, I'm asking you …"

Now, all of people at the restaurant were staring.

"Rinoa … Will you marry me?"

Rinoa found that her eyes were filling to the brim with tears. But, unbidden, an outraged voice was heard inside the sorceress's head: "The Commander of this Garden loves you! And you go off and betray his trust!"

With no control whatsoever, Rinoa began to sob and ran straight out of the restaurant, leaving Squall, and everyone else in the restaurant, in a stunned silence.

Author's Note: Wow! I typed this all in one day! Lolz, but I doubt that's much of an achievement (Although it is for me!)

I'll love it if you guys R&R, though!

XX

NEXT CHAPTER:-

Another confrontation

Who's the silver-haired dude?

First date … or is it?