Disclaimer – I do not own the characters/settings/situations of Final Fantasy 8. Oh well…

This story, and the ones to be posted with it, are 'snapshots' of little scenes that I imagined while playing the game. I hope everyone likes my quirky interpretations of the characters. :)

Jealousy

Quistis was there, but she didn't need to be. Professionally speaking, the trio were no longer her students. Not that Selphie ever really had been her student to begin with. The copper haired girl had missed the only class she'd have ever had with Instructor Trepe, after all.

Personally speaking… the three weren't even her friends. The only thing keeping her there was her own desire to see them off… to see Squall off, if she was being honest.

The things he'd said the night before still stung and Quistis knew that she'd made a mistake. Choosing him to speak to as well as trying to force a reaction from him: she'd pushed him in an attempt to force him from his comfort zone and he'd lashed back.

"Hey!!" Zell's shout brought Quistis' attention back to the present as the blonde whined over the loss of his T-board.

"Get over it," Squall grumbled, lightly whapping the blonde man on the back of his head.

Zell sheepishly rubbed at the spot that Squall had hit and grew silent while Selphie started giggling. Quistis watched the trio in surprise; she'd never seen Squall act like this. The change wasn't much… but it was still noticeable.

Cid showed up then and gave them their assignment. Quistis stayed off to the side, envious that she couldn't go with them.

"Wow. This is awesome!" Zell hooked an arm around Squall's shoulders and another over Selphie's. "We get to have our first mission together!"

"Whatever. Could you let me go, now?" Squall squirmed away from Zell. The brunette's expression was distinctly uncomfortable. "Don't ever do that again."

"Sure, sure," Zell chirped, reluctantly dropping his arms away from both teammates.

"We're off to the Owls of Timber! The wonderful Owls of Timber!" Selphie sang the words to a vaguely familiar tune as she dashed ahead of her two companions.

"Geez, Selphie, even I'm not this wired," Zell complained as he and Squall followed the short, hyper redhead. "How much coffee have you had this morning?"

"Oh, I don't drink coffee. It's bad for you if you have too much and, besides, you wind up getting addicted to the caffeine and stop being able to function without it and…"

"We get your point, Selphie," Squall interrupted. "Now, either make that sentence end or stop trying to finish it."

"Whoops. I do tend to ramble on when I'm excited…"

Quistis snickered and decided that maybe it was Squall who should be envious of her for getting to stay behind rather than her being envious of them…

A/N Hehehe… sometimes I felt so sorry for Quistis. Most of the time, though, I just think she wasn't realizing how lucky she is.