A/N: alright, here is the third chapter!!!! ^_^ sorry i didn't updated in a awhile. hope i didn't loose any people out there :(

Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN ANY COPYRIGHT TO FINAL FANTASY VIII AND THE CHARACTERS *puffs out a breath* ...that felt better.

Chapter 3

The first thing that Squall did was when he returned to his dorm, he walked to his bedroom, plop himself down on his bed, and entered his famous thinking world.

"Why the hell did Instructor Trepe had to make me train with that.......girl?!" he thought angrily, unable to think what else to call Rinoa. He didn't felt the need to call her any rude name since he hardly knows her. Ever since however his eyes gazed down to her, he couldn't help but felt that strange feeling he had.

Minutes have past and already, Squall was growing quite bored. He sat himself up on his bed, running his gloved fingers through his floppy hair.

"I guess I'll go for a little walk just to kill time..." With that thought out, Squall got up and went out to face the world.


Rinoa looked around the huge cafeteria that she was now in. She couldn't believe how big it was, compared to the one at her old High School!

She glanced over to the 'not-too-shabby-line' which were filled with students who were either chattering with their friends, or just waiting patiently for the line to move up. Feeling very hungry, Rinoa decided to get something to eat, which of course she didn't had anything to eat since this morning. She only had an apple as her breakfast and that was pretty much it. When Rinoa got her lunch, she went in search for Selphie, which they have agreed to meet here.

"Hey Rinny! Over Here!" called out a energetic voice. Rinoa knew very well who that belonged to. She faced the direction where Selphie's voice was coming from. With her free hand, Rinoa waved once and walked towards Selphie. She wasn't alone at the table, another student was there, scarfing down some hot-dogs. He had blond spiky hair and a rather a unique tattoo on his left side cheek. He looks no older than seventeen years old.

"Rin, this is Zell. I met him in homeroom." Selphie introduced. The boy known as Zell got up from his seat and shook Rinoa free hand gladly.

"Nice to meet you Zell."

"The pleasure is all mine." Zell sounded like a really nice guy to Rinoa. The kind of person you can really look up to if something is bothering you in your life.

"How was your first class Selph ?" Rinoa asked.

"It was good," Selphie replied, "At least my instructor didn't put me beside someone who isn't a creep."

"Your so lucky. I got put beside a boy who can't shake hands with someone or even say 'boo'."

"Is his guy your talking about named Squall Leonhart ?" Zell asked leaning over the table a bit.

"Yeah. How do you know?"

"He's quite famous around here." Zell told Rinoa. "A lot of the girls here try to get a date from him, but there not even getting close by an inch." Zell chuckled at the last part of his sentence.

"I guess that means he doesn't talk much, huh?"

"Only those certain times he does, but other than that, he keeps to himself," Zell replied, "The dude doesn't really have any friends."

Rinoa's face turned into a sad expression as soon as she heard Zell's last sentence "That must be really hard for him. Not having anyone to talk to or to rely on." Rinoa said, feeling bad for Squall.

"To be honest with you, it doesn't really bother him. He's the type of guy who likes to be alone."

"Oh."

Rinoa still couldn't figure out why Squall was like that. It's almost as if he had build a large wall, surrounding him him completely and he know one can't seem to climb over this wall.

"So what class do you have next?" Zell asked, causing Rinoa to break out of her 'thinking-world'.

"I have Junction next period and after that, I am free for the rest of the day."

"Hey, Selphie and I have that next!"

"Great! That means we can go together." Those grey clouds that were surrounding Rinoa moment ago have lifted. She was so relieved that her last class of the day will involve two people that she already knows.

The three teens talked and joked through the rest of lunch period and very quickly, they all became very close friends.

"Rinny, I got a curious question." Selphie said to Rinoa.

Rinoa looked over. "What is it?"

"Why do you have a ring on your necklace?," Selphie asked, "does it mean anything special to you?"

Zell, who was finishing chucking down his hot-dogs, looked at the necklace that Selphie was referring to and he wanted to know as well. Rinoa was afraid someone was going to ask about the ring she treasured so dearly.

"It was my mother's wedding ring," Rinoa explained, "She gave it to me right before she died. I was only five at that time."

The look on Selphie's face looked like she had regretted from asking that question.

"Oh Rin, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring it up."

"It's okay. I'll always know she's with me for as long as I have her ring." Rinoa said, adding in a small delicate smile.

"I'm glad to hear that." Selphie told her also adding in a smile on her face.

"I hate to break this up but I think we should all head to class now." Zell told the girls as he gathered up his things. "You coming?"

"Yeah, we better." Selphie agreed as she got up from her seat. "Coming Rin?"

"You guys can go on ahead. I have to go get my things from my room." Rinoa said.

"Alright. See you at class Rin." With that said, Selphie and Zell grabbed their bags and headed off to their last class of the day. Rinoa doing the same, except she was heading to her dorm to retrieve her stuff she'll need.


The hallways leading to the dorms was completely deserted when Rinoa entered this area. With no one around, it gave the hallways a really creepy atmosphere. So creepy, Rinoa felt that someone was following her trail, which someone was. She turned around to see if there was anyone close by. No one was there. Rinoa looked around a bit just to be sure before she resume to walk towards her dorm. Suddenly, she started to hear footsteps coming towards her. Rinoa turned around immediately but no one was to be in sight. Plus, she couldn't hear those footsteps anymore.

"Hello!?" Rinoa called out but she didn't get a response. All she heard was her voice slightly echoing down the hallway.

"This is getting a bit scary and I don't like this one bit."Letting out a shakey sigh, Rinoa began power-walking to her room. Rinoa just wants to get out of this horror film she feels like she's in.

Just as she was going to make another turn, she bumped into someone causing her to fall back a bit.

"Well, well, well. Finally decided to come crawling back to me?" a cold husky voice was heard from up above her.

Rinoa's whole body went numb. Very slowly, she looked up to meet the face of her ex-boyfriend.

"Miss me Rinny?"

Rinoa quickly shot him a glare before she powered walked around him, rapidly praying that Seifer wouldn't follow her. She definitely doesn't want to start a conversation with him. In fact, she doesn't want anything to do with him again!

Mainly concentrating on getting to her dorm she rounded to the next corner of the hallway. Already feeling quite drained, she leaned against a wall for a quick break.

"Is Rinny playing hard to get?" Rinoa quickly turned around, letting out a gasp of surprise. Seifer was leaning against the wall using his elbow to support himself while his gloved hand was resting against the side of his head. He had that evil smirk on his face, the smirk that makes you want to smacked that right off on anyone's face.

Rinoa sigh in frustration as she was going to, yet again, walkaway from Seifer. Instead of 'walking away', Seifer decided he was going to make things complicated by blocking Rinoa's way causing for her to slightly bump into him. Rinoa peered up at him with an annoyed expression just before she was going to walk around her ex-boyfriend, only making Seifer block Rinoa's path again.

"Go away Seifer." Rinoa said in an annoyed tone.

"Why should I? I have nothing else better to do other than seeing my precious Rinny" he still had that wicked smirk on his face as he went to reach over to touch her cheek. Angry as ever, Rinoa smacked his hand away from her with great force.

"Why would you want to see me!?," she demand, "You cheated on me!"

"I may have, but now I want you back babe." Seifer moved his hand to rest on her waist, but once again, Rinoa slapped it away from her.

"Seifer, were over!!," Rinoa yelled at him, "And I think that gives you a great reason for you to stop calling me any pet names! Just stay away from me! It's not that hard!!."Rinoa was about to make a run for, only to be pulled roughly by her arm.

"Let go of me Seifer, please!!" Rinoa begged and pleaded. She struggling as hard as she could, but she was no match for him. Rinoa wanted to scream for help, but in fear of that, she may get a punch on the cheek from Seifer.

The blonde grabbed both of Rinoa's upper arms, tightening his grip preventing Rinoa to escape, then pinning her forcefully to a nearby wall.

"Don't you even dare try to run from me!!" he hissed, directly into Rinoa's face. Seifer moved his arms around Rinoa's waist tightening his grip as Rinoa tried her hardest to break free.

"Let go of me!" Rinoa pleaded, struggling as hard as she could.

"No"

"She said let go!" a firm male voice commanded. Rinoa's eye's grew wide. She slowly peered over to where the voice was coming from; the voice belong to non other than Squall Leonhart. Realived washed over Rinoa's body as she met her gace on Squall.

"Stay out of this Puberty-Boy," Seifer ordered, "Can't you I'm busy with my girl here." Decided he was going to heat things up Seifer dived in to kiss Rinoa roughly.

By now, Rinoa had it up to her head at Seifer's hyne forsaken actions!

Before the perverted blond had the chance to stick his tongue into Rinoa's mouth or Squall could do anything, Rinoa's hand made contact to Seifer's cheek which made him break away from Rinoa.

"OWW!! DAMNIT!!" Seifer shouted, gripping onto his now red stinging cheek soothing out the pain.

"You sick pervert!!" Rinoa shrieked, "Get out of my sight now!!" Unfortunetly, Seifer wasn't going to leave that easily which he was very pissed off as much as Rinoa was.

"You bitch!!" Seifer raised his fist towards Rinoa. She closed her eyes ready to feel the impact, but nothing happened. Rinoa slowly opened her eyes to see what has happened and what she saw before her surprised her even more. Squall was right in front her, using his hand to block off Seifer's fist.

"Listen, just get the hell out of here. Cause any trouble again towards her, I'll make you regret it in the future." Squall told him sternly and forceful, looking straight into his eyes letting Seifer know he was serious.

"Oooooo, I'm scared" Seifer quivered sarcastically.

"You should be."

"As if I would be scared of anything." Seifer retreaved his hand back while putting on his wicked smirk and casually walkrf to the opposite way, leaving Squall and Rinoa alone. Rinoa sigh and turned to look at her saviour.

"Thank you so much Squall. I don't know what he would have done next if you weren't here right now."

Squall didn't really say anything, he just gave out a single nod, before walking off. Rinoa was a bit shocked at this.

"Hey wait!" Rinoa called out before jogging up to catch up to him. Squall didn't stop. He still kept his pace, not even looking back at Rinoa.

"Couldn't you at least say something?" Rinoa asked until she caught up with him. She didn't really wanted to pressure an answer from him.

Squall stopped walking and looked down at Rinoa. She was obviously waiting for an answer.

"...Are you okay?" Squall was shocked he asked her that. He had it written all over his mind but never thought he would let it out. It just seem to slip out from his tougne. Rinoa was even more shocked than Squall was. Okay, lets just say they both went into shock mode at the same time.

"He just...asked me...if I was okay..." Rinoa hardly heard a peep out of Squall today. The only time she heard him was in Instructor Trepe's homeroom but that was about it. "Not only that, but he just saved me from Seifer..."

"Uhhmm...," Rinoa cleared her throat before continuing on, "Yeah I'm fine. A bit shaken up but - I'll be alright...and thanks for...saving me." Rinoa didn't really looked up at Squall when she said 'saving me'. Feeling more confindent, she looked up into Squall's stormy ice cold blue eyes while Squall looked down into Rinoa's deep chocolate brown ones.

"His eyes are so pretty. There so...mysterious." She studied. Finally, Rinoa snapped out of her trance. Squall doing the same.

"So...when do you want to start training me for the field exam ?" Rinoa asked. She couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Did she had to bring that up?" All Squall did was gaze into Rinoa's eye's one final time before he started to trail down the hallways.

"Squall??" Rinoa called after him. She stared after him until she was fed up and began walking the opposite direction to her dorm.

"He could at least said something back." Rinoa thought to herself.

Before Squall rounded the next corner, he stared after at Rinoa. He just watched her gracefully walk down the halls; her long blue duster flowing slightly behind her as she walked. He was moon-eyed.

'WAKE UP!' a voice in Squall's head commanded. Of course, he snapped out almost immediately.

"Why the hell did I do that for?" Squall asked himself a bit confused. He shook it off and decided to press onto his next class.

During his way there, he couldn't keep Rinoa off his mind at all.

"Oh Hyne! Don't tell me I'm starting to have feelings for her..."

A/N: Okay, I'm gonna end this chapter here. I'm REALLY sorry for not updating as soon as I hope I would. I've been a bit busy lately. I really hope I didn't loose too many people out there :S :(.

Now that it's January, exams are coming up for me so I MAY NOT be able to post up Chapter 4 for awhile(I'll be busy with studying) but I'll try to squeeze in the next chapter as quickly as possible.

REVIEW PLEASE!!!^_^ or i won't continue for awhile -_-;

NO FLAMES!!! I WILL BLOCK YOU IF YOU SAY ANYTHING THAT IS MEAN AND CRUEL!!! Trust me, I WON'T hesitate. Thanks to the people who had reviewed my story so far :). hopefully you didn't disappear from me :(