What about me...? by Koudelka- CHAPTER EIGHT

Chapter Eight: He

I must have eventually fallen asleep because I woke up the next morning to see Seifer sitting there. It was around six thirty AM. I yawned.

"Hey, Seifer."

"Good mornin'"

"...So, um, do you ever sleep?"

"Sure, I sleep. During class. Heh."

"I thought you slept all the time..."

"No, I just stay locked up in my dorm... like you almost." I punch his arm playfully.

"So, who's your new instructor...?"

"Instructor Aki, dammit!"

"Oh, sorry."

"Not your fault, I'll just have an easier time sleeping during class."

"Heh heh. I have to go see the headmaster today... about the infirmary thing."

"Oh, I see." I rub my eyes and get out of bed. "Hey, Seifer, I've been meaning to ask you this... how do you get away with not wearing your SeeD uniform. I mean, you have one, I seen it in your room."

"Cid knows not to screw with my trenchcoat, so he leaves me alone..."

"Wow, you and Cid really don't get along well..." I say, walking into the bathroom.

"Never have."

"Mhm." I pick up my toothbrush and start to brush my teeth. After I'm done with that, I walk back into my bedroom, and open my closet, I have a choice today. No more SeeD uniform for me... Well, not unless they put on another one of those Hyne-awful SeeD graduation balls. I pull out my pale orange skirt and shirt set, and lay it on the bed.

"Seifer, you really should head to class."

"You're right... See ya."

"Bye." He leaves, and I go into my bathroom and take a shower. After my shower I walk to the elevator. Unfortunely, I run into Rinoa.

"Good Morning, Rinoa."

"Same to you." We enter the elevator, and she presses the 3F button.

"Where are you going?" I ask.

"To get my job at the infirmary." I stifle a laugh, and wait patiently for the elevator to reach the third floor. We both walk into the headmaster's office in silence.

"Hello, girls." The headmaster greets us.

"Hello, headmaster."

"Hi, Cid!!" ...Always so happy. How?

"Well, it seems you both want the same job here at Garden..." Rinoa looks at me quizically.

"Yes, it seems we do." I answer. Dammit, should he give Rinoa this job...

"Well, uh, Ms. Heartilly... It seems you were failing anatomy..."

"Yes, but I've had some practice..." She looks at me slyly.

"What, on yourself?"

"Hey, ENOUGH, ladies."

"Anyway." Rinoa tosses her hair to the side. "I think the students will feel more comfortable seeing a pretty person in there when they need their cuts and bruises mended."

"Yes, and preferably someone who can mend the cuts and bruises." I shot back.

"Alright, you are both pretty. Rinoa in an innocent way, and Quistis in a sex-" I interupt.

"Well, headmaster, you had better be careful, you just might lose your job..." I raise my eyebrows and cross my arms.

"...Right. Well, em, I need more time to look over your records, come see me at four."

"But my boyfriend is the leader of SeeD!" I hear her complain as I walk out the door toward the elevator.

"Rinoa, get back to class..." Cid says. I go to my dorm, and am surprised to see Squall standing right outside of it.

"Squall?"

"Hey, Quistis."

"Is there something wrong?"

"...I wanted to talk to you."

"Oh? Alright..." I let him into my dorm, and tell him to have a seat. He does.

"Quistis, I guess... I guess I came here to apologize..."

"Yes... For what?"

"Ignoring you..." Well, its about time!

"You don't ignore me."

"Well... romantically..." I cringe my nose.

"Um, its nothing."

"I wanted to make it up to you...!"

"How?"

"Well, I don't know how to say this..."

"Squall, ...If you are going to say what I think you are going to say, I suggest you don't, because you don't want to hear my reply."

"Whats your reply...?"

"What are you going to say...?"

"I wanted to know.. You know, since Rinoa and I broke up... if you wanted to get together with me...?"

"Ah... I get it. You two are pathetic. The minute your single, you have to find someone else, just for security! I think you two belong together just fine! ...And, its okay to be alone... just for awhile." Squall didn't say anything.

" ...Sorry, Squall... Why did... um, you guys break up anyway?"

"She told me that she still had feelings for Seifer..."

"So...? Thats no reason to end your relationship..."

"Yeah, but I want to be her one and only..."

"Well, you still love her?"

"...Of course."

"I'll have Seifer talk to her."

"You will!?"

"Yes." I nod.

"Thanks... Quistis."

"Sure, anytime."

"Im gonna go now... See you later."

"Bye." He walked out the door. So... I just turned down Squall Leonheart. I've been in love with him for... how long? Where's Seifer? He should be out of class by now. I hear a knock.

"Quistis?"

"Come in..."

"Hey, Seifer." I say as he enters.

"Did you hear?"

"Hear what?"

"Huge SeeD mission coming up."

"What about?"

"Galbadia. They say they have these new missiles that could destroy a whole continent. So, four SeeDs will be stationed to go under cover, and the other fifteen will be stationed in Timber and wait for action..."

"I see. Any word on who's going?"

"...No. I'll think you, and Squall up front because you are both rank C's... I'll try and get in there, since I've had so much experiance in Galbadia..."

"You want to go on a SeeD mission?" I ask, genuinely surprised.

"Yeah..."

"I thought you didn't like SeeD missions."

"Yeah... but this one seems interesting..."

"Oh..." I remember the day they let him back into Garden. He took orders on the SeeD feild exam. He almost didn't seem like Seifer! Oh well. He's Seifer now. Definetly.

"I wonder who the fourth member'll be." He says, looking at me.

"I dunno, maybe Xu..."

"Yeah, thats a possibility." Things get quiet.

"Oh, um, how's Rinoa?" I ask.

"She's fine, I guess."

"Um... do you know... if she still loves Squall?"

"She does... She's not acting that way... because she wants to show she's fine all by herself... She really isn't so serious about me. She's losing attraction, I can tell..."

"How do you know these things?"

"She told me."

"Heheh, oh."

"Do you think you could tell her that Squall still loves her?"

"...Why?"

"Because... Squall... came by here and..."

"And?"

"He wanted to get together with me, because he wanted to show Rinoa that... he could find someone else. Of course, I refused... I asked him why they broke up, and he said it was because she still cared for you... Heh. Well, he still loves her, and he wants her to know that... So, will you talk to her?"

"...Sure thing, Quistis." I smile.

"Thanks, Seifer."

"Anything for you." He looked happy, yet there was something behind those eyes... something weird. Is he hiding something? Something about the SeeD mission... SeeD missions... Cid... Cid!

"Seifer! What time is it?" I look at my clock. "Four ten! Oh Hyne.. I havta go! I'll be back."

"Where are you-" He started, but I left, and ran to the elevator.

When I arrived, it looked as if Rinoa had just got there too.

"Sorry..." I mutter, taking a seat in Cid's office.

"No, its fine." He says. "Anyway, I've yet to come to a decision, but its not needed, since both of you are going on that SeeD mission." Sending her on the SeeD mission... thats not wise.

"Quistis, you'll be an upfront member, along with Squall and Xu, who have already been informed. Now, could you tell Seifer he is up there with them? ...Save me a call. Oh, and keep an eye on him, I don't want him getting into trouble."

"Yes, sir."

"Now, Rinoa, you'll be in the Timber group, since you used to live in Timber. Got that?"

"Yes."

"Alright then, both of you are dismissed. And... the SeeD members chosen will be dispatched tommarow, so get plenty of sleep... Quistis." I groan inwardly, and leave his office. I walk back to my dorm, and its empty once I arrive. Seifer left. Heh, okay, I'll tell him about his position later. I plop on my bed, and just lay there, thinking.

"Quistis?"

"Come on in." I say. Its Seifer.

"Where'd you go?" I ask.

"...To talk to Rinoa."

"Oh? What about?"

"Squall..."

"Oh... what happened?"

"She said she'd go talk to him."

"I see... Hey, Seifer!" I say, remembering what I had wanted to tell him.

"Hm?"

"You are up front on the SeeD mission. Along with me, Squall and Xu. ...We leave at 3PM tommarow, and we arrive at ten pm."

"Arrive where?"

"Deling." He smiled slyly. I wonder why...

~~~

The next day, at two-thirty PM, Seifer, Squall, Xu and I arrived at Balamb. We go shopping for potions and the like, and then we wait at the train station. I talk to Xu, but not two words are passed between Squall and Seifer. The tension between the two is so thick you can *see* it... We board the train.

"Um, you guys, upon seeing the tension between... Well, Squall and Seifer... instead of the plan designed by the headmaster... I'll share a room at the hotel with Squall, and... Quistis and Seifer can share... That is, if thats okay with you guys..."

"...Its fine." Squall says. I nod, and Seifer says "Yep."

The train ride went fairly quiet, with no interuptions, and I would catch an occasional glare from Seifer to Squall, but thats all.

We arrive at the hotel, and Seifer and I enter our room.

"This is a killer room!" Seifer says, looking at the awesome size. I nod, and take a seat on the bed.

"Hey, do you know if Rinoa is on this mission?"

"Yes, she is stationed in Timber..."

"Oh."

"...Hey, Quistis, when do we go into Deling to get the news...?"

"...Well, um, Squall is at the head of this mission, he is the person you really should be asking..."

"Dammit! Squall?!"

"Yes, Seifer."

"...Shit... I'm not talking to that bastard."

"Oh, stop acting so...so.." I couldn't think of the word I wanted to use.

"Sexy?" Seifer said boldly. I laughed, and he kissed me. I kissed back, and he planted kisses down my neck.

"Love you, Quistis."

"I love you too..." We were both undressed soon, and he was making love to me. Hyne, I love him. Afterwards, I told him I loved him, and he sort of collapsed on top of me.

"Seifer?" I ask, concerned.

"Quistis, we have... we have to stop."

"What?" Seifer got up and walked into the bathroom. What's going on? I don't understand...

Fifteen minutes later, he came out, and we were both fully dressed.

"Seifer, whats the matter?" I ask.

"...Quistis." He hugs me, and kisses me. I pull away from the kiss, and repeat my last question...

"...I have to go." He says.

"What?! Seifer...?"

"...I've... I've been... fooling you all. I'm not on your side."
End Chapter.

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