Chapter Three: Us

I wake up at 6:30 later than usual, and get dressed in my SeeD uniform. I walk to Seifer's dorm. I knock. No reponse. Seifer, you didn't! I pound on the door. Nothing. I open it. Unlocked. There is no one there. I sigh. Class starts in fifteen minutes. I have to get up there now. Seifer's gotta be around somewhere... Or no, what if he's up there already? I take the elevator there, and open the door to my classroom. Its unlocked. There he is. Sitting at my desk, one leg propped up on it.

"Seifer..."

"Ah, Quistis, just the person who I was looking for."

"Oh, really...?" I ask, standing in front of him, leaning on my desk.

"Sure."

"So, um, what is it?"

"...I, I want to thank you." Why? Why thank me? I'm probably the most arrant-

"For last night." He interupts my thoughts.

"What about it?"

"All of it. From the thing with Rinoa and Squall, to... what happened in my dorm." I remained silent. "I mean, dammit, Quistis... I was acting crazy... And you stopped it."

"...It was nothing." I say.

"No, Quistis, it was something. It was definetly something."

"Yeah... maybe." I say. Yeah, it was something. I'm not going to admit it though.

"Anyway, why *did* you come to my dorm last night...?"

"I wanted to tell you something, but nevermind."

"Why?"

"Its not as important as it was at the time."

"Tell me anyway."

"...Squall came by my dorm. And, he, well he and Rinoa heard our little conversation outside his dorm..."

"Fuck..."

"No, Seifer... I... think its okay."

"How so?"

"He won't tell anyone..."

"Yeah frickin' right, that friggin' -"

"Seifer... he won't, okay?"

"Hm. I don't know how you can be so sure."

"Even if so, there is nothing to tell!"

"Yeah, right, now the whole world will know that I'm still in love with Rinoa. That makes me seem weak. Dammit, Quistis, I can't let people know that... that..." His voice trails off.

"I didn't tell him that. I just told him that you were concerned about what happened to her..."

"...Oh?"

"Yeah." I say. Squall walks in, followed by a line of other students. "You might want to go take your seat, Mr. Almasy." I say. Squall looks over. He is happy. Damn you, Squall, always so happy. Seifer gets up and walks to his seat at the back of the classroom.

"Alright students, I have your tests from yesterday... I'm not all too pleased with the results..."

~~~

Midway through the class, I notice Seifer is sleeping. Seifer, pay attention! You did awful on that last test. He must not have slept at all last night... More complex than I thought. I'll have to wake him up.

"Mr. ALMASY!" I say, in a loud voice. He doesn't respond. I stand up and walk to the back of the classroom. I tap him on the shoulder.

"Seifer... wake up." I whisper. Its so hard to be personally involved with your student. Hyne... He doesn't move. I tap him harder.

"Wha...?" He mumbles.

"You need to pay attention!" I say.

"Oh, yeah... right."

"Why don't you actually sleep tonight, hmm?" I've caught some of the students' attention, so I walk back over to my desk.

After class, three of the Trepies come up to my desk. I watch Seifer exit.

"Heey! Instructor Trepe! You were awfully nice to Seifer today! And you didn't even wake him up yestaday! What's going on?!" Leave me alone.

"Nothing, I'm just in a leanient mood."

"Oh really?!" Says a male Trepie. "Then, can you bump my D up to a B?"

"Not that leanient." The man snaps his fingers in defeat.

"Well, okay!" Says another female Trepie. "We were afraid that you were getting romantically involved. Then you would get your lisence taken away again! Silly us. Romantically involved with Seifer Almasy?! ...Who would be?!" She broke up into giggles along with the others.

"So what?! You think that it's impossible to fall in love with someone like him?! You're wrong!" I say, before I know the words have slipped out of my mouth. I see all three jaws drop, and they all walk away. What did I just do..? I'm not even romantically involved with him... I just care about him! Right...? Either way, there is no way Seifer will ... get involved with me. Hah, who am I fooling? I walk to my dorm in silence. I don't yell at the people for running in the halls. I don't care anymore. I have my OWN problems. I don't want to have to worry about anyone else's! Hyne... help me... Someone tell me they care about ME! Someone tell me they need ME. Dammit.

I stagger into the training center. Its empty as usual. I came to take my emotions out on something. I find a T-rexsaur. This should be enough of a challenge. I fight it, and near the end of the battle, I notice my HP is running low. I search through my inventory for some cure magic. Nothing. Dammit! I summon Shiva. This should finish it. Nope. How much HP...? With one forceful movement of it's tail, my HP is knocked down to two-hundred.

"Quistis?" I rub my head. I turn around. Its Seifer. How convienent.

"I'm... okay. Lemme just get one more hit in, it should die soon." I get up and attack it. Still not dead. It attacks. K.O.

I wake up and Seifer is standing over me.

"You're just lucky I had full-life equipped. Heh, and I get your EXP." Seifer was trying to make it sound like he didn't care. I could tell. He's not a very good actor.

"T, thanks." I mutter. He pulls me to my feet.

"You know, Quistis. I was thinking..."

"Yeah?"

"You're right." I know. "I should just move on from Rinoa. She probably never cared anyway."

"Mmhmm."

"And, I was thinking some more!" Wow, this is amazing...

"Yes?"

"...I think I care about you, too." I swear, I almost fell to the ground.

"You do?"

"Mhm!" He sounded so confident. Then I remember what the Trepie said. "Then you would get your lisence taken away again!" Dammit...

"...Wow." I say, genuinly in shock.

"So, yeah." We walk out in silence.

"So, are you going to go in your dorm...?" He asks.

"Yeah, I have no where else to go..."

"Why don't you just walk around Garden?"

"There's no reason to..."

"Now there is."

"Oh? What is that?"

"Me..."

"Oh..." Seifer smiled. I smile back.

"Seifer, do you really care for me... or...?" This is just so unbelieveable.

"I care for you, Quistis, more than anyone else."

"Thanks, Seifer... I needed to hear that, I really did." We are standing rather close now. Then I hear a familar voice. That Hyne damned female Trepie.

"Heey! She IS romantically involved!"

"We have to get Cid!"

"Yeah, he'll know what to do!" Says another. Dammit!

"What the hell is that all about?" Seifer asks.

"...My job."

"What about it?"

"I'm not allowed to be romantically involved with my... student."

"I'm sorry, Quistis. Nevermind all this."

"What? Are you crazy?" I ask. "I hope you can forget this, I know I can't."

"Quistis... your job..."

"...Well, I think your more important than my job... but Seifer... if you don't... really care for me... Let me know. Cause, its going to effect me now, more than ever."

"I don't have a doubt in the world."

"Would Instructor Quistis Trepe and Seifer Almasy please report to the headmaster's office?" The intercom.

"...Let's go..."

We walk to the elevator in silence. When we get to Cid's office, my heart is pounding in fear. I really don't hate my job... But I care for Seifer more.

"Ah... Rumors." Cid says.

"...What is it, Headmaster?" I ask.

"...There have been some rumors about you and Seifer..."

"Yeah...?" Seifer says.

"You do know, instructor, being personally involved with your students in not acceptable... but they are the only people around your age, so I'd allow it... But romance? Just tell me, Ms. Trepe... are the rumors delivered by the Trepies true...?" I swallow hard. Truth. I look at Seifer.

"Yes." I say.

"This true, Mr. Almasy?"

"Yes, sir." He says.

"Now, Quistis... I'll give a choice, since you are such a good instructor... Now, as blunt and odd as it sounds, its either Seifer, or your job..."

End Chapter.

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© 2001 by Koudelka.