everyone calm down?
By Ryan
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Next Chapter (Rinoa)
I sat in the cafeteria, flipping through a copy of Occult Fan. I was trying to take my mind off everything. Not that I could really do that. Too much to think about. I tossed the magazine on the table and started to stand up. "Have you seen Squall?" someone said. I glanced up to see Rinoa standing there. Man, she looked pretty upset. "Uh, no, sorry," I said. She frowned. "Did you check his dorm?" "Yes, he wasn't there. I checked the deck, the library, the training center . . . " she looked at the floor. " . . . Quists' room . . ." Ah man, she suspected something too. I scratched the back of my head. "Well, you know, uh, you could go back uyp to the deck and call him over the intercom." "Oh, I could, couldn't I?" she said, thinking about it. "Yeah. Hey, let's go up there. I need to talk to Nida," I said. I really didn't, but I was curious too. We headed to the elevator. On the way up, we didn't say much. I knew she was thinking about Squall. I was thinking about everything. Irvine, the note, Squall, Quistis. What really bugged me about the whole thing was the note. Was Irvine telling the truth? Squall and Quistis? I realized it was very possible. I mean, she did always love him, she told us she did. She said she only thought it was love, but we're not blind. Dude, how could you do that to Rinoa, I thought. To us? To Irvine. Man, how could anyone be pushed that far? Maybe it was more than Squall and Quistis. My thoughts were interrupted by the elevator doors opened. We took the lift up to Headmaster Cid's old office. Nida and Xu were sitting, talking, when we entered. "Hi Rinoa, Zell," Xu offered. She smiled but her eyes were sad. I guess everyone's down about the situation. "Hey Xu, can we use the intercom?" Rinoa asked. Xu nodded and walked over the the control panel. She flipped a switch and stepped aside to let Rinoa talk. "Just push the green button on the microphone when you want to start." Rinoa pushed the button, and the familiar chimes rang out. "Will Squall please report to the deck? Squall, to the deck," she said in a professional voice. I bet the students all thought something was wrong. She sat down by Xu and they made polite conversation as we waited for Squall. I played Triple Triad with Nida. Twenty minutes rolled by, and still no sign of our leader. Rinoa tried again. We waited. "Where is he?" she asked angrily. I sighed and leaned back in my seat. This was going to take forever. "I bet I know where he is!" she said in a nasty tone. "Off somewhere with that . . . that . . . whore! I can just imagine what they're doing! I-"she stopped and started to cry. I hopped up and gave her a hug. "Hey, calm down," I said. I wasn't good with crying girls, but I couldn't just leave her standing there like that. "We'll find him, it'll be okay." She pushed me off and started to yell. Even worse that a crying girl is an angry crying girl. "Okay?! Okay?! LEt me tell you something Zell, we're all far from okay! Irvine's dead, alright? Dead! Squall's off somewhere with that bitch, and I have no idea were. My life's falling apart. I never asked for this! I-" she abruptly stopped. three surprised faces watched as she put her hand over her mouth. "I-I, I'm sorry," she finished and ran over to the lift. "Rinoa," I mumbled as I left the deck.
