Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Like a Bracelet ❯ Nothing's set in stone ( Chapter 2 )

Balamb Garden's cadets rose with the morning bell. Four chimes play over the audio system before another four after a three minute pause. Quistis turned off the speaker then began her secretary duties for the day. She's no longer an instructor, but when filing reports for the other cadets it sure felt like the demotion never happened.

Only difference is rather than grading term papers and homework she's merely filing away what active instructors have done. The pile is short today since test season is over for now. A pile of cadets and SeeDs have had missions, so any lost equipment needs to be replaced, along with information on the job.

After work, she was off to be a cadet herself. Meals. Assignments in class. The usual. The letter was burning a hole in her existence. Despite not wanting to go, she was planning on going. If only to avoid being bothered by her friends about it. She's not a coward. Dating a stranger just seems… odd. Although, she supposed that it was partly due to her crush on Squall as to why she didn't want to bother with looking for a romantic interest or letting one in. Trepies, as they call themselves, do not count. Who on earth would date someone who is a fan of them?

Cid walked into the office and greeted her before disappearing into the main office. Quistis took note of his happy whistling. He's in love. His wife is safe and no longer a threat to the planet as an acting sorceress, so they can be a lovey-dovey couple once again.

She closed a filing cabinet and walked to the main office. Knocking, she then cracked the door before stepping into view. "I'll be off now. Is there anything you need before I go?"

"If you could help an old man with this high-tech coffeemaker, that would be great." Cid resumed his staring match at the buttons on the new coffeemaker he'd bought a week ago. Quistis had made coffee for him with it each morning, but there was none today. He figured he'd do it himself, but…

"Sorry. I was a bit distracted this morning." She walked over the machine.

"Not at all. I need to learn these things anyway. You're not my maid, you know?"

"Yes, headmaster." Although when he said it, she suddenly wondered if that's how it seems when she makes his coffee and sometimes brings him a bagel or pastry to go with it.

Cid's coffee was on its way to perfected brew, while he watched; amazed that it was so simple.

"I'm going for breakfast, if you want anything from the cafeteria."

Cid shook his head. "I've got something. Thank you, Quistis. Have a good day."

She left the office then headed for the cafeteria.

In the cafeteria. Seifer turned on his cellphone, placing it on the table.

"Can you see me?" Irvine asked.

"Yeah."

Zell leaned over the table then smiled. "Hey!" To Seifer, he asked. "What's this for?"

"I hate my present company." Seifer remarked.

"Hey, you chose to sit by me." Retorts the martial artist ready to brawl if he was told otherwise.

"Only because Kinneas wanted to." He'd be with Fujin and Raijin, as he preferred.

"Aww, ya softy." Zell grinned like a fiend.

"Say "bye-bye" Pokey, meal visit is over."

Zell and Irvine laughed. Seifer wasn't serious about ending the call, so messing with his agitation levels was fun. And the ex-knight allowed it because Irvine was sincerely his friend, without rivalry or a forked tongue. They were just friends.

Speaking of rivals. Squall came over and took a seat. He eyed the phone but said nothing.

"We're watching porn," Zell jokes, knowing that Squall must have been curious since he couldn't see the screen.

Squall rolled his eyes. He dared not look at the screen after hearing Irvine's snickering through the screen, the last thing he needed to see was a dirty photo from a magazine placed against the camera.

"How's Galbadia?" asked Zell before engulfing a big forkful of eggs.

"It's a little more like Balamb now that Martine is no longer in charge."

The trio were given a view of the cafeteria in the once rival school. Friends to terrorists then back to friends. It's been an unusual year and a half since the war ended. It was good to return to normal; they even gained an old friend from it all.

"Jealous?" This the sniper said when the camera aimed at his tray that's loaded with huevos rancheros and smoked sausage.

"Nope. I hate dressed eggs. Simple is best." He dunked his toast into the runny yolk.

Seifer, having been pondering the question while they looked at the other Garden. "Hey, how long do you think you could last through water torture? Drips, not splashes."

"Four minutes," Irvine replied. "Less if they turn my head and have it go into my ear."

"Coward."

"And how long would you last?" He fired back.

"Until I either die or break out." He scoffed. "I'm not giving out information."

"I never said I'd tell them the truth. They'd hear something and let me go and fall into a violent ambush that was set up should someone get caught."

"I take back what I said, you're not a coward, you're creepy."

Irvine simply smiled.

"I thought I heard Irvine's voice," Quistis said but she saw the phone to answer her unasked question. "Care if I join you?"

"No, sit." Zell replied. "Where's Selphie, she'd probably wanna see Irvine, too?"

"In line." Quistis sat.

"Out of line." Declared the missing friend. "Hi, Irvy."

"Hi!"

Selphie dug into her cereal while listening to the others chat. Nobody seemed aware yet, so she felt the need to ask. "So did Quistis tell you?" She paused to swallow her food. "She has a boyfriend." It was said in such a sing-song way that they almost missed the content of the sentence.

"No, she doesn't. She has a.. An invite for a date." She cleared it up. "That if a certain nunchucklist doesn't stop bringing up, it will not happen."

"Ok, ok, sorry." She locked her lips on the subject and tossed it.

"Tch. A date? Who lost a bet to have to date you?" Inquired the ex-knight.

Quistis was about to tell Seifer where he could find the answer, but a part of her felt the need to spill the tea. "If you must know, when I went out to eat with Rinoa and Selphie the other day, a man admired me and left me a note."

"Aww." Zell commented.

"I agree with not wanting to go. What kind of loser sends a note? A real man should ask directly."

To Seifer, she asked. "Would you?"

"Of course."

"Some men have a hard time speaking to beautiful women." She sipped her orange juice.

Seifer decided to make no comment.

"Squall.. What do you think?" She heard herself ask before she could stop the words.

"Whatever. It's not me. Live your own life."

"Nice to see some people know how to mind their own business."

Squall's expression read wonder over that being what he had said. He was pretty sure he'd meant to convey that he couldn't find any possible way to care any less on the subject of a friend's dating life. He should really consider taking his meals to the courtyard.

"I wonder where he'll take you?" Selphie asked herself rather than Quistis.

"Unless he changes his mind, dancing."

"Aww!" Selphie began to daydream about dates and dancing.

"I can take you dancing, Sefie."

"Pass, but kindly."

"Ahaha." Laughed Zell.

Squall peeled the skin from his orange wondering if Quistis knows how to dance beyond what's taught in Garden? He can't see her doing modern steps. He blinked in realization that he nearly barked out laughter at the imagery.

By the time the meals were consumed and plates ready for the bin and conversations sparse, Irvine said his goodbyes and ended the call.

"I'll walk you to class," Selphie linked arms with the former instructor. "Can we please talk about what you're gonna wear?"

Quistis was heard sighing with resignation from the three men gathering their things at the table.

"That poor guy is gonna regret that long distance crush." Remarked Seifer.

"Why do you say that? Quistis isn't bad."

"Yeah, to look at. But at the end of the day, her personality is…" He gestured to her departing back.

"Guess it takes one to know one." Zell bolted when Seifer reached for him.

"Think she was trying to make you jealous?" This he asked Squall.

"Quistis? Why would I be jealous?"

Seifer just walked away, wondering exactly how deep did he cut Squall on the forehead for him to be that dense.

X x X

Commentary: I think the chapters will get longer along the way. But for now, I'm sticking with shorter chapters because I do tend to make them crazy long, and that might bug some readers so I'll keep them more manageable. Thanks for reading and reviewing, if you chose too. I appreciate it.