Love Bug
Chapter 19
Love Bug
Chapter 19
I walked into the quad looking for a certain petite brunette.
“Irvine.”
I looked round upon hearing her voice but she wasn’t there. “Selphie?”
“Up here.”
I looked up to the top of the stage. “What are you doing up there?”
“Hiding.”
“From?”
“Lark.”
“Why?”
“I- er- did something bad. Did you hear what Seifer, Zell and I found?”
“Yeah Zell told me, wish I’d been there.”
She fidgeted. “Well I sort of printed off one of the photos and now Lark wants to kill me but I like it.”
“Can I see?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“It’s private.”
“But you’ve already seen it so it doesn’t count as private anymore. Come on I’ll just borrow it for a moment.”
“What for?”
“Nothing I swear.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“So how are you and Chris going along?”
“We’re just friends.”
“What? Why? What’s wrong with him?”
“Nothing we’re good friends and I don’t want to ruin that with a bad relationship.”
I sighed. “Selphie we could give you a thousand men and you’ll just make friends with them all.”
“What’s wrong with that?”
“You said you were lonely.”
“No I didn’t. Zell’s putting words into my mouth.”
“We just thought... because we’re all paired up that you’d feel left out.”
She smiled. “I’m glad to see you guys are happy. Seifer and Zell make a cute couple don’t they?”
“Um... I don’t know.... I guess so.”
She giggled. “Awww have I embarrassed you now?”
“No.” I climbed up on to the roof. “Now about this photo....”
I couldn’t find Selphie anywhere. I can’t believe I didn’t see her print off a copy of one of the photos. I stood outside Squall’s office, fearing for my life. Would he be mad? I’ve seen him angry but never at me before first time for everything, right?
I knocked.
“Come in.”
I laughed when cadets told me they felt fear as they entered Squall’s office but now I see what they mean.
I slowly opened the heavy doors and peered in.
He looked up and smiled when he saw me looking in. £Hey hat are you doing here? Not that I want to get rid of you.”
I hesitated. “Um.... Bad news.”
“What is it?” He gestured to the chair in front of his desk.
“S-Selphie stole a camera from your office.”
He frowned in confusion.
“It had some photos in it.”
He paled in realization and his eyes widened. I took the disk and placed it on the desk.
“They’re on here?”
I nodded and he sighed in relief. “Was Selphie he only one who saw them?”
“No Zell and Seifer were there too.”
His face fell. “Oh hyne.”
“Maybe you’ll want to destroy these.” I pushed the disk nearer to him.
“No you keep them.”
“What?”
“I trust you.”
I opened my mouth but shut it again and smiled. That was nice to know.
He blushed a deep red and rubbed his forehead. “I-um... m-made them f-for..... you anyway.”
“Me? Why?”
“I thought you might like them.” He turned redder as he added that.
I shook off the silly grin and turned serious again. “Um... Squall there’s something you don’t know.... um.. at some point S-Selphie printed off a copy of one of the photos.”
He went really pale. “Which one? Was it the underwear one? Please say it wasn’t.”
I nodded. “I’m sorry I tried to find her but......” I looked sympathetic. “I’m sure she won’t do anything bad with it, she is your friends right?”
“But what about Irvine? He vowed revenge for the whole Selphie’s boyfriend thing.”
“Then we’ll both go to find her now before it’s too late.
I jumped up and he followed me to the lift. “I’m guessing she’s in the quad.”
“I went in there twice.”
“Yeah but you don’t know the usual Selphie hiding places.” We both took the lift down to the ground floor. A huge crowd had formed by the directory.
Squall gave me a worried look and he pushed through the crowd to the front. As soon as the cadets saw their commander they laughed more. I caught up with my lover who stood frozen staring up at a life size poster of himself in women’s underwear that hung from the over-hanging roof of the front gate. A proud looking Irvine stood underneath it.
Squall turned and fled back the lift and probably back up to his office.
“Fire.” I whispered and the poster went up in smoke.
“Hey spoilsport!” Irvine frowned at me. “That’s a fire hazard.”
I glared at him. I’d thought of hitting him but I wanted to make up with Nida and somehow I didn’t think knocking out his boyfriend was going to help. I pushed back through the disappointed crowd to hurry after Squall.