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At
an Arm's Length
A Final Fantasy VIII Story
by
Aligator
Chapter 5 - The Girls' Day Out
Quistis Trepe was not a morning person. She never had been. And being up before noon on a Saturday morning was not her idea of fun.
Something’s up, she thought to herself as she continued to pace back and forth at the Training Center’s entrance. First, Matron insists that I take tea with her and now Selphie, who – I might add, ISN’T HERE YET – insists I meet her at this –
“GOOD MORNING!” Selphie shouted from the end of the hallway, breaking Quistis’ train of thought.
As the bouncy brunette came closer, Quistis saw the keys to Ragnarok dangling from her fingers and jingling in a rhythm that matched the cadence of her step.
The blonde was giggling to herself by the time Selphie landed in front of her.
“WHAT are you laughing at?” the petite girl demanded upon reaching her friend.
“I’m not laughing at anything, I’m laughing with you. You have that effect on people, Selphie.”
“Oh,” she replied with slight look of relief as they started walking. “I was a little worried that you might be tired out from the trip, but I didn’t want to go on my little excursion alone.”
“Where are we going then?”
At this question, Selphie blocked Quistis’ path. In a conspiratorial fashion, she whispered, “It’s top secret,” and then began to skip cheerfully down the hallway.
Quistis paused to shake her head with a grin, “I’ll bet she had a Pop-Tart for breakfast again,” and hurried to catch up.
*****
Selphie parked the Ragnarok in a field just outside Deling City and proceeded to drag Quistis on a hyperactive tour through the metropolis’ nicer shopping districts.
Upon proclaiming the sixth or seventh store “HOPELESS, absolutely HOPELESS,” the former messenger girl flopped down on a bench with a scowl plainly visible on her face.
Quistis walked up to her slowly and looked down at her with mock-seriousness. “Are you ever going to tell me just what it is –”
“OOH! Over there!”
And she’s off, Quistis thought as she started toward the girl, who was now standing – and tapping her foot impatiently – in the doorway of really classy boutique.
When they entered the shop, Quistis again found herself deserted as Selphie bounded down the aisle and discussed something excitedly with the saleswoman. Her friend and the stranger whisked her into a rather large fitting room, seated her and then dashed off only to return, approximately 30 seconds later, with a pile of clothes.
“Selphie, what –”
“You’re trying these on. NOW. And you have to come out and show us.”
“Oookay?”
The door slammed shut.
Then opened. “Try this one first.” And slammed again.
Quistis looked at the piles of clothing, thoughtfully arranged into outfits, and down at the two hangers in her hand. She spoke to herself softly, “Selphie, I don’t know what you are up to, but –”
“Less talking and more trying on,” cried a sing-song voice on the other side of the door.
I have no other choice, the baffled woman thought, as she slipped out of her jeans, fitted-T and blazer ensemble and into the casual outfit that had been picked out for her. She had just finished zipping the requisite zippers when a voice outside chirped, “That’s it. I’m coming in.”
The dressing room door flew open to reveal Selphie and the saleslady, both with extremely pleased looks on their faces.
“Quistis! It’s perfect! You have to turn and look in the mirror NOW.”
With no choice but to obey the orders being issued to her, she turned around to meet her own gaze in the cubicle’s full-length mirror.
It wasn’t something she would have picked out on her own, but she liked it. The fitted, but not too-fitted, indigo, stretch denim outfit consisted of a sleeveless shell and an A-line skirt that ended about two inches above her knee.
“This is the one! Get dressed and toss me those when you get them off.”
“Selphie, what –”
“All will be revealed shortly,” her shopping buddy interrupted, closing the door. “Now toss me that outfit.”
Quistis emerged in her street clothes moments later to find Selphie ready to go and now toting a shopping bag.
“Selphie,” she started with a faint note of disapproval creeping into her voice. “You didn’t –”
“Quistis. Your birthday was two weeks ago. Let one of your two closest friends please celebrate with you and give you something nice that you would never buy for yourself,” she paused for air. “Hap-py birthday from Irvine and me.”
The taller girl smiled, softly, and took gingerly accepted the bag from the shorter girl’s outstretched hand. “Thank you.”
“See, now that wasn’t so hard.” Selphie said with a glint of mirth in her eyes. “Let’s plan what shoes you can wear with it. The black cardigan I just returned to you will go with it nicely when it starts to cool off ‘round here.”
*****
The two girls had chatted their way through at least two shoe stores before they landed at the outdoor café with the new outfit and a pair of recently-acquired red alligator penny loafers. Once they gave the waiter their orders – a soft drink and sweet ice tea, please – Selphie peeked over the menu at her friend. Quistis looked happy. She should look like this more often.
“Selphie,” Quistis interrupted. “Thanks. I’ve had fun today.”
“Me, too,” she replied with a smile that lit up her face. “You know, we should do this more often. We could even include Irvy once and a while. As long as he doesn’t complain about having to carry our bags, of course.”
Quistis could barely stifle a giggle at the thought, “I’d like that.”
“COOL! And Q… I’m sorry we forgot your birthday.”
“No, don’t apologize,” she countered emphatically. “To tell you the truth… I didn’t really feel like celebrating it this year, so I didn’t tell anyone.”
At this, Selphie nearly choked on the sip she had been taking of her iced tea. “Why?”
“You know… I don’t know.”
Their eyes met briefly, before Quistis quickly shifted her gaze to the carbonated bubbles of her drink. She looked up to find Selphie’s closed hand and crooked pinkie just an inch away from her face.
She smiled faintly, “You know, one of these days you’re going to poke someone’s eye out.”
“Quistis,” Selphie said slowly and solemnly, “promise me that when you do know why, you’ll talk to me or Irvine about it.”
Instead of a verbal response, Quistis linked her right-hand pinkie with her friend’s and smiled, again, sadly.
It was the answer for which Selphie had hoped, sealed with the gesture that two little girls had held sacred so long ago.
To be continued.
. .
Next week: Chapter 6 – Long December
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