The next morning, as Lina approached her classroom, she found Quistis standing outside with seemingly urgent news. "Lina. I just want to tell you not to listen to Seifer. He's just trying to cause trouble and I'm sure he's starting with you," Quistis lied. Lina smiled weakly and nodded; she knew how to handle Seifer no matter what they thought. Maybe it was just instinct to dealing with his type or something, but she knew it was no problem.
"Thanks, Quistis, but I don't worry too much about him. We've had our spats before," Lina tried to smile. "It's more logically so impossible for me to be a sorceress. I've never actually met one, I just study them." Quistis smiled and gave her a reassuring pat, but her hand was so nervous in the action that Lina was almost more discouraged then put at ease by it. Later on, the class entered and took their seats and after the bell rang Lina greeted them, "Good morning."
"Good morning Mrs. Heartilly," someone called from the front row. She'd seen his face last night at the messed up scene starting with the cell phone.
"It's Ms. Heartilly, thanks," Lina nodded. She started off her lesson with a more formal introduction to the sorceresses of the future, linking paths between the renowned Ultimecia and the legendary Adel. Later, she rolled into the descendants of Hyne, emphasizing the detailed powers Hyne had possessed during his era of dictatorial rule. After elaborating on the myth that sorceress Jearl was direct lineage of once great Animatori--whom when minutes away from death, passed her powers on to an unsuspecting victim who has still to be discovered--the class was so absorbed into the lecture that no one stood up when the bell rang. "That about sums it up. Honestly, guys, the bell rang about five minutes ago--doesn't anyone care about the lunch lines?"
"What's our homework!" someone called excitedly. Lina smiled; it felt good that her students were excited for learning.
"I almost forgot--thank you very much for reminding me. Tonight, you can do a little more research and come prepared for tomorrow. Whoever can dig up the most interesting information can get a few extra points--and let me tell you--even through the little assignments we've had, just about everyone could use those points," Lina explained. The students chuckled. "How about the sorceress...well, why don't you guys pick?" Everyone's hands shot up into the air. "Whoa... um... Hainc?" Lina called on the boy in the front row. He snorted a little and then answered.
"Sorceress Ultimecia?" he asked excitedly. The class giggled.
"I'm afraid not, Hainc. You've already been given the opportunity in class to research her, but feel free to do so during your own spare time. Anyone else?" Lina asked. Seifer smirked and lifted his hand up just a little bit, but enough to catch Lina's attention at once. "Yes, Seifer?"
"What about you?" he asked coolly, shrugging it off with ease as soon as she'd given him a vexed visage.
"Interesting little note on internet lingo here. Tell me, Seifer--darling, do you know what S.T.F.U. stands for?" Lina joked and the class laughed, leaving Seifer red-cheeked and flustered. "Anyone else?" Lina caught Zell's hand go up a bit, a dark look in his eyes. "Zell?" Zell seemed to fidget a little as if he hadn't had his hand up at all, but twitched at the opportunity to put it out in the open.
"Sorceress Gorld?" he asked. Zell could see the immediate transformation in Lina as soon as he'd said it. She stared at him, unblinking, but inside, she could feel the claws of ice reaching through her again. They were clasping onto her lungs, regulating her breath into something entirely unnatural, but on the outside, there was no difference in anything except for the expression in her eyes--the usually hollow coffee brown color tensed up and Zell could almost see in her for a second a piece of understanding he'd never noticed before.
"Yeah... sure," Lina replied quickly to make up for lost time. The students then stood and filed out of class. Zell was hesitant to leave, but saw that Quistis would handle the situation from here on. Rinoa was giving him enough lectures as it was anyways and at the thought of this, he angrily stormed out of the room.
Lina sat down at her desk and put her head against the palms of her hands.
You have to fight, Zell!
I'm not going to and you can't make me!
There, behind the shelter of her hands she could see Squall, but angry and ready to attack. A fight? She'd been sent against her friends. Gorld. A cold breath seized her again and she was yet again fighting, struggling to free herself from the inhumanity that was becoming a prisoner--A prisoner to everything morality lost to. She couldn't breathe anymore and the struggle was unbearable. The clasps of cold had encircled her heart and she could feel herself slipping even more and more from her own grasp. Gorld. What did it mean!? Who or what was this phenomenon that had completely seized control of her body!?
She felt a hand on her shoulder and suddenly, the cold was swept away with Quistis's general concern. "Lina are you alright?" Lina didn't answer, but now tear-streaked and panic ridden, she stood from her chair and wiped her eyes. She started to nod her head, but knew it was a lie--everything was a lie--from the amnesia to the random crying at night. She shook her head as a final reply. No I am not alright, it said.
"I need... I just need some air," Lina stuttered, obviously fooling no one with her 'I'm fine' crap including herself. She headed for the door after a quick wave to Quistis; Lina did everything in her power to avoid a conversation with Quistis. Everything was too much. As she headed back towards the Dormitory, she wiped the tears from her eyes. Why was she crying? Why did she feel so cold? And why did it seem like she could never rid herself of this tormenting frustration she didn't even understand!?
Along the way, Lina saw Sadie and Zell standing together in the distance. She stopped dead in her tracks and roughly pivoted away to behind a pillar. My goodness, the last thing she needed was to see Sadie's beady-eyed glare knocking her sense of frailty haywire.
"Zell, just tell me. What happened last night between you and that girl?" Sadie demanded. Lina, instead of just standing there and waiting for her to leave, suddenly perked up. She was that girl. Zell turned away and rolled his eyes--not this again. No more midnight rendezvous' for me.
"Nothing happened. It shouldn't even matter to you," Zell muttered, but Sadie wouldn't have it. "This wouldn't even be happening if it weren't for that damn Gorld and Squall's frikken obligation to follow Rin's orders like a dog on a leash. Just stop thinking about it, would ya?" Lina eyes widened at the mention of Rin while fighting the possibility of passing out at the sound of "Gorld"
"I know something happened! Why won't you just tell me! I don't care what Squall or that bitch thinks! The only thing that matters is that we're together and we should be able to tell each other everything!" she cried.
"SADIE! I said nothing!" Zell yelled, but Sadie didn't buy it. "Agh, listen to me. If it weren't for Gorld or for Squall's ability to act like an obedient dog every time Rin rears her head, then none of this would be happening. Just let it go, because you're lucky enough to have had this much 'success' with anyone, whether or not forced in LIFE!" At the name "Gorld", Lina could feel her inside churning again, but she fought it--don't pass out, please don't, it would be very very bad timing. But wait. What did Rinoa have to do with anything?
"I know something happened! Why don't you just tell me and get it over with!" Sadie yelled. She was pathetic--her voice was cracking and her insecure, interrogating, and idiotic self was spilling through.
"DAMMIT, Sadie! I said NOTHING! NOTHING happened last night! Do you frikken understand me!? I can't care what you think about anything! It was the amnesia!" Zell argued and Lina froze--Amensia? "That's the only reason why any of this shit is happening!" Sadie grabbed his arm, but Zell threw her off, not afraid to take his anger up a notch. "I don't want to be your boyfriend. You know that. If it weren't for stupid Rinoa you'd be in the library right now hoping someone would somehow, someway be attracted to you and take your crap ass attitude out for coffee!" Ouch.
"Zell Dincht! You tell me! You tell me right now!" she screamed, obviously hurt by his words, but by then it didn't matter to him anymore.
"No! Forget it and just think what you like okay? I gave you the frikken answer and from here on it's OVER. Just forget everything that ever happened and FORGET my obligation to Rinoa. I don't care if I have to listen to another one of her stupid lectures! Nothing in the world could bribe me to stand next to you for another second!" With that, Zell turned on his heel and walked out of her sight.
"Zell!! Wait!! I just want to know what happened! Zell! Don't you walk away from me! Zell!" Sadie called. It was too late, he'd gone straight to his room and had already shut his door. "Agh!"
Lina heard Sadie leave in some other direction than from where she was standing. The only focus Lina had was on her heartbeat, pounding mercilessly in her ears. So many clues were in that conversation that ultimately would help her. Why, oh why did she always have to have things so complicated? Amnesia? Rinoa giving orders? Squall following? What was this obligation Zell had to Rinoa that had to do with Sadie? Zell and Squall. In that flash I had during class... they were so angry, but Zell wouldn't fight. If they were fighting--maybe a 'Gorld', why wouldn't Zell want to fight? Lina wondered. The questions were endless, all demanding answers, but none forfeiting any answers.