Second Semester
Chapter Twelve
"I'll be waiting here..."
“Tell me again why I have to wear this scrap of material in high winds in front of a bunch of sweaty males?” Hilde asked Sariah through clenched teeth as a face-off signaled the start of the traditional Spring Fling lacrosse game.
Sariah brushed off her roommate’s usual dramatic, though humorous, comments, offering her own sly, “But the sweaty males part isn’t so bad, is it?”
“What’s that?” Quatre joined the conversation. He had a possessive arm wound through Sariah’s. After all, the head of the Winner Corporation doesn’t travel all the way down to EU to have his girlfriend oogled by other guys, now does he?
The girl blushed nervously and smoothly continued, “I was just telling Hilde here that it’s tradition for the girls to wear sun dresses during the Spring Fling game, just as the guys are supposed to wear ties. Although why she doesn’t feel very comfortable is beyond me, because I think she looks gorgeous.”
Quatre smiled. “You both do.”
“Oh!” Hilde gasped, her attention turned to the game. “Are they allowed to pummel each other like that?”
“Don’t tell me you haven’t been to one of Trowa’s lacrosse games before?” Quatre asked her, a bit surprised.
“Well,” Hilde started, “Schoolwork always keeps me pretty busy. Go ahead, tell me how horrible of a friend I am.”
“Oh, you’re fine, Hilde,” Sariah assured her. “I, on the other hand, usually avoid them because I have absolutely no idea what’s going on. But since it is Spring Fling, and we’re playing EuroTech, and Trowa is the star player, I figured if I was going to go to a game, this would be it.”
“Yeah. It’s kind of sad that most people skipped out for an early Spring Break, though,” Hilde noted.
Indeed, Spring Fling celebrated the arrival of Spring, and more importantly, Spring Break. The biggest lacrosse game of the season was held on the Friday afternoon before break began, and the opponent was EU’s archrival EuroTech. Many students, however, preferred to start their Spring Break plans instead of showing school spirit, leaving the already small EU population down to a minimal, though enthusiastic crowd cheering for their top-ranked team. Even so, the crowd was of the friendly size that allowed fans to either watch the game from one of the sidelines or from the stands.
So as to afford a good view of Trowa, his friends were huddled on the sidelines of the field, gaining a front-row view of EU’s new recruit turned superstar, number 03.
Although clad in helmet and numerous amounts of other padding, Hilde’s eyes immediately fell on the tallest member of the team. His legs were long and lean, and with most of him covered up, Hilde found she never really noticed what nice calf muscles he had, and couldn’t suppress an approving smile.
As the ball moved to EuroTech’s goal area, Trowa sprang into action. He was an attackman, and perfectly suited for the position from what Hilde could tell. His speed seemed unbelievable for his height, and although most of his teammates were getting checked, bumped and bruised, Trowa appeared untouchable, emanating a power and grace that was reminiscent of both lion and gazelle. His skill allowed him to effectively dodge his opponents while displaying magnificent stick work, and his precision passes were deadly across the goal. He was the kind of player that was not selfish, leading the team in number of assists rather than goals, although he still had an impressive amount of those as well. Definitely hero material, but Hilde knew that already.
“Let’s go closer to the side EU’s attacking so we can see more of Trowa,” Hilde suggested, grabbing Sariah by the arm, which effectively pulled Quatre along as well.
Hilde couldn’t deny she loved the feeling of battle. It was just the death and destruction part that wasn’t so pleasant. But, as Trowa had mentioned before, sporting events were different. There was still the competitive atmosphere, without the unnecessary bloodshed.
Hilde cheered wildly after EU’s first goal, which was only too easily made by Trowa himself. By this time, the girl was really getting into the game, and she couldn’t understand why she hadn’t been to one sooner.
It was the pause after the goal that allowed the sports star to take a quick glance at the sidelines for the first time. Trowa was stunned to find Hilde at the front of the crowd, cheering for him in a tiny yellow sundress that flapped up to reveal a little more than her usual modesty would allow in the windy weather. He found his eyes frozen to her form, and was so taken with her that he completely missed the restarting of the game.
“Don’t you think it’s a little unfair to have a former Gundam pilot on the team?” Hilde asked her companions, referring to the way Trowa had weaved his way through three defenders and still managed to make a beautiful goal look effortless.
**THWAP**
“Maybe…not,” Quatre answered, beyond bemused, trying his best to suppress a laughing fit as Trowa was checked—hard—and sent flying to the ground, no doubt on account of his obvious fixation on Hilde only a moment before his introduction to the grass.
~*~*~
Half-time had come and gone and the second half of the game was underway. EU had a decisive lead at 6-3, but they could still not afford to slack off.
While Quatre and Sariah decided to watch from the stands, Hilde had again moved to Trowa’s side of the field, and she found herself happy to be immersed in the intense, though beautiful game unfolding before her. Happy, that is, until another player besides Trowa noticed her presence on the sidelines.
“Hey Lemon Cream, why don’t you lift up that skirt a little more!” a EuroTech player yelled, who had been positioned on the flank close to her for the second half.
Hilde’s jaw dropped in astonishment. Looking down at her light yellow sundress, which was, she admitted, a little shorter than she would have liked, Hilde knew the comment was aimed at her. The wind tossing the flimsy material this way and that was obviously not helping her situation, either. Hoping that the player would end his taunting there, Hilde brushed off the insulting remark and tried to focus on Trowa instead.
But the comments kept on coming. More “sweet thangs” and “cream pies” and “lemon-this or that’s” with hoots and hollers and plenty of rude and degrading remarks. Hilde was just about to give up watching Trowa’s beautiful plays and accept defeat by moving into the stands with Quatre and Sariah, when three familiar blondes bounced over to her.
“Hilde, dear, how is it that you always get all the guys?” Tiffani, or was it Stephi, asked her.
“I would hardly want any guy’s attention like this,” Hilde cringed as the EuroTech lacrosse player whistled at her.
“Don’t you know who that is, Hilde?” another one of the Blond Bombshells asked her.
“I cannot imagine,” Hilde responded indifferently.
“He’s only the hottest lacrosse player on the field right now, even if he is the enemy. We scoped him out before the game. He’s got the most gorgeous brown eyes you’ve ever seen!”
“Yeah, totally the tall, dark and handsome type,” another squealed.
Hilde just shook her head. “No more Emerald Eye infatuation I see?”
The girls did a collective shrug. “The boy is fine, we’ll give him that. But he’s totally a social nightmare. You couldn’t take him anywhere. But what could you expect, he is in the engineering school.”
Hilde gave them a look, and they then remembered she was a proud engineer herself. “Not that all engineers are socially incompetent, mind you,” Brandi recovered, patting her on the arm.
“Just most of them,” Tiffani giggled, and Hilde couldn’t help but agree.
“Anyway, I hear Emerald Eye is basically off the market anyway,” Stephi eyed Hilde accusingly.
“What do you mean?” the dark haired girl asked, genuinely clueless.
“Well, from what I hear from some of the lacrosse guys, he’s been totally crushing on a girl for forever…” one of the blondes began.
“…Someone who matches your description remarkably well, Hilde,” another finished.
“Just thought you might like to know,” the third one added with a wink. It was at this point all three decided they had caused enough mischief and wished Hilde a good Spring Break. They disappeared as quickly as they came, leaving the girl in a baffled silence.
“What was that all about?” Sariah asked as she and Quatre walked up to her roommate. The girl was always amused by the blonde whirlwind that liked to attack Hilde now and then.
“I really don’t know,” Hilde said, still in a daze.
“Well,” Sariah eyed the girl worriedly, “Quatre and I thought we’d join you again for the last few minutes of the game. I honestly don’t know how you’ve had this much energy to jump up and down and cheer for the entire game.”
Just then, Hilde’s EuroTech admirer started with the catcalls again.
“Has he been doing this all half?” Quatre asked her, anger coating his usual smooth voice.
“Yeah, I was actually just about to leave because of it,” Hilde admitted, and started to turn, looking very fatigued and irritated.
“Wait just a minute,” Sariah held her back as a very interesting sight was taking place before her.
It appeared that not only Hilde, but Trowa Barton was finally fed up. The boy had just finished marching the distance from his attacker position to where the EuroTech midfielder stood giving air kisses to Hilde. Apparently, the green-eyed boy had witnessed quite enough of his opponent’s verbal harassment and, as the ball was out of bounds on the opposite side of the field, finally had the time to deal with the matter.
“Oooohhh,” Quatre breathed, able to see Trowa’s dangerously narrowed eyes now that he was so close to the sidelines where the Tech player was positioned. “It takes a lot to make Trowa mad, and even if he is, you would normally never know. But let me tell you, he is sooooo pissed right now.”
Quatre knew his friend well. With an eerie calmness, in one fluid motion, Trowa slammed his stick to the ground, continued to approach Hilde’s offender, and proceeded to deliver a swift punch that connected right with the EuroTech player’s now certainly broken nose.
The crowd went silent, and the game came to a halt. But just as quickly as time seemed to freeze, the world started in motion once again. The fans on the sideline, who were in earshot of the EuroTech player’s degrading remarks, erupted in cheers and applause, while on the field, players were trying to talk Trowa out of beating the guy into a bloody pulp. Needless to say, 03 was ejected from the game. But now, with only minutes left and a lead of 5 points, it hardly even mattered.
The seething green-eyed boy, who looked remarkably calm on the outside, approached the EU bench, avoiding the scrutinizing gaze of his coach.
His voice was equally calm as he tugged off his helmet and quietly apologized, “I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me, coach.”
The old man only chuckled, and gave him a pat on the shoulder. “It’s called love, Barton. Just don’t let it happen again.”
~*~*~
Hilde, Sariah and Quatre waited for Trowa after the game. Although the lacrosse star, who had scored 4 of EU’s final 8 goals and assisted in the rest, was bombarded with adoring fans, he somehow managed to slip through the crowd just as easily as he could dodge defenders, and quickly found his friends.
After Trowa and Quatre did a tactical analysis of the game and the girls poked fun at their Gundam pilot habits, Sariah and Quatre managed to slyly separate themselves from the other pair. Apparently Quatre could not leave without first getting cotton candy, for he was never allowed such childish treats on the colonies, as he had an impression to keep up with his important business associates. The line for the sugary treat was so long that he and Sariah begged Hilde and Trowa go on without them.
By this time, Hilde and Trowa realized their friends’ rather obvious plan to get them alone, and accepted the cotton candy story with little argument.
The lacrosse field was closest to Trowa’s dorm, so Hilde suggested they walk the way together, and she would continue to her own from there.
He nodded in agreement, and they started off, both content to stay silent and enjoy the scenery of the European countryside. The lacrosse field was situated in the middle of a meadow-like landscape located in a far-off corner of EU. A long path lined with trees and other foliage, now thick with flowered vines and the blooms of spring, led back to the main campus. In the afternoon sunlight, as flower petals floated down to the ground from the winds, the scene was a little more than romantic, and Hilde tried to avert her gaze from the man beside her in an attempt to prevent her infamous fits of blushing.
It might have worked, but then Trowa sighed deeply and caused the girl beside him to steal a glance. His calm face was raised to the sky, as he soaked in the sun and was soothed by the wind. His hair was mussed from his helmet and the breeze ruffled it even more, causing his bangs to be tossed about which allowed peeks of his usually hidden eye.
And Hilde couldn’t help it. She blushed.
Her face grew an even deeper shade of red when she felt Trowa’s eyes focus on her.
“I’m happy you came today,” he said quietly. “I’m just sorry you had to be subjected to the remarks of that idiot. And I’m sorry you had to see-” he faltered. “I just couldn’t stand to see him treating you like that.”
“It’s really ok,” Hilde managed to find her voice, and placed an understanding hand on his forearm. His eye widened a bit at the touch, causing Hilde to quickly pull her hand away. She hadn’t even realized that she had sought to comfort him so naturally.
“The guy deserved it,” she continued. “It was a really good punch, and if you hadn’t done it, I most certainly would have tried to after the game,” she admitted lightly.
She received a slight smile at that, and he shrugged his shoulders a bit as he shifted his lacrosse gear from one side of his powerful back to the other before speaking once again.
“I’ve been wanting to ask how you were doing,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Hilde knew he was referring to her episode with Duo. “I’m fine, really,” she assured him. “It’s been one long ride, but I think I’ve finally reconciled my feelings. Duo’s my best friend, he’ll always be, but he’s nothing more than that,” the girl said decidedly.
“I can’t say I was sorry when you two didn’t work out,” Trowa said softly after a time. “On the contrary, I was rather glad to hear it.”
“You were…glad?” Hilde questioned, so surprised at the comment that she stopped dead in her tracks.
A beautiful white primrose blossom traveled down and landed on her bangs, but she was too stunned to even try to move it.
Trowa turned to her and gazed down into her wide blue eyes with a look that was softer than she had ever seen him use. He reached over and brushed his hand on her forehead, gently removing the blossom from her hair.
“I’ve always been partial to white flowers,” Trowa murmured as he left his fingers to caress her midnight tresses before finally sliding down to cup her cheek in his palm. He paused then, reveling in the touch of her skin before finally slipping his hand away.
Trowa smiled. It was a full, warm smile, and he seemed content just by the fact he was able to touch her.
Hilde looked at him in astonishment, never before graced with Trowa’s real smile, which was so amazing that she couldn’t help but smile back. Her fingers unconsciously crept back up to her cheek, and she shyly turned her face away and into her hand as they continued walking.
She couldn’t believe how nervous she was now, not quite knowing how to act or what to say. The man beside her, however, seemed as relaxed as could be, as if a curse had been lifted, or a secret revealed.
She was surprised at how many times her gaze had tiptoed in the direction of the quiet lacrosse player, and before she even realized it, found herself locked in a stare with an orb of green and was forced to look away. And she couldn’t believe the creeping crimson blush that increased upon her complexion as the minutes next to Trowa passed by.
They reached his dorm much sooner than Hilde expected, but she thought it for the better, as the butterflies in her stomach were bursting at her sides.
Before parting, Trowa surprised the girl by gently latching a hand on her arm.
“I’ve found that it takes a lot to keep on running,” he said, dipping his head to whisper more closely to her ear, “running away from things because you might get hurt or you’re just not sure you’re good enough. I’ve stopped running, Hilde.” His voice was smooth and his breath was hot against her neck, “And I’ll be waiting here when you’re finally tired of running away as well.”
He pulled away, looking deceivingly calm compared to his passionate whispers a moment before. Offering his usual nod as a goodbye, he gave her a final soul-searching stare and cute barely-there smile before disappearing up to his room.
Hilde let out a long, long sigh, and began meandering back to her dorm, pondering Trowa’s words all the while.
She couldn’t believe how so much had changed in one afternoon. Just as she had finally given up the hope of love from one Gundam pilot, another freely offered his to her. It was one of the most cryptic declarations Hilde had ever come across, to be sure. Yet that, she supposed, was just his style.
But did she love Trowa? The girl wasn’t so sure. She certainly liked him…a lot, more than she cared to admit. But so soon after Duo? And what about her rose-bearing admirer? Her mind was filled with questions to which she had no answers.
But there was one thought that she just couldn't figure out. It had been bothering her throughout the entire walk back. The girl recalled how Trowa’s hand fit so perfectly against her cheek. His touch was so soft, yet so burning. She felt restless with it, yet more so without it.
And--wait a minute…he had always been partial to white flowers!?!
**CLICK** (that was the light bulb in Hilde’s head turning on)
Truly, her secret admirer was not so secret anymore.
~*~*~
AN: WOWZA! I can't believe how quickly this chapter came out. Thanks to all you lovely people who were kind enough to review. This is for you!
And a special thank you to Kay-chan and Jin, whose inspirational ideas and helpful editing made this chapter possible. Kay-->Trowa's punch was just for you...not at you, of course, but definitely in your honor. Damn, he looks all bad-ass and hot when he's pissed.
Jin-->Sap rox! And you are totally writing sappy romance novels with me if my engineering doesn't work out. Let the giddiness ensue! 
Thankies again everyone!
Hopefully the next chapter will be on its way soon!
Trowa decking someone out of anger? Darn, why can't this be anime? 