Life at Cinq High (9) revised

[Hitomi Lei]

Chapter 9: The trouble with bleach.





AN: I don?t own it!! OH, NEWLY REVISED!!















For the rest of the morning Relena tried not to think about Heero. After all, they weren?t really friends; he?d only been hanging around her for two days. So she didn?t owe him anything, right? And she wouldn?t miss him if he desided go back to ignoring her, right?



Right?



?I like it better this way anyway. Without them following me around my life can go back to normal.?



She told herself this whenever Duo sent her a look of concern, or when ever Heero glared in her direction. Like right now, during Mr.O?s math class. Duo had had English so she?d walked herself to geometry, but first Relena had to find Hilde and borrow a textbook. By that time she was late for class, so the only open spot in the whole room had been, predictably, right in front of Heero Yuy. Relena shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She could feel his eyes burning holes in the back of her head. She looked at her watch and slumped lower in her desk. The class would be over in just four minutes. She could last that long without her head exploding from Heero?s glare couldn?t she?



?What?s his problem anyway? What I said this morning wasn?t that bad. Really it wasn?t, I just almost accused him of cheating, and in my defense it was a natural assumption, he does hang around Duo. But I guess it was stupid to say that out loud?erg?is he STILL glaring??



She glanced at her watch for the second time in as many minutes and sat up straight.



?It?ll be over right about---?



RING



?---now.?



Relena gathered up her books as quickly as she could with a sling impeding her progress. She wasn?t prepared for the hand that reached out and took the heavy textbooks from her.



?Hey!? She turned around and grabbed for the book. Heero simply held it out of her reach.



?Sit.? He pointed back at her desk.



?You can?t order me around!? Relena fumed and tried again to reach her books, ?I?ll be late for my next class!?



?Your going to wait until it?s a little less crowded, then I?ll walk you there.? His voice was calm and unruffled.



?Has anyone ever told you that your overbearing, arrogant, and---? She was just getting warmed up when he interrupted.



?Yes, I?ve heard that before. Okay, you can go now.? He moved aside so she could walk to ward the door.



?Can I have my books now.? She tapped her foot and held out her good hand.



?No.?



?Why not??



?Cause you?ll run off.? Relena rolled her eyes, but didn?t argue any more.

















?Lena? You?re staring off into space again!? Cathy commented as she walked with Relena to her chemistry class. They always walked together since Cathy?s next class was just three doors down. Heero was a silent shadow following a few feet behind.



?At least he stopped glaring at Cathy every time she walks up.?



?I am? I?m sorry Cathy. I just have a lot to think about today, that?s all.? Relena pulled her elbows closer to her chest as a group of hurried 9th graders ran by trying to remember were their next class was.



?I guess I?m kinda glad I had chem. homework last night. I don?t have to try and borrow anyone else.?



?I heard about this morning Lena?I?m sorry, but don?t worry, they?ll find your stuff soon.? Cathy patted Relena?s back sympathetically. Relena thanked her with a slight smile for trying to cheer her up.



?I know that?it?s just?some of it will never be replaced?and that makes me?I don?t know?Angry, I guess.? Cathy threw her another sympathetic glance and said with regret.



?Listen, I?ve got to go now, but call me tonight and we?ll have a girl talk okay??



?Okay.? Relena nodded and watched her hurry on to class before walking into her own classroom. Heero followed her in and took one of the only two seats that were left. Once again it looked like the only seat left for her was in front of Heero Yuy. Relena glanced at her watch. If she hurried she?d have just enough time to get a hall pass before the bell rang. And if she timed it just right Heero wouldn?t be able to follow her either. Relena didn?t spare a glance in Heero?s direction as she headed for the strange Doctor of Chemistry who stood at the head of the class.



?Dr.J, I?m needed for an important debate club meeting during this period. Mr. Treize told me I should get a hall pass from the teacher I had during this period.?



?Reason.? The man didn?t look up from his lesson planer.



?Sir??



?What is the reason for this all important meeting that?s taking place during my class Miss. Dorlian? It?s not that hard to understand.? His strange eyeglasses hid his expression, but Relena got the distinct impression that he wasn?t happy.



?Oh?um?It?s for the uniform thing?something about how we?re going to count the ballots and such.? Relena laughed nervously.



?Why are all the teachers here so strange? Chemistry taught be a man with a metal claw hand, Math taught by a man with a fake nose?And his glasses?I wonder if he even has eyes under those??



?Here.? He handed over a small piece of paper with his metal claw. Relena stood for a minute before she realized what he was handing her.



?Thank you sir.? She said as she took the pass. Hesitantly she shot Heero a glance.



?Well he?s not a very happy camper.? If looks could kill, his would have cremated her on the spot. Relena felt a small seed of guilt form in her mind.



?He was only trying to keep you from getting hurt.? A part of her pointed out, but the other part, the one that was tired of being followed around and treated like a child, squelched it.



?What could happen? I?m just going out side to sit in the sun. It?s not like I?ll be alone there will be others having lunch out there too.?



So she gave the glaring boy a little flippant wave right before she disappeared out the door.

















Relena found a quiet place to sit in the open-air courtyard provided for the students to eat in during nice weather days. Today, for some reason it was all but empty, but Relena didn?t give that much thought. She was more concerned with eating the bag of Chex Mix ? she?d bought for lunch.



?Milli would just kill me if he saw this. I can just hear him now, going on about healthy foods vs. junk foods. Who eats carrots for lunch anyway...??



Relena let her thoughts wonder over the advents of the last few days as the courtyard began to fill up around her.



?I should apologize to Heero for that little wave thing, and the thing this morning, and ditching him?okay maybe not for ditching him?but definitely for the wave thing as I left, but really it was funny.



Relena was too deep in thought to notice the eyes that watched her or the whispers. A few tables away a girl with long blonde hair and pointy eyebrows handed a boy a full glass clear liquid. She whispered in his ear for a moment, and then gave him a shove toward Relena.



Relena sighed and looked up that the sun throw the trees that shaded the courtyard, ?It?s about time for Cathy and Hilde to come in. I wonder if they can help me with chem. Notes la?? She never got to finish her thought because the boy walking past her table suddenly tripped over some invisible line on the pavement. The cup of water he was holding flew from his hand and into her lap. She stood up with a shriek and watched at the glass his the ground and shattered. In the end she was drenched from the chest down and surrounded by shards of sharp glass.



?I?m so sorry! I-I didn?t mean to trip!? The guy grabbed some napkins off a nearby chair and gave them to her. Relena looked down at herself and helplessly dabbed at the edges of the giant wet spot. Her nose told her that something wasn?t right. She held the paper napkin close to her nose and sniffed.



?Bleach.? Relena looked around for the guy but he was no where to be seen, ?He did that on propose didn?t he?? She asked herself quietly.



Hilde and Cathy arrived to see Relena trying to at least pat her skirt dry. The bleach was causing it to fade and turn a strange pick color.



?Oh, Relena what happened to you?? Hilde asked as she looked around of something else to help clean the girl up with. Cathy was busy looking for something to sweep the glass out of the way with.



?Some guy threw bleach on me.? Relena fumed out, ?I was just sitting here and then?? she didn?t finish. Hilde could clearly see for herself what had happened.



?Are you hurt? I mean did the glass cut you anywhere?? Cathy asked.



?No, at least I don?t think so. I?m more mad, and it?s kind or hard to breath with all the bleach fumes.? Relena replied as she gave up trying to dry her skirt.



One of the entrances of the courtyard opened, heralding the arrival of a confused Duo and an angry Heero.



?Relena what happened to your school uniform?? was the first thing Duo wanted to know when he got to where she was standing. Relena looked down sighed at the wide splotches of pink on her new uniform.



?Bleach.? Heero?s voice was a monotone; Relena gave a jerky nod of her head.



?A guy tripped and accidentally spilled it on me, no bother.? She hoped the lie sounded convincing.



?But you told us he meant t?? Hilde wrinkled her forehead and tried to correct her, but Relena cut her off.



?He meant to apologize, I?m sure. He was just too scared to hang around long. I guess someone I?ve been hanging around with recently is scary beyond all reason.? She glared pointedly at Heero before glancing at Hilde. The other girl nodded her head slightly as if to say she?d caught on.



?Who was he?? Duo spoke up from behind his friend.



?I don?t know I was too busy being shocked to get a good look.? Heero crossed his arms and sent her a look that said he didn?t appreciate her cheekiness.



?I don?t believe you.? He stated.



?Could someone go get my brother? I need to go home and change clothes really bad.? She ignored his and worked on shrugging out of her vest, which wasn?t easy with her sling. The red of the vest had stained the white shirt underneath, but at least her eyes weren?t watering as bad.



?I?ll go now.? Hilde volunteered. Cathy left with her to get a broom to clean up the grass. Some late arriving students looked at their small group funny, but none approached.



?It wasn?t an accident.? Heero spoke again after a few minutes of silence.



?I don?t know what you?re talking about.? Relena tried to evade the question. Duo looked uncomfortable and started to play with a button on his trench.



?Relena, Tell me??



?Relena!? Milliardo had just arrived on the scene. She felt grateful, maybe he would take her home so that she wouldn?t have to answer Heero?s questions.



?Your sister?s okay Mr.Peacecraft. Very little bleach got on her skin and none of the glass cut her. The only damage is to her clothes.? Hilde told him before he could freak out.



?Who did this to you?? Milli leaned down to see into Relena?s eyes.



Heero snorted, ?That?s what I?d like to know.? Relena ignored his as she had been doing.



?I don?t know brother. I just want to go home. I can?t take much more of this day. First my locker, ?and?and now this?.? Relena knew she was babbling on some level, but she couldn?t seem to stop the stream of words pouring form her mouth. Milliardo?s presence brought out the hurt little girl inside of her. If Milli was here that meant she didn?t have to be strong anymore. Her brother always made everything better.



?Relena, I can?t take you home. I have students and I?ve---? Millardo looked like he was about to start ringing his hands. Nothing could make him lose his usual calm like his baby sister in trouble could.



?I?ll take her.? A voice interrupted Milliardo. He turned to see who would dare to break into a conversation between brother and sister.



?Heero Yuy isn?t it?? He asked suspiciously. This was the kid who had driven them to the hospital and who was supposed to be protecting his baby sister, his brain supplied for him. Milliardo glared.



?Yes sir. I drove your car the other day. I don?t mind taking her home if you can?t.? Heero didn?t let the older man?s glare bother him.



?Do you even have your license? I don?t think I asked the other day? Milliardo leaned in closer, trying to use his height to intimidate the young man. Heero just raised his eyebrow.



?Yes sir, I do have my license. I?ve had it for 1 year, 2 months and 3 days. I?ve had no traffic violations and I make a point to always wear my seat belts.? Heero ignored Duo?s snicker as he recited his driving history for Relena?s brother. Heero knew that if he was ever going to make up for not protecting Relena like he promised he?d have to get her brother to trust him again.

Something in Milliardo?s eyes told Heero that he had said the right thing. Relena on the other hand was sure that her brother would never agree to such a thing. After all he did a background check on all the mothers in the car pull when she was in elementary. And that drive to the hospital hardly qualified as proof-positive of his experience in driving. But Milliardo?s next words surprised her.



?Okay, I?ll let you take her home. But if you so much as harm one little hair on her head?.? Milliardo left the sentence hanging as he stared into the teenager?s eyes. Heero nodded his head in understanding.



?You have my word sir.? Heero turned to Relena and motioned for her to follow him. She ignored him. There was no way she was going with him. Milli must have lost his mind. Heero on his part was getting impatient.



?My car?s this way.?



?I?m not going with you.?



?Yes, Relena you are.?



?No, I?m not.? They faced off and glared at each other, Milliardo cleared his throat to get their attention.



?Relena, you need to go now, I?m got to go back to class.? Relena had her hands propped on her hips and her eyes promised pain to the tenth degree for both of them. She couldn?t believe that they had both made that decision without asking her or even listening to what she wanted. It just didn?t feel right to her, not being asked if she wanted to leave school grounds with some boy she barley knew.



?No. ?Both Heero and Milliardo looked at her as if she had grown a second head.



?I said no. I will not go with him.? Relena folded her arms across her chest, ignoring the dampness that made her feel uncomfortable.



?Relena,? Milliardo spoke with extreme patients,? You don?t have to go with him, but as I was saying, I can?t take you home. So if you stay here you?ll have to stay in those clothes.? Here he wrinkled his nose, ?And I don?t think any of us want you to do that.?



Relena could feel her resolve weaken at the thought of spending hours in these clothes. A vivid vision of what the bleach would be like dry flashed before her eyes. Slowly she shook her head in a sign of resignation. She turned toward Heero to apologize but the smirk on his face made Relena want to tell him to shove his car up his?well you know. She opened her mouth to tell him just that but she caught a whiff of the bleach. There was no way her lungs could take more of this. Relena desided to simple hold her head high and walk toward the parking lot, leaving Heero to follow in her wake. She didn?t turn around when she heard Duo laughing either, but she started planning his gruesome death right then and there.



?Hey, Buddy, don?t do anything I wouldn?t do!?



?Duo, I?ll kill you.? Heero called over his shoulder.



?Note to self, my brother has lost his mind. Really he has?sending me home with this guy?he could be a rapist or?Well I guess not.? Relena glanced over at him.



?I hope you know we are going to talk about today in class.?



?I knew I shouldn?t have given him that little smart-alecky wave.?



















A.N.





Okay, so I have to respond to some of the reviews I got last time?





I just want you all to know that I have nothing against Noin. In fact, she?s one of my favorite female anime characters of all time. I?m just trying to portray how Relena feels when someone new comes into her life. Some one who has the potential to come between her and her brother. Who has, by the way, been her mother/father for 12 years.



And to answer another question, all the normal het. Pairings will be in this story. I?m planning arcs for every one. I do have some almost never heard of parings in mind too?but nothing too far out. And for the record?I LOVE 5XSP?





Oh, and before any of you ask?I KNOW Relena is being, shall we say?overly picker on??But keep in mind, this is a comedy?and while some of what happens to her isn?t funny?well the point is that in serious fanfics Relena is always having something bad things happen to her?kidnapping?death?poison in her tea?and so this is kinda a parody of that?Sorry if that offends some of you?And don?t get me wrong I love Rellie just as much as any other 1xR fan?.This is just for fun?



And does bleach do that to anyone else? I get near that stuff and it?s like my lungs shut down?eesh?you should have seen me trying to clean my tub?I almost passed out?but that?s another story?





OH!! One more thing?thanks to all my other reviewers?I love you!!! You beautiful people you!!!!!And I love my Beta reader!! Wongy!! Even though she hasn?t gotten to read this chapter yet. So we all know that as soon she read it I?ll have to make small revisions. Don?t worry though?I?m sure you have nothing to worry about.





Revised 3/14/03

[kmf]

LOL, I loved the burnt pasta scene! Reminds me of my own skills in the kitchen *looks sheepish*

I was surprised when Relena passed out because of the kiss, seemed a little extreme just because her brother was kissing. However, it did lead to that very funny line from Millardo 'what are you doing on the floor?' LOL! So it worked quite well.

Keep writing

kmf (and I hope you caught the lizard *shudders*)

[Misato]

Cute, and nice for Heero and Duo to 'protect' her, though I do wonder who's going to win the debate XP