Second Semester
Chapter Eight
It just had to be chocolate whipped cream…
It was February now, and though the campus lay nestled in the deep of winter, the academic atmosphere was a rather enjoyable comfort to Hilde.
She had finally fallen into the rhythm of classes and schoolwork after winter break. The vacation seemed all too short, but was, with the exception of Quatre’s party, a stress-free and relaxing time. Ahh, the party. Even now, it was still fresh in her mind, especially upon receiving a call just the other day.
“Hilde! It’s so good to see you again. I hope you are well recovered since the last time I saw you. I remember you weren’t feeling too well at my party,” Quatre’s face appeared on her dorm vid-screen. Hilde was astonished Quatre had sought to contact her, especially after leaving so abruptly and awkwardly at his Holiday get-together. She wasn’t even quite sure how he had found her, until he owned up that he was talking to Trowa earlier and asked for her number.
“I will be visiting him in a couple of days, and hoped that I could see you, too.” Quatre explained to the girl, who still looked to be surprised to see him.
Hilde agreed and proposed they meet at her favorite local coffee shop before having to rush away to a Pi Club meeting.
Yes, the Pi club. It was a silly idea conjured up by tired though sugar-high minds at two in the morning. Hilde and Sariah had grown to be quite good friends with their hall mates, especially during the new wintry semester, when it was much more fun to gather round and watch movies than trek out to parties in the bitter cold evenings. So it began as the group of friends on the fourth floor who weren’t interested in the frats and sororities around campus created the Pi club, poking fun at the Greek life.
Each member of the club drew the name of a person they had to literally pie in the face! Who knew when danger would strike? It became much like the popular assassins game. Once a target had been hit, the successful thrower of the pie then took on their victim’s next mark. The winner of the game would be treated to an ice cream pie at a local favorite sweets shop at the end of the semester.
Hilly enjoyed these wacky games, which, besides being tons of fun, let her experience a taste of battle without any casualties. Unfortunately, she hadn’t yet had time to work out a proper strategy to pie her prey, as she was determined to focus on her studies this semester, having her fill of the party scene from the past one. But she needed time to study the schedule of her target to find out when he was out and about for classes, as a strict rule of the game was no pie throwing indoors- it would just be too hard to explain to the RA’s.
Hilde had not been hit herself, trying to vary her own schedule to throw off her pie-wielding attacker. But of course it would be just her luck that when she least expected it, probably on a day she had to look her best too, she would be caught off guard and wind up with a face full of the dreaded dessert.
~*~*~
Hilde was running late. This was nothing new, but she wanted to make a good impression on Quatre Winner. She did not often have visitors, especially powerful, famous, and handsome visitors, and did not want to keep the busy businessman waiting.
Her mind completely unaware of her surroundings, Hilde was only focused on her destination of The Unicorn, her favorite coffee shop on the outskirts of the local town and just a step out of the college. She had almost reached the other end of campus and was nearing the borders of the University, when IT happened.
The IT she had been so nonchalant about, that she knew was going to occur at the worst possible time, had indeed happened at precisely the perfect moment to turn her day into the most horrible, humorous nightmare of the new year.
The poor girl found herself covered in a make shift pie consisting of a paper plate and whipped cream…and chocolate whipped cream at that!
“You forgot the crust!” Hilde jokingly spat as her fellow Pi Club member ran off laughing, for the whole situation was rather absurd, and Hilde was sure she would find it hilarious looking back on the event. But currently, she was in a dilemma, and definitely not fit to be seen, judging from the brown fluff staining her shirt. She was almost at the coffee shop and had a little time to spare, but she would certainly be late for Quatre if she ran back to her dorm to change. She just needed a quick, close place to try to clean up into a more presentable looking person, rather than the chocolate coated mess she was right now. Spotting a familiar dorm only a few yards away, Hilde pushed aside her embarrassment and sauntered towards the building, doing her best to ignore the shocked faces and giggles of her peers along the way, all while mumbling, “It just had to be chocolate whipped cream, didn’t it? Grrr…”
~*~*~
Trowa looked surprisingly calm to see Hilde arrive at his doorstep, dripping with once fluffy, now melting, gooey whipped cream and holding a paper plate tightly in one fist. It was at times like these Hilde was grateful for the boy’s cool exterior, for she certainly did not need any more funny looks and laughter.
But finally bringing herself to look him straight in the eye, Hilde noticed his green orb was smiling. He opened the suite door wider and motioned for her to come in, finally ending the silence with, “I would make a wry comment, but I don’t even know where to begin.”
“Well,” Hilde huffed, “I’ve had quite enough snickers already, let me tell you.”
Trowa gave her a genuinely understanding look, which eased her temper, while he handed her a towel. After wiping off her face as best she could, Hilde stopped as she noticed Trowa’s scrutinizing glance, as he held a hand over his mouth, both for contemplation and to hide his growing smile.
“What?” she asked him pitifully.
Gazing at the girl who managed to look cute even in such a predicament, Trowa merely shook his head. “I’m afraid that won’t do. Come on.”
He lead her into the bathroom and handed her a washcloth, as she hunched her upper half, shirt and all, under the running shower water and finally washed away the awful sugary stuff. Luckily, only her jacket and the front of her shirt had been ruined, not to mention a very sticky tangle of hair.
Trowa leaned against the doorframe, his placid face hiding his amusement, as Hilde began relating the story of the Pi Club and the terrible hit and run attack. He didn’t hear much of it, though, as he was more pleasantly occupied with hypnotically watching the girl run shampoo through her deep raven tresses.
Now dripping wet, Hilde called to Trowa, who came to her side fully prepared with a towel. But there still was a problem of her shirt, which was not only soaked, but still smelled horribly of sour chocolate cream and soap.
Trowa sheepishly admitted he needed to do laundry, and the only clean thing he could offer her was a long sleeve lacrosse T-shirt. He apparently had plenty since the team had to practice in them. Hilde graciously accepted the shirt, smiling when she examined herself in the mirror. Not only was it too big--the sleeves fell long over her hands—but Hilde didn’t know how he managed it, for plastered across her back was a triumphant 03!
Hilde found Trowa in the kitchenette, making himself some cocoa. He let a slight smile escape when he saw her in his shirt, her small frame seeming to drown in the fabric.
“Want some?” he asked. “I have mini-marshmellows.”
Although that had to be about the cutest comment ever, the hot drink only served to remind Hilde about her meeting with Quatre at the coffee shop. She would just make it on time if she hurried.
“Ah, how you tempt me. Those are my favorite! I’d love to, but I’m meeting Quatre at The Unicorn in just a couple of minutes. I’m really sorry to be running off like this, and after all of your help, too.”
She couldn’t see his face, as he was turned tending to his steaming mug. So, she tried to lighten the mood by adding, “Besides, ‘Zero Three’, I don’t know if I could handle any more chocolate after this mess.”
Trowa looked back at her then, with the trace of a smile. “I understand,” he said, as she moved to the door. Quickly, he removed the thick, faded sweatshirt he was wearing. “Here, take this, it’s going get cold. I’ll take care of your jacket,” he said quietly as he shoved his favorite, old sweatshirt into her arms, now standing quite close to her in only a flimsy undershirt. “It’s not a coat, but it’s still quite warm.”
“Thank you, Trowa,” Hilde said in an equally quiet voice, a bit surprised at the boy’s thoughtfulness. Some guys could be so dense when it came to these sorts of things. Trowa’s caring nature had already been demonstrated numerous times, but he never ceased to amaze her. She glanced him over, growing exceeding puzzled by Trowa’s kindness and the affect his muscular build was having on her. She found herself blushing again when her eyes lingered on perfectly sculpted shoulders, and managed to slip out the door before embarrassing herself any further. She silently scolded herself for having such thoughts, for Trowa was her friend…he was just a friend.
~*~*~
The brisk air cooled Hilde’s flushed cheeks as the girl rushed towards her favorite coffee shop. Exactly on time, Hilde entered to find Quatre already there, and was relieved to discover he had not been waiting long.
Having ordered their drinks, the pair settled on two of the shop’s big, comfy plush chairs and began to chat. After the usual pleasantries and inquiries about school and work—Hilde was not quite sure how to relate the most recent Pi Club episode yet—the dark haired girl found that the blond businessman had grown rather pensive and had been staring most obviously at her for the past few silent moments.
“What’s on your mind?” she asked her thoughtful companion.
“You’ve been wonderful humoring me, Hilde, you really have. But you must know why I’m here.”
This took her by surprise, and seeing the puzzled look on her face, Quatre gave her one of his most charming looks while explaining, “I would like to take you out, Hilde.”
“But we’re out…here--” she began to say, only to be interrupted with Quatre shaking his head.
“No, on a real date,” he said lowly, giving her a burning look. “I have a charity ball coming up…or a Valentine’s Day celebration.”
“Oh,” Hilde whispered, eyes wide in amazement. Quatre Winner wanting her? It was if another pie had been pummeled in the girl’s face. She couldn’t believe it. But sadness set in her eyes as she knew it could never work. She, unfortunately, still had a lot of feelings to work out in her wounded, confused heart, and Quatre…
“Ah, Quatre. I am truly honored that you asked me. But I’m afraid I’m not suited for the spotlight,” Hilde confessed.
He looked a bit down, and was about to speak when he seemed to suddenly take note of her attire with a semi-shocked, “Isn’t that Trowa’s sweatshirt?”
“Why, yes,” Hilde said, and had no idea why yet another blush had come over her.
“He used to wear it sometimes during the war. It’s his favorite, you know,” Quatre divulged to her.
Trying to shake the sparkle in the blond man’s eye, Hilde then began to explain the whole pie incident that had happened a short time before she had arrived.
“Trowa just happens to live on the edge of campus, so I was right by his dorm when disaster struck. He was very kind, helping me clean up and lending me some of his clothes,” she explained, as the blush seemed to grow and grow with each word. Hilde couldn’t believe how furiously her face was burning, and was sure Quatre must have noticed it.
The young businessman sat there studying her for a long time. He smiled sadly before picking up the previous topic of his offered date. “I fear my position is sometimes a curse, you know,” Quatre sighed, looking at Hilde with the gaze of someone staring wantonly at the silver moon, reaching with their eyes, but knowing they will never be able to touch it. “Certainly, there are beautiful women throwing themselves at me left and right, hoping for fame, power and fortune, yet only the worthy ones want nothing to do with it and, consequently, with me.”
Hidle gave him a sad half smile, and pitied the young Winner born into a world of shimmering riches and vacant hearts. Yet, at that very moment, an idea came to her, which she couldn’t believe she hadn’t thought of sooner.
“Quatre…” Hilde began, the sly wheels churning in her head with a life of their own…yes…she would give him his perfect date after all. “What if I gave this offer of yours to someone else? To a person whom I know is a worthy and wonderful human being and would be just perfect for you?”
Quatre gazed at her with interest, leaning forward in his chair. “So instead of a refusal, you are offering me a date?”
Hilde smiled at him.
“At what point did I lose control here?” Quatre said teasingly. “But in any case, it seems a fair deal to me. I accept. You should really look into business, Miss Sheibecker. I could definitely use someone like you at the Winner Corporation.”
“I’m flattered, Quatre. I’ll hold you to it if I should decide to take such a route in the future.”
“I’ll count on it,” he smiled with a boyish grin, causing Hilde to remember why he had practically all of the women in both earth and in space madly in love with him. “But since you’ve been so kind as to let me down gently, may I return your offered favor and bring a date for you as well?”
“You mean, double?”
“Exactly. You bring your friend and I’ll bring mine. It will be more comfortable that way. We could just go for dinner at a local restaurant if you’d like.”
He still managed to spend an evening with me after all, Hilde thought to herself after the visit as she walked back to her dorm. They don’t say Quatre Winner always gets what he wants for nothing.
I’m sorry I didn’t realize it sooner, friend, Quatre thought as he left the coffee house. Upon his earlier visit to a certain green-eyed boy’s dorm, Quatre could tell the placid pilot wasn’t his usual self, especially after inquires about his pretty pixie friend. And after Hilde’s blushes, the blond man’s suspicions were now quite concrete. Yes, Trowa would thank him later for this.
~AN: YAY! Another Chapter finished! And if you were wondering about inspiration for the Pi Club, yes indeed it is based on actual events from my crazy first year of college. And I might mention that it’s very hard to explain to your RA when someone gets pied in the face with chocolate whipped cream all over the suite area…I wouldn’t recommend it, it’s a messy business.
