Reminiscent
Part 1
Chapter 2
We had a lunch and an extra period to work on the banners, but Relena had to go. After school, she had another class, and it was a cold day so I stayed behind to drive her home. Normally, she?d walk, but I felt like being kind today?
Relena spied my bright red truck easily. It was an old model, rusting, but my parents painted over everything before giving it to me this year, and they have abnormal choices in colour?
?How the hell did the guys get home?? She cocked an eyebrow at me and smiled. I gave her an incredulous look, and glanced at the back of my truck. Relena, confused, looked over the side only to find nothing. I shook my head at her; sometimes she had the mind of a child.
?They went in Catherine?s truck.? Yes, we both have trucks, which is why Duo doesn?t have to drive, even though he?s months older than me. Now it was her turn to give me an incredulous look.
?There?s only room for the girls and one more.?
The memory of Trowa, Duo and Quatre huddling around the open, back window of the truck came to me. Relena caught onto my thoughts, it?s a strange ability of hers to read other people?s minds. Catherine complains about it a lot? She slapped me gently on the chest as she walked past, into the open door and sat in the seat. I closed the door and walked around.
Traffic today was insane. Every intersection was a red light; every red light was a long, long line. I shouldn?t have taken Main, the smaller streets would?ve been faster. As we were waiting at the traffic lights, Relena pulled out a book and began to read. It wasn?t long before she started to hum as well.
I waited a couple of minutes until I couldn?t stand it anymore.
?What are you singing?? Relena looked up, surprised, and smiled a little. She went back to reading, but this time singing out loud, though quietly. To be honest, Relena has no talent for singing, no matter how much charisma she had. But, she could make songs up that were better than any I hear on the radio. She sang about a songbird in the mountains. It was a sad tune; the words illustrated a picture in my mind of a small bird, singing through the mountains, forever looking behind itself for fear of a lurking predator.
?Always looking, always watching, and being watched, every which way.? She broke into a speaking part. Her voice soon became a buzz in my ear while I drove, like how one would listen to music to divert their creative mind while they should be concentrating. At least, that?s the way Hilde describes it.
The gang has been together since we were thirteen. It was the year that changed everyone?s lives, I think. The guys got to know the girls, the girls got to know the guys? Relena says it was the best and most interesting year of her life?
And to me, it was as well. It was the beginning of a whole new life that Relena dragged me into. I was just a kid, causing some trouble? but she mistook the mischief and trying to be a pain as something she felt once before, and in a way taught me the things that she knew. She claims that wisdom is depressing to everyone who couldn?t handle it, therefore I was the only one she really ?took under her wing?. It was childish, I have to admit, the way she dreamed of a life like one you would find in stories?
Still, she was a child only at the time, one that was trusted with secrets and problems of others, older and younger. She had been forced to be responsible, mature, and efficient everyday. In contrast, she was a dreamer, a creator, and most of all, a child. I don?t know what happens in her mind sometimes, but I know she had always wanted a little excitement in her life?
?Thanks Heero.? She smiled at me as she climbed out of the truck. For a second, I thought she would fall off the steps, but then I forget. I may know her sensitive side, but that doesn?t mean her strengths are gone. She jumped out, gracefully as the wind assaulted her. Blonde hair blew from side to side as I found myself entranced by its sway. She caught my eye and smiled at me again before slamming the door. I waited until she was inside the house before I began to drive away.
To be honest, Relena is still a little bit of a dreamer, like she used to be. Our relationship, to her, is something different. I?ll admit it, so we had an odd meeting; it was a while before we were friends. I don?t believe we have a different kind of friendship, though. We talk, we understand each other, we respect one another?that?s it. Relena knows that there are a couple more guys that understand her better than me? I still don?t understand her. At all.
My cell phone rang. I picked it up immediately and answered, startling my sister, who was on the other end.
?Heero?? I nearly rolled my eyes.
?Who else?? Mother always hates my foreboding tone, and my grunting responses. Well, in my opinion, that?s her problem. Leia, my sister, however, was used to this.
?The computers? acting up, both of them, I can?t get into anything.? Damn, there must have been viruses in those hacks I downloaded? ?Could you get home soon??
?Fine.? I hung up without even a goodbye. My old, grumpy self overtook me, and I found myself in a bad mood on the way home. A glance at the clock in my car told me I was very, very late.
~*
My grandmother glanced at me disapprovingly as I walked in. I didn?t even look at her. Instead, I walked downstairs and met Leia by our computers. She explained to me what the problem was and went upstairs. I sighed. No one else in my family had half the brains for this as I did, so I was stuck with all the work. Oh well?
It took me an hour and a half to find the virus and then figure out what to do with it. I looked at the CD Relena had lent to me. An anti-virus program... I shrugged inwardly and stuck the CD in there. Ten minutes later I had backed up the computers with everything they were going to need for the next week. So I signed in and opened up the instant messaging program I had helped make. Duo, Trowa, Wufei and Quatre all helped to, but we couldn?t have done it without Relena?s resources. Now it was the new messenger in our school, and exclusive too.
Relena was on? a window popped up with her face on it. She smiled and waved, and I gave her an empty look.
?Don?t look at me like that.? Her voice blasted through the speakers and I could see her wince from it. I glared towards the stairs, where I last saw my sister and turned down the volume.
?Better?? She spoke into her microphone ?testing, testing? and then nodded at me. ?So, what do you need??
She sighed faintly. ?Must you always assume? I was wondering why you didn?t come on sooner.? I glanced at the clock. It was nearly eight. I?ve been working with computers so long, I suppose, I don?t even notice the long loading times or the mountains of work.
?Computer needed to be fixed.? She giggled.
?Figures. You should really stop downloading all that junk.?
?You talk to much.?
?Don?t I know it. I have to listen to it all the time.? I chuckled and she smiled. I could see she was wearing her glasses, and my reflection bounced off them ever so slightly. Mine laid on the table in front of me, and my left hand went to fiddle while my right went to work on the mouse. Relena picked up a cappuccino, I?m guessing, anyways, and blew on it, fogging up her glasses.
?Damn?? I rolled my eyes at her language, wondering how she still has a job at that daycare? of course; then again, she was awesome with children. They loved her and she loved them? the clicking of her keyboard wafted to my ears, I peered up at her. She kept typing, and only realized I was looking at her when she yawned.
?What??
?That?s a lot of typing.? She looked at her screen and smiled.
?Just writing, s?all.? I watched her for a second longer before turning back to my own screen, and opening my own homework. My hands flew over the keyboard, feeling each key, but I could not type for some reason. My eyes darted up at the still open messenger window as Wufei signed on.
So that was why?
Wufei?s stares, Sylvia?s words. They implanted thoughts in my head. Thoughts about how the girl I?ve known for so long, the girl that has always been so loyal to the friends in need, was somehow being threatened by Wufei. My hands continued to hover over the keyboard, back and forth, back and forth, but in the end, I could not concentrate.
?Heero?? I looked up at her worried face, and realized I must?ve looked dazed. Her eyes searched my face, waiting for an answer. I knew I couldn?t get away with not speaking this time.
?I?m fine. It?s alright.? She watched me a moment longer before listening to me and looking away.
I don?t get why I feel bad for worrying her today. Have I gotten soft? I remember a time when it wouldn?t have mattered? am I letting my hormones getting to me about her? I suppose so, because I?m starting to feel those things Quatre has related to me as children. Those? those? what?s the word, I can never remember? oh that?s right. Those infatuation situations are starting to form inside of me. I know Relena won?t like the idea of that. She?s never wanted anyone to care for her like that and I know she still doesn?t. Catherine, Hilde, Sylvia? they always say they?ll get her a boyfriend, but so far, it hasn?t happened?
But me? How can I be jealous? Relena has been my friend for four years, why must feelings be developed? for her? This is insane? she?s the one that turned my life around and helped me see something my friends couldn?t? perhaps that is the variable between her and the others? But, when had the feeling began? Well, whatever it was, I had to get rid of it. Before the girls caught wind and Relena found out. I do not want to be embarrassed like that.
My attention was brought back to reality when Relena?s head whipped up on my screen, and she looked surprised. She was looking where I knew her window was, despite being at her house only for brief periods. A second later, I heard thunder rumbling through the skies, and I looked out the window as Relena ran out of her web cam?s view.
Rain splattered on the window sill, a rhythmic pattern, soothing to the ears. I love the sound? no, wait, I don?t. Relena loves the sound, she just showed me how to appreciate it?
Spring was coming, after a long cold winter, at last. The season of storms was coming up, and I bet Relena can?t contain her excitement. She loves the rain, even when she?s walking in it.
Damnit. There I go again.
~!
Okay... so I know it's been a long time, but I had actually finished it exactly a month after I posted the first chapter. However, it needed to be betaed, so there was a bit of a delay ^^;
I do, however, post the unbetaed version of my chapters on FF.net if you can stand it ^^;
Comments on the chapter: was a bit difficult because this was getting into Heero's mind and looking at a man's perspective is not my forte. Hope I did okay at this, thanks to Lady Casper, my beta ^_^
Previous Chapter
Next Chapter
