Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ I Got Game! ❯ Who Knows ( Chapter 25 )

Alternate Universe, Sci-Fi? Sporty, Some Events Based On Authoress's own experiences....(wee! Basketball!)

Standard Disclaimers Apply: Don't own Gundam Wing, but I own every original character that emerges...Don't own the songs listed with the chapters, either...

Pairings: 4x3/3x4, 1+2, 5xM & various others...

>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<= means scene change

A/N: First of, thank ya all for your reviews and your continued following of the story. Myca, I just love driving you crazy. SilentNight, thanks so much for your review, and I'm glad you like the story! Ah...does anyone else hate how rumors are started? Personally, I thought the ones about me were hysterical... sometimes, I even encouraged them! Wa-ha! The things kids come up with these days, eh?

Chapter Twenty-Five~

"Who Knows" =Avril Lavigne

All throughout practice, Quatre found himself quite anxious to return to Trowa. For one thing, he was happy that they had made up and they could continue as normal-well, as 'normal' as they could be---once more. For another, there was this little thing called 'makeup sex' that he really, really wanted to try. Without starting or finishing an argument with the others, hoping for the two hours to pass by quickly, he went through the usual motions of multiple suicides, laps, drills and annoying bantering with the others. Ramos was rather surprised of his attitude, and some of his teammates were wondering why he was so cheerful. He even greeted Triton, who still had him creeped out due to their last meeting together, with somewhat amicable cheer. His teammates could only look at him and wonder why the change. They were a little cautious of playing with him, thinking that it was all for show.

After practice, Quatre had quickly showered despite his feelings of being violated every time he did so, and ran back to the dorms. Duo was frankly disturbed by the entire thing, because Quatre being happy and without confrontation was a rare thing indeed. He looked at Hiiro, snorting as they changed out of their practice clothes and into casual, but very warm clothing. It was snowing again, and he hated the weather. To be extra sure, he bundled up in three t-shirts and kept his shorts on as he pulled his jeans on, tying the belt an extra notch wide to accommodate the width.

"His daddy probably got him what he wanted this Christmas..." he commented, talking over Winnie's booms of laughter and Manny's impression of some senior as they changed nearby.

Hiiro snorted, shrugging one muscular shoulder as he pulled on his sweater. Duo, with a sidelong glance, thought that green went rather well with him. Even though, the guy should learn to fix his hair, because frankly, that mop of his made to annoy Duo by nearly hiding the penetrating color of his eyes. "He's probably talking to Trowa, again. They were fighting."

"Not uh."

"Yes. They probably made up," Hiiro muttered in disgust. Duo looked away, frowning, figuring that maybe one day Hiiro would see that it really wasn't that bad to be into other guys. But to keep his crush secret and not risk Hiiro's dislike of him if he suspected that Duo liked him, Duo was going to keep quiet.

They walked out into the cold night air to head toward the cafeteria for dinner when Middie ran up to them, a cheerful smile on her face. She was dressed in similar attire, but the dance team had just finished practice, so she was wearing a pair of track pants and a velour sweater-jacket. Her blond hair was pulled into twin pigtails, and she looked entirely too cheerful to be comfortable in this snowing cold.

"Hi, guys!" she greeted, flipping her hair over her shoulder. They snickered at her forehead, which she'd tried to cover with a fall of her hair over her eyes. She scowled at them, pushing Duo lightly. "Stop laughing at me. It hurts. I hate that bitch..."

"Everyone does. Join the club," Duo muttered, fingering his chin while Hiiro looked at him suspiciously. Duo had never told him who had beat him up last year, so Hiiro was curious as to why the animosity toward the subject. Duo never liked Felicia Passage in the first place, but that tone of voice made Hiiro wonder what else was going on between them. Not that he cared, it was just annoying that he didn't know the full story. He had a suspicion that the girl had something to do with those five boys, because he knew Trowa paid her to do a lot of things. But the idea was sort of far-fetched-she was a girl, for Christ's sake. Duo would never let a girl beat him up. "Anyway, pretty gal, what's up?"

"I was kind of wondering Duo, if I could come over to your guys' room later on," Middie said, smiling slowly, hands behind her back. "You know...to...study!"

Duo rolled his eyes. It was so obvious why Middie wanted to come over. "Well, fine, I guess. He's not there?"

"No," she said with a pout, walking with them as they made their way to the glass doors of the cafeteria. "I think he's with his stupid boyfriend...this is really weird, you know! Here, back at home, I was going after guys that had girlfriends...it's kind of weird to be chasing after somebody with, well, a boyfriend...are you sure he's bi?"

"I'm sure. He was crushing on this one girl for awhile, but she moved." Duo shrugged.

"Who was that?" Hiiro asked curiously.

"You wouldn't know her. Her name was Terry."

"Oh."

"Plus, you know, he checks out girls, too. Just watch him-you'll see him checking them out, and the guy ain't shy. Seriously. He just acts like it, but he ain't. He'll talk to anybody if you give him the chance..."

"He doesn't talk to me!" Middie sighed. "I mean, I was talking and talking and talking and he was like, not listening. He looks so pained to be near me! I mean, what's wrong with me?! I think I'm pretty, and I keep myself in good shape...I'm much better looking than his stupid boyfriend, the world's biggest prick."

"That's probably why he's with him," Hiiro muttered with disgust as they made their way into the cafeteria.

"No, it ain't," Middie argued. "He probably just feels sorry for the bastard. You know, his dad's all rich because of oil? I didn't know that...Didn't he live in Wyoming?"

"Yeah. That's where they went over Christmas Break," Duo said as he took off his jacket, laying it down on a table they were going to use as they ate dinner.

"They went out of state?" Hiiro asked as they made their way to the kitchen.

"Yeah. Trowa had tickets. I don't know."

"Were they allowed?"

"Dude, it's not like I talk to him. He's always in and out without a word. Man, he's so different from last year," Duo complained as he began loading up his plate. Middie followed suit, hanging onto every word.

"What was he like last year?" she asked as Hiiro noted the rising contents of her tray with a raised eyebrow, shifting from tray to coltish frame and back again.

"I don't know. Quiet. Book-nerdish. Really uptight. He was this guy's boyfriend, but, like, the guy dumped him for some chick over at Duncan Jones," Duo explained, doing a double-take at her tray. "You're going to eat all that?!"

"Yeah! Anyway, really? Someone actually dumped him?!" Middie exclaimed. "Nooo! He's so handsome and nice! Why would they dump him?!"

Hiiro rolled his eyes as they paid for their food, and ventured back to their table, greeting those they knew along the way. As they settled into their chairs, Hiiro began doctoring his food, glancing across the table at Duo as the long-haired boy gaped at Middie, who was shoveling food into her mouth like she hadn't eaten in months. Hiiro watched for several seconds, but it was really disturbing, so he turned his attention to his own food and prepared to eat it.

"I don't know! Come to think of it, that's when he changed. Wearing all those weird black clothes, putting on that weird crap-now his hair's even weirder than it was before. He had it sticking outward last year, in this weird style...I don't know. I can't explain it. Anyway, you makin' any progress yet?" Duo asked as Middie inhaled her dinner roll.

She shook her head. "No. I mean, I'm really, really trying, but...I don't know. His boyfriend's always in the way. I wish he would just...die, or something."

Hiiro snorted, rolling his eyes once more. Duo nodded seriously. "He's a fucking prick an' all, but I doubt he deserves to die," he said.

"Well, you know what I mean! Trowa likes him a lot, so...did you know we kissed?" she added with a devilish expression. Duo stopped chewing, raising his eyebrows.

"What."

"I kissed him! And he kissed me back! Eee!" Middie squealed. "He's such a good kisser!"

"No way..."

"Yes! I mean, I just...you know, went for it." Middie let them know-really, she was talking to Duo because Hiiro just wasn't interested-what had happened the night before, and Duo listened with a surprised expression on his face. "And then, that's how I got to fighting with that fucking bitch, Felicia...."

"Dude, you fought with Felicia Passage?" Duo repeated. "Not uh."

"YES! Why do people keep askin' that?" Middie asked, shaking her head. "Ya'll make it sound like she's so...I don't know."

"Never mind. Just...damn. That's kind of interesting."

"What? Me fighting? Or me and Trowa?"

"I don't know. Both, I guess. I never thought Trowa would cheat, I mean...anyway. Like I know him," Duo muttered, picking at his rice. It didn't taste right-too dry.

"I want him so much!" Middie exclaimed, banging her fork against the table. "I like him so much, but I don't know how to break them up! I thought that would do it, but...it didn't work!"

Hiiro looked up from his plate. "Do you break people up regularly?" he asked on a disbelieving tone, Duo blinking and watching Middie with interest.

She gave them a naughty expression, licking her fingers of roast beef gravy, then giving a sly nod. "Yeah. Mostly, because...I don't know. The guys I like are always with somebody, so I usually just work on getting him for me."

"Dude...that's fucking psychotic," Hiiro muttered, shaking his head.

"No, it's not! I can't help who I like!" Middie exclaimed. "It just turns out that way!"

"How long are you with these guys after you get them?" he asked, looking at Duo with a Oh-My-God-She's-Psycho expression on his face. Duo answered this with a raise of his eyebrows and turned back to his food.

"I don't know," Middie shrugged, picking at her rice. "They usually aren't as good as I thought they would be...I mean, it's like, once I get them? They're always boring. I think I just like them because they're with someone. I don't know. I guess I do it just to prove that I can. But I really, really like Trowa. There's something different about him. He won't be as boring as the others were, I just know it."

Fucking psycho, Hiiro mouthed in Duo's direction. Duo shrugged and pretended not to notice any more of Hiiro's expressions. "Dude, so you really want him, huh?"

"Yeah...he's so cute. I really, really want him. And not just for sex, you know," she added with a wrinkle of her nose. "I mean, I'm experienced? It's just that...I don't want him just for that. He's fun to be with..."

"You just said that he doesn't talk to you," Hiiro pointed out.

"But he always looks like he's having fun with his boyfriend..."

"That's with Quatre. It's not going to be the same as it would be with you."

Middie stared at him. "Are you serious? Because, really, I think Trowa's a really good person-"

"You don't even know him," Hiiro said. "How do you know that?"

"Because I can tell, all right?!"

"Hiiro, she can tell," Duo said, making a pointed expression, letting Hiiro know that he was to shut up five minutes ago. "He is, Middie. Trowa is a nice person. He just has to get to know you."

Hiiro shrugged, returning to his food as Middie looked away from him, and let loose with a blinding smile in Duo's direction. "Thanks, Duo. I would still like to come over, later, if you don't mind?"

"Nah. Just knock twice so that I know it's you. He usually comes in like an hour before curfew, though. So just show up around eight."

"All right!" Middie finished her meal, then took a long drink of her milk. With a satisfied expression, she gathered up all her trash and rose from the table. "Thanks! It was good talking to you two! I'll see you later, 'k, Duo?"

The two boys waved at her as she walked away, discarding the contents on her tray into the trash can and putting the tray away. After that, she veered into the direction of the bathroom, humming.

Hiiro looked at Duo, giving him an incredulous expression. "I don't know about you, but I don't want that girl on my ass," he said. "She's fucking psycho!"

Duo shrugged again. "So? Shit, she likes Trowa...she has to be better for him than fucking Winner..."

"And seriously, Duo, I ask again-why do you care?!"

"Look, I told you, all right?! And I can't help if Middie likes him! She's cool-I'll help her out when she needs it!"

"She said she does this thing all the time! Breaking up couples and using the guy...dude, I don't know why you'd want to hang out with her. She's...she's...probably like Dorothy Catalonia." Hiiro gave a shudder at the thought, mentioning the junior as if she were the Black Plague.

"No, she's not!" Duo scoffed. "She's just a little misunderstood, is all. Hey, where's Relena, tonight?"

"I don't know. Practice?"

"Hiiro...she and Middie are on the same team. They got out a half hour before we did. Usually she's waiting for you..."

"So? Shit, we have our own thing. Anyway, I think she mentioned she was going into the city for something. I don't know." Hiiro finished his food, reaching for his carton of milk. He looked at Duo from his side of the table, frowning. "Anyway, we're having some problems..."

"Oh, yeah?" Duo perked at that, looking up from his tray with a somewhat hopeful expression. "Why? What's going on?"

Hiiro finished his milk, smashing the carton flat and setting all his trash on the tray. "She's just being dumb. I don't know, I think I want to break up with her. She's too damn controlling..."

"I TOLD you that in the beginning!" Duo exclaimed. "I told you she's like that! But you're all liking it anyway! And now look-! Look!"

"Shut up, Duo. I don't need to hear it from you! Anyway, see ya later," Hiiro muttered, rising from the table and walking off.

Duo stared after him, grinning at the thought of the couple having troubles. It just meant that now, he had somewhat of a chance. And by God-if one really existed-he was going to take this chance.

>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<

With disgust, Triton stared at the happy couple that were standing near the teacher's main entrance doors behind the school, talking and laughing. He himself was standing near the visitors' parking garage, sneaking in a toke before afternoon classes began. It wasn't like he was spying on them-just that he'd been here first, then he saw them emerging from the restricted entryway that led to the roof. How they managed to bypass the security measures, he'd had no idea. But once he saw them, he found himself unable to look away. Their happiness with each other was rather apparent, and it was disgustingly sweet. Sure, it wasn't like they were all over each other like the other couples of the school, but it was obvious that some boundaries had been completely broken down, and a new level touched. Absolutely disgusting.

Inhaling the sweet, thick smoke, Triton held it in his lungs with a frown, watching as Trowa Barton leaned down to kiss Quatre's forehead, receiving a sock in the arm for it. They laughed at something he couldn't hear, then began walking away. No hand holding, no hugging, just two guys walking along as Trowa finished his cigarette. If he didn't know them and hadn't seen that brief display of affection, he'd figure they were best friends of sort, because, really-they didn't act like a couple in public. They disappeared around the corner of the building, out of Triton's sight.

Exhaling with a heavy growl, Triton let the jealously gnaw at his stomach. God, he was becoming obsessed, and it was driving him crazy. What was it about that kid that drove him to such measures, to have his thoughts constantly plagued about Quatre all fucking day? He wasn't anything special-yeah, he was good looking, but so was everyone else in this school. Admin sorted through new students with secretive ease, selecting only those that touched their requirements in both academics and looks, so Triton was sure that it wasn't that. Maybe it was just the need to be entertained, to be constantly caught up in the ever moving life of Quatre Winner. Maybe it was just the need to have something that he couldn't have. Whatever it was, Triton found himself looking forward to every practice, every game, and every moment he could find in order to see, touch, smell and hear the kid.

It was causing him to ignore his usual hobbies, such as hanging out with his friends, fiddling on his guitar, and to pursue other interests. As much as he liked both sexes, he found himself unable to stop himself from comparing everyone he met to Quatre. It was insane. He hated feeling this way, but couldn't stop himself from doing so. And the fact that Quatre disliked him really played a part in wanting him. It was that sickening sense of wanting to control and have that bothered Triton. This had happened before, and what a disaster that turned out to be. His parents had to pay off the girl's parents to keep the incident secret, and his parents hated him for that. But that wasn't something he let his friends know, because once they realize who and what Triton really was, he knew that he'd have to move again. In the past four years, he'd attended at least seven different schools because that little thing kept coming up.

Then, when his parents caught wind of Sophia Darken's reputation of keeping what they knew on each student secret-Christ, they let ex-psychopathic murderers attend class-he was transferred here in the middle of his freshmen year. He was careful not to let his other persona through, and with much therapy and a gentle nudge in the head from prescribed medication, he'd been quite successful in keeping himself in control. But that one night in Quatre's room...that's when he knew he was fucking up again. But he didn't want to let his parents know-they'd transfer him again, and he didn't think he would take that too well. He really liked attending school here-despite the security measures, they were actually quite lenient when it came to things, and he really liked the people.

He liked being surrounded by various alien beings, beings with superhuman abilities, and the conflicting personalities that were present here. He liked playing basketball, and he liked wearing the same thing every day. Though, he wouldn't admit that part out loud because everyone hated the uniforms. Really, he had no sense of style and it would be embarrassing if people knew that. His casual clothes were arranged in the order his mother's stylist had chosen, and he wore the same things in the same order without bothering to try for another arrangement.

So, with that, Triton knew he didn't want to move.

He had to keep himself in control. But in order to do that, he had to keep in mind that what he was obsessing on wasn't right. He wasn't sure what would happen if he ever did have Quatre the way that he wanted. What would happen after that? Would it be a let-down? Or something more? And besides, yes, he did want him in a very physical way-that was normal for people to desire others. But what did he really want from the blond?

Triton found himself puzzled by that thought, finishing his joint and carefully killing the smoking end so that he could dispose of it later. As he headed back to the main school building, he began to pursue that thought. Maybe, if he found the answer he was looking for, he could try and fix the problem himself. He really didn't want to leave Sophia Darken Academy-he liked it entirely too much.

>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<

Middie checked her reflection in the bathroom mirror, snapping her gum as she wiped off smeared eyeliner and smoothed her curls into place around her shoulders. The bathroom was silent, and she was the only one in there. Re-applying her shiny bubble gum color lip gloss, she smeared her lips together and threw a smooch at her reflection as she drew back from the mirror. Slapping that puppy into her purse, she moved away from the sink and looked down at her skirt, brushing at imaginary lint and checking the pristine condition of her Manolo Blanicks. Seeing that they were still as pointy, leather and new as they were ten minutes ago, Middie straightened with a cheery grin and proceeded to fix her Hello Kitty barrette that kept her hair in a sly fall over her forehead.

She frowned, glaring at the bruised, cracked skin, touching the edges gently with her manicured fingernails. Really, it was utterly nasty, despicable, and simply a let-down that this thing was produced because she hadn't been careful. Everyone, when they looked at her, tried very obviously hard not to stare at the thing on her forehead. She knew they were laughing at her when her back was turned, and knew that she looked ridiculous with it. Plus, it was a result that she still hadn't succeeded in winning Trowa Barton over.

She leaned away from the mirror once more, snapping her gum. Pulling her purse to her, she heard the door open, admitting in someone that was stomping onto the tiles. She glanced over her shoulder, flipping her hair from her face, and stilled with slowly rising fury at Felicia Passage. Dressed in her usual boys' ensemble, her hair pulled into a messy bun, Felicia stopped on her way to a stall, and stared right back.

For a few silent moments, the two girls stared at each other. Water dripped from a nearby sink. A toilet flushed in the adjoining boys' room.

Then Felicia snickered, gesturing at her forehead. "You got a little somethin' right there," she said.

Middie slapped her hand on her purse. "Fuck you."

"Ooh, snapped the cheerleader," Felicia snorted, hands on her hips.

"I hate you!"

"Tell me something original, please. I hear that all the time..."

"Well, you should. Coloreds aren't as important as the rest of us."

"Thank God, because, really, I was worried that I might be growing attached to the lot of you," Felicia answered, wiping her forehead with relief. She drew her shoulders back, smiling rather insolently in Middie's direction. "So? Any progress on Barton, yet? Funny...he's still with Quatre."

"Well, not for long," Middie grumbled, unsure if she actually wanted to brush past the girl. She gripped her purse, swinging it onto her shoulder. "I'll show him the error of his ways. That Winner boy isn't good enough for him. He deserves so much better."

"Yeah, you're right. He ain't good enough for Trowa," Felicia agreed, nodding her head in a serious manner. "That's why I agreed to take his place..."

Middie stared in furious shock, words registering within her with a cold feeling of dread. She performed a double-take on the broad shoulders, the toned arms, the feet that were positioned wide apart like a boy's. She stared at the almond shaped eyes, the high cheekbones, the smirking red lips. She dared not think that this girl, or whatever she was, was someone Trowa would consider messing around with. It was...just the same as him messing around with a boy.

"What?!" she shouted. "Trowa doesn't like you! You're-! You're-! Ugly! And stupid!"

"That's not what he told me last night," Felicia muttered, looking at her short nails and giving Middie a serious expression. "After he was done with Quatre, he was telling me how me an' him should just tell the rest of the school that we're together. But, of course, Trowa likes dick an' I can't do that aspect of the relationship, so-our love's truly tragic..."

Middie continued staring at her, then stomped away from the sink, shoving past Felicia with a shove of her shoulder. Felicia caught herself from slamming into the stalls, then giggled as Middie stormed out from the bathroom. She rolled her eyes and walked into a stall, shutting the door.

"What a freak," she muttered.

>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<

The game for Josephine Miller came and went-Darken had slaughtered them, 107-32, and it was mostly second string that were playing. But even then, they were proving to be much too good, so Ramos tiredly announced for the team members to switch position. Whoever played Center turned into Point, Shooting guards were suddenly Forwards, and such forth. The team played as down as they could, but still ended up racking the points. At the end, it was just disappointing at how sad the other team was. Their next game, against Duncan Jones, was on the fourth of February. Already, the hype for that game next month sent wildfire throughout Marysville, both schools, and the attention of the media. Stanton was ranked top, and Duncan Jones was ranked second. They had practically decimated Darken in the tourney, and more than a few of the team members had walked away frustrated because despite how good they were, they weren't good enough.

But Ramos had hope-he'd had Quatre sit out that game, but he'd proved his worth against Stanton, and had played so excellently that Ramos was sure that it was because of him that kept Stanton from ripping them all new ones. So he was sure that Quatre would perform in the same way against Duncan Jones, and add to that that his former teammate was playing against him as well, adding in a little bit of tension...the hype even built in athletic comment columns in various newspapers and Ramos kept each clipping, determined to show Quatre how important this game was for the school. It was a little disappointing how everyone viewed the kid as some kind of prodigy on the court when they didn't even know his real personality. But that didn't matter when Darken was racking up the points on the scoreboard because of him. What mattered was how the kid played, and that's all everyone cared about. And like the rest of the interested media, Ramos couldn't wait for the game to begin, and how it would all turn out.

For Trowa and Quatre, things couldn't be better-they were talking much easier, they cleared out the dirty air between them, and for one thing, they had very good makeup sex-three times. After that, it was an occasional tryst here and there, a stolen smooch when Quatre was sure no one was looking, and it seemed that the road paved before them was smeared with gold and daisies, because really, there wasn't anything wrong that they were plagued with. Lana had called to update Quatre on the situation with Ramid, and it appeared that Ramid was refusing the relinquishment of custody to them. It was going to turn into a horrible legal battle, as Ramid was rich, he had the best lawyers, and he was not going to let his reputation as a neglectful and drug-using father smear his business. It was because of that that Ramid was fighting the custody issues, and from the sound in her voice, so much had already been said and done.

Quatre felt terrible that he was unable to do anything, but he very much appreciated what was being done for him. When she questioned how he was doing, he let her know, and even blushingly admitted some parts about his and Trowa's relationship to her. She joked gently with him about bedroom things and such, and Quatre found himself unable to go that far in conversation with her. For one thing, it was very embarrassing to discuss your sex life with a woman he considered his mother, but for another, it was the fact that he was in a homosexual relationship. While Lana expressed that she was not bothered in the least about it, that she'd accept and love him without conditions, it was still the matter of the fact.

Also, they weren't called into any office and reprimanded about their illegal leaving-as far as admin knew, Ramid had requested that Quatre and his friend Trowa were to leave campus to visit relatives in Laramie for two weeks. So, while that threat hung in the air, the two carried on without bringing it up to anybody.

Even the situation with Middie seemed to draw them closer-she continued her pursuit, even going to far as to greeting Trowa with kisses on the cheeks in front of Quatre, but she noted with frustration that the two weren't affected by her. Trowa would just push her off, grumble, and leave with Quatre away from her. Quatre would smirk in her direction, but that was about it.

Middie was growing frustrated that nothing was happening in her favor, and passed much of her time trying to think up ways in which she could break them up. This was the hardest time she'd had in her young life, and it was driving her crazy! They weren't the type of couple that declared their love for each other and hugged and smooched like the other gay couples she saw, so it irritated her that she was being passed over by someone that didn't acknowledge their relationship in that way. Trowa seemed so affectionate and giving, and he was giving all of it to someone that didn't appreciate it! It made her quite angry, both with the person Trowa was with, and with the fact that Trowa was being treated so badly. She sometimes caught them roughing each other up, but it wasn't as bad as one of them taking a weapon to each other like in the earlier aspects of the relationship. In PE, Trowa was either throwing Quatre onto the ground and keeping him there in a threatening manner, or Quatre was giving him what looked like a fierce purple-nurple. While the two weren't fighting in any relationship threatening way that she knew of, their physical 'affections' told her that despite the pain, they were actually quite content. Just acting as boys did with other boys.

Which, now that she was on the subject, reminded her of Felicia. Middie was searching for every angle she could in which to break the two up so she could have Trowa to herself, and so far, she saw that there was nothing in their relationship that would assist her, so she had to look outwards. And she'd noted their friends, their acquaintances, their teammates...she'd noticed that Triton Bloom was somewhat infatuated with the blond, and she'd counted at least ninety-seven times in which those violet eyes landed on Quatre in a purely enamored way during one of their practices, but she'd researched that angle and found it unusable because Quatre pretty much avoided being near the dude and thus, no chance for ruining rumors that would allow Trowa to get all uppity and break up with him.

She knew Trowa was very jealous-she saw the way he glared whenever some 'fan' of Quatre's approached him, how he cringed with somewhat barely contained annoyance whenever Felicia hung all over him, or-

Middie backtracked on that one, a smile curling on her lips. She hadn't even considered that angle yet, due to her fury at the girl for ruining her forehead that one night. Hadn't even considered it because Quatre, to put it nicely, hadn't at all showed any interest in the female race, friendly or not. But their relationship, based obviously on friendship and the need to give each other deadlegs, purple nurples or flubbing lips, could be used in a good way.

She knew, from Perfect Cindy's best friend, Samantha Neilson, that Perfect's boyfriend was Felicia's ex. And their breakup was due to the fact that Hautta had began cheating on her with Perfect-how any sane guy found interest in that fat whore, Middie would never know-and that Felicia was still somewhat enamored of her ex and tried furtively to get him back. Middie had sat back and watched with a smirk as Hautta pointedly ignored Felicia's advances, shouted at her to leave him alone, or just plain ignored her in general. Felicia didn't like anyone else, much to Middie's bitter joy, and it was quite obvious that she tried hard to move on.

But the thing in this lovely little game, was the fact that Trowa was extremely jealous of her relationship with his boyfriend. The two got along rather well, and there was something about Felicia that had made Trowa grind his teeth and glare darkly until she left. Middie had seen this, had observed much action up close, and decided that perhaps, it was her best angle.

In the cafeteria one Saturday morning, she sat with her usual crowd of friends, all of whom were gossiping about the night before. Relena Darlian sat across from her, Dorothy Catalonia at her side, Sally Po nearby, and some girl named Lucrezia Noin at Middie's side. Relena was Middie's age, while Noin and Sally were seniors, and Dorothy the only junior. They were talking about how disgraceful a girl might be feeling after messing around with one of the wrestling jocks, a Harry Peters, because the girl was in a committed relationship with some guy from the choir. They began talking about cheating, and cheaters, and how they'd each admitted to some cheating before. Middie found this utterly convenient, smiling serenely as she wiped her mouth.

"Well, on that subject, when I was heading back to my room last night, and I saw that Winner kid coming out from Felicia Passage's room," she began.

Dorothy gave a delicate snort, folding up her used napkin. "Please," she said. "Everyone knows that bitch messes around with anything with a dick. She's so much higher than a slut that she makes me look virginal."

"Are you serious?" Middie asked, having already heard this particular bit of information, but she had to appear genuine. As far as she knew, no one knew of her obsession with breaking Trowa and Quatre up. Unfortunately for her, Hiiro had talked to Relena about her, and Relena had talked to Dorothy about it...

"And besides, Middie," Relena said, chuckling. "Winner's completely gay. He doesn't like girls."

"But Felicia isn't really a girl," Sally muttered. "She just wears the package."

"Ew," Noin sputtered. "Like, a fake dildo?"

The girls erupted into laughter, and Sally tried to explain herself. "No! No, I mean, she's like a girl. I mean, body and all? But really, if you ever talk to her, it's like talking to a boy. It's so freaky. I think she's really a closet dyke. She's really, really butch."

"Ew," Middie muttered, buttering her bagel.

"If she and Winner were messing around, that would be, like...I don't know. It would be cheating, but not cheating with the opposite sex. He would just be messing around with another boy," Sally said.

"I don't think he would cheat on that Barton character," Dorothy said, shaking her head, her long blond hair fluttering over her back. "Who would cheat on that? Honestly?"

"I know!" Middie exclaimed, then grew embarrassed when everyone looked at her in question. "I mean, he's really cute. He has the prettiest green eyes!"

Relena elbowed Dorothy, who chuckled, but continued on, neatly slicing her omelet apart. "And, anyway, they're much too happy with each other to start that bullshit. I have seen no indication of problems thus far. They must be having a ton of sex."

"That's gross," Relena muttered. "I don't really care for homosexuals...I mean, I won't judge them and be all against them, I just think that it's gross."

"Yeah, me too," Noin said, nodding her head. "I mean, gross. Who does anal sex?"

Dorothy was the only one who raised her hand, and the other girls immediately laughed and pointed. Not one to be embarrassed, she shrugged and took a delicate bite of her food. "It's really overrated," she said, raising her forked eyebrows. "Plus, you can't exactly shit good for a week."

"Ew, that's so gross," Sally muttered, making retching sounds.

"Doesn't it hurt?!" Noin exclaimed.

"Yes, but...you have to have the right partner. Someone who isn't going to be diving in right away. Really, after awhile, it feels good. You just have to have the right partner..."

While everyone began talking about their sex lives, Middie began tuning them out. She'd given the suggestion-now she wondered how long it was going to take for the idly given comment to take root and fester in a certain green-eyed goth's mind.

>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<

"Dude. I heard Winner's fucking around with Passage."

"Oh, not uh! Are you serious?!"

"Yeah. I heard that in the locker room the other day. Someone saw them in the back of the dormitory, and she was giving him a blow job."

"Fuck you! No way! I've been after her for like, ever! He's fuckin' gay, man! What the fuck?!"

"I know, but I'm serious! People are talking, like, he's cheating on his boyfriend with her. That they're, fuckin', I don't know. Like she's all in love with him and that he's usin' her cuz his boyfriend's all with that dance team/cheerleader bitch."

"Oh, not uh...dude...that's fucked up. Hell, if I knew that's all it took to get her, I would have turned gay a long time ago..."

"Fuck! Sick bastard!"

Amid the laughter the two boys gave as they exited the bathroom, Trowa ground his teeth very hard, anger curling up in his stomach as he finished his cigarette. That was the third rumor he'd heard concerning his boyfriend and that traitorous girl, and he was slowly growing insecure that everyone knew this and he didn't. He flushed his cigarette down the toilet and emerged from the stall, teeth clenched as he washed his hands and left the bathroom. It looked as if he'd have to keep a tighter leash on his blond cupcake of love until such rumors could prove false.

>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<

"Hey."

"Yo."

"People are talkin'..."

"About what this time?" Felicia asked on a sigh, rolling her head from side to side. She and Drake were at the top of the football stands, sharing a line of Gin-Gin. Drake lifted up from the notebook that the neat line was on, sniffing and pinching his nose as the slow burn began to fade. Felicia finished the line, wincing as the drug took immediate effect.

"You and Quat are fuckin' like dogs every time Trowa's back is turned..."

Felicia threw her head back and laughed heartily as Drake cleaned up their mess. "Oh MY God! Are you serious?! I kept wonderin' what people were sayin' when they saw me!"

"Is it true?"

Felicia looked at her best friend in disbelief. "Dude, are you doubtin' me? Are you fuckin' serious? You think me an' Quat are fuckin'?"

Drake shrugged, pulling on his backpack. "You're always saying he's cute."

"I said that, like, ONE time!" she exclaimed, rising from the bench and following him down to the field. "One fucking time! I have not said that-Drake, are you telling people that I said that?!"

"I told Trowa."

"Oh MY GOD! Trowa's the worst when it comes to that sort of shit! We ain't doin' anything! Quat's fuckin' gay! Besides, I don't like white boys in that sense," she continued in a grumble. "They're so...pink."

"Oh, how would you know?!" Drake exclaimed, looking back at her with a roll of his eyes. "Like you've been with anyone else since Hautta..."

"Dude, I look at Playgirl. And I have a healthy selection of gay and straight porn in my room, of which I can view at my pleasure from my cell phone. I know what the deal is..."

"Fuckin'...you're dumb."

"You're dumb for thinking that me an' Winner are fuckin'! I mean, gross. I like hangin' on him, but that's about it. He smells."

Drake laughed, running hand through his hair. "Anyway, people are just talkin' about it. I don't know. I figure I get down to the source, you know?"

"Well, the source's letting you know now, there ain't shit going on," Felicia grumbled as they made their way off the field, bypassing a group of students. "Besides, he's cute an' all, but I wouldn't exactly consider him fucking material. I mean, gross. He can't get it up for a girl, anyway."

>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<

"So, anyway, she's all, 'He can't get it up, anyway'," the boy said, laughing with his friends in the bathroom as they finished their business at the urinals and washed their hands at the sink.

"No way! I seen him in gym class!"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I mean, he's like, nicely packaged...I can't help but stare in his direction when he's changing. He has, like, muscles all over, and he's so-"

"Shut UP! It's so totally not fair that you get to see him!"

"I'll write it all in my next story, all right?"

"I can't believe he'd sample the female race...and here, I thought he was straight out gay...how disappointing..."

"I know...c'mon! Let's go see if we can see him before class starts! I heard that he's letting his hair grow out again!"

"Oh, God, he's soooo cute with his hair in his eyes!"

"I know!"

Trowa found himself grinding his teeth with a rather soundly grate as he finished his third cigarette of the day, having heard the entire thing while hiding in a stall. This was the fifth rumor he'd heard in a week, having heard the last one last Wednesday. The rumors were circulating with more force and with more staying power than the ones before. It must be true on some level...

He flushed the remnants of his cigarette down the toilet and left the stall to wash his hands. He'd never guessed it before, but the bathroom was always a good way to learn the latest news, or more specifically, what Quatre was doing behind his back. When he'd discovered this on accident, he found himself just hiding out in the bathroom to hear what else was being said. While he didn't want to believe that Quatre and Felicia were messing around, there was just enough of the times they weren't together that made him suspicious.

Seriously annoyed that things were starting to unravel when they were getting really good, Trowa left the bathroom in a huff.

>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<

Felicia stared in boredom up at the ceiling, leaning back in her chair and not paying attention to class. While she did so, Go, staring at her in worry, kept trying to work up enough courage to ask about what he'd been hearing throughout the past month in school. As he chewed his nails, worry and rejection gnawing at his stomach, she rocked on the back legs of her chair, chewing the inside of her cheek.

"Felicia?" he finally dared to say.

"Hmm?"

"Um...I heard that, well...um, do you think Quatre's cute?" Go didn't want to come right out and ask, because it would then look suspicious, and she would know that he was crushing on her in a very bad way, and then she wouldn't like him anymore, and then-so he thought he would go about it in a more conspicuous way.

"Huh? Oh...yeah, he is, I guess," Felicia answered in a vague way, wondering when lunch was coming up, because she was seriously hungry. She couldn't decide between the 'home cooked' meal of roast beef and mashed potatoes, or a simple Taco Bell burrito with a side of Coke or Pepsi.

"Er...um...oh. Uh...gee, I guess, you two are, like, I don't know, um, together, huh?"

"Wha-? Noooo! Geez, Go, are you listening to me? I don't like Quatre that way! He's gay! Gay guys can't like straight girls! It just wouldn't work!"

Go fiddled with his tie, brushing his white bangs from his face. "Well, er, I suppose that means, no more, uh, being friends?"

"Huh? No! I mean, we're friends, just not anything else. Geez, he's with Trowa! Trowa is his love and joy! He loves Trowa, even though he won't admit it, the little prick," Felicia chuckled with amusement. "And besides, I couldn't get between those two...Trowa hates me for some stupid reason, and keeps Quat from hanging out with me anymore! Besides, I don't like Quatre that way! He's fun to hang out with, but not for anything else! He's with Trowa! Geez...Go, don't listen to them. It's just bullshit."

"Oh...um, all right..."

>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<

"Oh my God, really?" Middie asked, leaning low to listen to whatever else Samantha had to say about the 'conversation' she'd heard in her last class with Felicia and Go. It was PE, and as she spoke with Samantha, she stared venomously in one direction, then the other. Felicia was playing a game of H-O-R-S-E with her usual group of guys, while the love of her high school life was sitting with his boyfriend across the gym, near the locker entrance. "She wants to try and break them up?! Oh my God, that's soooo wrong!"

"I know! She was telling Go that she thought Quatre was cute, and that she kept stressing that Trowa didn't like the fact that they were hanging out together all the time, then she was saying something about getting in between the two, so I think she pretty much wants them both," Samantha said, nodding with a serious expression as she relayed what she had heard from two computer stations away from the mismatched pair in her class.

"No! What a selfish bitch! If she's going to break them up, she may as well as stay with the one she's helping cheat with!" Middie exclaimed, thinking that it was very wrong of Felicia to be trying to get with her own green-eyed beauty. With an indignant puff of breath, she rose from her position on the bleachers, heading across the gym floor to where Quatre and Trowa were sitting, talking to each other in low tones.

She forced herself between them, practically sitting on Quatre's lap to wrap her arms around Trowa. Trowa shuddered and tried rising, but ended up pulling her with him when Quatre shoved her off his lap. "Get off me!" he growled as Middie tightened her hold around his neck.

"Trowa! That isn't very nice of you!" she whined, kissing his cheek. "I just really missed you! I haven't talked to you since breakfast!"

"GET OFF!"

"TRRRooooooWWWaaaa!"

"Ugh," Quatre muttered, shaking his head as he left Trowa to deal with her, walking over to take the ball from Felicia and demand a quick game. Trowa stared after him in disbelief, furious that the blond would leave him alone with Middie while he went and messed around with Felicia. He returned to shoving Middie off of him, inching away from her. Middie clung onto his shorts, nearly pantsing him as he walked and she pulled.

Turning, he pulled up his shorts with a furious huff, utterly annoyed at her.

"Talk to me!" she whined, reaching back out to take hold of his shorts. "C'moooonn!! I want to talk to you!"

"God, you're so-! So-! Pathetic!" he spit, pulling his shorts back into his possession then stomping off toward the locker room for a cigarette. The stress of this situation was really getting to him, and he found himself craving a cigarette in order to relax himself.

Middie stared after him in disbelief, then threw her hands up into the air with frustration. She turned, eyeing Quatre and Felicia with an evil eye as Felicia held the ball against her chest, and Quatre was all over her, trying to get it back. In a very public display of affection, Felicia found herself losing the ball, so she kissed his cheek with a widely dramatic smooch to piss him off. He gave an enraged yell, ripping the ball from her hands and shooting it with one hand as he wiped his face with the other. Felicia pounced on his back and brought him to the floor, shouting with annoyance as he made the shot.

Middie shook her head, wondering if they could be any obvious.

>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<

"So, Quat...I heard that you an' me were messing around in bed," Felicia said conversationally as they traded History homework two weeks later. The talk of the home game against Duncan Jones was strong, as the game was that Friday. She was looking forward to it, actually, planning on being there to watch for once. Mostly just to look at the cute guys that played for the team, and because..she had a secret agenda that she refused to discuss or mention to anyone.

Quatre looked at her blankly, looking up from the completed study guide that Felicia had 'completed' in order to help him pass the next test coming up. "What?"

"Christ...haven't you heard anything?! Are you deaf?! Dude, people are sayin' that me an' you are hookin' up!!" Felicia exclaimed, bopping him across the head. "Doesn't that bother you?!"

"Who's sayin' that?!" he demanded, rubbing his head. "Is that why Trowa's pissed all the time?!"

"I don't know. He's pissed?"

"Yeah. He's really short-tempered, and it fucking sucks because I don't know what the fuck's the matter with him," Quatre grumbled, shifting through his things. "He won't say, but he gets all mad all the time, and it's hard to tell what he's thinking."

"Shit...tell him it ain't true..."

"How does he know? What if we are?!" Quatre joked, grinning at her.

She grinned right back. "That's right...we could be. We have them fooled, don't we, my wondrous white lover?!"

"We certainly do, my fun-loving, kinky whore!"

As they laughed about the impossible and frankly untrue rumors, they didn't notice the widening of the eyes of the boy beside them, having heard the entire thing and nearly vibrating in place as he couldn't wait to relate this juicy bit of information to his friends.

>*<>*<>*<>*<>*<

"WHAT?!" Trowa practically screamed, rising from the bleachers. "So they ARE?!"

Drake sighed, having just barely rescued his weed bag from falling between the bleachers with Trowa's quick movement. "Dude, that's just what I heard from this guy named Adam in my fifth period class. I was just askin' if you were cool with that sort of thing. I don't think it's true-Leash don't like white boys."

"You just said they were laughing about it! They admitted it and laughed about it!" Trowa roared, his voice uncharacteristically high and loud.

"Chill, dude, chill! I know Leash-she would not be messing around with someone's...er, boyfriend," Drake ended on a mutter, setting about to roll a joint. "Much less a white guy. Don't even get all worked up about it...she's not. She was probably just jokin' around about it..."

"Drake, have you seen those two?! They're always all over each other!" Trowa growled, running his hands through his hair, sending it in different directions. "I knew it! I knew they were messing around!"

"It's not even true, Trowa! Jeez, sit down and calm down!"

"How do you know, Drake?!"

"She told me! Well, that was about a month ago, so..." Drake shrugged as he drew the joint to his lips, and started it. Inhaling the thick smoke, he held it in his lungs, making coughing noises within his throat as the batch proved to be a little strong. When he exhaled, he coughed violently, smoke flittering everywhere as Trowa snatched the joint from him, inhaling strongly, then erupting into a violent coughing fit when he found out how strong it was. He then calmed himself and took another one, slowly inhaling this time.

After he exhaled, and coughed, Trowa shook his head. "No, they're fucking around behind my back, I just know it. Quatre hangs out with her alot-and whenever she's not with you, she's with him. She's always kissing him-!"

"She says she does it to annoy him!"

"Yeah, but-! 'Kissing' him?!"

"Hey, man, Middie does it to you," Drake pointed out.

"But still!! We all know what her intentions are!! What does that say about Felicia?! That damn, fucking bitch! I knew something was up with them!"

"Man, don't even fuckin' stress about it! She won't be doin' that shit with your boy. Really. Trust me, man. She don't even like him like that!"

"She's a fucking girl, Drake. Despite her manly ways, she's still a GIRL! And GIRLS like every guy they come into contact with! That bitch! I need to go, Drake," Trowa muttered, taking a quick inhale of the joint, passing it back, and stomping down the stairway from the bleachers. Drake held the joint between his fingers, staring after Trowa's retreating form, then shook his head.

While he knew Felicia was telling the truth, he couldn't help but wonder-did the girl really feel as she expressed, or was she hiding the fact that she really did like Quatre? It made sense in a way that she would crush on someone she knew wouldn't like her back because she didn't want to get hurt again, but then...Felicia was always changing her mind, and she did keep a lot of things secret from him.

On a shrug, he snubbed out the joint and put things away into his backpack. Ah, well. He supposed the real truth would come out sooner or later. It wasn't like the end of the world, or anything, the way Trowa thought it was. It was just a case of misunderstanding...or was it?