Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ School days ❯ 5 ( Chapter 5 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Duo ran up to Kitty in the courtyard. He grabbed her shoulder and spun her around. Kitty cocked her head at him. He was obviously out of breath, but still, he was hopping energetically from foot to foot like a hyperactive pogo stick.
"Duo?" Kitty asked frankly. Duo grinned.
"I got the picture!" He cooed and thrust the small photograph and camera into her hands. Kitty resisted the temptation to turn the photo over and look at it.
"Duo, do you need to go to the little boys room or something?" Kitty asked. Duo frowned, stopped hopping and shook his head.
"Err, no... why do you ask?" Duo began violently shaking his hands. Kitty raised an eyebrow and gestured towards his fidgeting. Duo laughed and began hopping from foot to foot whilst shaking his hands.
"Nah, I just ate a litre of cookie-dough fudge B&J and I've got a sugar rush, that's all! Later!" Kitty sniggered as Duo cavorted off round the campus of Equus High School. Kitty slowly turned over the photograph. She blushed. Duo was winking and poking his tongue out, standing only in his black boxers. Reluctantly, Kitty tore the photo in two, and then shredded it completely. She popped it in the litterbin and sighed. She looked around, cleared her throat, straitened her pleated grey skirt and golden 'PREFECT' tie and walked calmly and coolly into the school building and up to the library.

Heero dashed into the classroom, disturbing several conversations. He looked around and sighed. The only people in the classroom were Wu-fei and Kitty and a few girls at the back of the classroom ogling at him. Heero sat down in his seat and listened in on Wu-fei and Kitty's conversation for a while. Heero could have sworn that there was a little colour in Wu-fei's pale cheeks.
"...So I was wondering, if you're not busy, maybe you'd go with me?"
"Oh! Err, wow, I don't know what to say! What day is it, what time?"
"As it says on the big pink posters all over school, Kit, 7pm on Friday night."
"Oh, OK. Silly me! Err... Well, no one else has invited me, and I haven't got any contradicting arrangements. What's the theme?"
"I'm pretty sure it's 'Opposites Attract', so we have to dress up as opposites, I think." Kitty nodded.
"Ok then. Well, I can get Una and my tailor to make us costumes... you'll have to come over for measurements, of course, but I'm sure they can be ready by Friday. There isn't a problem with you coming over at all this week, is there?"
"No problem, what night?"
"Well, Thursday, I guess. That's the only night Quatre and me aren't late home. If you come straight home with us, we can get to work straight away."
"Sounds like a plan to me!" Kitty smiled sweetly and Wu-fei. Heero rolled his eyes. Wu-fei shot a glare at him.
"What's the matter, Yuy? Got a bug in your eye or something?"
"My eyes are just fine, but thanks for your concern. It's your sudden burst of affection that's making me sick."
"What, ya jealous?" Wu-fei smirked. Heero stood up and glared at him. Wu-fei returned the favour.
"Now now gentlemen!" Kitty exclaimed, standing up between them. Wu-fei and Heero looked ready to pounce on one another. As the class began to enter, Heero growled and took his seat. Wu-fei slumped into his chair. The rest of the class filed in, followed by Miss Lila. Duo turned around and grinned at Heero devilishly.
"Aww, pwoor Heewo getting wimself in a wittle tizzy?" he laughed. Heero thumped him over the head. Duo winced and turned away to face the front in a strop. Everyone sat strangely silent as Miss Lila organised her desk. Heero hissed at Kitty, grabbing her attention. She looked over at him and smiled.
"Kit, we still on for Saturday?" Heero asked. Out of the corner of his eye, and much to his pleasure he saw the look on Wu-fei's face, and then the glare.
"Of course we are! As planned, we are still going to the conference, unless you have any changes to the plan?" Wu-fei fell out of his chair, sending a wave of sniggers round the class. He muttered something, of which the only decipherable word was 'Justice' as he got back up. Heero couldn't help but smile.
"You've never been to the conference before, have you Heero?" Kitty asked. Heero shook his head.
"I take it you have?"
"Oh yes, me and Quatre used to go very often when we were younger. Father would take us along, but he wouldn't spend long with us. I remember we always stayed in the entrance hall, but it was still an unforgettable night for all. Everyone in the most outstanding eveningwear, all the ministers' speeches, everything was like magic sometimes. Of course, I was much younger then, but still..."
"Good morning class!" Miss Lila called out, halting Kitty mid sentence. Kitty sat back up and joined in with the mutual call of "Good morning Miss Lila!" in the tone of infant school children.
"Today would be report card day, but..." Miss Lila paused as she read the notice in the register. Everyone (except the two dumb mutes (it's not that hard to work out who I'm talking about)) leant forward in his or her seat.
"... there has been a delay in the printing office, and they won't be ready 'til next Monday. Sorry kids!" The class slumped back into their seats and groaned (apart from those previously named).
"Oh why do you torture me so?" Duo wailed. Quatre sighed.
"I dunno, maybe they don't like you. Hold on, where's Trowa?
"Are you two joined at the hip or something?" Duo groaned. Quatre shook his head.
"No, it's just he happens to be my best friend, and I'd like to know why he's not here." Duo pouted.
"I thought I was your best friend!" Duo whined.
"Baka," Wu-fei uttered, shaking his head. Quatre sweat dropped.
"You two are both so totally pathetic sometimes..." Quatre trailed off despairingly. Heero looked around and groaned. Trowa really wasn't here, and it was obvious the others didn't already know. He wasn't going to tell them if the group wasn't whole. Trowa had to know as well. Heero got up from his chair as the first period began and walked off towards the technology block.

Lunchtime rolled around as it often did and Heero hadn't even seen one of the group since Homeroom. He sighed. He walked towards the Form room and peeped around the door. He sighed and let himself relax. Trowa was sitting in his chair, feet up on the teacher's desk, reading a news-paper. He peered over the top. Heero sighed again. He turned up after all, he thought, feeling relived. Heero focused newspaper. It was the school magazine. A copy had been popped in everyone's desk at break, but he hadn't been to look at his, fearing another dodgy picture might dub the front page. Heero squinted at the headline from the doorpost; "EA DECLARES WAR ON UCCA!" Heero closed his eyes. Trowa knew. He glanced around the room and took a step inside. The palpable atmosphere hit him like a brick wall. Wufei was chipping at his desk, carving what looked strangely like a gundam into his desktop with his sharpening blade. Duo was fiddling with the end of his braid with his feet up on his desk, making a quiet scrunching noise to accompany the sort thuds of the blade. Trowa turned a page of the magazine. Heero's gaze caught on to Quatre's tense figure. He had his fingernails dug into the desk and he was staring straight ahead. He began to shake, not very noticeable, but easily visible to the trained eye. Quatre's sharp breathing joined the tense orchestra of short noises that broke the silence. Heero sat down. He picked his fingernails for a short while, until Trowa broke the silence.
"We all know Heero, before you go breaking the news," he said, his calm cool voice making everyone in the room shudder slightly. Heero looked up. Quatre wa snow quivering.
"I guessed," Heero replied, making a gesture with his head at the tense form just behind him. Duo bowed his head.
"So are we going?" Quatre made a small squeaking noise, physically driving his fingernails into the desk.
"I thought we decided we'd leave the decision up to Quatre," Trowa sighed. Heero raised his eyebrows.
"I'm fine with going. Fighting is what I'm made to do, and if I'm requested to fight for a fair said, then I'll go. Quatre is in no posistion to make these decisions for us."
"Quatre's the smartest and most rational. It makes sense for him to decide," Duo sighed.
"Currently he's a shivered wreck. I'm going to enfore my justice upon the unjust. No one can tell me what to do."
"You and your justice! Geez!" Duo tutted. Wu-fei glared at him.
"What about you, Maxwell, midterms more important than your duty?" It was Duo's turn to glare.
"Our duty was in the wars of the past, not now. If I have to go, I will, but for no other reason. And you well no I aced my midterms!" Heero groaned and looked over at Trowa.
"Are you in?" he asked. Trowa nodded.
"If I must," he uttered silkily. Heero looked over to Quatre and opened his mouth to speak.
"Don't waste your breath, Heero, the guys not coming," Duo sighed, resuming his hair twiddling.
"Maybe I am, you haven't asked me." Duo's head shot round on his shoulders.
"Dude, look at you man, you're shell-shocked!"
"Maybe, maybe not. Just coz you lucky orphans are leaving nothing, I have a family of thirty to care for and a business of colony building!"
"Lucky? LUCKY!? Who you calling lucky, rich kid!" Duo growled. Quatre glared at him.
"Now now children," Trowa sighed, getting to his feet, "now is not the time for arguments. Quatre has a point. But then again, so does Duo. However, the issue now is whether we go as a unit, as individual, or one member down..." he gestured at Quatre. Quatre sighed shakily, removing his nails fro0m the desk and letting his hands drop to his sides.
"I don't want to hurt them again. That's the last thing I want to do. But if I don't fight there's a good chance they'll get hurt in the crossfire!"
"Quatre, you're a gundam pilot. If you don't go, then no ones gonna get up and replace you." Duo whispered gently. Quatre sighed again.
"She's gonna hate me even more for this," he whispered. He got up and walked slowly and silently from the room. The others looked at each other, nodded and walked out.