Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Touch ❯ Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Heero was sitting at his desk eating lunch. For some reason, the day seemed to drag by and every time he looked up at the clock, he could've sworn it had moved back an hour.

"Penny for your thoughts, Heero.", he heard from the door and turned in his chair.

"Oh, Hi Dorothy. How's you?", he asked as she walked toward him. She was the newest teacher hired at the school and was very friendly. Heero had taken to eating lunch with her since her second week there and today had been his first one alone in quite awhile. He just hadn't felt like joining in on any conversation and had pleaded a heavy work load. He liked Dorothy well enough. She was a fit lass- smart and funny but she just didn't appeal to him at all as anything other than a friend, someone to share lunch with.

"I thought you were busy with your lesson plans. Isn't that why you didn't have time for lunch today?", she asked as she walked up and stood by his desk. He looked up at her and smiled, took his glasses off and laid them on the desk by his lunch.

"I was working on that, yes, but I wanted a bit of quiet time too. Today has been hectic and I'm just ready for the last bell to sound.", he said and pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger.

"Oh.", she said a bit hurt and he looked up at her.

"What do you need, Dorothy?", he asked her and her smile returned. She thought Heero the most charming man she'd ever met.

"Nothing. I was just checking on you, Heero. Say, do you have any plans for dinner tonight?", she asked him.

His heart skipped a beat and he coughed and sat up straighter in his chair with a big smile on his face. "Yes, Dorothy, as a matter of fact, I do. I have company coming over for dinner tonight.”, he said proudly, his eyes shining.

"You do?", she asked. "One of your friends, then?"

"No. A new friend.”, he said and picked his glasses back up, slipping them behind his ears and clearing his lunch mess away.

"I see. Well. Have a good evening, Heero. Maybe next time, eh?", she said with a sad smile and waved at him as she backed out the door of his classroom.

He sighed. He hated to hurt anyone at all, especially a girl. But sweet Dorothy was often relentless and not at all subtle in her pursuit of him and he just wasn't interested in the same thing she was.

He looked up at the clock once more. Would it ever be 4pm?

***

Relena reached into her closet and pulled through the specially marked tags attached to her clothing. It was the end of the winter season and the beginning of the spring. She felt like wearing something “springy” to have dinner with Heero. She ran her fingers over each tag carefully, it was a system she and her sister-in-law had come up with very early on when Relena had first started wanting to pick out her own clothes.

Blouses were all hung neatly together, skirts next, then slacks. Her jacket, sweater and heavy coat were in the coat closet at the end of the hallway. Her shoes were lined neatly in two smart rows and tagged as well.

It all came like second nature to her now. She could pick out an outfit and be dressed and ready to go before Lucrezia was. She never gave it a second thought.

Blouses and skirts were scattered across her bed. She would choose one garment, then frown and fling it to her bed. What she was looking for was nowhere to be found.

"Relena? What in the world has happened in this room? Was there a windstorm I wasn't aware of?", Grandma teased as she walked into the harried bedroom.

"Gran, please! Help me find the pale green silk blouse I brought with me. I know it's here somewhere!”, she cried and dug through her clothes once more that still hung in the closet. Her fingers rapidly slipped over each and every tag and a frustrated sigh made its way out of her mouth.

"I don't believe this. It's the only thing I have to wear and it's not here. Do you see it anywhere, Grandma? Maybe I mislabeled it. You remember the one. You commented on it when you sat with me whilst I unpacked yesterday. Now it's nowhere to be found!", she said.

"Relena, Relena, Relena. If I didn't know better, sweetheart, I'd say you're as nervous as a girl on her first date. What is wrong with you, honey? Heero's such a nice young man and so easy to please. You two got along famously. Why are you worried so?", Tessa asked and pulled Relena into a gentle hug.

"I'm not worried, Grandma. Heero WAS easy to talk to and he IS so nice. I just wanted to look nice for him tonight, is all. Now I'll look horrible. Nothing is right. I can't find anything!", she was nearly in tears.

"Relena. Sit.", Gran said softly and pulled her arm around the girl, bringing her to the bed and sitting down beside of her there.

"What happened to the confident young woman I've known existed inside of you for over three years now? The young woman that made her way to Germany all alone to meet her brother on holiday? The young woman who can make her own decisions and choices without any doubts?", she asked her.

"Grandma, this is different. Can't you see that?", she asked her.

"I see that you and Heero had a lot to talk about last night at dinner. I see that he was willing to ask you to a casual dinner tonight in his home. That's what I see. I'd never let you go, Relena, if I felt no good would come of this.", Mrs. Darlian reassured her.

"I know, Gran. It's not that. I've just, well, I've never, um, I've never been alone with a... man before in his house. Never. How sad is that?", she said and put her face in her hands.

Gran put her hand to Relena's shoulder and rubbed away the tension there. "Relena, Heero's a nice young man. I'd trust him with my life. I trust him with the thing I hold most precious in this world and that is you, my love.", she said.

"I trust him too, Gran. I just don't know if I trust myself.", she said and started to laugh.

"Well, Relena Darlian! I never! Should I warn poor Heero?", Gran laughed and pulled her into a hug. "You'll be fine, I promise. Just enjoy it, Relena. Enjoy yourself, your age, your life. Just like you always have. Tonight is no different than anything you've ever done for the very first time. Just relax, honey.", she said

"I love you, Gran. I can always talk to you about anything and that makes me feel safe. It always has. Thank you.", Relena said and kissed her cheek.

"Here's the green silk, honey. It fell out of your hands, I'm sure when you were flinging these expensive garments around this room. It IS a lovely thing and it'll look lovely with your coloring. What are you wearing with it?", she asked.

"These!", Relena said and held up a pair of snug fitting black capri pants. The waist was cut low and a gold chain dangled there as an ornamental belt. "What do you think?", she asked, holding them up to herself and Gran raised a brow, then cocked her head sideways.

"He'll love it!", she said at last and Relena laughed merrily and reached for the blouse.

"I'm taking a shower and getting dressed. I don't have much time. I'll clean this mess up when I return from my dinner with HEERO!", she sang and went into the bathroom that connected with her bedroom.

Gran sat on the bed and looked out the window. She wanted nothing but the best for her dear, sweet Relena and she'd thought for the longest time that Heero would be perfect. They made a stunning couple. Heero had seemed to really enjoy her company and she knew without a doubt that Relena was happy to be seeing Heero again. Her nervousness only let Gran know that Relena considered this night with Heero to be a date.

Gran smiled.