Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Trowa Smiled ❯ Veida Smiled ( Chapter 2 )

Trowa Smiled

By Tygerlilee

*All standard disclaimers apply, especially since I'm broke from buying DBZ tapes.

/ denotes thought

Part 2: Veida Smiled

Veida grabbed her groceries out of the back of her century old Volvo. She stumbled up the stairs, and successfully dropped her keys through the wooden slats in the process. She put her bags down, waded through green tinted mud under the stairs, fished out her keys, sprinted up the stairs, slipped, caught her leg in the stairs, got up, picked up her groceries, dropped the keys again, picked them up, the bag ripped, oranges rolled over the doormat, broke a nail shoving the keys in the lock, and dropped everything as soon as the door was open.

It was just one of those days.

When the phone rang, Veida nearly yelled at the person calling. 'AHHHHHH!!!! This just keeps getting better and BETTER!' she thought. 'If this is a salesman I swear...' she didn't finish the thought. She started to rant at the assumed offending salesman but stopped when she heard Quatre's meek voice asking politely if Veida was home.

"Sorry Quatre. I'm just having a rough day. What's up?" she apologized.

"Well, I was wondering what you were doing on Friday."

"Um, nothing much," she said while jumping up and down while thinking 'Yes!!!! Maybe this day can get a little better!'

"Would you like to do something?"

"Umm, I guess so. I don't think I have anything planned." She pretended to have to do some hard thinking, as if her schedule was tight, while thanking the heavens that she wouldn't have to spend another lonely Friday night on the couch with a pint of ice cream while her roommate went out with her boyfriend.

"Any preferences?"

"Not really. Hey, I hear the circus is in town. Maybe we could go to that," Veida pretended to have just thought of it. She really had never gone before and REEEEAAALYYY wanted to go.

"Sounds good. You can even meet Trowa."

"Who's he?"

"My best friend."

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"You are dating Quatre Winner, the Quatre Winner, you, Velveta!" Mackenzie said amazedly.

"We're not dating, and would you mind not calling me Velveta for the fiftieth time!" Veida, exasperated with her misbehaving eyeliner, said.

"Alright, but I still can't believe it!"

The truth was, neither could Veida. Quatre was like a dream come true, especially after that last guy. He was awful!! And Quatre was so nice. NO ONE had ever been that nice to her, and he was supposed to be the grouchy, rear pinching, stuck-up, little rich boy patient. And she was supposed to pretend that she liked getting hit on all the time and that she didn't mind getting yelled at.

Well, it hadn't been that way with Quatre. He had always said 'please' and 'thank you' and 'how was you're night, Miss Veida.' Veida had put an end to the 'Miss' thing pretty quickly though. That drove her nuts. But he was sweet, and considerate!! She just couldn't believe her luck. Life hardly ever handed her a gift, but this obviously was one and she would welcome it with open arms.

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Quatre picked Veida up at five o'clock and they chatted the entire way to the attraction. Veida was amazed at how much Quatre knew about EVERYTHING. There wasn't anything or any subject that Quatre couldn't tell her something new about it. It completely amazed Veida. But she also restricted herself and her language, 'the girl can't be more crude than the guy,' Veida thought to herself. 'She's supposed to nag him for saying something perverted.'

They reach a monstrous yellow and red striped tent after about fifteen minutes of driving. The circus had planted itself in a grassy park, the largest open fielded area on the colony and probably the only place on the colony that could house such a large tent.

Veida was mesmerized. She had always wanted to go to the circus as a child, but never was able to. She had grown up quickly in her home. Her mother had died when she was six, and her father turned to drink shortly thereafter. Then her brother had started on the drugs.

She would come home from school tired and crying because someone had said something, wishing for her mothers loving arms, only to meet her drunken father and high brother. I was HELL for years. Her brother had died of his habit when he was seventeen, she was only eleven. Then the abuse had started. Her father had run out of things to blame her mother and brother's death on, so he blamed her.

A teacher at school had noticed her limping and frequent injuries. When she questioned Veida about them, Veida stuttered. That confirmed her suspicions and she reported it to an abuse hotline. Veida had spent the rest of her middle school and high school years in a loving home with two somewhat elderly people. They had helped to heal her wounded heart, but it was not without severe scarring.

The circus had always been a symbol of her lost childhood, which was why she was even more cheerful than usual...

Quatre paid for two tickets, some popcorn, caramel apples, and drinks. Veida was on cloud nine as she watched the ring master walk into the spotlight. The trapeze artists amazed her and the lion tamer so daring, the clowns' antics were hilarious and the evening was perfect. 'It can't get any better than this,' Veida thought. /I haven't had this much fun in forever, with anyone. Especially since I know I won't have to worry about warding off over friendly hands/ Veida commented to herself.

Then the knife-throwing act proceeded. She recognized the 'target' as the lion tamer and a clown who had been in several other acts. To her surprise, the actual knife thrower was a girl, whom she also recognized from other acts. She watched to clown stood perfectly still, arms outstretched. One knife whizzed by and landed right next to the target's armpit. Then another and another. The knives continued to just barely miss stabbing the target.

"Wow, he's got BALLS!!" Veida exclaimed loudly. She heard a couple snorts of laughter from the people in front of her, and then the full impact of what she had said hit her. /OH MY GOSH!! I did NOT just say that in front of Quatre!/ Veida thought. Her face turned fifty different shades of red, all of them very brilliant, and buried her face in one hand, refusing to look at Quatre. /I have NEVER been so embarrassed!!/

Quatre seemed to have not heard, but Veida knew he had. /Veida/ she silently scolded herself, /control that stupid tongue of yours! Why can't you at least PRETEND to have manners!/ Veida didn't want to ruin a chance with the nicest guy she had ever met.

Veida suffered through the rest of the performance and profusely apologized for her behavior. Quatre said that it was all right. /He didn't say that he didn't mind language like that!/ Veida noted. /Veida, you numbskull!!/

"Quatre, where are we going?" Veida asked as they walked around behind the tent.

"I want you to meet my friend Trowa. I was also thinking that we could all go and get something to eat."

" 'We all.' Who's 'we all'?"

"You, Trowa, Catherine, and myself." Quatre answered.

"Who's Catherine?" Veida asked.

"Trowa's sister."

"Oh. Trowa and Catherine must get along pretty good if they hang out together," Veida commented.

"They do and, Hey Catherine!" Quatre interrupted himself to yell at a red headed girl. Veida recognized her as the one who had been throwing the knives.

"Quatre!! I thought I saw you in the audience! Trowa was planning to visit you today, but Manager kept giving him jobs," Catherine called back. Her voice was sweet and soothing, almost a yoga instructor-type voice. She was very pretty and seemed friendly. "Hey Quatre, aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?" Catherine prompted.

"Oh, yes of course! This is Veida Scott. Veida, this is Catherine Bloom." Quatre quickly said.

"It's nice to meet you Veida. Quatre must really like you, he never comes here with a girl," Catherine observed.

Veida turned a couple shades of red and smiled sweetly saying "Thanks."

But then she really blushed when she noticed the live knife target with gravity defying bangs suddenly appear near the lions' cage. "Trowa, hi!" Quatre enthusiastically called. The young man continued unchanged in his purposeful path towards the small group.

"Hey, Quatre. I meant to come see you today." Trowa had a pleasant voice like his sister's, and his face seemed very sensitive out of the bright spotlights. But his eyes were also dead inside.

/He must be a war veteran. Only veterans are so young and with that deadened look in their eyes/ Veida speculated. /I wonder if he ever smiles/ she wondered idly.

"Trowa, this is Veida, Veida, my friend Trowa." Quatre went through the formalities again.

"It's nice to meet you Veida," Trowa politely answered and held out his hand to shake.

Veida took it.

She felt as sudden attraction to this solemn clown. And a sadness. She wanted to hug him and take his pain away, the pain she saw in his eyes. /Why do I feel this way!/ Veida wondered. /What is it about him! Veida, what are you doing, you're here with Quatre, not him! You have been a caregiver for WAY too long./ Veida scolded herself.

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The four of them went down to a small dinner and sat around a small circular table, eating sundaes. The conversation was pleasant and Veida immediately liked Catherine. But it was strange. She was so much more comfortable with Trowa than with Quatre, and she had only met him an hour or so ago! /Veida, you will not fall for the best friend. Quatre would be so hurt. But wait, you and Quatre are not even an item. This is only a first date! Why are you stressing over this!/

Veida continued to have a silent battle with herself through the rest of the night.

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But the circus left the next day and Trowa was gone. Veida felt a small whole open up inside of her as the silent young clown disappeared. /I'll probably never see him again/ she lamented. /How did I get so attached to him so quickly!/ she wondered.

Veida and Quatre continued to date, and Veida liked him a lot. /But I'm so self-conscious when I with him! I analyze everything I do and say before I do it or say it. I can't be myself when I'm with him/ Veida kept thinking.

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"Veida, there is going to be a large ball held at my mansion in three days. I would greatly appreciate it if you would attend with me." Quatre asked politely. "You will get to meet all of my associates and friends," he added, as if that were a bonus.

/Oh great, I'm getting invited to a ball. Crap, everyone will be scrutinizing me and judging me!/ "Quatre, you know that I despise large dances. Not to mention that all kinds of important people will be there." Veida attempted to excuse herself.

"I know, that's why you should come, to meet them," he retorted.

"I'm not 'important people', I'm an R.N. for Pete's sake! And why is it so important that I meet them?" Veida asked.

"Because I want them to meet you. We have been dating for several months now," he explained.

"So this is to be my début?" she asked with one eyebrow in the air.

"Veida, please. It will be fun, I promise. I will be with you the entire night."

Veida wasn't sure if that was a plus or minus. Quatre was nice and fun to talk to, but she was getting more and more uncomfortable around him, especially when Trowa's face popped into her mind. /Yeah, about as fun as having a root canal/ she though to herself.

"But I don't have anything appropriate to wear," her mind was reeling, trying to think of as many excuses not to go as she possibly could.

"I'll buy you something," Quatre declared.

"You most certainly will not! Quatre, I will not let you buy me clothes, especially an expensive dress."

Three hours later...

Veida was standing in the most expensive dress shop in L-4 with a blonde cutie giving advice to her on what she should wear. Veida had never been more embarrassed in her life. Well, almost. The time she yelled out loud that Trowa had balls was still number one.

She had always thought that it would be neat to find a guy who wasn't afraid to go shopping, but this was ridiculous.

"This one's pretty, and purple is a good color on you. Oh, and this would also be good. And.."

"Here, let me take them. I'll start with these," she said while thinking to herself /and I'll just try on the whole store while I'm at it!/ Veida grabbed the dresses out of Quatre's hands and practically sprinted to the dressing rooms.

She tried on various styles until she found the perfect one. It was a deep purple full-length gown with an empire waist, short sleeves, and a rounded, high-cut neckline. The upper portion was embroidered with tiny golden flowers arranged in vines.

It was beautiful. /You cannot let Quatre buy you something like this! No way/ Veida reminded herself. But it was so beautiful and there was no way she could afford it on her salary.

When she stepped out of the dressing stall for Quatre to see, "Wow," was all he said, followed by a silence.

"It's perfect!! Get changed and I'll pay for it," Quatre said suddenly.

"No way are you buying this for me. I will not be a charity case and..."

"You are not a charity case, and I invited you to this thing, so I'm paying for it." Quatre insisted. Veida put her hands on her hips and attempted to stare him down.

It wasn't working. /Man, Quatre can be so stubborn!!/

"Alright," Veida conceded grudgingly.

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"Oh my gosh!! It's gorgeous Veida!! And he actually bought you a Marie Franklin!! I canNOT believe it!" Mackenzie ranted.

"Yah, maybe, but I feel so durn ...durn..."

"Poor, moochish, like you're just a charity case batting your eyes at a rich, handsome man," Mackenzie volunteered.

"Yah, that's it!" Veida agreed.

Then the doorbell rang.

"Is he here already!!" Mackenzie wondered aloud.

"No, that's not him," Veida murmured through her hands as she applied her lip-liner. "He said he'd send a friend or someone to pick me up."

"Why can't he? To busy organizing his sock drawer in case anyone inspects it at the dance?" Mackenzie sarcastically asked.

"No. But what would happen if the most eligible bachelor showed up at a rinky-dink run-down matchbox of an apartment to pick up a girl? Talk about gossip." Veida said.

"What about that same bachelor going shopping in a designer dress shop with a curly headed ditz?"

"I am not a ditz and you know it, and would you please answer the door before whoever he sent thinks that he's got the wrong place." Veida requested, her voice laced with annoyance.

"Why can't you?" Mackenzie asked.

"Because I've only got mascara on one eye." Veida reasoned.

"Good point," Mackenzie agreed as she walked toward the door.

"Hello, Velveta is almost ready to go," she loudly greeted the tall young man with gravity defying bangs at the door.

"Don't call me VELVETA for the MILLIONTH TIME MACKENZIE JEMIMA DOLITTLE!!!" Veida yelled from the bathroom, carefully emphasizing the Jemima and Dolittle in her scolding. Mackenzie hated her middle and last name, but the offices wouldn't legally allow her to change them for some odd legal reason.

"That's fine, I can wait," the escort good-naturedly answered, with a slight smirk on his face. Mackenzie smiled and ran out of the room.

"Man, are you lucky!! He's HOT!!" Mackenzie whispered loudly.

"Who, the pee-on?" Veida asked.

"Yah!!"

"Hmm," Veida was more concerned on how SHE looked at the moment. "Okay, how do I look?" Veida asked as she twirled around in one spot in bathroom.

"Like a princess. Knock um dead!" Mackenzie routed her.

"I sure will, and TROWA!! Hi!!" Veida exclaimed as she entered the dinning/kitchen/living area, almost falling on her face from shock.

/What's Trowa doing here? Oh, great! I'll be salivating at him all night when I'm Quatre's date!/ Veida moaned inwardly.

"You know him?" Mackenzie whispered.

"Yah, he's Quatre's best friend," Veida muttered out of the corner of her mouth. "He works at a circus, but I thought that it had moved to colony L-2."

Then to Trowa she said "It's so nice to see you again! I thought the circus wasn't coming back for a while though."

"It did leave, but we received such a nice welcome here that we came back after we finished there. It was four months ago the last time we were here."

"That's great!! Now maybe I won't feel so weird being the only non-aristocrat there!" Veida exclaimed with false joy.

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"Veida, Trowa!! Great, you're right on time. Come on, I want to you meet some people..."

Veida had been at the ball for three hours now. Quatre had introduced her to everyone in sight, but she felt so out of place and plain. No one paid any attention at all to her, she was just one large, purple colored wallflower. Everyone was so rich and/or famous and she just felt so uncomfortable.

But the situation had been tolerable because Quatre was there, that is until SHE showed up. A gorgeous, tall, slender blonde with a rather revealing black gown silently appeared at Quatre's side and he forgot about Veida COMPLETELY. She was called Dorothy something-er-other, and she was the Granddaughter of some dead general, or something like that. Veida couldn't remember, all she saw was Quatre's attention suddenly being sucked up by this, this, female. Veida was just too angry to think of a better word to describe that girl. Veida couldn't believe it. She could not believe that considerate, kind Quatre would leave her like that.

She had completely forgotten that she was in love with his best friend and that she had been contemplating how to break away. She forgot how she hadn't been staking a claim on Quatre before and how she had not wanted to be here in the first place.

Suddenly the room felt extremely stuffy.

Veida quietly wove her way through the crowd and found her way to one of the several outdoor balconies lining the room. She silently slid behind the curtains, opened the glass door, and slipped out into the cool night air.

She walked over to the edge and put her face in her hands taking deep breaths, and trying not to cry. She refused to cry at this ball, she was stronger than that. But several tears spilled out regardless of her efforts. Abruptly the noise of the room became significantly louder.

Someone had decided to join her. /Please, don't let it be Quatre. I won't let him see me like this!/ she silently pleaded to no one in particular.

She heard the rustle of cloth and could feel the body heat of the person beside her. She panicked and tried to pretend that she hadn't heard someone join her.

Her companion wasn't saying anything. /Maybe I imagined it! Maybe no one is out here with me/ she hoped.

She turned slightly and peaked out through her hands to check her hypothesis. "Trowa! What are you doing out here?"

She had completely forgotten that he was here. He had disappeared into the crowd about fifteen minutes after their arrival.

"I don't know, I guess I'd just needed some fresh air," his calm voice stated.

"M-hum. I'm sure you did. Trowa, I'm fine. There is no need check on me or anything else."

"Quatre and Dorothy have know each other since they were fifteen. It's not like she just some slut come to steal the best guy she can," Trowa bluntly stated.

Veida's eyes widened. /How did he know that's what I was thinking about!/ Veida wondered.

"So it's that obvious is it?" she asked.

"Not really, but it just makes sense. You don't know anyone here, so you obviously came because Quatre asked you to, and now he's preoccupied with another girl. I don't think any girl wouldn't be upset."

"Is he in love with her?"

Trowa looked at her in the eye and then slowly said "Totally."

"Then why is he dating me?" Veida asked, very confused at this point.

"Because she showed no interest and he decided to try to move on." Trowa said, as if it made perfect sense.

"Oh, so I'm the comforter and hole-patcher huh?" Veida said, bitterness was edging her voice.

"Sort of."

"Well, that's fine. I could never have gotten serious with him anyway." Veida comforted herself out loud.

"What makes you say that?" Trowa asked.

"I don't know. I guess I just feel, so, so, silly and naive and crude when I'm with him. I always analyze everything I say. I can't be spontaneous and myself when I'm around him for fear of offending him or sounding idiotic. I can't really talk to him either. Like we are now, I could never do this with him."

"Why not? Quatre's very sympathetic." Trowa retorted.

"Yes, but he can't relate to me! Since when has he ever had to worry about not having enough money for rent and food, or how about getting you're car fixed for as little as possible, but you can't do that because you're a girl and all mechanics think that they can rip of girls because they don't know anything, and now I'm rambling I should probably shut up."

"No you shouldn't. Not if its making you feel better." Trowa comforted her.

Veida look up at Trowa in surprise. Then she smiled, "Trowa, you are too nice."

"Hum," Trowa looked a little surprised and just looked ahead again.

Veida turned around to face the night sky, or rather, the dome above the colony. There were a couple moments of silence. Veida began to calm down and think. Then she realized...

"I was afraid, Trowa," Veida admitted.

"Afraid of what?" Trowa asked, sounding a little surprised.

"Of Quatre getting to attached to me because I knew that I'd never really love him like that. I mean, I'm still mad about this girl that he didn't tell me about, but its not jealously. It's that he dragged me here and now I'm alone."

"No you're not. I'm here," Trowa said simply.

"Yah, I know you're here but don't you want to go back in and dance or something?" Veida asked.

"I can 'dance or something' just as well out here," he answered back.

"No you can't. I'm all heels when I dance. I really stink," Veida warned him.

"That's probably because you partner stunk. The girl is supposed to follow the guys lead and if he doesn't know what he's doing, then they're both stuck."

"Oh, so now you're a primeval, control freak of a man," Veida teased him. "Alright then. Teach me. Lead me," she challenged him.

"To this? You realize that this is a tango, right?" Trowa asked her.

"Oh it is?" Veida hadn't realized. "Well, if you can teach me to tango then, I'll be supremely impressed."

/What the hey, Veida. Go for it/ she told herself.

"Give me you're hand." Trowa instructed.

"You're actually calling my bluff!! Ah!!" she squeaked and Trowa grabbed her hands and waist, swinging her around.

By the end of the song, she was completely out of breath, but Trowa was showing no change at all. Veida rested her head on his shoulder, panting slightly. "I actually tangoed. I don't believe it," she said softly.

"I told you, you're partner has to know what he's doing." Trowa reminded her.

"Have you ever run off with Quatre's date before?" she asked suddenly.

/Veida, what are you doing you moron!! You're practically asking him to run away with you!/

"No. But I might this night."

Veida was shocked, then blushed. She blushed even more realizing what he must see in her face. Then she remembered that he couldn't see her face, it was buried in his jacket.

Veida nuzzled her face deeper into his shoulder. /Maybe he likes me too, maybe I have a chance, maybe I won't have to hurt Quatre because he's got that Dorothy girl/ Maybe, maybe...

And Veida smiled.

**Author's notes: Still reading? Yay!!! I hope that this is getting better. Again, constructive Criticism is always welcome. Thanks Tygerlilee