Dark of Night

Chapter 12

 

I arrived at home and couldn’t help but daydream about Duo. She was unlike any other girl I’d ever met, and that was her appeal. When I thought she was a guy, I was seriously considering ….exploring… that side of  me. I thought I was gay and had never realized it until being with Duo.

 

Today though, she was dressed to kill and I felt very proud of her. I was glad that she had shown up Relena in front of the entire school and I was happy to be her escort for the rest of the day.

 

I tried to push her out of my mind for the time being and opened up my calculus notebook. I had homework and a 4.0 average to maintain. Even though I wanted to keep my mind on more pleasant things like spending the afternoon with Duo, I had to get to work.

 

A couple of hours passed when I heard the phone ring. At that time, I was busy typing up my history paper and  ignored the phone completely. No one really called me and the few people that did, I didn’t want to talk to. I had had Relena get my phone number, but her cell and house phone numbers were now blocked. Odin also helped by screening my calls and, anyone that was not on the list of approved people, I didn’t bother with.

 

“Heero?” Odin asked, he was my guardian since my father was never home anyway and my mother passed away when I was born. “There is a Duo on the phone for you. He’s not on the list, but he doesn’t sound like the stalker girls that used to call.”

 

I smiled a little, “I’ll take the call, thanks. And add HER to the top of the list.”

 

“Anything you say,” Odin said as he came into my room then and handed me the black cordless phone. I took it, pressing the “hold” button.

 

-----------------------

 

After hanging up the phone, I lay back in bed. Duo had seemed nervous about calling me. That thought brought a smile to my lips. Regardless of the face she puts on for the world to see, Duo is still a blushing schoolgirl when it comes to her crush.

 

I wanted to be more than just a friend to her, but I felt like there was something between us… like she was hiding something. I mean, I know she fainted in class and wouldn’t tell me about it, but… whatever it was, my gut was telling me that it was big.

 

Tomorrow we’d meet and I’d help her out with the thing she called about. I really don’t know what good I’d do. I mean, she couldn’t really see anything other than an aura and I didn’t have any experience playing Ghostbusters. But in the end, the need to be with her won over. I couldn’t have her going into a potentially threatening situation without backup. What if something happened to her? I couldn’t let that happen.

 

--------------

 

The next day at school, things were going as well as could be expected. I had girls giving me looks and muffled whispers following me everywhere I went. I had a feeling I wasn’t going to like what was going on.

 

“Heero!” Quatre whispered to me.

 

We were sitting in our calculus class and had already finished the in-class assignment.

 

“Nani?”

 

“Did you see today’s edition of the pink newsletter?” he whispered.

 

I shook my head, already disliking what was coming. Quatre wasn’t one to get so wrapped up in gossip, but when he went out of his way to bring that thing up, I knew it was important.

 

“Relena printed a lot of nasty things about Duo… again.”

 

I sighed, “What now?”

 

“It says that Duo put the whole thing together just to get your attention…”

 

“What “thing”?” I asked, irritated.

 

“The whole being male and umm… being chemically imbalanced.”

 

Chemically imbalanced, go figure Quatre would take the politically correct phrase for his description.

 

“Why would she do that?”

 

“It says in the article that Duo suspected you were gay because you never liked ‘the beautiful, talented, clever, and charming’ Relena,” he said quoting the paper, “ and that that must make you gay.”

 

I rolled my eyes but let him continue.

“It also says that at least one good thing came out of Duo getting your attention….”

 

“Oh? And what is that?” I asked moodily.

 

“That you like girls again and that it’ll only be a matter of time before you fall head over heels in love with Relena.”

 

I snorted, “yeah, in her dreams.”

 

Quatre giggled a little and began packing his books. Lunch time was almost upon us and I was to meet Duo. I packed up my things thinking there was only the short study hall period to wait before I met up with Duo, and got up to leave.

 

“Heeeeeeeeeeero!” I heard a voice call out to me, making the hairs at the back of my neck rise. It was too late to avoid her since she had already seen me, so I opted to run away.

 

I felt a hand on my wrist and sighed internally. This was not my day. Here I was, only half an hour before meeting up with Duo and Relena had to come and find me.

 

“Heero, I’ve been looking all over for you!” Relena simpered.

 

“Hn.” I grunted.

 

“I know you must be glad to be rid of Duo. I swear, it’s stuck to you like gum under your shoes. I don’t know how you deal with it.”

 

“Relena, is there something you want? I have to get to study hall.”

“Well,” she said smiling coyly, “I was hoping you’d come to a private party I’m having tonight. It’s very exclusive, so you don’t have to worry about that garbage following you in. We can have all sorts of fun, especially since we’ve renovated the pool area and added a new hot tub…”

 

“Thanks but no thanks,” I said, trying to walk around her. “I have a prior engagement.”

 

“I’m sure you can cancel…” Relena was saying just as Duo came up.

 

‘Saved!’ I inwardly cheered as I watched Duo and Relena being catty towards each other. The thought didn’t sit well with me since I thought Duo was different than that. When Relena left, she said she was just improvising so I didn’t push it.

 

--------------------

 

After lunch, we met again and headed to the parking lot. Today, Duo was dressed like her normal self and I found that she was no less attractive than she usually was. Everything felt right when I was with my Duo, all I needed to do was get her to be my girlfriend.

 

“Duo… what happened yesterday?” I asked as we made our way to her motorcycle.

 

“Umm… when I told you that Auntie Helen dialed for me?” she asked, fidgeting.

 

“No,” I said, “ when you fainted.”

 

“Oh, that….”

 

“Yes that. What happened?”

 

Duo blushed a little, “I… I don’t want to say… I’m going to sound like an idiot.”

 

“Say it anyway… everyone already thinks you’re crazy, what’s another odd statement or two?”

 

Duo laughed a little and punched my arm lightly as she put on her helmet and handed me one to put on as well.

 

“At the risk of sounding crazy…er… and sounding forward,” she paused, “well, if you MUST know… you’re the other half of my soul.”

 

I laughed a little, she was being a little too romantic for her to sound like herself.

 

“You think I’m kidding,” she said sounding annoyed.

 

I shrugged, not answering her and hopped on behind her. I wrapped my arms around her slim waist and pressed my body against her back, leaning my head on her shoulder, settling in.

 

Duo kicked off and we were on our way to the cemetery. Ironic how our first “date” was at a place were dead people lived, I thought, remembering when I first skipped class to go with her.

 

I loved the way she felt in my arms and I loved the way I could feel her heart beating against my chest. I was going to ask her to be my girlfriend tonight when we finished doing this. I know she had already told everyone we were together, but I wanted to make it official.

 

Arriving at our destination, I got a sudden feeling of general unpleasantness around me. I looked around but couldn’t see anything right away. I felt slimy and a little chilled just looking at the gates. I didn’t like the situation one bit… I just hoped Duo knew what she was doing.