BACK TO SCHOOL !
Author's Notes
Note that I don't own ANY of the characters throughout the fanfic. * sob *
Don't flame me for any pairings and there's no yaoi for you people out there ! 0_0'
***
Luke's Hall was filled with hundreds of students on this particular day in Saint Thomas College in the Sanc Kingdom. It was the first day of school again and many new students were confirming their presences by signing their names on the lists and receiving a letter filled with other miscellaneous documents.
A lone figure stood near one of the beautiful statues placed within the Hall, carefully perusing the documents. She mindlessly tucked one of her locks behind her right ear as her eyes scanned the rules and regulations carefully. No one was daring enough to stand near her and starting a casual conversation with her was even more impossible. However, she was just a freshman starting a new year in College and she was hoping that her two years here would be fulfilling. That would mean trying to pull down those invisible barriers around her and try to mingle with the others. However, they were afraid to approach her.
* What a headache *
Relena Peacecraft eyed the eager faces swarming the Hall as they merrily chatted away with their friends or their new classmates. Officially, the first day was always like an orientation so no proper classes were conducted. She wished she could just abandon her status and join in, but she knew she would always be treated differently. Her cobalt eyes darted quickly to see whether there were any familiar faces amongst the sea of people, but there were none that she could spot right now. She sighed to herself before deciding to leave the Hall and explore the school grounds alone. However, before she could even take a single step, there was a sudden unanimous drop of noise in the Hall. Relena was immediately curious.
* Did someone walk in ? *
Relena tiptoed and her next response was to gasp to herself as she noticed a familiar figure strode through the doors. Quatre Raberba Winner had just arrived, draped in school uniform and all. It was a refreshing change from the usual attire he normally wore eons ago. Quatre looked slightly awed by the enormous Hall and the numerous pairs of eyes trained onto him. He managed to smile as he walked towards the registration stand. Relena could not help but join in the staring, but she wasn't all flustered or embarassed like the other girl students. Quatre actually looked good in the school uniform they were all expected to wear. The royal black suit brought out the bright blonde colour of his hair and his green shade of eyes. The white long-collared shirt with a black tie made him look grand and brought out a certain class of his own. The gold buttons on his jacket, black long pants and glossy black shoes completed the look of a handsome and desirable upper-class student. Relena had to admit that the long black coat he had draped over himself only served to intensify the impression.
" Relena ? "
Quatre had spotted her easily since she stood out amongst the crowd herself. Being Queen Relena for a period of time and a strong fighter herself had given her a certain flair. She looked stunning in the same mostly-black attire except that she was wearing a knee-length pleated skirt, making her look demure and studious. Instead of a school tie, she had a nice black string of ribbon tied into a butterfly bow around her blouse's collar. Her suit was a more petite and shorter one, ending at her waist. The beautiful colour of her light-brown hair seemed to shine against the blackness.
" Quatre, it's good to see you again. I didn't know you were enrolled into this College ! "
" Ah, I was admitted after I signed up for this year's intake some time ago. I'm trying to take over my father's business but my sister is determined that I should get a proper education in the meantime. She's handling them until the appropriate time. "
" She's very considerate. "
" Always had been … I owe her a lot … but anyway, I'll speak to you later. I have to sign up first right ? "
Relena chuckled and nodded as Quatre excused himself and proceeded to sign his name. Choosing to ignore the many excited squeals as he passed by the girls, he thanked the teacher-in-charge warmly as he received his enrollment documents. Many of them could recognise him, since he had immense power by handling his father's multi-million business at a young age.
" Quatre, do you know where the other pilots … "
Before Relena could finish, there was another general hush and she spun her head towards the direction of the door. Her jaw dropped slightly again as another male student had just stepped in. He had leaned against the side of the door with an elbow propped against the door's handle while scruntinising the situation .. almost too casually ..
" You made it ! "
Quatre gushed excitedly to the newcomer and it was clear that he was very happy with this newcomer's arrival. Quatre walked up to him quickly and started to point at the registration stand, hurriedly giving him instructions while doing so.
" I got it … thanks Quatre ! "
Duo Maxwell gave a light smack on Quatre's back before walking down the Hall. More excited sounds were erupting from the girls as he brushed past them and he cheekily smiled at them in a teasing manner. His long braid swished merrily with his movements and Relena noticed that he was actually munching on a bubblegum. For once, he had his shirt nicely tucked in and he was properly attired … even neatly ! Relena thought Duo looked pretty good himself, if he bothered to dress up. Seeing Duo almost flirting with a blushing teacher-in-charge, Relena knew Duo hadn't changed ONE SINGLE BIT.
" Yo Relena-sama ! How is our Queen doing on this bright cheerful day ? "
" Duo, I'm not a Queen anymore and you're supposed to know that better than anyone else … "
Relena chided him back jokingly as Duo swept up to her and made an exaggerated elegant bow with a sweep of his arms. The cheeky teen looked at her again and smiled brightly.
" Are you surprised ? "
" Oh yes Duo … no one told me that you've enrolled into this school as well. "
" Yeah, I have my own ways to scheme and devise through anything. I thought school would be a totally new environment to be in rather than spend my days at the garage. "
" How's Hilde ? "
" She's fine, not to worry about it. She's currently teaching kids at a kindergarten near this area so if we're free, we could pop over and say hello to her. Lovely students she has this term. "
Relena smiled at the heartwarming thought and she was glad that everyone was doing well now after the war. Then she remembered something which made her heart beat faster …
" Erm, Duo ? Quatre ? What about .. "
There was a loud bang at the door and everyone turned around again to see who this was. A male student had opened the door a little too hard and he looked around with a certain death glare which caused the whole Hall to hush immediately. As he walked in, there was another male student behind him. He was totally expressionless and he had a map on one hand.
" Wufei ! Trowa ! "
Quatre rushed up to greet them as Relena opened her eyes even wider. Obviously Wufei and Trowa must have met somewhere in school and Wufei had been pissed off because they were lost in the " freaking big school " as could be heard from him now. Relena could not understand how and why, since they were ex-Gundam pilots and reading maps should be child's play to them. Now both of them had spotted her, thanks to Quatre, and both smiled a wee bit in response. Relena didn't know whether she should be jumping up and down with joy or just feel honoured that they actually did twitch their mouths to smile that little bit.
Chang Wufei was obviously all huffed up and angry. He was a person of few words and so the only sentences coming from him now were just " freaking big " and " horrible directions ". Trowa Barton was smiling gently as he was conversing with Quatre, lining up behind Wufei to sign in. Duo was busy talking to this girl whose face looked as though it was in danger of exploding while the guys just angrily look on with jealousy and envy.
* I don't believe this … what started as a supposedly boring day for me has ended up like this ! The ex-Gundam pilots are all enrolling into this College ? What's happening ? Someone MUST have planned this ! I'm going to find out … but … *
Relena looked around, this time more carefully, her face grim with determination.
* Heero *
As on cue, the door opened again but it was a swift and silent one, except that Quatre, whose eyes never missed a thing supposedly, called out his name.
" Heero ! "
This time, every single soul turned in silence to check out the latest newcomer. There was a slight tension in the atmosphere as the newcomer didn't budge from his spot. He still had the door opened with his left arm and his eyes were drilled onto Quatre. Never smiling nor nodding in acknowledgement, he walked into the Hall and lightly stuffed his hands into his pockets.
* I … I can't breathe … *
Relena knew that she was happy … no … REALLY happy that Heero Yuy had walked into the Hall. The quiet one who had fought so many tough battles before was finally enlisting into a College to study … what more could she ask for ? She had a special soft spot for him, she wondered why many times. Was it because she had saw his face during those traumatic war times and he had promised to kill her for doing so ? Was it because they survived so many encounters together ? What was it ?
Heero Yuy had wished that Quatre had not called him. He wanted it to be a quiet procedure, signing his name and then going back to his dormitory room again before anyone noticed him. He had seen Duo, Wufei and Trowa the minute he stepped in but he was a little too late in stopping Quatre. He didn't like it when everyone stared at him. He wanted to be left alone.
* Relena *
Heero's trained eyes landed on the figure who was standing beside Wufei and Trowa near the registration stand. As he walked nearer to the duo standing there, he flicked his eyes towards Relena for a brief contact before lining up behind Trowa.
" So you came after all, Heero. "
" Ah. "
Trowa smiled, almost knowingly to himself as he turned around to sign his name on the list. Wufei had bent over to look at some statue in the Hall while Duo had merrily approached the group again.
" Heero ! So you decided to give school a try yeah ? "
" I may change my mind. "
" Nah ~ school is fun in some aspects ! You won't want to leave … Relena ! You won't let him leave right ? "
" Eh ? "
Relena was so engrossed in her own daydreams that she was totally shut off from the world. Quatre and Duo laughed while Trowa managed to smile lightly to himself. Heero ignored it as he signed his name while Wufei peered hard at another statue.