Chapter One
This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. This wasn't that magical story she had heard about as a child. She was supposed to fall in love effortlessly with some handsome prince who would slay a dragon for her. She wasn't supposed to be in tears every night, stressed about her work, about a man who may or may not exist, and not about her friends' happy lives.
Everything looked so much easier when it wasn't her life.
She twenty five years old and worked with ragged old men all day. Her best friend was Hilde who was happily married to a handsome pilot named Duo Maxwell. Oh, how she envied her best friend. Duo had practically fallen into her lap.
Why wasn't Relena able to find someone like that? Hilde didn't need to lift a finger because Duo was more than willing to bend over backwards for her. He was the perfect doting husband.
Did she get asked out? Of course. She was intelligent, beautiful, and successful, but she did have high standards. She wasn't about to date anyone that didn't have a career, or missing teeth, or even lacked a sense of humor. She didn't claim to be funny, but she thought she was at least somewhat amusing.
She was twenty five years old, but acted fifty. No wonder she couldn't find her other half.
Relena was staring out of her office window when her intercom buzzed. She ignored it. She didn't have any meetings for the rest of the day so there was no need for her to be bothered. Relena was already done with her paperwork, so technically she was able to go home. But going home meant that she would have to go alone. She hated the thought.
"Daydreaming?" A soft voice asked from behind her.
Startled, Relena jumped out of her seat. Her office door should have been locked. She balled her fist close to her chest, hoping that the erratic heart beat would slow. The intruder wasn't dangerous or even male so she felt no need to turn around.
"Sorry for scaring you, but you were miles away again." The voice said again, a small hint of German accented her speech. There was no mistaking it now. Hilde.
"Sorry, Hild. Just had a lot on my mind again." Relena sighed, turning her chair back to face her desk.
"Like what?" Hilde had already made herself comfortable on the expensive leather couch.
"Work, as usual." She said, shifting her stacks of finished paperwork from one side of the desk to the other.
"Of course, that's all you do. Why would you bother to have a normal life?"
Relena sighed, reaching up behind her head to remove the hair clip. "Did you need something or just stopping by to keep me from my work again?"
"Pfft! You were zoned out so I didn't do anything. I came by to ask you something, but if you're going to have an attitude, never mind." Hilde retorted, running a hand through her short spiky hair.
"What?" Relena didn't try to hide her impatience. That's what best friends were for; you didn't have to hide anything from them and you could be as rude as you wanted. They could take it and not hate you.
"Duo and I are having a barbeque tonight. Come over and socialize with us."
"Just the two of you?" She cocked her eyebrow. Hilde had a bad habit of trying to set her up with said inadequate men.
"Just a couple people from Duo's work." Hilde gave her a toothy grin.
"No thanks.
"Lena! I'm not setting you up. Just come and hang out with me. All those pilots are boring and I want my best friend there."
"I don't believe you. You always say you just want me to be there for you and then you ditch me next to some sleazing guy. Who is he now?" Relena said harshly.
"Honest. There is no one specific in mind."
"Throwing me to the sharks then?"
Hilde stood up abruptly, growing impatient with her blonde headed friend. "Come if you want. I'm not going to force you or even blackmail you."
"Appreciated." Relena smiled, waving lazily as her German friend walked out from the office.
She frowned, giving up on her stacks of papers. There was no need to relocate them. They were done and organized already. She really had nothing to do for the rest of the day. Relena checked her wristwatch, groaning that it was only three in the afternoon. Two more hours until everyone else would be done.
She decided to go ask for more work. She'd regret it completely tomorrow, but she needed something to keep her in her office. Mr. Hobbs was always busy so he surely had something. She knocked gently on his thick oak door.
"In!" His low voice said loudly. Relena admitted herself inside, head held high.
"Mr. Hobbs, I've finished my work. I was wondering if there was anything else you would like me to do?"
"Finished? How about you leave early? You work harder than most of us here." He tried to laugh.
Relena tilted only one corner of her mouth in a semblance of a smile. "Thank you."
She couldn't argue with him. If he wanted her to go home then she just had to. Now she couldn't have a good excuse to not show up to Hilde's. She always had the excuse that she was busy with work. Most people would lie, but Hilde knew her best and knew that she was a terrible liar. Something in her tone gave her away.
Just a barbeque at their house? She wouldn't need to dress up for it. In fact, she should dress down. Duo always liked to poke fun at her for wearing her business suits everywhere. She liked the man, but his constant jests where only funny for so long.
Relena sighed as she walked back into her office to grab her purse. She'd only go to entertain her friend. The moment Hilde ditched her, she was leaving. She wasn't going torture herself with men that were probably dull and old. She got enough of that at work. Right, dinner at Hilde's just to show that she was indeed a good friend. That was all tonight was going to be.
After dinner, she would return home, alone.
She didn't know when she had left the office or even the building, but when she came back to her senses, she was already walking the busy sidewalks. She really needed to stop daydreaming so much. It was starting to concern her. She was never the type to daydream. She was always so focused. Why was she now so concerned about a relationship? She had spent her entire life alone. She never dated, not counting Jake in high school that only lasted about a week.
She was proud of herself. She could handle everything on her own. She didn't even need a warm body to sleep next to because she had her cat.
What was wrong with her now?
The moment she walked into her apartment, her phone rang. She sighed when she saw her mother's face appear on the screen. "Hello Mother."
"Relena, are you busy?"
"No, I just got home." Relena carried the phone in her hand as she removed her high heeled shoes and tossed her purse on her couch.
"Off early? Did you get fired?" Worry etched her mother's aging face.
"No, of course not. I just finished everything so I went home."
"There's always something to do at work, Relena. You never have everything finished."
"According to Mr. Hobbs, everything was done."
"I'm starting to think Mr. Hobbs is going senile."
"No, he's fine, Mother." Relena tried not to sigh heavily.
"Go back to work and find something to do." She hung up before Relena could argue any further.
People wondered why she was such a perfectionist. They didn't know why she always had to be busy and why she always worked faster and harder than anyone else. If they had met her mother they would understand everything. Her father was always traveling until he was, unfortunately attacked during a business meeting. She had braced herself for it, so it wasn't nearly as traumatic as it could have been. Her father did work for the government after all.
Her mother had been a stay at home mother for most of Relena's life, but once her father died; she took up a small portion of his work. She traveled just as much, but didn't have nearly as many responsibilities. The Darlians were famous among the political arena.
She tried to busy herself at home, cleaning, rearranging her rooms until finally she caved in and called her best friend. There was only so much she could do at the house she rarely was in.
"What time should I come over?" Relena asked the moment Hilde answered.
"Thank you! You are an amazing friend." Hilde's accent became thicker in her excitement.
"Yeah, I guess I am. What time?"
"I don't care. It's not like you need an invitation to come over."
"Right. I'll be there in an hour." She hung up her phone and went to her closet. It was disappointing that she had so many suits and hardly any casual clothes. She knew the basic rules of fashion, but never paid attention to what to do for a night out. She didn't have time for casual.
Frustrated, she settled for a silk blouse and her most worn pair of black slacks. It was Hilde's house, after all. No need to impress anyone there. Only slightly satisfied, she walked out of her apartment and hailed a cab.
It was just going to be her and Hilde for most of the night. Duo was an extrovert who could entertain an army if need be. Relena and Hilde would just be in the house, only conversing amongst themselves. But then why was Relena's stomach twisting so tightly?
A.N.I probably won't update this one as often as Just Like the Movies. This was my first idea, but I couldn't really think of a conflict so it's on the backburner for the moment. Sorry :(
