♀ Gravity ♂

"My lady, are you ready?"

The young lady paced restlessly around the bedroom, clasping her hands together. She was breathing very fast from anxiety. She felt like she was dizzy from thinking to hard and glanced at the mirror. I can't afford to mess this up, Calm down this is my big break! She couldn't help but smooth out her soft beige gown, sprinkled with tiny diamonds that was worth more than her entire being. Her honey brown hair cascaded into curls below her waist. She took in a deep shaky breath and nodded. "Ready" she squeaked.

The stage assistant smirked at her, "Come on, everyone's waiting."

She hesitated for a moment then followed the assistant out, people swarmed by her, Some gave her encouraging nods and some gave her icy stares. She shivered as she neared the blinding lights, the enormous stage and the awaiting audience that might either break her or make her into something she couldn't imagine.

"Welcoming the new starlet, Jordin Virgil!"

Jordin's heart thumped as the audience surged into applauses, the polite kind of applause. Jordin looked up as the beam of light shined down at her. She put up her best smile she could muster beneath her nervousness. Her lips parted and the melody flowed throughout the concert hall.

"Wasn't she wonderful?" Rinoa whispered to the young man beside her. "Leon? She's wonderful wasn't she?"

Leon shrugged, half asleep. "Who?"

"Jordin Virgil."

Leon smiled at Rinoa, "if she was the first one then yeah. She was great."

They stood in the lobby together in the midst of the evening dinner. Leon had regretted coming despite his best effort to make it look like he was enjoying the opera. Truth was, Rinoa coaxed him into buying the tickets for her. He never thought he'd sit through the whole thing, much to his disappointment. Rinoa had dubbed this a date.

People from all over the country came to see the new starlet perform. And by the looks of it, Jordin won them over. They continued praising her of her lovely voice that seemed to make them amazed. With a mask on, it made Jordin more desirable.

Leon yawned again, "can we go now?"

Rinoa sighed and lightly squeezed Leon's arm. She looked up into his clear azure hues that was a rare asset in Balamb garden. "Just a moment, I want to see her face." She pointed down the hall where a few of her friends formed a group, "Lets go over there."

"Actually, I need to get a drink. You want?" What Leon really wanted to do was get out of here, this was no place for him. Rinoa shook her head and winked at him. She headed down to her friends and joined in the conversation.

Leon walked to the refreshments area. He picked up a glass of what he assumed to be a soft drink and left the lobby.

Jordin blushed at the amount of roses the crowd through to her. She picked them all up and put them in a glass vase. Relieved that her debut was over she smiled gleefully at the flowers. Everyone that worked the stage was celebrating with bottles of wine in the back. Jordin stayed in her room pleased with herself. She checked the time on her wrist watch and stood up. She took the vase along with her as she creped past the production team and directly into the lobby.

Jordin expected for people to compliment her but they gave her long stares. Jordin looked down and rushed past the whispers. Well duh, I'm not in that fabulous dress or wearing that mask everyone is used to seeing me in. She pushed open the doors and walked out, leaving the audience who she thought had adored now scorned her. She wasn't aware of the young man standing clad in black watching her by the ledge. Jordin set the vase of flowers on the edge and stared out into the open sky. She hummed to the song she sang and imagined...

"You know her songs?"

Startled, Jordin spun around. She was caught in surprise at his intense gaze. She glanced at the ground, feeling the blood rush into her head then looked back up. He was a good looking man with mesmerizing blue eyes and messy dark hair. His tall posture told her that he didn't care how he looked. Jordin bit her lip and nodded.

"Hm."

"I wrote them" Jordin found her voice, but it was coarse. "Did you like it?"

He shrugged, then went back to staring at the sky with one drink in hand. Jordin clasped her hands not knowing what to say next. If she wanted friends, then she'd have to continue to it. He must be from the upper class. "What did you like?"

"I slept throughout the whole thing" he answered mildly. He took another drink from the glass cupped he mistakenly thought was a soft drink. It was wine and it making him more tired.

"Oh. Well, incased you missed it all, I can get you another ticket to come next week again and then you can stay up to watch it." Jordin picked up her vase and drew nearer to unimpressed young man. He lifted a brow and took another swig and shrugged. He'd give it to Rinoa, she'd survive a night without him.

Jordin frowned, failing an attempt to make conversation. Obviously he wasn't interested in the opera. She looked at him for some time then noticed a line across the bridge of his nose.

"What happened?"

He glanced down at her, surprised that he hadn't noticed she got closer. He automatically knew what she was talking about. "Nothing really, just a fight."

This was her chance. "I got a scar too" Jordin pulled up her sleeve to reveal a long pale line at the bend of her arm. He blinked several times. Jordin grinned and pulled down the sleeve.

"How'd you get that?"

"I got it during some training sessions with my brother. It was an accident." Jordin beamed at him, "so what's your name?"

"Leon" he said. He didn't bother asking what her name was. He wasn't going to.

"Okay Leon" she said noticing his lapsed silence. "If you slept throughout the show, why'd you come?"

"My girlfriend wanted to come so she brought me along."

Jordin't throat tightened, "oh." Jordin glanced at her watch. "I should go. Thanks for talking with me Leon. I hope we meet again."

Leon only grunted. He heard her descending footsteps, slowly as if hesitating then rapidly. Finally she was gone. Leon sighed again and looked at the doors behind him. C'mon Rinoa, lets leave. But after some silence the doors didn't swing open as he wished they would and Leon felt as if it wouldn't anytime soon. He leaned on the ledge and took one last swig before he set the cup down on the ledge. Suddenly he heard something crash. His head snapped to the direction the girl had left, narrwoing his eyes. Seconds later, a scream followed. Leon jerked up and ran to the source...