Whispers from the Heart

Chapter One: Old Friends

Oblivious-Bystander

Forcing my legs to rise and fall up the murderous hill, I could feel the adrenaline that I had just gained from our last ride completely vanish. Swiping the back of my hand across my sweating forehead, I groaned, "Why in the hell did we come here" taking in the amusement park around me.

"What? You're the one who say 'Oh, but it'll be so much fun!'", replied a man with a long braid that trailed down to his hips, it was an unusual fashion but it worked for him, as he mocked her voice.

'That sounded nothing like me you jerk', I thought with a glare directed at the always-too-happy ape beside me.

"Then why'd you listen to me? It's-what-105 degrees today?" wiping off a new glistening trail running down my cheek.

"I don't know, really. I guess I thought the rides would be fast enough to make a decent wind or the water would be cold enough to cool us down. For once, I will admit I was wrong to listen to you." Pushing on his knees with each steep, to force him up the incredibly steep hill that made it impossible to get to flat land without wasting your time for a few minutes, he groaned at the distance still left. But may I add these minutes feel like hours of a harsh aerobic class, maybe even years.

With an enormous sigh of relief, we reached the stop. Glancing back down it, I winced at how it screamed at my unfit body. I wasn't one for steep hills, never have and never will. Now, going down the hill is a different story.

Looking away from black concrete, I turned my attention to my friend at my side. Curiosity sparked when I saw him leaning slightly squinting, saying mostly to himself "Is that…"

Following his gaze, I spotted a group of three men, about our age maybe older, maybe younger but not by much. As they slowly slipped into my field of clear view, I corrected myself. It was a group of three hot ass men. And, from the look on Duo's face, he knew them.

A loud voice made me jump; grimacing when I realized it was Duo screaming just inches away from my ear. He was on his toes, swinging his arm back in forth wildly. Luckily there weren't any civilians close enough to be back handed.

"Duo, what the-"

"Hey guys! Long time no seeing ya!" he interrupted, not that I believed he even heard me over his own booming voice.

Looking back over to the group of men, I saw that they had stopped, looked around them then realized this bozo was talking to them. They squinted, spoke amongst themselves before one of them broke into a wide grin and waved just as wildly back, "Duo!" racing over to our location, his company following reluctantly.

The one that called Duo's name didn't take long to get to us. Once he was up close, I was surprised by his innocent presence. I almost felt like I would taint him being within two feet from him. He looked like such a badass from a distance…

He had messy, yet tamed, blonde hair that barely hung in his blue eyes. His smile was wide and caring. If it weren't for his walk or his choice of words I'd stamp him gay.

He gave Duo a quick hug before backing away, give him the casual once over, "Oh wow, Duo…You-You haven't changed one bit!"

Laughing, Duo looked his old friend over with a grin, "Same to you, man! But, hey, I've tried to get in touch with you awhile back. You never called me back."

Quatre's face fell slightly and opened his mouth to speak with guilt radiating from his eyes but before he could utter a word, the other two men from his party joined us with sour expressions on their faces. Well, one of their faces.

Duo glanced at them but other than that completely ignored them, holding a friendly conversation with his blonde friend. I wasn't paying attention though but impolitely starring at the two new arrivals. One had light brown hair that was cut into an odd style that hung over one of his hazel eyes. It almost looked emo but surely he wasn't. Though, he wasn't frowning or smiling so…I'll hold the emo space open for him. Now, the other was just a demon from hell from the looks of his appearance. His hair was messier than the blonde's but didn't even seem to have ever had the pleasures of a brush. Long chocolate brown bangs hung his face covering his unique eyes. They were so blue and…dark. The only thing I could think to describe it was Prussian. And, worst of all, he looked cold and dangerous with the frown etched into his face and a glare jabbing at, what had to be, Duo. There was only one thing that all the boys really had in common from what I could see, fine ass bodies.

My inspection of the two was cut short when Duo's voice was directed at me, "Oh, what?"

Duo looked at me curiously before repeating, "I said that these guys used to be my high school buddies, we used to hang out all the time!"

Eyeing them all again, I tried to picture them a few years younger…maybe friendlier, "Oh, well fun…" unsure of what to say. I was never a people person.

Grinning back to mostly Quatre, he introduced me, "This is Relena Dorlian" forcing all their eyes to fall on me. Great.

The blonde threw his hand out with a huge smile on his face, "Quatre Raberba Winner. I've heard of your father, Mr. Dorlian. My dad signed a peace treaty with him a couple of years back. How is he?" squeezing my hand in a firm politician grip.

Letting go, I glanced at Duo who held a blank face. He understood. He always has. "Oh…Well, the Dorlian's are dead. He was murdered and his wife died of cancer last winter"

Quatre's face fell immediately, "Oh I'm so sorry. I had no idea."

The possibly emo one held a hand out to me quietly after I shrugged off Quatre's apology, "Trowa Barton, I'm sorry about your parents." His eyes were softer. God, I hated sympathy.

Shaking it quickly, I fumbled for words. It was in the past, a place I'd like to be forgotten, "Nice to meet you, and its fine, I didn't really know them anyway"

Turning my gaze to the probable demon, he gave my already extended hand a quick shake before dropping it to cross his arms again, "Heero Yuy, pleasure"

I couldn't mentally thank him enough for not saying sorry. I really did hate that.

Turning away for their gazes of pity, I looked to Duo with hope that we would leave soon. But, he just kept on his conversation with Quatre who seemed to enjoy it too much.

Looking away, I cursed myself for ever wanting to come here. Needing something to do besides think, I looked down to the ground. There was a very interesting pebble beside my shoe. Well, at least I tried to make it interesting.

Suddenly I felt a burning sensation on me. I always got that when I someone was looking at me, a gift maybe. Probably just paranoia though. Glancing up through my lashes, I saw the one Heero looking at me with a frown. What the hell is he frowning at?

Giving myself a quick glance over, I found nothing wrong with me, nothing off. Well, then it must be my face. Asshole, insensitive jerk!

"Well, I guess it's time for us to go, don't you think, Lena?" a voice broke through my glaring, glaring I didn't know I was doing until I had to stop.

"Huh, oh, yeah!" maybe I sounded a little too excited to be leaving…

Duo paused at my sudden joy before waving a 'bye' to the gang before following my quickly retreating form out the gate.

"Relena, wait up!" his footsteps thumping in rhythm behind me.

Slowing down, glancing behind me, he made his way to my side, "What was that about?"

"You know I hate meeting new people…" shrugging off any guilt; was it that noticeable?

"Well they are some good guys, Lena. I wouldn't introduce you to anybody I didn't like" fanning his shirt away from him, in a poor attempt to cool off as we made our journey across the parking lot.

"If they're so great then why weren't you talking to the other two?" looking for a reaction, "Heero and Trowa?"

He grimacing a little, "We just had our differences back in school. They are still good guys."

"What differences?" taking the car keys from him as we closed the distance with our broken down Honda. He was a devil when he got behind the wheel.

He yanked the passenger door open, creaking in protest, slipping inside. "Just differences"

I did the same, slam the door closed a couple of times before it caught and stayed shut. "Well, like what?" turning down the radio when the car came to life

He looked at me, saw I wasn't going to let it go, and sighed. "We were all real good buds throughout school. We were our own little group and everything. Of course, Heero and Trowa were always quiet and to themselves but we were friends." Gesturing me to start driving, clicking on the air.

"It wasn't anything big but we got into a fight. Me and Quatre thought it would be a good idea to just move and move far, far away. We all had our fair share of troubles and bad memories in this town and we wanted to go

"But Trowa got accepted in a college nearby and was going to stay. Heero just didn't wanna go. We argued a lot after that about how he won't let the past go and a few harsh words were exchanged and we've been holding a grudge ever since. Me and Quatre didn't go. I got send to a separate college and we kinda drifted apart.

"But it's all good. I wasn't alone for long. I meet you" smiling at me with a huge grin

He was right. During our first year of college, he followed me around like a lost dog. He said that I was always alone and he was always alone so we were destined to be friends. After a couple of semesters of being pestered with his constant chatter, I gave in.

It was the best surrender I ever made. Ever since, I haven't been alone. I always had him to talk to and knew he would be there when I would be in a bind. It was a feeling I never really had the privilege to experience.

We exchanged our stories, what made us who we are. He told me that he used to live on the colonies until his father was killed in a fire. He and his mother moved to earth and she died shortly after from cancer. By that time, He was 17 and almost done with school so he took care of himself.

Every day was a fight for survival, desperate for food or water, struggling to keep a roof over his head until he finally went to stay with an old friend.

Now, it's clear that that friend was one of the ones I met today. It must have been Quatre, wouldn't it?

Pulling into his apartment complex, we stomped up the 7 flight of stairs. They had yet to fix the elevator.

Nearing a green worn door with 183B dangling from a nail, we padded across stained carpet.

His apartment wasn't bad. It was one bedroom, one bath but everything worked fine unlike most apartments in his neighborhood. Luckily, he was a good mechanic and got good money that way fixing up pipes and stuff for residents of the building.

The carpet was faded red in the living room. There was an equally stained blue couch in the center, facing a TV sitting on a stack of unpacked boxes that probably wouldn't ever be unpacked.

The kitchen's light flickered a lot but you got used to it. There was always food in the cabinets now, he was proud that.

It was a fairly nice apartment.

Standing in the doorway, fiddling with my keys, I watched him walk over to the kitchen, disappearing around the wall before returning again with some clothes. His laundry room and kitchen were connected.

Handing them to me, he frowned at a visible hole in the shirt before drowning me with his worry.

Giving a small smile, I backed back into the hallway, "Call you later, Duo"

"Be careful." Calling down the hall like a worried father

Waving him off, I started down the stairs, gazing over the clothes in my arms feeling my heart drop into my stomach at the memory.

Shaking my head roughly, I headed home.

Dreading each and every step that pulled me closer

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