Chapter 2: The Meeting
The walk from the small building that houses the offices for all the student groups on campus to the student center is a lovely one, especially in the evenings. Summer is coming to an end here in Sanc and the air is heady with the scents of the later summer flowers. I love it here and on days like these, I understand why Zechs never left to go to school somewhere else.
Classes start next week and students started arriving last week so they could get into their dorms, organize and catch up on things that they have to do without out the stress of classes to attend. Most of the clubs and organizations hold their first meeting of the year during this week and ours is no different.
We also have another reason for why we try to start things up before the semester officially begins; it gives those students who are shy and unsure an established support system before school gets into full swing. Despite the fact that Sanc law considers marriage to be the union of two consenting adults no matter the gender combination, some still hold onto the old ways of thought and pick on those of us who 'aren't normal.' So we're there for everyone, from those who still hide in their closet, to those, like me, who don't have anything to hide, but can still benefit from emotional support by those who are understanding and caring.
I'm not saying that everyone who attends falls into the GLBT category, because they don't. We have a decent amount of 'straight' people who attend for various reasons. Some are there to support family members, other are there because they simply believe that they can help make a difference by setting a non-biased example. Though, sometimes, you get people who show up to cause problems, but that's why a faculty member always shows up. It stops a lot of problems before they start.
Overall, Sanc University is a wonderfully liberal and amazing school that only accepts the best. A person has to submit test scores, school records, and essays and then if they think you fit by all that criteria, you get to interview with the Deans. If you survive that, and they like you, then you're on your way to receiving one of the best educations you can receive anywhere in the world.
My feet carry me to our usual meeting room in the student center, and I see that there are already a fair amount of people mingling about. If this is any indication, we may have a busy year ahead of us. I see Wufei and Zechs standing in the corner talking to Hilde and I walk over.
Hilde Schbeiker is our secretary and events coordinator, as well as our token female. Not like we had planned it like that, she was the only one, aside from myself, who could put up with Heero. Hilde's cute, petite, and German. When I first met her, back in high school, she had beautiful long blue/black hair to go with her light blue eyes, but then she outed herself at Graduation and chopped off all her hair. A week later she confessed to us that she was seeing our history teacher Lucrezia Noin. Noin coincidentally happens to be the ex-girlfriend and childhood best friend of Zechs.
"Are Yuy and Maxwell on their way?" Zechs asks when he sees me enter the room.
"I think so. They were gathering their things up when I left." Everyone smirks and nods knowing that there is a high possibility that they might be late to arrive. "Here Hilde." I hand her things over.
"Thanks Quatre." She beams at me. She really is cute and has this tendency to be happy most of the time, thus being around her is usually a very comfortable and happy time.
"How is moving going?" I ask as Wufei and Zechs begin to move off to a different part of the room. More than likely to get a feeling for how many people are going to be showing up.
She runs her hands through her bangs. "Shit Quatre. Thank goodness for Catherine or I would be going crazy. Relena and Dorothy are being manicy bitches, and they can't decide if they want to fuck or fight. It would be fine if they could make up their minds, but this back and forth crap has to stop."
"You're brave and incredibly insane to live with them. You know that, don't you?" I try my best not to laugh at the outrageous situation.
"I promised Noin I would watch Relena and make sure she doesn't get herself into too much trouble this semester. So as a favor to Noin and Zechs..." I cringe as she shouts Zechs name loud enough for him to hear. "I am acting as a babysitter when I am around."
"Lucky you." I say, feeling genuinely sorry for her.
"I may come knocking on your door from time to time to steal your couch if you don't mind." She looks at me hopefully.
"You know I don't mind. Feel free anytime." I live in an apartment on campus. It is a two bedroom and only one is occupied, the other one has a bed, but she insists on the couch for some unknown reason. I know she comes there for the quiet and to escape from the insanity of the dorms.
"Hey Heero, Duo." Hilde says looking over my shoulder and I turn around to see the two walking nonchalantly up to us.
"Hey Hil, what's up?" Duo asks as he draws her into a bear hug.
"Eh, nothing much. Just dealing with 'Lena and Dorothy all morning. I'm glad to leave that suite for a bit."
I watch Duo's face contort in what seems to be pain, but I know he's just playing. "You brave, brave woman." He squeezes her once more before letting her go. "Just let me know if you need to be kidnapped. I'm sure I can free up some time." He smiles and rolls his eyes in Heero's direction, but adheres to the 'I'm not with him in public' rule.
"You're a sweetie. Thanks."
I look around the room and see more people filing in and notice that one of our University's VPs has snuck in and is talking to Zechs and Wufei. Treize Khushrenada is looking rather nervous, which I find odd since he is always so calm and cool. But Zechs is smiling and Wufei is scowling so everything appears to be ok. The blond pats the nervous VP on the shoulder and says something that causes him to turn and leave. Despite my immense curiosity as to what brought Treize to stop by and talk to Zechs, I hold off on approaching, knowing that I will find out later.
I check my watch and notice that it is almost time to start the meeting and head up to the table containing six chairs and sit in my assigned one. The other three officers follow. Duo sits on my left with Heero and Hilde next to him respectively. The other two chairs on my right are for our advisors.
A few more stragglers enter the room and just as Wufei is about to close the doors so we can start, Relena, Dorothy, and Catherine slip in. I try not to smile as Wufei scolds them for being late and they blow him off with their usual ease and sit down. Zechs smiles and takes his little sister's arrival as the sign to start the meeting, as she has a tendency to be the last one to show up at any functions she's supposed to go to. Fashionably late she calls it.
Zechs walks from the side to the front and half sits on the table. "Good afternoon everyone." I can't see it, but I know that he just flashed the crowd one of his charming smiles. The one that makes everyone in the room melt, no matter their sexual preference. "For those of you who don't know me, I am Zechs Merquise the Undergraduate Dean of Students and the GLBT group's faculty advisor. So if any of you need someone to talk to please feel free to stop by my office. If the door is open, you are more than welcome to come in. If it is closed, then I am either not in or someone beat you to me. Oh, and if any of you out there are responsible for the anonymous letters I'm already starting to receive, please stop. Though I find it flattering, I'm very much spoken for." There is a chorus of sighs and mutters of disappointment. I see Wufei set his jaw from the side-lines, ready to take the person out who tries to make a move on his man.
Zechs makes the same announcement every year and it always strikes me as inappropriate, but he receives more love letters a day than anyone I know, with Duo coming in at a distant second. I know the letters bother 'Fei, which is the real reason Zechs makes the announcement, well that and the colossal waste they cause.
"This group is for everyone." He continues as if he hadn't stopped to make a more personal announcement. "So as long as you have an open and unprejudiced mind you are welcome here. And with that, I'll let the officers take over." He turns around and smiles at Heero. "All yours." Heero nods and takes a breath while Duo stealthily squeezes his boyfriend's thigh in support. Heero's never been a big talke,r and he still finds talking to a room full of strangers a little hard.
"I'm Heero Yuy, President. I'm a junior majoring in Computer Science and Military History." I watch him close his mouth and look at Duo, obviously not going to say anymore. I look to Duo who is smiling at Heero like a fool.
"I'm Duo Maxwell the Vice President and while Heero doesn't talk so much, I talk enough for both of us. I'm a junior as well. Majoring in engineering and comp-sci. Heero and I tied in votes for the presidency last year, but I conceded as he is far more responsible than I am. Welcome to the GLBT group. Our office is located across campus with the rest of the student organization offices. Once school is in full swing, the officers spend quite a bit of time there, so we're not all that hard to get a hold of. We're always up for new activities and functions for the group to do. We'll hand out a flyer for those who are curious what we did last year. Feel free to stop me if you see me and pick my brain. Can't promise there will be something there to pick, but I'll do my best." He snickers and looks at me. "Well enough about me, the gentlemen to my right is…"
"Quatre Winner." I finish for Duo with a smile. "I am the group's treasurer and…." And I stop mid-sentence as the door in the back opens, and I find my eyes drawn to the person who just walked in. He is tall, slender and there is something about him that just draws my attention.
"Hey Q." Duo nudges me in the side. "Ah, I think you have more to say." He chuckles and looks to the crowd. "My apologies for our treasurer here, he's got a lot on his mind lately and sometimes gets lost in his own thoughts." He nudges me again and I flash the crowd a smile.
"Sorry all. As I mentioned I am the treasurer and I too, am a junior, majoring in economics and psychology. I'm the one who gets to tell Duo whether or not we can afford any of his ideas for activities, and if we can't afford it, I get to figure out how much we need so we don't break the bank." I say, easily recovering from my rough start and lean over the table and look past Heero and Duo to Hilde, who grins.
"I'm Hilde Schbeiker the group's secretary and events coordinator. I take the meeting notes so our officers don't forget what we talked about and then I'm the one who organizes the committees to pull off whatever hair-brained idea Duo came up with that made it past Quatre." She grins and tosses a small balled up piece of paper at Duo who leans over Heero and sticks his pierced tongue out at her. "So this is really an informal gathering. Wufei…" She points to the disgruntled looking Chinese man in the back. "…is our graduate student advisor and has so wonderfully set up snacks in the back. Please help yourself and mingle. If you are interested in joining our group, I've got silly little forms to fill out so I can get all the contact data. And thanks for coming." She smiles again and everyone begins to murmur and stand up.
I stand and see Heero say something to Duo and walk over to where Zechs is standing hand in hand with Wufei. He says something to the blond and the three of them walk over to an unoccupied corner away from everyone else and stand close. Duo looks at me oddly, as if I know what his boyfriend, Wufei and Zechs are talking about. I shrug and shake my head, letting him know that I have no clue what is going on.
Duo stands next to me, nods to the man who entered while I was introducing myself and whispers in my ear. "Go over and say hello. He seems a little confused as to why he is here. Maybe you can help him." I feel my face flush a bit at his suggestion. "Go on. You want to. Stop being chicken Q."
"Fine." I hiss and make my way across the room to where the new person stands awkwardly by himself. "Hi." I squeak out. "I'm Quatre. Do you need any help?"
The person looks at me appearing to startle slightly when I speak. "Ah, Trowa. I was, ah, curious, so I stopped by."
I start to grin for some reason and then I stop. He's absolutely stunning, and I am finding it hard to tell if he even swings in my direction. Fuck, figures. But who knows, he's here for a reason so no reason not to offer friendship. "Let me know if you have any questions." He looks around in a daze, and I try to figure out what is distracting him. "I don't think I've ever seen you around, did you just transfer in?"
He looks at me and studies me for a silent moment. I have to tilt my head back just a little to look into his bright green eyes. He has this soft looking light brown hair and long bangs that shield one side of his face. I think it would make me crazy to have my hair like that, but on him it looks cute and fitting. "Yes."
Ah, a man of few words like Heero. "Well if you need anything, just let me know."
He nods and then pauses. "Um, how do I get in touch with you?"
Stupid me. "Hold on for a sec." I grin and walk back to the table and reach around a few people for the contact information paper and a pen and walk back to him. On the paper I write my cell phone number, email and instant messaging name and hand it to him. "Cell phone, email and IM name. At least one of those I have access to at all times."
He takes the paper from me and looks it over with a nod. "Thanks." He offers me a shy smile and folds the paper and puts it into his jeans pocket.
"No problem." I smile in return and we stand in awkward silence for a moment. "Do you run?" I blurt out.
He looks at me shocked and then collects his thoughts. "Yes." He stops and then adds. "In the mornings."
My heart begins to race at this. "Listen there is a group of us that goes running in the mornings. We run the cross country courses; you're welcome to join us."
Trowa looks me up and down for a moment and looks confused. "Like really run or jog?" Ah, that is why. I don't look like a runner.
"No, we really run. None of that jogging stuff, if you're up for it. We're usually run anywhere from five to seven miles. Depends on how hung over we are in the mornings." I say with a chuckle and he smiles.
"Ok. Tell me when and where and I'll be there."
"Six AM by North cafeteria. We meet there, stretch out, and run."
He closes his eyes for a moment. "The one not too far away from the apartments, right?"
"Yup, that's the one."
He nods and smiles again. "I'll be there." I see his green eyes dart to something behind me. "I think someone is trying to get your attention."
I turn around to see Duo motioning frantically for me to come over. I hold up a finger to tell him I'll be there is a moment and turn back to Trowa. "I look forward to it. Welcome to Sanc." I smile, turn and bounce off.
Duo catches my by the shoulders and looks me in the eyes. "So?"
"So what?" I give him a look.
"Do you have a date?" I look at him wide-eyed.
"No, I don't even know if he goes our way you perv." I hit in on the shoulder and he pulls me to his side. "But he's going to go running with us tomorrow."
"Oh, that's excellent. It is a start at least." I look around the room to try to find Heero so he can rescue me from his boyfriend's teasing, and I see that he is still in conversation with Zechs and Wu in the corner.
"What is he up to Duo?" He follows my eyes to the three men talking in the corner.
"I haven't a fucking clue. I thought about going over and finding out, I decided I wouldn't push the matter and wait for him to let me in on it." He shrugs. "He's done shit like this before. I just go with the flow and don't ask questions." He gives me a goofy grin. "Usually works out to my advantage anyway."
"Ehh, I really don't want to hear anymore. I have witnessed more than I want to anyway. I'm going to go sit by Hilde, at least she can control her libido." I playfully push him aside and climb up next to Hilde. I make a visual sweep around the room as if taking account of the people remaining, in actuality I search for the person who had so unexpectedly captured my thoughts and find him nowhere in the room. I sigh and reach over to help Hilde organize the stack of papers she is collecting.
We stay in the room until the only people remaining other than ourselves were Relena, Dorothy and Catherine. Zechs, Wu, and Heero finally stopped talking a few minutes ago and true to form he was back at Duo's side as soon as the conversation had ceased. The lot of us make plans to drop the paperwork back at the office and meet at the pasta place down the road from the University for dinner.
I take the rear with Catherine and Hilde, as we are the only ones lacking significant others at the moment. Catherine and I having no one and Hilde's is studying abroad for the summer for her master's degree. We talk very little, and I can sense that the three of us are in a rather melancholy state at the moment. "Hey Hilde, can you take this back for me. I'm going to go take a nap before we meet up again."
"Sure Quatre. You ok?" She holds out her hand to take my binder and the papers I had grabbed.
"Yeah. I just need a nap. I'll see you guys later." I hand over the stuff and smile weakly. "Thanks Hilde." And with that I turn without saying another word and walk off to my apartment.
