A/N: Thanks to everyone who had reviewed this story! I really didn't think I'd get such a positive response but yes, rape is a hard subject. I really like pointing out the realities of life through my writing so I hope to achieve the pain of reality in this story. I know this is Ami centric but the characters will play an important role a warning, the end of this chapter is quite horrific. So if you're a bit on the quesy side, you may skip it.
Music boomed loudly, threatening to pierce his eardrums yet his inky blue eyes were fixed on a raven-haired woman on the dance floor. The young man rarely blinked as his cold eyes trailed over the movements of the woman, the way her hips swayed, the way her hair waved in every direction, the way Wufei's arm snaked around her waist. Heero took a long gulp from his drink and set the can on the table beside him with an ireful force. His action caused Quatre's body to jump involuntarily. Trowa gazed through his long bangs with curious eyes.
"I see what's happening here," Quatre started, rubbing the back of his head.
Heero gave him a dark scowl and lifted himself off his chair, heading to the bathrooms. Trowa and Quatre gave glanced at each other, Quatre raising a brow while Trowa's features remaining indifferent. Both shrugged their shoulders and pouted their lips in confusion simultaneously.
"Perhaps Heero has reached puberty?"Trowa smirked, a rare smile cracking across his lips.
Quatre curled his lips inwards to avoid chuckling. He didn't know what to laugh at; the fact that Trowa made a joke or that the joke was partially true.
At the other corner of the room, Mina was anxious of letting Ami go out on her own. She sat in on a loveseat, ignoring a couple who were too comfortable beside her. Sighing, she placed a finger on her chin. Her forehead was wrinkled with worried lines. She opened her golden clutch and pulled out her phone, dialling Ami's number in haste.
A beep rang at the other end.
"The number you have dialled cannot be reached at this moment. Please try again later."
Mina cursed in frustration. She tried not to pull her hair at this moment. What was she to do? Lita loved Duo and Ami had a silly girlish crush on him! She had to convince Ami that her feelings were nothing but a fairytale.
Mina was an expert with love after all. She was one of the college's matchmakers. She was the one who brought Duo and Lita together because she knew Lita had a tough life. Duo studied English Literature with her and she presumed him to be the best match to rebuild the pieces of Lita's heart. This was her fault…And for that, she was guilty. She should have seen it whenever Ami spaced out at the mention of Duo, whenever the petite girl's face was as red as a tomato when Duo was around.
"I need to get to her," she stated loudly, standing up suddenly and placing her arms across her chest.
The couple beside her stopped what they were doing and gave her dirty looks. Mina rolled her eyes and searched the room for Lita among the many psychedelic colours. There was no sign of the brunette or Duo anywhere. Lita drove them to the party so Mina had no other lift back home. However, her mood instantly brightened up when she saw a platinum blond and a chestnut brunet heading out through the main halls.
Mina picked up her pace as she hurried after them, her high heels clicking through the quiet hallway.
"Hey wait!" she cried out when Quatre opened the door to his brilliant black BMW.
Arabs…There were a group of them in college with all the money in the world. Surprisingly, Quatre rarely mixed with him. He preferred to hang around with the mystery boys.
Mina ran out to the pavement. The flashing lights of the party were confronted with a pale darkness. The only lights were the ones swimming out of the Kushrendra windows and the headlamps outside the mansion.
"Miss Aino, nice to meet you," Quatre smiled, bowing slightly. His eyes shone with starlight that would have melted her heart if Trowa wasn't around.
Her legs froze as Trowa's icy look immobilized her. His observant expression caused shivers down her spines. Butterflies swarmed in her belly but Mina kept her composure. The girl cleared her throat to boost her confidence
"Quatre, I was wondering if I could get a lift down to Ami's house?" Mina asked, ignoring the fierce scrutiny of forest green eyes.
It wasn't lewd in any way. She knew Trowa was a spectator in this world of drama. She was just another actor for him to criticise. Quatre on the other hand was a gentleman despite his beautiful, arrogant looks. Mina knew them because they were in the same courses as her friends. Trowa was Lita's lab partner in her physics class for Engineering and Quatre was studying medicine with Ami though the two never talked.
"Why of course, Miss Aino," Quatre smiled, opening the door for her.
"Please just call me Mina." Mina returned the smile and stepped inside, a view of leather seats greeted her.
Trowa took the seat at the front beside Quatre as the blond switched the engine on. Suddenly, the door beside Mina was almost torn open and a very drunken Heero pushed his way in. His cheeks blushed with a pink tint and his eyes were glazed with moisture. Mina recognized him also. He was studying Engineering with Lita and Trowa but he participated in the Sparring Club with Rei and Wufei (The latter two studied Economics together.)
"Glad to see you again, Heero," Quatre chuckled. The enigmatic brunet grunted before his gaze fell upon Mina.
The girl's clothes didn't leave much to the imagination. A short neon orange dress hugged her beach-body figure, emphasising her curves and the sweetheart neckline revealed more than it could hide. Mina was suddenly self-conscious and placed an arm across her chest. Heero's lips parted in disgust. He removed his jacket and threw it at her.
Mina gasped, her eyes catching a pair of green orbs staring at her through the front mirror.
"Don't mind Heero, he's a bit too chivalrous for his own good," a rare voice spoke.
"Shut up, Trowa," Heero snarled. The young man sighed tiredly and closed his eyes as Quatre drove out of the mansion. Mina could not help but giggle.
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The journey back was quiet apart from Mina's voice echoing into the boys' ears. Quatre was usually the one to respond to her conversation while Trowa remained silent and Heero snored in the back.
"So Quatre, how're you finding Medicine?" Mina said.
"A lot of hard work and many sleepless nights," Quatre stated, nodding his affirmation.
"God, I can imagine. I only ever see Ami in the library nowadays!"
"Ah yes, Ami is one intelligent lady," the driver praised, "We've never had long conversations. She seems very shy."
"She's shy if you don't know her but such a darling," Mina spoke softly.
Ami was so fragile. The girls of the group wanted to protect her at all costs. The girl was from a sheltered background, she had a faith of innocence that the horrific things in life didn't marred.
"In that case, I'll try to break her shell," Quatre chuckled, winking at Mina's reflection in the mirror.
Instantly, his eyes widened at a sudden flare of crimson that his headlights caught. He pressed the brake of his car and switched the gear to reverse, returning to the place that caused had caused his heart to cease beating. Trowa gave him a perplexed look while Mina puckered her lips in. She wanted to get to Ami's place before the girl fell asleep. It was important to extract everything the girl fancied about Duo now than later.
"Quatre, what are you doing? I really need to get to Ami!" Mina yelled, waving her arms to get his attention. Even Heero had woken from his nap at the sudden jerking movements of the car.
Quatre ignored his companions and stepped out of the car. A blistering wind prickled his cheeks and his neat locks were blown out of place. The blazer of his white suite shipped about as he treaded nervously to the bushes. Did he see what he thought he saw?
He stopped in his tracks, not daring to go further, heart beating like a drum against his ribcage until his breath was squeezed in his lungs. He heard someone step out of the car, presumably Mina from the sound of her high heels.
"Quatre, what is the matter with you?" the girl shouted, her voice echoing in the night.
Quatre gulped down oxygen and took another few steps towards the bushes but his eyes weren't ready to scrutinize the sight before him. He yelped, falling over in his tracks, starlight eyes etched with horror. His sudden scream attracted his three friends, Mina being the first to reach him. Her face drained from her colour and her body lost all feeling.
Trowa quickly caught her in his arms as she passed out. Heero's usually stoned features were contorted with shock. The young man's body shook in terror, refusing to stay calm like he usually does in horrific situations.
"A-Ami?" Quatre breathed.
The sight before was of a bare girl with a face covered in blood. Blood covered her thighs. Gashes as deep as a hole concealed her forehead. The blood from her neck oozed down her chin and chest. Her lips were swollen, caked in red liquid that was darker than the lipstick she had worn earlier. Her usually silky strands of navy hair were matted with dried blood. She smelt of alcohol, which she never drank and rust. Her small feet had slits across them. The innocence of her body was shattered.
Tears streaming down his eyes, Quatre removed his blazer hastily, covering the front of the girl. Luckily, he was taller than average so his blazer ended just below her hips. Heero dialled his number to call the police and the ambulance. His voice was hoarse and broken as he spoke.
Trowa glanced at the Mina who had regained consciousness in his arms. Ami's body infested her eyesight and she screamed loudly. She pushed Trowa away, screaming until her lungs were sore. She fell on her knees beside the battered girl, tears falling from her eyes like a storm. Pathetic fallacy was on her side and a shower of rain pattered down on them.
Trowa knelt beside the blonde woman, his long arms draped across her shoulders. He allowed Mina to bury her face into his chest, her screams muffling against his