Hey, everybody… I was really inspired by midnight rhapsody's "Сandy Hearts" fic (which is super special awesome so go read and review it, it needs more love). So I'm gonna be trying to improve Gala's inner monologues a bit, don't worry I won't escape my own style or the style of this fic though…
Planned on 08.05.2010
Written on 08.05.2010, 11.05.10, 27.05.10, 30.05.10 – 02.06.10
Betad by Julie, Queen of Pharmacology on 02.06.2010
Scene 7
She tries to walk away, by strafing against the wall but I slam my hand into the wall near her, cutting her off. Though she doesn't give much of a reaction other than stopping.
I raise a brow as I keep staring at her. She doesn't seem to mind, she silent as rock. Reminds me of the freaky duo Alicia and Beth, though those two are vegetables with no sense in their overly-intelligent brains, while this girl seems to be more of a frozen fruit. But still I guess she's a sour lemon, what was her name again? Dietrich? Isn't that a boy's name? She's too cute for a boy though. Her face pretty much equals eye candy, but my eyes don't linger on it for too long. If you look at someone's face for too long, they might think you've got a crush on them. Well unless you're glaring, which I'm not. Again she's too calm for the situation. She even raises a brow at me, wondering how long this is gonna last. Until I get bored, honey. By the way, she's nicely built, a bust you wouldn't call big and oh my god her legs... She must do a LOT of running.
"Eyes up here please." so now she decides to talk
"Sorry, just admiring your legs, you should be in the track & field team."
"Um… thanks…" she actually seems at least surprised by the awkwardness of this situation, but she quickly regains the calm look I found her with.
I think this'll drag on forever… "So, what were you doing here?"
"Would you believe me if I told you I was here by accident?" she asks in a tone, like she doesn't believe herself.
"No… But I think I understand what you were doing here."
She's a first year and what could she possibly want from me? Too calm for a caught stalker fan. So she's here not for herself, which of the first years do I have business with?
"Audrey has some cute pawns, if I do say so myself…"
"I'm not her pawn. She just asked me as our class representative and…" she shuts up realizing she just spilled the beans.
I can't help but chuckle at how easy that turned out to be, "So… if you're not her pawn, then why agree to do it?"
"She asked me as our class rep." So you're a loyal little soldier, nice.
"And what exactly did she tell you to do?"
"Keep an eye on you,and get some dirt. But she was pretty vague about that."
"And you're pretty honest about this."
"I'm bad at making excuses." She says dryly.
So I guess Audrey wants to find something to use against me, but really it would be useless. I rarely leave solid proof of anything and she'd just have rumors to speculate on and everybody knows those 'she did what?' rumors are just part of my appeal. I move my hand away from the harmless spy.
"Next time, use binoculars or something. You can watch me to your voyeuristic soul's content as long as you don't distract me…"
She lifts a brow at me, while her face shows surprise, I win. "Are you so sure that I won't find anything? What about what I saw just now?"
"Huh?" what did she see just now? Oh crap…
The feeling of Miria's assault on my lips come back. Yeah I was so uke back there. Maybe I should repress that memory, but then again she tastes like honey. Uh… Still nothing to fear, right? I mean who haven't I been paired with in my fans heads? And by some weird games of fate, I heard Miria being paired with everyone under the sun too. Funny that. So again this is totally…
Not good. Miria would still get furious over the mere thought that this leaked out, and she'll probably blame it on me too as a 'means to stop her from wining the elections'. That might get scary…
"So I guess I did see something?" she asks with interest, at least she's not gloating.
"Don't phrase it like a question," I chide her, ready to deliver more, before an idea pops in. I almost laugh at how perfect all of this is. "Miria'sthe only one you'll get trouble with," I'll get it by proxy from her, but she doesn't need to know that, "So if you want to get on our acting president's case go ahead… But it isn't me you're after?"
She grows silent, I guess I judged her right, she's a loyal soldier, not only to her local officer, but to the general as well. Thank the Goddess, Miria is popular with the first years.
I move my hand away from her and start waltzing down the stairs playing the victory fanfare in my head. Even in random encounters with small problems I find the most elegant way out… Oh and one more thing…
"Vote for Miria as the new Student Council president, would you." I guess I do owe her…
I put my player into 'shuffle all' mode, but it just brings up songs, that I'm probably going to delete when I get to my room. Why does technology have to be so unreliable in the face on random selection? Well, cause it's random, I guess sometimes I wish I was a character in a book or something and the songs in my player would symbolize my mood or something, but instead they go into the least listened ones I have… But I guess that's not what's really on my mind. I'm trying to think up of a strategy to make-up with Flora. The one I would think up on the roof back then if it wasn't for the distractions…
OK, so do I really need a strategy? I'm sure I can just make it with my usual approach. The kind and caring me that people usually believe is a mask or urban myth by now. Right now I'm usually bored or mildly amused most of the time, that would be the 'casual' me, I guess, still irresistible though. But if I find something I'm interested in, I usually go all out and attack in every way. I usually try to save the physical approaches for a coup de grace. That's the so called 'tropical storm phase' I guess… But with Flora I guess I can even go with the casual me. Explain the misunderstandings, add a few reassuring words and that'll be it.
Now all I have to do is find her. Since all the classes are over, she can be either in her room or in the clubs, and knowing her, it's definitely the music club. Thankfully it's not too far from the student council. By the music emanating from it I can tell that they're still going at it so I'm stuck here waiting. But the music coming from there is louder than my not ipod, so now I'm stuck listening as well. I try playing 'guess what classic tune they'll play next' but apparently every instrument is playing it's own, so that fails. I guess the club hasn't changed since I left it and people just go crazy with the school instruments they have. Well I guess they're not supposed to be an orchestra, but can't they agree on 1 song?
Waiting outside nearly kills me, so I decide I should peek into the room.
"Hello." I say as I open the door, somehow I came in, instead of just peeking in."
I'm instantly greeted by Sophia-sensei, who is still stuck as this club's advisor, "Oh, Galatea, what brings you here? Decided to master another instrument or refresh your skills?"
Luckily, Sophia was sitting right next to the door and I can hear her over the other instruments in the room. She sat focused before some music-sheets, seemingly unaware of the musical mess her students were concocting. I guess she's still not intruding into other people's 'musings' for the sake of them 'getting to know the instrument'. She's too much of an easygoing person for a teacher which was one of the reasons I went to this club during my first year…
"I'd love to, but don't know if I'll have the time. Student council stuff and all." I do a quick scan of the room and spot Flora by the piano, that's convenient, "But then again, I guess I have to practice to keep my skills sharp…"
"Of course you should. Just… don't distract the others, like you usually do." Oh I'll try…
I give her a little smile and make my way towards Flora, who's changed her usual violin for the piano. Funny cause it's the same one I always played, the second one is too mahogany. Her back is turned to me as she continues to play some easy melodies, guess she didn't notice me.
"Hey." or maybe she did.
Her 'hey' was so cold and sharp that it left me not knowing what to say. She can be pretty monotonous and cold, but today was like an arctic glacier aiming for my throat. I finally figure a suiting reply
"Hey…" I say pretty emptily as I stand behind her back, look at her sheets and try to sound like I know a thing about contrition, "I didn't know you decided to take up piano…"
"I did today and it has nothing to do with you playing it last year." actually I bet it does…
"No you were always very talented, I suppose it's just the natural next step…" it may sound like I'm just feeding her ego, but it's actually true. And it apparently works as she finally graces me with a look.
She looks hurt, but not in a cute fragile 'hurt', but rather I'm-not-talking-to-you 'hurt'.
"You're playing 'Dear You' by dai? That's a beautiful song." but it's also a sad song in my eyes.
"I've only begun to learn, so I decided to go… with a song I like." 'Not because you like it too Galatea', was the allusion I picked up.
"It is very beautiful… if I may?" time to get a little arrogant.
I don't give her time to reply as I sit near her and stretch my fingers. I'm good with the piano and other instruments that require intricate fingerwork. I can't say why. And music is one of my favorite things, so I can take Flora on a two-way ride to romantic-and-elegant-oneesama.
As I start playing the song, a faint smile crawls to my face. I'm usually always smiling when I play musical instruments, even through sad songs. I can see Flora watching my hands in a trance, that's a good sign. Now if only I can get her to smile. Music usually puts me at peace or sets the mood, I can appreciate a good song, I can fall in love with one, develop an addiction, forget it and rediscover it later to restart the cycle. But I never understood scenes in movies where a character tries to tell something to his loved one with a song. Yet here I am trying to do the exact same thing… And heaven knows how, but it seems to be working, cause I see her smile.
I finish playing and without turning to her utter in a serene voice "Flora, I'm sorry" I don't even want to go into explaining anything…
She looks at me for a second, her smile dies out a bit, "And what are you sorry for?"
"For making you misunderstand me and Miria." I guess that's the best way of putting it.
"You shouldn't be sorry for something like that…" she says once again regaining her smile.
"Of course I shouldn't…" wait what?
"But it's still cute that you feel guilty about it." she says with a smile.
"OK…" so did she slow down and think about the whole thing and realized that there's actually nothing incriminating that she had seen? Or… I don't like the look on her face.
"I understand you, because I did the same thing…" what is she talking about?
"Yeah…" and why am I agreeing?
"So I guess I can't blame you for falling for Miria yourself?"
What the? "What are you talking about? I only did it cause I was jealous of you and the kiss you saw was totally unrelated…" oh crap, I shut up but I think I already said too much… Damn…
"Kiss I saw?" of course you didn't, Dietrich saw it, but…
Just give me a minute, I'll think of a way out. I look at the music sheet as if trying to find a suitable answer.
"I guess you're not denying it now?" said Flora, "But that lie about doing it out of jealousy for me was a pleasant one."
It wasn't a lie, "What makes you think it was a lie?" damn! I sound like I'm giving up and accepting her view on this…
"Because even if I missed that supposed kiss, I still see how you look at her." that doesn't make sense, Flora. Rather, it was the way you looked at her and me separately, but I'm too tired to say anything.
I run my fingers on the piano keys and sigh. What do I do with you, Flora?
"Galatea, you have the extremity of summer, elegance of autumn, nobility of winter and the kindness of spring... And I realize that I can never hate you," And you have a tendency to be a little too poetic about this, "But I can no longer idolize you either…"
I smile, or at least I try.
"So now we can do it as equals…" says Flora as she gets up from the piano.
"Really now?" somehow I really don't like we're this heading, but I get up too.
Thankfully she lowers her voice for this and the music makes it unheard for the rest, "Now we can both compete for Miria…" with that and a smile, which seemed evil to me, she starts walking to the exit
How did this even happen? I reach my hand for my head to see if I haven't left it at home today. I need to catch Flora and set things straight, I absolutely must. But not a single word comes to mind. So I just stand there for a few seconds, more than enough time for Flora to leave, and then begin walking to the door by myself.
I wave goodbye to Sophia-sensei, even smile before exiting the room. Outside, I put my hand on the wall and then lean on it. Well… that went wrong… Maybe if I do a retrospect on my actions step by step I can find the exact moment things went wrong, but somehow I don't want to. I spot a silhouette near the corner, if I were lucky it would be Flora, but it's someone of shorter build. I can pull a guess.
I walk over there and see my newfound shadow,
"Hey, Dietrich." I say as I pin her to a wall again. I Guess I'm just in a bad mood.
"Um, hey…" she's just like earlier today, unfazed, "I thought you said I could track you, so what's the sudden ambush about?"
"I said 'as long as you don't get annoying'"
"You said 'as long as you don't distract me'" she's got good memory, "And I didn't think I was. Nice piano skills by the way…"
"Thanks, but that's beside the point." I guess the music did conceal the topic of our little chat.
"And you seemed a little depressed when you left the room."
"Sad songs put me in a sad mood. And now I need something to brighten up my day…"
"Well don't let me stop you from doing that…" she said trying to get out of my arms, but I prevent her from it.
She is kind of cute, I don't want to let her go just yet.
"You know, for a second there, I thought this day was getting not-so-good, but then I remembered I have such a cute girl stalking me…"
"Tracking." she corrects as she arches her brows.
"OK, tracking." I caress her cheek with my fingers, "Still doesn't change the fact that you're a cute girl." even if you have boy's name.
"Are you flirting with me or is that your intimidating voice?"
"The first." I put my other hand on her waist.
"Don't you think this is too sudden, even for someone of your reputation?"
"Not really. And doesn't every voyeur want to be part of the action sometime too?"
"I'm not a voyeur."
In response I only smile and move my hand from her waist a little up to underside of her left breast. Her eyes change to a look which I can only describe as 'you-have-got-to-fucking-kidding-me' but she doesn't resist.
"You know this is sexual harassment…" she says dryly.
"So was pinning you to a wall, but you didn't seem to protest."
"I think I'll do that now…" but strangely she didn't do anything, maybe she was waiting for me to get scared or something.
But she doesn't have to do anything as I see someone in the corridor, catching a glimpse of this scene. Not so good…
But after a few seconds of blinking she throws "Sorry for the interruption" and turns around.
That was a smart decision, but then I recognize that voice…
"Miria?" damn, it is her.
"Galatea? It's you?" and she saw me.
"It's… not what it looks like."
"I didn't see anything…" she turns around and runs off.
Honestly why the hell did I even try to make an excuse?
"First I saw you two and now… one could say this is… ironic."
"Shut up, Dietrich."
Suddenly a day which began so nicely ends on a bad note…
Caught Castilleja
End of scene 7.
Still 27 kisses left.
And the song Galatea plays on the piano is this one. w3(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=Q5HeJozGXJg
And no the one playing there is not me, I'm music ungifted.
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