Just Like Her

Part 5

Heero stared at the door of Relena's apartment wondering what he should do next. He got up from his seat and gazed around her apartment. The space that belonged to the living room was adorned with a small sofa covered in a light floral fabric. Underneath one of the windows rested a small oak end table with a white vase filled with an arrangement of flowers resting on it; the other window led out to a little balcony just like his. The windows themselves were draped with an airy muslin cloth that flowed with the afternoon breeze. The tv was situated across from the couch against the wall amid an array of oak shelves that reached all heights, there was nothing on the shelves yet as Heero figured those must have been the ones she was putting up when she woke him up. The surrounding walls were bare and the other pieces of furniture had yet to be put in their places. On top of the misplaced furniture were a few moving boxes, not to mention the other boxes that littered the floor with trinkets popping out of each one. 'Well she's been busy. Just hope that she doesn't have anything else to assemble that makes such a racket,' he thought comically.

Her kitchen was quaint like his, still a little bare from the lack of accessories. A little eating nook in the corner with a table and a few chairs; a refrigerator against the wall and a small window just above the breakfast nook looking out to the street below. That was all there was to it at the moment. He figured he shouldn't stay there too long so he concluded his tour with the living room, going beyond that space was intrusion on his part. As he walked out towards the entry, he noticed a single frame hanging on the beige painted wall. He glanced at it briefly before locking the door behind him and smiling slightly before shutting the door. Outside the door he froze for a moment as the picture on the wall resurfaced in his mind. There in the picture was Relena as a little girl with her parents and on top of her head, an old baseball cap. 'This can't be happening.'

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Relena dashed down the sidewalk and through the people in route to the library. 'Geeze, Mr. Fitzgerald is going to kill me! Hilde is definitely going to get a kick out of this one.' With her last burst of energy, she sprinted up the stairs to the doors, pausing a moment to catch her breath and figure out an excuse for being late. As soon as she went inside, the person she dreaded the most was sitting patiently at the front desk, and then there was Hilde, standing right behind him with an arm full of books and a huge smile on her face. "Well Ms. Dorilan, glad you could join us," he remarked as he neatly tucked his hands under his chin. "Since you look like you've put a great deal of effort in getting here, there is no point in me being angry at you."

Relena, relieved that her efforts meant something, smiled. Her cheeks were still warm and flushed from her trek to work, she had not run like that in quite some time. "Well just don't stand there Ms. Dorilan, hurry on and get to work."

"Yes sir."

Relena immediately went over to the returns cart to collect some books for reshelving. "What took you so long?"

Relena looked over her shoulder as she picked up a pile of books. "Long story Hilde," she whispered.

Hilde cocked an eyebrow and smirked. "Oh really? What's wrong? Did you meet a tall, dark, and handsome stranger?" she teased as they headed to the racks.

Relena was silent for a moment and Hilde jumped on it. "Oh I see, so you did meet someone? Who is he hmm?"

"It's not like that Hilde, he's just my neighbor who just happens to be tall, dark, and handsome," she informed her inquiring friend who was putting books away just as she was.

"Sure."

"I'm serious Hilde," Relena exclaimed in a hushed voice. "I just met him yesterday."

"Really."

"Yes, really." Relena was getting a tad annoyed now. Hilde was Relena's best friend but she did have a bad habit of exaggerating things from time to time.

"Well, how exactly did you meet him? Come on Relena, it's your duty as my friend to tell me."

Relena just smiled. "It's a rather funny story actually, but Mr. Fitzgerald is giving us the eye again so let's try to look somewhat busy."

"Don't mind him, he's just a prude."

"A prude who can leave me penniless in a matter of moments."

"That's hardly the case Relena and you know it. You just do this for the fun of it."

Relena sighed. "I know, but I don't want to let on too much. I want a normal life."

"Yeah yeah I know. But that's beside the point, get on to how you met Mr. Handsome."

Relena blushed a slight shade of pink, she never did take into account how good looking her neighbor happened to be. He did have remarkable dark blue eyes and his hair was a gorgeous shade of dark brown. "As you all ready know, I have just moved into my apartment a few days ago. Well, I was putting up some shelves on my walls and I guess the constant pounding annoyed him a little. He knocked on my door and asked me if I could quiet down a bit. The funny thing though was that he didn't actually say that, he was left speechless at the sight of me."

Hilde jabbed Relena in the ribs with her elbow. "Way to go Relena."

"It's not like that Hilde. He uttered the name Jillian and it turns out that I remind him of his deceased little sister."

"Wow, how weird." Hilde's tone of voice grew a little more mellow as Relena continued with the story.

"And apparently he was a little distraught this morning and eventually cried himself to sleep well into the late morning. Had I known that he was sleeping I wouldn't have put up the rest of my shelves."

Hilde put her hand on her forehead. "Relena, you didn't."

"It was twelve in the afternoon Hilde, I didn't think he would be sleeping. Anyway, he came to my door, a little more irritated than the night before, and when I opened the door, I noticed how emotionally drained he looked. It was then that I decided to invite him in for lunch and some chit chat."

"Poor guy, what did you say?"

"Not much really, he's not much of a conversationalist. I tried my best to get him to open up a little but it was a futile attempt. I understood where he was coming from, I was a complete stranger and he wasn't obligated to tell me anything of the sort." Relena lied. In her heart she felt that it was not her place to tell Hilde what he told her, it was hard enough for him to relay his feelings to her and she wasn't about to tell all just yet.

"And soon after you realized you were running late for work."

"Yeah and I felt so bad, running out of my apartment like that and leaving him there. I hope he isn't mad at me."

"I doubt it. You're the kind of person that is hard to get mad at Relena. Hey, I've got an idea!" Hilde exclaimed as her eyes lit up with a devious twinkle.

Relena picked this up immediately. "Whatever it is you are thinking Hilde, the answer is no," Relena retorted before Hilde could get a word in.

"Ah come on, just hear me out Relena. Dinner at your place tonight. I'll bring Duo and you can invite your neighbor. Come on, I'll help you cook." Hilde's eyes pleaded along with her voice. "Just think of it as a house warming party. I'll even come over after work and help you tidy up the place."

"Oh, I don't know Hilde, what if he doesn't feel comfortable?"

"That is the last thing that's going to happen to him Relena. Duo will make him feel welcomed."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Relen remarked as she rolled her eyes.

"I take that as a yes then?"

"It really doesn't matter what I have to say in this, you are going to do what you want anyhow." It's not that she minded their company, she was just afraid that Heero wouldn't want to come and if he did, that he would be scared off by Hilde's boyfriend. Duo was a nice guy, but like his other half, he was boisterous and gregarious, the complete opposite of her neighbor as far as she could tell. The last thing she would want to do is scare him off just as she was getting to know him.

"Great, I've got everything planned out all ready."

"You're something else you know that Hilde? But I guess that's the reason that you and Duo are one of the only people that can put up with me."

"Got that right. Maybe your new neighbor friend will be able to put up with you as well."

"Let's just hope."

It was going to be an interesting night ahead of her. What happened that evening would determine the making or breaking of her new found friendship, the latter was the option she hoped to avoid.