Disclaimer: I do not claim to own the anime Gundam Wing or any of its characters. All this is for fun so please don't sue me!
Chapter One: Sally's story
Sally's POV
I remember seeing him for the first time when I was fifteen. He was hiding behind an old oak tree in the playground, dark eyes staring at me intently as I helped a fellow volunteer try to calm down one of the little girls. I spent three days a week doing community service at the McKinney Orphanage in downtown New York, hoping to add that extra curricular activity into my transcript. I was aiming for a scholarship to go to college since my family couldn't afford for it.
"It's okay Katie," I told the other student. "I'll take care of her."
I turn to the little girl and introduce myself. "My name's Sally. What's yours?"
"Hannah," came the meek reply. The girl sniffed, wariness still in her eyes.
"Hello, Hannah. The older students and I come here to volunteer and help out the younger kids, maybe even play with them. You like to play right?"
Encouraged by her nod, I continue to calmly talk to her and in a few minutes I had her laughing and telling me stories about the orphanage.
"Come on," Hannah said, as she pulled on my hand. "It's almost snack time. Let's go to the mess hall and I'll share my cookies with you."
"Alright," I replied with a smile.
She gave me a big smile in return and continued to lead me inside the building. I suddenly remember the boy I noticed earlier and told Hannah to hold on. I turn to ask him if he wanted to join us have some snacks. Now that I can fully look at him, I saw that he was of Chinese heritage. This made me smile since I was half Chinese myself. Maybe this common ground will make it easier for me to approach him.
I failed to see Hannah tense at my suggestion since I was too busy watching the boy frown at me before running away.
"Wait!" I called after the boy, somewhat disappointed.
"Don't mind him." Hannah was carefully looking at the boy's retreating back. "That's Wufei. He likes to be by himself all the time. Everyone says he's rude and mean, so no one wants to be friends with him."
I reluctantly followed Hannah inside, my mind still on Wufei. The girl said the boy likes to keep to himself, but I couldn't help but notice the glint of sadness and loneliness in his eyes before he had ran off.
In the next few days I learned that Wufei's last name was Chang and that he came to the orphanage about two years ago when he was nine years old. I tried to be friends with him every time I stop by to do my volunteer work, but true to Hannah's words the boy proved to be rude. I approached Ms. Une, the lady in charge of the orphanage about Wufei and she told me about his background.
"The poor boy, he actually blames himself for the death of his entire family."
I frowned at the older woman. "Why would he do that?"
"You see, there was a robbery at his house one night while he was sleeping over at some friend's house. Wufei thinks that if he had been there, he could have stopped the robber from killing his parents."
"But he was just a little boy! What could he have done?"
"We all told him that, but he won't listen. He's been withdrawn since then. Nothing we do seem to make him get out of his shell."
I remember feeling so sad that an 11 year old could hold that much bitterness towards himself. But ever the optimist, I continue to go out of my way and show him that we can be friends. I even tried to subtly help him out. By telling him about one of my favorite books.
"Have you ever read the book Oliver Twist (1)?" I asked one time when I caught him just lounging around.
"I hate reading," he answered with some irritation. "And lady, if you say some crap about how reading will help enrich my life somehow, just forget about it. I don't need to do anything I don't want to." I tried not to be too put out by his dismissal.
"Too bad," I said, acting nonchalant. "You're really missing out on a really good story. It's about this boy who seem to have the worse possible luck fate could have thrown at him. So he goes through all these struggles, but in the end everything worked out for the best and he finally finds out that he was never alone in the world."
Wufei remained silent, but I could see in his eyes that he was slowly going over what I had just told him.
Gradually, I noticed that he seemed to follow and observe me all the time. Of course he would try to be discreet about it, but like I said, I still noticed. Then one day Ms. Une asked me to be his tutor since he seemed to chase away all the previous ones. He didn't make it any easier on me. Usually he'll make some rude comments and just walk out. Well, he was also rude to me, but he stayed, even if he did look like he was not paying any attention. Ms. Une was really surprised that he actually stays throughout the entire one hour session with me. This somehow, made me feel special.
It was quite an emotional day for me and everyone when I went to say goodbye to my little friends at the orphanage. I had just graduated high school and will be attending a university upstate. After two years in this place nobody wanted to see me leave.
I was disentangling Hannah's arms around my neck when I noticed Wufei standing some ways away from our little group. He was leaning against the same oak tree where I had first seen him. His face showed no emotion as I walked over to him and say that I'll be leaving for college.
"I'd like to keep in touch. We can write letters to each other back and forth if you like," I told him with a smile.
For a minute he says nothing. Then he pushes away from the tree, his words stunning me.
"Why would I want to do that? Just leave, everyone else does." And with that he walks away without a single glance.
The words hurt me more than I would like to admit. I thought I had somehow gotten through to him this last two years. But those words gave me a little insight into who Wufei is. I got the impression that he was holding himself back from getting too close to anybody. I knew he wasn't as cold as the others thought him to be. I refused to give up on him.
For the next few years I visited the orphanage during my breaks. I told myself it was because I promised Hannah I'd always go see her, but deep down I knew that I also do it because of Wufei.
I see him around, by himself just like before. Sometimes I would catch him looking at me and I would have the strangest feeling that he wants to talk. But as soon as I approach him with a smile, Wufei tenses up and runs away. Oh well, there was always another day.
Due to hard work, I managed to finish college a semester early. During my annual Christmas visit to the orphanage, I tell Ms. Une the good news and invited her to my graduation. Even thought I had graduated, I explained that the actual ceremony will not be held till June of next year.
On my way out of the building I happened to pass by one of the orphanage's study hall. I glanced inside and saw Wufei, reading a book, his face full of fierce concentration. I study his profile for a minute and could not help but think that he had grown up well. He had let his black hair grow a little longer pulled back in a low ponytail at the back. I smile thinking how it suits him perfectly. I caught the direction of my thoughts and blushed. He suddenly lifted his head, sensing that he was not alone anymore. I see him put on a guarded look as I step inside the room.
"What are you studying?" I asked and looking over his shoulder to catch a glimpse of the book on the table before him.
"None of your business," came his cold reply. He slammed the book shut and I see that it was an SAT guide book.
"I forget that you'll be graduating high school in June," I said and took the seat next to him. "But why are you taking the SAT just now?"
He gave me a hard stare before scowling back at the book. "Ms. Une found out I didn't take it last month so she's making take it this February," he answered miserably.
I offer him my help just for old times sake and was happy to see him give me a slight nod. As we studied the book together, I became more and more aware that he was not a boy anymore. It hardly seemed like seven years has passed. I caught myself a couple of times sneaking a peak at his profile, but would quickly look away for fear of being caught. I just knew I will never live it down if he happens to catch me admiring him.
As time flew by I noticed that one particular problem was giving him some difficulty. Without warning Wufei suddenly shoved the book off the table out of frustration. Just as sudden he stalks to the window.
I walked up to him and said, "It's okay Wufei. Don't give up now."
He looked back at me and glare. Even with the scowl on his face I could not ignore the fact how much he had change this pass years. And not in a bad way at that. I realized where my thoughts were heading again and felt my face go warm.
He suddenly smirks at me and lean in closer. "I had enough of this studying. Why don't we try a different kind of lesson for now."
I saw his gaze linger on my lips, his eyes getting darker. I tensed as I realize exactly what he meant. I stared at him, my eyes taking in the face of the attractive young man Wufei had become. I feel my blush deepen as he looks deeply into my eyes. I told myself that a twenty-one year old had no business thinking about things like that towards a seventeen year old teenager.
A loud crash down the hallway made me jump. I quickly step away from him, eyes falling to the ground, afraid that I might succumb to the temptation. As I look back up at him, he gives me another smirk before strolling over to the fallen book. Without saying another word, Wufei picked up the book and walked out of the room.
I did not come back to the orphanage until the night after my graduation. Hannah had insisted on throwing me a party. Earlier that day, I had been saddened to know that niether my parents or Ms. Une were able to make it to the graduation. Later I found out that both my parents had overslept, too tired from their work the night before. Ms. Une had called to say that she had a family emergency, but remember to mention Hannah's little party. That night I tell everyone of a job offer I received from an old acquaintance in San Francisco.
"You're going all the way over there?" Hannah asked me tearfully. "But that's all the way in the west coast."
"I haven't accepted the job yet, but it sound like a really good opportunity for me."
"Everyone's leaving," she sniffed. "Even Wufei was saying how he's so out of here once he turns eighteen in a few months."
I suddenly get this funny sensation in the pit of my stomach upon hearing that news and looked up to where I had seen Wufei earlier. I didn't know why, but over the years I had began to worry over the boy. Unfortunately he chose that moment to pull one of his disappearing acts once again.
I returned to the orphanage the very next day. With a couple of packages in my hands, I headed straight to the place where I know I would find Wufei. The picture of the teenager sitting up against the trunk of the oak tree made me smile. I did not want to admit it, but I was going to really miss him.
"Hey," I said in greeting when I got close enough. I had not talked to him since that day in the study hall and remembering the incident made me a little nervous. "You disappeared before I could say goodbye last night so I figured I'd stop by today."
Wufie stared at me with a blank face.
Clearing my throat, I said, "So I heard that you'd be leaving soon also. Any idea where you'll be heading?"
Still no response. I sat down next to him on the ground.
"Well, anyway I just wanted to give you these." I held out the packages I had with me. "Think of them as a early going away and birthday gift."
Wufei's face was still unreadable as he continued to stare at me. His eyes shifted to the gifts in my hands. After a while he again looked at me and without losing eye contact slowly reaches out to take the packages. He again examines the gifts, but this time I thought I see a hint of emotion flash across his face. I saw him hesitate before putting on that familiar frown.
"…thanks," he mumbled gruffly.
My heart gave a funny little flip at first positive response I hear from him. The smile I offered him, however, faltered when he suddenly got up and walked away. That was the last time I saw Wufei.
(1) I've never actually read the book, so what I have down was based on the impressions that I got here and there. If anyone is more familiar with the book, just tell me if I made a blunder of it.
Author's notes: So what do all think so far? I'm sorry if it's sort of cramped for one chapter. But this is like just a background info on how Sally met Wufei, kinda like a flashback. I promise the whole story is not gonna be written this way. Well, don't forget to leave a review and tell me what you think!
Next chapter: We hear Wufei's side of the story.