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 Two: Wufei's story

Wufei's POV

I remembered that I was suppose to run away from the orphanage when I was eleven. I couldn't stand being there. To see the look of pity in their eyes whenever they see me. Always acting like they can make everything better. I did not need their pity or their friendship. I learned earlier in life that it's best to seal yourself away from anybody. That way, you don't get hurt when they go away.

But then she came along. I told myself back then that she was just like everybody else. I saw her mostly with the younger kids. Hannah was her favorite, she was the only one that actually got the little blond girl to stop being afraid of everybody. Okay, so maybe she was really nice, but I wasn't about to let my guard down. Sometimes you just got to learn and harden your heart from getting hurt. That was why I ran, when she asked me to join her and Hannah.

"Hi there," I heard her say softly. "Would you like to come have some snacks with us?"

I did not see any sign of pity in her eyes. All I saw was genuine kindness and a caring smile. That was the first time I knew that if I'm not careful she could actually break through my defenses. And I could not just let that happen.

A few days later, I overheard Hannah talking to Ms. Une one time about Sally. That's when I learned she was a sophomore in our town's local high school and that her last name was Po. At first I was dubious when she told me that she too was Chinese .

"What do you take me for?" I asked with a snort. "I wasn't born yesterday, lady. With that blond hair of yours and blue eyes, you're as Chinese as that blond brat you always play with."

"No, seriously," she replied in earnest. "My father was from China, so I'm half Chinese. I look after my mother though. She also has blue eyes and blond hair like I do. But really, just look at the shape of my eyes."

I let out a frustrated growl. Why did she not get offended with the way I talked to her and just leave me alone? I readied myself to give her another rude remark. But I made the mistake of actually looking her straight in the eye. Because that's when it happened. I suddenly got this really weird feeling in my stomach, like it was all knotted. And I didn't understand why my mouth went dry all of a sudden. So I did the only thing I could do at the moment - I glare at her and walk away.

After that, for some weird reason, I couldn't help myself. Whenever Sally would come to volunteer at the orphanage, I would discreetly follow her around. She was different. She didn't look at you like she was trying to dissect you and figure out what makes you tick just so she can fix whatever is wrong with you. Ms. Une and the others were like that. You can't fix emotional scars. But like I said Sally was different, she can make you forget, make you feel like you're whole again- normal.

I know she would notice me following her around. Sometimes she'd glance from the corner of her eye, then smile and wait. I would never go near her though or try to talk to her. I just lacked the courage back then. So I just watch her play with the other kids, bitterly wishing that it was me with her. One of the things I like about her was her stubbornness. My behavior did not seem to bother her and she would always find a way to talk to me.

One particular day was quite memorable. It was the day of my twelfth birthday. Of course she didn't know it was my birthday since I had never told her and I doubt any of the other kids would have said anything either. I remembered my dark mood matched the weather and I watch from a window as rain pelted the glass's surface.

"You know," a voice suddenly said behind me. "If you keep frowning like that your face is liable to get stuck that way."

I turn my head and see Sally smiling down at me. In the same pleasant voice she asked me what was wrong.

"None of your business," I said dismissively. I look back outside wishing she would leave me alone and at the same time hoping she would continue to talk to me. From the corner of my eye, I see her walk up beside me and watch the rain with me.

"I could never get why some people think that rain is so depressing, do you?"

I give her question a noncommittal grunt, but deep down I was happy that she was actually talking to me.

"For me rainy days are always some sort of a new beginning," she continues, ignoring my lack of response. "It's kind of symbolic I think. Like the rain comes and somehow washes away all the things you would want to get rid of and makes way for the new things. It makes you believe everything always gets a chance to start over again, but this time around for the better."

I glance at her warily, feeling like she was talking about me and my past directly. When she turned to look at me, I quickly hide behind my mask and slip into familiar territory.

"You're one weird lady, you know that?" I tell her. With a dark scowl, I walk away from her. But that night, with the rain still coming down hard against my bedroom window, I remember her words and smile. Maybe there was something to what she had said.

Still, I hate it when people tell me what to do. That was why I always try to scare away my tutors. I was doing fine on my own with school and I don't need some pimply teenager, telling me that I wasn't multiplying the right numbers or using the correct grammar on a sentence. I can figure things out on my own. I think Ms. Une finally gave up when nobody seemed to came back after a day of tutoring with me. Then I was secretly shocked when Sally came into the study hall one afternoon and said she was to be my new tutor.

Of course, I try to make it hard on her also, just to keep up the act. Even if she thought of me as an obnoxious brat, at least I had her for a whole hour all to myself. I always pretend I wasn't paying attention, but I did listen. She looked like that kind of girl that respects someone who was smart.

I would never know the exact time or day I fell in love with her. I just knew that as the years went by, all those times watching her gave me an insight into her and against my better judgment I let her into my heart. Of course she never knew anything about it. I made sure to keep up the façade specially when she left for college. I knew she would leave eventually, everyone else did. It didn't hurt as much, but the pain was still there.

The day Sally came to say goodbye, I wanted to be one to the kids that surrounded her and gave her hugs. But my body would not move. So I opted to stay by the oak tree, casually leaning on the truck and feeling miserable. When she glanced my way, I forced my face to remain stoic, even when my heart began to beat rapidly as she walked over.

"I guess you've heard," she said. "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 wanted to say, "Yes I'd write you a letter a day just so you won't forget me." But the foolish pride of a thirteen year old just wouldn't let me. So instead I say something insulting.

"Why would I want to do that? Just leave, everyone else does."

I walk away feeling guilty and hating myself. I should not have started caring about her. Everyone I cared about seem to leave me all the time.

I wish I can also just leave, but I couldn't legally until I was eighteen. So I endured a few more years. The only thing that made it bearable was the fact that Sally came to visit us once in a while. Those days were torture for me. I had done nothing but wish that I can spent time with her again when she wasn't there and yet when she comes to visit I could do nothing but run away. I wanted to tell her how proud of her I was and so much more. But I content myself by just watching.

The day I learned she was graduating from college, I hid. I didn't want to see her tell everyone that she moving on again. So there I was in the study hall, studying for the SAT. I had given some thought to what Ms. Une said after she found out that I had not taken it yet. So I'm giving the stupid test a try. I came to thinking that if I try hard enough I can make something of myself and maybe follow Sally wherever she settles down.

I suddenly sensed someone watching me and look up to see Sally by the doorway. For a moment I was dumbstruck by her beauty. Over the years it still baffled me how she manages to become more and more prettier. I quickly hide behind a stoic expression the second I she walked into the room, afraid that she'll find out how I really feel about her.

"What are you studying?" she asked me as she leans over my shoulder.

My nose caught the sweet smell of her hair and I tense. Years of practice made my reaction automatic.

"None of your business," I reply coldly. I slammed the book shut in frustration.

I was too busy trying not to panic when she pulled out the chair next to mine and sat down. I dimly realize that she was saying something, but the beating of my heart was too loud to my ears and I was afraid she'd hear. I caught myself staring at her and realized that she was waiting for some sort of reply. I quickly backtracked in my mind as I scowl at my book.

"Ms. Une found out I didn't take the SAT last month so she's making me take it this February." I try not to show my embarrassment at the confession.

Sally offered to help me study and I grudgingly agreed. I didn't want her to see me struggle at understanding some of the problems, but a time spend with her was something I didn't want to pass up. As the hour passed, I realized that I was in trouble. If I was having difficulty studying before, then concentrating on the problems in front of me was next to impossible with her in the room. All I ever seem to do was secretly stare at her. If I once thought her pretty at seventeen, now at twenty-one she was stunning. I knew people thought her plain, as does she, but in my opinion her humbleness and kindness just added to her beautiful, inside and out.

When I caught myself staring at her again, I force my eyes back on the book and saw that we had been trying to solve the same problem for the last fifteen minutes. Disgusted at how I was behaving, I shoved the book away from me and stood up to put some space between us.

Her soft voice reached my ears as she stands next to me. I glare at her, thinking, how can it be okay when it was her fault I couldn't concentrate. I was so shaken by how deep my response was to her that I did the most idiotic thing I could do. As always, my defenses went up when I feel my control slipping away. So I did not question my next actions.

I lean in closer and smirked. "I had enough of this studying," I told her softly. " Why don't we try a different kind of lesson for now?"

My eyes lands on her lips and all pretense of scaring her away vanished. At that moment, all I wanted to do was touch those lips with mine and see if they feel as soft as they looked. I look back up at her eyes and was shocked to see the same awareness in her eyes. Just before I felt like I was going to drown in the depths of those clear blue eyes, a distraction from the hallway snaps me back to reality. I saw her move away from me, her eyes cast low. A stab of pain pierced my chest at her reaction, but I immediately hid it behind another smirk when she looked back at me. Turning away, I walked over to the fallen book to pick it up. I hated myself for doing what I did. Maybe someday I'll be able to prove to her that what I feel is the love of man that will last forever.

When Sally did not come back to the orphanage months after the incident, I thought I had ruined everything. Feeling guilty, I snuck out of the orphanage to attend her graduation ceremony. I had decided to apologize to her, but after seeing her surrounded by her friends, I suddenly felt out of place. So I just stood off to the side and watched her. Even when I saw her sad face searching the crowd for the parents that never came, I held back. I wanted to walk up to her and let her know that somebody was there for her, but I wasn't sure how she would react, so I held back.

For as long as I can remember, I never forgave myself for being a coward back then. I had a couple of opportunities to tell her everything, the whole truth of it. At the night of the party Hannah threw for her, I could have told her then. Instead I hid from her after finding out that she might be moving to the other side of the country. I didn't want to face the fact that she was moving farther and farther out of my reach. Then there was the following day. The day she brought the two most cherished possessions I will ever have.

I watched her impassively as she explained how she wanted to say goodbye the night before, but couldn't find me.

"So, I heard you'd be leaving soon also," she was saying now. " Any idea where you'll be heading?"

Hannah, I thought. She must have found out from that brat. When I did not respond she sits down beside me and places two simple-wrapped presents in front of me.

"Think of them as an early going away and birthday gift."

I look back and forth between her and the packages. I searched her eyes, looking for some clue that this might be a joke - a way of getting me back. But all I saw was the same genuine kindness and honesty. Maybe even a hint of sadness. I reach out to take the presents and frown. How can she still be nice to me after all I've done to her. I was able to mumble my thanks before taking off. If I had stayed longer I was certain that I would break.

Back in my room I hold the book she gave me and stare at it. Oliver Twist. A story about a boy on the verge of self discovery. In my other hand was a gold-plated key chain the size of a silver dollar. On the front was the inscription: Most folks are about as happy as they make their minds to be (1). And at the back was a small picture of the flower Camellia (2) and the words: Be happy, Sally.

(1) Quoted by Abraham Lincoln

(2) I've read somewhere that Camellia is a good luck gift for men.

Author's notes: I hope I didn't make Wufei overly sappy on the inside. But I just didn't want him coming across as a block of ice. Again I apologize for cramming six years of experience in one chapter. But it will get better, not just the format, also the story plot, so tell me what you think!

Next chapter: Sally is reunited with the one she thought she'd never see again.