***** II - Broken Illusions *****
For all the happy façade Zelda showed to the world, she didn't feel all that joyful most of the time. She was a real tomboy, with many unladylike manners, and she usually never wore dresses, preferring baggy pants, or ample shorts.
Irma had chosen the outfit she was wearing, applied makeup to her face, and convinced her to change her hairdo. Zelda had drawn the line at high-heeled shoes, however.
Of course, she had admirers, but they usually remarked how much like the rest of the 'guys' she was, and how great it was to have her as a 'buddy'. And, she thought bitterly, they all eventually dumped her for a more 'feminine' interest.
The small blonde girl had gone to a lot of trouble this evening, as she hoped to have at least one dance, with a very special friend. How she had dreamt of this evening, her heart bursting with hope, gathering her courage, praying that he would at the very least notice her efforts, and hold her tightly, if just for a song.
She looked around, rehearsing in her mind what she would say to the solemn, gentle, and drop-dead gorgeous man of her dreams, but then she saw him, and her heart sank, for he was talking to Sofie Almasy.
Zelda just stood there, unsure about what to do next, thinking that Quisto would for sure prefer the tall, attractive woman's company to that of an ugly duckling's like herself.
"Why are yah looking so sad, yah know?" Inquired a melodious voice at her back.
Zelda turned around, and faced a dark-skinned woman, even taller than Sofie, and dressed in a colorful sari and golden jewelry.
"Oh, hi Rica, I'm not sad, just tired."
Rica had been one of Sofie's team members, with Fujo, but she had drifted away from the aggressive blonde, and become good friends with Zelda. Most people were intimidated by her tall figure, but she was a mild, sweet, caring girl, and she felt that all was not well with her diminutive friend.
"I don't believe yah, you're never tired, yah know." She said, smiling kindly, and looking over where the two blonds were chatting.
"It's not important." Said Zelda, walking away.
Rica gently held her back, "Go talk to him, what's the worst that can happen?"
The small blonde thought that a lot of things could indeed go wrong. What if she made a fool of herself? Would she be able to live with the humiliation?
Finally coming to a valiant decision, she was about to follow Rica's advice, and bet everything on one daring move, but then she saw Sofie put her arms around Quisto's neck, and her resolve melted away.
"Forget it." Mumbled Zelda miserably, and walked away towards the buffet table, a concerned Rica tailing her.
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Had the tattooed woman stayed just a moment longer, the following events might have changed her mind.
Sofie Almasy was doing her best to get the handsome instructor interested in her, it wasn't out of genuine attraction, but just another of her mind games. As she liked to put it, she was mixing business with pleasure, thus getting the best of both worlds.
She was shamelessly putting her charms forward, but Quisto's eyes never even strayed to her chest, staying level with her own. The guy had inhuman self-control, she thought.
Sensing that she was about to lose the catch, she went for an all-out attack, throwing her arms around his neck, and offering in a syrupy voice, "You know Instructor, if you're willing to go easy on my curriculum, I can make you very happy."
Quisto was a normal male, but he had self-discipline, and was far from stupid. Getting involved with a student was considered a conflict of interest, Garden rules severely forbid it, and, to top it off, he was weary of Sofie Almasy's intrigues.
He grabbed the blonde woman's wrists, and firmly untangled her arms from his neck.
"Miss Almasy," he warned, "The Headmistress, for reasons I cannot fathom, decided to let you back. I, on the other hand, was against it, and this little display of yours does nothing to change my mind."
Sofie's eyes widened, utterly stunned at his reaction, for she had expected either a positive response, or for the man to be taken aback, and completely embarrassed. "But I'm only trying to make your day, Quisto, don't you find me attractive?" She insisted.
The blond guy let go of her, and a hard look came to his sapphire-blue eyes, "I strongly suggest that you stop these little games of yours, Sofie, or you will find me far less lenient than Cidalya." And with that he turned on his heel, and walked away.
The blonde woman just stood there for a few seconds, enraged at having been brushed off. She had never expected to end up having the lower hand, for that just did not happen to Sofie Almasy, or it used to be that way, not so long ago...
She also turned around, and proudly left the vicinity, her head high, an arrogant look in her eyes, and hoping very hard that nobody could see in them the pain and hurting she was feeling at that moment.
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End of chapter 2.
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Can dreams come true? The answer is coming in the last chapter ;)
