Chapter Three: Another Disappearance
"Bye Noin! I'll be back later, okay?" A blond blur raced through the hallway and out the door. Before Noin could respond, Relena was gone.
"Wait, Lena! Where are you--? Damn that girl! She knows she shouldn't run off like that without letting us know, what with all the killings going on...still, it's been a while since I've seen Lena so carefree. Maybe it'll be all right--" Her commentary was cut short as her attention shifted to the television.
"And this just in! Authorities found another mutilated body today just a few miles north of St. Mary's Cathedral. Nineteen-year-old Caitlin Callahan, shown here, was a novice ready to recite her vows when she went missing one month ago. A--"
Noin quickly turned the television off, effectively cutting off the reporter's upsetting news. Hands shaking, she whispered, "Oh my God! Relena's out there...alone..."
***
'Whew, I didn't think I'd ever get away,' Relena thought as she slowed her pace down to a leisurely walk. 'Everyone has been so uptight about the killings, it's crazy. But at least today I'll have some time to myself.'
As Relena continued walking, she heard the sounds of a chisel striking stone. 'Hmmm, I wonder what that is.' Following the sounds, she came upon a small clearing where she saw a young man chipping away at a block of marble. Not wanting to disturb him, she padded softly across the grass and was about to glance over his shoulder at the sculpture when he suddenly turned and pinned her down with an icy stare.
Shivering despite the heat, Relena nervously cleared her throat and said, "H-Hi! I heard you working so I thought that I'd come over and introduce myself. M y name's Relena, by the way, but everyone calls me Lena."
The sculptor continued to stare at her before he finally turned and resumed his work. 'Um, I guess that means I can stay,' she thought to herself. She walked around to look at the stone and was shocked at what she saw. Two figures were entwined with each other, both trying to be free but unable to because of their shared marble prison. Pain was apparent in every line and curve but Relena wasn't sure if the pain was part of the creation or its creator.
The strangest thing, though, was that one of the figures looked vaguely familiar...
"That's, um, a really great sculpture you have there," she said lamely, "How long have you been working on it?" When the young man failed to respond, Relena glanced over at him, taking in his unruly brown hair and impassive Prussian blue eyes.
'I wonder what it is about him that fascinates me so much. He's handsome, true, but I've seen other guys who are much more handsome than he. And what's with this silent treatment? I've heard of creative focus but this is ridiculous!!' Hoping to get a response from him, she continued to badger him with questions about himself and his work, sometimes interjecting a few comments about herself until finally he spoke.
"Do you always talk so much?" he asked quietly.
Grinning brightly, Relena said, "Nah, only when I fail to get a response. Normally, my friend Duo is the one shooting his mouth off. But, since you're in a talkative mood, why don't you tell me what your name is?"
"Why do you want to know?"
At a loss for words, Relena sputtered, "Why do I want to know?! Um, how about common courtesy? Jeez, with your attitude, it's no wonder no one hangs out with you!"
"Perhaps I prefer it that way--"
Before he could continue, she burst out saying, "Okay, y'know what? I got the picture loud and clear. You obviously want to be alone with your, your sculpture so I'll go! I hope you and it have a wonderful life together!!" And with that, she stormed off, not knowing that the young brown-haired, blue-eyed sculptor was still watching her.
As he caught the last glimpse of her, he whispered, "It was nice meeting you, Relena. My name's Heero Yuy."
***
Relena hurried off, unsure of why she was acting like such a spoiled brat. 'Normally I'm really rational. I wonder why he affects me like that? I mean, Duo says things to aggravate me all the time but I've never given into my temper. But with him, all he has to do is simply open his mouth and I fly off the handle!! What's up with that?! Aargh!!'
Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by someone calling her name. 'What now?' she groaned silently to herself.
Pasting a cheerful smile on her face, she turned around and saw two dark-haired boys walking towards her. 'Hmmm, I wonder if that's him coming to apologize? Yeah right, Lena! Get a grip!' As they drew closer, she recognized one of the figures immediately and called out, "Hey Duo! Who's your friend?"
Before he could answer, the mysterious figure spoke in a chiding tone, "Lena! I'm hurt that you don't remember me! It hasn't been that long, has it?"
"R-Rian? Is that you?!" At his affirming nod, Relena shrieked in surprise and launched herself into his arms. "Omigosh! It is you! How have you been? When did you get here? Are you back for good? Where are you living? How are your parents--?"
"Whoa girl, calm down. First, I'm doing well. I got back today. Yes, I'm back for good and I'm living at my old house. Now, are there any other questions that you'd like me to answer?"
She laughed at his wry expression and replied, "Nah, I'm just so happy that you're back! Gosh, I haven't seen you in ages!"
Relena stepped back to take a good long look at her best friend and instantly noted the differences. Rian had changed over the years. He was grown taller and leaner, and his face lacked the innocence he had before. He looked ready to take on anyone and everyone but how could that be? The Rian that she had known and loved hated fighting and tried to prevent it whenever possible. Could the years have changed him that much? Shaking her head in denial, Relena smiled brightly and asked, "So, what are you doing tonight? If you're not busy, I'm sure that Millardo and Noin would love to see you."
Rian had seen the confusion in Relena's eyes and wondered at it but decided not to comment. Grinning, he said, "Sure, I'd love to see your brother, but who's Noin? Is she your brother's new girlfriend?"
Smiling broadly, Relena replied, "I guess you could say that. Noin is Millardo's wife. They got married a year ago. Since my parents decided to go on their second honeymoon, I'm staying with them for a while so dinner will be at their house. Does six sound okay to you?"
"Sounds great to me. Well, I still gotta go run some errands so I'll meet up with you later, okay? See ya later, alligator!"
"In a while, crocodile!"
Relena watched him walk off and shook her head, remembering the times they used to share, including their corny, but traditional, farewell phrases. Turning around, she saw Duo staring at her curiously. "What?! Is there something on me? What are you staring at?!"
Duo just shook his head. "Nothing. I just didn't know that you knew Rian." Watching the retreating figure, he asked in a nonchalant voice, "So, how exactly do you know him? I mean, he just moved in today."
"Well, Rian used to live here but he moved away four years ago. Back then, we used to cause so much trouble!" she said with a laugh, "Most of the time, it was my fault but he came up with some pretty good ideas too! There was this one time when we..."
***
The dark-eyed figure watched her from among the shadows, admiring the smooth curve of her cheek and the lithe gracefulness with which she walked. Her silky blond hair flowed behind her and he watched as she gently pushed some of it behind her ear. She was talking to that boy again, he thought in disgust. The one with the ridiculously long braid. Lucky for him she had never shown any interest else the world would be short one brown-haired, blue-eyed boy.
"Bye Noin! I'll be back later, okay?" A blond blur raced through the hallway and out the door. Before Noin could respond, Relena was gone.
"Wait, Lena! Where are you--? Damn that girl! She knows she shouldn't run off like that without letting us know, what with all the killings going on...still, it's been a while since I've seen Lena so carefree. Maybe it'll be all right--" Her commentary was cut short as her attention shifted to the television.
"And this just in! Authorities found another mutilated body today just a few miles north of St. Mary's Cathedral. Nineteen-year-old Caitlin Callahan, shown here, was a novice ready to recite her vows when she went missing one month ago. A--"
Noin quickly turned the television off, effectively cutting off the reporter's upsetting news. Hands shaking, she whispered, "Oh my God! Relena's out there...alone..."
***
'Whew, I didn't think I'd ever get away,' Relena thought as she slowed her pace down to a leisurely walk. 'Everyone has been so uptight about the killings, it's crazy. But at least today I'll have some time to myself.'
As Relena continued walking, she heard the sounds of a chisel striking stone. 'Hmmm, I wonder what that is.' Following the sounds, she came upon a small clearing where she saw a young man chipping away at a block of marble. Not wanting to disturb him, she padded softly across the grass and was about to glance over his shoulder at the sculpture when he suddenly turned and pinned her down with an icy stare.
Shivering despite the heat, Relena nervously cleared her throat and said, "H-Hi! I heard you working so I thought that I'd come over and introduce myself. M y name's Relena, by the way, but everyone calls me Lena."
The sculptor continued to stare at her before he finally turned and resumed his work. 'Um, I guess that means I can stay,' she thought to herself. She walked around to look at the stone and was shocked at what she saw. Two figures were entwined with each other, both trying to be free but unable to because of their shared marble prison. Pain was apparent in every line and curve but Relena wasn't sure if the pain was part of the creation or its creator.
The strangest thing, though, was that one of the figures looked vaguely familiar...
"That's, um, a really great sculpture you have there," she said lamely, "How long have you been working on it?" When the young man failed to respond, Relena glanced over at him, taking in his unruly brown hair and impassive Prussian blue eyes.
'I wonder what it is about him that fascinates me so much. He's handsome, true, but I've seen other guys who are much more handsome than he. And what's with this silent treatment? I've heard of creative focus but this is ridiculous!!' Hoping to get a response from him, she continued to badger him with questions about himself and his work, sometimes interjecting a few comments about herself until finally he spoke.
"Do you always talk so much?" he asked quietly.
Grinning brightly, Relena said, "Nah, only when I fail to get a response. Normally, my friend Duo is the one shooting his mouth off. But, since you're in a talkative mood, why don't you tell me what your name is?"
"Why do you want to know?"
At a loss for words, Relena sputtered, "Why do I want to know?! Um, how about common courtesy? Jeez, with your attitude, it's no wonder no one hangs out with you!"
"Perhaps I prefer it that way--"
Before he could continue, she burst out saying, "Okay, y'know what? I got the picture loud and clear. You obviously want to be alone with your, your sculpture so I'll go! I hope you and it have a wonderful life together!!" And with that, she stormed off, not knowing that the young brown-haired, blue-eyed sculptor was still watching her.
As he caught the last glimpse of her, he whispered, "It was nice meeting you, Relena. My name's Heero Yuy."
***
Relena hurried off, unsure of why she was acting like such a spoiled brat. 'Normally I'm really rational. I wonder why he affects me like that? I mean, Duo says things to aggravate me all the time but I've never given into my temper. But with him, all he has to do is simply open his mouth and I fly off the handle!! What's up with that?! Aargh!!'
Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by someone calling her name. 'What now?' she groaned silently to herself.
Pasting a cheerful smile on her face, she turned around and saw two dark-haired boys walking towards her. 'Hmmm, I wonder if that's him coming to apologize? Yeah right, Lena! Get a grip!' As they drew closer, she recognized one of the figures immediately and called out, "Hey Duo! Who's your friend?"
Before he could answer, the mysterious figure spoke in a chiding tone, "Lena! I'm hurt that you don't remember me! It hasn't been that long, has it?"
"R-Rian? Is that you?!" At his affirming nod, Relena shrieked in surprise and launched herself into his arms. "Omigosh! It is you! How have you been? When did you get here? Are you back for good? Where are you living? How are your parents--?"
"Whoa girl, calm down. First, I'm doing well. I got back today. Yes, I'm back for good and I'm living at my old house. Now, are there any other questions that you'd like me to answer?"
She laughed at his wry expression and replied, "Nah, I'm just so happy that you're back! Gosh, I haven't seen you in ages!"
Relena stepped back to take a good long look at her best friend and instantly noted the differences. Rian had changed over the years. He was grown taller and leaner, and his face lacked the innocence he had before. He looked ready to take on anyone and everyone but how could that be? The Rian that she had known and loved hated fighting and tried to prevent it whenever possible. Could the years have changed him that much? Shaking her head in denial, Relena smiled brightly and asked, "So, what are you doing tonight? If you're not busy, I'm sure that Millardo and Noin would love to see you."
Rian had seen the confusion in Relena's eyes and wondered at it but decided not to comment. Grinning, he said, "Sure, I'd love to see your brother, but who's Noin? Is she your brother's new girlfriend?"
Smiling broadly, Relena replied, "I guess you could say that. Noin is Millardo's wife. They got married a year ago. Since my parents decided to go on their second honeymoon, I'm staying with them for a while so dinner will be at their house. Does six sound okay to you?"
"Sounds great to me. Well, I still gotta go run some errands so I'll meet up with you later, okay? See ya later, alligator!"
"In a while, crocodile!"
Relena watched him walk off and shook her head, remembering the times they used to share, including their corny, but traditional, farewell phrases. Turning around, she saw Duo staring at her curiously. "What?! Is there something on me? What are you staring at?!"
Duo just shook his head. "Nothing. I just didn't know that you knew Rian." Watching the retreating figure, he asked in a nonchalant voice, "So, how exactly do you know him? I mean, he just moved in today."
"Well, Rian used to live here but he moved away four years ago. Back then, we used to cause so much trouble!" she said with a laugh, "Most of the time, it was my fault but he came up with some pretty good ideas too! There was this one time when we..."
***
The dark-eyed figure watched her from among the shadows, admiring the smooth curve of her cheek and the lithe gracefulness with which she walked. Her silky blond hair flowed behind her and he watched as she gently pushed some of it behind her ear. She was talking to that boy again, he thought in disgust. The one with the ridiculously long braid. Lucky for him she had never shown any interest else the world would be short one brown-haired, blue-eyed boy.
