A Painful Past
Chapter 9
"Oh my GOD! Look at this!"
"How beautiful!"
"I'm so glad we came."
"I hate to dance."
The last comment came from Kaylee. The four girls were at the dance, standing before the tree covered walkway. The other three had arrived that morning with Robert while Kaylee and the pilots had flown their Gundams. They snuck out of the colony through a little used port door. Luckily they were undetected. Too lucky, they thought. It was a quiet trip to Earth. Kaylee loved her new Gundam. She decided to name it, like the others. It was called Aferdites.
After a restful day at the hotel waiting for transmissions that never came, the pilots were a little anxious about what was to come. The dance was a welcome distraction, but Kaylee still didn't want to go.
"Oh Kaylee, you look beautiful. You'll do just fine. If you don't want to dance, you don't have to." Hilde said.
"I know and I appreciate all your help," The girls had done her make-up in light shades, and her normally straight hair was piled up on top of her head in curls, with curly tendrils framing her face. They even helped her pick out a dress. It was a shimery emerald green spaghetti strap that had a small train and long slit up the front, on the left leg. The top had a draping light chiffon that dipped down on her back all the way to the base. It lined the edges of her dress on the back. The front was sort of heart shaped to cover her. A wrap, starpy shoes, and a purse completed the outfit. She felt beautiful, if slightly uncomfortable. The four friends walked towards the dance. The others were already there at the insistence of Duo's growling stomach and whines. They would meet them at the door. The walkway was lined with trees, and there were very tiny white Christmas lights in them. There were also torches at every two trees to light the way. At the end was the outside entrance to the ballroom. They walked up and an usher took their wraps. Trowa was standing by the punch table in the old-English style, chandelier light room. He looked great in his tux, as did all the other pilots. The marble floors were freshly waxed. There were many important people laughing, talking and drinking wine. But all Trowa could see was Kaylee. He tried to pretend it was just that he was looking in that direction, but he couldn't. She was beautiful, laughing at the antics of Duo, his mouth full of food. The dress did justice to bring out the sparkle in her eyes, and the redness of her hair. Quatre was just shaking his head as he led Jen to the dance floor. Kaylee shook hands with the host, Relena.
"Hello! Wow! I never thought I would meet you!"
"The pleasure is all mine."
"So what is the dance for? I mean what is the purpose?"
"All the donations we received will go to war victims." Relena smiled and moved to greet the next guests. Kaylee walked over to Trowa, admiring how good his tux looked on him.
"Where's Heero and Wufei?" she asked.
"Heero is doing some 'investigative work' on his laptop in the back room. Really he is just watching the surveillance cameras for suspicious characters. Wufei is checking the perimeter with his 'date', Sally Po. She is a leader of a small non-active rebel group. They don't do much fighting, just talking." he said
"Something just doesn't seem right. I'm glad they are checking it out. It is too close to the date on the message and this is the park. We have to remember we are not just guests. OHH! Is that salami?" Kaylee went to the appetizers and Trowa gave a small smile.
"Would you like to have one dance before we go to 'work'?" he asked her.
"Yes," she couldn't say no to him, even for the dreaded dance. A slow waltz was playing as they got on the dance floor. He held her in the proper fashion, and she loved the way his hand felt on the small of her back. It felt cool on her warm skin, where the material parted at the base of her back in a 'V'. He began making small circles on her back with his thumb. It was very enticing. Kaylee laid her head on his chest as they moved with the music. She saw Jen and Hilde give her a thumbs up sign. Relena had found and dragged Heero out to the floor, and she was glad he didn't try to get away and make a spectacle. Tracy and Robert were nowhere to be found. Wufei and Sally were still outside. She felt Trowa put his chin on top of her head, keeping his thumb moving. All his senses were alert. He wanted to kiss her so bad. To feel her move beneath him. The thought was almost his undoing, and he had to fight to keep from dragging her from the floor then and there. He couldn't believe she made him feel this way. He lost the entire soldier in him when they were close like this. The song ended and they stepped ever so slightly away from each other. Giving applause like everyone else for the band. Suddenly, there was shots fired, and then someone screamed, then more shots. The pilots looked at each other and ran out.