Richmond High School10: A Day of Hearts

Duo--September 18, Richmond High...10:37am

Did I ever mention that I want to blow this school up? Well I changed my mind, I just want to kill a few of the teachers and students here. Dammit, it's not their fault, but I wish it was. Last night...I couldn't say anything. He said he loved me, and I just pretended not to hear him. Great. Just fucking great, Maxwell. I'm torn, and I have no directions on how to stitch myself back together again. Then he has the audacity to act as if nothing happened.

:: You're acting no different as well, but he is.:: Fucking voice is right. It's his eyes, and the way he was relaxed before we got to school. Then our masks went into play. It's all my fault. One day I'll tell him, but not until I know it's safe. Whenever that is.

*RING* I'm out of my foreign language. I hate that class. On to athletics, play a little game of B-ball, win some money, or maybe not.

-- You'd think I'd try to avoid these situations. I didn't ask for them, they ask for me. Athletics, the most fun I have all day, and I feel to sore to play. Damn Heero...but wouldn't mind doing it again, and again...AHHH...can't think of this at school. Anyway, I'm kicking back, watching the game going on when "Mr. I'm King of Hearts and you have to listen to me" walks up to me. I roll my eyes when he states his name.

"Who the fuck are you?" Always have to ask that way, and he smiles with his teeth flashing. He only thinks he's cute, but he pales and withers away compared to my Heero...I mean Heero. I smack myself mentally, have to stop thinking of him like that.

"I'm Trent Helmeted, I'm King of the King of Hearts" What do I say? Oh king, I must bow down and kiss your feet? It threatens to spill from my lips, but then again, I don't think he would catch the sarcasm. Oh well...

" And I care because..." I trail off, I really don't care what he says. I have had it with this place and it's people. And I'm itching for a knife.

"You care because I'm here to kill you." Well la-dee-freakin'-da, like I give a shit. Oh the big bad King is going to kill me. I'm shaking in my boots. I can't laugh...have to play dumb, so can't laugh. Since I wasn't looking at him, (still trying to watch the game) I put on a mask of horror.

"Bu...but why. What've I done to you?" Hopefully my shaking looks like it's from fear and not laughter. He almost bought it too. Damn, why can't they all be stupid jocks? I mean he looks like one, almost like the teams Q.B. Who knows, maybe he's as stupid as him too. Of course he's not.

"Come now, the almighty Shinigami is afraid of death?" Okay, I've had enough. I laugh in his face.

"Come now," I mock back, " I'll tell you when Death is going to die, and it won't be by your hands." Mr. Heart picked me up with his big, beefy hands. It was easy for him 'cause I'm skinny and little. I want to fight back, but I can't. Not with all these witnesses here. So I let him throw me down, just this once. I hiss in pain when he lets go. Well, more of shoves me down. I'm still sore from last night, I smile slightly thinking about Heero again....have to stop doing that. Though I think Heart takes it the wrong way.

"You like pain don't you?" Now that is a stupid question to ask. No I don't like pain, I'm not a masochist or anything. The only pain I like is when Heero takes me. Dammit, I went from one situation and turned it into a Heero situation. The almighty king is talking again. I can hear his words, but I can't make them out.

"I'll make your death slow and painful, you're lucky to have a fair warning." he says. I don't know why, but I keep my smile on, and if anything it grew.

"You have the dumbest plan to kill me by far." I laugh in his face.

:: Good move, now let him beat the shit out of you. Where you can't fight back, 'cause it would blow your cover.:: Shut up. I don't need this right now. "When are you going to kill me? I need to get my affairs in order." I say, but I'm not laughing. I don't know what scared him more, my glare or the cease of laughter. But he took a step back, slightly shaking. I smile wickedly. I don't know if I can give this up. The fear in his eyes is so genuine. When fear is stuck in the heart every mask they built over the years falls to a thousand pieces. It's like a piece of art, and this is the only art I like to look at. Real emotions that can never be reproduced. That look of death, fear, hope. That is life. That is what I want.

I stand up trying not to groan in pain, and succeeding somehow. I walk up to his side, he's about a foot taller then me. It looks awkward, but what do I care. "Never threaten me again. Next time I will kill you without hesitation. Do you understand?" With my threat on the table I walk out of the gym. Can this day get any worse? Stupid gangs. Why does this prick want to kill me? Guess I'll have to ask, but who would know? And who would want me dead?

: : Well almost everyone wants you dead.:: Yuppers, the story of my life is running from death. What a grand life. Right.

The rest of the day went about without incident. At lunch, Heero smiled at me. I sound like a school girl talking about her crush. It's okay, because then after lunch, he trapped me in a corner and kissed me. I went to class half hard, with Heero on the brain. All in all, a good day. Until now.

"Duo Maxwell." I turn around to see Trent holding .45mm with a silencer attached. A shot rings out, and since I'm not superman I don't move fast enough to dodge the bullet. Blood rushes to the open wound. Shit.

He only grazed me, but it still hurts like a bitch. "Well look at this, boys. Death bleeds, so he's mortal after all." Trent and his hit-men laughed. Bastards. I'll give them something to laugh about. Reaching for my ankle knife I remember something. I only have one knife today. Fuck! I couldn't bring myself to put on more then one this morning. Heero. I felt so safe with him that I forgot about everyone being after my head. I had to force myself to bring even one. Lucky for my its my sword. I fake for my ankle, and they follow my left hand.

"I don't think so pretty boy." This from someone behind me. The click of the safety being released is a little to loud for comfort. "Boss, I think he has something in his shoe." I think I have nothing, and he's going to wonder why I went for it with nothing there. Shit.

Have to think fast; have to do something, anything. Looking up I see Trent walking closer, but it's not him I'm scared of. It's the gun in his hand. Contrary to popular belief I am a mortal, and if he gets lucky, I'm dead.

: : Think, you stupid braided dunce!:: Before another thought could come to mind, Trent grabbed my ankle. The effect was me landing on my ass, not a good place to make a move. Shit. my ass had been assaulted way to many times today, and none my Heero... I'm about to be killed and I think of him.

: : Stop thinking about his ass, and try thinking of a way to save your own.:: Alright, I have one weapon, and I'm on the floor. Two guns pointed at me, but there are five over grown bullies around me. Okay, I can find a way out of this. First, go with the oldest trick in the book, keep your enemy preoccupied.

"Why do you want to kill me?" Easy enough because I want to know and it works for me no matter how he answers. He starts to ramble on about power, but I can't concentrate on his words. I have my own situation to think about. My sword is between my shoulder blades. How to reach it and not get shot in the process.

"...Zechs wanted you dead. With your death I will gain power..." that was all I heard before I kicked the gun Trent was holding. Can't forget 'pretty boy' behind me. Grabbing the sword as fast as I could, ripping the special made holster in the process, I turned to face him. I hack the sword through his hand and he drops to the floor, screaming and yelling. I think I was laughing, but I can't remember. I have Heart to take care of now. Blood drips from the sword as I stand up, raising the sword to my chest. I run to Trent, plunging the sword into his soft belly. His face has the same horror on it as in the gym, but this time he knows it's real. Death is waiting for him in the form of a skinny kid with a sword. I pull it out and press it into him again, slower. The other three were gaping with fear and shock in their eyes.

"I told you I was going to kill you if I saw you again." His body is shaking with blood loss and fear. Still pressing the sword into him, I can hear sirens.

"FREEZE!" I look up. Shit. Someone saw or heard our little party out here in the school parking lot. "STEP AWAY FROM HIM SLOWLY!" I do as I'm told. This does not look good. If they had shown up five minutes ago, the tables would be turned.

I realize the other boy is crying, prying to God, and thanking god. The others are as frozen as they were when I hit Trent. One of the cops is walking towards us. Dammit. Was this the day for jigsaw puzzles or what? Now I have to find a way out of this one. There is no way in hell I'm going to jail. My savior drives up in a 1952 golden Mustang. Thank God for Hilde.

"Get in the fucking car, Duo!"

"Don't need to tell me twice." She smiles as I practically leap into the passenger seat. The cops yell for us to stop, but we're to far gone to listen to them.

"Where to, Duo?" She asks, looking to see if they're following. "My apartment. Sorry to tell you this Hilde, but you're going to have to ditch your car." She laughs, speeding through a red light, but she says nothing else on the way to my place. She's acting kind of weird.

tbc.

thanks for the reviews and to my beta-reader, thanks. Yeah the next couple of chapters are going to go faster. Then there are only about between 3-6 more chapters, I don't know yet. I'm going to scream....

---Fire---