December Breeze Chapter Three

As I stated earlier, Quatre had managed to track me down and call me back to New York...something about a party. I find out, sourly, that it is to be held at the ESUN Building.

I make my preparations. The party is small, yet very formal. It isn't in the actual ESUN Building; it is in the education center, where the officials hold press meetings and groups of scholars or curious citizens can gather to retrieve information.

I get my hands on a very nice tuxedo. I dress quickly and make my way to the ESUN. I was instructed to be there early, at about 8:00. After about forty minutes of song and dance, the patrons go their separate ways, and don't interact with one another until the dinner. Although Relena and I have met eyes several times by now, we are seated at different tables.

To my delight, my sage counsel has been invited and is seated next o me. Quatre is also at the same table. He smiles and asks me of my troubles.

I almost tell him.

My sage counsel laughs lightly; she doesn't overdo it, for which I am grateful. When the feast is over, I ask her if it is all right if I swing by later.

She says, "Not tonight. I have to see someone tonight."

I nod and say "That's alright. Say hi for me," and watch her walk away. Having no further business at the table, I rise and make my way into the hallway.

As I trek the halls of education blindly, my mind once again settles on her. I shake myself from the illusion; no force on earth can compel her to be mine. Perhaps she is right.

Perhaps I should look for love...in other places.

Having no further business at the party, I leave. I walk the endless streets back to my domain, where I consider the new choices before me:

1. Mope about Relena, or

2. Move on.

...For health reasons, it might be wise to move on...though I feel as though I am betraying her, somehow...

I find my way to other dumps in the city. Places where bad people and bad things converge. I feel extremely out of place now, but then, when don't I? My eyes dart all over the city street, dank and dark, until I hear someone shouting my name from down the alley.

I turn and see Relena standing at the mouth of the alley. I see her, in every detail, despite the absence of light. I gasp slightly; I start making my way towards her when she fades from view.

A hallucination.

"Hey, baby," a seductive voice says from my right. I glance over at a pair of women that are looking me over. I pay them no further attention as I make my way out of the alley. They follow, in their skimpy clothing, calling out to me and begging me to come back.

I find my way back to where I have taken a temporary residence. There is nothing on the television at this time of night. I stare at the ceiling and wonder why I cannot seem to move on from Relena. There are sure to be others who can relate to me, yet, I cannot find them, or, I am too scared to say anything.

I close my eyes and drift off, unable to think of the answer to the seemingly unanswerable.