–- SEYRUUN HIGH JINX -- 10 year Reunion Story –-2004-07

"Affection is responsible for nine-tenths of whatever solid and durable happiness there is in our lives." – C. S. Lewis


Chapter Eleven: A Different Path

"What a man enjoys about a woman's clothes are his fantasies of how she would look without them." – Brandan Behan

Note: Mild limewarning

Traveling back in time, a short while ago...–-

Filia said to me, "Zel-bob, I want you to dredge up all those memories of yours from the time we finished up with that musical to the present or thereabouts and put them down for me."

"Is that all?" I was acerbic. "Not the previous ten years as well while I'm at it?"

"Don't get snippy with me. I'm asking everyone to do it, but I'm counting on you. Only you know all about some the workings in the background."

"You want a 'tell all' type of story then."

"Of course. No one is interested in the straight facts. I'm putting together a story here with a romantic bent."

"I see."

"So naturally I want the bare naked truth, the juicy bits, your innermost secrets. Make it hot, Zel-bob."

"Oh, naturally, how could it not be, coming from me? And Filia, just who is the audience for this 'story' of yours? Who am I baring my soul to?"

"Me for starters, but I'll bet the rest of the band will be killing to read it."

"They'll be killing me if I 'tell all' and they read it."

"No they won't. You're too important."

"I see. Then, have everyone sign clauses protecting me."

I could tell Filia was thinking about what I said. "Okay, I'll get on it, but you get writing!"

I had agreed to this, and now it was hard to get started, but I did. I was thinking that I should start with our trip to Japan, but then, as fun as that was nothing remarkable occurred—to me, that is. I decided to let others tell that story if they wanted to. Then, I asked Filia for a look-see at what she'd already written, and although she has got the knack of story telling down, her facts were shady and she had any number of things out of order and left out. I imagine it made for a better story, from her standpoint, but it didn't fit with what I had to say, which meant that it was up to me to establish order to it all.

--Traveling back in time, to the first year after the musical, I shall begin with fall, the band back from Japan and a few music tours under our belts...–-

Xelloss was not to return to the university, that term or ever again. Instead, he took to traveling and unbundling the syndicate holdings he owned, and eventually Grauscherra's, Val's few, and any associated with my mother's inheritance to me as well. If it bothered him, you couldn't tell. He never complained about his 'work' even though many of his ventures were dangerous. When he'd get back, he would always be smiling and with a different girl, usually a Slayers fan, in attendance on his arm.

Lina began classes at the University of Seyruun, concentrating on literature. She had several advanced placement credits from high school in English, history, and science, giving her a quarter or more head start to the year. I had the equivalent of one full year under my belt with only three more to go then would have to decide what I wanted to do after that—medical school or medical research.

Val started at the Art Institute of Seyruun. It was interesting to find him, drawing board and pencils in hand recording with intricate detail the objects under the kitchen sink, for his still life project. Another day, Val had put Xelloss to work cutting up music magazines featuring bands active before we were born, while he pasted them into a collage of monstrous proportions. Val was having the time of his life.

Gourry had gone from high school straight into fulltime work in his father's construction company. No time for even a two year college education, he said, because his father was very busy and needed him.

Filia and Sylphiel were in their last year of high school and Amelia had two more to go. Kiki had fallen behind with all her moving around and so was facing a three-year sentence at the high school.

Winter went by fast with a few music recordings and little else of note except that Gourry's father awarded him a full partnership in the business. Gourry was rightfully proud.

In fact, the band was going well and all was progressing smoothly until one spring morning over breakfast Xelloss made an announcement to me.

I couldn't believe the news, but I stifled my desire to scream, and said in a carefree tone, "You're getting married? Xelloss, that's...just great."

In a way I was relieved. That meant I no longer would be dragged around to meet one girl after another. He always introduced me to his next victim, as I came to call each new girl that fell for him, to get my approval or opinion anyway. More often than not, this meant supplying me with a fellow sufferer, only she and I would be less prepared and rarely well matched. Not that Xelloss didn't try to find me a nice date, but I always had the feeling that had I not been a rising rock star, they wouldn't have looked twice...er...wrong...they would have gawked and excused themselves. So, the awkward dates with my brother Xelloss were all over and done with forever? That was hard to believe.

"You mean it, Zelgadiss? You really think it's a good idea?" my best friend was nearly breathless with excitement.

Now, of course I didn't think it was a good idea. I thought he was crazy to even consider it, but to say so would have been like a challenge to him. I didn't want to get into a deep discussion or argument. Besides, I could never tell with him—it could just be another one of his practical jokes. I smiled knowingly.

"Oh that's terrific!" he chortled gleefully, sending my stomach into back flips of delight. "You'll be my best man, won't you?"

Was he serious this time? "Ah, yes, of course. So, who's the lucky young lady you are marrying?"

He frowned. "That's not funny, Zelgadiss. You know I've been dating Karly for three months now."

Karly. So that was her name! "All right," I gave up, "So, she's put up with you longer than most, but does that make her 'the one' you think?" Wrong thing to ask. Damn, again he had managed to draw me into a heart-to-heart conversation.

"Lots of things do," he declared, although I noticed he wasn't going into any particulars, instead, putting the ball back into my court. "Okay, so you tell me how you can tell when you've found 'true love'!"

I groaned, "I can't, but I know it takes awhile to let the 'lust' wear off and let the deeper, meaningful feelings come into play."

Xelloss smiled, "Is that why you're taking so long with your 'little princess'?"

Gods, there it was, the dig he was waiting to get in all evening. Maybe the entire 'marriage thing' was just a hoax to get me to reveal my feelings? I hoped not...and then again... "No, and that's got nothing to do with your getting married."

He looked serious. "Are you in love with Amelia?"

I shook my head, "Whether or not I am, she needs the freedom to spend time with guys her own age and do stuff at the high school while she still can. I haven't got the time to do that with her, not with my own work and the band." I wasn't about to disclose any more.

"But don't you want someone to be with? To share secrets and build a life around?" he pressed.

"That's never been a priority with me, Xelloss. You know that. You know I prefer to focus on my own goals and ... I don't need someone to do things for me or to entertain me. I'm fine alone or with my few friends."

Xelloss fell onto the couch. "Yeah, so you insist. It's just...I can't grasp it. It's not that way for me. I need..."

"Someone, I know. I just wish..."

"What? What is it, Zelgadiss? You want me to wait eight and a half years for Lina to decide whether or not she wants me? I'd do that...if I thought for a moment that there was a whisker of a chance that Lina might say 'yes', but the last time I tried to tell her how I felt, she covered her ears and told me to leave. It's just not what I can hang my hopes on any more."

So, he had been keeping count of the years. "I guess not. It's just that...you're my best friend and brother (I knew the use of that 'brother' term always softened him up.) I guess it would feel strange without you around here and I care about what happens to you. I can't tell if she's going to be good for you—as in, 'the one'. But it's what you think that matters. Do you think Karly is prepared to take on you and all your baggage? Do you trust her? What does she really know about you, Xelloss?"

"Well, she knows I'm in a band..."

I kicked him off the couch, "Important things!" I hated all this, trying to get him to see reason, and he was cracking jokes.

"You mean the 'bad' things about me. Well..." he pulled himself back up onto the couch and sat on the end opposite me. "She knows I faint sometimes as the sight of my own blood-- don't ask me how that came about..."

"I can imagine the fun she must have had on that occasion."

He smiled, "She knows I hate driving, require a psychiatrist, and am a college-drop-out-entrepreneur-drummer-in-a-rock-band."

"Have you told her about your inheritance? Does she know how wealthy you are?" I hoped not. I couldn't see how to get him to steer clear of fans bent on getting their hands on his money and soak up his fame. I couldn't avoid the sarcasm creeping into my tone as I continued to clarify my point, "Did you mention to her in passing that you occasionally meet with stone-cold killers with the intention of explaining why you are taking away all their money and the source of their income? That you yourself are a dangerous man who is able to and has and most likely will continue to inflict bodily as well as fiscal and mental harm upon those who get in the way of your objectives? Ah...you know, Xelloss, that kind of stuff?"

"Ah... No, not yet. Should I soon, you think? I did tell her I have to travel some to syndicate sites and take down illegitimate businesses and all."

"No, certainly don't tell her how rich you are. The rock star thing is hard enough to get past. I'll help you decide how much to say. A little at a time, I think, until she's stuck with you at least a couple years or more. Oh, and have your lawyer put together a pre-nuptial agreement, just in case."

He didn't look too happy about that suggestion. "You don't like Karly, do you?"

"How I feel really doesn't matter here, although...no matter how much I like her, I simply can't trust anyone not to be attracted to you for your fame and fortune." There, I said it. I expected him to hit me. But he didn't, so I quickly added, "Not that you don't have other good qualities worth mentioning. It's just that I'm not sure many girls can get past the other...in only a few months." I stopped before it came out like another insult.

"I suppose it is something to be expected," he sighed deeply. "Okay, I'll look into the pre-nup. If she won't sign, I guess that tells me something, right?"

"It might, but I'm sure she'll sign. She does seem to like you a lot." There, it didn't kill me to admit noticing that. I also decided to call his lawyer and encourage him to press the pre-nup issue. Maybe coming from him, Xelloss might take his financial situation upon marriage more seriously. It couldn't hurt!

He smiled, "Yes she does. You know? It's nice to feel loved and wanted by someone."

I nodded. It certainly was. Although I didn't believe I deserved it and I certainly did little to encourage her, I knew that Amelia loved me. I of course felt something in return, but the disparity in our lives and the rarity of occasions for us to engage in any private time made a viable relationship impossible. She was still in high school, for gods'sakes! What kind of grownups hung out with young girls? Ones like my father...Xelloss' father. It disgusted me.

Oh, Amelia understood well what my myriad problems were with there being an 'us'. She even dated others in her classes. Not that she told me much about them. Lina would though. It made me feel jealous, but it was what I had told Amelia to do, so I couldn't blame her. I knew she cared...and she knew I cared, no matter how hard I tried to hide it. Although, I managed to fool everyone else for the longest time.

"...I was thinking of having a small wedding soon," Xelloss raised his voice to gain my straying attention.

"Small sounds fine, but I would wait until after Sylphiel and Filia's graduation. Of course, it all depends on what Karly wants, in the end," I told him.

"Ah, yes, well…she wants a big wedding and that couldn't happened until June, so I guess we'll go with that. But I thought small and intimate would be better. Fewer paraparazzi lurking and snapping pics."

"True, I never gave much credence to the gripes of the rich and famous, until we became one of them. Celebrities have so many problems with paraparazzi who feel quite free to stick a camera in your face, even at the most private or inconvenient times."

"Especially those!" Xelloss laughed. "I don't want my wedding to be a media event, but ..."

However, Xelloss' wedding was the biggest media event of that summer in Seyruun. Val, Gourry, Subaru, and I stood at attention to one side, while Filia, Sylphiel, Lina, and Amelia lined up in attendance on the other. Up the middle strode Rezo with Karly's arm wrapped about his to meet a pallid, but smiling Xelloss at the altar. Nels Lahda conducted the ceremony amid a harpist, flutist, and organist with chorus.

There were enough flowers to start a garden center. Maybe two. Well, nearly. Mrs. Gabriev had an allergy attack mid way through. The girls looked nice in their dresses, overblown as they were.

The dresses. Ah...yes, and then there were the dresses. Gods... Lina in particular was ticked off to discover that they had to go for 'fittings'-- more than once, and into long, multi-layered dresses with huge skirts and that they had to carry 'stinking' ruffled parasols. I know, because I got to take both her and Amelia out to the dress shop both times.

"It fit me great the first time and I haven't grown since the fifth grade!" Lina grumbled to no avail. The tiny woman fussing about her was nearly four feet tall and didn't speak, or acknowledge that she even understood, our language—which was a good thing considering Lina's irritable discourse throughout our stay. She simply went about her business tugging here and pinning there and clicking her tongue.

I understood the process better when it came time for Amelia to be fitted. She actually had grown a bit in the intervening month. "How do I look?" she asked me, taking a swirl and twirling her parasol.

Like you are about to fall out of that damned low bodice, I thought, wisely holding my tongue and sucking back my drool. Aloud I said, "Great! Er, ah...it looks uncomfortable though."

"Damned straight!" Lina asserted, flouncing about in hers for me to admire, I suppose. "We have to wear a corset..."

"They called them stays, Miss Lina," Amelia corrected her, "but with all silk undergarments it's not so bad."

I was about to ask more about the silky parts, which clearly achieved some lifting effect because Lina had a fuller figure than she sported naturally and Amelia...well, I was having a hard time not obsessing over her partially exposed breasts, but Lina's threatening look silenced me.

"Just remember that we're doing this to make Mr. Xelloss happy!" Amelia sighed dreamily. She was getting romantic notions about weddings, I could tell.

"Like hell we are," Lina snapped. "We could be dressed in paper bags for all he cares. It's that little bitch Karry..."

"Karly. You know her name, Lina," I said. I was standing a safe distance away but still I moved to put a hanging clothes rack between me and Lina—she was holding a potential weapon, the parasol. "You look...striking in that dress, by the way." I regretted my poor choice of words immediately.

But, mercifully, Lina caught a glance at herself in the mirror and stopped to admire her reflection. "Yeah, I do. Most everything looks good on me. Lime green...I got to admit it's an oddly suitable color choice."

"It was going to be purple," the shop owner said, "but the young man said definitely no to that." She took the girl's parasols and hung them on specially marked hangers.

"Good for Xelloss," Lina said smiling. "Can I get out of this now?"

"Certainly, but let one of my ladies help you. We don't want to lose any of the markings."

Lina nodded and mumbled something to the effect that she couldn't get out of it on her own without tearing it to shreds and stomped into the dressing room.

She hadn't said a word to me about Xelloss getting married, which meant she was taking it pretty hard. Good. She had had her chances and spurned him. Now she would just have to suffer. Not to say I wanted to see any of my friends in pain, but Xelloss had certainly tolerated her neglect for long enough. As had Gourry.

Thankfully, the girls' dyed-to-match shoes and gloves fit as well, and we left. At $1500 a bridesmaid, Xelloss was taking a hit. At least the gray tuxedos with vests in the same shed of lime green as the girls' dresses came in at under $1000 apiece. Funny, at the time I didn't think I'd ever have need of formal wear again, but I would wear it, with a different tie and a satin cummerbund, a year later at another friend's wedding.

The extravagant nuptials were surpassed by a reception for 500 or so, which featured a sumptuous sit down feast to satisfy even Lina. She must have found a way to 'ease' her stays because she ate with her usual gusto and packed away far more food than that tiny waistline would have normally allowed. I tried to eat, but my attention drifted to admire Amelia and Filia sitting across from me at the table. I watched them when I was sure no one could see me, except Val at my side.

At one point I felt Val jab me in the ribs. "You okay, dude?"

"Ah...yeah," I pulled in my eyes and concentrated on my food. "Good thing there's no chance those low necklines might come back into fashion soon." I muttered in a low voice.

Val grinned wolfishly, "Yeah. Filled to over flowing. Soooome dresses."

"Not the dresses," I whispered. "It's what they wear underneath that does it."

His grin became downright lascivious. "Ya don't say..."

"Not that I've seen that part, but I overheard at the dress shop," I added with a hot blush washing over me.

"Oh yeah?" he scooted closer wanting to hear more.

"Silk."

His eyes narrowed. I knew he was stripping the girls in his mind. So was I, but I at least had the decency to blush and feel embarrassed about it.

"Can they fall out of them?" Gourry asked. Apparently he had overheard or guessed at our conversation.

"Let's give it a try and see."

I didn't know what Val meant until he surreptitiously pulled the napkin off Amelia's lap and let it drop to the floor. "Uh, Amelia, yer dropped somethin'."

"Oh? My napkin!" she bent over to retrieve it.

I was faster and our heads nearly bumped under the table. "I'll get...it! Oh...gods..."

"Thank you, Zelgadiss." Amelia sat up and waited for me to come back up for air.

I handed her the napkin, "No trouble." I had seen enough to fuel my libido for some time, but alas, the clothing design had kept her immodestly covered. Then I had to readjust the way I was sitting at the table, which struck Val as awfully funny.

"Hard to keep yer mind on the food," Val snickered.

Gourry was watching me, expecting me to answer his question.

"Surprisingly, no. Close, but no," I said airily, meeting his eyes.

"Is that so?" Lina asked. "Then why not grab something for yourself?"

Lina was of course referring to grabbing portions of our meal; the dirty minds of Val, Gourry and I had sunk to a more degenerate level. Val burst out laughing. Gourry covered his face and laughed. I turned crimson and choked back a laugh of my own, but only managed to hurt myself and laugh anyway.

Filia snorted, "Gods, I thought we were sitting with civilized men. That lasted about ten whole minutes."

The girls were not pleased with our outburst. They wanted to know what we were up to! Thank the gods they were not able to pry the actual truth out of us, that day.

Later, there was music and, naturally, dancing. Xelloss was floating on air in a dream world of his own. I was dancing with Amelia as he and I exchanged smiles in passing. Life was good.

What else do I recall about the wedding...? Ah, yes, after Xelloss and Karly said their good-byes and their limousine swept them off on the way to an 'enchanting getaway', as he called his honeymoon, Amelia asked me to accompany her downstairs to the 'prepping' room.

"I love this dress, but I want to change into something more practical."

"Good idea. I don't think I can fit both you and that dress into the passenger seat of my car," I said with a sly smile, or a beguiling one, I can't recall which. Now, what was I supposed to do, stand there and watch her get undressed? Not that the idea wasn't appealing, but I didn't think she'd let me.

"Would you help me?" she asked. It sounded innocent enough.

"How many of these little buttons do you think there are?" I asked as my nimble fingers flew down her back, exposing the pale ivory skin and undergarment.

"Fifty-five," she answered. Her back was to me so I couldn't read her expression.

"Really? You counted them?"

"No, just a guess."

"Twenty-seven," I said. I circled her waist with both hands, and then slid them forward to meet at her belly. "Exactly."

She didn't squirm away. Instead she leaned back onto my chest and placed her hands on mine, and with a sigh said, "That feels so nice."

We had retained a mutual interest in one another. There was I time when I just didn't understand why Val and Xelloss, and for that matter Gourry, were so intent upon getting their hands on girls. The band, friends... the girls were friends like the guys, right? Not right, they assured me over and over. I wondered if there was something wrong with me. Lina guaranteed me that I was fine; it was the rest of the world that was strange. "Why can't we all just be friends and all hang out together and do stuff and not feel pressed to pair up?" she would expound from time to time.

She, like me, had no use for searching out a lifelong partner to share ourselves with. We got along fine alone, and with our friends when we needed them. Then – and I blame it on the long-time exposure to Val and Xelloss' constant blabber about sex—it dawned on me that a little one-on-one with the fairer sex might be nice, on occasion. The trouble with that was that most girls, women, expected more than 'a little'. Val and Xelloss introduced me to the band's fan club, as they called it. Over time I discovered that Xelloss had to fool himself into believing he loved the 'girl of the moment'. Sex under the illusion of love. But Val and I didn't need any excuses. Cold, yeah. I wasn't treating those women very well, I'm afraid. It was a learning experience, I must admit. I was just a kid in a man's skin, after all.

Gods...I can't believe I'm writing about my sex life like this...

The other problem was that Amelia was...well, special. She and she alone accepted and loved me and...wanted me...and really knew me. It was all I could do to not force myself on her dozens of times—I had the opportunity. But I had this honor thing in the back of my mind. I was determined to hold out until she was an adult. All right, honor and fear. Her father terrified me in a way no other adult had —aside from Zelas. I truly believed that he would have me locked up in jail for life if I had sex with his little darling princess. She'd always come to my defense and tell him I 'wasn't that way'. Unfortunately, Phil could see right past my scars and into my rather normal male heart. So I played it cool and encouraged her to date others, with restrictions, to get her father's attention off me for awhile.

I had the 'fan club' for certain activities and planned a very special 18th birthday celebration for Amelia. And only Val and Xelloss knew about it.

But she wasn't eighteen, yet.

My thumbs ran over the bumps of the stays. "Don't they hurt?"

"No, actually it's well padded and supports my back. It's unexpectedly comfortable," Amelia said, giggling as I tickled her slightly.

"Hmmm..." my hands slid up, seeking out those marvelously fascinating rises at her bodice. "It makes you..." I couldn't manage to say what.

"I know. It's kind of embarrassing. My breasts are kinda oversized as it is and with this on... You don't think I look a little, well, naughty?"

Lots, yes...lots. "I think you look fine. Very..." I hunted and searched for the right word, then settled on, "...womanly."

She twisted around and brought her arms up around my neck, pushing her breasts into my chest. "Really?"

Definitely the right word, 'womanly'.

Our romantic moment was interrupted when I heard Lina's voice leading the way down the stairs to the basement dressing area. I jumped away from Amelia and tried to look invisible, which was hard when there were just the two of us there. Amelia seemed more annoyed at Lina's entrance than at me. Before Lina could say anything, Amelia said loudly, "Thanks for the help, Zelgadiss. I don't know why they couldn't have just sewn in zippers like most dresses have."

Sylphiel knew and proceeded to explain how the beauty of the gown was in the details. Then she told us all about her part time work at the Seyruun General hospital. "But if I want to be a dietitian there, I have to get a license, which means another year of school. I guess I could start next fall, but I was really just so glad to be done with school…"

Lina was glaring at me. "What?" I asked stupidly.

"Either you're a girl in a Zel disguise or you are in the wrong part of the dressing area, Zel," Lina said. "I want outta this crappy dress and now!"

"Unless you plan to rip it apart, there are twenty-seven buttons that need unlatching first. I can do that for you if you ask nicely." I stood and matched her glare for glare.

"Okay, do it."

Nice enough, for Lina. "If you would hold on to your hair a minute...there...you...go. Who is next?"

"Better let Zel-bob do it," Filia said, pushing Sylphiel my way. "His fingers are daintier than mine."

I frowned and corrected her, "Deft is the word you meant."

When I finished with Sylphiel's thirty-two buttons, Filia edged over. "Okay, Fingers Greywords do your stuff," she said with a smile. Our eyes met. I was sure that she was taller than me, or at least even. She most likely out-weighed me by ten pounds as well.

"Thirty-seven for you, Amazon woman," I retorted after loosening the last one.

"Now that your services are no longer needed, you may leave," Filia said. I had to leap sideways to avoid being side-swiped by her hair as she whipped around.

"Are they?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Are they, what?" Lina asked.

"No longer needed...my services," I know I was smirking at this point.

"I think... we can manage... from here... on... out," Lina replied in measured tones.

I took my leave, while my dignity was intact. Lina no longer made a swipe at me, but she had her ways. Val said it was because we got her that car for graduation that she was mellowing out, but I thought at the time that it was something else. Maturity, possibly.

So, how was that? Proof enough that I was not some asexual, nerd weirdo all the time? That I was just as much a pervert as Xelloss or Val? At least in my head. I didn't act on every impulse like they did, just a few. My first sexual experiences were, well, lame. Crippled by my self-imposed disgust, my loathing of my own body had much to do with it. I got past that, as the mechanical part of sex is pretty much automatic for a guy. I couldn't have cared less what my partner at the time felt. I got past the moral issues since I knew the fan girls with whom I was consorting really didn't know me or love me either, that it was all superficial and point-scoring on their part anyway. It allowed me to justify meaningless sex as...well...just that. I wasn't looking for true love or a life mate in those girls—or in any girl. Yeah, I was a real catch, wasn't I?

After Xelloss had moved out of his room in our house, we needed someone to fill the void. Gourry was our first choice and funny, he was eager to leave his full nest at home and coop up with Val and me. I was glad. I couldn't tell anyone how much I missed having my best friend around to talk to. Yeah, Val still had a room which he seldom occupied...but I was lonelier than I would ever admit.

Val was at the Art Institute of Seyruun or the clan settlement. He was also running out to his country club. But with increasing regularity, he was traveling out to the desert to look over his Ancient clan's territory.

Or on Slayers jobs… We were touring a lot that summer to promote our newest CDs. When we'd get back home a day or two, Gourry would continue to re-do Xelloss' old room to reflect his personality. We all hung out talking and all. It was nice, but I missed Xelloss' quirky individuality. Practice, gigs—my life was full and busy.

Gigs. Those were great. Huge, enthusiastic audiences everywhere we went. The pressure became so great for me to do a 'love' song that I finally broke down (all right, Lina twisted my arm) and sang one Xelloss helped me choose. It wasn't a sappy 'I need you' song. That would be too out of character for me to pull off. Instead, it was a 'loved her, lost her' type called, 'Two Time Loser', by his music mentor David Cassidy. I thought it fit him better, but Xelloss was married and happy at the time and he hoped he'd have no use for it in the future. Plus I had established enough ego to want to branch out a little. So...it became mine.

I sang it first out at a beach resort we'd been to many times. As Val played his keyboard introduction behind me, I set aside my guitar on stage for the first time since the band had been created. The girls in the crowd began shrieking so loudly, I had to walk off stage and adjust my earplugs. Nevertheless, I made it back out, took up the microphone and gave it my best.

Oh and at the word 'baby', the screaming got so loud I don't know if anyone heard the rest of it:

"Baby, has it really been so long?
Is my smile so distant?
I can feel there's something wrong.
Mmm...all those lonely nights
Was I a fool for you?"

I could have been singing the national anthem for all the audience cared. But I didn't. I dutifully sang the song to it's sappy end.

"...Through all those lonely nights,
I sure was a fool for you!
Through all those lonely nights
I sure was ...a fool... for... you."

Both Amelia and Sylphiel were clapping and cheering me by the end. Lina and Xelloss were locked in some kind of visual eye-to-eye combat, until Filia pounded him on the shoulder and pointed my way. Was that song intended to hold a secret message from Xelloss to Lina? I sure as hell hoped not. Then, Lina broke into a smile and gave me a 'thumbs up.' All right, maybe I was just getting paranoid.

Xelloss pulled me aside and said I'd been terrific, 'Guess we had another crooner in the band...' that I'd done the song justice. I guess that made me especially pleased. Thus softened up, he asked if I might do him a favor.

"Uh, maybe but right now I want to ask one of Amelia before she sneaks out, so make it fast."

"Okay," he smiled, flicking a quick glance Amelia's way and then back to meet my carefully hooded eyes. "It's for Kiki, actually. I'm putting her in charge of a little music video company..."

"That's quite a job for a kid like her. You think she can handle it?" Meaning, I didn't and I thought he was rushing things.

"Oh, not just yet! After she graduates! She can take a few classes at the community college and then I think she'll be ready. Anyway, what we need is a label one for the company...brochure...DVDs, you know. Something based on her and the little black kitten Amelia gave her, ah...Jiji."

"And...?"

"And I want you to do it! You are great at art stuff. Just think on it and come up with a few ideas and we'll talk later."

Then before I could object he pointed out, "Oh look, Amelia's on her way out the door. Better hurry to catch her before she's gone."

And I just sighed and ran in pursuit. When I caught up to her, I asked Amelia to let me drive her home, alone. I had driven up in my car especially to show her a secret of mine. I hoped that she would like it.

"Ummmm, it's been awhile since we've been alone, hasn't it, Zelgadiss?" she asked as she settled into the passenger seat.

"We've both been busy."

"I know. I wasn't blaming you." Her hand dropped motionless by my leg.

I thought it looked lonely resting there, so I freed up a hand from the wheel and let it join hers. I didn't mind the contact with her; it connected me with my humanity. I smiled her way briefly. After awhile, I pulled to the side of the road and stopped the car. "This is it."

"It is? It's a nice view of the ocean."

"Come with me."

I led her around the property, then back to the high-up, ocean-scape viewpoint. "What is this for?" she asked.

"Ah, I thought I'd build a house here. We all like to come here so much and I wanted a place we...ah, I could always count on."

Her face glowed, "A beach house! What a great idea! Do you have plans already? A builder?"

"Gourry and his dad are in charge. Would you like to see the plans? I could use a few ideas..."

Amelia helped me spread out the sheets of drawings and pin them down with rocks. We poured over each room in detail.

"The kitchen range and cutting table open out into a lower living room, see? The living room runs the most of width of the house; the master bedroom takes up the remainder. Bathrooms and three other bedrooms line up on the road side."

"Plenty of room for visitors," she smiled. "The kitchen is very detailed."

"Yes, it's just the way I want it. I want to cook and see the ocean. "

"Then eat and see the ocean," she added.

"Then sleep and...see it too," I blushed because I wasn't thinking about sleeping at all. And I knew she had guessed what was on my mind, because she was blushing too.

"When will it be done?"

"A few months, but I have to finish these first," I said, smoothing out a wrinkle on the plans.

Amelia pointed out one or two changes, improved the window placements, and suggested where to put a wide deck and boardwalk from front to back. Car parking and outdoor showers were added before we called it 'completed'.

"To thank you for all your help, I'd like to take you to dinner," I told her.

"I'd like that very much. I'll need to call home and let daddy know that I'll be later getting back than I thought. By the time we eat, it will be late."

I nodded and stepped away for her to make her call. I folded up the plans and rolled them tightly to fit inside their mailing cylinder. "Everything all right?"

She nodded brightly, "As long as I check in, he doesn't worry. Let's go someplace casual."

We found a place serving baskets of cracked crabs to dissect and dip into pots of melted butter. That part was really good, but the salads were only so-so.

"What's the matter?" Amelia asked as we sat in my car, ready to leave for Seyruun, but going nowhere fast.

"Starter, dead battery, hell-if-I-know," I snapped, irritated that my car was failing me and that I was incompetent to fix or even figure out what was wrong with it. "It won't start!" I slumped my forehead onto the steering wheel in frustration.

"Shouldn't we call for help?" she asked.

That was reasonable, but my male ego said, "No, damnit! I should be able to fix this all on my own!" I slowly straightened and met her earnest expression with a smirk, "You think the 24 hour, Sunday night car starter service is open? We are stuck here tonight. Come on, let's see if there's a place we can stay...walking distance."

If I had hurt her feelings with my abruptness, I was oblivious at the time.

"Oh!" Amelia cried out. Gamely, she followed me back into the restaurant from which we'd just exited. "I'll see about a place to stay."

I left on my own errand to find a garage with a towing service.

We regrouped a few minutes later. All right, so my karma was just kicking in. I got to thinking, if I played my cards right, there was a chance that the evening would become a real winner. "I can leave my car here for the night. The owner's friend runs the local car repair shop and he'll come look it over in the morning," I told Amelia. "In the meantime, what did you get us?"

Amelia smiled slyly. All right, so I thought it was 'sly', although a sudden awakening of my desire to touch her was altering my brain functioning so that it may not have been a 'sly' glance. I was so adept at reading girls' intentions at this stage in my life.

On second thought…

Too, late, she was shouting over her shoulder as she left, "Out the back door. We have cottage number 9. A cancellation! Aren't we lucky?"

Well, I for one felt lucky. Which was too bad, since actually, in retrospect, it had been more of a 'shy' smile. Yes, had anyone been watching, they would have thought that Amelia looked uncomfortable and unsure, and they would have been right on the money. But not me. No, I was still stuck on that 'sly', knowing, come-hither smile beckoning me to follow, to follow to… room nine, was it?

"Ah, that's good then." I checked my watch-- a nervous habit. I'm not really a time addict like everyone seems to believe. The odds were in my favor this time! "You'd better call your father and let him know. He's not going to like it."

"Oh, he won't be too upset, if...he thinks Lina's along too. I didn't say it was just you and me going to dinner."

Not that I condoned lying to Phil, but... the deck was stacked in my favor tonight.

Amelia pulled out her cell phone and placed a call to Lina, "Hi, Miss Lina. Zelgadiss and I are stuck at the beach with a stalled car. Yeah, well, we got a place to stay the night but, you know...I gotta tell daddy and... You will? That's really terrific. Thanks loads! Okay, bye now!" She immediately placed another call to her father.

I didn't listen in on that call as we approached cabin #9. Instead, I scurried over to the ice machine to fill one of the empty buckets resting on the lid. Maybe grab a couple sodas for later? Now, all I had to do was play the hand the gods dealt me...

I didn't see her outside, so I pushed open the door to room #9 and stepped inside. "What is it, Amelia?"

"Zelgadiss, I..." she said as we stood alone in the rapidly shrinking room with one bed.

"I'm nervous as hell, Amelia, but," I began. I was confident of my playing skills up to this point, but I didn't want to come on too strong and give away my strengths.

Before I could finish that thought, Amelia broke in, "I think you should sleep on the floor. I'll give you a pillow and there are extra blankets in the coat closet. I checked."

"Huh?" FLOOR! I checked my hand. Where did she pull out that ace? Whoa, karma! Stop! Check! I pass! I pass!

"I said," she said firmly, "Well, you heard me. I don't need to repeat myself, do I?" Her eyebrows furrowed slightly. "You weren't thinking that we'd be sharing that bed, were you?"

It wasn't so much a question as an accusation. Stupidly, I didn't notice that she was holding all the cards. "Well...it could be nice. It's not unreasonable to assume..."

Her eyes widened, and then narrowed dramatically. "Oh, Zelgadiss..."

"What? What's wrong?" My odds took a downhill spin.

When she shot a look at the door and said, "You didn't...You couldn't have..." I was really confused. Could the odds been stacked against me all along?

"What! What could I have done? Amelia, so far all I've done is get us some ice." I held up the dripping bucket as exhibit A. "Hey, where are you going?"

"Give me your keys," she demanded.

"Why? They're no different from the ones you've got!"

"Not the room...your car keys!"

"My car keys...? Why? Amelia!" I was so mystified and not in a good way either. My eyes flickered over to the dresser top where I'd flung them, wondering if I could get them before she could. Damn, she was standing right by them! Her eyes followed mine to the aforementioned keys.

"I have a hunch!" she said as she snatched up my keys before I'd finished processing her words. She was out the door running the next instant.

Hunch? I chased her to my car. "Amelia, why are you doing this? Honestly, you can't think that it just fixed itself while we..."

"Just a minute!" she yelled. Again, she twisted the key in the ignition, cranking it all the way and...nothing happened. "Humph!" she sniffed.

I reached enlightenment. "You thought..."

She slammed the door and marched back to cabin #9.

"You...you thought that I...?"

She stomped into the room and parked herself on the bed, leaving me to stand and fume.

I cleared my throat and added a bit more indignation to my frosty tone. She had it coming to her. "You thought that I FAKED my car not starting just...JUST so that I could sleep with you?"

Warning...Warning...Girlfriend about to go ballistic. Alas, my sensitivity meter was set too low and was ignoring all the signs that my karma was kicking me in the ass.

"Do you mean..." Amelia began speaking slowly with the deliberation of the little engine that could, "… you think...I'm all… hot… to get into bed...with you!"

"Yes, after all," and here is where I went overboard and revealed my entire hand to be a bunch of mismatched low cards, a real loser in the making, "It was you who climbed into my bed naked that one time."

Amelia slammed down her cards, showing a f---ing-Ace-high-straight- flush, "A mistake, for sure! You can bet I'll not do that again, ever!"

To which I tossed into the air the entire rest of the deck in my utter disillusionment, "No kidding!" Let the cards fall where they may!

I ended up on the floor, without a pillow, wrapped up in a nasty karma of my own making, with replays of 'poker for dummies' haunting my dreams all night long.

I wasn't enjoying the summer after that.

I did have some extra time on my hands I hadn't planned on, so I came up with a few great ideas for that company label for Xelloss and Kiki, one of which they liked and ...well...it's still in use to this day, called: Little Witch Videos.

What's that? Oh...right...oh, joy... Well, I've just gotten started here, so don't go away.

Note: 'Sure was a Fool for You' parts were taken from the song by David Cassidy.

End -- SHJ Ten Year Reunion-- Chapter Eleven.