Bitter Sweet Symphony
Chapter Two
Key
"...Talking..."
'...Thinking...'
...Actions...
...P.O.V. Change/Setting Change...
(A/N:... My notes to u people...)
Dorothy rose early like usual, yawning and rubbing her eyes. She glanced at her alarm clock and turned it off, then rubbed her face vigorously. She remembered Relena's party as she sat in bed, too lazy to get up. She recalled the nights events slowly, the engagement of Quatre and Catherine, dancing with Trowa, and the puzzling concern for her that he had.
"Trowa... what happened to you? How were you hurt...?' Dorothy thought as she stretched and slowly got out of bed. She showered quickly and dressed in a lavender shirt and jeans. The previous night, Relena had convinced Dorothy to come over again, and if it weren't for Dorothy's persistence, she would have spent the night at Relena's.
Dorothy smiled at the thought. If anyone knew her, it was Relena. They had been friends since high school, and Relena was one of the only people who knew Dorothy's emotions. 'Relena knew...' Dorothy thought as she headed downstairs to get a little breakfast. 'Relena knew that I'd probably be upset by Quatre and Catherine's engagement.' Dorothy sighed heavily just at the thought.
"Damn you Quatre..." Dorothy mumbled as she bit the toast. Silently, she finished her small breakfast and headed over to the Dorlain estate.
Relena's House
Relena sighed heavily as she accepted the coffee from the servant. Relena had slept restlessly all night, hoping Dorothy was feeling okay.
"Damn that Tara..." Relena said scowling, startling the servant.
"Um... Ma'am, is something the matter?" The servant asked timidly. She had never heard Relena ever swear in the five years she had worked for the Dorlain's.
"No, nothing's the matter Laura." Relena muttered as Heero entered. He glanced at Relena and could relate. Even he was slightly worried about the situation. But, he was more worried about the war that would probably take place in about and hour or so...
"Relena, take it easy." He said as he sat down across from her. "You couldn't have known that Tara was going to announce their engagement like that." He said, trying to comfort his fiance.
"I know..."
"But, you really shouldn't invite everyone over to the house either." He warned her. She looked at him as he went on. "I know you want to repair the things that happened last night, but, I doubt having Quatre, Catherine, and Dorothy in the same house after last night is the nest idea." He stated.
"I know, but maybe things will work out." She said hopefully, ignoring his skeptical look. "I know things might go wrong, but how else will Quatre get a chance to explain things?"
Heero sighed heavily. She was right in a way. Dorothy wouldn't face Quatre after that announcement last night, and there was no way that Quatre would waltz up to her and speak to her. 'Plus, by the time he'd have stepped on her doorstep, she'd probably be ready to shoot his guts...' he thought somewhat amused.
"Alright..." Heero said giving in. "But, if things go wrong, don't blame yourself." He said staring at her intently as she nodded. He sighed at slowly got up, mentally preparing himself for the upcoming gathering...
A Little While Later...
Dorothy arrived first, stepping out of her car ever so gracefully. She threw her long hair back annoyed as she picked up her bag and walked up the steps to the large house. She was greeted at the door and led to the backyard pool and patio where Relena was waiting. She put on her best smile when Relena waved.
"Good morning Dorothy." Relena said smiling brightly. Relena was dressed in a white sundress and plain sandals. Her hair was tied back and her bangs pinned to the side. Relena looked at Dorothy's outfit and frowned. "Dorothy..."
"Yes, yes, I know." Dorothy said shrugging. "I was supposed to be dressed to go swimming later." Dorothy said.
"So why didn't you dress appropriately?" Relena asked. Again Dorothy shrugged. "And all of us were all going to have fun swimming..." Relena grimaced at the realization of what she said.
" 'All of us'?" Dorothy asked, her eyes narrowing. "Relena, what do you mean, 'all of us'?" She asked sharply as a ring of laughter made her turn back towards the house. Dorothy groaned as she turned back to Relena and clenched her fists as hard as she could.
Emerging from the house, led by the servant was Trowa, HIlde, Duo, Sally, Wu Fei, And lastly Quatre and Catherine. Dorothy shot Relena a glare that could kill as Catherine called out her name.
"Dorothy! You're here too? Wonderful!" She exclaimed clinging even closer to Quatre as Dorothy turned and flashed a smile. Quatre started to smile but stopped for even though Dorothy was Smiling, her eyes, which were on him, weren't smiling one bit.
"Of course I'm here," Dorothy exclaimed, her voice dripping with fake happiness. "I wouldn't miss being here for the world, right Relena darling?" Dorothy said, still smiling coldly.
Relena let out a small laugh. "Of course..."
Dorothy fumed inside. 'how dare Relena do this! she of all people should know that this was a stupid idea!' Dorothy thought as everyone shifted nervously.
"Relena." A voice said, startling everyone. Heero appeared behind them all. One look at their faces told him everything. "The lunch is ready." He said in his monotonous voice. Everyone gladly left towards the dining room, chattering to get rid of the silence. Catherine, it seemed, was the only one oblivious to the conflict. Relena looked at Heero with sorry written all over her face.
He nodded as he watched her enter the house with the guests and turned back to Dorothy who stood motionless. Her eyes were cold and her mouth a tight thin white line. He looked at her clenched hands to see white knuckles.
"Dorothy, I'm sorry. I should have tried harder to convince Relena not to do this." Heero said, as Dorothy sighed deeply.
"No, its alright." She sighed out, her shoulders drooping. "She's trying to help... I think." She smirked, staring off into the distant gardens. "Tell everyone I'll be there in a bit. I think I'm going to take a stroll in the gardens, if you don't mind." She said, walking towards the garden as Heero nodded. He watched her walk off, and then he too started off to the house again.
Inside
Everyone was sitting down and eating the food laid out on the table when Heero came in. Relena looked behind him for Dorothy instantly, and was dismayed when she did not appear. Heero caught her look and went to sit down between her and Trowa.
"Where's Dorothy?" Relena whispered the instant Heero sat down.
"She went to the gardens to get away for a bit." He said pouring himself a glass of water. "I told you this was a bad idea." The moment the words tumbled out of his mouth, he regretted them. Relena bit her lip and stared at her twisting hands in her lap.
"I know... I'm sorry." She whispered in a barely audible voice. He reached out and squeezed her hand in reassurance, bringing a small smile to her lips.
Trowa listened intently on Heero and Relena's conversation as he ate quietly. He understood Relena's wanting to help, for he too wanted to help Dorothy. 'of course... I'd have done it a different way...' he thought as he half listened to Duo's blabbering.
"I thought it'd be nice to catch up a bit in the next room before we go swimming." Relena said as everyone started to finish. "I'd hate to have people getting cramps after eating, and plus its been awhile since we've all seen each other." Everyone agreed and got up, making their way to the next room.
"Relena, Heero." Trowa said as the two walked by. "I'll be outside, with Dorothy." They nodded and followed the others as Trowa made his way outside and towards the gardens.
Outside in the Gardens
Trowa wondered in the gardens silently, squinting and searching for Dorothy. He finally turned a corner in the flower beds to see Dorothy sitting on a bench, facing a different direction. She was staring at the sky, her eyes almost searching the sky as if they had the answer to her problems. Trowa couldn't help but notice how sad she looked as she gazed into the sky. He approached her silently, and soon he was standing right behind her.
"Hello Trowa." She said, still searching the sky, not even turning to look at him. He smiled and stepped to sit down next to her.
"How did you know it was me?" He asked as she gently flipped her hair over her shoulder. "You didn't even look to see who it was."
"I don't really know, I just had a feeling." She replied, blinking and turning to look at him. "So, what brings you out here? Shouldn't you be inside?"
"Everyone's catching up. What could I talk about? 'For the last year or so long I've been trapezing around with the circus, cleaning animal crap, and being a living target. Not to mention baby-sitting my sister' " He winced, knowing his sarcasm had brought him a little too far.
Dorothy smirked, her eyes darkening a bit. But, she still laughed a little bit. "It would have been fun to see what they had to respond to that." She sat silent for a moment before speaking again. "So, how long have they been together?" As she said this, her head sunk down, making her hair cover her face. "Honestly." She said when he hesitated.
"I believe about... A month and a half..." He said, feeling stupid about speaking too much. He heard her sigh deeply, and looked to see her sag her shoulders ever lower. "But, its mostly only because of his sisters." He added.
"Hm," She said looking up again. He could see the tears in her eyes, but knew better than to say anything about it. "Let me guess, its mostly Tara's idea." She said hatefully. She glared ahead of her, as if Tara was right there.
"Mostly. But, of course, not only her. Quatre does have twenty nine sisters, and she's only one." He reminded her.
"So, they all hate me then?" She asked him. 'somehow,' she thought, 'I'm not surprised by all this news...' Trowa nodded.
"Most of them, but not all. Tara has a mean streak, but there are some of Quatre's sisters who did like you. Irena for instance."
Dorothy remembered Irena well. Out of all Quatre's sisters that she had met, Irena was the most kind. The girl was about sixteen, the same sandy blond hair, her bright green eyes, and despite her being in the desert, still light skinned. She was a kind girl, always smiling and laughing and never had Dorothy ever seen her get angry or upset over anything. She was above all Quatre's sisters, the nicest.
Dorothy smiled as she remembered Irena. "Irena was nice. I think she was the only nice sister I've met." She said, making Trowa laugh.
"Oh, she's nice, as long as you don't get her mad." Dorothy looked quizzically at him. "Oh, She does get mad. Once, when I happened to be visiting Quatre, Tara thought it'd be smart to show off and bag on Irena, and Irena wasn't exactly very happy about it. She knew Tara was just showing off, and when Irena was done bawling her out," Trowa shuddered. "I don't think any of Quatre's sisters ever wanted to mess with Irena ever again."
Dorothy smiled at the thought of Tara getting chewed out by her little sister, and tried to imagine Irena getting that mad. "I still can't picture it." Dorothy said after a moment, making Trowa smile a bit.
"So, are you going to join everyone else inside? They're all going swimming in awhile." Trowa said, knowing that if Dorothy came back, Relena would feel a lot better.
Dorothy sighed heavily. If she went inside, that meant that she'd have to face Quatre and Catherine and really associate with them. Just the thought made her stomach flip with dread. Talk to them? Tell them your happy for them? 'Would I be able to do that?' Dorothy thought.
"I know it's probably hard." Trowa said after Dorothy's long pause. "But you know that you can't run forever."
"I know." Dorothy said in defeat. "I know... But I don't think I'm ready to face him, and her." She let her head fall back and closed her eyes. She felt Trowa's arm sling comfortingly around her shoulders.
"You'll never be ready if you always run from him. It'll hurt, but with that hurt, it will also make you stronger." Trowa squeezed her shoulder. "Everytime you face him, it'll make you all that much stronger, and it'll get easier and easier to face him and Catherine."
"Yes, I suppose your right Trowa." Dorothy smiled. "Thank you."
Trowa got up and held his hand to Dorothy. "Shall we go then?" She smiled and nodded, taking his hand and stood ever-so gracefully. Their hands lingered together for a moment before they let go. Smiling, they both walked towards the house, Dorothy mentally getting herself ready to face Quatre.
Inside The Pool House
Relena sighed as she and the others entered the pool house. Dorothy and Trowa were no where to be seen, which probably meant that Dorothy wasn't going to come in and join them. She walked to a lounge chair slightly farther away from everyone else and collapsed in it
"Relena," Hilde's voice said from behind her. "Dorothy's here, but doesn't want to join us, am I right?" She asked, and Relena sighed again, nodding.
"I should have known not to invite Dorothy. I'm just hurting her more and more." Relena said putting her hands in her face. Hilde pulled up a chair and sat next to her.
"Don't think like that. I know that Dorothy knows what your trying to do is what you think is the best." Hilde said in reassurance. "She knows your doing this from the goodness from your heart."
"I guess I am, but I'm still not helping her." Relena said in a matter-of-fact tone.
"Um...:" Hilde said looking towards the door going outside to the gardens. "I think you are, in many more ways than one..." HIlde said, a broadening smile forming on her lips. Relena curiously looked up.
"What do you mean? Hilde?" She followed Hilde's gaze. Her eyes fell upon the two, Dorothy and Trowa coming laughing and smiling. "Dorothy!" Relena said, instantly springing to her feet.
"Hello Relena." Dorothy said smiling. "I'm sorry, I needed to get some air." Relena knew that that meant Dorothy didn't want to show she was upset about Quatre, and didn't pursue the subject.
"Just in time for swimming." Hilde said from behind them. "Let's go get changed already!"
Everyone made their way to the changing rooms. Dorothy, as she walked towards the other room, felt someone's gaze on her. She looked from the corner of her eye to see Quatre stare after her for a moment before going to the men's changing room. She shook off her giddy feeling and grabbed her swimsuit and got changed.
Men's Changing Room
Quatre sighed as he watched Dorothy walk into the other changing room. He felt a stab of jealousy when Dorothy and Trowa came in from the gardens. He wanted to be the one to cheer her up, he wanted to be the one who comforted her. But he could no longer do those things. It was his fault in the first place that she was sad, that she was hurt. How could he want to be the one who comforts her when he caused all of this?
He tried to think about Catherine. Sweet and caring Catherine. Catherine, the woman he was to marry. 'The woman who can never replace Dorothy...' He thought remorsefully. He changed into his swim trunks and sighed heavily. Sure, Catherine was a kind person, loving and happy. But, deep down, he knew that they couldn't connect the way he and Dorothy did.
He and Dorothy. He missed her so much. But what could he do? He was doing this to make his sisters happy. He thought about Irena for a moment and saddened. She was so upset when she found out he had ended everything with Dorothy.
Flashback
"Why Quatre!" Irena shouted at him angrily. "Is it because of what Tara said! It is, isn't it? Why? How come your letting what she says get to you!" She shoved Quatre back angrily, her sea green eyes blazing with her anger. "You always give in! Why can't you stand up and take some criticism! She's did it all just so that this exact thing would happen!"
Quatre sighed. He knew how much Irena loved Dorothy, looked up to, felt like she was her sister. "Irena..." He said, trying to reason with her. "It's not because of what Tara said..."
"Liar!" She shouted. "You don't deserve Dorothy..." Her eyes were now flowing. "You lied... You said you were going to marry Dorothy...You said... She was going to be my sister..." Irena pivoted and ran down the corridor, leaving Quatre to stand there, hurt. He reached in his pocket and pulled out the little velvet box and opened it. Inside was a beautiful engagement right, on which 'Love Always and Forever' was engraved.
Love Always and ForeverEnd Flashback
Quatre snapped out of his reverie. He remembered it all so clearly. He had said to Irena, his youngest sister, the odd one out, the one whom never quite got along with the others, that she was going to be sisters with Dorothy. She and Dorothy were close, just like sisters, but that could never be, not anymore.
The ring. He still had the ring. He kept it buried under all his papers in his desk, so that no one may find it. He had bought Catherine a different ring, with no engravings.
"Are you okay Quatre?" Trowa asked, coming up behind him.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Quatre said, smiling brightly. "Shall we go then?"
Trowa nodded and they headed out to the pool again...
Oh! now whats gonna happen at the pool! What did tara say
to Quatre! Don't you hate cliffy's? P sorrie guys, gotta wait
till my next update! N sorrie this one took so long. I thought this
comp was dead, n had to rewrite this chapter again, but... One
day, i decided to give it a good smack, and what do you know? It
worked! P anyways, i'll write more laterz, im out!
Lina