Disclaimer: Gundam Wing, and all its characters, does not belong to me.
Summer Camp
Going Away: Relena
Relena sat pretzel-legged on the corner of her pink and white-checked bedspread. Her elbow was perched on the suitcase next to her, which was nearly empty, except for one book her mother had tossed in before realizing nothing was there. Here head rested on her hand as she gazed emotionlessly at her mother and father. Ms. Darlian sat in a white swivel desk chair across from her daughter, while her husband stood behind her, a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Her face hurt from trying to smile all morning and holding back tears caused by her daughter's lack of anger, lack of enthusiasm, and the silence that she'd hoped was gone.
Relena tapped her fingers against her chin, waiting for them to speak. But they seemed to have run out their speeches. She sighed and decided to give in partly.
"I thought we were going on a vacation together," she said, looking directly at her father.
"Well, dear," he began. She sighed, knowing what he was about to say. "I'm afraid I have a lot of work to do this summer. Next year."
Relena bit her index finger to hide her pout. She heard these words every single June: "Next year." She hated them, especially the word "next." "Next birthday, I'll be home." "Next first day of school I'll take you." "Next trip to space, you'll come with me." That last one was the only one that ever happened. But it really didn't mean much anyway, except a few days off from school. She was used to this, however much she loathed it. But what were worse were the other two words from last year that echoed in her mind; "I promise." He'd promised her they'd have a summer as a family for a change and he broke it. Perhaps it wasn't his fault; his job was important, even if she didn't exactly understand it. He was important to the world. But was she that important to him? Sometimes, Relena didn't think so.
Her mother took her hands in her own. "You're going to have so much fun," she said with the last amount of encouragement she could muster. "I'm sure you'll love camp."
Relena kept on her mask, but inside she scowled. It was worse than staying home for the whole summer. Like having to go to school. Not that Relena had anything against school itself. It would have been fine, but for the people. Those other rich children as spoiled as she, or as others believed she was. The ones who scorned a quiet, mysterious boy who was poor, while worshipping her because she was rich, although just as mysterious and quiet as he was, in her own way. She secretly hated to be around those girls, her so called "friends." They didn't care about her any, just like she didn't care about them. Not like real friends would.
Ms. Darlian's face fell, feeling hopeless. She knew her daughter wasn't really close to anyone, even if she did speak again, but she didn't know the reason why. She wanted her daughter to have friends, just like any other mother. But the idea seemed foreign to Relena.
"I bet you'll become friends with lots of nice girls your age," she hinted, not very subtly.
Relena arched her eyebrow, pushing her suitcase over so she wouldn't fall off her bed. Judging by her father's bank account, those girls would probably be just like the ones at school. If those were the "friends" she could afford, she would rather be an ordinary, middle-class thirteen-year old, instead of Miss Relena, the Vice Foreign Minister's daughter.
Her parents exchanged looks. Minister Darlian shrugged his shoulders, and motioned for his wife for them to leave. "Pagan will come help you pack," he said wearily. He pushed his wife into the hall, closing the door all but an inch behind them. Relena didn't bat an eye, but that didn't mean she wasn't listening.
"Are you sure we should send her to this camp?" she heard her mother whisper. "I don't think she'll have fun, and, anyway, it's dangerous."
Relena could see her father shaking his head. "She'll be perfectly safe. I know not everyone sees eye to eye with me, but it has nothing to do with her, even if there are soldiers there."
Relena stepped quietly off her bed and crouched by the door so she could hear them better. She wasn't so sure what her father said was true. She had been almost kidnapped before because of him.
"But what if they find out…" her mother mumbled something she wasn't able to catch.
"They won't." He cupped her chin in his hands. "Don't worry about her."
"I'll try not to," her mother said. She saw them walk away and slowly disappear down the stairs. A moment later, a pair of shoes appeared under the door. It opened, bumping her nose and knocking her on her butt.
"Miss Relena, are you all right?" Pagan asked. He knelt down next to her. She nodded quickly. Pagan had worked for them since she could remember, and it was always clear that she could trust him. A lot of things Relena asked him were things she couldn't ask her own parents, usually because it was about them. Nine times out of ten he was completely honest with her.
"Is this camp dangerous?" she asked flat out.
"Well…" He paused. "Sit down, Miss Relena."
"I am," she retorted impatiently.
Than I guess I'd better." He sat on his heels. "I agree with your father, I don't think they'll harm you." She hid a small smile. He knew she eavesdropped, but he would never scold her. "Unless, of course, camp food is even worse than it's made out to be and you'll get food poisoning." Relena giggled. "Otherwise, I believe your mother is overreacting. But that's what mothers are for, right? I'm suspect even you'll be like that someday." His eyes twinkled.
Relena gagged. "Me? A mother? As if. No way am I going to be some debutante and spend my time doing nothing but taking care of my perfect little kids and giving dinner parties, not me. A) I'm going to do something important with my life, something exciting. Don't ask me what yet, but I am. And b), I'm marrying and having children for love and only love. Social standing doesn't matter, I'm certainly not going to end up marrying someone like one of those stuffy, money-loving losers who only cares about how many yachts he can buy and wouldn't know adventure if it came up to him and smacked him in the face."
Pagan laughed, even though he knew she was dead serious. He didn't doubt that she would make it happen either. Her parents may have been grouped with that crowd, but they were mostly not like that and weren't raising their daughter to be. And if Relena knew how important and exciting her life was and could be… well, Pagan had a feeling she wouldn't believe him yet. Right now, the only excitement she could find was in her books.
"Let's start packing now, shall we?"
Relena stood up, groaning, still not looking forward to the summer. Adventure seemed a long way off. But, like they say in fairy tales, things are never what they seem.
