"Hello?" Trowa said into the receiver of the telephone.
"Trowa! Long time, no speak!" Came the reply of his sister, Catherine.
"Whaddaya want, Cathy?"
"That's no way to greet your sister."
"Oh. I'm sorry. Hello, Cathy. Whaddaya want?"
"You're pathetic Trowa Barton."
"Not half as much as you are."
Catherine scoffed. "Can you do me a little favor, little bro?"
"Only if you don't call me 'little bro.'"
"There's this party tonight that I have to go to. It's a fancy pants party and I don't want to be alone."
"Then why go at all?"
"Cause there's a chance that Mark will be there. Him and his friend Tom."
"So why should I go?"
"If he's not there, then I won't feel so dumb. We can go home after an hour or so."
"And what if he is there?"
"Then you can go whenever you want to and pick me up later. If I call you that is."
Trowa groaned. "What's in it for me?"
"Don't tell me you'd rather go out with Miss Collins, tonight. I clearly remember you complaining about agreeing to see a movie with her."
"I'd like to state for the record that I did not agree to go out with her. She tricked me."
"Well, you could cancel with her and go with me."
"Or I could cancel with her and not go with you."
"Oh come on, Trowa! Do this for me! You know I'd do it for you. Please?"
Trowa thought this over.
"Please, please, please with some sugar on top?"
"Ugh. Fine. What time?"
"I'm coming over at six. It doesn't start until seven."
"So then why six?"
"That brings me to another favor…"
* * *
At five-thirty that evening, Trowa was wandering through the mall, carrying a midnight blue dress draped upon his arm. Somehow, his sister had convinced him to pick it up for her.
"Hey Tro-man!"
Trowa turned to see Duo prancing up to him with his trademark grin.
"Hey Duo."
Duo glanced at the dress in the taller boy's arms. "Wow man, I didn't know you were into this kind of stuff."
"Duo!"
The violet-eyed boy threw his hands up in surrender. "Hey. Whatever floats your boat." He winked.
"Duo, don't be stupid. The dress is my sister's. I'm picking it up for her."
"It's all right, Tro. Your secret's safe with me."
Trowa rolled his eyes. "So where have you been lately? I haven't seen you as much around school."
Duo grinned. "Awww, Tro. Did you miss me?"
"Why do I even bother?" The taller boy muttered, turning away from his friend.
"I'm just kidding." Duo said, walked side by side with his friend. "I've been spending quality time with Heero, of course."
"But you're always with Heero."
"And now I'm with him even more."
Trowa rolled his eyes again. Then he remembered that if anyone knew everyone, it was Duo. "Duo, can I ask you something?"
"You just did," Duo smiled. "But I'll give you another go."
"Do you know who the new guy in school is? Well, he's not all that new now but he wasn't here last year."
"Blonde hair? Teal eyes?"
"Yeah. You know him?"
"Course I do. I know everyone. His name is Quatre Raberba Winner straight from California. Or, something like that. Nice kid. Why do you ask?"
"Just wondering. I saw him around school a few times." 'So...his name is Quatre…that's French…'
"Actually, me and Heero have been hangin' out with him. That's why we're never with you guys anymore. Quatre's not a real social butterfly and doesn't really like people all too much. But he's a great guy once you get past his defenses."
"He didn't seem all that great when I first met him."
"Well he has his reasons. If I went through what he did, I think I'd turn out the same way."
"Why? What happened to him?"
"TROWA!" a voice called out.
"Oh crap…" Trowa and Duo turned. Coming straight at them was none other than the epitome of irritation: Jenna Collins. "I'll see you later, Duo. I really don't want to deal with her today." With that, Trowa proved his nickname true and made a mad dash towards the parking lot.
* * *
"Thank you so much for going with me tonight, Quatre."
Quatre's sister asked him to escort her to a party she was invited to for that night. She didn't really want to be alone and hoped her brother would join her. He agreed and now they were in the mall, searching for something that he could wear. "It's nothing. It's the least I can do for taking me in."
"Oh none of that. I love having you around. Now someone else can do my chores." She winked at the smaller blonde.
"Gee thanks. I feel so loved." He rolled his eyes. "How long will we be staying?"
"Well…that depends."
"On what?"
Iria smiled. "If Tom's there."
"Tom? Who's Tom?"
"Just a friend of mine."
"Sure…"
"Oh hush you. And try this on." Iria handed her brother a tuxedo.
"It's all right to have friends with benefits, Iria."
"Oh you! Go on!"
Quatre just laughed before stepping into a dressing room.
* * *
"Just a little bit longer, Trowa. Then we can go. I promise." Catherine said, looping an arm around her brother's so he wouldn't get away. "And plus, we've only been here for half an hour. He could show up at any minute now."
"Hm." Trowa snorted. Thirty minutes had felt like thirty years for the boy. There were so many people much older than him and they were all talking about business stuff. It was definitely not his scene.
"Oh look! There's Iria!" Catherine pulled her brother by the arm and dragged him to her friend. "Iria!"
A blonde woman turned at the sound of her name and smiled. "Cathy!"
The two hurried to each other and hugged.
"Iria, this is my brother Trowa Barton."
"Trowa Barton? Aren't you that superstar that goes to St. Francis?"
Cathy scoffed. "No need to boost his ego another fifty notches."
Trowa rolled his eyes but nodded at the blonde's question. She looked somewhat familiar to him.
"You might know my brother. He goes to St. Francis too. In fact, he's here. He just went to get us some drinks."
"Iria!" A voice called out.
"Oh that's him." She turned around to the direction of the voice. "Over here, sweetie!" She called to her brother, waving her arm to signal where.
Trowa focused his attention to the approaching boy and froze.
"Here you go, Iria." Quatre said handing his sister a cup of punch. He turned to look at his sister's guests and froze when his gaze landed on the green-eyed boy.
"Cathy, Trowa, this is my brother Quatre. Quatre this Catherine Bloom and Trowa Barton."
Quatre shook himself from the gaze of the emerald irises and took a hold of Catherine's outstretched hand. "Nice to meet you." He turned to Trowa. "And you."
Trowa nodded and shook the smaller boy's hand.
"Cathy!"
"Iria!"
The four turned and saw two men approaching them.
"Tom!" Iria squealed.
"Mark!" Cathy cheered.
The two women hurried over to the men and they greeted and hugged each other. The women engaged in a small conversation amongst themselves before waving their brothers over to them.
"Trowa," Cathy said turning to her brother. "You can go home now, if you want. Iria'll take me home later." Trowa simply nodded slightly relieved that now he can leave this place.
"Quatre, you don't want to stay here do you" Iria posed, turning to the smaller boy.
"Trowa, can you take Quatre home?" Cathy asked.
"Uh…yeah. Sure." Trowa nodded.
"Oh thank you so much, Trowa. We live on Baker's Hill. It's the last house at the end of the street. You can't miss it. It's the only one up there." Iria chuckled.
"No, that's okay. I'll just wait." Quatre said. "I don't want to put you out of your way."
"Oh, don't be silly Quatre. It'll be fine. Right Trowa?" Cathy smiled.
"Yeah. No problem. Let's go." Trowa lead the way to his car.
The blonde boy glared at the taller boy, but still followed. "You don't have to drive me home. I'll walk." He huffed and began walking away.
'Great…his defenses are up again.' "Don't be stupid. It'll take you an hour if you walk."
"Are you calling me stupid?" Quatre spun to face Trowa.
"No. I'm saying you will be if you walk." Trowa replied as calmly as he could.
"Whatever." Quatre growled and continued to walk home.
"What's your problem?"
Quatre stopped and faced Trowa again. "My problem?"
"Yes, your problem. I just want to drive you home and you're being rude about it. Even when I first saw you, you were rude to me and I've given you no reason to be." Trowa felt his anger rising. "I've done nothing to you but try to be polite. And what do you do? You shove it in my face as if it were the cruelest thing in the world. It's no wonder you wouldn't know a compliment when you hear one. No one's ever paid you one before."
"Shut up! You have no idea what I've been through to make me the way I am!"
"You're right! I don't! But it's not like you've ever given me a chance to. From what I can tell, you're just a cold-hearted jerk who thinks he's too all mighty to give a damn!"
Quatre's face fell.
"And another thing!" He mimicked the way the blonde had said it during their first encounter. "I feel sorry for your sister in there for having to put up with a brat like you. But I guess that's what happens when not one else wants you around!"
Trowa huffed. The moment the words flew out, he regretted them. He didn't know why he let this boy get to him the way he does. He never had before, why should he start now? And why with this boy who's angry with him for no reason, whatsoever? Even with this in mind, looking at Quatre staring back at him with his mouth agape broke the brunette's heart. Then, Quatre dropped his gaze to the ground.
"Quatre…I'm sor-"
"Can I go home now…?" Quatre asked, barely above a whisper. His voice quivered slightly.
Trowa felt as if someone had shoved a knife into his heart and twisted it around just to add more pain. But it was own hand that held the knife for it was from his mouth that the harsh words came from.
The brunette nodded and turned to go to his car, not saying another word.
'You have no idea how right you are…' The blonde followed silently as he fought back the tears that dared to burst through.
Author's Notes/Disclaimer: I don't own GW people but I do own Jenna Collins and Mark and Tom. Mark and Tom also make appearances in For Life cause that's where I originally made them. Yah.
Rarrr! Someone's a little on the angry side. Did I forget to mention that the characters are a little OOC? Well...actually...Quatre's really the sweetie that we all know and love it's just that he's been through some stuff that has made him rather defensive. Better than havong him go psycho and killing everyone in sight, eh? And as for Trowa, he's still the quiet guy that we all know and love. It's just that there's this guy who has somehow gotten under his skin. Why? Maybe this guy is just special. I know he is. Do you?