Chapter Sixteen:
The Suspension of Heero Yuy:
I must have made a small
sound of dismay or shock or anger or all of the above because they both turn
towards my hiding spot at the same time. Luckily, I dive back behind the wall
just before they can spot me but it still doesn’t erase the scene which now
seems to be burned into my retinas and mind. I refuse to believe what has just
happened. I refuse to even consider Duo contemplating drug usage or let alone
being a user all this time. However, a quick recollection of a conversation we
had once, reminds me of Duo’s vow never to take any stimulant to help or get
him high. I believe I had joked about me being the only drug he would ever
need…and the subsequent events that followed where Duo was more than happy to
feed off me in ways that made me scream with pleasure.
I groan and slide down the
wall to my haunches, holding my aching head between my hands as I wish I could
hear what they are saying. But the noise from the boys and girls in the
swimming pool overshadows whatever conversation I might have listened to. I try
to think of ways to approach Duo about this, still knowing that we’re a bit on
non-speaking terms because of the incident in my office earlier. Even though
he’s my boyfriend, I still have the power to enforce school laws upon him and
if it does turn out that he’s into the drugs as well…
(Pure and utter disappointment, sadness and perhaps
pity.)
…I’d just have to do what
I’ve got to do. I take a deep breath and begin to form the words I’ll say when
I meet him face-to-face. I have to be direct and not accusatory, after all I
still have no proof that he’s doing it anyway. However, I just need to know why
he’s talking to that bastard and how…
Something small falls on my
lap and I open my eyes quickly, lifting my head and pinning slightly panicked
eyes on the faintly amused visage of Duo. He’s standing before me with a smile
that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. What he had thrown on my lap was the small
clear bottle of white pills – the ones I had seen him holding earlier – and as
I lift it up slowly, I rise to my feet to question him.
“MDMA,” he says quietly
before I can even utter a word. “3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, otherwise
known as XTC on the streets.”
I’m impressed with how fast
he says the chemical name but this is no time to admire Duo’s abilities.
There’s something bigger at stake here. “I know what it is, Duo,” I reply,
trying not to sound too severe. “I just want to know…”
“If I’m taking it?” he asks
with a tiny smirk that has me feeling incredibly ashamed inside.
“Duo…”
“It’s cool,” he says as he
moves closer to lean against the wall beside me. Together we stare over the
hedges and into the parking lot where several students can be seen talking
beside their cars or getting ready to go home for the day. “Hamida thought that
too.”
“Huh?”
He shrugs and begins to play
with the tip of his braid while kicking at a pebble on the ground with his
loafers. “He called me after class today…said he wanted to talk to me about
something.”
I stiffen at the similarities
between his story and Trowa’s regarding Quatre’s odd behavior in the beginning.
“He said that he had noticed
me in basketball practice and said I looked like a good athlete but that I
didn’t seem as…alert or as alert as the others.” He shrugs again but I can feel
the tension within those shoulders. Duo’s fast and I know that for a fact. I
guess it just grates on his nerves that Hamida would consider him a slowpoke.
“But he’s right,” Duo says
catching me by surprise. “I’ve noticed it too and even the coach has said it.
It might not be XTC but its close enough.” He reaches into his pocket and
brings out his packet of Luckies. He smiles ruefully and taps the box gently.
“The smoke is beginning to affect my lungs and I don’t have half the stamina I
used to…”
“You make it sound like
you’re an old man,” I say softly, moving closer to him till our shoulders touch
gently. He doesn’t pull away and I’m glad for that. “All you have to do is
quit.”
“Yeah…you make it sound
easier than it actually is,” he replies with a soft laugh that’s tinged with
bitterness. “Like any drug, it’s not easy to get rid of Heero. It makes me
relax when I get stressed out. I knew I shouldn’t have had that first smoke at
that damn bar, but hey, it happened and I’m stuck with it now.”
“You can quit,” I say firmly. “You just have to have the willpower
that’s all. I’ll help you.”
“How?” he asks, raising a
brow as if daring me. “What are you going to do? Stalk me and come raiding my
house to steal all my secret stash?” He laughs a bit louder. “Hilde threatened
to do that but only got as far as my locker.”
“You’ve got to do this on
your own, Duo. I’ll do what I can to help if you’ll let me.”
He chuckles and then tucks
the box back into his blazer. He seems to reconsider and then pulls it out
again to toss it into a nearby trash can. He barely misses the basket but it
slides in eventually.
“Nice shot.”
“Thanks.”
“So what about Hamida?”
“Oh yeah, him.” He rubs his
lips as if already missing his stress-reducing medication. “Well, he says I
should meet him here after school and being the curious bastard that I was,
especially with all that talk of he and Quatre…well…I figured, what the hell.”
I nod, letting him continue.
“So he comes up to me and
starts yakking about sports and how we boys ought to be more alert especially
us seniors since it’s our final year and he understands the pressures that
we’re going through. He then brings out the bottle and says…
“I’m only doing this to help you, Duo. I’ve seen your
potential and I know that you’re a fantastic student, capable of so much more.
This is something I’ve been working on in the chemistry lab in school over the
past few weeks. It’s not lethal and neither does it have any side effects. All
you have to do is take one three times daily and you’ll see your energy level
shoot up to heights you never thought possible.”
“Like some kind of crack, right?” I said. “I’m
not taking any drugs, sir…”
“No, no, you misunderstand me, Duo. This isn’t like
those cheap drugs you kids get off the street. I spent countless hours working
on this and I know its potential. You can even ask several of your friends in
the basketball club. Many of them have tried it and they say it works. I only
choose the best students to try this and believe me it’s worth it. Just
consider it an extension of the energy drinks or power bars that all the health
gurus push in the markets these days, hmm?”
“Before I could even walk
away, he shoves the bottle in my hand and tells me to give it a try. Of course
by then I knew you were around…”
“How?”
He snickers and nudges my
shoulder gently. “Your cologne, you dumbass and besides I’d know whenever
you’re around anyway. I know your scent now.”
That sends my cheeks flooding
with color for some reason, but what’s even worse is the knowledge that Hamida
has been feeding this drug to several other students all this time. I take a
deep breath and finally tell Duo all about Quatre and then Trowa’s plans to
catch Hamida in the act. We would need evidence to use as proof when we present
the case to the administrators. It was no use fighting against authority
without backup. You’d be surprised at how easy the ‘grown ups’ tend to stick
with their own even though they’re clearly in the wrong.
“Damn,” Duo mutters, his head
lowered as he contemplates all I’ve said. “So that’s why he’s been acting funny
all this time. Dude…if we had known…”
“Yeah, but we didn’t.
However, we don’t have time to sit around and let Hamida continue with this
shit. I would have punched him but that’s me looking at suspension from school
while he comes up with some cock and bull story about student harassment.”
“I’m gonna ask the guys at
basketball tomorrow,” Duo offers with a light frown. “I’m gonna get the names
of everyone he’s given that stuff to.”
We listen to the whistles and
excited yells in the building behind us. “You might as well ask all the sports
teams in school,” I say with a light shrug. “If anyone’s willing to talk to you
that is.”
He laughs softly. “Sure they
will. No one can resist my charm.”
I reach for his braid,
tugging him gently to me as I stare deeply into his eyes. They are still as
beautiful and breathtaking as ever even though I know they still hide a lot of
pain behind them. Together we move closer, until our foreheads meet, our
breaths mingling as I watch him lower his lashes to sigh softly against me.
“Damn you,” he whispers
thickly. “I want to kick your ass for being such an asshole sometimes but you
just make it so hard, don’t you?”
“I’m sorry,” I whisper in return,
as I wrap an arm around his waist to pull him even closer to me. “I’m so
sorry…” For everything.
For a long time we remain
together in our embrace, content to stay this way forever if need be and after
what seems like an eternity (at least to me) he finally covers the distance
between our lips and gives me a slow lingering, heart-stopping and toe-curling
kiss that’s so much more potent than any drug could ever accomplish.
__
St. Margaret’s Hospital
It turns out to be I, Kenzo,
Akira, Hilde, Dorothy and the boy who has a crush on Kamui (Maiku is his name)
who end up being the representatives for the evening. A quick word with the
doctor on duty, several nurses and a very amused Dr. G, finally grants us the
permission we need to hang the banner outside the hospital wall.
Allowing Kenzo to take over
the reigns of organizing how visible it ought to be (and you can bet he’s
thrilled to be in charge), I walk into the building and make my way towards
Kamui’s room. Luckily, there are no bodyguards on the main floor, although I
notice that there’s only one of them by his door today. He’s sitting on a chair
and reading a Playboy magazine and I have the feeling it’s not for its political
contents either. I don’t recognize him as one of our attackers from the other
day, but it still doesn’t stop my forehead or eye from twitching at the memory
of the failed fight.
He gets to his feet hastily
as I approach, hiding the magazine behind him while trying to look threatening
at the same time.
“School mate of Teruo. Heero
Yuy,” I say shortly and he nods without a fuss, opening the door and announcing
my presence to the patient in the room.
“Heero sempai!” he greets
with much enthusiasm as the door closes behind me. “Welcome…sorry it’s in a
mess but I’ve been trying to organize all these notes together. Maiku came in
earlier to help me but he said he had something to do downstairs. What’s going
on?”
“You can breathe now,” I say
with a small smile. His excitement is infectious and yet it never ceases to
amaze me at how ‘small’ and defenseless he looks in this place. He’s still
cooped up in bed, but dressed in blue and white stripped pjs, with textbooks
and notebook papers strewn all across the bed and floor.
“Where’s Duo sempai?” he asks
as I bend to pick up some of the papers. I steal a quick look out the windows
and smile again as I notice that Kenzo’s smart enough to make them put the sign
where it’s clearly visible from Kamui’s room and the main roads as well.
“Duo? Duo’s being punished
for something, so he’s got to be home at a certain time,” I reply and watch as
disappointment fills the blond’s visage.
“Is it because of the other
night?” he asks quietly and I shrug lightly. No use lying, is there? “Ah, it’s
all my fault,” he wails. “I’ll have to make it up to Duo sempai when I get out
of here and…oooooh! What’s that?!”
He’s seen the banner and is
already stumbling out of bed to run towards the window. He leans out of it (I
fear he might fall out) and gawks in awe. Several other patients and even a few
passersby have stopped to stare at the spectacle and I couldn’t be any prouder
of my accomplishment.
“Ah, sempai, you shouldn’t
have!” Kamui gushes in delight. “I can’t believe you got so many signatures!
Father’s definitely going to have to let me stay now!”
In a sudden move, which takes
me by surprise, he wraps his arms around my neck and almost sends us toppling
to the floor with the force of his happiness. Between cries of ‘Kamui get the
fuck off me!’ and ‘Thank you, thank you, Heero sempai!’, my cell phone rings
and I somehow manage to pry the exuberant teen off my body to answer it.
“Yuy,” I snap curtly, trying
to catch my breath as Kamui runs back to the window to stare at his banner. He
gasps and then points to something but the voice on the other end is already
confirming my worst fears.
Rising to my feet, I stand
beside Kamui as we watch the television vans and crew pull up to the hospital
gates, hoping to get interviews with the tiny figures in white running out to stop
them from rushing in. Kenzo’s panicked voice jerks me out of my dazed stupor.
“What do we do, Yuy?! We
didn’t anticipate this much attention!”
Of course we didn’t! For a
brief moment, I had completely forgotten who we were dealing with here. This is
the Minister of Fucking Education and I have basically offered a challenge to
him. It’s only natural that the Press would want to get their hands on a scoop
like this.
There’s a scuffle in the
background and looking out of the window again, I can see that several
reporters are doing their best to shove their microphones into the faces of our
students as a million and one flashbulbs from their cameras go off.
“Heero…sempai…” Kamui begins
with mild panic in his voice, but that’s little compared to the sudden thrust
of the door opening and the thunderous expression on Doctor Hayakawa’s face.
“Do you see what you have
caused, young man? You reassured me that this was all a peaceful protest but my
hospital’s about to be taken over by the Press and it’s beginning to affect my
patients! I should never have let you do this!”
“Yuy?!” Kenzo screams into my
ear and now at my wit’s end, I yell back impatiently.
“You’re the fucking vice
president! Why don’t you think of something to do?! If you can’t handle it,
I’ll fire your goddamn ass and get someone else that’s competent enough.”
Switching the phone off
angrily, I get ready to face Hayakawa but Kamui’s already pleading on my
behalf.
“Please, sensei, it’s all my
fault. I wanted to stay in school so badly that…”
The doctor’s cell phone rings
and he picks it up with a growl, while motioning for Kamui to stop clinging to
his leg. “Yes. Hayakawa here…oh Mr. Teruo sir…”
I feel my blood run cold at
the name. Oh fuck. How could something so simple end up this bad? Kamui now looks
extremely pale and I have the feeling he’s going to faint in a minute or two.
“…no…no, everything’s fine
sir…the banner? Oh that…it will be taken down immediately…” The doctor’s
glaring at me as he says this part. “You want your son removed today? Yes sir…I
understand…”
Kamui gives a small cry of
anguish and falls to the floor in a cold faint causing the doctor to stumble
over his words in surprise. Before I can stop myself, I reach for Hayakawa’s
phone and begin to speak, not knowing what I’ll say but knowing I have to say something.
“Mr. Teruo, sir. This is
Heero Yuy the Student President of
“And just who the hell are
you to speak to me like that?” comes the cold voice at the other end. “Ah, I
see. So you’re the one responsible for all of this, correct? Heero Yuy of
“You can’t threaten me,” I
reply, now too far gone in my fury to watch myself. I absently step out of the
way of two nurses who are now administrating some quick first aid to the
collapsed boy, while Hayakawa’s dealing with several other doctors in the
hallway. It’s fucking pandemonium in here.
“Oh I can’t, can I?” Teruo
says with a short laugh. “I like your balls, son. If only Kamui could boast of
having one, but since he can’t and since I don’t recall you being there on the
day he was born, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell me how to raise my own
child, understood? Now get off the phone and let me talk to Hayakawa.”
“You son-of-a-bitch! You cold
hearted son-of-a-bitch.”
“If you wish to enter any
university in this country, my boy, I suggest you watch how you speak to me.
Now get me Hayakawa or else…”
Before I can say another
word, the doctor snatches his phone from me and I’m left standing there in
shock at what has just transpired. My entire body’s trembling, my head pounding
with an ache that ordinary painkillers will never cure. I stumble towards the
window, staring blindly at the chaos on the grounds below.
This is all your fault, Yuy. If you had just minded
your business and stayed out of this…none of this would have happened.
This.Is.All.Your.Fault!
“…yes, sir…we will get your son
ready…oh the car’s already here…a black limousine…”
Sure enough, the growing sea
of people seems to part ways to make room for the long vehicle as it pulls into
the grounds.
I failed you, Kamui. I failed everyone in Fujisaki.
“Please excuse me,” a nurse
says shyly to me as I step out of the way, watching her close the curtains to
block away the sights and sounds outside. I watch dully as they wrap Kamui’s
still form in a blanket, covering his face and hair just in case the cameras
decide to take snapshots of him. The bodyguard lifts him effortlessly and they
begin to make their way out of the room. I watch as a pale hand slips from the
blanket to hang limply as if belonging to the dead and that small motion
finally snaps me out of my dazed stupor.
I push past the surprised
nurses and doctors and reach for that pale hand, holding it tightly as if
hoping to send some warmth into the cold flesh. To think that just minutes
earlier, he had been thrilled to see that people did care about him. To think that
we’d lose this fight and send him back to a life of fear and constant
rejection. I can’t stand losing!
“Kamui!” I scream, ignoring
the doctors who try to pry me off or the bodyguard who’s torn between kicking
me and walking away with his precious cargo. “We’ll come back to get you, you
hear me! We won’t let him win! We’ll come back to get you! Duo and I made a
promise and we’ll keep it! We swear it! Do you hear me….argh!”
The pain is blinding and
sends me to my knees and then flat on my face. I’m not sure who hit me neither
do I care at this point but because the darkness that overwhelms me is a
welcome reprieve from the harsh reality I will have to face.
__
Principal’s Office
Friday,
I have counted and recounted
the faces – a total of ten administrators all sitting before me with stern,
passive, blank or thunderous expressions on their visages. I hold my head high,
hands clasped behind my back as I stare at a point above the Principal’s
forehead. He’s tapping his pen restlessly upon a notepad and I can still feel
my heart somewhere in my throat, beating rapidly with each breath I take.
“I’m sure you already know
why you’re here, Yuy,” Mr. Kamishiro begins tightly. “And it pains me greatly
to see that you’d do such a thing to damage the reputation of our school.”
I remain expressionless, not
wanting to give away the rage of protests churning in the pit of my stomach.
Kamishiro leans forward, his
bald spot shimmering beneath the morning light as beads of sweat break out on
his brow. “Do you know the amount of trouble I’ve been through just because of
you, Yuy?! The Minister of Education sent his son here! HERE to Fujisaki
because he believed in us and felt we would be the best facility for his child
and what do you do? You turn around and give him a reason to distrust us! What
in the world were you thinking?”
I’m not sure if it’s a
rhetorical question but when no one speaks for a minute, I finally reply
quietly but firmly. “I was only doing what I thought was best, sir. I had no
idea it would turn out to be this way.”
“No, no one assumes that, do
they?” Kamishiro replies tightly. “This isn’t your first major offence, is it,
Yuy?”
“Sir…”
“He broke into and stole my
car last year, Principal,” Kentaro, the Vice Principal says with a smug look. I
bet he’s glad I’m in this position. He’s always hated my guts anyway and
besides, I doubt it will be a good time to remind them that it was actually
Wufei who did the breaking in. We just went along for the ride…so to speak.
“And what was your
punishment, Yuy?” Kamishiro asks curtly, not finding anything very amusing at
this time.
“I was suspended for a month,
sir.”
“A month, hmm?”
I don’t like the sudden cold smile
on his features at all and I can feel my insides churning even faster. I have
the feeling I’m going to throw up soon if they don’t stop with the suspense.
“This is your final year as a
student at Fujisaki,” Kamishiro begins again. “And so far, you’ve been doing a
good job with your role as Student President. I cannot fault you for that.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“However, with a stunt like
this, I’m afraid that you cannot be let off so easily either.”
I clasp my hands tightly,
still managing to maintain my expressionless look. “I will accept any
punishment, sir.”
“Good. In that case, you have
two choices.” He clasps his hands together in front of him and gives me another
cold smile. “You are to either serve two months of suspension…”
I suck in a harsh breath. Two months?! I can’t afford to lose
that many days of classes! I need them all for the upcoming Finals! And
besides, such a record will not sit too well with any of the colleges I plan to
apply for! This just isn’t fair!
“…or you will have to serve
four weeks of suspension AND relinquish your role as the Student President.”
“What?!” The word had slipped
out of my mouth before I could control myself. “You can’t do this to me, sir!”
“You will keep your voice
down when you speak to me, Yuy or I’ll have you expelled!” He rises to his feet
as he pounds his fist on the table sending several papers jumping at the same
time. For a moment I’m reminded of just why he’s the Principal. He might be
stout but he can become an imposing presence when he chooses to be. “You have
brought shame and disgrace to
I grit my teeth and take a
deep breath. There are only four more months to the end of the school year. I
can afford to miss two months. No big deal. I’ll catch up with school work at
home and my friends will help.
“I apologize, sir,” I finally
say, composing myself quickly.
“You have the weekend to
think about your decision,” he says with a firm nod as he sits down again and
begins to mop his forehead with a handkerchief. “On Monday morning I want you
back here with your answer. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes sir…”
“And if any of your friends
decide to do anything funny,” he adds with another tight smile that sends
chills up my spine. “I’ll have them all suffer the same fate as you. Got it,
Yuy?”
“Yes, sir. I do.” All too well.
“You are dismissed.”
Bowing quickly to them, I
leave the room with legs that feel as stiff as boards. I close the door behind
me and suddenly find myself facing a small crowd of students standing before me
with Duo in the lead. I stare into their curious, concerned and worried eyes -
my four best friends, Wufei, Trowa, Quatre and Duo - the girls, Hilde, Relena (who must have been
crying) and Dorothy - my cabinet members, Kenzo, Akira, Anna, Miyuki and all
the other officers as well as several other curious students who had heard the
news and wanted to find out for themselves if their Student President was
really in hot water.
“Heero…” Duo begins as he
takes a step towards me but I hold out my hand to stop him and manage a smile
towards them.
“What’s with the long faces,
guys?” Surprised at how calm I sound. “We’ve got class to go to, right? Let’s
hurry up or we’re going to miss it.”
And with another forced smile
towards them, I walk away without giving them a second look, knowing that if I
stand there a minute longer, I might give in to the rage and tears that
threaten to consume me.
I know without a doubt that
Teruo’s behind this in some way but I plan to fight back with everything I’ve
got. No matter how long it takes.
~End Period Sixteen~