Run and Hide Part 7
We dodged around students as I led Trowa out towards the garage. Several students greeted me as we walked through the halls, which made private conversation impossible. I was glad of it. We entered the garage, and my students all looked up.
"You were almost late, Mr. H!" One of them called out.
"Almost!" I snapped back with a grin. "Though maybe today I should've made you wait..." There was a collective groan. "This is Mr. Barton," I gestured to Trowa, who was leaning casually by the door. "He's part of that group the Father's taking around today. He wants to see what you've learned- just like me." I gestured to the engines that sat at each table. "I want to see that engine put back together- the right way- by the end of class. Work as a group- you get points for cooperation." The students bent eagerly over the tables, intent on the task before them. I picked up my clipboard and walked around, taking notes. I wasn't going to let Trowa's presence distract me from my job- it wasn't fair to the kids.
Not to mention that it gave me an excellent opportunity to avoid talking with him.
I was cursing my luck. Of all the schools that the damn bureaucrats had to tour - why mine? And why did Father bring them to my class? Lady Luck must hate me.
Or had it been a coincidence? I glanced at Trowa. Had they planned this? I discarded that idea. No, if they had found me sooner, they would've cornered me in my apartment, not at work.
Trowa was walking around too, talking to the kids and watching them work. By the end of the hour, every table had completed their task.
"Excellent work you guys. Go get cleaned up and head out," I told them with a grin. "I'll post the grades on Monday."
"Going home for dinner, Mr. H? Or going by the diner? Ma says she hasn't seen ya in days. She says you're already too skinny to be eatin your own cookin." One of the girls asked on her way out with an impudent grin.
"I'll try to come this weekend, Karol. But only if she's making fried chicken." I grinned back at her.
"Saturday's special," Karol grinned back. "See ya, Mr. H!" Trowa had returned to his spot by the door, his eyes watching me intently as I put my papers away. I could feel myself flushing under his heavy gaze.
"So, did you see what you needed to?" I asked him, fed up with the silence.
"I think so." Trowa gave me an unreadable look. "Do you have evening classes tonight?"
"Not on Friday," I replied, wishing I could lie.
"So you aren't busy?" He pushed himself away from the wall and stalked towards me on soft feet. "Will you come have dinner with Quatre and me?"
"I have an option?"
"Not really," Trowa smiled faintly at me. "I could just knock you out and carry you back to the hotel, but that might look awkward for you." That made me smile despite myself.
"All right," I nodded. Trowa had stopped in front of me. He reached out cautiously and gave me a hug.
"I've missed you, Duo," he said into my ear. "We've all missed you." A little of my tension melted away.
"I missed you too," I hugged him back. "I thought of you every Thursday." He released me and gave me another small smile.
"Quatre started going with me."
"Really? Good for him."
"Really. Speaking of which, we'd better go find them." We walked through the now silent hallways. "This is a nice school, Duo. You're doing good things here."
"I'd like to think so." I shrugged. "The Father and others try really hard to make sure that the students get the best we can give them." We walked in silence for a bit longer. I didn't know how to bring up the topic that I was really interested in. I was relieved when Trowa did it for me.
"You saw Heero?"
"He was hard to miss," I replied. "Is Fei here too?"
"No," Trowa frowned slightly. "He quit the Preventers."
"He what?" My feet stopped moving and I stared at Trowa. What the hell? I didn't think anything would've made Wufei do that. "Why?" I managed to ask. Trowa stopped in the hallway and turned his gaze on me.
"He got married about a year ago." Married? Wufei is married??
"What?" I think my brain short-circuited. "To who?"
"Sally." Sally? Fei married Sally? I raised a hand to my head as my brain tried to process this new information. Fei married Sally?!?!
"Can we rewind and start again?" I asked after a minute. Maybe I heard him wrong. "I think I missed something." Trowa frowned slightly.
"You've missed a lot, Duo." There was more than a hint of reproach in his voice. That snapped me out of my daze. I met his gaze evenly.
"I know it Trowa. And right or wrong, it was my choice. I did what I thought was best." I started walking again, leaving him staring after me for a moment, until he got his feet moving and followed me.
Wufei was married to Sally? What the hell had happened? Why had he left Heero? Or had Heero thrown him out? I told myself firmly that it wasn't any of my business, but that didn't stop my brain. That meant that Heero had been alone- for how long? Or was he alone? Had he found someone else too? I hoped so. Maybe it was Relena. I was fighting a rising surge of jealousy. Damnit! I had left them! It didn't matter that they were with other people now. I had left! But... why weren't they together? I didn't say anything more to Trowa, I didn't want to hear that tone of reproach in his voice. I didn't want to feel guiltier than I already did. So I just moved as quickly as I could down the hallway.
I wanted to go home- and in that moment I couldn't have said where it was.
TBC...
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