Part 3
I
awoke from a knock on the door. I
hadn’t even realized that I had fallen asleep.
Still in my gown from the delegate meeting early this morning I answered
the door. A familiar smiling face
greets my sleep-laden eyes. “What’s
going on Kit?”
“You’ve
been invited by Miss Relena for a small meeting over coffee.”
“Tell
her I decline.”
“Too
late Mel, I already told her that you would meet with her.
Here, I’ll help you pick out an outfit.”
“How
could you be so cruel to me? You
know how much I despise that girl!”
“I
hear she personally knows the gundam pilots.”
Kit almost giggles at the look of shock that I gave him. ‘She
knows the gundams? Why does life always love to throw these bumps in your
path’ I ponder.
“Ok,
you pick out the outfit while I shower.”
“As
you wish Mel.”
***********************************************************************
I must
admit that Kit does have good taste when it comes to dressing me.
He picked out a black pleated skirt and a pale blue satin button down
top. I put my hair in a ponytail
with slight curls at the ends. All
in all I think I looked rather good considering I only had twenty minutes to get
ready. My driver stops and opens
the door of the limo for me.
The
coffee shop was small and smelled deliciously of it’s freshly ground product. Round tables with crisp, white linens dot the floor.
The waitresses bustle around with coffee pots in hand quickly refilling
cups in which the fluid level sunk to below the halfway point.
I see Relena sitting in a booth near the back of the shop. She smiles as
I make my way over.
“Queen
Asher, I’m so glad you came.” She exclaims.
“Call
me Mel” I reply hastily. I
imaginarily slap myself for saying that. At
least she was taken aback by it.
“Alright…Mel.
The reason I asked for you to meet with me tonight is because I’m
worried about you. I know how hard
it is to loose a parent and I wanted to offer my support in anyway I can.” She
is looking at me with that damn pacifist smile again.
“ I know I’m only two years your senior, but I hope that you could
come to look at me as an older sister.” A
bitter taste forms in my throat. ‘Who
does she think she’s kidding?’ I
feel so two faced around this girl, this has got to end.
“Relena,
I’m going to be truthful here. In
all honesty I’m not fond of you. Your
ideals in your eyes may feel like the truth, but to me they are a foolhardy
dream. I can’t go around pretending I agree with you.”
Relena’s posture straightens my rant continues.
“I
see. So what you are saying is that you do not like me because of
my beliefs? But Mel, if you put
those things aside there is still a person worthy of giving a chance.”
She
does have a point. Have I been
discriminating her because of her pacifist beliefs?
I cringe when I realize the answer is yes.
What a poor way for me to act, a queen who goes on outward appearances
instead of getting to know the person on the inside.
I’m ashamed of how I’ve been acting.
“Mel,
talk to me.”
“Oh
Relena, I must apologize for the way I have been treating you.
I have unfairly judged you…” I am startled by the set of hands that
take my own. Touch. Something that I have truly missed since my parent’s
passing. I turn my head so she
can’t see the tears glistening in my eyes.
“Tell
you what. Let’s wipe the slate
clean and start over again. We
should celebrate our new beginning and I know just the place.
But first I have to change and you’ll have to ditch machine boy over
there.” She gestures her head
towards the front entrance where Kit was patiently waiting for me.
“How
do you propose I do that?”
“Easy,
we’ll use the bathroom exit” she replies grabbing her purse.
“Come on.” She urges me when I don’t move.
“Are
you sure?”
“Live
a little Mel.”
Those
words hit the spot. She was two for
two with me tonight. “Are you
sure this will work?”
“He
wont suspect a thing. Girls always
go to the bathroom in groups.”
“They
do?”
“Boy
do you have a lot to learn.” We
make our way to the restroom. Once
inside I realize that there are no exits.
“How
are we going to exit without a door?’
“You
really are a sheltered one aren’t you? When
life doesn’t go as planned you have to improvise”, she replied opening the
window and popping out the screen.
I
had never climbed out a window before and it turned out to be quite an
experience wearing a skirt.
“Time
for the excitement to begin.” Grabbing
my hand we took off down the alley.