Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Seventh Heaven ❯ Thinking it Over ( Chapter 22 )

Title: Thinking it over

Series: Seventh Heaven

Author: Sorceress Fantasia

Pairings: 1+2, Mariemaia+OC

Warnings: Duo POV, AU (our time), sap?

Archive: Lev's Lair

Fanfiction.net

MediaMiner

Anyone else, just ask. ^^

Disclaimer: I'd just implemented my latest plans, but even the giant bed and the chest of toys failed to lure any of the GW gang over. So no, I don't own any of the GW gang or the anime. Neither do I own 'Colourblind', which is Darius' song. He and his record company own it, I think.

Thanx to Lily Kalanoa for beta-ing! ^^

"That insufferable jerk! How could he do this to me?" Marie cries indignantly, and slams her fist onto the table.

The tabletop wobbles, and Sylvia cringes. Quickly, she hands a piece of tissue to Marie. Marie takes it, and instead of dabbing it at her eyes, she shreds it in anger. Almost inaudibly, Sylvia 'meeps' and hands another one to her.

For the umpteenth time, I'm grateful that we're in a quiet corner of an ice cream parlor, so we won't attract too much unwanted attention. It's not that I don't sympathize with Marie; it's just that I'm getting too used to this. It's been… what? The third time since this semester started? Marie falls in love far too easily. That isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's just that her boyfriends fall in *and* out of love easily.

And every time her relationships fell through, she would bawl her eyes out for a few hours, usually with both Sylvia and me looking after her. Sylvia always tries coaxing her with sweet stuff like candies or ice cream, knowing her soft spot for them. After the few hours of seemingly obligatory sobbing, she'd bounce back to normal like some resilient bug that has somehow become immune to insecticide. And she'd be convinced that she was meant to be in a better relationship. The pattern starts all over again.

She recovers quickly from heartbreaks, but I think it's just her way of coping. It's not a bad thing, just not necessarily good either. Which probably explains the three heartbreaks in rapid succession.

Marie blows her nose into a tissue. "He's such an asshole… He actually dumped me. Dumped me!"

Tears start gathering in her eyes again, and she holds out a hand towards Sylvia, apparently asking for more tissue. Geez… Marie sure thinks we're tissue boxes. Sylvia rummages in her bag, and looks up at me with a frown. She gently shakes her head, telling me that she's run out. I've run out too; Marie uses up tons of tissue paper when she cries. Sighing, I snatch a napkin and hand it to her. Not the best thing, but it's the only thing we've got.

"Marie, if that guy were such a jerk, such an asshole, shouldn't you be happy that you're with him anymore?" I ask.

Her sobs soften considerably. I must be on the right track.

"Besides, he wasn't all that great, was he? I mean, he never took you anywhere better than Macdonald's. And he was forever in trouble with the teachers. So maybe it's better that you're not with him?"

"I guess so…"

Bingo. I'm right on mark. And actually, I know what I'm saying. That guy, David, isn't the best guy for a boyfriend. Sylvia and I had been worried for Marie when they first started dating, and in fact, I've been waiting for them to break up. It's pretty easy to tell that he isn't the right guy for Marie.

Marie takes a deep breath, and wipes away the remnant tracks of her tears. "I guess you're right, Duo. He's not right for me. I can't believe I didn't listen to you when I started to date David."

Sylvia smiles, and gently pats her on her back. "It doesn't matter now. It's over already. Now you should pull yourself together."

"Right. And I should forget that guy."

"Nah. You should remember what went wrong with this relationship. Makes sure it doesn't happen again." I say.

"Yeah…" she replies, slightly pouting. "Is it me?"

"What?"

"Why is it that none of my boyfriends actually want to stay with me? It's like… they're just playing around, and I'm only one of their… victims."

"Of course it's not that… " Sylvia tries, but I can see the deep frown and nervous smile on her face. With a sideward glance, she gives me a curt nod.

"Marie," I start, "you have to ask yourself this: are you playing around as well? Or do you give the impression you are? Are you really committed to the relationship?"

"What do you mean? That I did this to myself?" she asks, voice tinged with ire.

Sylvia looks at me, silently pleading to not make things worse.

I sigh inwardly. "Marie, I'm not implying that. I just want you to think about it. And have you ever considered the fact that you never really get upset at break ups?"

"It's just that they're not the right guy," she repeats. "And since they're aren't 'the one', it's not worth my tears and time. I might as well try again."

"That's exactly my point. It's the way you treat your relationships that make them turn sour, sometimes. I admit: some of your ex-boyfriends are just fooling about. But if you think that it's not worth your tears and time, then you aren't really committed to them either. When you're in a relationship and you're serious about it… it counts as something. Something important, something you really want. Otherwise, why are you in the relationship in the first place?"

Marie looks at me, biting her lips and frowning. Sylvia offers me a smile to continue.

"And if the relationship is important to you, wouldn't you do nearly anything to maintain it? Wouldn't you fight tooth and nail to keep it close?"

"Duo's right, you know?" Sylvia turns to her, and I lean back in my chair. I'm not particularly fond of talking about serious stuff like this. "And if you really cherish the relationship, wouldn't you wait for him to turn back, even if it's just a small possibility? Because he's all you want. But then, the wounds will one day be healed, and that's when you find yourself willing to start another serious relationship. It's not just… how do you say it?"

"It's not just 'he doesn't like me anymore, so I might as well just move on right now'," I add.

Red creeps onto her cheeks, and she looks at the both of us sheepishly. "I know that. It's just that… they… don't make me feel that way. I don't feel upset… I mean, I don't feel *that* upset to just give up getting another boyfriend for an undeterminable time. When I'm with them, I feel happy. Just happy. There's no elation, no giddy happiness. And even then, I could have made myself believe I was happy with them. Maybe I'm not. I… don't know."

"Then perhaps you haven't met 'the one' [1] yet," Sylvia says gently. "And you just… want to meet him, too much. I think it'd be a good idea if you'd stop and think about what you're doing."

"And an even better idea would be to stop believing those romance novels you read. They're called fiction for a reason. Most of them just give you romanticized notions of what relationships are really like. Reality doesn't work that way," I say, feeling like the devil's advocate already. If there's one thing girls don't like, at least the girls I know, it's to tell them that romance novels are fictional and will not happen in real life.

"There's no giddy happiness, I know. It's just something made up. But you know… I just want to believe it so I can hope for it. Must have read too many of those fairy tales when I was younger." Marie chuckles softly. She reclines in her seat, and slips a spoonful of liquid ice cream into her mouth. "It just totally sucks to be too realistic."

"Just remember: if the world didn't suck, we'd all fall off." I quip, and I succeed in getting a full-blown grin from both girls.

Marie recovers from her snickering, and props her elbows on the table. "Hey. Do you two think that it's possible to find a relationship that good? Or have you ever felt the type of happiness the novels write about?"

I smile wistfully. Marie is going to need some time to really think about this. But at least, I think she knows what to think. And better still, what *not* to believe.

"Honestly Marie, are you asking me that? You know I've never even had a boyfriend yet," Sylvia answers.

Marie blushes again, and nods sheepishly. Apparently, she'd forgotten Sylvia's childhood. With her moving around the globe like that, it was pretty difficult for her to even make friends, let alone boyfriends. Every time she'd gotten close to someone, her parents had already booked the flight to the next country where their careers brought them. Her shy personality just aggravates the problem. If it weren't for the fact that Marie and I have very charming and mostly talkative characters, Sylvia would probably have still be sitting at the lunch tables alone eating cold salad.

Suddenly, they both turn to look at me expectantly and I can't help but roll my eyes.

Crap. I hate talking about these kinda things. It always gets so awkward, and leaves me mortified without fail. Sometimes, I can feel the blush at the end of my braid. It's *that* bad. Besides, I'm not all that proficient in relationships. With Solo around, it just doesn't seem like a possibility.

"Whether it's possible or not, I don't know. We are supposed to go find out ourselves. And about that novel thing… nah, never felt it. C'mon, Solo sorta limits my romance encounters, you know?" I say. Oh, of course they know. After all, they've been through Solo's telephone filtering before. I don't know how he does it, but at least half my dates never call up a second time. And the other half either reverts to being my normal, platonic friends, or just plain avoid me. A small percentage prevails, but most of them aren't serious about me. It's more like wanting a fling.

Duo Maxwell does not do flings. I just think it's a waste of time.

But the most interesting people are those who actually get infatuated with Solo, and they'd call back just to try and flirt with him instead. Like that blonde cheerleader a while back. Damn near had to change our telephone number before Solo went out with her. Don't know what he did, but she never called again.

And if they don't call, they actually stand a higher chance of dating me. Still, most of them aren't what I'd consider a good date. And when I was younger, Solo would actually go look for my dates and scare them away. Now that I'm older, he's become a bit more relaxed with my potential dates. Not so much intervention, but still enough to chase some away. Ah scratch that. Most. He chases most of them away.

"What about that Heero guy you've been going out with? Do you like being with him? Are you happy with him?"

I blink. I hadn't even thought about romance and him together in the same sentence. Same paragraph, maybe. But not the same sentence. I mean, we're not that close yet. Still, I think it's pretty obvious he wants us to be. He likes me, I know.

"Yeah. He's been a good companion." I like being with him, because all he tries to do is be nice to me while winning me over. I've had a few short-lived dates before, and Heero's a saint compared to most of them. At the very least, he doesn't try pawing me. Currently, we've only held hands, and I was kinda the one who initiated it. Even when we were in the movie theatre, which is a prime spot for some groping, he didn't even try. Maybe he'd thought about it, but well, he didn't do it. And I'm happy with him, because he makes me. Whenever we're out together, he'd always try cheering me up.

I like his smile.

"Then… do you think he's serious about you?" Sylvia asks quietly.

"I don't know." But it sure feels like he is. At least, he wants to see me so much he's not afraid of the ever-looming threat of Solo.

"For all we know, he could be 'the one' for you," Marie sniggers.

I shrug. "Maybe? We'll see."

*****

"Duo! Dinner is ready!"

Quickly, I finish up my last sentence for my essay and head out of my room. In all actuality, I'm not really keen on dinner tonight. Solo had came home early today and whipped up what he called a special dinner, something I am not entirely sure if it's going to be edible. Apparently, he saw something interesting in a recipe book earlier.

I'd rather eat take-out then what he deems 'interesting'.

There're quite a few dishes on the table; maybe it won't be too bad, with all the choices. Keeping my comment to myself, I sit at my usual spot at the table. Howie is already there, waiting eagerly to taste Solo's cooking. What can I say except that he's got strange taste buds? Shini's happily munching on his food somewhere near the dinner table, and doesn't even spare me a look when I came out of my room. That food-crazy dog!

"Get out of my way!" Solo yells from the kitchen, and quickly emerges with a big bowl of something. Putting it on the table almost hastily, he blows at his hands. "Geez! That's hot!" Grabbing a wet cloth from the table, he sits down as well. "So well, you can start eating!"

"Right…" I utter, and drink some of the tomato soup. "Hey, this isn't too bad…"

"What? Don't think so little of my culinary skills, would ya? If I just put in a little effort, I can cook a pretty decent meal!" Solo protests smugly.

"Solo, go get a few more cans of this thing the next time you go grocery shopping. I like it too," Howie says, and at Solo's raised eyebrows, adds with a smirk, "Saw the can in the sink earlier."

I look away innocently and hide a snigger behind my hand. Solo's face vaguely reminds me of a ripe tomato, and I can only imagine what he's thinking. Serves him right for bragging! Bad culinary skills actually run in our family. He can try convincing us otherwise, but I know better. Especially when it comes to sumptuous food. The last time I tried making sushi, Shini took a sniff at it and ran the other way. I think it was the raw fish.

"Yeah, go ahead and laugh. It's not like you two can do any better," Solo grouses, and I decide wisely to stuff my face. Apparently, Howie shares my sentiments.

For a while, we just eat. To my surprise, the food isn't all that bad. Most of them are actually edible, but I'm willing to bet that they're mostly canned food. It's pretty nice, having dinner like that with my family. Lately, Solo has been so busy with his schoolwork that he's hardly home for a nice meal like this one now.

"Hey, Duo. How's school lately?" he asks suddenly.

"It's just the usual fare. Homework, homework and more homework. I'd rather know what's up with your uni lately. What's been keeping you busy?"

"Well, it's basically similar to yours. Just loads of assignments and some bitchy lecturers. And there's this business project that I'm doing with a classmate. We're supposed to start up a small scale business on campus a couple weeks from now."

"That metal tags you asked about…" Howie asks, still chewing his food. Swallowing it, he continues, "Is that what you're gonna sell?"

Solo nods. "Part of it. We're also selling roses." He then springs into an elaborate explanation of their plans. I must admit; it sounds interesting, although it's a little girlish and well… The flirty ones will have another weapon added to their arsenal.

"There're just two of you tending the stall? Maybe I can go help out when I'm free," I offer.

"Yeah, you can come help out sometimes. Besides, you can take the opportunity and take a good long walk around to familiarize yourself with the place. You might be studying there next," Solo says, reaching out for another spoonful of the whipped potatoes. "But that's a long way off. We're still in the midst of writing our business report."

Howie shoves a mouthful of food into his mouth. Nibbling, he says, "You know, sometimes I wonder how is it that after so many years of cooking, none of us can actually cook something that is edible *and* nice?"

"It runs in the family, Howie. I remember that mum wasn't the best of cooks either. Her meatloaves were the worst," I answer casually, reaching for another spoonful of the tomato soup. It's really nice.

"I remember her meatloaves. She used to force me to try her cooking so she could give it to her dates, and her meatloaves always gave me indigestion." Howie says with a laugh.

"This is exactly why I'm not marrying someone who can't cook. If I did, my child would be a walking disaster in the kitchen," Solo remarks, scooping another spoonful of whipped potato into his plate. He loves potato. "And that works for you too, Duo. Which reminds me… Duo, is that guy still calling you?"

"Which guy?" I ask, although I already have a sneaking suspicion.

Solo rolls his eyes, and puts down his spoon. "That guy who was hitting on you some time ago. Is he still calling? Be honest with me."

For a fleeting moment, I consider lying. But then, I think to myself, what's wrong with Heero calling me? And I definitely have the right to choose my friends and significant other. So I say, "Yeah. He's been calling. Don't worry, Solo. I'm fine! He's my friend!"

"Friend? Hmph! I still think he's advancing on you. I couldn't recognize his voice; I've no idea who he is. You just knew him, right? Calling a new acquaintance so late at night? He must be up to no good."

"Stop being such a fussbudget, would you? We're friends, and I enjoy being with him. And I know what's right and wrong; I won't let him do anything funny to me, okay?" I retort, feeling bored of the argument already. God knows how many times we've argued on this issue.

Surprising, Solo shrugs and gives up. I narrow my eyes at him; this is so unlike him. Then I notice Howie's glare that is directed on him. Hey, the old guy's convinced that I should be allowed to date whoever I fancy, just as long as I keep myself safe. Still, Howie's glares usually have no effect on my big brother. His concern for me exceeds Howie's wrath.

There's something off, but I can't put my fingers on it. Oh well. I shouldn't go looking for trouble. So I just start blabbering about a recent rock music album, and the conversation sort of takes off. Solo likes rock music as much as I do, perhaps even more. He is, after all, the one to introduce me to the genre of music.

The conversation eventually spans from Howie's new mechanic who dropped a spanner on his own foot when a pretty lady swung by, to Marie's new revelation earlier this afternoon. Shini pipes in occasionally with a bark here and there, making sure that we remember his existence and more importantly, to fill up his food bowl. We ignore him for the most part.

*****

It's Howie's turn to do the dishes, fortunately. So I duck back into my room, and turn up the stereo. Propping myself up against the headboard with a pillow, I start on the novel a friend loaned me the other day. It's supposed to be a fantasy novel, the type I like, and I'm still waiting for the dragons to appear. I like dragons; they're really marvelous creatures. I'm halfway through the book when a familiar tune strums out.

[Feelin' blue, while I'm trying to forget the feeling that I miss you
Feelin' green, when the jealousy swells and it won't go away in dreams]

It's 'Colourblind', the song I listened with Heero that day at Sally's. Blinking at the coincidence, I lean across to my cabinet and pull out the photo album he'd given me. Heero. Come to think of it, he's a strange fellow. In all my 18 years, he's the only guy to ever stalk me on a bus. And also the only one to score 11 over 10 on the Duo Maxwell scoreboard for guys. He doesn't eat junk food, but he keeps getting this blush whenever I mention Mars bar chocolate. What does he know about it that I don't? Plus, he hasn't even tried touching me anywhere but my hands in all the weeks I've known him! Even that decent looking guy I dated a while back grabbed my waist on our second and last date. Solo caught us like that, and the rest is pretty much history.

I'm not even sure if he thinks we're dating. I don't think we are, but he might beg to differ. After all, he's been trying hard to get me out.

Actually, I'm not sure what overcame me that day at Sally's, sharing my discman with him that way. I mean, I had to sit so close to him I almost thought I was going to lean into him. I could have sat a bit further (the ear phones had a pretty long wire), I suppose, but something possessed me that time. And from the way we were sharing the toasts, I know we probably looked like a dating couple to everyone else. Any other guy dating me would have seen that as a golden opportunity to coddle or just grab me close. Heero just sat there stock still, almost statue like. Only his arm slid down from my chair to my back for a while. I think he was plain nervous, and I decided that telling him to get his hands off was only going to make him jump off the chair. So I just let him think I didn't notice, and I must admit, it's kinda nice like that.

Marie's words from this afternoon return to me.

"For all we know, he could be 'the one' for you."

And my answer rings in my head.

"Maybe? We'll see."

I don't think I'll mind all that much if Heero is 'the one'. Maybe. It's a possibility. After all, he's really good looking. Searing blue eyes… dark brown hair… tanned skin… lean body… Yeah, I really like how he looks. Looks wise, he aces the Duo Maxwell test. Personality wise… well, we're still working on that one. Still, I'd say that he's been doing pretty well.

Suddenly, there's a knock on my door. "Duo? You busy? Can I come in? I've got something to talk to you about."

Shit! It's Solo! Quickly, I toss the photo album back into the cabinet; Solo knows better than to mess my stuff up. Grabbing the novel, I pretend to read. "Come in!"

He opens the door, and jumps onto my bed like he was freefalling. His weight makes me jump up a little, and I drop my book.

"Solo!"

He grins playfully. "What? I like your bed. It's bouncy and firm."

His words cause a twinge of guilt in me. Although our family is far from being poor, we aren't exactly very, very well off either. I'd say we're a little in the lower brackets of the middle-class family, so we're used to being a little on the frugal side. But Solo always insist on letting me have the good stuff, like this bed. His bed is pretty old, and I can already feel the springs threatening to jump out. It's pretty uncomfortable lying on that thing, much less sleep on it. But he refuses to get a new one, saying that he's already used to it. I think he just wants to save up so they can afford to send me to university.

"You can sleep here tonight if you want. We can exchange beds," I offer, though I know I'd rather spend the night on the living room couch. I hate his bed.

"Nah. You'll get aches all over if you take my bed. Besides, it's not good for your bones," he grins, and sits up. "Anyway, what were you doing?"

"Reading," I say, and pick up my book. "It's a good read. Anyway, what do you want to talk to me about?"

He nods, and gathers my thick blanket into his laps like it's a plushie. "I've got something to tell you. Firstly, it's about that guy who's been calling you."

"Again? I thought I've made it clear; he's a friend, and a very one at that. I'd like to keep him around, so stop trying to scare him off."

"A very good one?" he echoes, raising a dark brow at me. "You've been going out with him."

It's a statement, not a question. But it doesn't make a difference. Both do not bode well.

I nod. "But he's not laid a finger on me. We've just been talking."

"About?"

"Anything that comes to mind. Nothing he can blackmail me with."

Solo sighs, and crosses his arms. "Do you have to be so hostile with me being concerned? I just want the best for you. I don't want to see you get duped or hurt. You know it; I promised mum that I'd take care of you."

My brother is the travel agent for guilt trips. And every trip is so carefully planned and executed that I will 'enjoy' the most of it. Sometimes I find myself trying to look for loopholes in his promise. While it's nice to know that someone cares for me so much, it's irritating when the caring bit gets overboard.

"I know. But Solo, I'm 18. I know how to choose my friends," I say almost exasperatedly. Leaning back against the headboard, I glare at him.

"No, you're 17 technically. It's not your birthday yet. What's with kids nowadays anyway? Always claiming to be a year older when it's not even his birthday yet?" he laments, and I have to resist the urge to point out that he's not much older than me.

"And no matter what, I'm older than you, and I've met more people than you have. I've more experience," he adds, in a tone much like my own. "What have you two been doing together?"

"Just having a few cups of coffee and a movie. And no, he hasn't tried to kiss me, ok?"

"No touchy-feely?"

"No," I answer resolutely.

Solo sighs, and pulls the blanket closer to him. "Fine, I'll accept this friend for the time being. But if I find out that he's been taking advantage of you…" He trails off, but his unspoken promise is loud and clear in my mind. He has, after all, said it so many times. "At least tell me his name. The next time he calls, I want a name to go with his voice."

"No way. The last time I did, you scared Marie away. It's sheer luck that we're still friends," I grumble crossly. After I had told Solo Marie's name, he actually checked out my telephone book and called her up. I can still remember how Marie jumped when I approached her the next day to apologize. She had given me a nervous grin, and I could see her looking around like she was ready to bolt at the slightest sign of 'the guy with the scary tone' appearing.

He frowns, but I can see that he's giving up. It's almost hard to believe that he would; he's always so obstinate. I brace myself for what will no doubt come, something he thinks will make Heero's existence irrelevant.

I cock my head to one side, clutching my pillow in my arms like a protective shield.

"I'll let that slide for now. I've got something more important to talk to you about."

I'm not sure if it's his tone, or just the atmosphere, I could almost hear the 'Incoming missiles! Look out!' warning blinking inside my head. I grasp my pillow tighter against my chest. "What is it?"

"Remember me telling you about my business project? The one I'm doing with a friend?" he asks.

"Yeah… So?"

"Well, this friend… he's kinda a nice guy. Actually, I noticed him a year ago, and started to somewhat observe his behaviour. Well, I'm pretty impressed by him. He's pretty intelligent, and seemingly has no bad habits. Then, we got paired up for this project and I took the opportunity to know him better. From what I gather, he's the homey type. You know, the type that doesn't mind doing house chores, and goes home on time… He can cook too. And he doesn't drink, doesn't smoke, and doesn't go clubbing. Very polite too. You'll be healthy and safe with this guy."

I stare at my brother warily, not entirely sure if I want to know where the conversation is heading. "Just what are you driving at?"

"He's very good looking too; the type you like, as much as I can tell," he winks mischievously, and I feel my blood rushing to my face. "What's more, he seems to care a great deal for his younger sister. It logically follows that he'll be good to his significant other too."

"Solo, are you trying to…?" I ask, unwilling to believe what I've just heard. After so many years of depriving me of a romantic relationship, it sounds implausible that he'd try and introduce me someone. And just who is it to be able to pass the Solo Maxwell test? It's hard enough to get through my tests, but his? Gee, just how good is this guy?

He nods gleefully with a really wide smirk on his face. "Yeah, I am. I know you've been unhappy about me intervening your love life, so now I'm trying to compensate. Well, this guy's a catch, as far as I'm concerned. For all the time I've known him, he has not once given me a bad impression. He is *very* eligible, and girls flock over to him like bees to honey."

"So? What do you want me to do about it?" I grouse, getting the urge to tear something apart. Isn't this the guy who was opposing my friendship with Heero earlier? Now he's trying to get me into a relationship? Why is he always so… concerned about my love life that he feels the need to intervene in nearly every way possible? I know he has my interest at heart, but don't I have the right to choose for myself who I want to be with?

"I want you to meet him. If possible, I want him to be your boyfriend. That way, I'll be able to rest a lot easier, knowing you're in good hands. I won't tell you his name now, or you'll be snooping around to find out who he is. Besides, you didn't tell me your new friend's name either. You'll know it when you two meet."

"Solo, I don't want to meet him. I don't need a god damned matchmaker!"

He just gives me another of his cocky grin, and stands up. "Well, give it a good thought. A guy this good doesn't come by easily, you know?"

Before I can slam my pillow in his face, he slinks out of my room like a swift-moving feline. My pillow hits the door with a dull 'thud', like the sound of my heart beating wildly against my ribcage. I'm fairly irked by his confidence, and the very idea of this. Matchmaking? No, I don't need that.

When I fall in love, it would be an act of fate. I'd meet him on my own, by a quirk of coincidence or a twist of fate. I don't ever need people introducing others to me. Especially not by the guy who has been limiting my romance all these years.

I fall back on my bed, firmly convinced that I would find love on my own. But as I look up at the stark white ceiling, I can't help but think just who the hell managed to win Solo over.

-owari-

Sorceress Fantasia @ 13th July 2003

Last revised 6th October 2003

[1]: No, I'm not talking about the Matrix. ^^;