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don't believe the things you say about me because I don't see them. I don't think I'm all that great looking, so I can't really see how I use my charms to get my way. I feel extremely alone in this seemingly overcrowded world and I'm completely fascinated with you for reasons I can't explain.” His eyes fell on mine with the last words he said.
    I sucked in my breath, caught by the way he just laid it out there for me to see. I got that same feeling in the pit of my stomach as the night before. He was telling the truth and I believed him. Even more so, I related to him. I, too, felt alone in this world and never considered myself a thing of beauty. Both of us had to deal with a haunting reputation. Then he admitted he was fascinated with me which brought on a whole other flux of emotions.  I didn't know whether I wanted to take flight from elation or cry as the pun of a cruel joke. Then it became clear that he had knocked down the walls I built to protect myself.  I was confused as well as scared.
    “You can breathe,” he said.
    “I think I forgot how to,” I pulled my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms tightly around them.
    “Come on, I want to show you something.” He stood and held out his hand for me and then led me down the stairs to the doors with the two armored figures on either side. He pushed them open, letting the sight of the garden fill my eyes. The jagged stone pathway circled around a giant statue of a woman bending over, gripping the ends of her dress, like she was about to step into a stream or prevent them from being frayed by the rough ground. Pure serenity filled her face. There was no worry that wrinkled her brow, and there was no pain in her eyes. Her lips were relaxed and sealed in the faintest hint of a smile. The flower bushes that grew around her pedestal had small pink buds poking out against the dark green leaves and branches.
    We followed the path that wound its way through the garden. On either side, bushes upon bushes of different flowers were starting to bud and release their sweet scents into the world. I walked alongside Marren at a casual stroll. The sounds of birds singing songs of joy filled the woods that surrounded the garden. The sun lightly sprinkled its warmth. A soft sigh escaped me.
    “Do you believe me?” Marren asked.
    “Believe what?”
    He chuckled. “What I said in your room.”
    “Yes...at least, I think so. Then again, I don't really know.” I let out a deep breath then added, “Mostly.”
    “What don't you believe?”
    “That you don't believe women swoon over you. You would have to be blind. They practically throw themselves at your feet.”
    “Or, perhaps my gaze is otherwise preoccupied...”
    “What do you mean by that?”
    “Nothing really, and not every woman throws herself at my feet. You don't.”
    “Now that isn't going to work with me.” I stopped walking then grabbed his arm, forcing him to stop and look at me also. “You can't be cryptic with 'nothing really' after saying something about being preoccupied. And I have reasons for not buying into your charm.”
    “How would it feel if your looks were what condemned you?” he asked.
    I let my hand fall to my side. I knew exactly what he was talking about, and I fought hard to forget. “I already know how that feels...for different reasons,” I whispered, blinking away tears, and continued on the path.
    “Is that why you try to keep yourself so guarded? What happened to you, Relena?” His words were soft and filled with concern.
    “A lot of things that someone in your position would never understand.”
    “Please tell me?” He held out his hand towards a bench off to the side of the path, nestled in between bushes of bright yellow buds.
    I took a seat. “You don't answer half of my questions, why should I answer yours?” I tried to put as much effort into those words as I could, but fell short of any conviction.
    “I will answer your questions, in time. For right now, I'm very