Kaida smiled, at herself in the mirror, sorrow twinkling in her eyes. She sighed a long shuddery sigh as she finished covering her bruises with makeup in the mirror. She silently slipped the pink jacket over her white blouse and tied the blue bow around her neck. It was her first day at her new school in Domino City. Kaida was nervous – very nervous. It's the middle of the school year so things were going to be very tough. Plus, she didn't have any of her friends around to support her. Kaida drew a deep breath and tried to put on a brave face for her mother.
"Here's your lunch, Kaida." Kaida's mother sighed and handed her daughter a brown sack of food.
Kaida silently took the bag from her mother and tried to hide her pain. Her mother kissed her daughter's forehead and hurried her out the door. Kaida walked alone along the sidewalk in the early morning with the flow of all the other people going to work. Kaida finally arrived at her new school. Kaida slowly walked into the yard in front of the school. Other uniformed students stood around mingling in a low buzz. Kaida searched the yard in a vain hope that maybe someone she knew also went here. The bell rung and the students all made their way into the school. Kaida rubbed the sleep from her eye with one hand and walked into the school. She was told to look for a man with dark hair and a black tie. This was to be her new teacher. She immediately spotted a kind looking man with dark hair and a black tie standing in the middle of the hall. Kaida approached the man,
"H-hello." Kaida stammered and swallowed her fears, "I'm Kaida."
"Oh, hello. Welcome to Domino High! Follow me to your new class." The kind man greeted and then turned to lead Kaida to her class. The bell rang as soon as they arrived outside the classroom. Her teacher slid the door open and walked in, motioning her to follow him.
"Class, I want you to meet Kaida. She's new here and will be joining our class." He introduced.
"Why don't you go sit next to Ryou over there?" her teacher pointed to an empty seat in the back of the class next to a boy with long white hair. Ryou stares at her with his large brown eyes as she carefully walks over to the empty seat and sat down at the empty desk. Kaida glances back at the strange white-haired boy and focuses back on the teacher.
This is my chance to start anew. Good grades would be a good start. Kaida thought to herself. The first half of her first day was just fine, except she felt Ryou's gaze upon her every so often. But when Kaida looked to see if Ryou was still looking at her, his attention would be on the teacher. Kaida was so relieved when the bell for lunch rang. Kaida turned around in her seat and pulled the brown sack from her bag. A spiky-haired kid with blonde bangs walked up along with a rough-looking blonde boy, a tall brunette boy, and a cute brunette girl with a short haircut walk up to Kaida once she had finished her lunch.
"Hi! I'm Yugi." The spiky-haired boy greeted with an eager smile.
He pointed to the blonde boy, "That's Joey."
He pointed to the tall brunette boy, "That's Tristan."
He finally pointed to the cute brunette girl, "And that's Téa." Yugi introduced.
"Hello." Kaida greets with a beaming smile.
It's only been an hour and I'm making friends! Kaida cheered joyfully inside her head.
"Would you like to come to my house after school and play games with us?" Yugi asked sweetly.
"That sounds like fun." Kaida replied trying to keep herself from exploding with pure happiness.
"That's fantastic! You can meet us at the gates after school." Yugi said and he walked away with his friends.
The last bell rang and everyone got up at once and headed out the door.
"Kaida!" someone called her name as soon as she got outside.
Kaida looked up and saw Yugi waving his hand over his head at the gate with his friends. Kaida walks over to the group and smiles at them. Yugi smiled back but his smile faded when he looked back at Kaida.
"Did someone hit you?" Yugi asked worried, looking at the bruise under her left eye.
Kaida's entire past came rushing back into her brain and played like a move in her head. Kaida stood there, remembering her father and the belt in which he'd slap her with. The pain of the metal belt buckle that bruised her face and body. But that was like heaven to Kaida. Normally her father would come home drunk and touch her while she slept or worse, rape her.
"Kaida?" Yugi snapped her out from her memories.
"Look Kaida, if ANYONE ever hurts my friends, they'd have to answer to me!" Joey assured proudly and stuck his thumb in his chest.
"No, I'm okay. I…fell…at home." Kaida tried knowing they wouldn't buy it.
"Hello Yugi." A cute British voice interrupted, saving Kaida from the awkwardness.
"Hello Bakura." Yugi answered.
Kaida turned and saw the same white-haired boy from her class approaching the group.
"May I join you?" Ryou asked kindly.
"Sure!" Yugi answered, "Let's go before it gets any later." Yugi said and turned.
Kaida and the group followed happily behind Yugi.
"So, how do you like it here in Domino?" Téa asked Kaida as they were walking.
"I like it here. It's nice and not as loud as Tokyo." Kaida answered with a smile.
And as far away from my father as possible! Kaida exclaimed in her head.
"You lived in Tokyo!" Joey gaped at Kaida.
"Yeah, it's really pretty at night with all the neon signs." Kaida smiled at Joey, "I hope to stay here for a long time." Kaida sighed thinking of her parents arguing over who gets custody of her.
"Well we hope you stay. You're very nice." Yugi complemented with a cute smile.
Kaida smiled back but Yugi could still see the pain that cried out in her eyes.
"Well here we are." Yugi said a bit shaken from Kaida.
Yugi led his group into the game shop where he lived.
"Hello, welcome!" a short old man in green overalls and gay spiky hair that blossomed from his yellow bandana greeted the group.
Grandpa, this is Kaida. She's new to our school." Yugi introduced me.
"Hello." Kaida greeted and smiled even though the pain still shined through.
"Hello Kaida. I hope you like it here." Yugi's grandpa replied, aware of the sorrow in Kaida's gray eyes.
"Let's go up to my room." Yugi invited and followed his friends up the stairs behind the counter.
Yugi's grandpa quickly grabbed Yugi by his arm as his friends ascended the steps.
"Is your new friend there okay?" Grandpa whispered in Yugi's ear.
"I really don't know, Grandpa. She told me that the bruise under her eye was from her falling at home." Yugi replied.
Yugi's Grandpa grunted and let Yugi go. Yugi ran up to his friends who eagerly await him in his room. Yugi walks into his room and sits down on the floor with his friends. He takes another look at Kaida who sat across the room from him. He knew there was something more to Kaida then what she was leading them all to believe.
"Do you know how to play Duel Monsters?" Yugi asked Kaida as he shoveled his desk in his hands.
"Goodnight, Yugi!" Téa called out behind her as she and the rest of the group left Yugi's house that evening.
Kaida smiled over her shoulder and waved, "Good bye, Yugi. Thanks for the great time."
The group eventually broke away in their separate directions towards home. Kaida smiled up at the moon that shined above her as she strolled along the sidewalk. She soon heard footsteps behind her and turned to see Ryou following her.
"Oh, hello Ryou, do you live around here?" Kaida said smiling her infamous smile, light brown hair moving with the slight breeze.
But there was something different with Ryou. His eyes weren't kind and soft, instead they were hard and mysterious. Ryou smirked and continued to approach Kaida.
"Ryou?" Kaida called.
Ryou shook his head and pushed Kaida up against a building, Kaida squirmed under Ryou.
"Why so eager to get away, secrets girl?" Ryou teased, his voice gruff, as he rubbed Kaida's bruise under her eye.
"What do you want!" Kaida screamed, her voice brave even though she was scared to death by this guy.
"I want to know everything." Ryou answered with a smile that half turned Kaida on.
Kaida pushed Ryou off of her which was easier said than done and crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes at Ryou.
"Why are you suddenly taking an interest in my life?" Kaida fought.
Ryou pushed Kaida back against the building, his arm extended to the building keeping Kaida from leaving him.
"Because everyone can tell in your eyes, even when you smile, that you have a history. You and I both know that you didn't really obtain this bruise from falling. How many more bruises are you hiding under make-up, hm Kaida?" Ryou said, his hard eyes exploding with a strange lust.
His strange eyes captivated Kaida that she didn't feel his cold hand reaching up her back and undoing her bra.
"Why do you care?" Kaida sighed, enticed by the sudden change in Ryou.
Ryou's lips collided in sweet harmony with Kaida's and his cold hand now reached up the front part of Kaida's shirt, cupping a breast. Kaida finally came to her senses while her lips where locked in Ryou's and realized that he was groping her. Kaida slapped Ryou's hand from her shirt and pushed Ryou off of her. Kaida was so disgusted by Ryou that she didn't see Ryou's eyes change from rock hard to soft and cuddly.
"Kaida, what hap-" Ryou started, his voice cute and British again.
But before Ryou could finish, Kaida slapped Ryou hard across his soft milky face.
"Kaida, why did you hit me?" Ryou practically screamed holding his cheek.
"I left Tokyo for this reason exactly." Kaida said bitterly. "Why can't I escape this? I'm tired of being treated like some thing that you can take your damn frustrations on!" Kaida screamed in angst.
"What are you talking about?" Ryou asked quietly, still holding his reddened cheek.
Tears formed in Kaida's eyes, Kaida lowered her head to hide the fact that she was crying in front of Ryou.
"My father lives in Tokyo. He used to touch me and…and…" Kaida began but found herself unable to continue. Tears began to stream down her bruised face and washed away the make-up. Kaida put her hands to her face and let out what she held in for almost 8 years. Ryou pulled Kaida in his arms and held her while she cried on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry my other half violated you." Ryou whispered into Kaida's hair.
"Wha-what?" Kaida hiccupped on Ryou's shoulder.
"It's very hard to understand but I have this sprit that lives inside of me. Sometimes it takes control of my body and makes me do things that I'd never do." Ryou tried to explain, expecting Kaida to push away from him and run away.
"D-dose it hurt?" Kaida hiccupped like a frightened child.
Ryou giggled softly, "No. It's getting late. Let me walk you home."
Kaida nodded now suddenly realizing how tried she really was. With his arm wrapped around her waist, Kaida let Ryou take her to her doorstep. Ryou didn't let go of Kaida until they were at their doorstep.
"See you at school tomorrow." Ryou smiled and waved over his shoulder as he walked away. Kaida watched as Ryou crossed the street and enter his house, right across from her. Kaida smiled, but this time her eyes shined with happiness.