Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A/N: I figure it's time for a new Taito story. I'm hoping this will help me with my major writer's block when it comes to attempts to update Turning Tables. So, I appreciate all comments, and I hope you enjoy it!

Rebel Without A Cause

Chapter One: Detention Hall

The clock didn't move.

I don't know why.

Every time I looked at the fucking thing, it was still five minutes after ten.

I was furious.

Being suspended was a joke. All I really did was sit around my house and play video games everyday for a week. And I can't say being able to sleep in wasn't awesome too. But the worst feeling was waking up that morning and knowing I had to go to fucking school. And not only did I have to go to school...

I had to go to detention hall.

For three days.

Detention hall is an invention created by Satan. It was where students would go to get "caught up on their work."

Really, it's a classroom with cubical desks and no windows. I was assigned to my seat, given a shitload of work, and was told I could only have one bathroom break a day. They don't even give you a lunch break.

I stared at my math questions and let my head fall onto my desk.

It was a fucking prison.

The only other kids in the classroom were huge dirtbags who were there for smoking weed in the woods or stupid shit like that. It was terrible.

The teacher, Mrs. Kendi, was just a bitch. She just sat at her desk the entire time and glared at everyone as if she hated every aspect of her life. It's funny, now that I think about it, but at the time I was straight up pissed.

I glanced at the clock again.

10:07.

Five hours and fifty-three minutes left.

I sighed.

I was wrong. Prison would be far better than this.

At that moment, a boy walked in the classroom with a smile smeared on his face. I had never really seen him before, which was strange because the school was pretty small. He had shaggy blond hair that covered his eyes, and he was wearing a Pink Floyd shirt. My first impression of him was:

What a fucking stoner.

"Well, Mister Ishida," Mrs. Kendi said, a stern look on her face. "Late again."

He smirked. "Bad habit, I guess."

She rolled her eyes and assigned him to the desk behind me. "Here, Yamato. Some lovely math and chemistry homework for you."

He smiled at her, his teeth showing. "Sounds great."

"So what's your excuse this time? Missed the bus? At the office?"

"No. I was just having a smoke."

She threw her hands up with defeat and returned to her desk.

I tapped my pencil on my desk until she told me to stop. Then I sighed.

It was around ten-thirty when she left to go to the washroom. Once she did, Yamato Ishida turned around and said,

"Who the fuck's this new boy?"

I turned around to see him pointing at me. "I'm Tai," I snapped, turning back around.

He laughed. "What's a goody-goody like you doing here?"

I attempted to ignore him, but he kept going.

"Man, I bet you've never even been here before. Is it scary in here?"

I threw my pencil at him. Unfortunately, since I was seeing red, it missed.

He just laughed. "Shit. You're funny. Why are you in here, anyway?"

"Can't you shut the fuck up?"

Everyone seemed to be watching in interest. It looked like they were all familiar with Yamato and respected him, but I could tell I was gaining their respect too.

"You're just fucking hilarious."

"And you're just a fucking dirtbag. Why don't you go play with your other trailer trash friends?"

That pissed him off. "Hey, why don't you say that again, you fucking airhead prick?"

I faced him again. "Look, I don't know if you think you're some kind of tough guy, but I suggest you shut your mouth."

"Really? And if I don't, what are you gonna do about it?"

I couldn't believe this guy. I stood up and walked over to him. Then I pulled him up by his shirt.

"Listen, you fucking pretty boy. I know the differences between people who can fight and people who just talk, so before I get suspended again, why don't you shut that fucking mouth of yours. You don't even know who I am."

He shoved me away from him and grinned. "Of course I know who you are. You're that pussy who got in a scrap with Hiraku last week. I just wanted to see if you're as much of a bitch as he said you are."

I nearly threw him off his chair.

He charged back at me, sending both of us to the floor. I don't remember Mrs. Kendi coming in, but suddenly she was screaming at us.

And then a man came in and pulled us a part.

"You're coming with me," he told me. He turned to Mrs. Kendi. "You take the other one."

And that was the first day I ever met Yamato Ishida.

--

"What was his name?"

I shrugged. "Yama Ishida, I think?"

"Yama? Yamato Ishida?" Mimi made a dreamy face. "Oh my god, Yamato Ishida is so hot!"

I rolled my eyes. "I don't care. He's a straight up dick. I was ready to fucking kill him."

I was sitting with Mimi, Sora, Joe, and Daisuke. We were at our usual hangout, the Pizza Palace, where Daisuke worked as a waiter. Basically, he would just pretend to be working, but really he'd be sitting with us, hooked onto our gossip.

Mimi flipped her hair over her shoulder. "C'mon, Tai. You have to admit he's fine."

"So what? Does being good-looking make him any less of an asshole?"

"Yes!"

I snorted.

In case you were wondering, I'm gay, and I guess Yamato was pretty attractive. I mean, I couldn't think of anyone at the school who was nearly as good-looking as he was. But my mind was made up – he was a douche. A good-looking douche.

Sora looked deep in though. "Is that the guy that got arrested in our biology class last year, Mimi?"

"Uh-huh."

Joe shook his head. "He wasn't arrested. They just found pot in his locker."

"I heard he's done some crazy shit," Dai said.

"Like what?" I asked tonelessly.

He shrugged. "Well ... I heard he tied someone to a chair in their house, beat the shit out of them, and then lit their place on fire."

I laughed. "Oh my god, Dai, that did not happen.

Joe took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "Jesus fuck, Tai, now you're in for it."

"Oh, whatever. That's obviously bullshit. And do you really think I'd let someone tie me to a chair?"

"It wasn't just him," Dai added. "He had other guys with him, too."

"Look, it's bullshit either way. I don't care who he is or what he's done, he mouthed off at me, so I'm gonna kick his ass."

Sora sighed. "Just be careful, Tai."

Mimi smiled. "I wanna meet this boy."

I raised an eyebrow. "I thought you knew him."

"I don't. I just have a crush on him."

Suddenly, Kari, my younger sister, showed up with her friends. A wide smile was on her face. "Anything interesting happen at school today, Tai?"

I groaned. "Shut up, Kari."

"Mom's gonna be pissed. Remember what she said the other day? She told me if you get suspended again, you'll be grounded for a month."

"I said—"

"And—"

I glared at her as viciously as I could. "Kari, if you don't shut your mouth, I'm gonna tell her about what happened yesterday in your history class."

Her eyes grew big and round. With that, she left.

Sora turned to me. "So what are you gonna do?"

I grinned. "Simple. I'm going after him.

--

When I came home, I wasn't sure if the school had called my mother yet or not. The situation could have gone one out of two ways – she either hadn't heard and was cooking supper, or she was as pissed as could be and waiting for me.

Time seemed to stop when I opened the door and saw her sitting on the chair, her arms crossed over her chest and her face sterner than Mrs. Kendi's.

"For Christ's sake, Taichi."

"I'm sorry."

"You couldn't even go one day?"

I rolled my eyes. "It wasn't like that. This guy completely picked a fight with me. I had to defend myself. What would you expect me to do, sit there and take it?"

She sighed. "Well, you're setting a great example for your sister."

"What?"

"Taichi, do you have any idea how much Hikari looks up to you?"

"Kari doesn't look up to me."

"Oh, please! Of course she does! Do you know what she told me once?"

I didn't reply.

"She said she thinks of you as more of a father then your dad ever was."

My heart shattered.

"Please, Taichi, just stay out of trouble."

I couldn't believe she had said that. Our father had passed away when I was in the eighth grade, but he was a great dad. He taught me how to play sports, how to charm my way out of pretty much anything, how to read, how to fight ...

"Why did Kari say that?"

"It's just how she feels."

"But why? Dad wasn't a bad father at all."

She shrugged. "Kari had a very different relationship with your father than you did. She was younger when he was here, and it seemed like to her he was taking more of an interest in you."

"But—"

"I know, that wasn't the case, but that's how she felt."

I sat on the couch. "So why does she think I'm like her father?"

"You're always there to protect her. But I have to start supper."

As she was leaving the room, the phone began to ring. I reached over and answered it, only to hear Dai's voice say,

"Do you still wanna scrap Yamato Ishida?"

"Yeah, why?"

"He just walked into Pizza Palace."

--

I ran there.

It was a fifteen minute walk, but I got there in five. I opened the door, hurried in, and looked around immensely.

And there he was, sitting at the table with some girl.

I pulled him up by his collar. "You wanna see me kick your ass in front of your little girlfriend here?"

He escaped from my grip and laughed. "Ai's not my girlfriend. And I'm not gonna fight you."

He sat back down calmly.

I turned his chair around so he was facing me. "What?"

"Look, Taichi, I didn't do that because I have anything against you. I did it 'cause I was bored."

"Well I got something against you."

"Really?"

I nodded. "Yeah! You think you're some kinda fucking punk or something."

"How am I a punk?"

"You think you're a tough guy or something."

"Hey, I could kick your ass right now if I wanted to, Yagami. Don't think you're the only macho guy here. I just wanted to get out of that motherfucking school. I hate detention hall – it's like a prison."

"Oh. So you're a pussy."

He sighed. "Taichi, don't even bother pretending like you know one thing about me. I could make your life a living hell, but I'm not going to because I like you."

And then, before I could process what he said, he continued his conversation with the girl.

As I was leaving, Dai stopped me.

"I found out something kinda neat."

"Oh yeah?"

He grinned like an idiot. "Something really interesting about Goldie Locks over there."

"What's that?"

"He was talking to that girl, and I guess he did tie a guy to a chair and beat the shit out of him. And he has been arrested. And he's getting a straining order sentence against him."

"What the fuck? Why is he talking about all this?"

"The chick's his social worker."

I rolled my eyes. "Great job, Dai. You completely eavesdropped on someone's private conversation."

"And another thing."

"What?"

"The guy with the straining order sentence thing?"

"Yeah? Who?"

His smile widened. "His ex-boyfriend."

--