A/N: So this is the rewrite of my story "Dare to Dream". Instead of making this a full length story, I'm making this a one-shot. The reason: too many characters to remember and I feel that if I kept it as a chapter story, it's going to be confusing. In this one-shot, I'm trying to get as close to the characters. Slight fluff in this story. I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! or the characters. Enjoy!
P.S. I also don't own the song "Atrévete a soñar" sung by Danna Paola and Violeta Isfel. I tried my best to translate the song so if there are any Spanish readers reading this sorry if I didn't translate well enough but it was close enough.
Dare to Dream
Tea Gardner was in her room getting ready for her graduation ceremony. After Yugi had defeated Atem, things have gone back to normal. No evil villain trying to take over the world or psycho villains using some freaky power to take away souls. No shadow duels. Tea always hangs out at Kame Shop along with Joey and Tristan afterschool. Duke went to Industrial Illusions to promote Dungeon Dice. Rebecca stayed in Domino City for a few months pestering Yugi before going back to the United States to finish her studies. Mai was travelling around the world but she promised that she would be back to see them again. Tea always wondered if Mai and Joey will end up together as a couple.
She was wearing a strapless peach color dress that was knee length with nude color high heel shoes. A pearl necklace was around her neck. Tea looked at herself on last time on the mirror before she went downstairs to meet up with her mother so she can go to her graduation ceremony. She made sure that makeup was okay; not too messy or not to overly used. She went downstairs to meet with her mother. A bright flash went off. Tea blinked very fast before she got her vision back. Her mother was standing there smiling and she had a camera in her hands. She wasn't expecting her mother to take a photograph right now.
"Oh sweetie you look so beautiful" Tea's mother said as she wiped a tear with a paper. Tea hugged her mother and released her.
"Well then let's get going. I don't want to be late for my graduation ceremony and you do want to get the best seat"
"Of course I do. Let's go"
Tea and her mother got out of the house and they started to walk towards Domino High School. Once they got there, Tea's mother left at once to grab a seat so she can see her daughter up close and take some pictures. Tea was looking for her male friends. Wonder where they are? She was still looking for them until somebody covered her eyes.
"Guess who?"
"I don't know. Tristan?"
"Guess again"
"Umm…Joey?"
He uncovered her eyes and she turned around. Joey looked different in a suit; he was wearing a navy color suit with a white shirt and a black tie. For the first time, Joey has finally brushed his messy hair.
"Hey Tea, are you ready for graduation?"
"You bet I am! Where are Duke, Tristan and Yugi?"
"Come on I'll take you with Duke and Tristan. I left them with Serenity. Yugi hasn't arrived yet."
"Oh"
He grabbed her hand and took her towards the schoolyard. Right there was Tristan and Duke talking and flirting with Serenity. Just like Joey, Duke and Tristan was wearing the same color suit and shirt as Joey but Duke's tie was red and Tristan's tie was navy. Serenity was wearing a light pink halter dress that curved her body out nicely. The dress reached up to her knees and she was wearing sliver color high heel shoes. She trying to get away from Duke and Tristan but when she saw Tea coming along with her brother she ran up to her and hugged her.
"Tea! I missed you. How have you been?" she asked as she let her go.
"I'm fine Serenity. How can you miss me when we last saw each other two days ago?"
"To me it was like forever," she got closer to Tea "and also good timing. I can't stand being with Duke or Tristan. They're constantly bothering me all the time and it's getting so annoying. Can't they take a hint that I don't like them just as they like me?"
"I don't think so. They're attached to you like bug" Tea laughed as Serenity pouted.
"You're not helping me Tea. Tell me how to get them to stop bothering me. I already talked to them but that didn't work."
"Let me talk to them. You go to with your brother and make sure that he's in his seat at the ceremony."
"Thank you Tea." Serenity went with her brother and dragged him back to the auditorium. Duke and Tristan was about to follow the Wheeler's but Tea had stopped them from following the Wheeler's.
"Where do you guys think you're going?"
"Umm…to the auditorium?" they said together.
"I don't think so. You guys should stop bothering Serenity."
"I'm not bothering Serenity" said Duke, "it's Tristan who's bothering her all the time."
"Nuh-uh. You're the one who bothers Serenity the most Duke."
"Nuh-uh"
"Uh-huh"
"Nuh-uh"
"Uh-huh"
"Nuh-uh"
"Uh-huh"
Tea couldn't take it anymore. "STOP!" both Duke and Tristan stopped their bickering. "Stop it you guys. Do you guys even know if Serenity even likes any of you two?" They both looked at the ground and they had nothing to say.
"That's what I thought. Serenity just talked to me saying that you guys are annoying her. She wants you guys to let you know that she does not and I mean not like any of you two."
"Why?"
"Yeah Tea. Why?"
"She said that she tired talking to you guys but didn't take her seriously. She doesn't want someone to be pestering her all the time. I know that she looks pretty but you guys tend to overreact over her."
"We're boys Tea. We can't help it acting like an idiot for a girl." Tristan said.
"He has a point Tea. I mean have you gone crazy for a boy that you like?" Duke asked.
Tea felt a small pang in her heart as she remembered her crush on the Atem. She couldn't decide who to like: Atem or Yugi. Both Atem and Yugi look the same but they're different. She felt her cheeks hot and the two boys noticed that her face was turning red.
"Tea, are you okay?"
"Yeah," she looked away from the two boys, "I'm okay." She looked back at Duke and Tristan, "back to what I was saying; you guys should stop bothering Serenity. She needs her own space. And probably you guys might find out that Serenity isn't the girl of your dreams…" Just like Atem wasn't your dream guy said a part of her mind.
"We'll keep that in mind Tea."
Duke looked at his watch and notice that the ceremony is about to start. "We better get going. The graduation ceremony is about to start in 5 minutes." Duke, Tristan and Tea went back in the school and into the auditorium where there was a lot of students and faculties in their seats. Tea spotted Joey arguing with Kaiba. Can't they at least get along? Tea walked up to Joey and pulled him away from Kaiba.
"Come on Joey, do you have to pick up a fight with Kaiba? It's the last time we're seeing each other and you're ending the school year with a fight with Kaiba."
"He started Tea! He called me a 'mutt' and I wasn't going to allow him to insult me in front of sister and in front of the school."
"Joey calm down will you? Be happy that you won't be seeing him again."
Joey relaxed and smiled. "Thanks Tea. You're right. It is the last time that we're seeing each other and who knows if we'll see each other again. So let's spend these last few moments with our friends."
Joey, Duke, Tristan and Tea went to sit on their seats when they heard someone speaking to them. "Aren't you forgetting someone?" They all turned around and saw Yugi standing there.
"Yugi!" they all exclaimed at the same time. Tea saw Yugi wearing the same suit and shirt as Joey but he wasn't wearing a tie. She felt her heart skip a beat.
"Hey guys! Did you guys miss me?"
"Yeah man where have you been?" asked Joey.
"I'll been waiting for some guests to arrive."
"What guests?"
"Oh come one Joey, you weren't expecting us to be here."
No it can't be. Joey was in a state of shock. He turned around and saw Mai standing with Rebecca. "Mai"
"Aren't you going to say 'hi'?"
He was still shocked. Joey wasn't expecting Mai to be back so soon.
"I guess he's speechless. He really does like Mai" teased Tea. "I mean look at him, he's staring at her."
Joey's face was become red as Duke's tie. He walked away from Mai and sat down and didn't even bother to look at Mai or the others. "I wasn't expecting him to react like that." Tea, Mai, Duke, Tristan, Yugi and Rebecca laughed. Duke and Tristan decided to sit with Joey so he won't be alone.
"So Mai, how's life treating you?" asked Tea.
"Good." Mai went on about how she's been doing all around the world and all the people she's met. She even said that she's bumped into Valon. Tea heard Yugi talking to Rebecca to let him go.
Rebecca was standing next to Yugi holding on to his arm. Yugi was struggling to break free from her hold. Rebecca's grandpa, Arthur Hawkins, walked over to let her know that the ceremony was about to begin. She let go of Yugi's arm and she kissed him on the cheek. She left to sit with her grandpa and Yugi's grandpa. Yugi's face was red as Tea was getting angry inside. Who does she think she is holding Yugi like that? She thought. Mai noticed Tea's reaction.
"Looks like someone's jealous" teased Mai.
"Oh put a sock on it."
Tea and Yugi went to sit along with their friends as Mai went to sit with the Hawkins. The principal of the school came out on the stage and everyone was silenced.
"Today we're here to see these students graduating from Domino High School and becoming into doctors, lawyers, businessman/businesswoman astronomers, artists and even a dancer. Without a further ado, we like to give these students their diploma. So let's give them a big round of applause."
Everyone in the auditorium gave the loudest applause. The principal continued, "Before I give out the students their diploma I would like to give out some students their scholarships. When I call out your name please come on to the stage and get them." The principal called out the names and Tea wondered if she was given a scholarship to go to the United States and go to her dream school. She closed her eyes and the principal called out the last person to come on to the stage.
"…and finally the last scholarship goes out to Miss Tea Gardner."
She opened her eyes and she looked at her friends. They had mouthed at her to go. She slowly got up and went on stage and she thought she heard her mother crying. She looked at the audience and they were staring at her. Tea walked up to the principal as he gave her the scholarship.
"Congratulations Miss Gardner, you've been accepted to go to America and pursue your dream as a dancer."
"Thank you" she shook hands with the principal. She looked back at the audience and saw her friends smiling at her and her mother was taking a picture. Tea smiled back at them and she walked back to her seat. When she sat back down, all her male friends gave her a big thumb up.
"Now we shall give out the students their diploma. So when I call out your name please come up to the stage and get your diploma." As the principal called the students, Tea was feeling both happy and scared. This was her last time seeing all her friends. What will happen to them once they are going their own separate ways? Duke was called to get his stage to get his diploma followed by Tea, then Yugi, then Tristan and finally Joey.
"Before we end this graduation ceremony, we have two juniors that are going to sing for the graduating seniors, so please give them a big applause."
Two junior girls came onto the stage and everyone clapped at them. They both a microphone and they were ready to sing. Everyone was quiet as the two girls sang:
Hoy, tal vez no te has dado ni cuenta, (Today, perhaps you haven't noticed that,)
De que yo por ti, Eh cambiado algo de mí, (For you I've changed something inside of me)
(Eh cambiado algo de mí) (For you I've changed something inside of me)
Hoy (hoy) dejaste atrás aquella historia, (Today (today) you leave behind that story) Y atrévete a soñar que un día llegaras (And dare to dream that your day will come) Atrévete a soñar que un día volverás (Dare to dream that one day you'll come again) La vida me a cambiado tan frecuentemente (My life has changed me quiet so often) Y atrévete a soñar que un día llegaras (And dare to dream that your day will come) Atrévete a soñar que un día volverás (Dare to dream that one day you'll come again) Hoy dejaste atrás aquella historia (Today you leave behind that story) Y atrévete a soñar que un día llegaras (And dare to dream that your day will come)
Para tus sueños alcanzar. (So you can achieve your dreams)
Que con la voz de mis canciones (And with the voice of my songs)
Te acompañaras. (Will come to you)
a compartir aquellos tiempos. (And share those moments)
Atrévete a soñar (Dare to dream)
Que a veces no quiero ni hablar, (That sometimes I do not even want to talk about it)
Pero sin duda tu, siempre con migo iras (Without a doubt I can talk to you, you'll always be with me)
Y así mis sueños alcanzar. (And so I'll achieve my dreams.)
Que con la voz de mis canciones (And with the voice of my songs)
Te acompañaras. (Will come to you)
a compartir aquellos tiempos. (And share those moments)
Atrévete a soñar (Dare to dream)
Para tus sueños alcanzar (To achieve your dreams)
(Para tus sueños alcanzar) (To achieve your dreams)
Que con la voz de mis canciones (And with the voice of my songs)
Te acompañaras. (Will come to you)
Atrévete a soñar que un día volverás (Dare to dream that one day you'll come again)
a compartir aquellos tiempos. (And share those moments)
Atrévete a soñar (Dare to dream)
Everyone in the audience clapped for the two junior girls as they left. Tea was reflecting on the past and all the adventures she shared with them. She remembered the time when she first met Yugi, Joey and Tristan. She also remembered the time that they went to Duelist Kingdom to save Yugi's grandpa from Pegasus. Every adventure that she had, Yugi was always with her, just as Atem was always with Yugi until he left. She really hasn't really noticed how much she has taken for granted to be with Atem. Now she was feeling confused; she doesn't know if she like Yugi as a friend or something even more. Someone was waving their hands in front of Tea's face as she was brought back into reality.
"Hey Tea, are you okay?" Yugi asked.
"Yeah, I'm okay. Did I miss something?"
"Yeah, the principal just said announced us as graduate students of Domino High. Everyone just threw their caps." She looked around and saw everyone giving hugs and taking pictures with their families and friends.
"Oh, I didn't even noticed." Tea got up from her seat and she threw her cap in the air. Yugi was laughing at her as she caught her cap. She heard her mother calling her and she finally saw her mother coming towards her and Yugi.
"Tea, sweetie, oh I'm so happy that you graduated" she said as she hugged her daughter.
"Me too, mom."
Tea's mom noticed Yugi standing there, "Tea, is this your friend Yugi?"
"Yeah mom, this is Yugi Moto. Yugi this is my mom."
"Nice to meet you Mrs. Gardner" Yugi said as he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Do you mind if I took a picture of you with my daughter?"
"Mom!" Tea blushed.
"It's okay Tea. I don't mind."
"Great then," Tea and Yugi linked their arms together, "alright on the count of three, smile for the camera. One…two…three" Both Yugi and Tea smiled for the camera. "Beautiful. One more and we'll call it a day." Mrs. Gardner took one last picture of her daughter and Yugi.
"Hey what about us?"
Joey was standing with his sister along with Duke and Tristan. Mai came along with Rebecca. Rebecca was not happy to see Tea and Yugi holding their arms together.
"No didn't forget about you guys at all. Mom, do you mind taking pictures of me and my other friends?"
"No Tea I don't mind." Tea's mother was taking picture of her daughter and her friends. Tea was having fun taking picture of herself and others.
It was time to go home and relax. But before they said goodbye, Yugi wanted to talk to Tea. He pulled her away from their friends so they can talk privately. Rebecca was about to stop them from going but Mai held on to her.
"Rebecca, just let them talk. They're not going to escape from us."
Yugi nodded a thank you to Mai and pulled Tea towards the schoolyard. Once they got there, he looked at her.
"Tea what were you thinking so intensively back there in the graduation ceremony?"
Tea didn't know what to tell him. How would he react of I tell him that I was thinking about him and Atem? She looked at her shoes but she could feel that he was looking right at her. Telling him that it's none of his business would be so immature of me but I should tell him. She looked at him straight in the eye and she began to talk.
"I was thinking about all the adventures we had with our friends and about Atem."
Yugi flinched when Tea mentioned Atem. She saw him flinched and she was already regretting about telling him about her feelings.
"Go on Tea; tell me what else you were thinking about."
"I-I was thinking about, about…"
"About who Tea?"
"About you?" she looked at her shoes again as she blushed light pink.
Yugi was speechless. He didn't know that she was thinking about him. He always saw Tea as a good friend but he sometimes saw her more than a friend. No she couldn't mean that she likes me? Can it be? He grabbed her hands and she looked at him. His eyes were twinkling.
"Tea…how are you feeling?"
"I'm confused. I'll admit that I did like Atem but I'm not sure what I feel about you."
"It's okay Tea. I understand. I can wait as long as I can."
"Really?"
"Yes, yes I can wait. Even if you're far away we can always keep in contact with each other, nothing can go wrong. And probably you can figure out your feelings for me."
She looked up at Yugi's eyes and for once he was being sincere with her. Tea' mother was calling for her to go home. "Well I better get going. Until we met again" she got closer to Yugi and she kissed him on the cheek.
"Sure. I'll be waiting for you." He grabbed her hand and kissed the back of her hand. They waved each other goodbye and she was off to achieve one of her dream but the other dream will soon be fulfilled after she's done with the first one.
Tea looked back and saw Yugi staring at her and he smiled at her one last time and left to meet up with his grandpa.
Dreaming doesn't cost a thing for Tea Gardner.
A/N: Well I don't know about the ending but I am going to ask you the readers a favor. Can somebody help me write a duel for my story: Akiza, Once Upon a Time for chapter two? I need someone to write a short duel for Akiza and her opponent. I'll explain the details if you decided to help me out. Just send me a PM saying that you're willing to help me write it. I'll mention your name in my story for helping me out. The prologue and chapter one of Akiza, Once Upon a Time is almost completed. Chapter two is about 25% complete. Kindly review. :)
