If they knew, they wouldn't like me. They wouldn't want anything to do with me. They'd hate me, they'd shun me. They'd destroy-
"Jaden!"
Jaden Yuki turned to face his bedroom door.
"Yes?" he called.
The door knob turned but it was locked.
"Jaden, you're going to be late," his mother called.
Jaden pushed his chair back and grabbed his bag.
"I'm going," he said, strapping on his belt.
He grabbed his deck and pulled on his jacket. On the arm was Slifer, the Sky Dragon. The rest of the jacket was pure black. He closed the brown leather journal he'd been writing in and slipped it into his bag. With a final look around the room, he unlocked his door and stepped out. His mother had retreated to the kitchen.
"Jaden, do you-"
Jaden was already out the door.
Syrus fell into step beside his brother, doing his best to keep up.
"Bro. Are you really coming back to Duel Academy?"
Zane glanced down at Syrus.
"Yes. Why?"
"No reason," Syrus replied.
"Zane! Syrus!"
The two looked up to see Alexis jogging toward them.
"Hey Alexis," Syrus greeted.
Alexis stopped in front of them and bent over to catch her breath.
"Everyone's already here. Well, except you two and Jaden," Alexis said.
"Go figure," Zane mumbled.
"Jaden's always late. Shouldn't expect anything different," Syrus laughed.
loud bell sounded from the school.
"I hate the latest installment," Alexis grumbled.
"A bell?" Syrus asked.
"Lovely," Zane mumbled.
"Anyway, the opening ceremony was about to begin when I left to find you guys. We should hurry," Alexis said.
Jaden stared at the empty yard. It would only take him a few steps to reach Duel Academy. Instead, he just stood there.
"Jaden Yuki!"
Jaden turned.
"Crowler," he said.
Crowler stomped up to him.
"You should be-"
"I know. I'm just taking a little trip down memory lane," Jaden cut in.
He stepped past Crowler and headed for Duel Academy.
"Well guys. Here I come," he mumbled.
Chancellor Sheppard stopped speaking as Jaden stepped through the door.
"J..Jaden!" he exclaimed, forgetting for a minute where he was and what he was doing. Jaden had told him that he wasn't returning to Duel Academy. He'd made it clear that he had found something better, something that would make him greater. And now, Jaden was walking down the stairs, sliding into a seat next to a girl from Obelisk. Chancellor gulped, forcing himself to continue his speech. Alexis meanwhile, was watching Jaden. He'd changed so much. His hair was much longer and dyed , he was in all black. She glanced at the seat next to Syrus. Was it on purpose that Jaden had sat next to Samantha instead of his best friend? She glanced back at Jaden. Now she could see his hands. He was holding a cell phone. He was wearing motorcycle gloves with Slifer on them.
"I wonder if the jacket and gloves were a set," she whispered to Bastion.
"Probably," he whispered back.
Jaden listened to the two of them as he returned his cell phone to his pocket. Now he slid out his journal, opening it to the page he'd been working on when his mother had interrupted him. The helicopter ride over had been too bumpy to write without making his words look like someone else's and he certainly couldn't write while walking.
They'd destroy me. But they can't know. Ever. So I must keep my secret. That's why I must return to Duel Academy to make sure no one finds it. No one can find my secret.
"Jaden?"
Jaden blinked, shocked out of his own world by the soft voice. He looked up and smiled. "Blair," he greeted.
All around people were leaving but to Jaden they were blurs of color. The only thing he could see was Blair right now and that was only because he was keeping his focus on her. Blair smiled.
"I love your new threads," she said.
Jaden smirked.
"Really? And here I was worried that people would say it wasn't me," he joked, standing. He slid his journal into his bag.
"So, Jaden. I got worried. I figured you were either late or not coming," Blair said.
Jaden glanced at Chancellor Sheppard.
"Originally it was the latter," he admitted.
"What changed your mind?"
Jaden turned his attention back to Blair.
"Let's just say there's something here I have to protect."
With that, he passed Blair and joined the stream of students still leaving the room. Blair watched him go, confused. He'd changed so much. Now he was like a blur of darkness within a parade of color.
Jesse turned his latest card to show the group.
"See, I told you," he taunted.
Bastion leapt to his feet, snatching the card away.
"Unbelievable! And I thought you were lying," he gasped.
Jesse laughed.
"Well, it's not every day the little people like you and me wander onto such exclusive cards," he laughed, taking his card from Bastion's grip.
Zane studied the card over Jesse's shoulder.
"Very impressive," he remarked.
Atticus, who was sitting on Jesse's other side, nodded, his mouth full of food.
"Thanks. Hey, y'all seen Jaden yet?" he asked.
"Oh. That's right. You weren't at opening ceremony," Syrus accused.
Jesse grinned nervously.
"Guilty," he laughed.
"Well, better to not come than to go and fall asleep. Right Hassleberry?" Syrus inquired. Hassleberry glared at him, saying nothing. Instead, Hassleberry took a bite of his food. "Wise choice," Chazz remarked.
"So, Jaden?" Jesse threw out.
"Speak of the Devil," Bastion muttered.
They all looked over as Jaden walked in the cafeteria.
"Whoa, I see what you mean by devil," Jesse commented.
Jaden pulled out the chair beside Chazz and sat down.
"Hey guys," he greeted, smiling.
"Jaden? Is there something you want to tell us?" Syrus asked.
Jaden grinned.
"Nope," he replied, smiling. "I really think there's something you want to tell us," Hassleberry pressed.
"What makes you think so?" Jaden asked.
Zane took hold of Jaden's hand and lifted it.
"Something to do with this," he said, referring to the black polish on Jaden's nails.
"Oh this? It's nothing," he said.
"Nothing? Jay, you have long hair, you're wearing all black and you have black nail polish on!" Syrus nearly yelled.
Jaden chuckled.
"It's a phase," he laughed.
"What brought it on?" Atticus inquired.
Jaden grinned.
"I'm in love," he said.
Alexis froze.
"Love?"
Jaden's grin grew.
"I met a girl back home. We've been hanging out a lot," he said.
Jaden pulled his phone out of his pocket just moments before it went off.
"Call?" Chazz asked, leaning over to look at the screen.
Jaden held it out of reach.
"No. Text message," Jaden replied.
He smiled.
"So, who's this girl?" Jesse asked.
Jaden rested his head on the table and set his phone down.
"Her name is Sara Harumino. And she's perfect," he said.
"Really? Does she... does she duel?" Alexis stammered.
Jaden glanced at her, as if seeing her for the first time.
"No. She doesn't," he replied.
He stood.
"I gotta go," he announced, turning.
Then he left.
Chancellor Sheppard stared out the window as Jaden strolled toward the docks. He sighed.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
As if hearing him, Jaden turned and waved. Then he was gone.
Alexis stared out at the water, smiling.
"I missed this view," she whispered.
A trail of smoke danced through the air, drawing her attention to a single lone figure. "Hey!" Alexis called.
The figure turned.
"Hey!" Jaden called back.
Alexis hurried to join him.
"What are you-" she stopped. "Jay, are you-"
Jaden laughed, dropping his cigarette.
"It's nothing new," he said.
He looked at Alexis.
"Did it bug you?" he asked.
"Did what bug me?" Alexis inquired.
"Did it bug you when I was talking about Sara?" he asked.
Alexis blushed.
"N... NO!" she exclaimed.
Jaden smiled.
"Just asking," he said.
The two stood in silence for a minute. Jaden sighed.
"Lex, I... Sara is the best thing that ever happened to me," he said.
Alexis swallowed a lump in her throat.
"What's she like?"
Jaden glanced at her, a bit of surprise in his eyes.
"She's... she's unexplainable," he said.
Alexis opened her mouth to say something but Jaden's phone went off.
"Text?" Alexis asked.
"Call," Jaden replied, answering.
"Hello?" he asked.
His eyes widened in surprise and then his expression softened.
"Sara, hey," he said.
Alexis watched him for a minute. With no other option, she turned and walked away. As soon as she knew she was far enough that Jaden couldn't see her, she broke into a run. She wasn't sure why she was running but she knew who she was running from.
Sara stared up at the large neon sign.
"I miss you," she said, pushing her black hair out of her face.
"I miss you too," Jaden replied.
Sara grinned, pressing her phone closer to her ear.
"Dueled yet?" she asked.
"Not yet. I was just too lazy," Jaden admitted.
Sara laughed.
"Yes, lazy is your mood," she said, fiddling with her ring.
"Hey Sara?" Jaden asked.
Sara snapped to attention.
"Yeah?" she asked.
She heard Jaden chuckle a bit.
"Sara, would you kiss me?" he asked.
"Over the phone?" Sara inquired.
Jaden laughed.
"If you mean it, I'll feel it," he said.
Sara smiled.
"Alright," she relented.
She pressed her lips to the phone and closed her eyes. The only sound she could hear was Jaden's breathing and then she pulled her phone away.
"How was that?" she asked.
"It felt just like you were here," he replied.
Sara laughed.
"You are so full of it," she giggled.
Jaden also laughed.
"Sara, I've got to go. Jesse wanted to show me something earlier," he said.
Sara blinked.
"Wait, Jesse?" she asked.
But Jaden had already hung up. Sara stared at her phone.
"Oh boy," she mumbled.