Joeys1andOnly: Hey there!  Thanks for stopping by to read my story.  I've finally done what Joey has been begging me to do; I've written a romance story ^^ The character Shay is modeled after me *gasp* The several references to her deck are actually references to mine.  Hope you like it!  Please R+R!

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Shay sighed as she stared at her schedule.  Great.  Transferring schools wasn't enough; she had to have a totally weird schedule to boot.  She didn't think a transfer would be THAT bad.  But it was.

Taking one last long look, Shay shoved the piece of paper into the pocket of her skirt.  She was wearing the typical girl's uniform of Domino High School, with one exception.  Over her clothes she wore a blue coat, long sleeved with a turned up collar that ended just above the tip of her skirt.  Checking herself out in the mirror, she smiled to herself.  "Shay, honey, you're going to go to that school, make some friends, play Duel Monsters, and maybe even get a boyfriend!"

Still grinning, she swept up her bookbag and strode out the door of her house.

At Domino High School, the usual gang sat huddled around Yugi Motou's desk.  Yugi and Joey were dueling; Tea, Bakura and Tristan sat by and observed.  Seto Kaiba leaned back in his chair nonchalantly, reading a book, every once in a while glancing up at the duel.

"Aha, take dat!  I summon the Red Eyes Black Dragon!" Joey cried with enthusiasm.  He slammed the card in Attack mode down on the mat.

Yugi's eyes grew wide.  "Great move, Joey!  My Great White is toast!"

Tristan turned to Tea.  "How many Life Points do each have left?"

Tea did some quick calculations.  "It sure is a close one!  Joey has 300 Life Points and Yugi has 350."

Joey grinned.  "I attack with my Red Eyes Black Dragon!  That leaves you with 0 life points!  Game over!"

Yugi groaned.  "Oh no!  That's your second win this week!"

Joey cackled.  "Looks like I'm becomin' a real match for you, Yug!"

Finally, the teacher stood up at her desk.  "All right, class, cards away.  I have an announcement to make."

The students bustled to their seats and looked as attentive as possible.

Now that all the attention was averted to the front, they all began to notice a stranger sitting by the desk.

"We have a new transfer student, who's come from Ireland.  Her name is Shay Corbett.  I know you'll treat her with the same respect that you would want if you were new."

Shay stood up.  Everybody began to realize how pretty she was.  She had straight, shoulder length brown hair and big light blue eyes.  She was above average height, thin, and fairly pale, but not like a ghost.

All of the boys couldn't stop looking at her, even Seto Kaiba.  All of the girls began to look slightly jealous.

"Where shall we seat you?  Oh, how about right there, between Mr. Kaiba and Mr. Wheeler?"

Joey turned bright red.  Kaiba's eyes averted down to his desk.

"Thank you," Shay murmured quietly, with a slight Irish accent.  She moved with grace to her seat and sat down, slinging her bookbag on top of the desk.

The lessons started, first with History.  Joey doodled along the top of his notebook, glancing every few minutes at Shay, who appeared to be listening intently, but was really sketching the room.  Kaiba, at one point, looked over to her notebook and was surprised see her doing the same exact thing he was doing; drawing a replica of the classroom.  'She really is pretty.  I wonder if she plays Duel Monsters.'

Finally, Joey couldn't stand it.  He silently ripped a piece of paper out of his notebook and wrote something along the top of it.  He folded it into quarters and passed it to Shay.

Shay, who was at that point drawing the teacher's desk, was surprised to feel a nudge at her arm.  She looked up.  The cute blond was holding out a piece of paper.

She took it in a graceful motion, and smoothed it out on top of her notebook.  Joey was back to doodling.

She read the note carefully.  It was scrawled in slightly messy handwriting.  'Do you play Duel Monsters?'

She smiled and picked up her pencil to answer.  'Yes.'

She folded it carefully and passed it back to Joey.  He read the note and wrote again.  This time Shay was watching, and she didn't need to feel a nudge.  She accepted the note and read it.  'What's your strongest card?'

She didn't need to think long to answer.  'I have a Suijin, ATK 2500 and DEF 2400, and two Great Moths, ATK 2600 and DEF 2500.'

She passed the note back to Joey.  He unfolded it, read it, and she smiled inwardly as his beautiful big brown eyes grew wide with shock.  He looked up at her to see if it was the truth.  She gazed levelly back.  He looked a moment more, than scribbled on the paper, and handed it back.  'Meet me after class.  My friends would love to get to know you better.  We can show you around.'

She grinned widely.  New friends already!  She positioned the pencil in her hand and wrote an answer.  'That would be great.  Thanks a lot!'

After class, Shay met Joey in the hallway.  He looked at her with surprise.  "You really have a Suijin and two Great Moths?"

She laughed and pulled a deck out of her pocket.  "You want to see?"

Tea, Tristan, Yugi, and Bakura filed out of the classroom.  They spotted Joey with Shay and walked over.  Bakura spoke up in his slightly British accent.  "Hi, Shay!  How are you liking your first day so far?"

Shay grinned.  "All I can say is I'm glad I sit next to Joey!"

Joey flushed deep red, and then held out Shay's deck to Yugi.  "Take a look at dis deck, Yugi!  She's got some really powerful cards in here!"

Yugi looked at Shay.  "May I?"  She nodded.

Yugi accepted the deck and began to shuffle through it.  "Wow, Shay!  This is a really powerful deck!  You're going to be a tough Duel Monsters opponent!"

Tea looked at Shay.  "What's the next class on your schedule?"

Shay pulled the paper out of her pocket.  "Uh…Japanese."

"That's great!  We're all headed there too!" exclaimed Joey.

Walking to their class, the gang was happy to see that Shay had the same exact schedule as all of them.  Shay, being acutely observant, was the only one to notice Seto Kaiba walking behind the group.  She leaned in close to the gang and whispered.  "So is that really the Seto Kaiba?"

Joey growled and looked around the hallway.  "Where's dat fleabag?"

Shay giggled.  "Behind us.  Does he have the same classes as us too?"

Bakura answered.  "Yes.  He's with us the whole day."

"Is he really such a stick in the mud?"  she asked.  "He seems like a party pooper."

Tristan rolled his eyes.  "You can say that again.  I think the only fun he's ever had in his life is programming his macho computers and ordering his bazillion workers around.  He owns all of Kaiba Corp., you know."

Shay nodded, more serious.  "I know.  He's famous all over the place, even in Ireland, across the continent!"

They finally reached their destination.  Tea, Tristan, Yugi, Joey, and Bakura all took their seats.  The teacher, after checking her class list, seated Shay next to none other than Seto Kaiba.

She began to sketch again, this time slightly uncomfortably, as she noticed Kaiba often staring straight at her.  'Why the heck is he looking at me like that?'

Finally, she felt a familiar nudge at her arm, but this time it was from Seto Kaiba.  She glanced down to see a piece of paper being held out by a strong arm.  Shay looked into Kaiba's eyes for a moment, then accepted the paper.  She unfolded the sheet and began to read through the beautifully formed letters, much neater than Joey's.

'Why don't you take notes?'

She looked at it dubiously.  She lifted her pencil and answered.  'Why don't you?'

Waiting for the opportune time, she passed it back to Kaiba.  He opened it, then upon reading it snorted.  A few people turned to look at him, including Joey and Tea, but upon seeing his ice cold expression they turned back to their work.  She heard the scratching of Kaiba's pencil as he answered.  She accepted the paper and read it.  'I believe I asked first.'

Shay heaved a sigh and wrote.  'I did all of this stuff at my old school, up to the day I left to come here.  It's fresh in my mind.  I know it all already.  But I want to know why you keep looking at me.'  She folded the paper and handed it back to Kaiba.  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him read it, then gaze at it for a few moments without answering.  He finally lifted his pencil and wrote.  She took it back, smoothed it, and read it.  'Meet me after school, on the front steps.'

She looked at it, thinking about her new friends.  They had asked her to meet them.  She would have to tell them that she would be about ten minutes late.  She answered the note.  'Only for a few minutes.  I have plans already.'  She passed it back to Kaiba and was glad he didn't write any more.

She explained at lunch to her new-found friends that she would be about ten minutes late to meeting them.  "Something's come up.  But I'll definitely meet you."

Tristan nodded and began to write on a napkin.  "Every Monday we meet at Yugi's grandfather's game shop on the other end of town.  It takes about twenty minutes to walk there.  These are the directions.  You can meet us afterwards."

She took the napkin and put it in the deep pocket of her coat, where it would not fall out.

The day progressed quickly for Shay.  She found she didn't have to doodle in every class.  There were new topics in the majority of her classes, and she didn't have time to notice Joey or Kaiba staring at her often.  She was coincidentally placed next to one or the other in every class, and when they saw her taking real notes they gave her her space.

She said a temporary goodbye to her friends after school and waited on the steps for Kaiba.  When she finally saw him approach, she noticed for the first time how handsome he was.  He was very tall for being only about 16, with fair brown hair and ice blue eyes that stared her down as he walked closer.  She suddenly found herself in love.  'But how?' she argued to herself in her mind.  'I've heard what a creep he is, and that he has almost no soul.  Don't do this to yourself, Shay!'

He was finally within two feet of her.  She looked up into his beautiful eyes.  He gazed down at her.  "I'm glad you remembered to come."

She crossed her arms.  "What is it you wanted to talk about, Seto?"

A look of surprise crossed his face.  "You called me…Seto?"

Shay's eyes widened.  "I'm sorry.  Would you rather have me call you Kaiba?"

Panic fluttered across his features for a moment, then his eyes softened.  "No.  It's just that…the only person who calls me Seto is my little brother.  Nobody calls me Seto…"

Finally his face set back into stone and he looked down.  "Where are you headed?"

She yanked the napkin out of her pocket and read it.  "Um…the Game Shop on the other end of town."

Seto let out a sarcastic laugh.  "Oh, the one owned by Yugi Motou's grandfather."

She narrowed her eyes and stared him full in the face.  "Is something wrong?"

Kaiba stopped laughing.  "I'm sorry.  I shouldn't have laughed."

Shay adjusted the bookbag on her shoulder.  "So what is it you wanted to see me for?"

He looked away.  "Oh, just to talk.  You seemed intelligent to me and I wanted to get to know you a little bit more."

She kept her expression the same outwardly, but jumped for joy inside.  'The brilliant Seto Kaiba?  Calling me intelligent?'

He averted his gaze back to Shay.  "Would you mind if I walked you there?  I know a few shortcuts."

He felt his heartbeat quicken as she beamed her brightest smile at him.  "I would love company!"

They set off down the sidewalk.  They mostly talked about Duel Monsters, although occasionally the chitchat drifted to Kaiba Corp., and Seto Kaiba's family.  'Why am I telling her all of this?' he thought angrily.  'I don't even know her that well and I'm telling her things that I haven't even told to Mokuba.'

Both were saddened when they reached the door of the Game Shop.  Shay smiled and looked up at the handsome youth.  "Thank you, Seto, for walking me here.  I probably would have gotten lost if you hadn't helped me."

Kaiba glanced through the glass doors into the shop.  The lights were on, but nobody appeared to be there.  "It was no trouble at all.  I live near here as it is."

Shay was about to reach for the handle to the door when Kaiba grabbed her arm.  She looked up into his face, stunned at the tight grip on her arm.  "Is something wrong, Seto?"

He looked full into her face, almost like he was searching for something.  Then he roughly leaned down and kissed her.

At first, Shay was taken totally off guard and she held back.  But then she realized what was happening and she drew her arms around his slim waist and pulled him closer.  He, in turn, put his arms around her shoulders.

Finally, Kaiba broke the embrace.  "I have to get back home.  Mokuba's waiting for me."  He reached out and smoothed her hair.  "Are you going to be all right?"

Eyes shining, she nodded.  She couldn't find words.

He squeezed her one last time and then pulled away.  "I'll see you tomorrow."  Seto Kaiba turned on his heel and walked away.

Shay stood there.  She couldn't believe it.  'How can he possibly be called a creep?'

She finally gathered her senses and pulled open the door.

She was greeted by the surprised faces of Tristan, Tea, Yugi, Bakura, and Joey.  She gathered immediately that they had seen everything.

Every one had a different expression.  Tristan looked plain stupid.  Tea's eyes were wide with shock, but she looked almost happy.  Yugi's jaw was dropped almost the the ground.  Bakura was obviously embarrassed and looked at anything but Shay.  Joey – oh, poor Joey – had his eyes narrowed and gazed with suspicion at her.

Finally, Tea spoke, almost choking.  "So.  What did you have to…" (choke) "Do?"

Shay sighed happily and thumped onto a stool.  "I don't know.  He passed me a note in Japanese telling me to meet him after school.  I told him I had plans, and could only talk for a few minutes.  He walked me here, because he said he knew some shortcuts, and we got here and he just…grabbed me…" she drifted off.

At length, Tea squealed and hugged Shay.  "I'm so happy for you!  You got through to Seto Kaiba!  You're so lucky!"

Yugi looked at her, hurt.  "What's that supposed to mean?"

Tea realized her mistake and tried to cover up for it.  "I just mean…oh…we've been trying for so long to talk to Kaiba, and…you know…" she fumbled.

Shay grinned.  "He's so handsome!  He's tall and has the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen…"

Tea giggled.  "I know!  He's gorgeous!"

Yugi had another hurt expression.

Finally, the gang seemed to forgive Shay – and Tea, for that matter - and began talking about random things.  Everyone, that is, except Joey.  He was crushed.

'I thought that she really might like me.  And old poop pants kisses her and now she's in love with him…' He looked at Shay.  She was gorgeous.  He had to do something – anything –

Then he got an idea.  He spoke.  "Shay?"

They all turned to look at Joey.

"What is it, Joey?" Her blue eyes gazed into his brown ones.

"I challenge you…to a game of Duel Monsters."

She grinned evilly.  "Fine by me.  Here and now?"

He nodded.

"What are the stakes?" she inquired.

He thought.  All eyes on Joey.  "You win, and I give you my Red Eyes Black Dragon."

They all gasped.  "Joey, you can't bet your best card!  It isn't right!" Yugi cried out.

Joey held up a hand.  "Please.  This is my duel."

Shay was also surprised.  She looked at him.  "And if you win?"

Joey took a deep breath.  "You agree to go out with me on one date."

The group looked quizzically at him.  Shay began to speak.  "Does this have anything to do with me and Seto…"

Joey cut her off.  "Agreed?"  He held out a hand.

She smirked at him and grasped it.  "Let's duel!"

Shay noticed how Joey meaningly held her hand longer than was the appropriate length of time to shake before a duel.  They pulled out their decks and commenced the duel.

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Joeys1andOnly: What will happen?  Who will win the duel?  Answers in the next chapter!  And – possibly – I'll get to the Joey romances!  ^_~