Disclaimer: I do not own anything you recognize and what ever you do not, I have dibs on it.

"I swear Domino hates me," I groaned resting my head on Teas' shoulder. The act itself proved somewhat difficult because we were walking.

"You'll make it Pay," I hated her sincerity. While we are at it, her optimism too.

"You don't understand," I exclaimed angrily pushing the button to walk across the street repeatedly. "I'm doomed. His icy exterior probably rose, dropped if you want to get technical, because I have pissed him off on more then one occasion. Now I'm forced to work with him. I'm going to have to dress in heavy coats and surround myself with an endless supply of hot coco. Why isn't this damn thing working?" I kicked the pole.

Tea held my hands by my side, chuckling as she did so. I scowled lightly at green man lit up as we crossed the cross work. I felt like a Beatle for a stupid moment.

"You're just being over dramatic. He really isn't all that bad."

"How long are we supposed to be partnered up anyway?"

I saw her cringe. Bad news on my part. I could smell it.

"The assignment itself is only for a few days at the most…"

"But?"

"The partnership is for the rest of the semester, the end of the year."

Stopping in mid stride, I stared at her flabbergasted. She stopped and looked over her shoulder.

"You ok?"

"Right now? Yeah. Later on? No. I'm going to end up trapped in an iceberg."

She rolled her eyes before grasping my wrist tightly, dragging me down the concrete street.

"Honey, I'm home!"

"Payten!"

Drowning in multiple colors of fabric, I struggled desperately for air, one hand in the air waving frantically. I heard a soft chuckling before I saw the eggshell high ceiling. Don't say that aloud, mom will tell you its cream colored. I sat up taking deep breaths of fresh air. All the children were standing in a wide circle around me bouncing impatiently.

"Why didn't you help me?"

"I was down under with you!"

"Mom, you've got to teach me how you do that."

Brushing myself off, I took my aging mother in my arms. Her hair, pulled back into a neat bun was speckled with gray. Her bright blue eyes could make anyone feel at home, as could her cheery disposition. She was like my own ball of sunshine, on a cloudy day.

"So what brings you two girls here?""I thought I'd drop by and I brought Tea along with me."

"It's so good to see you aunt Leighann."

"You too Tea. How is your family?"

"Everyone is doing fine."

"Dad at work?"

Mom nodded.

"He won't be home until later."

I nodded.

"Come girls lets sit," she ushered us too the table. "Don't you 8 have homework to do?"

Little clouds of dust where left in the place of everyone.

"So how is school? Meet any cute boys," mom chuckled.

"No mum boys is icky! They give you cooties!" I knew my childish behavior made her smile.

She laughed. It was a little tinkling that made you want to smile along.

"Did you at least get everything unpacked?"

"Yes actually."

"I'm shocked."

"I was too," Tea threw in. I absolutely loathed the mundane task of unpacking.

"I'm glad to hear," my moms' warm hand patted my own.

"Does this mean you'll still do my laundry?"

"Fat chance."

"Damn."

We laughed again. I glanced down at my watch, a frown gracing my face.

"I'm sorry mom, but I've got to go. I want to catch the paper open so I can put in an ad for babysitting. And I've got to get started on my homework."

"I understand. It was nice of you to drop by."

"Anytime mum."

Departing with long held hugs, Tea and I were once again on the street.

A black limo sat imposingly in front of my apartment building. Dread washed over me like a tidal wave on the beach and I was the poor sand. Resisting the urge to flee, I sauntered right up to my building, taking the long way by stairs to my room. A tall imposing figure stood straight opposite of my door. Lead dropped in the pit of my stomach, and I wretched myself forward. The sharp features of the young CEO came into view. He was glaring, not that it was much of a surprise. The surprise was that my little door was still standing.

"How did you find me?"

He turned to look at me. A smirk danced across his face when I shivered at the intensity of his gaze. His eyes reminded me of an ocean in the South Pole.

"I pulled your records at the school."

"Oh? Did you have the underlying need to be closer to me Kaiba?"

"Fat chance. You're nothing special."

"Special enough to have you seek me out?"

I stood leaning against my door smirking.

"Not in the slightest Dandisk. You have no way to retrieve information on me in order to contact me. It was more beneficial this way."

"I'm sure that all I had to do was sift through a bunch of magazines in which you might have been featured in. The press is a bitch huh?"

As the expression goes, if looks could kill.

"We should get started on this project," he turned in the direction of the elevators. "Are you coming?"

"I need to grab my books."

"Make it quick." He treated the situation as if it were life and death. It probably was on my part. He'd kill me with his ice vision.

He actually waited for me in the square chamber. With a silent prayer, I trudged in and pressed myself as close as possible to the other side. The ride was silent, not that I expected a friendly conversation. However, if a pin were to drop, it would have sounded like thunder overhead. I almost jumped out of my skin when the elevator dinged, alerting us at the arrival of the ground floor. Kaiba pushed ahead of me. Glaring at his back, I pushed my self ahead, and a few steps in front of him. He sped up, passed me glaring down.

'He needs to get a new hobby. Glaring is getting old.'

I almost broke out into a run just to pass him. But he had ridiculously long legs on his side.

A drive stood outside holding the door open. He reminded me of the men in black.

'Run ET,' I said mentally to my youngest sisters ragged ET doll. Kaiba climbed in first. I stepped to the long car, when a long pale hand appeared. I stood dumbfounded.

"I knew it! You are after me."

"What are you talking about Dandisk?"

"You want me to hold your hand!"

A growl of frustration rumbled in his throat. "Just get in."

"I can't."

"Why the hell not?"

"I haven't built up an immunity to liquid nitrogen yet."

I suddenly found myself in the car and with a sore wrist. I scooted as far away from him as I could, rubbing the appendage.

"Jerk."

"If you would have just accepted the common courtesy presented to you, you wouldn't feel the pain in your wrist."

"You didn't have to use force."

"Did you have an ultimatum?"

"Say please?"

"Not if your life depended on it."

The rest of the car ride was graced by silence. After what seemed like an eternity, the limo pulled to a stop and Kaiba got out first. He didn't give me a hand this time, not that I would take it anyway. I climbed out clutching my bag closely. I was in enemy territory, nowhere was safe. Every move I made might be my last.

"Hurry it up Dandisk. I knew you were slow mentally, but this is outrageous."

I glared at his retreating back before running to catch up.

A maid in the traditional outfit greeted us at the door. He tossed his briefcase at her before continuing up a marble grand staircase. The maid reached to take my jacket, but I politely refused and continued to follow Kaiba.

He turned left to a hallway and entered the third door on the right. I poked my head around the corner. A desk stood in front of a large window that was clothed by navy blue heavy drapes. The carpet was a platinum white with brilliant cobalt blue walls. A black leather sofa rested against the left side of the wall. I suppose this was his office at home.

"Are you just going to stand there all day?"

"I'm trying to memorize every exact detail on the way to this room so I can sell it to the press. I have no doubt that you spend the majority of your time here."

The computer resting on the desk highlighted his eyes that read murder in my direction. I stepped gingerly in the room and crossed to the sofa. I sat down quietly.

"So what exactly are we supposed to do?"

"You would know if you were paying attention. But I suppose your mind can't handle the slightest bit of a mental challenge that the school offers."

"Hey! I've gotten this far haven't I?"

Not exactly the best comeback on my part. In fact, I think this rather amused him. The corner of his lips twitched. He crossed his arms once again, and looked down his nose at me. I don't know how he did that, considering we were about the same sitting height.

"We're supposed to pick a Robert Frost poem and analyze it and provide our insight on it. Busy work more than anything." He tossed the paper away in disgust on the other side of the desk. I sat back on the sofa, relaxing.

"Which one are you going to do?"

"It's none of your concern." he began typing on his computer.

I ran an aggravated hand through my hair.

"I don't want to do the same one as you."

"Which one are you doing?"

"I asked you first!"

"I don't care Dandisk. Which one are you going to do?"

"I'm not going to tell you."

"And pray tell, why not?"

"Because I asked you first. I demand that you justify my question with an accurate answer."

"You are in no position to make demands."

"And you are?"He quirked an inquisitive eyebrow.

"Well not to me. I don't work for you."

It was quiet between us. I pulled out my little notebook and tapped the eraser softly on the lined paper.

"How about on 3 we'll say which one we'll do?"

"That's immature and childish. Just claim your poem and we can get on with this."

"Just be the bigger man and say yours first."

"Practice what you preach," he said over the clicking of his keyboard. I rolled my eyes. It was quiet again. I didn't want to tell him that I had in fact already started on the assignment. However, I had to know if we were doing the same thing. Not only did I not want to start all over, but the curiosity was eating me alive.

"Some say the world will end in fire;

Some say in ice.

From what I've tasted of desire

I hold with those who favor fire…"

"But if it had to perish twice,

I think I know enough of hate

To say that for destruction ice

Is also great…"

"And would suffice," we finished together. I looked pointedly at him.

"Dibs."

"I've already finished it." The printer by his side jumped to life.

"Come on! That's my favorite one. Besides, I'm almost done with it." I held up my notebook for emphasis.

"Tough luck Dandisk. Do another one."

"I don't have any others memorized. Fire and Ice was my favorite."

"Again, tough luck."

I sat pouting with my arms crossed.

"Well would you mind printing another one for me?"

"No."

He continued to type away on his computer. I guess he was working on business.

"Well is there another computer that I could borrow?"

"No."

"Then I'm going to a library." I grabbed my bag and proceeded to stomp out of the door. I was just about to slam the door when he spoke up,

"Which one?"

"Was it necessary to wait until I was in the middle of a dramatic exit?"

"Yes. Now which one or I'm going to change my mind."

"Hannibal."

I walked over to the printer where it spit out my upcoming A.

"Thanks."

"Hn."

I sat back down on the plush couch to repeat the assignment. It was about the middle of the assignment that a thought occurred to me.

"Why am I here? A phone call would have sufficed."

"I'm leaving."

"I'll be sure to throw a party in your absence."

"I've pulled up the assignment sheet. Some projects require both of us. I want to get them done before I have to leave."

I nodded before returning to my work.

"What do we have to do?"

He tossed the paper at me. I was shocked that it made it all the way over here. Well, it crashed landed on the other side of the sofa.

"It wouldn't kill you to speak more often I assure you."

Studying it, I made a mental note of what I wanted to do.

"How about for the contrast poems, we can do good and evil?"

"Hn."

"You have to contribute, that's why it's called a partnership," I said as if I were speaking to a child.

"Whatever."

"Well do you want the good or evil?"

"It doesn't matter."

"I suppose I'll do the evil. What about the comic strip? Which poem do you want to do that too?"

"Doesn't matter, I'll get an assistant to draw it."

"No! It's an assignment. If you'll pick the poem, I'll do all of the drawing and coloring myself."

"I want to maintain my 4.0 GPA. I think it would falter due to you're ability to reincarnate a small child's artistic skills."

"Well I apologize for actually wanting to do the assignment rather than cheat."

"It's not cheating if it is pointless work that is just graded because it was handed in."

"Well I'm sorry that I'm not a perfectionist. But I believe that your work should speak for itself."

"Fine. I am not going to continue this petty argument. I don't care what you do."

"Fine. I'm not putting your name on it then."

"You're going to make this semester difficult aren't you?"

I smiled mischievously at him.

"Damn straight."

I want to thank all of my reviewers who reviewed. It made my day. I appreciate you taking the time to do so. : )