Façade
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!
And let the drama ensue!
2 days later
Téa woke up that morning with a smile on her face, not because it was early, but because she truly enjoyed her job. But then there was her second job to consider. She did enjoy modeling; it gave a break from the dancing that her body would sometimes desperately need. Jetta is at least working with my schedule since Tajra, Migita and Serenity now work for her that only leaves Shizaa and me to work around. Téa thought as she caught a cab to work. She'd never admit it to anyone, but sometimes she just felt overworked.
"Téa you're here, good. I have some news for you." Her boss said.
"What would that be Miss Argula?" Téa asked.
"How many times have I told you that you can call me Tammy? Anyway, some big time dancers from New York are coming here to watch our students just to see what they're up against. I will never understand Americans and their competitiveness." Tammy said.
"Actually, we're here now." A snobby tone sounded, reminding Téa of Rebecca. They looked over to see some very thin, paper-flat girls, who obviously had the physique of the ordinary ballet dancer.
"I take it they're watching our ballet?" Téa asked quietly.
"No, all arrangements, but they themselves are ballerinas." Tammy informed. Téa however noticed them glaring at her, mostly her chest, with judgmental eyes.
"You do ballet? Yeah, right, you stand as good of a chance doing ballet as I have a chance of singing opera." The girl scoffed.
"I assure you, I can do ballet quite easily." Téa said kindly. The girl's eyes narrowed as they took their seats, examining them cautiously before sitting down and drinking their low-fat coffee. Soon the class started, the students were unaware that they were being watched by New York students – top of their class – and continued on with the first day's lesson. By the end of the hour Téa had begun to truly believe that the snippy girl who had talked to her had a permanent scowl on her face, while the others around her actually seemed impressed, save the one that had her arm linked with the snippy girl.
"Remember girls, wrists down, not out." Téa said as she instructed the belly dancing class. The next class was the ballet class, and in the deepest corners of Téa's mind, she was glad that she would get the opportunity to show the snippy girl what she could really do. There was a ten minute break between the classes and Téa and Tammy quickly changed into the leotards, leggings, shoes and pulled their hair back into the bun, but they did not wear the tutu's, not because they did not want to, but since they were teaching, the students needed to see the proper forms and how the legs and hips needed to move. The students of course were given the option of wearing tutus. The students rolled in and soon they were stretching out their muscles as to not get cramps or tear something. Four of the six New York dancers watched with curious and focused stares, while the snippy girl and her friend glowered at Téa as soon as they started the actual dancing. After another hour and a half of dancing, they did the last stretches and soon the class was dismissed. The New York girls walked over, four of them smiling.
"Even though it's unconventional, I can see that a lot of the girls here have talent. I know that most top dance school pretty much require you to be skinny as a wooden board and no chest at all, but this dance class, though it may take longer, helps girls that can't help their genetics, learn how to balance themselves and dance just as gracefully as those like us. Admirable and truly inspirational." One of the four smiling girls said, earning nods from her friends.
"Way to kiss ass Shelby." The snippy girl hissed.
"I'm not. I'm being honest, something you can't do Samantha. You're not even the top dancer, I am." Shelby growled. Samantha walked over to Téa and poked her breast; making Téa cringe at the contact, no one, not even Yugi, touched her breasts without her permission.
"These blobs of fat are so unattractive and just show how much of a pig you are. You may be good, and that's even exaggerating, at the other dances, but you are below par in ballet. You make me sick thinking that you can actually be better than me you fat bimbo." Samantha fumed. Shelby and the other three stared in shock while her friend just smirked.
"Well, I'm sorry you feel that way, but no matter what you say, I won't quit what I truly love to do." Téa said calmly. Samantha backed up just a little and almost in a flash aimed and poised to kick Téa's knee, which would break it. Téa however moved out of reach just in the split second between contact.
"Fat bitch!" Samantha shouted before stomping out of the dance studio, her friend following her. Shelby stared at her with annoyance.
"Don't mind her, before she started to dance she had a body similar to yours and was truly devastated when she had to lose her curves for her career. This school wasn't around then, and seeing you pull of moves so easily that she still has a hard time doing, well, it rubs salt in her wounds. She's been bitter since she started." Shelby said before they went back to take their seats. And though Téa wasn't bothered by them at the time, eventually, they started to claw into her brain. She kept her smile and energy up though, knowing that they kids would see it and grow worried about her. She continued on with her dancing lessons throughout the day, and received praise from the four remaining students from New York. It was the break before her last class and she was not in the best of moods, Samantha's words still rang in her head, haunting her. Suddenly her phone rang and she jumped.
"Hello?" Téa said, her hand covering her chest and calming her rapid pace.
"Hey Téa." Yugi said over the phone.
"Aren't you at work?" Téa asked.
"Yes, but I am allowed the occasional non-business call. I was just calling to say that I should be off soon and I can come pick you up today." Yugi said cheerfully.
"Oh, well, thank you Yugi. See you in about two hours." Téa said.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Yugi asked. Téa cursed his hyper-awareness of her emotions, even in the distortion over the phone.
"Talk about it later?" Yugi asked.
"Yeah." Téa squeaked.
"Ok. See you." Yugi said gently before they hung up. Téa continued on with the class, helping as best she could and instructing the students to keep working at it. Soon enough, she was changing into her regular clothing and was getting ready for a ride home from her boyfriend. She still couldn't help but giggle at the fact that she had indeed started to date Yugi. Walking out of the studio after bidding Tammy a friendly good night, she walked towards the sports car and saw none other than Samantha and her friend trying to talk to Yugi who was standing outside his car waiting to open the door for her. Téa composed herself and walked over to them, seeing Samantha trying to grab Yugi's arm and her friend giggling.
"Evening." Yugi said; his smooth and deep voice was a relief to her ears from the loud humming of music. Samantha opened her mouth to speak but was cut off as Yugi moved and opened the door for Téa.
"Thanks, you're such a gentleman." Téa smiled. Yugi smiled and walked around to his side, being trailed by Samantha and her friend like a lost dog before he got into his car and revved the engine to life.
"They look like dancers, who are they?" Yugi asked as he shifted the car into drive, maneuvering around the two angry girls. Before they could leave Samantha shot Téa a hateful look and flipped her off before she and her friend stormed off.
"They're from the New York school. Yugi, can we go to your house for a little bit?" Téa asked, her voice quivering and on the verge of sobs. Yugi nodded and drove to his home. They got inside and went to his room where Téa explained all of the day's events, her eye brimming with tears that so desperately wanted to escape.
"Téa let it out." Yugi said. Téa's lip quivered before finally she gripped Yugi and let out her frustrated, embarrassed, angry, and hurt feeling sobs and Yugi rubbed her back soothingly.
"I'm sorry you have to see me like this." Téa whimpered.
"Why are you sorry? You've had a rough day." Yugi asked as he continued to hold her, his voice lilting to her ears, making her calm down.
"I know you don't like to see me cry." Téa said.
"Téa, no man likes to see the woman they care about cry. It hurts us to know that we weren't there to make you feel better sooner." Yugi said, wiping away a tear with his thumb.
"And then that girl had the nerve to try and flirt with you." Téa said, coming round to herself again.
"I wasn't interested. I mean yeah, she looked like a good dancer, but her attitude was rotten." Yugi replied.
"She was just so rude to everyone, even the four other girls with her." Téa said.
"I have a hunch why she was rude them, and you." Yugi said with a sly grin.
"Oh…what?" Téa asked her voice smooth and calm now.
"Well, she kept commenting about your chest and said you were fat, and then once she leaves, the others tell you that she once looked like you before dancing." Yugi said.
"True." Téa replied, liking that he was being logical about this; it really helped to calm her frazzled nerves.
"If I know anything about bullies, they pick on people who they are jealous of or who they think is weaker than them, and in my humble opinion, Samantha is jealous of you. I mean, the other girls said it too." Yugi pointed out.
"I know, but it doesn't make me feel too much better." Téa said.
"And by letting those feeling stick around, you've allowed them to control you." Yugi pointed out. Téa looked up at him and smiled.
"You always know what to say to make me feel better." Téa said.
"Plenty of practice." Yugi chuckled before pulling Téa into a loving kiss. Téa smiled into the kiss before pulling back, hearing a small whine from Yugi.
"Yugi, I need to go home. My parents don't know I'm here and are probably worried." Téa said.
"Alright." Yugi sighed as they left his room and went down to his car. They drove towards Téa's home and once he got there they kissed sweetly before parting for the night.
"Pick me up tomorrow?" Téa asked.
"Anytime." Yugi said with a kind smile.
"Thanks for letting me vent. I needed it." Téa said in a thankful tone.
"You're my girlfriend; I'm supposed to be the one you can confide in." Yugi chuckled.
"I know. Anyway, good night." Téa said, opening the door.
"Night." Yugi said as he waited for her to get into her home. He drove back to his home before he received a text. It was from Téa.
'Thanx, I mean it. U really do always kno what 2 say 2 make me feel better and help me get my head straight when I'm muddled. See u tomorrow morning :x.' The text read. Yugi chuckled at the text as he went up to his room.
"Everything alright with Téa?" Solomon asked kindly.
"Just a rough adjustment to being a dance instructor and part-time model, and receiving inappropriate criticism from a New York dancer didn't help. She's better now, but that's why she came over." Yugi said.
"You've done well my grandson. Not only did you show a few months back that you would fight for her safety, but you've shown her now that you're willing to listen and offer some reasoning to her problems, by not telling her what to do, but by telling her what you think about the situation from your own experience." Solomon said. Yugi smiled as he went to his room, tired from the paperwork and other duties he had done that day.
Téa lay in bed, slowly falling asleep as her mind let go of all her worries. Yugi had listened to her and expressed his feelings about the whole situation, helping her think straight. She smiled, knowing that she could confide even more in Yugi, because of his gentle nature and golden heart. With that thought in mind she finally let her body succumb to the exhaustion the day had brought, optimistic that tomorrow would most definitely be better.
Hope you guys liked it. Next chapter should be up shortly.