Serenity woke to being gently shaken.
"Mom?" She asked as she sat up and groggily rubbed her eyes.
"Come on Sweetheart," Kaiya said as she opened the blinds to let the early morning light in. "Get dressed and come down for breakfast so we can go." Serenity flinched a little as the sun hit her eyes, but she got up. She wished her room faced west. Once her mother, satisfied she wouldn't go back to sleep, had left Serenity got dressed. She decided to wear what Joey had given her. He said Mai had picked it out so she figured the older woman would be happy to see her wear it.
A little while later Serenity came down the stairs wearing a favourite faded blue jean skirt and the light blue, almost silver, blouse she had received. The blouse was made from a light, silky material so she wore a white cashmere sweater and white leggings to keep warm. The sweater had been a gift from her mother and she loved the way the blue and white fit together so well.
"Oh Serenity, you look beautiful," her mother sighed as she handed her a couple pieces of buttered toast. "You should wear your hair up more often," Kaiya added as she playfully tugged Serenity's high pony tail. Serenity sat at the table and ate her breakfast with a small smile… She had missed this side of her mother.
In no time the two were in the car and Serenity chatted away, telling her mother about her plans for the day. The entire time Mrs. Kawaii didn't touch her phone once, and gave her full attention to her daughter. When they pulled into the Kaiba Corp parking lot Serenity felt her smile fade a little, she had almost forgotten why she was in the car in the first place.
Mother and daughter went inside and headed towards the elevators, Mrs. Kawaii briefly greeting people as they walked by.
"Now Serenity, I have to go meet with a reporter for an article on Mr. Kaiba, here's my key," Kaiya said, taking the small key off her lanyard. "Put that in the key hole there and hit the top button. It'll take you to the executive floor. Just tell the secretary, Mrs. Aizawa, you're my daughter and give her the key. She'll return it to me later," she told her as they rode the elevator alone together. "I'll see you tonight, probably be home around seven. Have fun today," she gave Serenity a quick hug and kiss before getting off on the 10th floor. Serenity watched her mother go as the doors closed and then did as she was instructed. She smiled when she noticed the executive floor was the 13th, if there was one thing Kaiba wasn't it was superstitious.
"Mrs. Aizawa?" Serenity asked as she got off the elevator and headed towards the desk next to the great double door. "I'm Kaiya Kawaii's daughter. My mother told me to leave this key with you and give something to Mr. Kaiba."
"I thought so… you look so much like your mother did when she was your age. We went to college together back in the day," the woman said with a smile as she took the key. "I'll phone and make sure he's not in the middle of anything." Serenity nodded though she wondered why phone when she was right next to the door.
As she waited she looked around the room. It was well sized, taking up at least a third of the Kaiba Corp top floor not counting the elevator. It was decorated simply, like a modern hotel lobby with a couple couches and a coffee table. There was also a door next to the elevator which Serenity assumed led to a bathroom.
"He can see you," Mrs. Aizawa said bringing Serenity's attention back to her. "Just don't take too long, he has a lot of files he needs to go over." She nodded and thanked Mrs. Aizawa as she headed towards the door, opening it timidly and going to stand just inside the large room.
Kaiba was looking intently at his computer screen, reading something if his rapidly moving eyes was any indication. Serenity hated when people interrupted her when she as reading so she remained quiet figuring he'd greet her when he finished. She looked over his shoulder out the window that took up the entire back wall. She could make out the park and knew she was probably looking towards her house, not that she could see it though. She smiled at the thought that she had drawn the same view from the opposite perspective as she glanced around the rest of the room. It was simply furnished, like the lobby, with few personal items visible, a small door that led to a private bathroom she assumed and only a few chairs other than the ones at the desk. Serenity looked back at Kaiba and realized he was now staring at her. She blushed, wondering if he had been staring at her while she gaped at his office.
"I'm sorry to bug you Mr. Kaiba, but my mom sent me," she said with a small bow, allowing her bangs to fall into her face to hide the blush. She stood straight again and saw that he was still staring at her, not saying a word. "Um, my mom is Kaiya Kawaii and she wanted me to give you these as thanks for giving her time off for the holidays." Serenity walked across the room and placed the red and gold tin on his desk. "I baked them yesterday, they're chocolate chip." Serenity played with the long pieces of bang that fell in her face, his staring was really starting to make her uncomfortable and his silence was unnerving. He must be angry with me for bothering him. "Well, I'll leave you be. Have a happy New Year Mr. Kaiba." He nodded and Serenity left as quickly as she could without seeming rude. "I'm sorry for disturbing you," she said, stopping at Mrs. Aizawa's desk again.
"It's no trouble. You have a good New Year and feel free to stop by again." Serenity nodded and waved goodbye before returning to the elevator. She didn't need the key to hit the other buttons so she hit the main floor button and rode down, stopping at floors now and then to pick up or drop off KC employees. She thought of Mrs. Aizawa, she was a really sweet lady, completely different from Kaiba who had acted nothing like how she remembered from Battle City.
Getting off at the main floor she opened her phone and sent Téa and Mai a text telling them she'd be at the mall soon. As she started walking, her hood up and her hands buried in her pockets, she wondered more at Kaiba's unusual behavior. She had expected him to tell her to leave the cookies on his desk and get out or make a joke at her brother's expense. Although, he did employ her mother so he probably wouldn't care about Joey. That was nice of him, even though he had a problem with one member of the family he didn't extend it to the rest. If he did he never would've hired her mother as his PR. As for her, he probably only knew her as Joey's sister and Kaiya's daughter so it kinda made sense why he didn't say much. He didn't know her. He still could've said something, though, even just a simple "thanks." While Serenity still didn't like Kaiba much she found that she didn't hate him the way she used to. Maybe it was because he gave her mom time off, he didn't have to do that, and he didn't demand as much time from her as he used to. Serenity sighed and shook all thoughts of him out of her head when she reached the mall and saw Téa and Mai waiting for her.
"You look great," Mai said, giving the younger girl a hug. "I knew that top would suit you."
"I knew I had you to thank, Joey never was very good at picking out girl clothes," Serenity joked as she turned to give Téa a hug too. "It's beautiful, I love it."
"You're here earlier than we thought you'd be," Téa commented as they began to window shop through the large mall.
"Yeah, my mom wanted me to drop something off at her boss' office since she had a meeting." No one really knew where Ms. Kawaii worked or what she did. Joey didn't want people to know that Kaiba paid his mom's salary and Serenity just didn't think it was important. Kaiba Corp was a big company, half of Domino city worked for him in some way. "The office isn't far from here so I rode with her and walked from there."
"That's not too bad, worked in your favour at least. So, tell us about your partner in the mentoring program," Téa said, holding up a dress to her in front of a mirror.
"Yeah what was his name again?" Mai asked as she gave an approving nod at Téa's dress. "Seth?" Serenity blushed a little but launched into a tale about how awkward he was during the first week of their exchange. When he opened up though, he was the sweetest guy ever. He listened to her and would talk her through her problems, giving advice without ever telling her what to do, and he was just an all around great person to talk to. Mai and Téa both smiled. While Serenity had been talking they had gone to a few other shops and were now in the food court drinking milkshakes.
"Seems like you can't get enough of this guy," Téa noted as she put her drink down. "It's so sweet that you got paired together. I wonder what he's like in person, probably cute. When you meet up in the spring you'll have to introduce us."
"It sounds to me like Serenity might want to keep him all to herself. She's got a little crush on him already," Mai teased.
"I can't have a crush on him," Serenity protested as she stirred her milkshake, not looking them in the eye. "I don't even know what he looks like or of Seth is his real name."
"You don't have to. Internet daters fall in love and get married all the time. They talk online long before they ever meet in person." Serenity smiled and not to subtly changed the subject by asking Téa about her classes.
Mai drove Téa back to her apartment and then went to drop Serenity off at the theatre where she had a date with Tristan. As Serenity got out of the car and waved goodbye to her friend she found herself thinking. She knew Mai had only been teasing about her liking Seth, but what if she did? She went and stood just inside the theatre doors while she waited for Tristan. They didn't see each other often because of school and she wasn't sure where they stood. She liked Tristan a lot, but wasn't sure if they were dating and she'd been too shy to ask.
In no time she saw the familiar figure running towards her. Serenity smiled, his signature hairstyle is what always gave him away.
"I'm sorry I'm late," Tristan said between gasps of air. Serenity shook her head with a smile and handed him the bottle of water she kept in her bag.
"I was early, Mai drove me on her way to work. It's not your fault." Tristan took the water gratefully and drank deeply before smiling at her.
"Thanks," he said, handing back the bottle. "So which movie did you want to see?" Serenity looked at the listings. There was one that Seth had mentioned was really good. She hadn't seen the trailers for it yet, but he had just gone to see it with his brother.
"Inception?" she suggested "I heard from a friend that it was really good." Trist looked at her with a strange look on his face for a moment before looking at his watch.
"That one with Dicaprio? Sure, I didn't think it was your kind of movie," he commented as he paid for the tickets. The movie would start in half an hour, giving them plenty of time to get snacks and seats.
"Like I said," Serenity replied with a shrug. "A friend saw it a couple days ago and said it was really good." Tristan nodded and let it be as he ordered a large popcorn and two medium cokes. Serenity held back a twinge of annoyance; he didn't ask what she wanted or give her a chance to make a decision. She sighed inwardly and brushed it off, she should be happy he was treating her.
After they found their seats they still had at least 2o minutes before the movie would start.
"So Joey says you've got a partner for the mentoring program," Serenity said, trying to fill the silence. "What are they like?"
"Alright I guess," Tristan shrugged. "He goes to your school. I mostly help him out with homework and we've started talking about his university plans. Nothing personal though, we don't even use names. I think we talk, like, once a week, if that. What about you?"
"Oh, um my partner is alright. He helps me with homework and we do small talk, holidays and stuff you know? Nothing much, he seems like a nice guy," Serenity lied as she played with her straw wrapper. Is it weird that Seth and I are so close? Joey and his partner talk about duel monsters, but that's not exactly a personal subject. "Are you going to go to the formal the schools are holding?"
Yeah, but only because I know you and Joey will be there. I might meet up with my partner to wish him luck, but otherwise I'm there for the Wheelers," he said with a laugh.
"Téa mentioned she wanted to come," Serenity replied, her stomach sinking for some reason. Probably the coke, she concluded. I usually don't drink fizzy drinks, I prefer iced tea.
"Yeah I think the other students are allowed to go, it's being held at this huge ballroom pretty close to campus after all. The ones not involved in the program have to pay for a ticket though. Joey's thinking of bringing Mai and buying a ticket for her even though she's not a student. Oh hey, it's starting." Tristan turned away and watched the screen as the room darkened around them. Serenity looked at him for a moment longer then did the same.
The movie was amazing, the plot twists, the never knowing if it was real or not. At one point, Serenity glanced over at Tristan. He had been making that humming sound he did when he was trying to figure something out. She was a little surprised to see that his brow was furrowed in concentration. She shook her head a little and watched the rest of the movie. The open ending the film had was perfect, she would be able to wonder and think about it for days and she couldn't wait to tell Seth what she thought. As Tristan walked Serenity to her bus stop his annoyed voice broke into her thoughts.
"Well that sucked."
"What did?" Serenity asked. She had been so consumed with the thought of talking to Seth that she had all but forgotten about Tristan.
"The movie. It was all over the place and it was so hard to keep track of whose dream they were in. Was the ending even real or was it just another dream?" he vented in frustration.
"Tristan, it's supposed to be like that. Dom doesn't know if what he's living is real or not so it makes sense that we wouldn't. And it's an open ended film. It leaves it up to the viewer to decide if it was real or imagined. I think it's real though, like Dom's kids are his totem and in the dreams they never turn around, but in real life they do."
"That's stupid, he was obviously using his wife's totem. Why else would he have the top?"
"As a memento of his wife maybe? We never see what his totem was, but we know the top was hers. And they said only you can know the trick to the totem, if Dom was using it as his own totem why would other people know how it works?" Serenity argued, she was getting frustrated too. Couldn't he at least be open to other possibilities? She was grateful when they had reached her stop and she saw her bus approaching. "That's my bus, I'll see you later okay?"
"Yeah, Joey said you were coming with us to the shrine on New Years," he leaned forwards and gave her a kiss on the lips just as the bus pulled to the stop. "See you time we have a date we'll go see a good movie," he called as she got on the bus and waved.
Sitting alone in the back, Serenity watched Tristan fade into the distance and touched her lips. She felt nothing. Well she felt her mouth obviously, but emotionally she felt nothing; friendship and gratitude because he had done so much for her over the years, but she wasn't sure if she liked him the way he liked her. She certainly didn't love him. She felt no butterflies in her stomach or any of the things that came with love. She looked out the window and watched the buildings pass by, and found herself thinking of Seth. She couldn't possibly love him, it was the same argument she had given to Mai. Yet, a small part of her argued that no one else understood her the way he did or could talk to her for hours given the chance.
"Serenity? Sweetheart, are you alright?" Kaiya asked, snapping Serenity out of her thoughts. She'd barely spoken all evening.
"Yeah, I'm just not feeling great," she lied.
"Go and sleep, you don't want to be sick on New Year. Joey and his friends are taking you to the shrine right?" Serenity nodded. As she was about to go upstairs her mother spoke again. "I forgot to tell you, Mr. Kaiba says the cookies were wonderful and that you seemed like a really sweet girl." Serenity frowned, he hadn't said anything and she had assumed he was mad, but he thought she was sweet? Maybe there was some other reason why he never talked.
"He seemed a little strange to me," she confessed.
"Oh, poor boy. It's hard to tell with him of course, but I thought he was being strange too. He was a little flushed when I spoke to him later, a fever I think. Stayed at work though, he's stubborn as a mule. Now go, bed." Serenity nodded and said goodnight, hiding a smile as she climbed the stairs. She was pretty sure no one had ever called Kaiba a 'poor boy.'
Once she was changed and had brushed her teeth Serenity closed her bedroom door and shut off the lights, except for her small bedside lamp. It was too early to talk to Seth, still almost an hour before he'd be online. She lay down on her bed, her laptop next to her, and finally was able to think.
She needed Seth… that was certain. There was no one else she could talk to the way she talked to him., Yeah, she liked him, she just couldn't say it out loud. He was an amazing person, how could she not, but did she love him, as Mai accused? How could she? No matter how much they talked, they'd really never met. She could pass him on the street and not even know it. There was also the matter of Duke and Tristan. She knew she didn't have feelings for Duke, though he still pursued her. She'd gone out with him a couple times, but there just wasn't that spark. And Tristan was Tristan. She felt like he was everything she should want in a guy, someone she could see herself spending a lifetime with, but she didn't think she was his girlfriend, they never said they were dating officially.
With a frustrated groan Serenity rolled over and looked out her window. She could see the Kaiba Corp building and, as usual, the top floor was still lit up. As she lay there, looking out her window and thinking, she was surprised to see the light go out. She sat up and looked at her clock, less than half an hour till Seth came on. Serenity pulled her computer towards her and sent him an email for him to read and reply to when he got on.
Seth,
I was wondering if I could ask you for relationship advice. You see, I think I'm falling for someone, but I already have someone I'm sort of dating and I don't know if this new guy likes me and I don't know if I should stay with who I have cause I know he likes me or if I should break up with him. Please, I really need you for this one.
Kisa
Serenity lay back down, Seth offered advice, but he usually encouraged her to make her own choices and problem solve. That was great most of the time, she knew it was better than telling her what to do, but sometimes she just needed to hear someone else's point of view.
In no time at all, a little earlier than he usually came on, Serenity's computer chirruped at her. She bolted upright and opened the email, reading quickly.
Kisa,
Well, I don't really have much experience when it comes to relationships so I can't say how good my advice will be, but I suppose it isn't really fair to the person you're with if you have feelings for someone else. You'll only end up hurting them later. I'd say end it with them and be honest instead of harbouring feelings for someone else and making two or more people unhappy in the end. Make sense? I hope everything works out for you. So tell me, how was your day today?
Seth
So, so sorry this took so long. I had wanted this up ages ago, but never had the time to type it all up. I'll try to get the next two chapters out ASAP, I have them mostly planned out so I just need to write them. So opinions on this chapter? Lemme know. I'm worried about Tristan, I don't know his character very well so let me know if I did justice. And I'm sorry if anyone hasn't seen Inception, I just saw it and redid Tristan's part for it. As usual, thanks for reading and please review. Let me know what you liked and didn't like about this chapter. Till next time ^-^
