Part Five

Waking up the next day I had an uplifting feeling that made me determined that this day was defiantly going to be better than the last. Getting up and heading for the bathroom and jumping into the shower, gradually letting the hot water scold my now pink, radiating skin while massaging my hair with the luxurious strawberry, vanilla scented shampoo and conditioner and rubbing it carefully through my auburn hair from root to tip, trying to bring out all the gorgeous golden highlights gifted to me from the summer sun. Sighing deeply, letting my chest rise up and down as I breathed in the heavenly scent from the steam, before turning the steel taps and removing my warm, cleansed body out of the sanctuary of the warmth of the shower cubical and bracing myself for the cold air that I knew would hit me as soon as I opened the door. Rushing I grabbed my flannel towel and wrapped myself around into its softness and securing it around me, tucking in the excess to my side before leaving the condensed bathroom across the small hallway to my room, careful not to wakeup my stepfather who was still sleeping and probably had a hangover.

Hastily getting dressed in the boring uniform that flattered almost no-one apart from the few exceptions. Realising my thoughts had once again drifted to the guy I had forbidden myself to think about all day, Seto Kaiba and how he could easily pull off any outfit effortlessly and make it his own creation. Shaking my head roughly to rid my mind of these thoughts while rolling my eyes at my own predictability, then turned back to the mirror that I had previously been dressing myself by. My hair had now fallen into its natural shape and had gone slightly wavy from drying naturally, never really being bothered about drying it properly. Leaning in towards the mirror to perfect my make up. I usually kept it to a minimum, with only a little moisturiser with a touch of foundation, along with a slick of eye-liner with a coat of mascara, finished off with some rose tinted lip-gloss that complemented my pale, warm skin-tone to perfection.

Suddenly a strange thought occurred in my mind, 'What Does Kaiba see in me anyway?' I looked my figure up and down with a scrutinising eye, studying my frame, it had everything in the right place but everything looked out of place. I had small breasts with curvaceous hips and a slight, nipped in waist that I was proud to have, my legs long and gangly that I somehow kept tripping over with out realising. My hair long in length and thick but had so many natural highlights in it blonde brown and auburn that I changed with different lighting that it was my best feature, but all in all I still looked like a average, normal girl that just blended in with all the others. 'He could have anyone at his beck and call, why would he choose me? who hates him for everything that he stands for?' 'Arrogant arse ' a added as an after thought, shaking my head once again at how stupid I had been, 'that note could have been from anyone, or the person that previously taken the book out' Smiling slightly at my reflection in the mirror I tossed a rouge strand of hair out of my eyes before I turned to make my lunch in the kitchen.

Rushing to get out on time I crammed my bag with the books for the lessons I was doing today as the there was a small knock on the door. Running to the door with a smile radiating from my face I opened the door slightly and slipped out silently as to not awaken the snoring man who wont wake up till midday.

"Alright?" Joey asked as I turned around from shutting the door with a soft click and walking down the few steps to join him.

Taking the offered arm we walked in step down the road to the bus stop that would hopefully not be late.

"You sure you're ok?" he asked again "You were acting really strange yesterday"

peeping up at him while smiling sweetly into his grinning face that I knew masked his concern.

I moved my hair behind my ear and answered " I'm fine" but could feel my head shaking slightly in unspoken denial. To tell the truth I hadn't been 'fine' in a long while especially at home but hated to voice my troubles to anyone preferring to keep my private life just that-private. "I was just having an off day" I said laughing it off as nothing. Joey didn't look convinced at my failed laughter but changed the subject nonetheless.

Soon I found my spirits uplifted by his easy charm and laughter being so care free, I found myself laughing at why I had gotten so angry about Kaiba so much yesterday and why I was so frustrated with everyone after the encounter. 'That guy can really get under my skin, that's all' I thought laughing openly with Joey, yesterday steadily slipping out of memory.

I enjoy these now rare moments I have with Joey alone he's so different when it's just him and me always sweet and attentive. I smiled down at our hands still entwined while sitting on the bus. I felt that I could bust with happiness at this small gesture of affection he was treating me to, the phoenix inside me rolling on a cloud almost puring with happiness. Joey saw me smile and grinned back before I leaned in and gave him a slight kiss on the cheek, making him unexpectedly blush at my touch, making me blush in return.

And then as if the sun had suddenly gone in behind a gigantic black cloud my unbelievable happiness was shrouded in darkness that probably wont come back out throughout the day. Joey dropped my hand so quickly it was like it had burned him. Shocked I looked up at his face only to see that for some reason the looked extremely sheepish and guilty and had gone red up to his ears and down to his neck. Looking around to find the source of her disappointment to find it immediately standing right in front of me. Tristan stood there right in front of us along with Yugi and Tea with the rest of the group, grinning stupidly at the two of us sat side by side on the bench seat of the bus.

"'ello," Tristan said In his most annoying, patronising voice that made me want to punch him really hard in the face. Yugi just stood there slightly red himself with a slight awkward smile playing upon his lips. And Tea had a smug knowing grin that I could of easily slapped from her face 'she's just envious' I thought smugly to myself as they all sat down among us and felt myself become saddened to know, once again I had been replaced by friends. I sat in silence for the rest of the bus journey staring fixedly on to the seat in front of me, thinking mutinous thoughts and cursing every breath of anyone that spoke to me in that overly cheerfully voice that felt like a hammer smashing against my scull repeatedly with every syllable. I could feel myself becoming irritable and the heat starting to rise in my chest that always was a warning to when I had had enough.

Agonisingly slow the bus crawled to a stop outside the school we all climbed down the step onto the pavement. I looked round to see a glistening Rolls Royce pulling up behind the filthy bus that looks like it will die on us any minute. Stepping out the back door was, who else, but Seto Kaiba in his polished shoes and perfectly straight hair that never looked out of place. Looking at him made me realise just how much our lives differed he had all the luxuries money could buy, while myself lived in a crappy run-down flat with my stepfather that drinks his life away since mum left, and has to get the crappy bus that is always late, all in all while my life is utterly 'crap' when his life is everything it could possibly be. I felt envy fuel my anger as it crawled up from my stomach to bubble angrily and linger in my throat, stuck there choking me.

" Kat?" It was Joey he had his hand gently on my shoulder behind me. I came out of my dream like phase and realised that I was still staring at the spot where the Rolls Royce had been parked but had now pulled away and had driven away.

"nice car" I said as an explanation for staring at it for so long.

Joey walked away now, laughing with Tristan and Tea as I followed behind the group feeling completely alone.