¸,ø¤°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸,ø¤°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸

Jemmea

So those classes were unproductive, I thought. I looked at my schedule for the millionth time that day. One would think I would have memorized it by now. It told me I was supposed to be at lunch... at 10:50. Do they really serve lunch that early?

I started to walk, but then I realized that I didn't know where I was supposed to go. There was a girl with wild orange, curly hair and green eyes. She looked reliable enough, so I asked her where the cafeteria was.

"Yep, it's just right down that way and take a left," she answered, smiling and pointing. "Big double doors, you can't miss it."

"Straight, take a left, doors. Yeah, ok, I have it. Thank you."

"No problem," she smiled and left. Painless.

I passed hoards of cliques as I made my way and eventually found big double doors, just as the girl described. Kids were rushing in and out, babbling about pointless concerns. I entered to only be harassed by my earlier welcoming committee.

"Hey, Jem!" Joey called. I turned to him, trying to show all of my displeasure at this. "So we have da same lunch. Dis is great! If ya need to know anytin', I'll help ya out. But if ya need to know anytin' about lunch, Joey Wheeler's ya man!" He jabbed a thumb at his chest to indicate himself.

I just looked at him, annoyed. "Yes, because as hard as that can be-" I began, but before I could finish he put his hand behind my back again.

I couldn't handle this again. Touching- no, grabbing- it only had bad memories. Reflexively, I moved away very quickly, out of his reach. "No," I said out loud, exasperated. "I can't- I can't-" I felt so anxious I couldn't even finish the thought. I needed to distance myself from him.

Looking around for a safe, secluded place, my heart sank as I saw all the tables were substantially full… except for one. It was only occupied by the delightfully self-absorbed boy from earlier. I quickly walked over and set my bag down next to an accompanying chair. He seemed annoyed and did not look up at me. "Look, kid, what do you want?" he asked coldly.

"A quiet space," I replied passively. I sat down around the corner from him. He stopped typing and looked over. I didn't think I was who he was expecting. My hands hovered in the air, still feeling exasperated. "I just-" I took a breath and shook my head, "I need a minute. So far you have been right about this place and I would really appreciate it if we didn't talk this time. I have had way too much drivel for one day." At this I went to my bag, ready to extract my phone and furiously vent to my brother through text. Then I heard that voice again.

"Hey, sorry, did I do sometin' wrong?"

I froze, only my eyes shot up as I decided whether or not to turn to him.

"You're always doing something wrong, Wheeler," I heard fiercely. I glanced over at this.

Seto's keystrokes had ceased entirely and he looked beyond annoyed, only turning a bit as I saw Joey approaching and now offended.

"Shut it, moneybags!" Joey threw back fiercely. "I wasn't talkin' to you!"

"I don't care, Wheeler," Seto said threateningly and very fiercely, turning towards him. "Why am I hearing your voice buzzing in my ear? Do you need to be humiliated in front of more people?"

Now watching intently, I could see Seto tense, ready to stand as Joey clenched a fist. His friends were quick to jump up and grab him. "Joey, remember what happened last time," the brunette boy warned discreetly, linking his arms through Joey's.

"He's right. Joey, you need to stop picking fights with this guy. Let it go," pleaded the girl.

"Screw dat! I'd wipe da floor wit dis asshole! I came in second, SECOND, at Duelist Kingdom. He didn't even compete!" Joey fumed, his littlest friend now getting in the way and holding his hands up should he break free.

"He still beat you, Joey, don't forget-" the kid with crazy hair said.

"Yeah and if he had competed you definitely wouldn't have been second," said the other, struggling with him.

Seto turned at this, not bothering to give him much attention. I was mildly fascinated by all this.

"Yug, outta my way! I don't care how we settle dis! Cards or fists, let's go, Kaiba!"

"He beat you with that, too! Remember when you touched him?" the girl scolded, hushed. My eyes fell to Seto, it seeming he had a somewhat similar problem to mine, though I felt his solution was probably more direct.

"Wheeler, any time spent with you is a waste. Why don't you all taking your barking chihuahua for a walk," scoffed Seto, back at work.

"All right, bud. Let's go," his larger friend said to him, tilting him back and off his feet to get him to move. Joey continued to yell as they dragged him out, but Seto looked as though nothing happened.

I smiled slightly, and he happened to look up, probably wondering why I was staring at him.

"Why are you smiling?" he asked curtly. "I didn't do that for you."

"Oh, I know," I replied. "That's the beauty of it." He lowered his eyebrows. "I'm smiling because I just realized why you're the only one over here, and this may have just become my new favorite place. What you just did-" I marveled, "what an extraordinary talent to have." He only looked at me, not quite seeming to know what to make of me. I moved on, curious about something else. "What's Duelist Kingdom?"

"It was a tournament Pegasus, the creator of Duel Monsters, threw. Named after the island where he lives in a castle because he's demented," he answered disdainfully, turning back to his task.

I raised my eyebrows but didn't further the conversation. I turned back to my bag, now extracting my book instead. As I settled back and opened it, I looked at him once more and was curious again.

"I'm going to bother you one more time," I declared.

"Well at least you're aware of it," he uttered.

Curiously, I tilted my head, looking at the glowing KC. "What kind of computer is that?"

His eyes flashed to me briefly. "It's custom. I made it."

"Oh," I replied, satisfied with this. I quietly remarked, "I had assumed your name was spelled with an 'S.'"

Just as I was ready to turn away, he looked at me again, though it was a little nice to see him briefly more confused than annoyed. "It is," he replied unhappily. After a moment he seemed to figure out what I meant and turned back to his work. "Oh, you mean the brand. It's the logo for my company."

"Company?" I repeated slowly.

He hummed in an annoyed way, but still did not seem to mind the chance to talk about his successes. "Are you familiar with the Kaiba Corporation?"

"I can't say I am," I replied.

"It's a tech gaming company, the largest in the world," he explained smugly. "I'm the CEO."

"Gaming as in Duel Monsters?" I recalled from earlier.

He hummed positively.

"So you're the CEO of a Duel Monsters gaming company, yet based on what you just said, it seems you dislike the creator, yes?" I clarified.

"Correct."

I nodded, turning away, ending the conversation there.

From then on we sat in silence. It was not awkward, though, as it probably should have been. I enjoyed the sound of his rhythmic typing and only his rhythmic typing. Occasionally, I would glance up from my book to discretely examine his intense stare and impeccable posture. I'm not sure if it was my delight with his iciness or what, but for the first time, I noticed he was rather handsome. It wasn't something I paid attention to normally. Well, that's new, I acknowledged dryly, thinking nothing more of it as I turned back to the pages. Neither one of us said anything for the rest of lunch.

The final bell rang. I grabbed my things and headed out for my car.

"Dah-um, excuse me." I recognized the voice. Oh. Dear. God.

"What, Joey?" This had happened way too much for one day. I was drained at this point, finally making it through the first day, and just wanted to retreat to my apartment.

"I, ah, I wanted to apologize if was a little much today an-"

"That- that's nice Joey." At charm school, they had taught us to say 'That's nice' instead of 'fuck you.' I just could not take it anymore. "I need to go home."

"Hey!" I left him. I just climbed into my car and drove away.

When I arrived home, I checked my phone to see I had a perfectly timed message.

It was today right?
How was it?

Ugh, Jude, I barely made it

Somebody TOUCHED me

What do you mean?

Like in a bad way
or in a normal way?

Do I need to come?

Like in a BS way

There's a normal way
to touch people now?!

lol, Jemmie. I miss
ur crazy shit

What the fuck did
you just say to me?

u mean wtf

What?

Laughing Out Loud

What The Fuck

Oh my god just
spell it out

OMG

miss you

By the way, do you
know what Duelist
Kingdom is?

Yeah, actually

Crazy right?

Fucking weird

Elaya easter egg!

Next Chapter: Oh Brother

"I'm at the Domino airport, where are you?" Jude was the only person who I had told where I was and how to contact me. Perhaps that was a bad idea after all.