Chapter 9 The Double Date
I've been on the lookout ever since I've found out about Yugi. He made me swear to the heavens that I mustn't tell them my secret. I can tell the difference between them already too, and I always ran away from Yami. If he was there at school which was quite rare – I'd run behind Duke or Joey. I couldn't stop myself feeling nervous and stupid when I'm beside him or even talking to him. Coming to think of it, I'm also starting to avoid Ryou too. The rest doesn't have a clue when Bakura will pop up again. They don't know what to do.
It's hard to anyway, because I've always thought Yami was Yugi, so right now it's as though a totally new person has entered my life. I can't speak to him properly before suffocating or running to the girl's toilet.
GOD HELP ME IN THIS SITUATION!!!!!!!! GOD BESTOW SOME PITY ON ME NOW!!!! I AM INNOCENT I TELL YOU, INNOCENT!!
I lay back on my bed staring at my ceiling. It's the weekend thankfully. I haven't written any entries in the diary yet, which is only a quarter full. I've totally ignored the diary now actually, and I'm only concentrating on writing in an old notebook. I've not dated it, because that means it is a diary, and I can't be bothered to anyway. I've written about 6 – 10 pages of stuff about Yami; his posture, way of talking, how he sleeps, how he eats, moves and thinks, and only about 3 pages of stuff about Yugi and the rest. God! I'm beginning to become obsessed over him!!
I wondered how Yugi could cope sharing a body with a spirit. I wonder how his friends could cope without knowing that they were hanging around with two people in one body. I wondered how Yami would get his own body back.
TO HELL WITH YAMI!!!
I drove my hands on my head and ruffled up my hair that it went all over the place like a bird's nest. Why do I keep thinking about him???
o
My brain was always switching from other thoughts to Yami. Yami. Yami. Yami. Yami. Yami. Yami. Yami. That was all I could say and think about.
"Why aren't you eating, Charybdis?" Mum asked me.
I looked at my plate and attacked a sausage with my knife. "Yami...." I mumbled quietly. Thankfully no one heard.
"She's lovesick. Poor girl." Callista replied, looking at me worriedly while eating her rice.
"WHAT??" Mum and dad's eyes popped out – you should've seen it. It was freaky – dead freaky. I've never seen mum and dad so shocked before in their lives, yikes! I gotta run for cover! (I almost flew over behind the couch but Callista grabbed me back on my bum on the seat)
"I'm not!" I retorted back, biting into the sausage ravenously making a loud tear from the skin. Honestly, why did Callista always had to tell everything about me to mum and dad?
"Who's the lucky dud?" Dad asked, grinning at me. Apparently, dad was trying to act 'cool' again – if people understood what a 'dud' was.
"Yami's not a dud!" I shouted fiercely; a vein popping in my head, before shutting up and shrinking back on my seat. I gotta learn not to speak before I think. Oh God, now everyone in the world must know if I continue like this! Bad Charybdis! Bad, bad Charybdis!!
"Who's Yami?" Mum asked curiously, frowning slightly with her brows low over her eyes.
"........." I was speechless with terror – no, nervousness.
"Her boyfriend – or the guy who she likes." Callista said, looking back at mum.
"Since when did you get another boyfriend? I thought that tall, young blonde man named Joey was your boyfriend." Mum replied.
"Joey's not my boyfriend! Yami's not my boyfriend either!" I said helplessly. I felt my cheeks burn up into flames. I'd just wished time would rewind and I could stop myself before I shout.
Though I wish Yami was.......
I mentally slapped myself hard to wake me up. GET A GRIP ON YOURSELF CHARYBDIS!!!
"Now, Charybdis, meaning the terms boyfriend; you got to focus on your grades and schoolwork, so no boyfriends right now." Dad tutted at me.
"Yes dad." I mumbled.
o
"Since when did you get a girlfriend??" I asked suspiciously at Joey, who had now turned into a deep shade of red in the face as I asked him. Somehow this line sounded vaguely familiar....
We were both going to the shops by the park for some lunch today, and suddenly Joey had to bring up a subject of boyfriends and girlfriends. He was babbling non-stop about couples, kissing and other stuff that I found wasn't like Joey. In fact, I wanted to storm over to him and make him face and me and ask 'Who are you, where did you kidnap Monkey Boy?'. I found my face growing red as I thought about Yami again when he spoke about Yugi. And Joey was ranting on and on about some mystery girl who had 'cherry lips, smooth skin and perfect eyes'.
"Since... uh.... Ages ago. The Battle City Finals, I assume. Her name is Mai." He had a dreamy look of content in his face as he replied back.
"Mai huh?? So... what about her?? Is she pretty? Hot? Cute?" I asked shaking the feeling off as my face returned back to its natural colour.
"All three, Gurlie, we're going to the Domino Amusement Park on Sunday. Wanna come?" He asked, as we sat down on an empty bench with hot-dogs in our hands.
"Uh.... I'd better not – since you two are dating, right?" I hesitated for a while.
"Yeah, but ya could still come."
"No, no really...." I stammered.
"C'mon, Tea's got dancing lessons, Tristan's busy, Duke's going to a Game exhibition and Ryou's family is coming over that day." Joey added.
I wished I had a family reunion that day too.
o
"Hey, do you want to go to the carnival this weekend?"
I looked up. Yugi stood in front of my desk. I pulled at my strands of hair by the side of my cheeks. "This weekend?" I asked nervously.
"Yeah, Joey wants you to meet his girlfriend and he invited me to come with him." He replied as he took a seat beside me.
"I-I'm not sure......." I wanted to say, but instead, guess what I did say??
"Sure."
AAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!
I mentally slapped myself and cursed at myself for accepting. I could've kept a stern face and said 'No' but then I, I had to be Miss Pitiful and say 'Yes' politely. No, I wasn't feeling sorry for Yugi, I felt scared. I was scared of going out with him – or Yami. I was scared of my feelings for Yami. I was afraid of seeing him; let alone talking to him. I want to just run away from the world of love and get on with my life with my friends and family. Besides, I spotted Yami floating around and I didn't know what to do. I didn't want to sound rude or anything in front of him. God, now I wanted to impress him!! These things are occurring to me irregularly!! I can't believe this. I can't believe this!! This is sooo unbelievable!!
The dreaded day arrived faster than usual. I was waiting by the ticket booth by myself, wearing my black vest top underneath an unzipped brown top and jeans, with a black suede belt. I was wearing boots and carrying a matching shoulder bag. It was about 12 noon; when the amusement park was packed and mobbed with people. Of all the times, why did Joey just have to pick this time??
I saw a black dot running towards me from the park gates, and the black dot appeared to be a particular short boy wearing a tight black leather shirt, a dark coloured jacket, matching trousers and a gold coloured, pyramid shaped box dangling over his chest on a chain connecting with a collar on his neck. He stopped in front of me, puffing and panting on the spot. "H-Hi Charybdis." He breathed.
"Hi Yugi." I said, rubbing his back so he could catch his breath. "Are you alright?"
He nodded slowly, and then, we were standing beside each other waiting for the rest. It was rather awkward waiting, watching people go past us – mostly couples who glanced at us. Other people watched us and I felt even more embarrassed. Finally the two came after about... God knows when, and I stormed angrily to Joey who had his arm around a pretty woman with long, blonde hair and pretty eyes (how can someone have pretty eyes? – anyways, just get with the program!). She was wearing a short purple skirt that showed her long, slim legs and a matching sleeveless blouse that fitted every curve of her perfect body.
"Hey you two. Been waiting long?" Joey asked us.
We both nodded, I decided to keep it cool.
"Charybdis, I'd like you to meet Mai."
"Nice to meet you Charybdis, Joey's told me a lot about you." She stuck out her hands, which had nail – polished fingers and smiled at me. I stared at her. God – she was so –so feminine compared with me, I felt inferior next to her – like an 8-year-old girl while she looked like a 23-year-old woman. I shook her hand clumsily and she smiled again.
"Nice to meet you." I choked.
o
Yugi and I trudged behind Joey and Mai into the Amusement Park after buying tickets. Watching them two lovebirds was making me feel quite nervous. I glanced at Yugi. "Is it just me, or am I getting the feeling that our presence isn't needed here at all?"
He nodded. "I agree too."
I almost jumped into the plastic model of Mickey Mouse. "God Yami, could you two at least warn me when you both swap?" I said angrily, glancing at Yugi who had appeared beside Yami in spirit form. He grinned nervously. "Sorry."
Oh great oh great oh great. Now Yugi's swapped with Yami, so I think this invitation is now turning into a double date. That's what I think... help me! I stared at the family with their children who were loading them onto their car. I watched them drive away from the amusement park. I placed an outstretched hand in front of me like as if there was invisible wall there, and muttered quietly: "Take me with you.... I wanna go home tae!"
"Hey guys, what ride would you like to go on first? The rollercoaster of Doom or the Soaring Eagle?" Mai asked us.
She pointed at the two rides. The Rollercoaster of Doom had tracks which led to the sky, and I saw what looked like people on the ride looked like tiny ants with tiny high pitched voices as they screamed. The Soaring Eagle was a ride that almost led to the sky. There was a ring around the whole thing, with seats, and then it would drop up and down.
I shook my head vigorously. "N-N-No... not that...." My eyed popped wide.
Mai looked blankly at me. "Come on, you can't be afraid of that?" She asked, grinning a little.
I nodded my head. "Honestly, I - I'm afraid of heights."
Yami looked at me worriedly. "Maybe we should pick a ride which doesn't involve with the sky?" I guessed he wondered why the track was also that high.
"How about the Jolly Rocker then?" Joey suggested, pointing to the large ship in the east.
I shrugged. "Um... okay." I hoped I didn't sound too much of a scaredy cat and an annoying person to Mai.
o
"AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"
I was screaming and crying non-stop as the ride swung. Everyone else was whooping and screaming with joy – while I was screaming with terror. Joey and Mai were sitting in the front and enjoying the breeze and whooping, while I was stuck at the back with Yami screeching my lungs out. I could've died. I had my arms wrapped around his waist and I was digging my head into his chest. He didn't seem to mind, and kept a hand over my shoulder – I didn't even think of pulling away because I was terrified that very moment. He was enjoying how the ship swayed. I was feeling totally the opposite.
I had no idea that it swung quite fast. I thought I had noticed that it swung slowly earlier– or was it because it was about end so it reduced its normal speed and then I just happened to see it that time?? I cringed. I'm making a total buffoon of myself.
I hated the way it swayed – just like a real ship, duh. I felt dizzy, and when we got off the ride, Yami had to keep his arm over my shoulder to make me stand and walk properly. Yugi beside us was laughing because he was also on the ride, and Yami told him to go inside the puzzle, before looking worriedly at me again. He let go of my shoulder, and I sauntered away from the pavement and fell into a bush headfirst so my feet stuck out at an odd angle. Yami pulled me back out and I let him guide me over.
"Charybdis, you don't look too good. Maybe you should take a rest." Yugi said as he floated above us.
I nodded dazedly, and Yami helped me out onto an empty bench. Joey and Mai waddled over to us, still laughing and looked at us. They both whispered something, before grinning at us both.
"What's wrong with Gurlie?" Joey asked as he saw me with my eyes closed lying on the bench pathetically.
"I'm not feeling quite well." I moaned, holding my head which still spun around.
"Well, me and Joey want to go to the Log ride, Yugi, Charybdis, do you want to come?" Mai said.
I shook my head. "No thanks, I'll stay here."
"Just take a rest, Gurlie. You'd get back in reality soon." Joey added.
"I'll stay here with Charybdis." Yami said.
"What??" I was amazed but touched and sighing with bliss; I slapped myself again. "Listen, you don't have to. I'm fine. I just need a rest; I'll meet you at the Log Ride afterwards." I told him.
He shook his head. "You need to be taken care of."
I cringed. "I can take care of myself, really." I felt my heart beat faster than normal and that my lungs were going to burst soon.
Mai and Joey looked at each other. "Well, We'll be leaving you two here, we'll come back after."
o
I sat on the bench, with my head in my hands, staring blankly at the ground as a spider scuttled by. I didn't even feel like shrieking. Yami had gone to get some drinks. I felt like I needed to be alone for a while. I only lasted for about 5 minutes back there, how embarrassing!! I mentally slapped myself hard to get a grip. Charybdis isn't a weakling! I can still hold on! I clenched my fists. I can also put up with Yami too! I've also started to count the many times I had slapped myself today.
He came back holding a bottled mineral water. I muttered my thanks and gulped it down.
"Sorry, Yami." I said.
"For what, Charybdis?" He asked, looking at me.
"I'm making you miss out on all the fun." I replied.
He chuckled. "I'm not really familiar with these rides myself. Some of them look really daring."
"I'm scared of them. I'm scared I'll be sick." I said awkwardly.
"We could go to a slower ride if you want."
"The Ferris Wheel!" I suddenly shouted when I saw the wheel just a few rides away. We haven't been there yet – but it got scary when it got to the top. I got up, and dragged him over to the Ferris wheel – until I spotted a stand where you had to shoot the cans to win a dolly – beanie babies!
"I gotta win something!" I yelled, before running over, and placing in one token. The stall keeper gave me a gun, and I lifted it up to aim at the middle can, where all the cans were supported. I aimed, the 'cool' look returning back to me as I pulled the trigger and BLAM!
"Hey you! Watch where you're aiming at, little girl! Hit the can, not the pole!" The Stall Keeper shouted at me when I had shot the holder off which attached to the pole inside beside the cans supporting up bags of toys. They all fell down on a crumpled heap and I cringed.
o
Approximately 12 minutes 3 seconds later, I ventured away from the stall clutching about 5 beanie babies I had won – sighs, so much for the 'impressive shooting skills' part where I should've impressed Yami... I guess not. Everyone was staring at me as I waddled beside him.
"Here." I said, holding out my prized eagle beanie baby. "This is for you."
"Thank you." He muttered, taking the eagle out from my hands and placing it inside his pocket carefully. "Are we going to the Ferris Wheel now?"
I nodded happily and we actually had a proper conversation this time without any disturbances – except from the tinkly music this stand was playing. "Have you seen these rides before, Yami?" I asked, playing around with my seahorse beanie as we walked.
He shook his head. "They look a little dangerous, don't you think so?" He was eyeing the roller coaster that made people around upside down.
"I'm quite afraid that the bolts and nuts may pop out while the roller coaster moves around..." I replied. "Ya never know, you know." I got quite confused with that sentence. We passed several stands.
"Why didn't you and Yugi tell me before that you two were sharing a body ages ago?" I asked.
He looked at me thoughtfully and I gave him an innocent look back – well, I was supposed to look as thoughtful as he was.
"Good question, I suppose we weren't sure yet if we could trust you back then."
"Excuse me." I knocked on his skull several of times and he winced. "I've been your friend for a year now, and I just 'supposedly' met you yesterday. How do you think I feel?? If I've always known one person and suddenly another person with the same looks but different personality pops out in your life, how would you think I feel about that, hmm??"
"I'm sorry. We didn't concentrate on the term on how you would feel." Yami replied, still wincing.
"Does everyone else know?" I asked.
"Not yet. You're the only one who is aware of me and can see me in spirit form, you must hold some kind of power." He replied.
"Power?? I think you've mistaken, I've only got another sense."
"Another sense?" He seemed quite interested so I let my mouth working.
"My grandma, who is a medium/Priestess, says I go' meself another sense. To see spirits no one else could see." I said, even putting a mysterious tone to my voice – however it went kind of wrong and I ended up croaking. "I think she's talking a load of slapdash, seeing spirits eh? I think that's a load of wank."
"Interesting, but if you don't believe her, how can you see me?"
I decided to ignore him. I didn't really want to see him anyway – in spirit form. In fact, I wished I hadn't known that Yami and Yugi were sharing a body. I wheezed a little when the silence between us was getting awkward, not forgetting to mention annoying too.
"Come on then, I think I see Joey and Mai over there." He said smiling.
"Huh??" I didn't get a chance to look because Yami had grabbed my hand and was leading me through the thick crowds of people. We met Joey and Mai at the foot of the Wheel. They were about to go on, until they spotted us and walked over.
"The Ferris Wheel has some more cubicles left, hurry up and get on." Mai said and she dragged Joey into a spare cubicle and Yami and I went into one. I stared at the fairground below us slowly disappearing. The people were turning into ants and I cooed. Yami was looking at the sky thoughtfully.
"Ooooh..... Aaahhhhhh.... Eeehhhhhhh......woweeeee...." I said happily while I watched us go higher and higher and higher and higher - Until I was paralysed with fear, and the cubicle rocked a little and I screamed, before totally scrabbling backwards with my legs on the seat and clutching onto his arm like a child attached to its teddy bear and closed my eyes. I wondered how Yami felt this very moment.....
I opened one eye sneakily to see that he was chuckling a little. ""Don't worry, you're safe with me, Charybdis." He said gently.
I nodded, my lip trembling a little as I looked up at him. "Told you before I was afraid of heights, didn't I?" I didn't release my arm off him and even continued to hug him tighter until the ride finished – which was about 5.3 minutes and seconds later – and he even insisted on keeping an arm over me!
I guess he didn't realise I was doing this deliberately then, eh? I cackled to myself mentally – with complete thunder and lightning crashing in the background.
Sighs, it felt like heaven. It sure did.
o
"Oh no, no, no, no!!! We'll never get out of here!" I groaned, as Mai led me through this dark tunnel. "We've been walking for ages."
"Don't worry, we'll find the exit soon." Mai said as she walked towards this dim light in front of us about a foot away.
I wasn't sure where we were exactly, it was dark inside the tunnel, but we weren't alone. Other girls behind us were walking too, and giggling and whispering.
"Where are we anyway??" I asked as Mai stopped, and I stopped behind her. "You'll see Charybdis." She said.
We were apparently waiting in this queue of girls. I heard a faint murmur of voices from behind the wall at my side. I knocked on it, and the voices became louder. The line moved, and I turned to Mai.
"What is this ride?" I asked questioningly.
"Oh you know; that kind of love boat ride." Mai said happily.
"What?? B-But I..." I stared as the line moved up. "You mean that ride for couples??" My mouth opened.
She nodded. "Joey and Yugi are in here too."
"Nooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!" I moaned, trying to get out but Mai grabbed me back in. "Come on, I spent some of my tokens for us both for this ride." She said.
I sighed. "Alright Mai." The line moved up. I eyed it warily. It looked sappy as I spotted a pink boat with a couple in riding over the water into this heart shaped door with strands of pink beads illuminating in the soft red light from inside....
I gotta get out of here!
o
After desperate attempts to get away – including jumping in the water to swim back to the light indicating the exit and trying to run back, I surrendered as Mai got a little fed up when she hauled me back over. "Come on, it's not the end of the world, Charybdis." She said.
"Oh yes it is." I mumbled.
"Are you shy? Maybe around with Yugi???" She smiled.
I shook my head vigorously and gestured my hands into a 'no'.
"Come on, don't be shy. You can tell me anything. Us girls got to help one another in a situation." She smiled once I shook my head again, I think she's got it figured out already herself and was soon next in line, and what a surprise, really (hear the sarcasm) – Joey was next and they both clambered in and enveloped in the world of love and hugging love birds.
Of course – Yami and I were next and we weren't really in the world of love. More like the world of utter boredom.
"This is really awkward, ya know?" I moaned as we sat, waiting for the ride to finish. Apparently I guessed we've only been on the ride for only 1 minute, yet it felt it was for an hour.
He watched me twirl droplets out from my hair that was still wet. My fringe was plastered my side and curled a little around my face, my clothes stuck to my body water dripped down my cheeks and forehead and I sneezed, feeling cold. Yami instantly took off his jacket and draped it over me.
"I'm fine, honestly." I moaned, not looking at him, but I kept a firm hand over the coat.
"You're going to catch a cold if you don't wear anything over your clothes." He said.
"... Thanks." I snorted hastily.
Yugi was sitting beside us, watching the pink-coated walls and lovebirds and all sort of lovey - dovey stuff (that made me wanted to be sick) drawn on them.
"What's with you?" I asked him as he turned back.
Yugi glanced at us both, smiling a little. "I think I'll leave you two's alone." He said before disappearing back inside the Millennium Puzzle around Yami's neck. I could've died again. I groaned, and suddenly, I saw these two dots in front of us. I squinted my eyes to get a better look. Yami noticed this and also peered at where I was staring.
"What are we looking at?" he asked quietly.
"Shhh." I grabbed him and hid down low behind the front of the boat, and then we both got up slowly to eye level. Yami glanced over at me. I gaped with my jaw open, as I looked at the kissing couple with their arms around each other tightly in the boat only a few metres in front of us.
"Holy cow.... Look at Mai and Joey!" I whispered, starting to giggle.
Yami and I blushed furiously – so did Yugi who had floated beside Yami after popping back out when he saw us both. I gazed at Yami's slightly parted lips. I wonder what they felt like - the long, curved small smirk on his face, the kissable pout and the faint colour in them – I gulped nervously.
oooooooooooooooooo
Hi ppl! I've sed in the story that that no one knows that Yugi and Yami are sharing a body rite now, but I might change it so be aware!
