Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Jaden hadn't bothered to call Alexis since he had last seen her. He hadn't had the time since he was joining tournaments and when he wasn't dueling, he was catching up with his normal routines. For a while he almost forgot that Alexis was getting married to someone else. It wasn't until he got home late one night that he remembered.

As usual, Jaden's mail was sitting into a wooden box that was sitting right beside his door. For the last few days he saw nothing, but now was a single envelope. In cursive writing was Jaden's name and address. In the right hand corner was the return address. Strangely enough, it was Harrington Rosewood's address.

Jaden snatched the envelope then made his way inside to his apartment. Once on the couch he hastily tore through the envelope revealing a card. Alexis's wedding invitation. And wedged between the two sides of the card was a piece of paper. He was expecting Alexis's fancy cursive writing but instead was a different scrawl that was obviously Harrington's.

Jaden,

Alexis honestly didn't want you to come. I don't know if anything happened but I think that this greatly has to do with the fact that you're her ex. But I think she would be really happy if you could come so please do, for her at least.

Thanks,

Harrington Rosewood

Jaden looked inside the card to see the basics for the wedding. The day, time, and place were all lined in front of him. Below was a number he was guessing to be Harrington's. This left Jaden in a tough spot. He wanted to go to her wedding; he was not going to give up yet. But at the same time, she didn't even want him there. Why would he go to an event when he wasn't wanted? Surely Harrington didn't want him there; he was only doing this for Alexis. Too bad Alexis hadn't made herself clear. Confusion filled Jaden's mind. He needed to talk to someone about this. The first person he thought of was Chazz.

"Hello Chazz Princeton," Chazz picked up on the second ring of the phone.

"Hey Chazz, did you get an invitation to Alexis's wedding today," Jaden heard himself ask.

"Duh Jaden, did you," Chazz cleared his voice making a bad coughing noise.

"Well yeah," Jaden answered.

"Oh I see, so are you going to go," Chazz inquired.

"Well I was thinking about that and I wanted to know what you thought," Jaden informed him.

"I see; how bout I come over there. I'm about to call it quits for the day so I can bring a few people," Chazz said in the most sincere tone he had ever heard Chazz use with him. Maybe even the Chazz had a nice side.

"Ok thanks Chazz," Jaden grinned.

"No problem Slacker, if I voiced my opinion over the phone I don't think I would be affective. You're one of the types of people who need pretty little pictures drawn to get things anyways," Chazz added. So much for Chazz being nice. With a click the line went dead, leaving Jaden alone.

Jaden clicked on the TV in order to keep himself entertained. He had no idea how long it would be until Chazz arrived with the mysterious guests. So that left him watching old reruns of South Park and Dane Cook.

Finally after the fourth South Park episode there was a knock at the door. Jaden sprung up and opened it. Before him stood the figures of his best friends.

"Hey guys," Jaden said opening the door wider so that the guys could walk inside.

"Hey," the boys chorused.

Jaden saw Chazz, Bastion, Syrus, Atticus, and finally Hasselberry walk through his door. Then they randomly sat in chairs.

"Nice panel," Jaden told Chazz. Chazz nodded in agreement.

"So Jaden you got an invitation too huh," Syrus looked around the clustered counters and tables but was unlucky in his findings.

"Yeah," Jaden grabbed the invitation that was lying on top of the TV. Syrus and the others studied the invitation and nodded in acceptance.

"Jaden, I don't think you should go," Syrus told him knowing what would come next.

"Of course you would say that Private, but he should go. Don't you see that this is his last chance," Hasselberry shot at Syrus.

"Yeah that's the point. If he couldn't do it before, he won't be able to do it now," Syrus shot at Hasselberry. For a second Jaden could imagine the Slifer dorm's walls surrounding them. This was something that Hasselberry and Syrus would fight about.

"But Syrus, he has a chance. He just has to break through," Hasselberry whined.

"Yeah Syrus don't you have faith in Jay," Atticus chimed in.

"I do, it's just that I am being logical," Syrus crossed his arms across his chest.

"Well Syrus, you're coming off as pessimistic," Bastion finally spoke.

Jaden watched his friends debate what he should do. Nothing that any of them really said was sticking with him but it was fun watching them argue. It brought back memories that Jaden had forgotten. Looking back on the past made Jaden smile.

"All of you shut up, the Chazz is going to talk," Chazz yelled, silencing everyone in the room. When the room became completely silent, Chazz continued. "Jaden, what I think you should do is give up. I know this is going to be hard but it's the only thing I you can do. If you remember I went after Alexis and she rejected me. Can't you see that the same thing is happening to you? It's going to hurt more if you see her walk down the aisle then it will be if you walk away," Chazz sighed. There was no hint of hostility. He was honestly trying to help.

"But Chazz, the fight isn't over," Hasselberry protested, slamming his fist on the table.

"Yeah Chazz, the song isn't over until the music is done playing," Atticus agreed.

"But this isn't a fight. Nor is this a song," Syrus reminded his friends.

"It was an analogy Syrus," Hasselberry frowned at Syrus's stupidity.

"But I was making a point. This isn't something as trivial as a song or a duel, this is life. I'm sorry Jaden but I agree with Chazz," Syrus seemed to repeat himself for the millionth time.

"Bastion, what do you think," Jaden asked his most silent friend.

Bastion took a deep breath. "Jaden, I don't know what you should do. I have tried to come up with a formula for your predicament and it isn't working out well. I think that in time you will know what to do. So just let time guide your mind," he advised.

Syrus, Hasselberry, and Chazz stared at Bastion in shock and confusion. Bastion always had a clear answer. It was always scientific and well calculated. Why was it now that he was breaking away from facts and knowledge and going with the "gut feeling?"

"I think you should go," Jaden sighed. He needed to think about what he wanted to do.

Hasselberry and Syrus nodded. "Ok Sarge we'll go, just think about what I said," Hasselberry grinned.

"That's not fair, he should think about what Chazz and I said as well," Syrus complained. Jaden ignored his friends' complaints as they walked out the door. With a shut, the door closed, leaving Jaden alone.

What do I want? Do I want to give up? No of course I don't. I don't give up on anything. And I won't on Alexis. There's still time. I know it. Harrington hasn't won yet, I know it. Somewhere she still cares. Jaden grabbed the invitation and it all became clear. He was going to keep fighting for Alexis. It wasn't over until she said "I do." Jaden grabbed his phone and looked at the time. It was 10:30. He had no idea what Harrington was doing or if he was home so he put his cell phone away and decided to go to sleep; leaving his phone call for the next day.