Chapter 11:

It was around late October. Exams were nearly approaching so every chance I got, I decided to study. I HAVE to beat Zane! I just have to!

As I studied in the library, I heard footsteps approaching from behind me. They stopped suddenly.

"There you are Erika. Why aren't you duelling?"

I turned around and saw Zane standing in front of me. I was slightly confused.

"Why would I be duelling?" I asked him. "No one has challenged me yet."

"It's a duel to see who the Queen of Obelisk Blue is," he told me. "Whoever wins all of their duels will be crowned the Queen of Obelisk Blue."

I was shocked. "Now why didn't anyone tell me this?"

He shrugged. "Maybe you were too caught up in your studies. People haven't seen you duel in a while."

I then remembered my fan club, which had three new members. They would be disappointed in me if I didn't duel. Plus Jake would flip out at me if I didn't give it a go.

"Is it too late to sign up?" I asked.

"Unfortunately," he said. "It would've been good to see you and Alexis duel."

Alexis and me duel? Now that would've been something to look forward to!

"Awww Zane! I want to duel!" I complained. "I want to face Alexis."

"First it's me, now Alexis. Who don't you want to duel?"

I gave him a smile. "Honestly, I'd love to duel everyone in this academy – including you!"

He smirked. "Do you want to come and watch the duels?"

"Of course," I said with a smile.

I clipped my notes back into my blue ring binder, shut it and then packed up my pens. I put my deck back in the pocket of my skirt. "Can I put these away first?" I asked.

"Sure," he said with the calm tone he always had in his voice.

As we walked to my locker I decided to tell Zane something.

"You know," I began. "I had this dream where we duelled."

"What happened?" He asked curiously.

"You were winning at the start but I turned the duel around and won."

Zane smirked. "It's good to have dreams," he told me. "Too bad when we duel I'll be the one winning."

"Stop being mean to me," I said as a joke as I lightly punched him in the arm with my arm that was free.

After I put my stuff away, Zane and I went in search of the duelling arena that Alexis was duelling at.

"Isn't it in the Obelisk Blue duelling arena?" I asked.

"No," he said. "Obelisk Blue is using all of the duelling arenas in the school so we can get the duels over by the end of today."

"What about Ra Yellow, Slifer Red and the boys in Obelisk Blue?" I asked.

"Today's a day off," he reminded me.

"Oh that's right," I said just realising that I took my days off to study.

At the moment it was nearing the end of the summer holidays. Most students decided to go back home to spend it with friends and family but some of us decided to stay here and continue studying for our exams in November. We only have summer holidays and Christmas holidays compared to normal schools. You could say that we only have two terms instead of four but we have an equal amount of holidays when we have them. It doesn't bother me. I love duelling so it's fun for me. By the looks of it, all the girls from Obelisk Blue stayed at school.

"Do you know which duelling area she's duelling on?" I asked Zane.

"I think she was duelling on the main duelling arena," he told me.

We began walking towards that area. One random question was bugging me.

"Hey, Zane, do you guys have a competition to find the King of Obelisk Blue?" I asked.

He laughed. "No."

I smiled. "You should."

"Yeah, it would be fun to defeat all the guys in Obelisk Blue."

"But then again, there's more boys than girls in this academy," I said, deciding to bring out the statistics.

"That's a good point," Zane said. "It's probably because normally all of the female Obelisk Blue students stay here over the summer holidays."

"True."

We arrived at the duelling arena just as the duel had finished.

"What good timing," I told him sarcastically. "So what round is this?"

"It's the semi-finals," he replied.

We walked up to the arena as soon as Alexis was leaving it.

"Congrats!" I said to her as I gave her a hug.

She looked at me seriously. "Now tell me why it isn't you I'm facing in the finals."

I looked sadly at her. "I'm sorry Alexis but I didn't know about this."

She folded her arms. "I guess it's okay then."

I sighed in relief. "Thanks."

"Next time, I won't forgive you," she said with a smile on her face.

In a matter of minutes, Alexis had won her next duel which made her Queen of Obelisk Blue.

"Do you have any words to say?" The teacher asked Alexis.

"Yeah I have a few," she told them.

"Go on then," the teacher told her.

"First, I'm not going to be the Queen of Obelisk Blue," she announced.

A lot of students gasped, including me. How could she not be the queen? She won fair and square!

"Second, I'll only accept this title if I can defeat the best female duellist in the academy – Erika Dark."

I felt put on the spot. Zane looked at me and I looked at the person sitting beside me as if they were me. Unfortunately, this person was a guy and I was the only female Obelisk Blue student that hadn't duelled.

I decided to approach the stage.

"Alexis! What are you doing?" I asked.

"I'm challenging you to a duel Erika," she told me. "To see who the Queen of Obelisk Blue really is."