So the last chapter wasn't exactly action packed, but I wanted to put it in the story for future use. Don't worry, this one will be more exciting. Oh! And Serenity helped Kaiba with a homework assignment about emotions.
"Where have you been?!" Was the greeting Serenity got when she came in the door. She and Roland had hit every stop light on the way to her apartment, making her late, and her father angry.
"I'm sorry…" She stuttered, fear taking her. She lightly slipped inside and closed the door behind her, trying to make it to her room. "I was doing homework." She answered, but he grabbed her, not letting her leave.
"Where?!" He demanded. Luckily he was still for the most part unaware of her relationship with Kaiba. He suspected she had a boyfriend, but as for who, he had no idea. Though just her dating someone was enough to infuriate the drunkard. "You've been sleeping around haven't you?!" He shouted, pushing her against the wall. "You're such a slut! Always around with different boys!"
That was the point Joey came out and put himself between the two. "Dad! Stop it!" He demanded, knowing he hadn't done much, at least compared to what he's done in the past, but still, anything for the over protective brother was too much. Serenity just looked down to at her feet, her purse tightly in her hands, trying to think of anything else except for what was happening.
"Get outta the way!" The man yelled and sent a hard punch at Joey, he ducked and then spun around to grab Serenity as the man stumbled.
"Get into your room and lock the door." He ordered, sending her a gentle, but firm, push down the hallway. Serenity stumbled herself, but didn't go anywhere, not willing to leave him to take the beating alone. As she was standing there their father regained his ground and grabbed Joey by the back of the shirt. He pulled him back and then kneed his back. Joey groaned and Serenity gasped, though you'd think she'd be used to it by now.
"Just go!" Joey yelled at her again, but still, she didn't move. The man sent another punch at Joey, this time making a firm connection. Soon enough Joey was too weak to fight back, and lightly tossed to the side like a rag doll. Serenity had tears streaming down her face. Suddenly she realized she was his next target and her heart beat quickly. Her mind told her to run, but her feet planted themselves there, as she stared at Joey's motionless body.
"You bitch…" The man muttered approaching her. Serenity eventually started taking cautious steps back, but he was close enough that all he had to do was reach out and he had a grasp of her. As he did so Serenity whimpered, and dropped her things. She was tugged towards him and shut her eyes tightly.
She tried blocking out the pain the surged through her that night, but it was hard. Especially as she tried to dragged herself to her bed. She somehow managed to open the door and lift herself enough to collapse on the soft cushion. She thought about Joey, but knew she didn't have enough strength to bring him to his own bed. She felt bad, but, there was nothing she could do.
She closed her eyes lightly and gave a deep sigh. Slowly she turned her head to the side and looked at the clock. It was nearly one in the morning. School the next day would be terrible. And on that thought she fell asleep.
She woke to the sound of her alarm clock blaring. She reached over and groaned, feeling excoriating pain shooting through her body. She sighed a bit and realized she had fallen asleep in an awkward position, without bothering to change. She slowly sat herself up and then looked over at the clock, though she knew what time it was. She slowly slipped off the bed and walked to the dresser to run a brush through her hair. She slumped against the dresser and sighed, wishing she didn't have to go to school today. But since she had given Kaiba such a hard time, he would never let her live it down.
She softly slipped out of her room, apprehensively, in case her father was out there, possibly still awake. She glanced down the hall and noticed Joey wasn't in the hallway anymore. She hoped that meant he had made it to his bed as well. She took a few tentative steps into the hallway and then lightly knocked on his door. She didn't receive an answer so instead she tried the handle, it wasn't locked at least. She pushed the door open, her arms objecting to the stretching.
She saw him laying on the bed, in his clothes from the night before just like her. She smiled a little, comforted in knowing that he was alright, relatively speaking of course. She slipped inside the room and then gently roused him by a firm shake on the shoulder. She smiled as he groaned and rolled over, then suddenly shot up. "Sis!" He exclaimed, and looked at her, relaxing. Apparently he thought it was still the previous night. "Are you alright?" He asked, running his hands through his shaggy hair.
Serenity nodded gently and gave him a hug. "I'm fine big brother." She said softly and then took a couple of steps back. "I'm going to start some breakfast. Start getting ready for school." She said gently and then left the room to get into the kitchen. She started making some breakfast for them, still not ready herself, but she knew she could get ready quickly. Joey moved so slowly that he'd need some time.
The two siblings were out of the door soon enough. Serenity had applied some make up to her face to make sure she wasn't showing any bruises from the night before. They silently walked to the game shop to meet up with the rest of the gang.
It didn't take them long to get there, and soon enough they were all walking to school. Duke slid next to Serenity and nudged her a little. "So how're things with the ass hole?" He asked, putting emphasis on the insult. Serenity just ignored his comment and thought about how to answer the question.
She thoroughly enjoyed being with Kaiba. The man was strong, protective, and she was able to see a side of him that no one other then Mokuba did. That made her feel special. She smiled a little as she thought about when he had given her the keycard to allow her unrestricted access to every part of KaibaCorp. Clearly he trusted her, though sometimes she wished he was more open with his feelings, she was content at the moment. Having all of that go through her head in a near instant she just smiled and looked up into Duke's bright green eyes. "Great." She said with an innocent giggle.
Duke seemed a little disappointed, though honestly she didn't realize. "Well he better be giving you enough attention. I doubt that a busy man like himself has much time for you though." He said, little did Serenity know, he was just trying to put loneliness and doubt in her mind.
Oblivious as she was Serenity confided in her friend. "Well you know…KaibaCorp is starting a new project and it's taking up a lot of his time. He hasn't been to school all week." She said with a disheartened sigh. Duke just lightly wrapped his arm around her.
"Well if you ever need someone to talk to I'm right here." He said, trying to sound as appealing as possible. Serenity giggled a little and then nodded.
"Thanks Duke." She said simply, and the two finished walking to school close to each other.
The day went by slowly for Serenity. She waited anxiously for her psychology class, hoping to see Kaiba sitting in his usual spot, waiting for her. But as she slipped into the class room the chair was once again empty. She sighed a little, and went to her seat quietly. Not only did this mean he was letting work conflict with school again, it also meant she'd have to deal with Rin all by herself. And without the great Seto Kaiba there to help boost her confidence, she didn't really stand much of a chance.
"Oh look…the Tramps rolled herself in." Rin said, loud enough for the rest of the class to hear. Serenity looked down at her feet and felt her face flush. This was a common occurrence the past couple of weeks. Whenever Kaiba wasn't around, because he would kill Rin if he was, Rin would constantly pester Serenity, making herself feel terrible about herself.
The red head didn't respond as she slipped quietly into her seat. She just placed her books on the top of the desk and looked forward, trying to ignore the girl. But Rin wouldn't have that. The popular one of the two strolled next to Serenity and looked down at her with a smirk. "Kaiba gone again today? He must have realized you aren't worth his time." She said, lightly pushing Serenity's books onto the floor.
Serenity sighed, trying not to get angry, not like she would do anything if she was anyways. She lightly bend to pick them up, but this time held them in her lap so Rin couldn't repeat the process. "Actually he's busy with work." Serenity said simply, in a voice that didn't sound like someone on the defensive.
"Right. That's what he told you. I know otherwise." Rin said, sitting in the seat behind Serenity. Serenity, although aware Rin was simply trying to push her buttons, looked a little confused.
She turned around and looked at the girl, her usually bright green eyes loosing their luster. "What do you mean?" She asked innocently. Rin just smirked a little.
"You don't know? He's only dating you to increase his image. But now that he's gotten enough publicity he's sick of you. He just hasn't told you because of how pathetic you are. He think you'll just break down and cry. And he's probably right." Rin said simply, with a shrug of her shoulders. Serenity looked at her a moment longer and then shook her head.
Though in her head the seed of doubt was planted. Seto cares about me. He's just busy that's all. He wouldn't have given me that keycard if he didn't care about me. She thought, with a firm nod of her head, as if to justify her own thoughts. However, the little seed of doubt was already starting to grow.
Serenity walked out of the school with a huff. She was annoyed. Yes, the nicest girl in school, Serenity Wheeler, was annoyed. She had been too caught up in her own thoughts and concerns about Kaiba's feelings for her to not realize that they were getting assigned a new project. With partners. Rin was quick to choose Kaiba, and no matter what Serenity said the teacher refused to let her have her own boyfriend as a partner.
She was going to have to give him the bad news. Or maybe he wouldn't want me as a partner after all. She thought, though immediately shook her head. She knew it wasn't true. She knew. All she had to do was keep reminding herself. Serenity didn't bother going to join her group of friends, they knew not to wait for her at this point. She just started to the bus stop. She rode it to KaibaCorp, at least the closest stop to the corporate building. She then got off and readjusted her backpack on her back.
She glanced up at the tall building, though she could probably walk there by heart, she liked knowing which direction she was really heading. She then trekked the several blocks that separated them and started for the front door. A security guard was standing by the front, but he just looked at her and smiled. "Hello Ms. Wheeler." He spoke kindly. Serenity smiled at him and gave a little wave.
"Is Seto here?" She asked lightly, though already knew the answer. The guard nodded.
"Yes, but I believe he's in a meeting right now." He told her, Serenity just shrugged.
"That's fine." She said, and started to the door. "I'll just wait in his office." She said innocently, and then pushed the front door open. She stepped into the lobby and made her way past the group of working employees to the elevator. Pressing the button for the top floor she waited for the doors to close, and rode on up.