The auditorium door slid open, echoing in the quieted room. All eyes fell upon the green eyed boy who stood in the doorway.
"Sorry folks, guess I got lost," he said through heavy breaths. "This school is a lot bigger than ours." Jaden stopped him as he made his way down the stairs to the front of the school. "Hey Jaden! I guess this is that pep rally thing."
"Yep. By the way, just wondering, you see a guy named Jesse?"
"Yah, sure did."
"What?! You've seen him?" Chancellor Sheppard asked in a panic. Was this year going to start with similar bullshit that the last two years had? "Where is he?" A small flush of embarrassment stretched across this boy's face as he scratched the back of his head.
"Y'all are looking at him." A soft snicker could be heard a few spots down from Jaden. "I'm Jesse." Jesse turned his attention back to Jaden. "Sorry, I guess I never properly introduced myself. I was so excited to meet you, I guess I just plum forgot."
"I get that a lot," Jaden responded, as if it was normal for people to forget their names.
Jesse joined the other transfer students on the stage, getting teased on the way by Aiden Geiko. Professor Viper, who came with the transfer students, a transfer professor if you will, addressed the crowd: he wanted an exhibition duel. No one objected and Jaden would face his new friend in front of the whole school.
Neither of the boys were shy about talking to their duel spirits, convincing the other students that this new kid was crazy. Maybe even crazier than Jaden, but his famous Crystal Beast deck made them overlook that. From the outside, someone could mistake Jesse and Jaden for old friends.
Their duel maintained an almost leisurely tempo. Both boys were having fun not just dueling each other, but learning about the other's deck. Which made the duel much more fun to watch.
In the sea of Slifer Red students, a pair of eyes met his own. Her black top contrasting the bright red coats. Time seemed to freeze as they looked at each other. It was like she could see through him, right to his core. He wanted to look away, but the longer they stared at each other, the deeper he was pulled in. Everything faded around them, but the blast from Jaden's final attack knocked Jesse back, breaking the eye contact, and reminded him that he was in the middle of a duel.
"Wait," Jaden called, "Where's Rainbow Dragon?"
"Well, that's the funny thing. I haven't got that card in mah deck yet, Jay," Jesse laughed. The crowd voiced their irritation. Jesse had really built up anticipation and the crowd was angry he couldn't deliver. "Sorry everyone, but I know it's out there somewhere!"
"What do you mean, bro?" Jesse told Jaden, and the rest of the auditorium, the legend of the dragon and how it's going to be made into a card for him.
Viper came onto the stage and complimented the boys before asking them to join him in the center. He towered over the both of them.
"Your first lesson is complete." Chatter broke out among the students, getting louder at the announcement of mandatory daily duels starting tomorrow. Tension was felt throughout the room.
"Do you think he's really going to make us duel every day?" Syrus asked, worried.
"Probably," a voice called from behind. Jesse looked back and recognized those eyes immediately. She fell into step next to Jaden pretty quickly. "A man doesn't look like that and make empty promises."
"What are you worrying for, Syrus? You're going to be fine!" Jaden encouraged him.
"You're in Obelisk Blue now, Sy, you are more than capable of surviving these duels."
"Yeah, but so are you and you might not, Rae,"Jaden laughed when she slapped him on the arm. Jesse was watching her as she and Jaden interacted. Her piercing eyes were made sharper by the dark eyeshadow she wore. She was very pretty, but Jesse was concerned that if she was able to look right through him from across the room, what could she do when she was this close?
"Oh, you two haven't met yet," Jaden mentioned when he noticed Jesse looking at Rae. "Jesse, this is Rae. Rae, this is," she cut him off, a small smirk playing on her maroon lips.
"The legendary Jesse Anderson." She was shorter than him, but when she looked at him, he felt small. "I've heard of the Crystal Beasts - and the duelist with them - but I never thought I would be able to see y'all first hand." Jesse reached up and scratched the back of his head, a blush spreading across his cheeks. She reached her hand out towards him, "It is an honor to meet you." Her hand was very cold, making her black stiletto nails even more terrifying, but her grasp was gentle.
"Rae looks scary, but she's harmless," Jaden said. She looked at him, displeased.
"I mean, I'm not." She looked back at Jesse, "I won't bite your head off is what he means." A small group of boys called to them as they passed.
"Yeah, but she'll sacrifice you to her god." They laughed loudly. Rae pulled her hand away from Jesse's, turning towards the boys. Even though her hand was cold, when she pulled back, Jesse's hand felt colder.
"I mean," she started, her voice dropping and becoming breathy, "there is a volcano on this island," They turned around to face her, their faces still holding on to their laughter. "And I'm sure that god would love a virgin sacrifice. Would one of you boys like to volunteer? Or," she slowly looked them up and down, "is it ladies' choice?"
"B-but we're not," one of them stammered. Rae ran her hand through her hair as she slowly approached these boys, her steps over exaggerated.
"Oh no, baby doll," her words rolled off her tongue. The boys' anxiety was almost palpable. "The gods don't care about that. They want virgin blood. You know, blood that hasn't been used in a ritual before." She stood in front of the leader of the group, her eyes staring into his. He gulped "They don't want mine," she glanced down and lightly grabbed his hand, turning it over, and delicately running a nail across his wrist, "but they'll gladly take yours." All three of them bolted down the hall.
"Geez, Rae, you didn't need to be that dark," Jaden commented as he walked up to her. She shrugged as she looked at him.
"If they were willing to bully me, they're going to be okay with bullying someone else." They started walking forward again. "Maybe that fear will make them think twice before they want to harass someone else."
"You wouldn't really throw someone in a volcano, would ya?" Jesse asked, concerned and a little afraid. She laughed.
"No. Do I look like I have the upper body strength to throw someone in a volcano?" She laughed louder when she saw the look on his face. "Nah, even if I had the upper body strength, that's murder and I don't think my gods would like that much."
"So, uh, are you going to make me dinner tonight," Jaden asked, shifting the conversation.
"I said I would. The rest of y'all are welcomed to join."
"Dinner?" Syrus asked.
"Actually, no, it's required you join. I don't think I could stop him from eating all of it." The group laughed. "730, Slifer dining hall. Don't be late." She turned the corner, shot them some finger guns, and headed up the stairs. The group slowly dissipated until it was just Jaden and Jesse.
"Hey, Jay?" Jaden hummed in acknowledgement. "Are you an' Rae…" Jesse paused. Jaden chortled, startling Jesse.
"No," he responded between laughs, "She's like a sister to me." He stopped laughing and took a moment to think. "Sometimes she acts like a mom too." His smile turned into a pout, "she once took away my deck and made me do homework!" Jesse started laughing at his friend. "It's not funny!" Jaden complained. "She didn't give it back for three days!"
"Well, did ya get your homework done?"
"Well, yeah, but," Jesse laughed again.
Jaden wanted to get to the dining hall a lot sooner than 730, but Jesse managed to convince him to wait until 7 to head over. When they got there, the door was locked.
"Oh come on!" Jaden complained as he tugged on the handle. "I know you're in there Rae!" He shouted as he pounded on the door. Giving up, he slid down the door dramatically. "Please?"
"Is her cookin' that good?"
Jaden's eyes lit up.
"It's the best! I've never tasted anything better! I don't know how she does it, but it's always perfect!" He tried the handle again, but it wouldn't budge. "You don't know how to pick a lock, do you?"
"Come on, Jay," Jesse held out his hand to help his friend up, "It's almost 730, she'll open the door soon." Jaden was about to complain again when he heard the lock turn. He jumped up and grabbed the handle, but he couldn't turn it. He tried using both hands, but he couldn't get it to move. A soft giggle made its way through the door, but Jaden didn't seem to hear it. "Let me try it, Jay." Jaden stopped and stepped back, the faint sound of feet scurrying away from the door met Jesse's ears. The handle turned easily under his hand.
The smell of bacon met the two boys as Jesse pushed the door open. The tables had been pushed together to make one large table and there were several bowls with vegetables and breads. Rae peeked her head around the door that led to the kitchen.
"I was wondering when you two would show up. I was starting to think the food would go cold."
"You locked the door!" Jaden accused.
"What?" She looked at him confused. "The door has been unlocked this entire time." The expression on Jaden's face was unreadable. "Did you forget how doors work, Jaden?"
"I swear it was locked! I tried everything!" Syrus and Hassleberry walked into the dining hall and saw Jaden looking frustrated and confused. "I swear! Ask Jesse!" Rae looked at the blue haired boy and something unspoken passed between them.
"I don't know, Jay. The door opened just fine for me." Betrayal flashed across Jaden's face. Jesse caught Rae trying to hide a smile.
"What's going on?" Syrus asked.
"Jaden doesn't know how to use doors," Rae answered.
"You guys are so cruel!" Jaden cried, throwing himself down on the bench. Jesse and Rae shared a laugh.
"Y'all should sit down and help yourselves! The main course is almost done." She disappeared into the kitchen as Jaden rushed to start putting food on a plate.
It had been a few minutes before Rae reappeared. She walked backward through the door with a large platter in her hands before turning and walking towards the table with the main course. She slipped between Jesse and Jaden, placing the steaming dish down, and slapped Jaden's hand for reaching.
"You are going to finish what is on your plate first." He pouted and tried to shovel food in faster. Rae walked around the table to sit across from the two boys.
"What did you make?" Syrus asked, grabbing a plate of his own.
"Baked cod and bacon. There's potatoes in there too." Rae rested her chin in her hand as she watched them take a bite.
"This was worth waiting the whole summer for!" Jaden proclaimed. Rae tried to hide her smile as she put food on her plate.
"Did ya really make all this?" Jesse asked after he finished a part of his portion. She nodded as she took a bite of her own food. "It's incredible!" She looked down at her dish, her cheeks started to turn red and a smile tugged at her lips.
"Yeah! It's really good!" Hassleberry shouted down the table.
"Yeah! Can you cook us dinner every night?" Syrus begged. Rae put her elbows on the table.
"I'll consider it. But, I have conditions."
"Are you going to ask me to get my homework done on time?" Jaden whined, mouth full of food. Rae interlocked her fingers and rested her chin on them, staring at Jaden.
"Actually, that wasn't what I was thinking, but now that you suggested it..." Jaden almost started to cry. "I think that's a great condition."
"What were you thinking?" He cried, trying to remedy the situation he put himself in.
"It doesn't matter now. The condition is you have to do your homework." The table started laughing as Jaden wallowed in the hole he dug himself.
Several conversations were going simultaneously as the group ate dinner. Rae caught Jesse watching her several times, but every time, he would flush and look toward someone else. She was pretty used to people staring at her - it came with her aesthetic - but something was different about the way he looked at her. And that made her anxious.