Meril: * sighs * On my own today.
*********** Chapter 3 ***********
Kaiba looked at the desk next to him. It was empty. Maria was absent today. He didn't understand why.
"She disappears all the time." Kia told him softly as she, Yaten, and Ryou gathered around his desk.
"Disappears?" Kaiba asked in confusion. Yaten quickly explained that Maria would be absent for days on end. Neither she nor her father ever answers the phone. When Kaiba asked about her mother, Ryou explained that Maria's father was the only person she had in her life.
Kia added softly, "It happens often too. She'll be here one day, happy and healthy. She'll come back five days later coughing all the time and more timid then any other creature that exists."
Kaiba asked them carefully, "Does anything happen at home?"
All three shared a look before Yaten said, "We wouldn't know. Maria has more secrets then the FBI in the United States. That is where you come into our little scheme."
Kia sat down in Maria's empty chair, "You see, we think that if you get close to her, Maria will open up. You're the only one who will do though."
"Why me? Why not Yaten?" Kaiba asked as he looked at the book in Ryou's hands. It was ordinary enough, but something about it irked him.
Kia gestured at Ryou, who set the book down in front of Kaiba, "I'll tell you the first reason. Yaten is like Maria's brother, nothing more for either of them. The second reason you'll find in here." With that, all three left him and the book.
Opening the book careful, Kaiba flipped through it. It was filled with photographs of pieces of art. Their tittles were underneath the pictures. Everyone was a painting of scenery. At least, that's what he thought. In each one he noticed there was a tiny him in the background, barely noticeable.
When he looked at the last photo, he nearly dropped the book. It was a picture of a chalk sketch. It was made up of him in several poses. It had a short paragraph underneath it that said:
*Hey Kaiba,
We found this in Maria's studio at Kia's house. It had no title and wasn't completed. We took a snap shoot of it anyway. We have called it "Maria's Muse" though we think this might be the piece she keeps calling "Stranger in Her Paintings".
Kaiba, you have a very fragile heart in you hands. A heart that one of us senses has been broken before. This heart is Maria's. It's why we feel only you can get close and find out what is wrong. We have a suspicion, but nothing more. We need a confession from her. A confession only you can get out of her. If the bell rings before you can tell us your answer, send a note to Kia.
Kia, Yaten, and Ryou*
Kaiba looked at the clock and saw he only had time to write a short note. Getting out a piece of notebook paper, he wrote quickly:
*Kia,
Please tell the others I'm in. I have no idea why though.
-Kaiba*
He folded the note and placed it in the front cover and handed it to Kia, who sat behind Maria.
Kia opened the note and grinned. Adding to it, she then gave it back to him. Kaiba opened it curiously and read Kia's messy handwriting:
*Kaiba,
YOU LOVE HER!!!!!!!!!! Even Yaten can see that, and he's blind as a bat when it comes to love. We are working on details, but you should know what we're up to by Friday.
-Kia*
Kaiba looked at the first line in shock. He couldn't love her. . . . . . . Could he?
*********** End for Now *********
Meril: See yah next time.
*********** Chapter 3 ***********
Kaiba looked at the desk next to him. It was empty. Maria was absent today. He didn't understand why.
"She disappears all the time." Kia told him softly as she, Yaten, and Ryou gathered around his desk.
"Disappears?" Kaiba asked in confusion. Yaten quickly explained that Maria would be absent for days on end. Neither she nor her father ever answers the phone. When Kaiba asked about her mother, Ryou explained that Maria's father was the only person she had in her life.
Kia added softly, "It happens often too. She'll be here one day, happy and healthy. She'll come back five days later coughing all the time and more timid then any other creature that exists."
Kaiba asked them carefully, "Does anything happen at home?"
All three shared a look before Yaten said, "We wouldn't know. Maria has more secrets then the FBI in the United States. That is where you come into our little scheme."
Kia sat down in Maria's empty chair, "You see, we think that if you get close to her, Maria will open up. You're the only one who will do though."
"Why me? Why not Yaten?" Kaiba asked as he looked at the book in Ryou's hands. It was ordinary enough, but something about it irked him.
Kia gestured at Ryou, who set the book down in front of Kaiba, "I'll tell you the first reason. Yaten is like Maria's brother, nothing more for either of them. The second reason you'll find in here." With that, all three left him and the book.
Opening the book careful, Kaiba flipped through it. It was filled with photographs of pieces of art. Their tittles were underneath the pictures. Everyone was a painting of scenery. At least, that's what he thought. In each one he noticed there was a tiny him in the background, barely noticeable.
When he looked at the last photo, he nearly dropped the book. It was a picture of a chalk sketch. It was made up of him in several poses. It had a short paragraph underneath it that said:
*Hey Kaiba,
We found this in Maria's studio at Kia's house. It had no title and wasn't completed. We took a snap shoot of it anyway. We have called it "Maria's Muse" though we think this might be the piece she keeps calling "Stranger in Her Paintings".
Kaiba, you have a very fragile heart in you hands. A heart that one of us senses has been broken before. This heart is Maria's. It's why we feel only you can get close and find out what is wrong. We have a suspicion, but nothing more. We need a confession from her. A confession only you can get out of her. If the bell rings before you can tell us your answer, send a note to Kia.
Kia, Yaten, and Ryou*
Kaiba looked at the clock and saw he only had time to write a short note. Getting out a piece of notebook paper, he wrote quickly:
*Kia,
Please tell the others I'm in. I have no idea why though.
-Kaiba*
He folded the note and placed it in the front cover and handed it to Kia, who sat behind Maria.
Kia opened the note and grinned. Adding to it, she then gave it back to him. Kaiba opened it curiously and read Kia's messy handwriting:
*Kaiba,
YOU LOVE HER!!!!!!!!!! Even Yaten can see that, and he's blind as a bat when it comes to love. We are working on details, but you should know what we're up to by Friday.
-Kia*
Kaiba looked at the first line in shock. He couldn't love her. . . . . . . Could he?
*********** End for Now *********
Meril: See yah next time.