Malik sat up and looked too, his face paling slightly. "Dad gave you THAT picture? I looked like such a…an airhead when I was little!"

She scrutinized his face. "You haven't changed much."

"Thanks a lot." He slapped his wallet shut on her fingers before snatching it back and stuffing it into his bag. "Whaddya want?"

"That's a nice welcome. I meet my future husband for the first time and all he does is be rude."

"Whoa, whoa…future husband?"

"Well, since when was the betrothal off?"

Malik had to admit there wasn't anything official of the sort at all.

"That's right. And you do have the directions to the god cards on your person, don't you?"

"Um…well, I don't know. I've got a lot of miscellaneous papers. This is high school, you know."

She rolled her eyes. "I mean literally on your person."

"Oh." Realization dawned on his face. "Yeah. I do. I've had them since I was ten." He winced at the memory.

She nodded slightly.

"Well, it's not like you would be able to relate. Why are you so interested about the directions?"

"I wanted more proof. We are meant to go together."

"What are you talking about?"

She looked annoyed at his ignorance. "Your father didn't tell you? I guess he didn't get a chance." Shifting her weight to one foot, she slipped her left foot from its leather shoe. Scars formed the eye of the pharaoh, the mark that was on all millennium items, on the top of her foot. "I was branded when I was ten. We're both marked."

"Malik! Where are you??" came a voice from around the corner.

Malik cursed under his breath about not being able to get a decent nap, but went to go see what the newcomer wanted. It turned out to be Bakura, smirking and very pleased. "What are YOU doing here?" demanded Malik.

Bakura grinned. "I got out of study hall, and I thought I'd come make sure you don't get in trouble."

"Me in trouble? What about you? Why were you in study hall anyway?"

"Because-"

"Oh that's right, you licked the scalpel before whipping it across the frog we were supposed to DELICATELY dissect in science, and the teacher didn't like it…"

Bakura shrugged. "She overreacted. It was only the fourth time. Anyway, I won a duel with the proctor and got out of study hall."

"Can you DO that?"

"I did."

"Malik? Who are you talking to?" Asenath poked her head around the corner.

"Ohh!" said Bakura. "You've been hanging with your girlfr-hyurk!"

Malik had jabbed his elbow into Bakura's stomach and stalked off, grabbing his bag on the way.

TBC

R&R