Jaid: I'm back! Wow, people like it! I'm so happy. Here's chapter two for you guys.
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It was Monday morning at school. Tara walked through the halls, a meditative look on her slender face. She had been thinking about Rei. Rei was her best friend, co-captain of the track team and also a member of NBSBC – No Boyfriend Since Birth Club. Tara bit her lip. There had to be a way to get Rei to go out with somebody.
Duke had promised to look at available guys in his classroom, since she had vetoed most of the ones in hers. Only a chosen few were left and Tara didn't know if she could get her friend to even look at them.
"Babe!"
Duke's voice from behind her caused Tara to stop and turn around. Duke was walking towards her, behind him was a slender, white-haired boy with large dark eyes.
"This is Ryou Bakura." Duke said smiling. "Ryou, this is my girlfriend, Tara." Ryou smiled nervously.
"Hello."
Tara smiled back. "Hi." She looked at Duke, slight confusion in her eyes.
"He's single. No date for the Valentine's Dance." Duke explained smiling. Ryou did a double take and suddenly looked like a cornered animal.
"Really?" Tara looked at Ryou's face and smiled. "Hey, come on. You don't have to look freaked out. Girls aren't that bad."
"Oh, no I suppose not." A nervous smile flitted across the British boy's face. "It's just that, well, I don't do well with girlfriends-"
"You probably just haven't found the right one." She smiled. Further conversation was prevented as the bell rang.
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"Rei!" Tara called to her friend at the track that afternoon. She shivered, feeling a little sorry for the runners in their sweatsuits. Rei jogged over, her hair in a braid.
"What?"
"I may have got you a date for the dance."
"Tara…"
"No, just listen, okay? He's real nice."
"That's what you said about the last one." Rei pointed out.
"I'm serious this time. He's over there, with Duke." Tara pointed across the field. Rei turned, looked and then turned back to Tara.
"He's cute right?" Tara asked.
"Yeah. Too bad I won't be going with him." Rei said stubbornly.
"Come on! You have to have a date if you're coming with Duke and me. It'll be more fun."
"Then I'll get my brother to come down for the weekend." Rei said.
"That's not a date. This dance is for couples; not for siblings." Tara pointed out.
"Then I just won't go!"
"Uh-uh! I am not letting that happen! You barely get out as it is!"
"So? What if I like it that way?"
"I'm just worried-"
"About my personal affairs? Give me a break Tara. You hate having people poke and prod in to your private stuff, but when it comes to me, you don't have any scruples! Just back off, all right? I'll go to the dance if I want too. And I'll get a date if I want too. I don't need your help in that area; I can get guys on my own despite what you might believe. I don't need charity."
"Rei, I-"
"Forget it." The dark-haired girl turned away and stormed off. Tara stood there, blinking back tears.
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/Ask her./ Yami whispered, as Yugi was walking home from school. Joey was teasing Tristan about a crush he had and Tea was alternatively laughing and scolding when they got too rough.
\Would you stop that?\ Yugi asked.
/Not till you ask her./
\I can't. I gave the valentine to Isis.\
/What?!/
\She said she would give it to Tea.\
There was a silence.
/I hate to say this, but you're hopeless./
\Thanks Yami.\ Yugi thought wryly.
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Shadi sat in the guestroom Isis had provided, looking at the card. He probably shouldn't be, but as Ankh and Scales were in their soul rooms, he wasn't too worried.
//What's that?// Ankh's voice filtered through his head.
\\ Looks like one of those stupid Valerie cards.\\ Scales said scornfully.
//It's Valentine.// Ankh corrected.
Scales snorted. \\ Whatever\\
Shadi sighed mentally. /\The two of you stop./\
//Where'd you get it?// Ankh asked.
Shadi hesitated before answering. /\The market./\
//Oh. Is it for Isis?// Ankh asked candidly.
/\What makes you say that?/\ Shadi asked slowly.
//Well, she is the only girl you-we-know, so I just assumed…// Ankh paused. //Isis told me you could give Valentine's to friends too. It's not for me or Scales is it?//
Scales was heard making a gagging noise. Shadi smiled.
/\No, it's not./\
\\ Thank Ra. \\ Scales muttered.
//And it's not for Pegasus, right?//
/\No. It's not for anybody, Ankh./\
//Then why did you get it?//
/\It was given to me./\
//Oh.// Ankh seemed to think about this. //Did Isis give it too you?//
\\ What is with you?\\ Scales demanded.
//I just wanted to know. I like Isis. She's nice.//
\\ Feh. You're such a pushover.\\
//I am not! You could like her too if you would let yourself.//
\\ Me? I don't think so. I am above such petty feelings.// Scales said.
/\Oh really?/\ Shadi grinned, glad to be out of the spotlight. /\I could name a few times-/\
\\ Shut up, fool!\\ Scales shouted. \\ Nobody asked you anyways!\\
Ankh giggled. //Somebody's nervous.// he sang.
\\ Shut up!\\ Scales ordered, but Ankh just kept giggling. Scales growled and marched to his soul room, slamming the door.
//I think I made him mad.// Ankh said. //So…//
/\Yes?/\
//You never answered my question.//
/\The cart owner gave it to me after she saw me admiring it. That is all./\
//Oh. That was nice of her.// Ankh stated.
/\Yes/\
There was a pause.
//But you're not giving it to Isis?//
/\No Ankh/\
//Oh.//
/\Why are you so persistant?/\
//Well…she's seemed so sad lately. I wanted to do something to cheer her up. She seemed happier after Yugi came over, but then seemed even sadder after he left. I think she misses her brother.//
\\ One could wonder why.\\ Scales cut in.
/\Nice to have you back with us./\ Shadi said. Scales growled in response.
"Shadi! Guys! Dinner's ready, if you're hungry!" Isis called from the kitchen.
/\I suppose that means we should go eat./\ Shadi stood and put the card in a drawer. /\And I expect you both to behave./\
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"What about this one?" Tristan held up another piece of jewelry. Tea glanced at it.
"It's nice. But it would be a lot more help if you told me who it was for." She pointed out.
Tristan blushed. "It's for that girl, Katya, you know, the one on the yearbook staff? We've gone out for a little while, and, I think she may be, you know, the one."
"Really? That's great Tristan!" Tea exclaimed, then stopped. "Which girl on the yearbook staff?"
"Katya Suzuki. She's in the drama club too."
"Uh, huh." Tea frowned. "I don't think I know her."
"Yes you do!" Tristan said. "She's the short girl with curly black hair and sparkly gray eyes."
"Sparkly?" Tea asked. "Is that even a word?"
Tristan couldn't think of a come back so he stuck his tongue out at the redhead. Tea rolled her eyes. "Do you even know if she likes jewelry?"
"I see her wearing a lot of it…I'm going to ask her out to the dance on Saturday, so.."
"Well, good for you. Hmm, lemme see." Tea looked back at the jewelry rack. "What kind of jewelry does she wear?"
"Uh." Tristan scratched his head. "Lots of silver…I dunno."
"Okay." Tea muttered. "That helps."
"You're crabby today." Tristan pointed out.
Tea ignored him, so Tristan went back to looking through jewlery.
"Here, what about this one?" he said a few minutes later. It was a delicate gold chain with a small enamel pendant that was ivory colored. On it was a pretty painting of flowers and a butterfly.
"Ooh, yeah, that's pretty." Tea said. "Get her that one."
"Okay." Tristan grinned. Tea smiled at him, but it faded slightly after he went up to the register. With Joey so excited about spending Valentine's Day with Mai and Tristan with his new girlfriend, she felt a little left out.
'Wish I could figure out how to ask Yugi about the dance.' She thought. 'Maybe I should just outright ask him. Couldn't hurt…'
"Ready to go? I'll drop you off at home." Tristan's voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Hm? Oh, okay, thanks."
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"I got it!" Tara called as the doorbell rang. She opened the front door and Rei stood there.
"Hi, Tara." The girl said softly.
"Hi."
"Can I come in?" Rie asked. Tara nodded and moved aside. Rie came in and Tara closed the door behind her.
"Look, I just came to apologize for what I said before. It really wasn't you; I was having a pretty tough day and I took it out on you and I'm really sorry. I know that you just want me to have some fun and not work all the time. It's just not easy for me, that's all." Rei gave one of her rare, blossoming smiles. "Accept my apology?"
"Of course!" Tara said, giving her a hug. "How could I not?"
"Thanks." Rei said as they pulled apart.
"Great." Tara grinned. "Now we can introduce you to Ryou!"
"Tara…" Rei moaned.
"It's just for a dance, not for life, Rei." Tara reminded her. Rei rolled her dark eyes.
"Fine. If he asks me, I'll go." She said.
"Great." Tara's grin grew bigger.
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"Hi." Seto said as he slipped into a chair. Serenity smiled at him.
"Hi back."
"Sorry about not coming yesterday." He said, opening the book. "I had work."
"That's okay." She said. Seto began to read. He hadn't told her his last name, not sure how she would react if she knew that the Seto Kaiba was her reader. To her, he could be just any kid from out of a high school and that didn't bother him too much.
She had told him her name was Serenity, that was all. Serenity. It fit her perfectly.
After a few hours (some spent more in conversation than in reading), Seto stopped. It was getting late.
"I have to go. My brother needs to be picked up from his friend's house." He explained.
"You have a brother?" Serenity asked. "I do too! His name is Joey."
"Joey?" Seto asked.
"Yeah, maybe you know him." She continued happily. "He came in second at Duelist Kingdom."
"Your last name is Wheeler?" Seto asked.
"Yeah…" Serenity answered meekly, the smile fading. "Why?"
"No reason. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"
"Okay. Bye."
Seto didn't answer as he left. He hadn't know that Joey had a sister. 'Well, I guess it's safe to say who inherited the looks and brains.' He thought wryly.
Serenity was thoughtful after Seto had left. The way his voice sounded suggested that he didn't like her brother very much. She sighed a little. 'But he likes me…I think.' She bit her lip. She didn't even know Seto; she'd only met him two days ago. Shrugging it off, Serenity blindly groped for her headphones. Joey had bought her a new CD yesterday.
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The room was silent. Mom was downstairs watching the news with Grandpa and Yugi was doing some art homework he was behind on. Carefully cutting a piece of paper in half, he didn't notice Yami coming out of the puzzle and leaning against the wall.
"You should ask her."
Yugi jumped and turned to look at his soul-partner. "Yami, I don't even know how to dance."
"She doesn't care."
Yugi shook his head. "It isn't that simple!" he turned back to his work. "We've been friends since first grade. We know each other real well, and…" he struggled for a minute. "I just don't want to say or do something that could ruin it. I'd rather just be her friend, rather than risk scaring her away if I tell her…"
"How you feel?" Yami finished. Yugi nodded. Yami frowned for a moment. He didn't have many memories and the ones he had were blurred and in pieces. But he still felt as if he knew what Yugi might be saying.
"Sometimes," he said after a few moments. "You just have to take a risk. You ought to know that by now."
With that comment, Yami disappeared back in the Puzzle. Yugi sat for a little while, thinking about what the spirit had said.
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Jaid: It gets better, it gets better. Right now I'm just setting things up. ^__^ Isn't Ankh cute in this chapter? He's such a sweetie.
Indigo – Glad you like! *dances around happily while her muses seriously wonder about her sanity* Hee, hee, I loved doing Shadi/Isis. They're such an interesting couple. Just wait until you see what else happens.
Fire Pendant – Isn't it tho? I dunno why I choose the Hobbit. *shrugs* Um, I wish that could happen, but it just wouldn't fit into the story and if I did do that, then it would have to be OC's and there are more than enough in this story. Besides, I like the spirits where they are; irritating Shadi. ^__~
Luckyladybug – You reviewed! *dances around again* Glad you liked it! Hmm, I'm not really a Tea/Seto person myself; I always wonder about Yugi. Though it would be kinda cute to write a story where he and Mokuba try to set them up – erk! No! I have enough projects all ready! *sigh* Darn my over imaginative brain…oh yeah the pic! Yup! I'm thinking of trying some watercolors on it…we'll see. Can't wait till it's done and I can show you! ^__^
