Chapter 6: Confusion

"And den he 'ad da nerve ta call me an idiot! I 'ate dat new kid!" Joey ranted to Tristan. Shaking his head, Tristan flipped the page to look at the high-powered engines. "Is dat all ya can do? Shake ya 'ead?"

"Look, Joey. You aren't a whiz at English. You don't even speak it properly."

"Shuddup." Joey huffed. "At least I didn't fail my freshman year."

"Go to hell. Oh, hey. Look at this." Tristan grinned, pointing to a restored '50's convertible. "I saw some of these in California. You can't beat 'em."

"Must have a engine 'rom 'ell. I wouldn' wanna clean it."

"Sure, but they drive like a dream." Tristan grinned. "I'd love one of these babies, but all I've got is my two feet."

"All ya can use in dis city, man. Roads 're 'oo full ta e'en dink 'bout drivin' in. Oh, 'ey Tea."

"Hey girl." Tristan waved. "Hey Yugi. Joey and I were just gonna leave for the shop. Either of you wanna come?"

"No. I can't." Yugi apologized. "I've got an appointment today."

"And I have to go home, but I'll walk with you to your appointment, if you'd like. It's on my route anyway." Tea offered and Yugi nodded. Shrugging, Joey and Tristan waved and walked off to 'the Shop'-their favorite place, after the arcade.

"I wish they'd get their heads out of those cars for once." Tea sighed as she and Yugi walked in the other direction.

"You know them. And now that Tristan can drive, he's busy saving up for a car of his own."

"Like he could drive it anywhere. Hell, my family doesn't even own a car. No point."

"Same deal for mine. Oh, look. It's that new kid, Kaiba." Yugi sighed pointing to the other side of the street.

"He's so strange. I ended up sitting next to him in Euro and when I got in a bit of trouble, he took the blame and got sent out of the room."

"Really? Joey made him sound like an asshole."

"Joey can make anyone sound like an asshole." Tea shrugged. "But he was pretty rude today."

"Well at least he knows how to be nice. If he didn't he probably would have let you get in trouble all by yourself."

"True." Tea frowned. "That is true."

Yugi and Tea continued their walk in silence, each think their own thoughts. Finally Yugi reached his counselors building and Tea continued her walk home on her own. She thought about everything from clothes to cars to Yugi's split personality issues, but her mind continued to return to the enigma that was Seto Kaiba.

'That's it.' She decided with a sigh as she got on the subway. 'I'll just have to look into it or it will never leave me alone.'

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"So, Seto. How was school?" Ms. Kaiba asked her oldest son as they ate dinner.

"Fine. Loved it." Seto lied as he shoveled his spaghetti into his mouth. Wincing, he kicked Mokuba back and shot his little brother a look.

"Liar." Mokuba hissed under his breath.

"Shut up." Seto hissed back before asking to be excused. Clearing his place, Seto walked into the kitchen and put his things in the dishwasher before returning to his room to do his homework.

"So?"

"Why don't you go watch a movie, Mokuba?"

"Because you lied. Why'd you lie?"

"Why worry them?" Seto asked as he took his textbooks out of his backpack and spread out his homework papers.

"What happened?"

"Nothing. Nothing happened."

"You're lying again."

"Get over it."

"Tell me!"

"I got sent out of my second period class today. I knocked some kid down in the hall and now he and all his friends are going out of their way to make my life hell except for one girl who's bound and determined to make me her friend! Okay? Happy?!"

"No need to yell."

"No need to pry! Why don't you just mind your own buisness, Mokuba?!" Seto shouted. He watched as his Mokuba's began to water until he ran out of the room crying. Rubbing his forehead, Seto mentally kicked himself for raising his voice. "Great. Now, not only do I feel bad, but they're going to yell at me for screaming at him."

"SETO!" His father yelled. Grumbling to himself he walked into the kitchen and glared at his father and mother. His father released Mokuba from his hug and let the younger boy go into the living room to watch television. "Look, Seto. We know that this move is hard on you but that's no reason to yell at your brother or lie to us."

"Yea. Yea." Seto muttered with a shrug. "Like I care what you all think."

"Seto!" His mother exclaimed. "Don't take that tone of voice with us. We're just worried about you. Have you even made any new friends?"

"No. And I don't need them. All they do is beg help from you or borrow money or expect things from me."

"Seto. I know we're all crabby due to this move but......."

"This move? This move?! You think this is about the move? Get real! This is about me being me! He's the genius, ask him to do your homework. He's the rich boy, beg money off him. He's the foreign kid. He's not an American. Ha. Ha. Does he even understand English?" Seto screamed. "I don't need that bullshit! Not from anyone at school or those jackasses from the company or you two! Don't act like you understand me or know what I'm feeling! You lot don't know jack shit! Hell, you don't even speak my native language!"

Turning on his heels, he grabbed his trench coat from the peg by the door and stormed out of the apartment.

"I'm sure it's just a stage." Mr. Kaiba tried to reassure his wife.

"I hope so. I'm worried about him. He's so smart, I'd hate for him to waste it all on a few mood swings." Ms Kaiba sighed as she walked over to the door and softly closed it.

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"Seto?" Mokuba called as the front door creaked open and slammed shut. Getting up from his place at the table, Mokuba watched his older brother stomped into their room and came back out a few minutes later in a different set of clothes. "Do you want some breakfast?"

"Not hungry." Seto muttered, as he straightened his trench coat and shoved a couple textbooks into his backpack along with his unfinished homework.

"Where were you all night?"

"Don't remember."

"Did you sleep at all last night?"

"I don't recall. Might, might not, have"

"Where are you going? It's way too early for school." Mokuba called as his brother headed for the door.

"Not sure. Don't care." Seto shrugged as slung the pack over his shoulder and reached for the doorknob.

"What should I tell mom and dad?!" Mokuba cried in desperation.

"Don't wait up. I'll be back when I feel like it."
AN2: Chapter title is by Alice in Chains.