Chapter 7: School Days

"Good morning class. If you would please start the drill and I'll come around to collect the homework." Ms. Young smiled. Pulling out a piece of paper, Seto grabbed a pencil and began to copy down the questions. "Mr. Kaiba. Do you have your homework?"

"No." Seto shrugged.

"Do you mean that you didn't understand it, you lost it or did you just not bother to do it?"

"I didn't bother."

"May I speak with you outside?"

"Sure. It's your class." Seto shrugged as he followed Ms. Young outside.

"Mr. Kaiba, I know you are new here and I've read your profile."

"Profile?"

"Yes. Past records, previous school listings, etc." Ms. Young explained. "Anyway, I'm aware that English is not your first language, so perhaps you were not aware that I expect you to do all homework I hand out. Or perhaps you were never informed?"

"I understand English perfectly." Seto said stiffly. "I simply didn't do the homework you assigned."

"Why didn't you do it, Mr. Kaiba? I know your work capacity is extremely high for someone your age, so why don't you use it?"

"Just say it. I'm a bloody genius. Now look, I don't need this…...... I don't…...... I…......" Seto began and stopped as if searching for the right words.

"Speak you mind, Mr. Kaiba. I can't help if I don't understand what you mean."

"Fine. I don't need this language barrier and genius bullshit from you or anyone. So just keep what you know to yourself and mark me down for not doing the work. I don't care as long as no one else knows what's on my profile." Seto sniffed disdainfully, before turning on his heels and walking back inside.

"Mr. Kaiba!" Ms. Young shouted after him, but he ignored her and simply sat down to finish his drill. "Mr. Kaiba!"

"I told you I don't care. Now please, let me do your drill." Seto glared at her before focusing back on his drill.

And so the week continued. Seto continued to stay out at night and return to school with doing his homework, though he did all his schoolwork and came to every class. By the end of the week, most of his teachers ignored his lack of homework and simply gave him zero's instead of bothering him for work they knew he had not done. Only Ms. Young continued to hound him for homework. On Friday, she even asked to speak with him after class.

"Mr. Kaiba…......"

"Is this about my lack of homework?"

"Yes. Why is there a lack of it? Your grades are suffering!"

"I honestly don't know why you are pushing this. I don't care. Why should you?" Seto asked quickly. Sending Ms. Young a final, chilling glare, he turned sharply and left the room.

"She's right you know." Tea told him from her place next to the doorway. Ignoring her, he continued to walk to his next class and Tea hurried to follow him. "Why don't you do your homework? You're obviously smart enough."

Suddenly, Seto stopped in the middle of the busy hallway and turned to face her.

"Gardner, why the hell do you care? Listen to me. Just because I helped you out that one time doesn't mean we're friends, all right? Now, what do you want? No, don't bother. I don't care what you want from me. Simply bugger off and leave me be." Seto glared, before continuing down the hall and out the front doors onto the streets of New York.

"Kaiba!" Tea cried after him. "Kaiba!"

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Strolling down the street, Seto finally found himself at Times Square.

"How could I have walked so far?" Seto asked himself. Walking a bit farther, Seto heard a familiar voice talking with an unfamiliar voice. "Aww, shit! Why'd dad have to come here today of all days?"

Hiding his face, Seto quickly lost himself in the crowds of Times Square and continued on his way.

"Oi! Seto!" Another familiar voice shouted.

"Ryou?" Seto asked, turning to face his friend. "Hey. What are you doing here?"

"Going to work."

"Shouldn't you be there already?" Seto asked glancing at his watch. It was 10:50.

"I have flex time. As long as I work forty hours a week, they don't care when or how often I come in. Now, shouldn't you be in school?" Ryou asked as they started walking through the square together.

"Well, I made it through homeroom, along with first and second period, but I just couldn't take it after that. So I walked."

"Are you sure that was smart?" Ryou asked.

"I don't know. Look, I'll just go home and sort this out by myself. You need to go to work, so I won't take any more of your time." Seto shrugged before turning to go.

"Whoa! Wait just a second." Ryou called as he grabbed Seto's arm. "I told you I have flex time. I usually wrack up some overtime anyway. I only have to work for two hours today. Do you want to talk about this?"

"Not really."

"Well, too bad. You look terrible and I need some coffee anyway. You're coming with me."

"Ryou!" Seto protested as his friend stubbornly dragged him down a few streets and into a fairly busy Starbucks. "I don't need your help or pity or advice or…......"

"Seto. Shut up." Ryou commanded, before turning back to the clerk behind the counter. "I'll have latte with whipped cream and he'll have a straight black coffee."

"Okay." The clerk smiled before leaving Seto and Ryou to talk.

"So, what ticked you off so bad that you walked out of school?"

"Teachers. Students. The lot pissed me off."

"Oh yea? What happened?"

"I got to second period and the teacher got on my case about my homework record or lack thereof. Then this chick got on my case about it. I don't need any false friends—people who only want to be friends with me because they want something from me and not because of what I'm like."

"Why aren't you doing your homework?" Ryou asked, ignoring the last few comments. "You always took school so seriously."

"I haven't really been home in a few days."

"What is that supposed to mean? Did you turned homeless on me?"

"No. I just keep getting in fights with the folks. I just end up storming out and staying out all night."

"Seto, you are such an ass." Ryou sighed as he grabbed his latte.

"Well, what do you want from me? People think they know me, and if they aren't pretending to know me they're using me or they act like I'm a fool. I don't need any of them or their biased attitudes, so I shut them out."

"Oh, you baka." Ryou laughed. "You're so edgy. Look, why don't you go back to school and tonight you should come to the club. You always seem happier after a night there and you can see that girl of yours again, which you always seem to enjoy. Hey, are you screwing her?"

"No, not that that is any of your business. Well, I suppose I should go to the club tonight to relax." Seto snorted. "And I suppose I should go back to school. Dad will be mad if he knows I skipped school today and the last thing I need is another fight. Thank you for your advice, though."

"Your welcome, but it really isn't a big deal." Ryou smiled. "It just helps that I could use this as an excuse to see my favorite clerk again."

"Only you, Ryou." Seto laughed as he tossed a five down on the table and left to return to school.

Baka- fool/idiot

AN: Chapter title by AC/DC.