AN: Yet another song chapter by me. Well, this isn't really a song chapter, but it sort of is…...... Nevermind.

Chapter 14: Pushing me away

"Seto?" Ms. Kaiba called after knocking on Seto's door. "Time for dinner."

"No, thank you." Seto mumbled into his pillow. There was a brief silence before Seto rolled over onto his back so he wouldn't suffocate, and Ms. Kaiba opened the door a crack so she could look in on her adopted son.

"It's Chinese take-out." She offered with a slight smile, which was lost on Seto who had just closed his eyes.

"I said, 'no, thank you'." Seto stated, stressing the 'no' more resolutely.

"Seto…......" Ms. Kaiba began, as she moved to come in the room.

"WHAT PART OF 'NO' DON'T YOU GET? IT'S NOT LIKE I'M FUCKING SPEAKING JAPANESE!" Seto roared, as he quickly sat up and glared at her harshly. There was a split second face off, before Ms. Kaiba closed the door quietly and Seto flopped back down onto the bed. Waiting another minute in silence, Seto heard his adopted mother sigh and walk away. Lifting himself up from his bed, Seto stumbled over to his stereo and smacked the play button, turning on the radio. No good. Turning off the radio, Seto opened the CD player and slipped in the first CD he touched. Linkin Park. Pressing the 'random play' button, Seto flopped back down on his bed and stared up at the ceiling. Closing his eyes after a second, Seto listened as his stereo, which was on volume 10, blasted a bit of music, followed by a section of loud guitar music. 'Track 12.' Seto quickly concluded. As the song played, pictures began to form in Seto's mind. Pictures and memories.

~I've lied to you~
~The same way that I always do~

"Why are you being so rude and mean to Ryu? You don't know a single thing about him, so you really can't be talking."


~This is the last smile~
~That I'll fake for the sake of being with you~

~Everything falls apart, even the people who never frown eventually break down~
~The sacrifice of hiding in a lie~
~Everything has to end, you'll soon find we're out of time left to watch it all unwind~
~The sacrifice is never knowing~

"Ryu?" She asked, as she looked up at me. Looking down to ask what the question was, I blinked as all the lights in the club suddenly came on as the power outage ended. Pulling away sharply, she didn't seem to notice the other people around us as she stared into my eyes.

"Seto?" She asked her voice heavy with betrayal and dismay.


~Why I never walked away~
~Why I played myself this way~
~Now I see your testing me pushes me away~

~Why I never walked away~
~Why I played myself this way~
~Now I see your testing me pushes me away~

~I've tried like you~
~To do everything you wanted too~
~This is the last time~
~I'll take the blame for the sake of being with you~

"The answer is 1066, and you shouldn't send Gardner out since she was telling me to shut up."

"Really? Then perhaps you would like to leave?"

"As you said, I obviously don't need to be here, since I can afford to talk." I shrugged before grabbing my backpack and leaving the class.


~Everything falls apart, even the people who never frown eventually break down~
~The sacrifice of hiding in a lie~
~Everything has to end, you'll soon find we're out of time left to watch it all unwind~
~The sacrifice is never knowing~

"Yes. It's just me and my older brother. He's 24, well, almost 25."

"What's his name?"

"Haruko."

~Why I never walked away~
~Why I played myself this way~
~Now I see your testing me pushes me away~

~Why I never walked away~
~Why I played myself this way~
~Now I see your testing me pushes me away~

~We're all out of time, this is how we find how it all unwinds~
~The sacrifice of hiding in a lie~
~We're all out of time, this is how we find how it all unwinds~
~The sacrifice is never knowing~

"You must be new here."

"H-how can you tell?"

"I've been watching you. You got a name?"

"Tea. And you?" Tea asked.

"Ryu."


~Why I never walked away~
~Why I played myself this way~
~Now I see your testing me pushes me away~

~Why I never walked away~
~Why I played myself this way~
~Now I see your testing me pushes me away~


~Pushes me away…~

~Pushes me away…~

I flinched as I felt her piercing gaze bore holes in my back.

"Excuse me, Ms. Young? Could it be possible to move my seat? I can't see the blackboard from my current place and…......"

Screaming in rage, Seto jumped to his feet and ripped the CD out of his Stereo and, after quickly shoving it into its case, threw it out the open window. Slumping his shoulders, Seto rested his head against the window frame and closed his eyes. It was almost seven. Two weeks ago he would have been gulping down his dinner so he could hurry up and get ready. That was two weeks ago. This was now.

"Seto?" Mokuba called from the other side of the door, before entering. "Seto, what's wrong?"

"Huh? Oh. Nothing for you to worry about, Mokuba." Seto told his brother with a dismissive nod.

"But Seto…......"

"It's okay, Mokuba." Seto declared, with a glare.

"All right." Mokuba nodded.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shoving her way through the crowd, Tea walked over to Bakura who was sitting at the bar flirting with another guy. Tapping him on the shoulder, Tea waited for him to look at her.

"Do you know where Seto is?" She asked, when he finally turned his attention towards her.

"Seto?" Bakura repeated blankly, though Tea could tell it was an act. Unfortunately, she didn't feel like telling him to stow it, so she decided to play along.

"Ryu?"

"Haven't seen him." Bakura shrugged. "Sorry."

"No, it's okay." Tea lied as she waved to Mai and left by the street entrance.

'Why didn't you come, Seto?' Tea asked silently.

AN: Chapter title by Linkin Park.