Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN YU-GI-OH!!!! I WISH I DID BUT I DON'T SO PUT THOSE LAWYERS AWAY!

Mid-S: Hi! Did you miss me?

Everyone: NO!

Mid-S: Hmph, aren't you nice. -_- Anywho, I decided that I couldn't just let my loyal reviewers not get a new chapter in so long, so I decided to take some time out of my work and write another chapter!

YMS: *sarcastically* Yay.

~*REVIEWS*~

Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far, but here are some thanks I want to leave to some people. Please don't think that I don't appreciate your reviews if I don't leave a comment to you, because I really, truly do. I love all of my reviewers. *gets teary eyed and hugs them*

Oh before I forget, here's the Jennifer voodoo doll and 50 bucks my yami promised you! *hands it out to all the reviewers*

Noname: I'm so happy you like my story so far! ^__^ I'm glad you like the songs I choose too.

Silver-Leaf: You bet I'll keep writing my heart out! ^_~

Kiki-San: THANK YOU SO MUCH! It was really, really sweet of you to say that. It made me feel better about the Jennifer thing. You made me remember to focus on more important things. Thanks again! ^________^

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Ryou's P.O.V~

I woke up tired and sore. I swear someone up there hates me. Bakura doesn't love me at all and I should have known. I was a fool to say anything.

I pull on my dark blue sweater and jeans, careful to avoid hurting the bruises. Though I would rather take beatings then know that Bakura doesn't love me.

I choke back the urge to start sobbing again. I must be strong; somehow I have to get through this.

Sighing I grab my backpack and head downstairs. Bakura's not there. He must be out again; doing whatever it is he does when I'm not here. I've never asked him *what* he does, but I don't think I want to know.

Locking the door, I walk slowly to school. I know it's going to be a long day today. A *very* long day.

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Walking into class I see Yugi, Jou, Tristan (1) and.Tea (2). They wave to me and I wave back slightly. No point in worrying them. They don't even know I love my yami. No one does.

"Hey Ryou! How are you?" Yugi asks me in his normal chipper voice. It's hard not to smile when you're around him.

"I'm fine Yugi." I answer for the sake of politeness. I give him a little smile, though that's the least thing I feel like doing.

I look over the others when I notice Jou's missing.

"Give it back ya jerk!" I hear. Looking forward, I see that Seto's grabbed Jou's deck and is holding it over his head, making Jou jump up, trying to get it back. Seto laughs. I sigh and walk up to them.

"Come on Kaiba, give Jou back his cards." I say. I really hate it when they fight like this. He looks at me for a second and then turns back to Jou.

"I always knew you needed one of your friends to stick up for you, puppy. It's SO pathetic," he says, turning to Jou. Jou growls.

"F*ck off Kaiba."

Seto smirks, throws Jou's deck on the floor and walks back to his desk.

Jou sighs and closes his eyes. Then he turns to me and smiles slightly. There's something in his eyes though...I've never seen him look at me that way before.

"Thanks for trying Ryou, but Kaiba is such an a*s. He wouldn't be nice to any of us if his life depended on it."

"No problem Jou. Want some help picking up your cards?" I ask.

"Sure. Thanks again."

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"I can't wait until the dance this Saturday!" Tea screamed ((Mid-S: In her annoying, stupid, idiotic, annoying... YMS: -_- I think they get the point hikari. Mid-S: Boring, whiney... YMS: Okay already! Mid-S: Annoying... YMS: DAMN IT MIDNIGHT SCARLET STOP IT!!!!! Mid-S: (((O.O))) Okay, okay!)).

I smile fakely and nod, trying to act like I'm excited about it too. I am, but I want to go with.you-know-who.

"Who are you going with Tea?" Yugi asks.

"Tristan of course!" Tea batted her ((Mid-S: FAKE)) eyelashes at him. Tristan simply blushes like a fool. Yugi, Jou and I shudder.

"What about you Yugi?" I ask, even if I know the answer already. Yugi smiles sweetly.

"Yami, who else."

"Jou?" Yugi asks.

"Huh?" Jou finally looks up from the pasta he was eating.

"Who are you going to ask to the dance?" Yugi asks him again.

"Uh..."

"I bet its Mai!" Tea says pointing at him accusingly.

Jou suddenly picks up his tray and laughs nervously.

"Would you look at that? We have to get back to class!" He says looking at the clock.

"But Jou, class doesn't start in another..." Tristan starts.

"Got to go!" Jou yells and runs out the door, dropping off his lunch tray quickly.

"...ten minutes." Tristan finishes. What the hell is wrong with Jou today?

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School's finally over! I can't wait until I get out of here but...I don't know how I'm going to face Bakura at home.

I grab my backpack and books from my locker and wave goodbye to Yugi, Tea and Tristan. Jou's been gone since lunch and we can't seem to find him anywhere. I start to leave the school building when...

"Ryou!" I turn around to see Jou racing up to me.

"Hey Jou! Where have you been all day?" I ask.

"Um, nowhere important," He answers. "Can I walk home with you?"

"Sure." I smile at him.

As we walk, there's a strange silence between us. Finally, as we approach my house, Jou clears his throat and looks at me. I see that strange look in his eyes again...but I don't recognize it!

"Ryou, you know about the dance right?" he asks. I nod, not quite sure where this is going.

"Well I was wondering if you, um, if you...would like to go with me?" he says. I stare at him, too shocked to speak. Jou, one of my closest friends, was asking me to go to the dance with him. What should I say?!

"Um...I don't know." I say truthfully. I don't know! His face falls slightly.

"Oh. Well, it's okay if you don't want to go with me Ryou..."

"No! I'll go with you Jounouchi." Wait, did I just say that?! What the hell is wrong with me? He grins at me and I know why I couldn't say no. How could I hurt him like that?

"Great! I'll pick you up at 8, okay?"

"Okay." I say and wave as he leaves.

Then it hits me. What will Bakura do when he finds out?

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(1): I'm using his English name because I want the dubbies to understand who I'm talking about.

(2): Same for her.

Mid-S: Getting interesting, ne? ^_~ Oh, for those of you who hate Jou/Ryou, don't worry. I'm not going to make Ryou fall in love with him, I swear! I've been thinking about adding a little Seto/Jou. What do you guys think? R&R please! JA!