Tea stood trembling, ready to do the unthinkable; drive that butcher knife into her very heart. She leaned against the wall, mind racing. Her legs, it seemed, were no longer capable of supporting her own body weight. Her mind had gone completely and utterly numb. She regretted sorely that it had come to this, but what was the point of life without him? She'd turned her back on him, and now he'd done the same to her. She couldn't blame him. She hoped that, in time, Seto would understand why this had to be. She hoped that he would come to know just how much she had loved him, how deeply she'd cared for him. And why it couldn't benever would come to pass. She glanced about the room one last time. She clamped her eyes shut and thrust the blade towards her own chest. She steeled herself for what was to come. Her last, conscious, thoughts were of him; she hoped he wouldn't resort to this as she had. He deserved someone much better than she.
"TEA!?"
Tea's eyes snapped open wide in horror, as she heard someone enter the kitchen. A gasp of terror escaped her. Who was here? Who? Dear God! Let it not be Mokubalet it not be him Her gaze lifted as she slid back up the wall. She was level with the intruder now. She forced her gaze upwards. Forced herself to face them, whoever it might be. She found herself staring into the face of the intruder. She looked up; up into the stunned face of Mai Valentine.
"MAI!?"
Mai promptly grabbed Tea around the waist and slapped her: HARD. In a moment she had wrestled the smaller brunette to the floor. She ripped the knife from Tea's grasp and threw it up, onto the counter above. Threw it beyond her reach, as she now had Tea pinned to the checked floor. "WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING!?" the blonde screamed.
"M-Mai!? W-What are you doing here?" Tea stammered dully, feeling her ribs had to be cracking under the blonde's weight. It was probably the single worst thing she could have thought to say to Mai at that moment; but she'd been taken completely off-guard, had had no time to think. But, on the other hand, she reasoned, so had Mai.
"I came to see how you were doing after your tumble!" Mai glared her violet, raptor gaze boring into Tea's scull. "And now I'm VERY glad I did! What's going on!?" She slapped Tea once more.
Tea was at a loss for words. What could she possibly say to her that would make Mai understand this? What could she say to any of her friends that could ever justify this? She decided that the truth would suffice. "I felt so trapped" Tea sobbed, dully. Mai got to her feet, perhaps only now, remembering the injuries that Tea had suffered the previous night.
Mai stared into her friend's face as Tea spoke these vague words of explanation. Something had changed, she noticed with alarm. Those eyes that met hers couldn't be the ones she knew so well; couldn't possibly belong to that girl kneeling before her. These eyes, hollow and utterly numb, couldn't belong to her best friend, Tea Gardner. They were blue as Tea's were, but they were empty, shallow. It was as if they were made of glass. They reflected everything around them, but possessed no definition of their own. The fire and spirit ever present before had deserted them. They were a hallow shell, betraying to all the broken spirit within. "What's happened to you, Tea?" Mai muttered gently, drawing Tea into a tight embrace. The two friends sat in silence for a few moments, Mai gently running her fingers through Tea's mid-length brown hair as Tea collected herself.
"They'd never understand!" Tea confessed abruptly, ending the silence. Mai was relieved that Tea, at last, seemed ready to talk. "I love Seto, but no one would ever understand why! I can't be with him because if I did, I'd be betraying my friends. They hate him, but they've never seen the real Seto Kaiba; never seen him like I have. He's always been an opponent. I can never be with him, like I want" It occurred to her that she'd never told anyone of her feelings for Seto before now, though she'd liked him since they'd first met at Duelist Kingdom. It hardly seemed to matter now, though.
"Girl, if you like him, be with him. Why do you say no one would understand? I do. Your friends would be behind you on this one. They've always been there for you as you've been there for them. They wouldn't see it as betrayal, believe me. And even if they did, you can't let others make your choices for you. You can't let someone live your life for you. I know they'd support you. But Hon, don't run from your problems. That's one thing you guys have taught me for which I'll always be grateful. You've got face your demons face to face. All I can say is this, if you would have gone through with what you planning, you would have screwed everyone over. We love you too much to see you hurt yourself, Tea."
"Really?"
"No, Little Miss Friendship." Mai grinned sarcastically. Tea was grinning now too. Mai gave her another huge hug and straightened. She got to her feet and made her way towards the great double doors. "Tea," she called from the threshold, "Don't ever do anything like this again. Or I'll kill you myself. Love you girl. Treat him right!"
"Okay Mai" Tea trailed off, starring at the floor. "I-" She looked up once more. Mai wasn't there. It was as if she had simply vanished. Mai was gone, without a trace
Go find him now! Tell him how you feel before it's too late! the little voice screamed. Tea smiled, despite herself. Maybe Mai wasn't as gone as she'd previously thought.
