Serenity continued to run. Down the stairs, out the door. She didn't know where she'd end up, but somehow she knew that she'd know where to stop. Colors, people blurred past. It didn't matter anymore. She'd broken someone's heart. She'd crushed him. The look on his face at that moment would stay with her for the rest of her life, she knew. Finally, winded and broken, she sat down on a bench.

She put her knees in front of her and held her arms around them. Tears filled her eyes, but she wanted to try to be stronger now. She knew it wasn't going to work. Suddenly, a voice spoke above her. She would have recognized it, or at least looked up, but things felt different now.

"What's wrong?" the voice asked. "Break up with Taylor*?"

"We were never going out," she replied without looking up. Even more suddenly, to her dismay and that of the speaker, she started talking. She told the whole story. Serenity still didn't bother to look up to see the speaker's identity. They were someone who would listen, and that was all that mattered.

"Mai talked me into dressing up to impress Kaiba, but then Tristan thought I was trying to impress him. He asked me out on a date, but I didn't know that it would be just us, alone, so I accepted. I realized that night what was going on, so I knew I had to tell him. I did tell him, today, and I ended up breaking his heart." The words came out in a rush. She hadn't even known herself how bad she needed someone to talk to her about this. She needed it so bad that she didn't even have to know who she was talking to.

Finally, she took the time to look up. When she saw who it was, she gasped. All the color drained from her face. She had just told the entire, awful story, right down to the original plan with Mai, to Seto Kaiba himself.

He looked down at her. She jumped up, and prepared to start running again. She started to move, but he grabbed her wrist. Seto's mouth, formerly set in a straight line, curved at the ends into a small smile. She started to breathe hard.

"I expected something of the like," he said. "I understand."

"You . . .you do?" she asked. He nodded.

"I understand about Taylor. I had the wrong idea," Seto said.

In truth, Seto's thoughts were very different than what his cool attitude suggested. In truth, he was as breathless as Serenity. To impress. . .him? This was different. In truth, he admired Serenity as much as she admired him. She seemed so happy and carefree, kind and open. All that he wasn't. All that he wanted to be. Sadly, his reputation would never allow that. He had never felt this way about anyone. It could only be love. It had to be love.

Sadly, it also couldn't be love. If it was, he could resist it, right? Wrong. He'd never felt this way about another girl. He wanted to make her smile that irresistible grin. He wanted someone to love him for who he was, not for his looks or money. She did. Going against his better judgment, he decided to give into an idea of his.

"I also think it would be worthless for either of us to go back to school today. To spare us both the humiliation, let's just forget it," he said.

"You don't mean . . ." Serenity's voice trailed off.

"Yes, I do," Seto smirked. "Let's give your brother and everyone else a turn by skipping class."

****

Okay, so I know that in relation to the last chapter's length, that really wasn't all that much better. In other words, it was way too short. Sorry. I had to end it at a good cliffhanger, right? I promise that the next chapter will be much longer. However, I need your help! I've never truly asked for ideas in the past, just encouraged them. Now, I need them more than ever. Please just do me a favor and answer these questions:

First, what's your idea of a perfect date?

When should she start to guess that Seto has similar feelings for her?

Would it be rushing anything to have it get romantic at the end of their day together?

Thanks a million! ! !

Oh yeah, *Tristan's last name is Taylor in the American series, for all viewers that watch the Japanese non-dubbed.

A short letter to a particular reader, Queen of Hearts:

Y'know how I said in my review that your story, 'Because I Love You', that it sounded way too much like Tristan's Biggest Mistake? Well, I haven't gotten a reply regarding that yet from you, and I would like to sort this out. If you got ideas from this, I'll understand, but please give me some credit if that was the case. Please review this story and give me an explanation if you can. I still don't mean to give accusations, but it was astoundingly coincidental that you wrote that story the day after you reviewed mine. Thanks.