* * *

Joey grinned deviously. The perfect midnight snack. He gazed with unconditional love at his masterpiece; a double-decker submarine sandwich oozing with melted cheese upon diced turkey and ham slices, beds of lettuce, tomatoes, olives, and his super-secret mayonnaise recipe. He drooled. It seemed too good to be true. As he was ready to sink his teeth into the nicely cooked French bread, the phone rang.

Joey's eyebrows furrowed as he ignored the phone's shrill plea and prepared to scarf down his lovely creation. Again the phone protested. Sighing, he went to pick up the receiver, not the Hero.

"Hello?" he asked, his eyes scanning the caller I.D.

"Yo, Bozo, get your butt down here; all night partyin' at my place!" shouted Tristan over the booming music.

"Dude, I'm kinda in the middle of something," replied Joey, annoyed." Besides, I gotta pick up Mai early at the airport tomorrow morning."

"Man, you're gonna be missing some pretty girls."

"Well, I'll be seeing one later. Later, T." He hung up and glanced at his sandwich and suddenly didn't feel hungry anymore. Serenity appeared in her bunny pajamas with a grin. "Hey Joe!" she called. "Great looking snack!"

"You can have it," Joey murmured absent-mindedly as he disappeared to his room. He was thinking as soon as he slipped under the covers. It was of no use. When his mind was full and his stomach was empty, it was hard to sleep.

Why didn't he go to the party like Tristan suggested? Why did he just meet some else? Why did he believe that Mai would fall for him? He was stupid; that was all.

A soft breeze rippled Joey's dishwater blonde bangs, sweeping them across his brows. He turned to face the open window sighing sleepily. Stars winked back at him as they rested against the velvet blue blanket sky. 'The day Mai will dig me will happen when I win a billion dollars', he mumbled to himself. 'Yeah, and that'll happen . . . when I get a haircut.' Laughing to himself, he fell asleep.

* * *

Mai folded her hands together in her lap, crossing her legs, then uncrossing them. She squirmed uncomfortably, twisting in any possible position.' First class, my butt,' she though, sinking in the chair miserably. She rubbed her neck. "Another half-hour of this and I'll crack," she muttered.

Bored, she fished out her file and began to trim her talons, blowing gently on the excess dust. She glanced around, No reading material available. She cocked her head to the side and noticed the person down the aisle was reading a Domino newspaper.

"LOCAL WINS $100,000,000,000 IN " was all she could read. She was sure that Seto Kaiba had probably got it one way or another. She leaned back a sighed heavily. Mai pulled up the window shade, gazing at the dark wispy clouds passing by. The stars glittered like white fiery balls, blinking from the thick concentrate of the cloud.

She stretched and yawned, shutting off the little light. Tomorrows a big day after all,' she thought, closing her eyes. As soon as she did, an image of that idiot, Joey Wheeler appeared with a wide grin. He was laughing at her. Her eyes flew open, a dull red flush crawling over her cheeks. Her throat tightened at the thought of him. Scowling, she slumped in her seat and crossed her arms. 'No dreams are good dreams,' she thought sleepily.

* * *

Joey ran his tongue across his lips repeatedly. He was thirsty and too lazy to get out of the darned bed. Snorting, he rolled onto his stomach, his legs and arms tangled in his blanket until he fell off. He rolled up and snuggled with the carpet. "Huzmna . . ."

Serenity leaned over to study him, her hands on her knees. Her long red bangs brushed against Joey's nose. She yanked herself in time before he sneezed. He jolted in an upright pose, blinking.

"Serenity?" he mumbled, smacking his lips.

"You're late!" she chirped in reply.

" Late? Late for what? It's Saturday morning, Reeny, a very early Saturday morning," he grumbled, shoving his head under the pillow.

"But aren't you gonna pick up your girlfriend, Mai, at the airport?" she asked, twirling her hair with her fingers.

"Jeez, Serenity, for the absolute, last time, Mai is not my- Oh no! I forgot!" He tried jumping to his feet, but promptly fell flat on his face. 'I'm late! I'm late!" he yelled as he untangled himself from the evil clutches of his super-hero blanket.

He rushed into the bathroom, brushing his teeth in frenzy. Hurriedly, he ran the comb's teeth through his unruly hair until he hit a snag. In horror, he discovered a huge wad of dried bubble gum stuck to the side of his head.

* * *