"Your father moved out. We're getting a divorce." Those simple words echoed around in her head, blocking all her thoughts. As gently as her mother could say it, they drove through her heart like a dagger, pinning her to a wall of despair and hurt. No, not hurt. Sorrow, grief so intense it felt white hot. Tea ran to her room, not once looking back, not noticing the tears that rolled down her mothers face.
The next morning, Tea didn't want to wake up. Last night was horrible; a reality she didn't want to face. A sick, twisted dream. She couldn't deny her very real stomach growling commands at her to feed it. She got up, showered, dressed and prepared to face the inevitable. She slowly went downstairs.
"Good morning, Tea," her mother greeted her.
"Morning," Tea replied with obviously fake cheerfulness.
"Tea, are you all right?"
"No, MOTHER, I am not all right! You rip my life to shreds, then ask if I'm ALL RIGHT?!"
"We just wanted what was best-" her mother began, tears shining in her eyes.
"Best for me? BEST FOR ME??!! I can't believe I'm hearing this! Dad moves out and you say this is best for me?! I hate you!" Tea's voice rose to a shriek as she headed for the front door.
"Where are you going?" her mother yelled after her.
"To find someone who cares!" Tea stormed out the door. Her mother sat down on a chair. She held her head in her hands and sighed. She would talk to Tea later.
Tea stormed through the park. It seemed she was coming here a lot lately. She ran until she had no energy left in her body. Finally, she collapsed onto a bench and cried until she felt better. The bench looked like it had survived a seven day storm. She sat on the damp bench shivering. There was a hole inside of her. A hole that would never be filled. She had always had though her life was perfect, great friends, straight A's, good family. Now, where her dad had been was a never-ending darkness. She suddenly clenched her hands.
And, of course, the most perfect day to get this was on her birthday. Of all days, her BIRTHDAY! She wanted to sit down and cry again, but feeling exhausted, she got up and slowly trudged home. No one would understand. No one in the world she could talk to. Yugi would naturally tell her that it was all right, Tristan, well, she didn't want to go there, Joey.... Wait. That was it. Joey! He suffered a divorce. He would understand! She pulled out her phone and called Joey.
"Hello?" a man's gruff voice answered.
"May I please speak to Joey?" Tea asked politely.
"What are you, his girlfriend?" Mr Wheeler prodded.
"No, I'm his-" Tea was rudely cut off.
"Stay away from my boy! I don't want a slut like you taking him away! God, you're probably just like that bitch I married!" Then a loud crash and the dial tone. Tea numbly hung up herself. Poor Joey. No wonder no one could hang out at his place when his dad was home. Suddenly an all to familiar laugh rang through the air. Guess who's?
She ran to where it came from. Joey was in the field, running away from a red-hued, brown haired girl. She was giggling and trying to grab him.
"Oh perfect," Tea thought darkly, "the one time I need Joey is the one time he decides to get a girlfriend." She snorted and turned her back to the scene.
"Hmm? Tea?" Joey questioned.
Tea turned around. "Sorry to disturb you," she smiled, putting on a false face. Better to hide your emotions than to tell everyone, Tea thought. This was the one time Tea couldn't afford anyone to find out. Well, except for the boy with shaggy blond hair with the pretty girl hanging on his shoulder.
Joey jogged up to her in reply. The girl followed. "Tea, this is my sis, Serenity. Sis, this is my best friend, Tea."
"I thought Tristan was," Serenity said sweetly.
"Don't tell him that then. He doesn't have to know everything."
"Like how you wet the bed until you were thirteen?" Serenity's eyes held a mischievous sparkle.
"Sis...." Joey muttered, turning red.
"Just filling Tea in on a few things. Like how he-"
Serenity was cut off as Joey clamped his hand over her mouth. Serenity, in turn, winked at Tea.
"So, this is Serenity, the girl Joey fought for at the Duellist Kingdom," Tea thought. No wonder he wanted to win so badly. Tea decided that she liked her. Too bad she couldn't return her smile.
When Joey noticed that Tea failed to laugh at his embarrassing secrets, he knew something was wrong. "Tea? Everything all right?" he asked, unable to keep the concern out of his voice.
"I need to talk to you," Tea barely managed to choke out.
"I-I'm not to good at these things," Joey stuttered. "Why don't I call Yu-"
"NO! Don't tell ANYONE!!" Tea snapped.
"Gi," Joey finished, thoroughly cowed. "What could be so important?" he thought. Maybe Tea.... No! It couldn't be. Tea wasn't going to ask him out, was she?
"Why are you telling me? Yugi understands things a lot better." "Unless it's what I think it is," he added under his breath.
"Not this." Tea took a deep, shuddering breath.
"Here it comes," Joey thought.
"My parents divorced."
Joey's mind stuttered to a halt. He definitely did not expect to get THAT as an answer.
"I'll just take a walk in the park," Serenity excused herself.
"They what?! I- We knew they were fightin' and all but WHY?! WHEN?!" Joey demanded.
"Last night," Tea replied flatly, her voice void of all emotion.
"No! Oh, Tea! Are you going to be okay?" he asked, his voice coming out in frantic sentences.
"I was hoping you could help me. Seeing as your parents...." Tea trailed off awkwardly.
"It's all right. It was so long ago. Well, I'll tell ya all I know!" Joey offered her his best smile. Goofy as it was, Tea couldn't help but return it. So, Joey and Tea talked as Serenity walked around enjoying her new vision, a gift from a loving, kind-hearted older brother.
Joey walked Tea home around five. "Are you gonna be okay?" he asked her.
"Yeah..... Hey! Where's Serenity?" Tea exclaimed.
"!!!! Holy- I forgot her! Dammit! I gotta go! Call if ya need help!" he hollered as he raced down the street. He barely missed being nailed as a car door opened.
"Same old Joey," Tea thought as she watched him fly down the street, jacket streaming out behind him. "Some things will never change." She went to her room and was asleep before she hit the bed.
