Anyway hopefully this keeps getting better. that's the aim. Well-eh? wuz wrong joe
Joey: *mumble grumble* you made HIM be the hero…..*sulk sulk sulk* -_- *glowers at kaiba*
Me: gimme a break! I let u both be it. did I have a kid throw a football at ur head in dat scene w/mai? Noooooo! Did I make u step on her feet while dancin' wit 'er? *shakess head* Uh-uh! & I was thinkin' aobut it! *nod nod* yeah would've been funny! ^-^
Joey: still I wanted to b da hero! *grr grr grr grr*
Me: oh, all right! You can beat yugi in your duel. Okies? Yeesh……actually, that might be a good thing…..*lightbulb* .……Huh? Oh! Enjoy. =^_^=
After a seventeen hour flight, everyone was sleepy-eyed and quiet, except for Joey, who kept teasing, 'You are so gonna get in tra-bull,' to his sister, who was becoming quite annoyed. Tea declined Mai's offer to drive them back home. "Yugi's grampa is coming for us." She said primly.
So they said their goodbyes because Yugi and Tea were going to wait for his grampa while Mai was to drive rest back. After a long goodbye, the friends parted. Even though they were going to see each other in a few hours anyway............
"You shouldn't tease your little sister like that," she chided him, while Serenity slept in the backseat. "You should be more supportive. I thought you told her that you gave your approval?"
"I did!" He looked away a bit guiltily, since he knew, deep down, he would never fully approve of such a thing. "Besides, I dunno why she's so worried. I'm gonna get blamed for all this, as usual."
"You? "
"Ma'll find some way or another ta blame me for not kept a better eye on her. I'll just bet." He studied the cast on his wrist, the smudges of his friends' signatures on it.
"I doubt it." Mai said while just he shrugged in answer. She cast a glance in her rearview mirror at the younger girl, who had lines of worry and stress etched on her face. She looked older than her years, and looked thinner than the beginning of the trip. "Well, I hope for all your sakes everything'll turn out all right."
"It will," he said confidentially, but Mai felt a foreboding presence as they passed the sign, "Exiting Checkersville, entering Domino City." She shook if off.
"You certainly seem to be in a good mood. Even though it was so obvious Yugi let you win in that duel of yours." After she made that statement, she winced and braced herself.
"Let me win?!" He is so predictable. "I won fair and square!"
"Shh, you'll wake up Serenity!" she said. "Don't have to yell." And then under her breath, "He-let-you-win."
"Did not. I heard dat."
"Did too."
"Did not.." and so forth while the buildings and streetcars started to appear. It was late in the evening, the last light of sun touching the town. They arrived at the wheeler's house, and she parked and got out, lifting the latch to the turnk for their lugguage. "All right! So he didn't let you win." He seemed satisfied. Turning her face away, she mouthed a "Not."
"Good. Here let me help ya 'cause of your injured arm….." Joey got all his and his sister's lugguage out, a hard task because Mai's suitcases were on top of them. "Sheesh, must you take so much stuff?" he muttered rhetorically.
Meanwhile, mai took a look at his house. It was nice and square and plain, but the bushes needed manicuring and the shutters needed to be painted over again. There appeared to be no one home, the windows were dark and silent. "Looks like your mom's not home," she commented.
He came up beside her and listened for a long while. Then, "Nope. No one home. Probably still working. What time is it?"
"5:33. Feels like midnight, I'm so jet lagged." She yawned sleepily then smiled. "Too bad. I was hoping to neet her."
"Trust me. you wouldn't," he assured her, coming closer. With a sleepy smile, she slid her arms about him.
"You always have to be right, don't you? Stubborn." She teased. He shrugged slightly, and smiled that boyish smile of his. "So. Where are you going to take me? And don't even think about saying---"
"Eh? Take you where?" he asked confused. At her narrow-eyed glance, he said. "Oh. Right. You mean …our date, right….?" At her disapproving look, he said, "Well, I was just making sure……."
"Yeah, yeah." she said good naturedly. "I expect to be wined and dined in the best way possible. So expect to bring lots of cash." She mentally smiled at the look on his expressive face. It said very plainly, Uh oh. "And you have to dress up and look neat," she went on. "and take a bath," she added, wrinkling her nose. "No old shirts or jeans, to the places were going. And a haircut wouldn't kill you." She sifted her fingers through the thick blond mass. "I can't stand to be with a guy with hair longer than mine!"
"Must you be SO critical?!" he said peevishly.
"You can criticized me, too, if you want," she said generously, then gave him a look that said if he did, he'd die. At the hopelessly confused look, she chuckled and said, "So. Are you going to tell me where we're going to go or not?"
"Uh……..no. I mean I'm not gonna tell ya. It's a, uh…..surprise......!"
"Surprise, huh?" Mai kept a straight face, knowing very well that he was panicking inside. She knew that he didn't have much money. Ah, so I'll make it easy for him. just once… "Oh, how about this?" she said suddenly, like she just thought of it. "I could give a pool party at my house. I haven't given one in a while. We could invite everyone over…..what do you think? Or if you want to surprise me----"
"No, no. That's sounds betta," he said quickly. "Great idea." The relief was showned clearly on his face. "I mean, uh, I wanted ta surprise ya and all….."
"Well, maybe this'll change your mind," she said coyly. Putting her face up close to his, she whispered, "afterwards…….I got…..hot tubs…….so bring your suit….okay…..?" she said with a wink. "Mmm…..hmmmmmmm…….." he said softly, his voice squeaking a little at the thought. Putting his arms around her tiny waist, he murmured "Or----"
"Mmm……are we there yet?" said a soft sleepy voice, as an auburn head poked up from the backseat, making them both jump, him about a mile. He had completely forgotten that she was still asleep.
Serenity slid out of the backseat curiously. "Oh, did I interrupt?" she said innocently, still angry at her brother for teasing her earlier like that. A mischievous gleam came to her liquid brown eyes.
"Serenity! I forgot you were still there. Sorry sis!" he stammered.
"Aw……were you telling her that you wuv her, big brother?" Serenity said in a baby voice. "Are you gonna ask her to marry you?" she said in a sing song voice. Mai watched with amusement as his face turned deep red. Ah sibling fights, she thought crossing her arms and leanig back expectantly.
"Sis!" Joey hissed angrily.
Serenity knew she was embarrassing him, so she cut to the chase. "What, big brother? Are you mad 'cause I'm taking pleasure in your misery?" Turning away, she started for the house. "I'm going to start dinner so hurry up and kiss her goodbye," she said loftily over her shoulder, opening the front door and going inside. He stared after her, dumbfounded at her words, the way she had spoken to him. So sarcastically…….! What was wrong with her? he was thinking as Mai grabbed his collar and did as she said.
"See you. Take care of yourself, sugar," she said, hopping into her car with a wave and speeding off. Now it was his turn to stare after her long after her car was gone, then he turned and unsteadily walked up the steps, listening to Serenity bang pots and pans angrily. Girls……they drive me crazy!
********* next day*******
"Kaiba and Serenity? Where did you hear that?" Duke asked casting an unbelieving glance at the pointy headed Tristan. "You must be off your rocker!"
It was lunchtime at Domino High. The boys were getting ready to leave the gym, putting away their gear in the boys locker room. [A/n: ah such a great setting *sigh*^^]
"I know, I didn't want to believe it either….." Tristan mourned, leaning against the walls of lockers. "I was so close……"
Duke snorted loudly. "Riiiiight. Anyway, a sweet girl like Serenity and…..Kaiba?" he shook his ebony black head. "That I gotta see to believe!" He stuffed his expensive gym sneakers in his locker and locked it. "I'm going to speak to her later about it. Serenity doesn't go to this school right?"
"No. … she goes to Fushin High."
"Well, then maybe I could talk to Kaiba to see if it's true or….not." He, like nearly the rest of the school, didn't get along with the tall, arrogant CEO. "I just can't picture it. so quit looking so pathetic, Tristan. Like you've ever had a chance with her!" he laughed loudly, shaking his head so his ponytail whipped around. Tristan pictured sticking it in a locker and shutting it, so Duke would have to cut himself free. "In fact….." Duke went on smugly, "When I find out it isn't true, I think I'll ask her out…..you know wine and dine her with my irresistible charm….."
"Make sure you bring two seats….one for yourself and one for your ego," Tristan grumbled loudly. Duke pretended he hadn't heard and zipped his gym bag shut. "Hey there's her brother. You can ask him yourself."
"Fine, I will." Duke said sauntering up to Joey, who was putting away towels in the hamper. I hope Joey'll knock him out for being to one to remind him…….Tristan thought, following. "Hey. Is what this guy says is true? Your sister and…..Kaiba?!"
The chatter around them suddenly quieted at Duke's loud question. "Hey, take a picture it lasts longa!" Joey snapped at the crowd, who smirking and went on their way. To Duke, he said, "Yeah, so?" "So?!" Duke could hardly believe it. he knew the blond wouldn't joke about something like this. His hatred of Kaiba was well known around the high schools. "So how come he's still walking around without a scratch if it's true, then?"
"Oh, I knocked him a good one when I found out. Flat on his back." Of course, it was an exaggeration.
Duke eyed the cast on his wrist. "And……let me guess. He broke your wrist?"
"Huh? No, this I got when I was being chased by bulls in Spain." Joey said nonchalantly, moving away to the sinks to wash up.
"Bulls?!" They both said incredulously, following him. Tristan whispered, "Did you happen to fall and hit your head , man?"
"Yeah, many times, so?"
Duke waved his hands dismissively. "Whatever you say. What I want to know is why you're not planning Kaiba's funeral for taking your sister. What, are you two friends now?"
"Are ya kiddin'?"
"Then why are you acting so….happy about?" Duke asked curiously.
"Got a date." He answered as Tristan said, "Girl." He knew him too well.
"Really?" Duke said interestedly. "Care to tell us who?" he said in an annoying way. Tristan waited, too. His friend had been very evasive that morning. He presently put off his problems about Serenity.
Joey told them and reached for a new shirt. They stared at each other.
"Mai?! Ha hah hah hah ha!" Duke crowed, catching the attention of all the other boys again. "No, really. Who is it?"
"It's true." Joey looked at Tristan for help, but he was shaking his head disbelievingly, seriously worried about him. "Cut it out! It stopped being funny."
"Yeah, I gotta date with her too," another boy joked passing by, while his friends clapped him on the back, laughing. And then all the rest added:
"Yeah, me too, this Monday!"
"Me this Tuesday!" they all laughed uproariously.
"Wheeler's finally cracked up about his sister!"
"Ha, Wheeler with her? Good one, Duke!"
Duke shook his head, grinning with amusement. "That thought's even more absurd than Kaiba with Serenity! I mean, Mai's like…..fine caviar and you're….." He cast him a once over with a sneer. "Wheat toast! No, more like wheat toast crumbs!!" while Joey sputtered in anger, he walked away with his fan club, still chuckling. "Fine if you don't want to tell us the truth."
"It's true!!! I'll prove it!!" Joey shouted after him. "Wait a minute what am I sayin'?! I know it's true!" he asked himself aloud.
Tristan asked, "You mean you did it, man? You told her how you felt?"
"Yeah, I did!"
"And she ACTAULLY…….said yes?"
"Yeah, and I'm not crazy either!"
"Hey calm down I believe you, dude." Still Tristan was amazed as they walked down to the noisy cafeteria. Maybe I ought to tell Serenity the truth, too……
"Hey don't sweat it. Serenity isn't going to be with that doofus fer long," Joey assured his friend with a grin.
"Why? What makes you say that." Tristan said hopefully.
"You'll see……" he said mysteriously. "now let's get some chow!" The two boys headed for the long lunchline.
*******That afternoon************
"Hey there, Mrs. W," Tristan said, coming in the front door. "The door was open, so….."
The middle aged woman half turned. "Oh. Tristan. Joseph's in his room, I think."
"No…..uh…….I was wondering if Serenity was home." At the woman's sharp look, he explained quickly, "She left something---"
"Oh. Just put it over there, then.." Mrs. W left the room in a hurry, bustling about.
"Oh, well. I guess I'll try later," he said to the wall, then sadly left. [a/n: poor guy…..-.-]
Meanwhile, Mai was with Serenity in the Wheeler's den, patting her back soothingly. "You can do this …..it won't be as bad as you think it will, I bet." She assured the young girl, who was curled up in a ball at the foot of her bed, looking pale. "Do you want me to be in the room with you when you tell your mom for support?"
"Thanks…..but no thanks, Mai." She sniffed. "I have to do this alone….."
"How come Kaiba isn't here with you?" Mai wondered. "He should help you face your mother……"
"He is and he isn't. Besides he told me not to worry and everything'll be fine and that he'll take care of everything." Serenity sighed. "Easy for him to say….." She got up slowly and with care. "Guess I got to get this over with…." She said, dragging her feet reluctantly to the door with a heavy sigh.
"I'll be in the next room of you need me," Mai called after her, wondering what Kaiba had meant when he said he'd 'take care of everything.' It sounded like an ominous warning to her. She got up and cracked the door open for a peek at Serenity's mom. After what Joey had told her, Mai expected the lady to have fangs and horns and a long forked tongue that flicked out like a snake's. But the woman was about in her late thirties, with her son's sandy blond hair cut in a pageboy to the shoulder pads of her business suit. Her brown, worn briefcase said C&J Advertising, Inc. Still, she resembled Serenity---- "Boo!" A pair of large hands suddenly clamped around her waist and lifted her easily.
"Put me down, Joseph!" She batted him away. "Your sister's telling your mother about you-know-what."
"An' no screams of horror, yet?" He looked very surprised. As if on cue, they both heard a:
"YOU WHAAAT?!" Very familiar…..
"Oh yeah, isn't that what you said when you found out?" Mai asked him, shaking her curly blond head. "Sheesh, like mother like son!"
"Sssh. I can't hear dem." Together they eavesdropped.
"Mother………" Serenity was saying. "Please let me explain!" Her mother was pacing back and forth. Mai had to suppress a smile, looking over at him. It was exactly what had done too. Joey held up three fingers and mouthed, "Three….." Mai looked at him in confusion, wondering what he was going to do.
"Serenity. Who is this?! Is it that boy that was just hear earlier?!" Mrs. W drummed her fingers on the countertop in agitation.
"Who, mom?" Serenity looked puzzled.
"Two……" Joey mouthed, now holding two fingers. He's lost his mind, Mai thought.
"That pointy horn boy." Mrs. W snapped her fingers. "Tristan." She said in disgust.
Serenity goggled. "Him?! no, mom, he and me are just friends….."
"One….." Joey whispered.
"This is all your brother's fault; Joseph!" She yelled so loudly that Mai had to cover her ears. "GET IN HERE!!!" Beside her, Joey got up jauntily and burst through the door.
"Yep, Ma?" Back in the den, Mai sweatdropped. He sure knows exactly when he's going to in trouble!
"Do you know what your sister just told me?!" Mrs. W snapped. "And it's all thanks to you! I told you a million times not to bring your horny hoodlum friends over around Serenity, and now look what's happened? Look what's happened!!" she screeched.
"Trust me, Ma, dis guy's NO friend o' mine! You an' I are on da same side fer once! Serenity shouldn't---" But Mrs. W wasn't listening.
"And now Serenity's been dating some graffiti wielding thug friend of yours……" she lamented, throwing up her hands in angry exasperation. "A gang member!" Mai couldn't help picturing Kaiba with a spray can, out on an alleyway……it was too funny.
"Mom…he's not a gang member…..if you'll just listen…." Serenity pleaded, her eyes big and liquid. But that only seemed to rile Mrs. W up even more.
"It doesn't matter if-if he's the pope or some…..priest! Serenity, you----"
Serenity sweatdropped. "Well, actually……uh, never mind." Joey shot her a quelling glance. She'll never believe it sis…..
Mrs. W ranted on, "The bottom line is, young lady, you are too young to date!" Beside her, Joey nodded in absolute agreement. "Grades and school come first. I raised you not to rely on any boy, to be independent! You;re too smart to be with this nonsense. I've put all my hopes into you! You will stop seeing this boy, starting now!"
"No, I won't……" Serenity said quietly, fighting back tears. She looks so alone…..come on, you can do this Mai thought. "And I'm not too young, either. You let Joey go off and see whomever he wants!"
"Joseph is older. You are fifteen!"
"By a year! You never let me do anything I want ever; it's not fair." Serenity said angrily clenching her fists
. "Fine, Joseph can't see his girlfriend either for not kept a better eye on you." Mrs. W Said nochalantly, waving a hand dismissively. "You two areBOTH grounded!" Mrs. W said firmly, shaking her finger. "Sheesh, my two children running around the town wild!"
"MA!" Joey protested. Serenity looked instantly guilty; she hadn't meant to get him grounded.......but it was too late.
"I will call home everyday at three pm sharp," Mrs. W said, ignoring him. "Serenity, if you don't answer it promptly……I will …have no choice but to send you to convent boarding school. I mean it." Serenity gasped in horror. "So if you don't want to go to boarding school, young lady, than you will follow my rules or be out in the street. Do you understand?!"
"But….but….." Serenity stammered, then shouted, "NO! I won't!" But her cries fell on deaf ears.
"I forbid you to see this boy, again Serenity. Don't test me." Mrs. W said threateningly, then left for work, muttering loudly, "My daughter is a delinquent……anybody who said it's easy being a single mother should be shot……in the head!"
With a strangled sob, Serenity turned and ran straight to her room. "Sis…come on, don't be upset," Joey said, starting to go after her. Mai stopped him, "Let her be a while. She's needs time alone to cool off. I can't believe it……."
********
In her room, Serenity threw herself in her tiny twin bed, struggling not to cry. Her mother's angry words were rolling in her head……. 'Convent boarding school'…….'don't test me'……and worst of all, 'anybody who said being a single mother is easy should be shot……..
It's like I'm deliberately making it harder for her! But I don't mean to. Why doesn't any of my family listen?! Why?! With a choked sob, she said softly aloud in the darkness of her room, "D-did you get that…..?"
"Yes." Seto's voice came through dull and disgusted at the way her own mother had said those things to her like that. Though he couldn't be there by her, he had Serenity with a microphone so he could overhear their conversation.
Coversation! More like a sniping match…… "I'll be right there …….to pick you up." He ordered.
TBC
aw and whos says seto's not romantic? anyhoo R&R yeah u know the drill. Poor joey got grounded too……that's why the title of dis chap's what it is……also a pun to a songfic I wrote to 'stacy's mom.' It's funny, y'all should check it out….yup *nod nod*