"Sis! Are ya up already yet?" her brother's voice came drifting in from a distance, but loud enough to pierce into her sleep. "Come on, you haveta go to school today!" he appeared in her doorway and opened it. for a week now, she had been calling in sick and missing classes.
Seeing the tight wad of sheets, he grabbed one end and attempted to pull. "If you don't get up right now I'll---jump on your bed til you do!"
"Go away," she grumped, "or I'll call Mom…." She yanked the covers right over her head again.
"Ma went ta work early today," he said in triumphant voice. When she didn't answer, he said with a large sigh, backing up, "Awright…..i didn't wanta resort to dis, but….."
She peeked an eye over the pale pink sheet. "Don't you dare….Joey…" She saw him already in his school uniform, backing up to get a running start. Why is he so early to get to school these days?! She wondered perplexed. Usually I'm the one who has to drag him out!"Okay! Okay! Just five more minutes!"
" ' s what you said yesterday. Think I'll fall fer dat again?!" He plunked his hand on his hips and cocked his head to the side, wagging a finger at her. "Doan test me, missy!"
Serenity sat up slowly, flipping her long, tangled hair out of her face. "You look exactly like Mom when you do that." she muttered softly, scowling at the blanket.
Letting a long, loud insulted gasp, he said, "Gah! Sis....... how can ya say dat?!" He clutched his chest as though she stabbed him, and staggered around theatrically.
"..Quit trying to make me laugh. I'm not in the mood. I'm not going to school; I don't feel well." I'll never feel well ever again, she added silently. Serenity sunk back into the soft bed and buriend herself in it again.
Dead silence. Then, "Awright……." A sound of running feet. "You asked fer it!"
In a judo-like move, she rolled to one side out of her bed into a standing position, wrapped in the covers like a mummy. She gave him her best irrirtable glare upward where he was, standing on top of her bed.
"Wow, sis, you're' gettin' fasta." He hopped down. "At least dat got ya outta bed. Oh no ya don't!" he said when she made a dive for it again. "Listen to me. You're going to school today, whetha ya like it or not! Got dat?!"
"Fine…..!Just for today, though!" she started putting her bed in order, grumbling softly.
"Tomorrow….If I still don't feel well, I'm not going to school."
Oh, yes you will, he thought determinedly. "Yeah, yeah. I'll be by your school ta pick you up, hows dat?" she nodded mutely, looking forlorn and alone. "At 3, right? Good. It's time fer you ta stop mopin' around an' get some fresh air!" he lectured as the phone started ringing. "I'll get; ya got ready."
Easy for him to say……still, just to make him happy…… She picked up her bookbag and blew the cobwebs off.
that afternoon
Tristan hurried across the Domino High courtyard. He'd heard from Joey that his sister finally went to school today, and he could just make it to walk her home. When he finally reached there, outside Fushin High, he saw none other than Duke.
"What are you doing here?"
"What are you doing here?" The two glared at each other.
A wadded-up paper rolled like a tumbleweed in the nearby distance while a cool, refreshing breeze blew.
"What, your trying to make Serenity become your new cheerleader?!" Tristan said, pointing to the empty cheering uniform in Duke's hand.
"What, you're trying to make her your new girlfriend?" Duke sneered, as his fan club behind him stuck out their tongues at the Astro boy look alike.
Meanwhile, Serenity had just come out of the double doors, feeling tired and weary to the bone. It had been a bad day; everyone had stared at her like she was some sort of freak; some sympathetic. Luckily, no one had talked to her. that's was the only good thing. She came to a halt when she spotted the two boys glaring daggers at one another, not noticing her yet. I'm not in the mood for company…..all I want to do is get home and pine away……..She tried to sidle away from them.
Too late. With a rather amusing display of shoving and wrestling they ran over. "Er…..hi guys." She said politely with a tiny nod. People who were also coming out of the building were, much to her embarrassment, starting to stare.
"Serenity, don't become Duke's cheerleader!" Tristan blurted. She sweatdropped.
"Er….his cheerleader…..?" She didn't want to hurt Duke's feelings, who had turned bright red with anger.
"Oh, yeah?! Serenity don't become Tristan's girl---mmph!" he was cut off as the taller boy shoved his hand over his face.
"Uh…..'girl'…?" she repeated, looking perplexed. "What….are you talking…about?"
His fan club managed to pry him off so Duke could speak. "He…..he's been wanting to ask you out for decades!" he said, gasping disdainfully, at Tristan, whose face had turned bright red. His loyal fan club held him back, and since he didn't hit girls, he couldn't make him shut up.
The crowd started whispering. "Is that…..true, Tristan?" Serenity asked, a little curiously.
"Um. Uh." Just say 'yes'! But he couldn't.
Uh oh, it looks as if Serenity would say yes just out of pity for him. Duke thought, panicking. He thought fast. I'll let him make a fool out of himself! "Isn't it, buddy?" he said, sarcastically. "Go on. Your big moment of pining away for years." He spread his arms generously. "I'm only trying to help you out!"
Yeah right!
"Nobody's going out on a date with her. Got it?!" People turned at the new voice. When they saw who it was, jaws dropped to floor. It was so quiet, even the birds stopped chirping. Serenity felt her heart leap. But he didn't even look at her.
Meanwhile
"Though I try…." Joey sang softly under his breath as he, Yugi, and Tea walked home. Tea was chatting about her day and how many exams she had to take, and he wasn't really paying attention.
"Joey, what are you singing?!" she asked, startling him out of his reverie.
"Ohhh….somethin' my sis was singin' last night. She got it in my head……I can't get it out!" he said with a sigh. "What'd dey call it, Yuge? An 'earworm'?"
"Yuck, don't be gross." Tea rolled her eyes. "Anyway, where is Tristan?" she wondered, looking about.
"He said something about going to Fushin High to pick up something….."
"Oh, dat reminds me!" Joey took off, chiding himself for forgetting to pick up Serenity from school. Hopefully she hasn't left yet……she's too bummed out to walk by herself today. The other two sighed and reluctantly followed, calling him to slow down, so they could catch up.
Slowing to a trot, he rounded the corner. "Hey, it looks like something's up," Tea said, stopping beside him, observing the gathered crowd.
Joey felt a stab of dread, one he always felt when there was deep trouble. The three of them pushed through the crowd, and he saw his sister standing to one side, her eyes huge as she stared upwards at something. But he couldn't see what.
"Move it!" Tea snapped at a guy who quickly scuttled to the left. She saw Tristan's pointy head and Duke's ponytail. In the clutches of....
"....and if you Ever go near her again...." a loud hissing voice.
That sounds like .....Kaiba! She thought, trying to see. The guy had his back turned, but there was no mistaking the long, dark blue trench coat. It's him all right. He had them both by the scruff of their necks, pinned aganist the wall. He must've caught Tristan and Duke hitting on Serenity, she determined.
"Joey," said Serenity, noticing him, turning around slightly.
"Hey! Put Tristan down!" he yelled, as everyone turned to him. "Duke....eh, you c'n keep 'im up dere." I'm still mad at 'im fer callin' me 'wheat toast' before...... He scratched his chin.
"Hey!" Duke complained. But they both were released, surprisingly, landing on the ground with thuds. "Thanks a lot," he muttered, rubbing his rear as he got up.
"Why'nt you fight back?" Joey said to Tristan, who was red faced and avoiding his disbelieving 't....." he mumbled, casting a look at Serenity, whose eyes were glued on the slowly approaching CEO. .....she still has feelings for him......it was so obvious!........
"Wheeler. How are you today?" he asked, almost pleasantly, coming to stand right before him.
"Careful....." Duke murmured. "That's how he started with us, too......" he warned.
Joey was taken aback, never having been called anything by Kaiba except "mutt" and "dog". "Loser" on occasion. Immediately his guard went up, as did his fists, as he looked him over suspiciously.
Though his tone was pleasant, he wore his usual expressionless scowl. But Joey didn't want to fight with his sister standing right there, so reluctantly he made himself at least look relaxed. Besides, I doan got anything to be mad at him about, since he stopped seein' my sister and all...... "Fine...." he said defensively to the question.
"Or really?" Now the tone was a low, hateful hiss again. "Is your conscience really THAT clear?"
"Yeah.....Wouldja get to da point?" he said as Tea called, coming up:
"Just because you're angry about what happened with you and Serenity, it doesn't mean you have to take it out on others, Kaiba!" The crowd was just about to disperse, seeing there wasn't going to be any fight, but her comment made them stop to watch. All of them having heard about the breakup. A bluejay chirped awfully loud in the short, but dead silence that followed.
Kaiba's gaze shifted to Serenity, who was standing still as a statue. Then back again. "I'm not angry. Besides. I don't get mad....I get even." The last word was directed directly at her brother, before turning on his heel and walking off briskly.
"Did he just threaten you?" Tea wondered, looking after his retreating figure. Duke's cheerleaders started wailing at how hurt he was an making a racket.
"Well.......Dat wuz weird." Joey said aloud to himself. What did he mean by that? Is he sayin' I should feel guilty? Why should I? He scowled at the ground and ushered his sister towards home. One thing: He's definitely gone wacko....!
"No, Joey...." Serenity said tiredly, for the tenth time. It was the weekend, and he wanted her to go to some pool party. Her head pounded. "Today I'm just going to take it easy....."
"You're actin' like a ninety year old lady! It's time you start gettin' over 'im...you're young. There'll be other boys to date.....when you're twenty-two, o' course." When she didn't smile, he sighed patiently. "If not for me dis time, do it for Mai. She's your friend, right?" After a time she nodded, looking away. "She's invitin' people from your school and mine. Look!" he threw open the curtains so the bright sunlight shone, blinding her. "It's such a beautiful day!"
"Am I always like this?" she muttered under her breath, cowering away. "If I ever am this perky, you should shoot---"
He interrupted, not really wanting to hear what she was going to say. "Get your beach stuff. You're going." He went on, saying how Mai was expecting her there, and a loyal friend would go.....and other guilt-indicing stuff.
"I give! I give!" she held up her hands in surrender, walking away slowly. "You've convinced me."
"Good." He watched her trudge up to her room, writing a note to their mother so she wouldn't freak. Their mother still forbade him to see 'his girlfriend' but then again, she didn't really care what he did as long as it didn't involve Serenity. Oh, well. Still, even though this is my official date, I'd better not rub it in too much.....and not be all lovey dovey around my sis......just out of courtesy. I'm sure Mai'll understand. Serenity needs to get outside more. She's pale as a ghost! The door rang, Tea was there, since she always made a point to go wherever she was invited to. And where she's not. Yugi had to study, but he said that he would try to make it. The party was to be at the Valentine's estate, though he never really been there, he agreed that people needed relaxation after exams.
They walked to the estate, Serenity going very quietly and as reluctantly as possible. She hadn't stopped thinking about Kaiba since he came after school for her. It was very confusing the way he'd acted; she never saw him act like that. Did he mean he was going to ......hurt my brother? As compensation....for what happened to us? But he wouldn't do that! Sure, sometimes he get's bent on revenge, but what boy isn't? she decided to talk to Mai about it later. Might as well, I doubt I'll have any fun.....ever again.....
"Sis, would you quit sighing like dat." He said as they were admitted to the mansion by a smiling housekeeper. "Just enjoy yourself.....whoa." The three of them stood, gaping at the sight. There was an outdoors Olympic size swimming pool complete with diving boards out on a huge, landscaped patio. The place was already crowded with maids with servants as well as other teenagers and adults. They were all talking and milling about in the bright sunshine.
"Her backyard is humougous," Tea murmured, adjusting her sunglasses. She'd been here, hadn't seen the back place. It was rich and lavish with exotic, tropical plants. "Oh, I see some people from school! Later, guys." she took off, weaving through the crowd.
"All right, doan know bout chu, sis, but I'm goin' to da food!" Joey took off also. "C'mon, sis!"
"Wait!" Too late, he was swallowed up by the thick crowd. Feeling lost, she wandered over to a corner, trying to look as if she belonged in such a grand place. Why did I let him talk me into this?!
"Hey, hun." She looked around and saw Mai, dressed in one of her gorgeous getups, which now made her feel plain. "How are you holding up?" She came over and put an arm around the younger girl's shoulders.
"Same," Serenity mumbled. "I had a weird dream about him last night....." "Well, you can tell me all about it, while I show you around. Don't look so glum."
"You're not going to tell me that there's other fish in the sea....?" Serenity asked, making a face.
"No. Not if you don't want to hear it, which I don't think you do." They made there way inside the corridor. "Besides, I'll bet my best card that you and Kaiba'll get back together in the end......" Serenity looked at her, surprised.
"And if you don't......well, there's plenty of guys right here!" she joked, and Serenity gave a weak smile. Now THAT sounds like the Mai I know.....we all know.... she thought, shaking her head, with a tiny but real smile this time.