italics= thoughts, to emphasize, &/or sound effects
"Tea! Yay, Tea's here!" squealed Rebecca, holding up her teddy bear. "Teddy says hi!"
I shook the old bear fuzzy hand. "Hi to the both of you." I smiled in greeting at her grandfather, Arthur, who waved cheerfully.
I had promised to baby-sit her while he and Mr. Moto had lunch and caught up on old times. "Bye, have fun," I told them as they waved and went out the game shop with a ding! "So, Rebecca," I went on brightly, "You hungry? Want a snack?"
"Yes, please. And teddy says he wants one too!" She stood on tiptoe to take down a game from the shelf to play with it.
"Two sandwiches coming right up." I left and went in the kitchen, took out jars from the 'fridge and a knife and plate. I drew a face on the bread, with a head of brown peanut hair and two dollops of blueberry jam for eyes. A smirk from an indentation with the knife. Without realizing it before, I realized who it was supposed to look like…..
Kaiba! Gah!
Quickly, I covered him with another slice of bread shakily, swallowing nervously. This is sooo stupid! Scared of a piece of bread with a face on it! A face I drew! With a now steady hand, I sliced him in the middle and stacked the two triangles to the side and reached for a fresh piece. If only I could 'cut' him out of my mind, too.......! I'll eat him later. Maybe the symbolism of THAT would help.......
It had been one whole week since the incident with the present, and since then I had one other dream. It involved me and him, a beach, and……. suntan oil?
It was TOTALLY stupid, because barely even go to the beach at all! And I barely sign my name with X's and O's. Maybe once in third grade.
To get rid of this deep rooted insane crush of mine, I had come up with only one way: complete avoidance. Even though that was totally new. I have never avoided anyone purposely on my life. But out of sight, out of mind, right? Right?
Since he goes to my school and is practically in every class, except home ec, it was easier said....... Way easier said than done. So lately I'd had to walk by him, my eyes averted, completely red. Lucky for me (wait a minute, lucky?!) Kaiba sat somewhere in the back, so I didn't have to walk by him to get my my seat. Yeah, sure. Lucky.
Riiight.......... The few times I had dared to look up at his eyes, I saw him looking at me with something like a look of puzzlement. I didn't know what to make of that. …..
"Tea-chan! Are you done yet?" Rebecca's shrill voice interrupted my mental train.
"Almost!" I called back, then realized with dismay, I had drawn his face again on her sandwich, too. "Oh, well," I said aloud, carrying it with two glasses of milk to the shop. "She can help me eat him."
"What did you say, Tea?" Rebecca asked, then changed her own subject. "I'm bored!"
"What do you want to do? Wanna go someplace fun?" She nodded and inspected her sandwich. I held my breath, hoping she wouldn't tell who it looked like, then exhaled when she closed her sandwich.
"Where to?"
She took a smudge faced bite and thought. "What's that, Teddy?" she held him to her ear. "Teddy says he wants to go to KaibaLand Arcade?"
I flinched. "Maybe somewhere else!" I begged. Maybe she HAD recognized it.....….. I clasped my hands on front of my face and shook then with emphasis. "Pretty please?"
"With a cherry on top?" She innocently widened her eyes.
"With a cherry on top!" I agreed, emphatically with a nod.
"NAH!" She grinned a mouthful of peanut butter. "Teddy says he'll pee if he doesn't get to go!"
"…….All right! All right!" She cheered, while I scowled. "Maybe Teddy'll pee anyway…." I muttered, hoping he wasn't there. Often he was, or so I heard. I don't STALK him or anything.
But it only a matter of time….. I despondently began walking with her skipping ahead, waving her teddy in the air. I cursed Yugi with his puppy dog eyes for making me take his baby sitting charge all alone….
When we got there, the place was surrounded by trucks. Obviously some renovations to the place were being done. Could he be supervising them? I chewed my nail, taking a quick look around. Nothing.
Screaming kids, around big hulking video games and overstuffed sofas. Zap! Pow! Beep! of video games noises filled the spacious room. I paid for one child, one adult, realizing it'd been a while since I'd been here. I began to breathe in relief, relaxing after I saw he wasn't here. I actually smiled, and clutched my heart in deep relief.
"Tea?"
I nearly fell over. Oh, yeah. Kaiba always calls me 'Gardener' reminded this incredibly calm voice in my mind that seemed so out of place with my current state. "Oh, hi, Mokuba." I said with a shaky smile. "You s-scared me!"
"Sorry." He said, looking curious. "What are you doing here?"
"Baby sitting," I answered, edging away. It wasn't that I didn't like the kid, it was that where ever he was, Kaiba wasn't too far off. Looking around nervously, I said with a fake cheerfulness, "Well, I gotta go now----" Just then, I looked up and spotted him. Urk.
He was a bit way off, shouting orders to some crewmen in workhats. 'Under construction' yellow tape covered one side of the room. He hadn't seen me yet. I planned to keep it that way.
"Hey, Mokuba!" shouted some snot-nosed kid with a red lollipop all over his sticky hands. "Whatcha doing'? Who's that?" he shouted, pointing at me with a red finger.
"Tea?" Mokuba asked me innocently. "Why is your face all red ……?"
"Uh, 'cause it's hot. You should tell them to turn on the air conditioner, really!" I laughed weakly. That last thing I wanted was for Kaiba's little brother to suspect anything about my feelings. Then he'd try to get us together! I fanned one hand in front of my face to push the point.
"No you're not!" yelled the kid, waving his lolly around so that everyone nearby started to look over. "You're blushing!" he shouted, pointing at me accusingly. You could tell he was going to be a lawyer. He took a quick glance at where I was staring, while Mokuba just stared at the two of us. "You're in loooooooove with Kaiba!" he screeched with a nasal laugh. Now everyone turned and gaped. Dead silence.
I remember cringing, seeing red, then the kid's shirt was in my fist as I flung him across the room, but then nothing else. He sailed, yelling, before landing with a crash in the ball pit, ten yards away. Huffing, I pushed the hair out of my eyes, glad that I'd shut him up .....finally. With a satisfied sigh, I dusted my hands off, pleased. Pap, pap!
I was suddenly aware of the silence in the room.
"Gardener. What do you think you're doing, throwing my customers across the room."
I froze, knowing I had no explanation. Well, the best defense is a good offense."You know," I hissed, turning around angrily, "I'm REALLYstarting to hate the sound of my last name! And it's all thanks to you." It was a lame distraction, I know, but the only thing I could come up with. Not that it wasn't true…or anything.......
People starting clapping and cheering at the boy's fall.. "As you were!" Kaiba shouted at them and they immediately turned around and minded their own business. "Oh no you don't!" he said, grabbing my arm as I tried to sidle away. "Well?! Why are you throwing my customers around!"
Mokuba jumped to my defense. "Big brother, she threw him because he was saying she was---"
I was about to do a 'Joey' and jumped on him to clamp his mouth shut. Possible throw him across the room too. But that would be like skating on thin ice. Anyway, I think I went numb with shock.
'---in love with you. But that's silly, isn't it?" he laughed, and put one tiny arm behind his head tipping his head cutely. "I mean you two ALWAYS fight," he went on. I glared at him murderously hoping he'd stop, but he didn't notice, just continued to chuckle and smile.
As Kaiba turned to me, I wanted to say it wasn't true, but my throat wasn't working well and I knew anything I said would come out as a high pitched squeak. So I pretended to be interested in my fingernails, looking down at them like I had to write an essay. My feet actually felt icy cold with all the blood rushing to my face. Thank goodness my hair covered most of it. He was silent for a long tortuous while. I think he was waiting patiently for me to look up at him. You wish, buddy, I thought, shaking my head in a mental conversation with myself. I hate you for making me feel this way---
"So. You do hate me." That made me look up finally, and I saw a contemptuous look on his face. just then a worker saved me by calling him over. Whoa. Was he a mind reader…..?
No, I love you! That's the problem! I bemoaned silently.
He released my arm, and I rubbed it, scowling because it felt sore as they both left. Finally! Suddenly I felt paranoid…...
"Tea? Tea, that snot nosed kid took m-my teddy," I felt a pull on my skirt, and Rebecca looked up at me with tears in her big green eyes. I knew exactly who she meant.
"Where is he," I muttered, now in a bad mood. Two hours had passed before we finally found him, hiding behind a couch upstairs. By then my legs and arms were aching, and I was tired and sweaty.
"You. Give her back her teddy bear." I demanded.
He stuck his tongue out at me, sniffing loudly. "Make me." As I took a step forwards, he looked scared and said, "I don't have it."
"Where is it?!"
"I threw it! on one o' those!" he pointed to the construction crew's truck. When I turned to look, he darted past us saying, "Nyah, nyah!" blowing a raspberry at us.
"Come on!" I said to Rebecca, hurrying down the street before the crewmen left. We ran as fast as we could down four flights of stairs, but the truck was already pulling away with a vroooom as we got there.
"M-m-m-my teddy!" Rebecca began to cry, large tears rolling down her cheeks.
I tried to see at least what company it was, but I couldn't see that far. The arcade was closing, the lights were switching off. Rebecca was crying helplessly. "There, there," I muttered soothingly. I ran a hand through my hair agitatedly. What to do?
"Come on!" I pulled her hand in just before the arcade doors closed. "Miss, you can't come in; it's closed!" yelled an employee. I ignored him, and started climbing the stairs to the back offices.
Who did I see but that snot nosed kid. And his big fat momma. And Kaiba, who was seated calmly as usual behind a big oak desk.
"I've got witnesses!" ranted the woman. "My son was thrown ten yards! I'll sue!"
Maybe I should've turned and hightailed it out of there, but I was tired of always running.
"You!" the woman jumped up, spotting me. "you the spunky little @&#! who threw my son!"
"Your son threw away her teddy bear!" I shouted right back. Never mind that I threw him first. She was about six feet and 350 lbs. We started arguing right in front of him.[a/n: poor kaiba :\]
"THAT'S ENOUGH." To the woman he said, "Your son has cost this arcade through property damages this much." He gave a piece of paper to the woman. "I will counter sue. And I will win." The woman's eyes rounded at the paper; I guessed it was a lot. "Do you really want to take me on?" With his evil stare and the two suits standing ominously behind him, I guess he did look pretty intimidating. The woman glared at me hatefully. "Security, show her out." He said to the two behind him. Cursing, the woman was led out. "What do you want now, Gardener." he said icily to me.
"You….need to help me get her teddy bear back." I said, gesturing to her.
"After you nearly cost me a lawsuit. You have some nerve" he said with a frigid stare.
"Me?! Look, I don't want to argue. Just call those crewmen back---"
He interrupted me. "Not my problem."
"No, nothing's ever your problem," I was getting riled up. "At least, give me the name of the company!"
He shook his head, sat back down and glared at me in silence.
"I-I'll never s-see Teddy again!" Rebecca gulped a sob in her sleeve and started to cry in earnest. I wondered desperately what to do. I glared at him angrily, hating him and mostly myself for thinking--- No. I won't go there. Rebecca started to howl, and I didn't try to stop her or shush her, thinking perhaps her cries would change his mind.
He just got up and left. His men gratefully followed in his footsteps.
Seething, I didn't even notice Mokuba coming in. "Aw, don't cry!" he said smiling friendly. "Big brother'll get you a new one!"
"I-I-I don't wanna new one!" she said angrily taking a menacing step to him. He looked at me questioningly.
"She always has some beef with short boys," I explained, thinking of what to do now. Kaiba probably didn't order me to leave yet because his brother was there. So I went over to the desk and started looking for the crew company's name.
"Whatcha lookin' for? Maybe I can help!" Mokuba hopped on the desk, watched me shuffle through papers.
"The name of the--- what's this?" Even Rebecca stopped crying and looked at the paper and my hand curiously, sniffing. A photocopy of a photo, the image was blurred and grainy, but I could instantly tell who it was.
"Big brother was he was seven," Mokuba informed me, though I already knew. Rebecca looked bored. "Tea, let's just go home Tea," she whined, kicking her feet out where she was sitting.
"In a minute……." I was fascinated. And dumbstruck. "Kaiba sure was….." I trailed off . ….a cute little kid! He--- the door opened and I hastily folded it and stuck it in my belt behind me.
I fixed my glare on him, lifted my chin slightly. He was going to tell us to buzz off……
"Is this what you're looking for?" he addressed the question to Rebecca, who gasped at the sight of her Teddy. I was most surprised at his tone of voice than the fact he'd gotten it back for her. shocked, even. Rebecca hugged her bear tightly with glee.
"Thankyouthankyouthankyou!" she shouted, hopping before hugging his leg, I guess because she was too short to climb to reach his neck. "You were right!" she cheered.
immediately I averted my eyes like I'd seen something obscene. I was sure he was embarrassed to be hugged like that, but when I stole a glance at his face, he didn't look embarrassed at all. In fact, I couldn't be absolutely certain, but I thought I caught some warmth in his eyes for a split second. Just for moment, then he narrowed his eyes at me and it was gone.
Must've been the lighting….
"Rebecca, what do you say?" I reminded her automatically, absently, forgetting she already thanked him. I slid off slowly, and inched my way to the door. I saw her look at me confusion. I have to get out! Get out, now! an ealry warning system rang inside my head.
"I already said thank you…..Tea?" I could barely hear her. "C'n we go home now?"
"Sure." But I think like, fifteen minutes must've passed while we just stood there. He had his usual scowl on. Mokuba was staring at us both in fascination.
"What do you have behind your back." He said, his voice turning harsher. My hand went behind my back to reach for it. "Give it to me." He advanced to me so we were face to face, his scowl deepening. "N-nothing!" I was afraid he'd blow up if he knew. He reached around me roughly, and I was instantly reminded of my first dream; when he'd hugged me. I felt my heart rate skyrocket as his arm brushed mine and I licked the perspiration off my upper lip nervously. I saw his eyes follow the movement and his gaze turned intense. Oh my God, Tea if you lose it now, I will kill you! I told myself.
"It's a flier! Just a flier!" I lied to his face, reaching down for Rebecca's hand and pulling it. "Come on, or we'll be late!" Some suited men blocked our path on the way out, but I squirmed around them, Rebecca flying behind me like a kite. I'm sure I would've knocked them down like bowling pins, so much my determination to get out before I lost it. Completely....
We stepped outside in the street, breathing hard. My stomach growled. I had a craving for some peanut butter and blueberry jam all the sudden……Add some brooding on top, and that'd be this evening spent.........
Groan. Siiiiiigh.......
TBC
lol tea's getting' an obsession! Lol
seto: the friendship girl? Me w/the friendship girl?! Noooooooooooooooooo *faints from lack o' oxygen* X_X_X_X
tea:>:O my names isn't the 'friendship girl'!!! *takes out her mallet*
me: hey no hitting bishies in my corner well R&R Read and review. Maybe next chap. I'll write seto's POV. You think he's interested in her? it's obvious SHE is……. plus chibi seto is SO cute...didja see the noah epsidoes w/ the flashbacks? He could give yugi a run for his money in kawaiiness! well R&R ja ne! ^_^ *bows*