Chapter Three

I grabbed a slice of pizza and picked a pepperoni off of it.

"What? You don't like pepperoni?" Bakura asked.

I nodded. "I do. It's just that...." I sighed. He looked at me, deep into my soul. Whenever he looked at me like that, it warms me up inside. I looked away this time. Normally, if would just look right back into his eyes, searching for answers I know I will never get.

"Well??" he asked.

"There's been a lot of stuff on my mind."

He nodded and looked away.

We have been "seeing" each other for a week now. Every time I come home, he's always waiting on the steps like a faithful dog. But, there's one thing that bothers me. He wears the same clothes over and over, like he never bathes.

I sighed again and leaned back. He turned and eyed me. When I first saw him, I thought he was U-G-L-Y. But now, as I got to know him more, his personality makes up for the ugliness. It also makes up for his nerdy looks. now I find him rather attractive.

"You ready to go?" he asked as I set down my slice of pizza. I sensed that he felt kind of uncomfortable because he kept looking all around him and squirming in his seat.

"Already?" I asked. It was still 4. I looked at him. He seemed so uncomfortable that I agreed to leave. As we were leaving, I finally saw the reason why he was so uncomfortable.

"Seto!" I yelled out and pulled out of Bakura's grip.

"Tea!" Bakura shouted and tried to grab me, but I was faster. I dashed out of his way and pushed through the crowd.

"Seto!" I screamed again. He turned around and saw me. No expression of happiness or joy passed across his face. He just looked at me... looked at me, wondering who I was. "Seto!" I pushed to get to him. He gave me one last look then turned around and got his pizza. "Seto!" I shouted after him as he disappeared into the crowd with his pizza. "Seto!" I finally busted through the crowd to where Seto WAS standing. I looked around frantically, searching for Seto.

VROOM! I heard a car start up. I turned around and saw a blue mustang start up. My heart skipped a beat as Seto got inside it. With a shove, I pushed myself back into the crowd, making my way towards the blue mustang.

I swung the door open just in time to see the car speed off.

"Seto!" I screamed, chasing after the car for a few feet. I gave up and sank to the ground, out of breath.

Footsteps approached then stopped right behind me. I stayed still, trying to listen to any noise that the person will make. Silence. Thinking that all I had heard was just my imagination, I slowly looked up. Bakura's eyes were locked onto the mustang disappearing in the horizon. I slowly looked back down.

I pulled Bakura's raggedy jacket tighter around me. I was freezing cold. We were walking silently at the park. Our footsteps echoed through the trees. Bakura let out a deep breath, which fogged out in the cold air. I looked away. I felt uncomfortable, considering I was with Bakura at the pizza place and dissed him to run after Seto.

We stopped at the entrance to the woods. I was about to turn back when Bakura said, "Come with me" and grabbed my hand... my LEFT hand. I hope it didn¡¯t bother him that he was holding onto the "ugly" hand.

He led me silently through the dark woods. It was amazing that he didn't trip over anything. It's like, he knew the woods by heart.

We finally came to a clearing where we can see the city below us and the stars above us.

He sat me down on a picnic table then walked towards the cliff. I watched silently as he sat down on the edge. I turned away and raised my eyes to the heavens, spotting Polaris.

::flashback::

"You see that star?" Seto asked Tea. She nodded. "That's Polaris, or as some people call it, the North Star." He paused and looked down at her. She was so beautiful in the moon's light, he thought. "It's exactly north. That's why if you're lost at sea, and you know where the North Star is, it'll guide you home."

Tea nodded and snuggled closer to Seto.

"And that's the same exact reason why you're in my heart. The North Star guided you to me."

::end of flashback::

I felt tears rolling down my cheek. Bakura must've heard me crying because he straightened up and looked at me.

"Why are you crying, Tea?" he asked, getting up. I shook my head, crying even more. He walked over and sat down beside me. I felt him pulling me close, wrapping me in a hug. A sob escaped my throat.

He patted my back, whispering, "Let it all out."

And that's just what I did... cried it all out on his shoulders. When I had whimpered down, he pulled me out at arms length and looked at me. I looked away.

"Tea..." he said and stopped. I felt him gently turning my face to look at him. He stared into my eyes and said, "You're beautiful, and I want you to know that."

I wiped the tears away from my eyes and slowly stood up. I stared at my reflection in the mirror. I raised my hand up to my face and touched the burns. I couldn't stand looking at myself anymore. I looked away shamefully, tears falling from my eyes. What did I do to deserve this?

::flashback::

"Seto!" Tea grabbed hold of his arm. He turned around and did a double take when he saw her holding onto his arm. He was grossed out by how her face looked like... rotting flesh on someone.

Tears sprung out of Tea's eyes. She could sense that she disgusted him.

"Seto!" she threw herself on him and buried her face into his chest. He stumbled backwards, wanting the disgusting thing off of him. He didn't even want to touch her.

"Seto, don't you remember me? Seto..." Tea cried. His shirt muffled her cries. Seto felt like he could barf.

"Seto... don't you love me... tell me that you love me... Seto........." Tea cried, over and over. Seto just stood there, mouth opened, shocked. He didn't know what to say. He never saw Tea after the accident... he DIDN'T want to see her. Why does she have to show herself to him?

"Seto!" a voice called out. He turned around and saw his new girlfriend.

"Yuna! Help me!" Seto cried out. Tea gripped tighter onto Seto's shirt. She didn't want to let him go. She loves him.

He looked down and saw the burnt left hand. He felt faint. "Yuna! Help!" he cried again. As Yuna approached, Tea let go and took a step back. She looked at the beautiful girl standing by Seto's side. Once in her life, she had been that girl standing by Seto's side.

Tea shook her head and ran off, tears streaming down her cheek.

::end of flashback::

I stared down at my burnt left hand.

I wanted to get this ugly thing off of me!

I jerked my head up and looked at my reflection. I grabbed my binder and covered the left side of my face.

There I was. The real me, looking back at me. Only this time, there was only the right side... the pretty right side... the only thing left of my beauty.

With a cry of rage, I started scratching my face... scratching, trying to get the ugliness off of my left side. Bright red blood trickled over my lips, down my chin, onto my clothes. I didn't care, didn't care that it hurt.

I scratched the eyelid over my left eye. I wanted to see with both eyes. Tears mixed with blood ran down. Skin was tucked under my fingernails. I hated myself.

I scratched my left hand... dug into the skin, into the meat, trying to pull the ugliness off.

With a cry of pain, I fell onto the bathroom floor, unconscious.

From far away, I awaken to the faint screams of fright, the wailing of the ambulance. I felt myself being wheeled down the school steps towards the ambulance, tubes being stuck into my mouth, a hand holding onto my left hand... my deformed hand.

With all my strength, I forced my eyes open, just a slit to look at who was holding my hand.

Tears ran down my face when I saw the person. It was an angel because he had wings.

I lay in the hospital bed, just thinking. My whole face was wrapped in bandages, along with my left hand. sarcastically WOW, this scene seems REALLY familiar.

I wanted to die. My tears had made the bandages around my eyes soggy and wet. I blinked quickly, trying to stop the tears from flowing.

I caused people too much pain. I made my family fall deeper into debt. Because of these hospital bills, my parents will never be able to get back up on their feet.

I closed my eyes as I heard the door to my room swing open. I pretended to be asleep. Footsteps came closer and closer to my bed.

It's probably a nurse, I thought. Then I felt a hand grabbed onto my right hand. I wanted to open my eyes, to see who it was, but I didn't dare. I didn't want the person to know that I was awake. I kept my eyes closed.

I felt the person stand up and put something on my nightstand. I felt their eyes on my face. I tried to remain as still as I can. Then, the person left... their footsteps echoing as they walked further and further away from me.

I quickly open my eyes and looked at the person as he or she walked out the door. I could only see the back of their head.

Who are you? I thought as rays of light seem to project out of their body.

The door slowly swung shut. I immediately sat up and reached for my nightstand. A bouquet of red roses lies on top. I grabbed it and frantically searched through it for a name.

Finally, I found it.

"To Tea..." I made out. It was kind of hard to see through the thick layers of bandages. "...............love..........." I squinted. It was so blurry. "...............love..............." I tried as hard as I could to make the name out. "...........Seto."

The roses fell out of my hands onto the floor as shock ran throughout my body.

"Seto!" I screamed out and jumped out of bed. "Seto!" I screamed and ran out of my room, stumbling over objects I couldn't see. "Seto!" I screamed over and over, running down the halls. People gave me weird looks as I ran past. It was kind of hard to keep my head up under the weight of the bandages. "Seto!" I screamed as I busted through the front doors of the hospital.

Rain pelted on my head. Thunder roared in the distance. I scanned the parking lot for Seto. Finally, I spotted the back of his head, opening a door.

"Seto!" I let out a breath of relief and ran over. I practically collided with him, smacking him into the car. I held on tightly, never wanting to let go, my arms wrapped tightly around his waist. I started to cry... never in my life was I so happy to have Seto to hold.

"Seto..." I mumbled over and over. He remained motionless. Finally, he unwrapped my arms from around his waist. "Seto," I said and looked up. My eyes opened wide in surprise. He wasn't Seto. His hair was PALE! How can I mistake a pale for Seto?! Seto wasn't even pale!!

The ends of his hair were curled out. He wore goggles over his eyes and some hip-hop clothes. He looked at me.

Was it tears in his eyes or just some rain that leaked into his goggles?

I backed away, shaking my head. I felt dumb... hugged a stranger with this ugly thing on my face. With a cry, I spun around and ran away from him. I wanted to die. My life was miserable. My face was disgusting.

I ran back into my room and collapse in the bed, crying.

Where are you, Seto? Don't you love me? I need you to hold, right now. What happened to those days when you told me you love me? ...those days when you said you'd always be there?

Weeping, I got off the bed and sank onto the floor. I grabbed the red roses and hugged them. They were the closest I could ever get to hold Seto now. I buried my face into them, taking in their sweet fragrance. Tears from my eyes wet the soft red petals. I cradled the roses as rain pelted on the window; the room enveloped in darkness.