By Hikaru Hayashi

It's been a while. I still have no clue how to make Annie less of a scatterbrain, but I'm going to try. Don't worry, she's not back yet...well...I don't think so...ah wutever.

Disclaimer note: I don't own certain people in this fic. But I do own some other people in this fic and I'm gonna shut my mouth now, so...yah.

Ah, let's just continue...!

Chapter 21: Seto Meets Sophia's Parents

It was decided, over much debate and arguing, that Noah was to stay at the mansion with Seto and Mokuba.

"Why not?" Sophia asked. "You guys are relatives."

"You have a point," Mokuba replied. "But of all the relatives...I mean, we don't like any of them but..."

"...Oh, crap, why does it have to be Noah!" said a clearly pissed of Seto, finishing Mokuba's sentence.

"You guys talkin' about me?" came Noah's voice.

The group turned around to see Noah, standing in the doorway to the mansion's library, where they were holding their discussion.

Sophia, both her parents being doctors, said sternly, "Noah, you know you shouldn't be out of bed. Now go get some rest."

"But I feel fine!" Noah argued. "Really!!"

"If I were you, Noah," Seto began, "I would listen to her. If not, then I guess we could just leave you back out on the streets..."

"Ack! I'm going!" Noah whined as he reluctantly went back to his room.

"Y'know, Seto," Sophia said, "You could have been a little nicer to him. That was a bit harsh."

He left the room, muttering, "Whatever..."

Sophia sighed.

Mokuba looked at her and said, "I can already tell you two are gonna have a tough relationship...I always said to myself, I pity the poor girl who decides to be Nii-sama's girlfriend. I guess that poor girl is you, Sophia!!" With this, Mokuba walked out of the library snickering.

...Little brat... Sophia thought. One minute he's so nice and the next...he's a regular punk...How does Seto put up with that kid?!

Seto, remembering he'd left Sophia in the library, went back. "Um...Sophi?" he asked.

She looked at him and smiled. "Oh, yes?" she replied sweetly.

"I just remembered...are you sure you don't need a ride home?" Seto asked, concerned. "I mean, shouldn't you have been home hours ago?"

Sophia looked up at the clock. It was 9:15. "Oh, shoot! I'm dead!" she shouted as she picked up her book bag and ran out the library door, giving Seto a quick kiss on the cheek before running off. "Bye! See you tomorrow!" she said quickly.

The next thing Seto knew, Sophia was out the door and halfway down the street. Wow...she's pretty fast...Seto thought. I wonder if she's ever considered joining the track team...but water polo's her favorite sport...ah, like I care about that... Seto went to his room, knowing he had a lot of work to finish.

Sophia quietly got out her house keys. She had then decided, "What the heck I'll go through the back door..." She snuck around to the back of her house. Since the back door was always open, she just walked right in. Don't squeak, door...she thought, knowing the back door had a tendency to squeak like a pack of mice.

...ccCrrreee...The back door made a small sound, barely audible.

Sophia walked into the house, slowly closing the door behind her. She was successful. Sophia sighed from relief and wiped the sweat off of her forehead. Whew...that was close...she thought. She tiptoed through the kitchen. Strange...she thought. None of the lights are on...I don't feel a tingle so it has nothing to do with magic...but it's still strange...

She opened the door to the living room. It was completely dark. Maybe my parents are already in bed asleep...she thought. All she had to do was feel her way through the dark living room and to the stairs. Then tiptoe up the stairs and to her room. I'm almost there...she thought. She grabbed the stair rail...

Suddenly, the lights came on. "Owww...what the..." she moaned, shading her eyes from the light.

"Aha! Busted!!!" came a voice.

Sophia was stunned. She slowly turned around. A figure was sitting in a chair facing the other direction. "Huh...wha..."

"Heh hah! You thought you could get away that easily?!" Said the voice from the chair.

Sophia was nervous. "Who the heck is...?" she said, knowing she really didn't want the answer. She got it.

The chair swirled around to face Sophia's direction. She then learned the owner of the voice...and wasn't too thrilled. Her plan had failed. "Um...hi Daddy..." she said, nervously.

Sophia's dad got up out of his favorite chair. He walked towards his daughter. "So!" he said. "Where have you been, young lady?"

"Um...well..." Sophia stuttered. "I...uh...you see...it's....well...I was...um...oh boy..."

"Oh boy is right!" Mr. Carmichael said with a smirk on his face. "You were at that boy Stevo's house, weren't you?"

"His name is Seto!!!" Sophia shouted without thinking.

"Yeah...uh-huh!" Mr. Carmichael said, with satisfaction. "I knew it!"

...Oops...Sophia thought.

"You know you're in trouble...don't you Soph?"

"Look, Daddy!" Sophia said. "There's an explanation! I swear!"

"Mm-hmm..." Sophia's dad said, sternly. "There better be..."

"You see..." Sophia started, "I was on my way home, but then there was this boy..."

"ANOTHER ONE!!!" Mr. Carmichael screamed.

"NO!" Sophia shouted. "He was young, okay? Like around twelve. He was hurt, so I took him to the hospital. It turns out that he was related to Seto, so I decided to take him over to Seto's house. I guess I stayed there longer than I thought..."

"So you were at his house?" Mr. Carmichael asked.

At this time, Sophia's mom came downstairs. "What's this ruckus about?" she asked, rubbing her eyes. "Richard! Sophia? Where have you been? And why are the lights so dang bright?!"

"Don't worry, Jen," Mr. Carmichael said. "I'm devising a plan so our delinquent daughter won't disobey us again. Do you realize she went over to that boy's house after school instead of coming straight home?"

Sophia's mom stared. "Is there a problem with that?" she asked. "When I was in high school, I went to my boyfriend's house all the time. My father never blew a gasket. Sophia, why don't you invite him over here one night?"

"WHAT?!?!" Rick shouted, wide-eyed, his mouth hanging open.

"Sure!" Jenna said, smiling. "After all, Seto seemed like a nice boy."

"At least Mom remembered his name..." Sophia muttered.

"And..." Mrs. Carmichael went on, "From the last time he took her home in that fancy car...he looks like he has a little bit of money..."

"Oh yeah!" Sophia said. "Daddy, I forgot to tell you, Seto's rich!"

"THAT'S why you like him?" Mr. Carmichael said in a whining voice. "My daughter! She's become a gold-digger! Going after guys because they have money!!"

"Daddy!" Sophia shouted, her face turning red. "That's not it at all!!"

"This discussion could go on all night, but I'm ending it here," Mrs. Carmichael said. "Friday night, ask him over here for dinner. All right Sophia?"

"Okay!" Sophia chirped.

"And Richard!" Mrs. Carmichael said to her husband. "You try to behave for our charming young guest, alright?"

"Mumble...grumble...grummmble...mumbllleee...ah...sure...whatever..." Rick grumbled.

On her way out the door to school the next day, Sophia received an unexpected surprise. Seto was standing at her doorstep.

"Good morning, Sophi!" he said. "I thought I'd walk you to school today."

"Oh, wow...it's you...!!...I mean...hi Seto...! ...Uh...okay!" Sophia said as she began to blush.

Sophia's mom came out of the kitchen. "Well, who do we have here? Is this your friend Seto?"

Seto stared for a second.

"Oh, yeah!" Sophia said. "Seto, this is my mom. Mom, this is Seto Kaiba."

"And how are you this morning?" Mrs. Carmichael said, in a bubbly voice. "Nice to meet you. I'm Jenna Carmichael, but you may call me Jen. Sophia's told me a lot about you."

"Um...hello...I guess..." Seto said, not knowing what else to say.

"And I'm her dad!" Mr. Carmichael said, stepping out of the shadows. "You will call me Mr. Carmichael."

"Richard!" Mrs. Carmichael said, in a scolding voice. "Behave yourself!'

Ah...okay...Seto thought as a sweat drop rolled down the back of his head. I'm thinking coming to pick her up was a bad idea...!

"Listen, Solo..." Rick said.

"Um...if you don't mind, my name is Seto."

"Yah, whatever...listen here now!" Rick said, pointing a finger at Seto. "Don't you try anything fresh with my daughter! Got that?! Or I will personally see to it that you never see the light of day again!"

By now, Seto was more than a bit frustrated. "Well, you listen, old man," he started. "I don't know who you think your talking to, but I suggest you don't try to piss me off...!"

"Ah...so we have a little bit of a lip here, don't we?!" Rick said, annoyed. "And I am not old! I'm 42 and still young, I'll have you know!! And how old are you, huh? 17? 18 maybe?"

Seto was becoming angry. "If you must know, I'm 16. My birthday is in October."

"HAH!!" Rick shouted. "Sophi's birthday is next week. She's older than you!!!"

"Would you just shut up, Old Man!!!" Seto said, seconds away from blowing a fuse. "I'm losing my temper. And trust me...you don't want to see me when I'm angry...! Let's go, Sophi. I don't want us to be late for school." With this, Seto turned and walked off.

"Oh! Wait for me, Seto!" Sophia said, running off after him.

Rick sneered. "Look at the way he walks, Jen. He thinks he's sooooo bad, doesn't he?! Little Mr. High-and-Mighty-Snobby-Moneybags with his Holier-than-thou attitude...our daughter really knows how to pick a boyfriend, doesn't she? 'Oh, look at me! I'm Mr. Bad and you don't wanna see me when I'm angry!'"

Jenna sighed. "Richard...please..."

End Chapter Twenty-one

How was this one? Why do I ask that at the end of every chapter? Ah, heck! I don't have to ask, because you'll tell me in your review. I honestly think this chapter was weird, but he had to meet the folks sooner or later. Ah well. Ja ne!