Hi! Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I've been really busy. On with the story!

Disclaimer: This is the 210th time! Well, actually, it's only #42 but you can guess how tired I am of saying I don't own the subject!

Chapter 8: The Clash

Sakura woke up and stretched. Ugggh! she thought, I hate Mondays! She got up and got ready for school. As she brushed her teeth, she heard a small voice in her head, but the strange thing was that it wasn't her voice. It was female though, she could tell that; 'You may not like it, but education is important', it said, 'You need to have one, whether it means getting up early or not.' Instead of spitting her toothpaste out in the sink, she spit it onto the mirror. She was panting as though she had just run the stretch between Domino and her old hometown. What was that? She shook her head as she cleaned off the mirror, deciding it was just her imagination. When it was time, she and Hoshi went to meet up with Teà and Yugi.

Later at lunch, Sakura and the gang pressed Hoshi to sit with them.

"Come on Hoshi!" begged Sakura. "It can't be too much torture to sit with us!" She gave her a puppy-dog look. "Have I ever asked you for anything?"

Hoshiko sighed and rolled her eyes. "I dunno, have you?" she asked dully. Sakura intensified her puppy eyed look. "Fine!" said Hoshi sitting down next to Joey. "I'll sit with you, but I won't like it."

Sakura rolled her eyes. Hoshi would thank her for this later. She really needed to be more social.

As they ate lunch, they talked about dueling, sports, school, homework, etc. That is to say, Yugi, Sakura and the gang talked about these things. Hoshi just sat quietly, eating her lunch. When the talked turned to family, Sakura turned as quiet as Hoshiko.

"What 'bout you Sakura?" asked Joey, taking a drink of his soda.

Sakura looked down at her half-eaten sandwich. "I'd rather not talk about it." At this, Ryou raised his eyebrow. Before he had a chance to say anything, a cold voice interrupted him.

"She probably doesn't want to talk about it because her parents are most likely drunks who do nothing but lay around all day mumbling about things and people that don't exist." Everyone looked up to see a smirking Seto Kaiba looking down at them all.

Joey rose to his feet, ready for a fight. "Say that again Kaiba!" he dared.

"It's okay Joey," said Sakura quietly, looking back down at her sandwich. "Really."

Joey looked down at Sakura. He was actually quite taken aback to see a tear rolling down her face. "But you can't let him talk trash to you like that!" he protested.

"Didn't you hear her Wheeler?" asked Kaiba, his smirk growing wider. "She said it was okay. But then again, she's probably just as drunk as her parents are."

At this point, Joey was about to lunge at him, but before he could, Sakura stood up and looked Kaiba strait in the eye. "They died in a car crash," she told him quietly. "They were hit by a drunk driver. Happy now?"

Seto was actually quite taken aback at her response, but didn't show it. "Are you sure they weren't the drunk drivers?" he asked cruelly.

Without another word, Sakura grabbed her things and ran inside the building at top speed. Kaiba laughed and walked away from the table as the others just looked sadly at the door through which Sakura had exited.

Gasp! How can Kaiba be so cruel? Well, I might have yet another chapter done this week as I'm itching to update more. Not tonight though. I have to crawl in bed soon. Seeya! I'm gonna get to sleep!