A/n: I think I'll add some humor in this too, even though it's not in the genre.

Disclaimer: I don't own the movie "She's All That," or YuGiOh! ™……end disclaimer.

It's a Very Big Deal, Tristan's Advice

"You are SOOOO lucky, Tristan," said Tea for the fifth time..

She, Tristan and Joey were in line in the cafeteria, walking towards a table to sit down with their trays. Many other DHS students were either skipping today or didn't have any exams. The lucky didn't, she thought.

"Yeah," said Joey, who wasn't eating anything for once, so deep in thought. "If dat Duke suspect'd anythin', it'd be all ova da school, like it wuz on da bafroom walls da next day!!"

"Yeah," said Tea before Tristan could open his mouth. "And what was the big deal, sneaking out?" she said rounding on him, still peeved about that. "If you SAW us kiss, why didn't you SAY something?!" she demanded, glaring at her milk carton. She still couldn't get over it.

"I did say something!" Tristan insisted shrilly. He looked from angry face to face in total bewilderment. "What, you guys didn't hear me scream, "My eyes! They burn! and then--then the running.....?" His fist was still shaking at his side.

Both looked at each other then back, and slowly shook their heads.

"Must've been soooooome kiss, all right," Tristan muttered, kicking under the table. "So what're you guys now, a couple or something?" He bravely snatched some of Tea's chips, something that would have had his head chopped off if he did. But Tea barely noticed.

Because of silence. Total silence. They were both looking in opposite directions, scowling. Except for the sounds of Tristan's thoughtful chewing.

"Hm," he said looking from one avoiding gaze to another and answering his own question. "Broke up already? All the sudden mute, huh? No more yelling at poor Tristan?" Crunch, crunch, crunch. "Must be the record for the speediest romance."

That made them talk again. Tea said, "We did NOT yell at you," while Joey said, "'Poor' Tristan who nearly spilled da beans!" at the same time.

Fighting like…….a married couple. Tristan decided to keep his grin to himself. Then he said suddenly, "Hey, waitaminute, don't YOU like Mai, Joe?"

He just stood there, blinking. ".........Yeah. So?"

"And don't YOU like Yugi, Tea?" Tristan accused, turning to her. She closed her mouth and nodded, but before she could answer, he dramatically turned back to him.

"And isn't Yugi your best friend, Joey?" It was a rhetorical question; he turned back to her.

And then again jabbing at Tea. "And isn't Mai YOUR best girl friend, Tea?" At the pause, he tsked and tutted aloud, shaking his wrist like the situation was too hot to handle. "Man. You guys got yourselves in a doozy, all right!" and taking a bite, and nodding conclusively. "A……real…..gulp……mess!"

Gee, thanks for laying all of our problems so nice and neat down at our feet, Tristan, thought Tea sarcastically, taking a non-tasting bite of her sandwich sulkingly. Meanwhile, Joey looked stricken, as thought he hadn't quite thought of it like that. All at once, it was a lot to absorb. But Tea had already 'absorbed' it in the past. Over and over again. And that was why they had to stick to the plan. Tea took a few more quick bites of her sandwich, not really tasting it. "I'll see you guys later," she said, getting up with her tray to the garbage.

 thought Tea sarcastically, taking a non-tasting bite of her sandwich sulkingly. Meanwhile, Joey looked stricken, as thought he hadn't thought of it like . All at once, it was a lot to absorb. But Tea had already 'absorbed' it in the past. Over and over again. And that was why they had to stick to the plan. Tea took a few more quick bites of her sandwich, not really tasting it. "I'll see you guys later," she said, getting up with her tray to the garbage.

She was thankful Joey didn't follow her. Truthfully, he seemed to be deep in thought, and as she checked over her shoulder, their eyes met and she sent a mental message with her eyes: Think about it!

Unfortunately, he took that to come over. Tea sighed. Figures. "…..what?"

"Nothing, I didn't call you!" Tea let out a frustrated sigh and dashed past him, the skirt of her uniform swishing and hitting his leg. A glance at Tristan, and Joey spread his arms as if to say, What???? Tristan grinned and waved bye-bye and left. Great. Even thought Tristan was a pain on the neck, he knew more about girls than he did.

"What're ya so mad 'bout?" He started to follow her down the hall. "where're ya goin'? Hey!"

"I'm….going to talk to my teacher," said Tea, trying not to seethe. "Unlike you, I actually have to study to pass."

What she meant by that was he was one of the school's best soccer player, and jocks always got exemption from exams to play; Domino was heavily into playing professional sports. Bets were made, hundreds of them on each game, stakes drawn to cut, closer than hair-fine. He ignored the slight. "What for."

"To pass, I said!" She shook her head and felt a headache bite from anxiety. "What's that smell?" A light, perfume had just whiffed in her nostrils. It smelled oddly familiar. "Are you wearing some sort of cologne or something?!"

"No. I dun dink so." He scratched his head. "Though I did have some beans fer breakfast dis mornin'…..afta sis ate all my Fruit Loops." He recalled then fighting over the last bit after he had come over at dawnbreak. It had gotten pretty messy.

Tea made a face. "No, you nut, it smells like perfume, not….." She stopped, recognizing it, and went pale. "Mai! Was she here?!" She studied his face ultra-closely for clues at that, even as he turned, she followed around to look.

"Uh. Yeah….." She couldn't be sure under the heavy hair, but was pretty certain he turned red. Or was turning red. "Yeah she was."

He turned to look at her then, and would've laughed if there wasn't that chance she'd knock his head off. She was staring at his cheek, and he automatically wiped it off, and her expression turned disgusted. Trying to make her tone seem brisk and uncaring, she said, "Did she kiss you?!" Failed.

"Um." His face said it all. "Hey wait, don't get jealous!" he said, as she stalked off, and followed. At that, though, she whirled. "Not you, not you," he lied. She calmed down a bit. "Where're ya goin'. Ya still didn't answer."

"I," Tea said precisely, turning, "am going to speak with my teacher about retaking my test. Anything else?!"

"Why doan I speak wit im. Mebbe I c'n convince him. Who you got?"

Tea sighed. Might as well let him have his own way, else he'll never let up. "Mr. Testaverde. Rm 556."

"Okay. I'll convince 'im ta give ya a retest, doan worry." He strutted down the hall doing his weird knees bent out, arms swinging sort of strut. (a/n: he does it in the manga. It's funny lol)

"Hey! Wait!" Frantically, Tea tried to think of some excuse, since Joey usually made things even worse. Though he was meant well. "I---GET BACK HERE!" Being an ex-fighter, the only way Joey knew how to 'convince' someone was to knock them out, and ….

Meanwhile, Joey looked up at the door frame with "B0556" on it. He could hear rustling paper noises inside, so he strolled in, and slammed the door shut to get the teacher's attention. Meanwhile, Tea stood and peeked in, opening the door a crack, hoping there wouldn't be a bloody teacher to pick up on the ground later….

"Heya, Coach," Joey said, plunking his fists right down on front of the teacher's desk, his blue uniformed back to her. (Mr. Testaverde was also DHS's soccer varsity coach.) "Whatcha doin'? Ya busy?"

The big, beefy man glared up in annoyance, never had liked the rowdy teen boy, even though he was his star player. His big black handlebar moustache turned down at the corners. "Wheeler!" he barked, getting up and stuffing the papers in the already messy desk. "Leave, or it's 50 laps next practice!!"

With that, he blew the whistle hanging around his neck loudly, big beefy face turning red with rage. But that was okay. Joey didn't like his coach, either; the feeling was mutual. He was a lousy coach. Lately, it seemed the team was coaching themselves! "Awright, dude, jest need to ask ya somethin', My, uh, friend Tea, she's in your, uh---"

"First period," Tea supplied, coming in a stopping a few distance off. The coach glared up then smiled condescendingly. He was a male chauvinist, too.

"Ah, Gardener." He came around. "Your test, girlie." He thrust her a wrinkled old page with her name scrawled and flashed his gold yellow coffee-stained teeth.

Tea's hand was shaking as she took it. Math was a required subject in Domino, without passing it, she would….. "F!? Failed?!" she yelled, rage and frustration making the paper crumple in a fist. "I did better than that!" she protested, trying not to cry. The regular teacher, Miss Button, was out sick for exams and Mr. Testaverde was only a sub. Maybe I can play that to the school board. Her hands started shaking. The male school board, the pigs.

The man's grin widened at her distress, and Joey said, "Hey, Coach. Why dontcha give 'er a retest? Give 'er a break!"

"Sorry. No deal. All grades are final. Too bad you don't have any say about it."

"Okaay….." Joey said, taking a big breath and holding it. Then he exhaled. "But I do have a say on whether we'll win da big soccer match on dis Friday….."

The coach frowned and Tea looked at him in shock. Like all the other coaches, Mr. Testaverde probably set high stakes on the big game on Friday. If they were to lose……. "Joey, no!" The coach's grin faded.

Suddenly, the coach grinned fiendishly. "Fine. Do whatever you want, Wheeler…but I am not giving her a retest!" He jabbed a sausage like finger at her and walked away suddenly. A piece of paper fluttered to the floor as he did so.

Joey picked it up. "What da?" he muttered. "You were betting against us?!" he said, scanning the paper. It had, "Five to one against Domino High."

"What?! Aganist---? No wonder you didn't care if we lost!" Tea exclaimed, looking over his shoulder. "Our own coach, betting against us--! His own team!"

"Traita!" Joey said dramatically pointing at the man who had a very ugly look on now. "We'll tell on ya if you doan give the retest!" Joey got right in the guy's face. "I wonda what da principal would do, if she found out you were settin' da stakes against us!"

He was right. He would be fired. A fierce loyalist to Domino High Players, Mrs. Kuno would be furious. Little punk!

"All right, all right!" he lied, snatching it back. "I'll give the retest! Now get out." He practically shoved them out and slammed the door with finality in their faces.

Well, that didn't go well….."I don't think he was telling the truth," Tea said afterwards when they were in the nearly-deserted after school hours in the hall.

"Oh yeah he was. An' if he ain't, den, well….I'll just hafta beat Fushin High."

"Do...you really think you could?" Tea knew that if he didn't, his popularity with the school would take a serious dive. Which could affect the outcome of his Prom King campaign…..

"Doan worry. It'll be a cinch," he said confidentially. "Fushin has all brawn but no brains."

"I can't believe that stupid excuse for a Domino High teacher would bet we'd lose," Tea mused. Suddenly, she grabbed him and pushing him against the wall. " That traitoring scum!! You have to make us win on Friday. Joey. I can't STAND traitors."

"I tol' ya, I will! I can't stand 'em, either." He looked down at her, then up. "He hasta pay!"

"Never mind about my test." She continued in a fierce undertone. "I'll be in the cheerleading squad to cheer you on."

"…..Really?" He looked down, touched, touching her face.

"Really." Her eyes glittered with determination.

"Ah-HA!" Both jumped, apart, as the trashcan nearby suddenly exploded, and a guy came out.

"Gah! It's it The-Guy- That-Lives-In-The-Trash!" Joey said, as he leaped back behind a door.

Tea rolled her eyes and stayed where she was. "Duke, get a life!"

"I knew you were together!" Duke said with a triumphant spill of paper from his head. Joey came back to where he was and joined her in scowling at him. "You're gonna go to the Prom together!"

"We're not!" Tea practically screamed, rising on her tippy toes. "I'm going with Yugi!"

"Yeah!" said Joey. Then he stopped and looked at her. "Ya are?"

"Well, of course I am!" she exclaimed, smacking his shoulder.

Duke angled the crook of his thumb and forefinger on the point of his chin. "Sounds like a lover's spat to me!" He nodded thoughtfully to himself. "heh heh heh."

"Oh, shut up!" Tea kicked the wastebasket, causing him to umph, as Joey said:

"But--but I dot datchu were gonna ask him, not da otha way round! He doesn't like you, except as a friend."

"Ohhh, really?" Her eyes were practically sparking with rage as she rose again on tiptoe. (She was a few inches shorter than him.). "Well, for your information, he does like me; he asked me this morning."

"Ohhhh." He grinned as realization dawned. "Den it's a pity date."

"It is not! He likes me, you dope! What, you thought I'd ask and you hoped I'd get turned down?" Her voice rose an octave with each word. "Think I'm crazy?!" With that, she whirled and stalked down the hall and out of the door.

"Yes," he thought aloud in a mumble. They both winced at the slamming echo in the dim, empty hallway. Jeeeeeeez. What's got her so riled? Women.

Still, he felt desolate as Duke clambered up, and kicked the clanging metal trashcan off. Then, he slung an arm about that other guy's shoulder in a buddy-buddy way. Joey gave him a-what-in-da-hell-are-ya-doin' sort of look, and Duke said, "Women problems? I know all about that," patronizingly.

"No danks. I doan needchur advice." He shrugged the arm off, but Duke persisted:

"I don't know what you're so moody about. And what's Tristan so freaked out about? If I'd been Tristan and caught you two, I'd be cheering you on." He said, standing up straight and rubbing his chin in agreement, as Joey rolled his eyes and kept walking on. "Heck, if I were kissing Tea, I'd be cheering myself on."

"Whoa, boy," Tristan muttered, as he held Joey back from tackling Duke. (He'd just had another hot dog from the cafeteria. He didn't need another one.) To Duke, he said, "You're weren't there, so shut up."

"Still," said Duke, self-sure of himself as usual, clearly not knowing any obvious danger he was in. "I would." As Joey snarled, he said, "Geez! What's the matter with YOU."

"He's just speaking hypothetically, man. Hypothetically!" Tristan coached to calm him down. "I mean, you would you feel, if you caught me and Duke like with her?"

Joey scowled. "Sick ta my stomach."

"Exactly!" Tristan grinned, glad he was understood at last. Duke rolled his eyes and shook his head, crossing his arms and looking the other way, walking off. Tch. Idiots. And they call each other friends. "Wait, where is Tea, wasn't she here?"

"Nah. Hey, listen, Tris. Is it true dat Yuge likes her?"

"What d'you mean, 'Likes her'? You mean as in like-likes her, or just likes her."

"Like-like."

"Oh!" Tristan grinned as the three began walking home. "Yeah. Yeah, he does."

"He………DOES?!?!?!?!?!?!"

"Duh, man. Isn't it obvious?" Tristan rolled his eyes as if dealing with a total amateur. "She's his friend. And she's a girl. So, she's his girl friend. Girlfriend, get it?" He shrugged, string the two words together. "All in putting the two together."

Joey looked even more confused. "So--but--she's---friend---nahhh, I dun believe it!" he said finally. "Yuge's not interested in her like dat

". Dere jest friends. She likes him, but he doesn't like her." He said, sounding as if trying to convince himself. "Least, not in dat way......"

" 's true." Tristan kicked a pebble nonchalantly, studying at a piece of paper. "I can't believe you didn't know, man!! You ARE dense."

"Hey, who're ya callin' dense?" Joey decided to ask his buddy himself later. Meanwhile, he had to work up some cash for his date. "Yo, Tris, ya got some twenty bucks?"

"Hmm," Tristan said, rifling through his pockets of the DHS boys' uniform. "No, just a ten. What d'you need it for?"

"That's cool." Joey snatched it and walked quickly away with a wave. "Ya c'n owe me da rest."