When Worlds Collide

Note: I hope this isn't too dragged (drug?) out for you people, but it needs a bit more before the amazing conclusion. Please, please, review. After this chapter, I shall reply to reviews from my profile, so go there to see what I have to say! Anyhoo…

Disclaimer: sigh I don not own Yu-gi-oh, A Cinderella Story (which is briefly quoted in the below text), or the Sevenwaters Trilogy (belonging to the fabulous author Juliet Marillier). Lil, Steph and of course, the amazing plot line, can be credited to me, so go ahead and clap. anime sweat drops when there is silence

Chapter 12: Bridging the Gap

I tapped nervously on the railing as I waited for Kaiba to show up. I was wearing a simple outfit, a skirt and shirt, paired with a pair of sandals and a necklace that had been given to me by all of my friends a few years ago. I sighed slightly, remembering that all of my friends was not a very large count, and then sank down to read the second book in the Sevenwaters trilogy, Son of the Shadows, which I had checked out of the library and was re-reading for clarity of the series.

A few minutes later, I heard the sound of a motorcycle and began my descent, as I was a very slow climber and didn't want to make my date wait.

"Good evening," I said, lightly setting the book into the saddlebag and putting on the helmet that he had offered me. I was very, very nervous, and therefore was using my author voice.

Kaiba nodded and helped me on to the back of the motorcycle, which suddenly seemed so far away in my flustered state.

"Hold on tight," he muttered, and I obliged, though with a flush. He revved the motor and we were flying once again into the night.

We wheeled into the parking lot of a restaurant called Five Starr and he helped me down, making my nervous enough to want to restart the old habit of biting my nails.

"Do you have a reservation?" a guy in a suit asked with a very fake French accent (no insult to the French, of course, only to this poor soul who spends too much time fixing his fake moustache.)

"Two for Kaiba p-"

"Oh, Mr. Kaiba, I did not recognize you in this light and with the lady. Please, right this way."

I stared after the man and followed blindly, biting my lip in terror. I had just been reminded of who it was that I was on a date with.

We were seated in a very nice booth and earned the stares of many girls and their jealous dates. I shrunk into my seat, afraid to come between a millionaire and his fans. I was, after all, the least likely of all of them (except for that one… girl(?) in the corner) to be seated where I was in fact residing.

I stared down at my menu in confusion. I didn't recognize any of the names. I glanced at Kaiba, who was not even looking, in astonishment. He saw me and pointed to a certain dish that, on closer inspection, proved to be a steak platter of some sort. I nodded thankfully and rehearsed the pronunciation in my mind, hoping to get it right when the time came.

"May I take your orders now?" said a very attractive young waiter, making me even more nervous.

After ordering, which was an ordeal in itself, I looked again at my date, still amazed and half expecting to wake up from a very long, strange, dream.

"So… do you come here a lot?" I asked him quietly.

"Enough, I guess."

I nodded and looked around at the staring patrons of the Five Starr. "Umm," I said, leaning closer to him so that I could peak without being heard by the others. "What is their problem?"

He raised his eyebrows and looked around him at the people. "Oh, that. I don't know… I guess most of them never expected me to bring, you know, a girl here. I'm not exactly known for being social."

I giggled nervously and sat back, trying to calm my nerves. After a moment of thumb twitching, I grew bored and sought conversation again.

"So… um… Have you read any good books lately?" I tried, knowing that I was very desperate to go to such a subject that would start my own ridiculous rambling.

"Not really. I don't have much time to read, not with the company to run. I think the last time I read a book was in school, and that was Romeo and Juliet."

I shrugged, having never read it myself, and stared at the table for a minute. "I love to read, more than most anything else. And I write. You know, I actually have a few full-fledged novels waiting on an agent's desk right now? Only… she's from… back home."

Suddenly realizing that my dream was forfeit if I stayed here, I shut my mouth and stared at the floor, wanting to be back in the world of Silema and her easy right and wrong… well, anyway, her easy romance… okay, whatever. When I was the writer, I was in control. No such thing was true for this date.

The food came and I picked at it, staring subtly at Kaiba while he ate with deft, certain hands, never missing a step. I blushed and tried not to muck it up too badly. I had never been a very sure handed eater, having the tendency to rush or talk with food in my mouth.

"You know, Mokuba didn't believe me when I first told him I was bringing you here," he said, putting aside his fork for a moment.

As usual, my mouth was full and I could only cock my head at him and swallow. "Oh? Why not? Haven't you… been on tons of dates before?"

He shook his head to my astonishment. Surely at least one. "No… I could never really find anyone I wanted to have much to do with at all."

"Then… why on earth bring me here?" I asked, fidgeting slightly and putting aside my own fork. I was full, or had lost my appetite to the sudden conversation.

"I don't know… Because I don't hate you, and because you don't hate me either. That would seem rare enough."

I shrugged, thinking about my former, hopeless crush, a boy by the name of Drake. That had gone well. Not.

"I don't know… it's not so much hatred as simple lack of interest that screws it up for me. It's so hard… to like someone who has even the slightest idea of who you are. My… my former crush, from back home… he thought of me as just a weird, quiet reading girl who was not nearly as interesting as his girlfriend."

"Whoever said that weird is a bad thing?"

I stared at him, and then looked away. I had never met the eyes of any guy, let alone one whose deep blue ones could pierce a hole right through you. Maybe they had already managed a small one in my heart.

"I suppose not. I like being who I am… but it isn't enough for anyone else."

"I know what you mean… I'm the head of a company and all I hear is 'make some friends, Kaiba' or 'Have you got a girlfriend yet, Mr. Kaiba' and all of those types of questions."

I nodded vigorously and had the strangest flashback to a movie I'd watched.

"'Like… being yourself isn't good enough'," I quoted in a whisper. Was this going to end as well as that story had? Would I fall in love?

No, I told myself, that isn't going to happen. We are too different.

"Are you finished with your meal, miss?" the cute waiter asked as if on cue.

"Yup," I said, and then blushed as he laughed.

"Haven't heard that one in here before," he said as he took the plate away, stopping to whisper something to Kaiba.

"What did he say?"

"Oh, nothing," he muttered, picking up the check and pulling out his wallet. "Are you ready to go?"

I nodded and stood up, following him up to the counter and then outside.

"Where to now?"

Struck with a distant memory, I suddenly recalled where I had always wanted to go on a date. "Is there a bowling alley around here?"

"Yes. Why?"

"I'd like to go there, if you don't mind. I love bowling."

He shrugged and helped me onto the motorcycle again. I squealed in delight as we took off again, but not very loudly. I was getting at least half of my dream date. Okay, so all of, a motorcycle, a cute guy who wasn't a total jerk and a bowling trip. So why did I feel like something was missing?

"How much for one game and shoe rental?" Kaiba asked the man behind the counter who jumped slightly.

"Mr. Kaiba… You can have a game on the house, if you want. Just your presence here is gonna make our profits sky rocket!"

He just shrugged and asked me my shoe size.

"Nine and a half," I whispered, glancing around us. There were very few people at all, which meant less staring.

"Have a good time, you two."

I found a 10 pound, blue bowling ball and laughed as Kaiba picked up several of them, trying to find the right weight. He apparently didn't bowl much.

"Fourteen pounds?" I said as he started to walk off with one. "That's pretty heavy."

He shrugged and put in down, looking at the computer for a minute before entering his name as Kaiba. I slapped his arm before realizing who I was hitting and then had to smile innocently.

"It's not a meeting, you know. First names, nicknames or just something silly works too you know."

I walked up to the keyboard and typed Lil with a satisfied smile and changed his to Seto.

"Much better," I noted, indicating for him to take his turn.

As throws go, it was very good, and I knew that he was either very lucky or had played before.

After a lot of laughing, it was at last one 'o' clock and the game was finished. He won, of course, since I couldn't bowl worth anything.

"At least you didn't let me win," I noted as we left. "It would have been pretty obvious."

He shrugged. "I don't like to lose."

"So I've heard. You really ought to lighten up. It's too hard on a person to carry the weight of every mistake on their shoulders; I would know."

"What do you know about pressure?"

"Plenty, thank you very much. Imagine getting all As and wanting somehow to do more, wanting 100 all the time. Try having nightmares about the life you're going to lead, alone with your books and your pets. Then you'll know what my life is like."

He just looked away. I hoisted myself onto the motorcycle and put the helmet on, leaning against his back as he started the motor.

I suddenly realized what was missing from my dream date. A kiss. But certainly I did not expect this from Seto Kaiba, and on our first official date. No… of course I didn't.

He stopped in front of the hotel and I hopped off, grabbing my book and hugging it to my chest.

Lucky Sorcha, I thought, she falls in love. And I'd wager than Fiadan does as well at some point.

"Good night, Lily. I hope… I hope you don't have any nightmares about loneliness tonight."

I smiled weakly. "Good night… Seto. Don't be too hard on yourself. Not everyone hates you."

I turned to leave, my heart feeling strangely jumpy, and was stopped by a hand on my own.

"Thank you," he whispered. "You… you're… different than other girls. You actually listen to me."

I shrugged and looked up, into the cool blue of his eyes. "I do try," I whispered thoughtfully. "That's all I can really do at this point."

And I walked back into the hotel, my heart feeling even more excited than before. Was it possible that I had seen kindness in those eyes? Was it possible that my heart did not belong to Joey after all?

End note: Please excuse any mistakes about fancy restaurants, as I have never really been to one before. I hope you liked it. Review and stay tuned!