Raventhedarkgoddess: Yay, you like me and you want me to update. I feel so loved. Anywho, sorry this took so long...

Chapter Five: The Not-So-Secret Life of Serenity Wheeler

"Wouldn't I?" The words challenged her, warned her that something might be happening, something that she did not want to have happen.

"You won't," she threatened.

"September 1, 2004 A new tournament..." He stopped to smirk "There's so many amusing entries here I can't even begin to pick one."

"Give it back!" Serenity lept for his arm, aiming only for her book. She missed by several inches, and everyone watching had to wince: She landed, headlong, into one of the hard walls, and a rack of suitcases tumbled back on top of her. Malik laughed cruely.

"He won't do it," Ishizu said. "I have faith in my brother."

"Do you now?" Marik laughed. "Even without me, he's a pretty evil kid."

"Shut up!" Ishizu ordered, losing her cool, flipping her hair back, staring coldly at the spirit that had once been within her brother.

"Calm yourself, Ishizu." Yami was calm, but his arm around her back sent shivers up and down her spine. I don't remember him ever standing this close to me, or talking to me so tenderly about anything...

"Yes, my pharoah," she whispered. His lips twisted into what might have been a half-smile, was at any rate amusement.

"Call me Yami," he insisted gently. Ishizu nodded. Yami, she thought, rolling the word around in her mind. Was that a smile he gave me? She would never be certain, but she could still hope... Pay attention, she ordered herself.

Tea leaned her head into the nearest thing to her: Bakura. Ryou watched them wordlessly, grinning. He knew Bakura wanted her, but he would also get throttled if that secret ever left his mouth. He contented himself with saying, "Bakura..."

"You're warm," Tea muttered to him. Bakura considered wrapping her in his arms while no one but Ryou was looking: The boy wouldn't tell anyone. Tea's eyes were twinkling in the light, whispering that everything could work for them. She really trusts me, he found himself thinking.

"Shut up, Ryou." Everyone turned to look at him slowly, and he shoved Tea off. "And you stay away from me, girl."

"Yes, Bakura." Why didn't he do that sooner? Could he really like me in spite of everything? "But I don't understand why you keep pushing me away."

"You're a brat, Tea. That's the end it." But is she really?

Mai was relaxing next to Joey, both of them watching the screen with intent worry. "Try not to worry too much about Serenity," Mai whispered to Joey. "I'm sure she'll be okay. Malik isn't anything worth worring about."

"Thanks, Mai." He looked over to her with a quick, warm smile before quickly turning back to his sister's plight, hearing Malik's laughter as Serenity hit another rack of suitcases. He winced sympatheticly and Mai quietly took his hand with a meaningful look.

"Why don't you two just kiss already?" Duke sneered, popping up between them with a grin that made both of them drop one another's hands. Mai's balled into fists: Who did Duke think he was, insulting her like that? She noticed Tristan smirking too...

"Why don't you and Tristan just kiss already, then head off to bed?" Mai shot back nastily.

"Dude, your mind is messed up!" Tristan snapped at her. "Me? Him? What are you, some kind of gay matchmaker?" Duke's eyes were wide, but he could do nothing but sputter.

"Why, you like the coupling?" Joey snapped. "Don't listen to them, Mai."

"Look at you, mutt, so completly in love with her," Kaiba said. "Love is sickening."

"I'll show you sickening!" Joey lept up, but Mai was just as light on her feet and stood between them, one arm restraining Joey, the other hand coming out of nowhere and wacking Kaiba quickly across his face. "It's okay, Joey. He's not worth your time." A reluctent Joey fell back, muttering about how lucky Kaiba was that his girl didn't like bloodshead. She turned to Kaiba. "You just don't have anyone to love you."

"I love my brother," Mokuba said in defense, making Duke and Tristan sweatdrop.

"NOT LIKE THAT, YOU SICKOS!" Kaiba yelled at them. "I really do think Mai was right about you two..."

Both moved to round on Kaiba, fists raised.

"Joey, your sister!" Yugi suddenly called out. Everyone stopped what they were doing.

Everyone turned to face the screens and Yugi. "I think it's time we heard some secrets..." Malik said, having climbed up onto the now-empty rack from Serenity's repeditive crashing. Smirking like a self-satisfied cat, he pulled himself up just a bit higher, grinning in an insane way, and began to read.

"Malik, get DOWN!"

"October 22, 2004," Malik's voice said cleanly and loudly.

"I should take notes," Bakura muttered witsfully, but the look on Tea's face alone, so upset and alone, was enough to make him stop there. I want to make her feel better... What the hell am I THINKING?

"Dear Diary, Another day, another tournament. You know the hotels they promised to accomindate duelists? I've never seen such a hole in the wall! I'm sharing a room with Ishizu, Mai and Tea. Mai's fine when she's not hanging all over my brother, but Tea I just can't stand. 'Heart of the cards, Belive in yourself... UGH! Well, she's coming over, probably to ask me if I can find the BATHROOM okay... I hate her so much... Later."

"I... was only trying to help her..."

"You ARE annoying, though," Duke pointed out.

"Be quiet, Duke." Ishizu set a hand on Tea's shaking shoulders, well aware, almost too aware, that Yami's eyes were in her back, watching her, watching her every move and making sure that she was okay with herself and with Tea. He sees you both, he could like Tea... I should not

"October 26, 2004 Dear Diary, I wonder if Yugi and Yami get on anyone else's nerves, what with their paranoia about the world being taken over... And the Heart of the Cards! Yeesh, how can cardboard have a heart? And Joey's doing so well... Joey's better than they'll ever be, and he's just ONE guy. If Yugi didn't have that stupid Yami, I doubt that he could do anything for himself, like tying his shoelaces. Mai's starting to get on my nerves, like she needs to claim my brother with her lips or something... She's always hanging on him too... All of her outfits are so slutty! Tea's been nothing but annoying, as usual. Obviously, I can't duel, but Mai and Tea CAN! It's so unfair. Shit, Mai's coming. Later! Hope she doesn't read this."

Malik laughed softly. "These are very amusing, Serenity," he said. "One more story for now, then I'll read more if I feel the need. Oh, and the score has changed: 3-1, me."

"GET DOWN FROM THERE AND GIVE IT BACK!"

"Temper, temper," he childed softly, pulling himself back as the angry girl racked the stand. Her hands had taken a stronger grip, and it was all he could do not to fall off.

"I can't belive her... Mai, Yug, Tea... I am SO sorry..."

"It's not your fault, Joey," said Yugi and Yami together, and Yugi looked at his untied shoelaces in shame as his Yami bent down to tie them.

Tea just blinked, her eyes fixed to the screen, looking at the little girl she had once regarded as kind and understanding, as almost like herself.

"I'm not a slut, I'm not a slut, I love you... Joey, I'm not a slut!" Mai leaned into his shoulder.

"I know you're not, and she's going to be in so much trouble..." Joey stroked Mai's hair for lack of other sources of comfort.

"The next one we have for you tonight is very good, folks..." Here he stopped to smirk at Serenity. "Unless you want me to read this, you're going to leave.

Panic clouded her eyes as well as pride. "I will not lose to you," she hissed softly.

"Then I guess I'll read this."

Serenity gulped. She knew that page by heart: It was her entry from the day of the last tournament round, after Yugi had beated Joey in the semis and Kaiba in the finals. Very violent, very wordy, and overall nasty. But I have to win!

"November 1, 2004 Dear Diary, I can't belive Yugi just eliminated Joey in cold blood, just so he could 'save the world' or whatever he thinks he's doing. Now shoving Malik and that sorry excuse for a Yami over without mercy was okay, but to just beat up on my big brother like that... How can they call themselves friends? Malik's been nothing but a moron and I was happy he was out, but then Yugi took out Joey just to fight with Kaiba! Kaiba's such a stupid, stuck-up no talent... And his little brother is such a WHINER... Joey could have taken him! But NO, Yugi has to play hero. Mai doesn't seem to mind too much, even though Joey killed her in THEIR duel she's still comforting him... What a love-sick puppy... She dressed even sluttier today, I have NEVER seen anyone in such short, ugly outfits... Then there was Tea, all hyped up that Yugi and Yami won... Makes me want to smack her, it really does, she's bouncing all around the room right now, Mai's still out with Joey, and Ishizu is in the other room with that no-good brother of hers... Sometimes he DOES look kind of sexy, though... If I wasn't so pissed I might go join Ishizu in talking to him. Wonder where Duke and Tristan are, at least they don't have any bragging rights... Even though they are just a pair of assholes... Tristan even more than Duke..."

Malik stopped and spat for a second. "Sexy, am I?" He growled, showing his teeth and making his hands into a cat-like motion. "That's nice to know, darling."

"GET DOWN AND STOP READING!"

The room beyond the camera was full of shocked faces, low muttering, and over-all angry movements.

"And if I have to hear her say 'Heart of the Cards won for you, Yugi,' one more time through this wall, I'm going in there and punching her! Ryou's been calm, as has Bakura... Sometimes I think he's hitting on Tea, but she's too air-headed to notice. Hey, look, it's YUGI, probably wants to know if I want to go out for the celebration. I guess I should, since Joey's being a good sport and going, but he'll be hanging all over Mai, Tea will be being a fangirl... What a bitch... Ishizu might be okay if she weren't around her brother, who I'm too scared to talk to... Kaiba and Mokuba are going to be moody, not that I would talk to them anyway... Ryou and Bakura will probably talk to me, or just to each other. Damn it, Joey... Well, later. At least tommorow we're going to fly out of this hell-hole... Unless something happens..."

Malik shut the book, left it on top of the stand, and moved gracefully down off the suitcase rack. "You can just leave now to save yourself further embaressment... Like that crush you had on Yugi last summer..."

"You evil, foul..." She lept for his head and the pair of them were rolling on the floor, wrestling desperatly, Malik obviously winning.

"I HAVE MORE TALENT THAT YUGI WILL EVER HAVE!" Kaiba thundered.

"I am not a WHINER..." Mokuba whined through his teeth.

Yami took Yugi over to the couch, but neither of them said anything to each other, just looked at the cards in Yugi's hands for a long, long time.

Tea looked at Bakura, who was sitting moodily with Ryou, talking to him, tears clouding her vision slightly. "I never knew I was that annoying..."

Mai remained in Joey's arms, head down on his shoulder. Joey just stared around at his friends, watched Ishizu take up conversation with her brother's evil side, who was making threatening gestuers in the air, to Duke and Tristan, who were aurging, to the girl leaning into his shoulder for comfort.

"GET OFF!" The fighting continued, but this time, not everyone was on Serenity's side.