Review responses are at the bottom today… for the variety. This is short, again, but I'll try to update soon again, to make up for it.
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Part I: Save Yourself
Part 3 of 6
'Cuz my self-esteem, it's been low,
Go ahead and count, it's been lower than low
I know the feeling, of it stealing
Life out from under me.
I didn't go to work. I drove straight to the city. I rarely drink, preferring to be more in control, but I had the whole afternoon before I could expect to find someone to help me drown my sorrows another way. It was earlier than I expected. Eye contact, a seductive smile: we both knew why we were there. He dressed quickly after, and kissed me swiftly on his way out. I could tell he had forgotten the fake name I gave him. I lay in bed for a while, waiting to sober up. I considered that I may have given him the last piece of me, and he would never even know, or care. My eyes watered: the alcohol, surely. I thought of Yugi, and cursed myself for believing he cared about me. How could he? There was nothing left of me to care about.
The next morning I wasn't sure where I was. Mokuba was shaking me awake. I had apparently made it back to the mansion sometime in the night.
"You'll be late for school, Seto, get up!" I ignored him, but he did not let up. For lack of anything better to do, I rolled out of bed and went to school.
"Kaiba! New look you're tryin' out?" Wheeler was standing with Yugi and the other dweebs. I would normally give some acid comeback, but I just looked at them, and walked away.
"Jeez, what's wit dat guy?" I heard Wheeler remark as I headed into school.
"Kaiba!" Yugi must have run to catch up with me. I turned to face him. He looked up at me with his big eyes; his face held no memory of the rebuke he had given me yesterday. Was this some kind of head game?
"What do you want, Yugi?" My voice was flat. Even irritation seemed to take too much energy.
"A bunch of us are getting together to watch the game tonight. Do you want to come?" I looked at him blankly, and then started to turn away.
"Wait!" I waited. Yugi looked into the air by his right side, his odd little quirk while thinking. I rolled my eyes up, still waiting. I should have walked away by now. But I stayed.
Yugi nodded, and then looked back at me. "Will you and Mokuba be watching the game? I could come over, and bring popcorn."
My brain was overloaded, my heart raced. I wanted to say something so hurtful that he would leave me alone forever. But far louder was the cry of one word: Alone?
I may have said it out loud, as Yugi answered, "Just me."
I found myself nodding, "Just you." I completed my turn away, but added, over my shoulder. "Mokuba will appreciate the company; I probably won't make it back from the office."
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I made it through ten minutes of first period, before leaving for the office. I couldn't sit in school. I felt horrible and wonderful all at the same time. I decided to put all my thought and energy into KaibaCorp; I had no doubts about what I wanted there. By five I was done for the day, and feeling great. I now owned another company, and had fired the CEO who had refused to do business with a 17-year-old. Several other executives and board members were now falling over themselves to curry favor. I was in my element.
"Big brother! You never come home this early!" Mokuba danced around me. I tousled his hair. He was in the kitchen of our "apartment." Though we had the whole mansion, most of our living took place in a small wing with its own entrance. It had a small kitchen, a guest bathroom, and a large "rec" room, with a couple of comfy chairs and couches, and a big screen TV with every game and game system ever made. A stairway led to the hall where our bedrooms were.
"Get your homework done if we are going to watch the game, Mokuba."
"You're going to watch it with me! That's great! Thanks, Seto."
"I'm heading up to take a shower, I'll check your homework after dinner, so make sure it is done." I headed for the stairs for my first shower of the day. Over my shoulder I said in a casual voice, "Oh, and Yugi is coming to watch with us." I was up the stairs before Mokuba could react.
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Yana5 – You bet your bottom dollar he is. But perhaps he is just being foolish?
StreeaAuvryduis – Sorry it is not much longer… Thanks for the review, hope the chapter is somewhat satisfying. I will update soon. Promise.
Dimitri - giggling Oh, no, they're contagious! You gotta love the trench coats. I believe it is an attempt to recapture the feeling of priest-robes. Kaiba, of course, disagrees.
