Thanks to the people who reviewed!! Love your support! No I'm not going to say, I don't Yu-Gi-Oh or anything related to it! (OMG! I said it again! Oh well...)
SGCred- I have finally got your e-mail! Thanks!
Secluded Sapphire- If you try to take revenge on me, for my last chapter, I'm going to have to bring 'him' back in my epilogue along with you. (Sighs) Ok, Ok, I'm sorry, now will you please help me and give me ideas for my next chapter?
Kumaragirl- Ok maybe you wouldn't kill me, but I was just being sarcastic. Yes, Darrin asked Serena and made a move on Sakura. What do you expect? He's supposed to be a player! Darrin maybe a sleazeball, but he's actually an interesting character in my point of view and he puts in a very good twist in my story. Sorry, can't get Darrin fired just yet!
Josephinejekyl- I agree, 'The Arrangement' was a very well written story! But I'm glad you are looking forward to my similar story but with a totally different storyline!
Winner- I'm glad you like my story! But as all my reviewers know, I'm not a fast updater, neither am I a fast typer! Sorry, but please try to be patient with me and my story! Oh and I can't make Sakura tell Kaiba about Darrin right away! Its all part of my story and twist! So you will just have to wait and see!
Now, on with the story...
Chapter12: Holiday Preparations
---
"I can't believe you left your Christmas shopping till the last minute!" said Serena as her and Sakura both entered the Domino mall to meet up with their friends and do some last minute Christmas shopping.
"It wasn't my fault, I didn't have time, besides I couldn't think of a present for Seto," Sakura replied. There was only three more days till Christmas and Sakura still had no idea what to get Kaiba.
"What about Mokuba?" asked Serena as they both started to look for their friends.
"I kind of thought of a present for him, but I still haven't bought it yet," Sakura said.
"So what do you want to give Kaiba?" asked Serena.
"I don't know..." Sakura said as she thought about it for a moment, "But I'll think of something," she said, "So how did your date with Darrin go last week?"
"Oh sorry, I forgot to tell you," Serena apologized, "It went great, actually it was awesome! We went out for dinner at this great restaurant and later we stopped by a park, then he walked me home," Serena said as recalled her date with Darrin.
"Well actually he was about to, but I refused and turned away," Serena replied as she slightly blushed.
"Why?" asked Sakura.
"I refuse to kiss on the first date!" Serena exclaimed.
"So what do you think of Darrin so far," asked Sakura.
"Well he's a really nice guy, not to mention handsome," Serena said as she drifted in her thoughts.
"Whatever," Sakura mumbled.
"Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you this too," Serena said, "I'm suppose to meet Darrin here right now, so I could introduce him to the rest of our gang," she said.
"What? He's coming to meet you here at the mall? Right now?" Sakura said, as her eyes grew wide.
"Why? What's wrong?" Serena said a bit startled at Sakura's reaction.
"N...Nothing," Sakura stuttered.
"You okay Sakura?" asked Serena noticing Sakura's slightly pale face.
"I'm...fine," Sakura said as she calmed down.
"Sakura, Serena ova here," Joey called out to them as he waved his hand. The gang was just coming out of a shop as Joey spotted Sakura and Serena.
"Hey guys," Sakura and Serena greeted at the same time.
"Looks like you haven't done some Christmas shopping Sakura," said Serenity as she noticed Sakura's empty hands.
"Actually I haven't at all," said Sakura with a worried look.
"So Mai, Joey, how's that wedding coming along?" asked Serena with a smile.
"So far so good," Joey said with a grin as he put an arm around Mai.
"Well we haven't set a date yet, but everything else is ready," Mai said as she softly pecked Joey on the cheek. "That's great news," Sakura said with a smile.
"So Serena, we've heard from Sakura that you dated someone last week," said Selina as Duke put an arm around her.
"So who's the lucky guy?" asked Charlie, as she winked.
"Well...its," Serena said as she blushed.
"Obviously its me! Isn't it?" said a deep voice behind Serena.
"Darrin!" Serena said as she spun around.
"The one and only," Darrin said as Serena hugged him and he returned it back.
'Oh God! Not him!' Sakura thought in her head. She glanced at Darrin as she noticed how different and even less formal he looked from the other day at her office. He was wearing a black collared shirt with a red dragon painted on the front, black baggy jeans and a black jacket was slung around his arm.
"So, aren't you going to introduce me to your friends?" asked Darrin as he glanced at Sakura briefly.
"Oh yeah," Serena said, "Guys, meet Darrin," she said as she introduced Darrin.
"Darrin, these are my friends Yugi, Tea, Joey, Mai, Serenity, Tristan, Duke, Selina, Charlie, Bakura and you've met Sakura already," Serena said as she introduced her friends.
"Of course, how could I forget Sakura," Darrin replied as he gazed at her with his small piercing brown eyes. Sakura's heart began to beat faster as Darrin continued to gaze at her in that same way as before.
"Nice to meet you Darrin," the gang greeted as they shook hands with him one by one. "So Serena, where did you meet this handsome dude," Tristan said with a smirk.
"He's Kaiba Corp.'s recent employee," Serena said as she wrapped her arm around his.
"You're trapped with Kaiba too, boy do I feel sorry for you," said Joey as he nudged Darrin.
"Joey, please," Sakura frowned as she slapped him across the shoulder.
"Sorry Sakura, I just can't stand him, you're the one I feel most sorry for," Joey said with pity.
"If you got to know him better, you wouldn't be saying that," Sakura said crossing her arms.
"Serena, I want to show you something I saw at a different mall yesterday, I think you'll like it," Darrin said with a smile as he put his arm around Serena, "So if you don't mind I want to take you there right now."
"Okay sure," said Serena, "See ya guys later, I'll talk to you on the phone Sakura," she said as she followed Darrin towards the exit.
"Later," Darrin said as he waved at the gang, "See you at Kaiba Corp. Sakura," said Darrin with a smirk as he walked away with Serena.
"Now I'd better get shopping before its too late," Sakura said as she hurried off towards a store, "Later guys."
-------------------------
"Oh shit! Its almost seven! Seto's probably worried sick by now!" Sakura said as she looked at her wristwatch. Sakura tapped her fingers on her steering wheel impatiently as she waited for the green signal. "Finally" she muttered under her breath as she crossed the signal and turned her car towards the Kaiba mansion. As soon as she reached the big iron gates, she entered the secret password to get in the mansion. The gates slowly spread open allowing Sakura to drive into the driveway. She quickly parked her Lexus, got out with her shopping bags and slammed the car door shut.
Kaiba and Roland were standing in front of the big mansion doors, waiting for Sakura to arrive. 'I'm going to be so dead today!' Sakura thought as she walked up to the big mansion doors, dragging her shopping bags with her.
"Do you have any idea what time it is?" Kaiba asked abruptly as Sakura walked up to him.
"Uh... se...seven," Sakura stammered, as she slowly looked up into his icy blue eyes.
"Then...where were you?" asked Kaiba as he slightly frowned at her.
"I was...Christmas shopping at the mall," Sakura said.
"You were shopping at the mall for five hours!" Kaiba said as he his eyes grew wide. 'Women and their big interest in shopping!' thought Kaiba as he rolled his eyes.
"Well...its Christmas after all, and besides it took me awhile to pick out certain gifts," Sakura said as she stressed the last two words.
"You could have given a call," said Kaiba.
"Well I-" Sakura started.
"Never mind, let's go inside," Kaiba said as he cut her off. Sakura lifted her heavy shopping bags up and was about to head inside.
"Allow me Miss Sakura," Roland said as he took the shopping bags from her hands.
"Seto what are you..." Sakura started but stopped in shock.
"Oh my...God," she whispered as she gasped at the new and different setting of the mansion.
The inside of the mansion was decorated beautifully with Christmas decorations. Stringed colourful Christmas lights were hung up near the edges of the ceiling. The stringed lights were also wrapped around the two railings of the grand staircase. Big red bows were all lined together separately on the wall and one giant Christmas tree stood in the corner of the living room which was decorated with lights, hanging ornaments and ribbons with a golden star at the top.
"What do you think?" asked Kaiba as he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Seto...I don't...I...I don't know...what...to say," said Sakura in amazement.
"Usually I don't like celebrating these holidays, much than decorate the mansion," said Kaiba, his arms remaining around her waist as he rested his chin on her shoulder, "But I guess you were the exception."
"You just decorated the mansion for me...what about Mokuba? I'm sure Mokuba also had a say in this," Sakura said as she broke away from his arms and turned around to face him.
"Yes, you're right, Mokuba did want to celebrate Christmas from the past years and I would always object," Kaiba continued, "But this year I wanted to make him happy and also since you kept on whining for the past few weeks of how the other houses were beautifully decorated for Christmas and ours looked so plain and empty."
"When I lived in America, every Christmas would be the same for me, no decorations, no presents, no family to spend the time with..." Sakura said as she turned her head away and recovered those memories of loneliness.
"And at New Year's eve, Rez would always leave me at home and go to those parties where he got drunk all night..." Sakura said as she held back her tears. Kaiba put his hands on her shoulders and turned her around to face him.
"Sakura..." Kaiba said as he lifted her chin, so her eyes would meet his, "Please, just try to forget all that, you're living a new life with me now," he said as he embraced her in his arms, "I know its not easy to fight back those past memories, but I'm with you Sakura."
----------------------
The next day, Kaiba was sitting in his home office examining a few documents on his computer, when he heard the doorknob turn.
"Seto," Sakura said as she peeked in through the door, "Can I talk to you for a minute." "Sure," Kaiba said as he looked away from his computer and motioned her to come in. Sakura quietly came in and sat down on the couch beside his desk.
"So what did you want to talk about?" asked Kaiba as he got up from his desk and took a seat beside her on the couch.
"I was wondering, if we could...have a...a...New Year's eve party" Sakura stuttered, worried of how he might react to it.
"Sakura, you know I don't like-" Kaiba started but was interrupted.
"I know, but please Seto, I only want to invite my friends," Sakura said as she cut him off.
"That's what I don't like, especially that mutt," Kaiba grunted.
"But please Seto, I'm sure Mokuba would be thrilled to have a party here for the first time," Sakura pleaded, "Please Seto." Kaiba looked into those beautiful innocent hazel eyes of hers. Every time he would look into them, he just couldn't resist.
"Oh all right, I give up," Kaiba said, "You just had to give me that look of innocence that you know I can't resist," he said as he came closer to her.
"That's the only way I could get you to say yes," Sakura said softly, as her head slowly leaned towards his. There lips were just a few centimeters apart, when they heard a voice from the intercom.
"Miss Sakura, someone is here to see you," Roland said through the intercom.
"I'll be right there," said Sakura as she quickly broke away from Kaiba and stood up to leave.
"The moment just had to be ruined," Kaiba said as he slightly frowned.
"Don't worry, I'm sure they'll be more," Sakura said as she softly kissed his cheek and left his office.
'I wonder who it could be' Sakura thought as she swiftly walked down the stairs. She saw a tall figure standing in the living room with their back facing against her. The tall figure slowly turned around to face Sakura. Her hazel eyes came face to face with those piercing green eyes of her stepbrother.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------
A Cliffhanger!!!!!!! Yes it was a quick update and a short chapter, but hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! Yes I'm finally 14 today!!!! (LOL Secluded Sapphire! Can't tease me any more!) Don't expect me to update soon because I'm all out of ideas! If you people would like to suggest any ideas for the next chapter, PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!