Author note: I don't own YGO or any of its characters.
'Love or Pretend?'
Here's chapter twelve for all of you reviewers. Thanks for the reviews. Please continue!
WARNING! This is a MUST SEE chapter!
Chapter twelve: Trapped in the truth
Yami hadn't left her more than 30 seconds ago. Tea could still feel his soft, warm lips caressing against her cheek. The perfect moment— like in a dream— was an almost heart wrenching experience for her to endure. The brunette couldn't live knowing Yami kissed her and not tell anyone about it. Especially someone like Yugi. Yami was Yugi's other half— his darker half— and they were connected. Keeping something like this from Yugi was going to be like keeping a stabbing knife plunging for her heart— like almost being on the verge of life to death all at the same moment.
"I can't believe Yami kissed me," she touched her cheek softly, at the spot where he kissed it, as Tea slowly sat down on her bed. "It's like I was in a dream or something when it happened. But something wasn't right with about. Something's going on with Yami and I need to know what it is. Though, whatever's going on with Yami, I bet there's something all behind, twisting the game into two. Telling Yugi what happened maybe the only way to get to the bottom of all of this, but if I do tell him, how will he react?"
&&&&&&
"So... How did your talk with Tea go yesterday, Yami?" Yugi asked his other half the next morning before breakfast while tying his black and white tennis shoes on.
"Fine." Yami looked over to Yugi from the window, acting as natural as possible. "Why do you ask?"
"No reason. I just wanted to make sure that everything was okay with her after seeing that guy you two hate. I didn't want Tea to go to bed uncomfortable is all. You didn't by any chance do anything to make her feel that way, did you?"
Yami started to get a little nervous.
Just then, Yugi started cracking up. "I was only kidding, Yami. I know you would never do anything to make Tea feel uncomfortable. I should probably go downstairs now. Besides, Gramps is going to kill me if I don't show up when he asks the first time from now on. I think he's beginning to catch on that I've been talking to you up here. I guess we better be more careful from now on. I'll see you later, Yami." (A/N apparently Yugi has no idea what happened last night, huh?)
Yugi walked away as Yami stared out the window like he was before Yugi interrupted him. 'What happened last night? Why did I kiss Tea when I didn't even know how she was feeling about me? And Yugi... Ra, if Yugi finds out what I did last night I'd never be able to forgive myself... Now I wish I had never kissed Tea last night... even if in some small way I liked it.'
&&&&&&
"Morning, Yugi." Grandpa was the first one to greet the small, tri-colored boy when he got downstairs.
"Hey Gramps," Yugi responded back as sat down on the island counter. "Is breakfast ready yet?"
"No quiet yet, I'm afraid to say, my boy. I still need a few more minutes to finish the bacon and sausage. Joey's in the bathroom if you wanted to talk to him."
"Yeah, I kind of figured that when I was going through the hall and he was singing in the shower. So, where's Tea at? Was she up yet when you walked by her room?"
"No, not when I walked by earlier. Though, that was about a half an hour ago, so you never know. Tea might be up by now." Grandpa said him as he stirred around a bunch of pieces of sausage in two large skillets. (A/N does it surprise you? With as much as Joey could eat, why doesn't Grandpa have four pans filled with sausage, huh?) "You should probably go up there and see if she is awake anyway. And if she isn't go ahead and wake her up. Oh, don't forget to tell her that breakfast's going to be on the table soon."
"Gottcha." Yugi walked back up stairs and walked through the quiet hall. Laughing as he walked by the upstairs bathroom he could hear Joey singing in the shower.
As soon as Yugi came up to Tea's room he stopped in his tracks. Slightly nervous, Yugi lightly knocked on her door. "Tea? Are you up yet? Breakfast is almost ready." Silence. Nothing. Not a single sound was coming from the room. So he decided that because of this it would be harmless to open the door and ask Tea to come downstairs. There he found the brunette still sleeping in her bed. Tea looked like a sleeping angel in his eyes. To him, there was absolutely no one else in the entire world more beautiful than her when she sleeping. Tea looked so peaceful and calm in her sleep. Yugi could have stared down at her frail figure forever if he was given the chance to. Touching her bare cheek softly— so he didn't wake her quite yet— a faint smile played on his lips.
"Tea..." his eyelids slid down slightly, in a long gaze staring at her, his hand still on her cheek. "You're so beautiful... God, I wish I could tell you how I feel sometimes. But then I remember what a great friend you are to me and risking that friendship into becoming something worse than what we have has always stopped me from speaking the truth." Unknowing to Yugi, Yami's transparent form was at the other end of the room, watching and listening to his lighter half speaking to the unconscious Tea. "I guess up until now I really didn't understand what it felt like to love someone so much you could never admit the truth to them. Because the thought of even losing them just once is almost unbearable in their life. And I wouldn't risk that for second just as long as we're together. You mean so much to me... I truly wouldn't know my life without you anymore if you weren't in it."
Coming closer to Tea, Yami began to wonder what Yugi was trying to do. "I have thought about you every night since I realized my real feelings for you, Tea. I keep telling myself that maybe one day you might feel the same for me... And if that day comes soon I just want you to know that I've loved you since the first moment I saw you."
Then Yugi did something not even he would imagine doing in a thousand years. He bent down all the way to Tea's level and replaced his warm fingers with a gentle kiss on her cheek. Yugi started to feel lightheaded as he stood back up, as he suddenly felt a crimson blush came across his cheeks in the process. Yami stood in shock as he saw Yugi kiss Tea for the first time and disappeared...
That's when Tea started to wake up. She stirred around a bit, stretching her arms up slightly, and cracked up her eyes slowly. The brunette vaguely saw Yugi as she slowly gained consciousness. "Y-Yugi... is that you?"
Putting a hand on her almost completely bare shoulder he replied, "yeah, it's me."
Rubbing her eyes in exhaustion Tea asked, "what are doing in here, Yugi? Is there something wrong?"
"No. I came in here to awake you up. Grandpa told me to tell you that breakfast's just about on the table."
Tea took in a waft of the air and smelled it. "I can tell. You can smell the bacon from up here. It smells great. I'm already getting hungry."
Yugi smiled at her. "Me too. How's your report coming along?"
Tea slowly got herself in a sitting position on the bed and said, "it's coming. I'm almost done with it. I'll probably finish the rest of it up some time today— if Joey doesn't bother me all afternoon. By the way, I heard from Yami that you're almost done with yours. Is that true?"
"Actually, I'm finished with it. I got it finished up this morning when everyone was sleeping."
"Well what time did you get up?"
"5:30."
"5:30?!?!" Tea almost jumped out of her bed and fell over. "What were you doing up that earlier for?"
Yugi shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno. I was just up."
"'ey," Joey popped his head through the door, his blonde hair slightly damp from just getting out of the shower. "Ya two comin' down here or what?"
Tea rolled her eyes at him. "Yeah, we're coming. Can you just give us two minutes? Do you have a problem with that?"
"Geez! Don't be gettin grouchy with me, Tea. I'm just tellin' ya what I heard from Gramps is all. He's 'bout ta serve any second now so if ya want it while it's hot, come and get it now or I will." Then he left the room.
Yugi laughed as Joey left them alone again.
"What's so funny, Yugi?" the brunette looked back at her small, best friend.
"Nothing. I was just thinking about something, that's all."
"What?"
"I was thinking, besides duels and sleeping, does Joey ever stop thinking about food?"
The brunette giggled playfully and replied, "probably not, but it would be nice though. I'm just wondering if Joey actually started his project last night like he said he would."
Yugi and Tea thought about it for a moment and at the same time they both said, "nah!"
"Yugi! Tea! Breakfast's ready!"
"Okay, we're coming down, Gramps!" Yugi yelled back to him. Turning his attention back to Tea he said, "we should probably get there soon before Grandpa yells at us too."
"Good idea," she agreed, throwing the covers off of her body, exposing the rest of her pajama outfit, causing Yugi to blush lightly.
&&&&&&
"So, how's your English papers going, you three?" Grandpa asked as he started to serve out breakfast when Yugi and Tea finally made it to the kitchen table.
"I'm done," Yugi said.
"I'm almost done. I just have to write out my final draft," Tea added.
"Excellent work, you two! I'm very pleased to hear that." Grandpa beamed at them, then looked over at Joey, noticing that he hadn't said anything yet and asked, "and what about you, Joseph? How's your paper coming along?"
"Uh... I kind of haven't started it yet," the blonde barely mumbled out.
"Joey!" Grandpa yelled out his name. "Why haven't you started it yet? You've had all weekend to work on it."
"I just lost track of time... I guess. Besides, it's no big. I got time. I'll work on it dis afternoon. So don't worry 'bout it, Gramps. I got it under control."
Tea reached over to Yugi and said, "yeah, and last time he said that Joey almost blew up the biology lab last year."
Yugi giggled. "Tell me about it."
"And speaking of this afternoon," Grandpa brought his voice back to their attention, after giving Joey a small lecture. "I'm going to be working in the attic, upstairs in the hall, so I finally can fix that annoying T.V. cable up there that hasn't been working in my room. So you three best be entertaining yourselves while I'm busy... Especially you, Joseph."
"Grandpa, don't you think we should have a professional work on the cables?" Yugi asked, concerningly. "I wouldn't want you to get yourself hurt like last time."
"Nonsense, my boy! I can do. You'll see. I just need to be more careful this time, and I will be."
&&&&&&
"Ah! That should do it," Grandpa said after finishing up his work in the attic a few hours later. "I better go get that key before I forget to lock up this dusty old place." Grandpa climbed down the wooden stairs and walked away towards the kitchen.
Joey had just walked into the hall when he noticed that the stairs leading to the attic were still down. "Hey Gramps, ya still up dare workin'?" Joey called to him. silence "Gramps? Anybody up dare?" Joey started climbing up the stairs when Tea caught a glimpse of what he was doing.
"Joey? What are you doing up there? You're not suppose to be up there, I don't think," Tea told him as she watched her friend climb up anyway.
After Joey finished climbing up he said, "don't worry 'bout it, Tea. I ain't doin' anythin' wrong, am I? I'm just checkin' what's up here is all. Ya don't have ta worry 'bout me all da time, ya know."
"Joey!" Tea impatiently said as she climbed up with him. "Why do you have to be so annoying with everything? Why can't you just leave things alone for once?"
As Tea finished climbing up to the top, with Joey's help, they both noticed how long and wide the attic really was. "Wow... I didn't know an attic could be this big," Tea said, stunned and amazed, as she walked around the large, dusty area.
"Eh, dis ain't nothin'. Da attic at Tristan's house is way bigger den dis."
Tea looked over at him as they sat down on the hard, wooden floor. "Since when do you go into attic?"
"I dunno," he shrugged. "It's just somethin' ta look at, I dink. Besides, it's somethin' I'm gonna have ta do anyway when I'm uh adult so I might as well just get use ta it now, ya know what I'm sayin'?"
Tea smiled faintly. "We should probably got out of here, Joey. I don't want Mr. Moto to get mad at us for going up here when we weren't suppose to be."
"What's he gonna do? Send us ta 'checkin' out uh attic' jail? Ya really need ta stop worryin' so much 'bout things, Tea. It'll really get ta ya head one day, just wait and see."
"Oh yeah, and this coming from a guy that's failing math and hasn't even started his English assignment yet, that's 20% of our overall grade in the class."
"I'm startin' it, okay? Man, I swear I get more verbal abuse from you and Gramps alone den my own dad."
"What verbal abuse? Oh, I'm sorry. I guess I just wanted to see you pass the class. I didn't know that came with a price."
Tea was about to climb down from the attic when Joey caught her arm, preventing her from leaving. "Tea wait," his caramel brown eyes looked into her sapphire ones. "Don't go yet. I don't want us fightin' again. Just stay with me right now, please. I wanna be with ya."
The brunette stared at her blonde friend, in shock. Joey actually didn't want to end up in another argument with her again? And he wanted to be with her— in an attic? What was wrong with this picture? It was almost like Joey was hiding something from her when she looked deep into his eyes. Yet, at the same time, there was a comforting, and secure kind of warm feeling. That kind of feeling that could reach all the way down to your toes, but you never really could— or wanted to— think about it because the person's mesmerizing expression has captivated you. This was truly something Tea had never felt before with Joey.
"All right," she said, giving into him, as Joey pulled her up and sat her back down next to him again.
Joey was about to say something when they both heard footsteps. "Shhh... be quiet," Joey commanded her as he placed an arm around her shoulder softly— like he was protecting her for some reason. "It might be Yugi."
Tea looked away while she wondered, 'why would Joey be worried if it was Yugi?'
The person they heard coming wasn't saying anything so Joey and Tea could make out who it was, only to guess that it was either Grandpa or Yugi. (A/N uh... Duh! Who else could it be? Santa Clause? Or maybe they were expecting the Easter Bunny? Lol!)
Then, all out of a sudden, the hanging steps and door of the attic shut closed and a key that was turning on the other side of the board locked them in. Joey and Tea couldn't speak as they saw they were being locked in. After staring at the locked up board for a couple of moments, the blonde and brunette finally were able to yell out loud for help, after getting out of a state of shock.
"Grandpa!" Tea yelled out first as they banged on the floor, slightly, making sure they didn't break through it and fall through. "Let us out of here!"
"Gramps, ya gotta get us out of here!" Joey yelled out too.
"Mr. Moto, can you hear us?" Tea yelled out again. silence Nothing could be heard from the hallway. After about two minutes of yelling and screaming, Joey and Tea finally decided to stop, figuring it was probably hopeless to get help by now.
"Great..." Tea said tiredly and sarcastically as Joey turned on the only light in the room that was above their heads. "Just great... Grandpa can't hear us from all the way up here, and Yugi's probably still at the store." Realizing something, Tea looked almost panicking. "Oh my god... we might be stuck here for the next two hours!!! We have to do something to get out of here!"
Sitting back up from where he was, Joey responded, "after yellin' with ya for da last couple of minutes, do ya seriously dink I don't know dat by now?"
"Joey!!! This is no time for games. We're trapped in Yugi's attic for cryin' out! I really don't want to spend the rest of the afternoon in this attic—."
"With me?"
Tea was slightly thrown off with Joey's question when he cut her sentence off. "I never said that."
"Yeah, but I bet ya were dinkin' it."
"Are you accusing me for something I haven't even done?"
"Well, it sure seems dat way, doesn't it? Though, I'm also dinking dat you'd rather be stuck in here with Yami instead of me right now, huh?"
Tea stood shocked. "Why would you think something like that?"
"Because it's true."
"No it isn't."
"Don't lie ta me, Tea. Everybody— except for maybe Yug— knows dat you've been diggin' Yami since ya first found out who he was. It really wasn't dat hard ta figure out actually."
Tea didn't know what to say at this point. What was there to say at a time like this? "Joey... I... I don't know what to say... It's not like—."
"Yeah, it is, but forget 'bout it," Joey told her, kicking his foot away from himself. "Dare's nothin' ta worry 'bout— with da exception of our current situation— 'cuz I won't tell Yugi dat ya like Yami. But I've got uh feeling now dat you're not da only one keeping secrets from someone ya care 'bout in dis room."
"What are you talking about?"
Without speaking, Joey turned around to face Tea directly in her eyes. Sensing her confusion, he didn't want to freak her out. "I'm haven't always been honest with ya 'bout some things, and I dink it's time dat I do while we're here alone."
Tea didn't say anything. She merely just waited for her blonde haired friend to speak again as nervous started to creep up her spine.
"For one thing, I dink ya should know dat Tristan knows 'bout us. He knows 'bout us pretendin' ta date because he was da one I was with when I first thought 'bout da idea. Even though he completely disagreed and thought it was whack, Tristan promised not ta tell anyone dat he knew 'bout it. So what da ya got ta admit? Anythin'?"
"I don't know about that, Joey. I sounds kind of stupid and silly." Tea wasn't sure whether or not this whole 'letting out the truth in the open' was such a good idea. What if she did say something to Joey and he accidentally let it slip out to Yugi? Tea knew for sure that she didn't want to risk that. "Some things are just meant to be kept a secret and hidden."
"Some things? Or things ya just don't want ta share with me?"
"Both," she whispered to him as she turned away from his shadows.
"Tea... don't be like dat. If we're gonna be stuck here for two hours, like ya said we might, den I dink it's natural dat we do somethin' ta keep ourselves busy. Don't ya dink so?"
"Yeah... but I don't think this would be my greatest time to admit things to you. I've kind of got a problem right now and I really don't want to think about it anymore than I have to."
"Is it 'bout me?"
"No," she whispered to him, tears threating to fall out of her eyes as she sat with her head on her knees. "It's about Yami..." then Joey heard her cry.
Joey grabbed Tea's arms and placed her into his lap. He cradled her in his arms as she continued to cry between her two knees. (A/N Awww... Isn't that sweet?) "It's gonna be okay. Just wait and see. Everything's gonna be all right in da end. I promise."
"No, it won't, Joey," she said between her sobs. "Yami kissed me last night, after I left you, and now I don't know how he feels about me. Everybody thinks I'm dating you at school and I yesterday I couldn't hold it in anymore so told Yugi about what we've been doing the last week. And... it's over! I just want all of this to be over! Everything was fine before all of this happened and now I wish that I never agreed to pretend to date you."
Joey stared down at her as she just confessed all her thoughts and deepest secrets from the past week. He gave her a hug and rested his head on hers for a moment, raising it back up when he realized something. "Tea, dare's something I've been meanin' ta tell ya for awhile now."
"What?" Tea knew there was nothing else in this world that could bring her down even more.
"Look at me," he lifted her chin, showing off her tear-stained face. Joey placed a hand behind her neck and stared into her eyes again. "You're uh amazin' person and sometimes I don't know what I'd do without ya anymore. You've supported me through every duel and believed in me no matter, but none of dat matters more den what I'm 'bout ta tell ya right now."
"Why?" Tea was dumbfounded with what he was telling her.
Keeping a firm, but gentle hold on the back of Tea's neck, Joey placed his other hand to rest on the side of her cheek. After what seemed like eternity, he finally whispered to her, "I think I'm in love with you..."
Then, before Tea could even say anything, Joey leaned in and touched her lips. She didn't pull back, though she didn't kiss him back either. It was tie, though that didn't matter to Joey. Feeling the rush of his head spinning and everything around him disappearing with the wonderful kiss, the blonde broke away from the brunette. He wanted to see Tea's reaction as soon as they parted. From what he saw, Tea looked blank and almost lifeless. But on Tea's insides every worry in her mind faded when Joey kissed her lips. Tea felt hazy and light as a feather all at once. This kiss was beyond any small peck Yami could give to her on the cheek. Not that she doubted Yami was a good kisser. The brunette wasn't sure if it was right, but at this point; nothing felt better. "Joey, I think I—" then before she could finish he leaned in again and kissed her soft, pink lips. He knew now that nothing was holding him back from kissing Tea this time... not even Yugi.
O-M-G!!!! Did that just happen or what? Joey actually kissed Tea?!?! Wow! I'll definitely try to update soon. Who wouldn't want to see what happens next?
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!
'Love or Pretend?'
Here's chapter twelve for all of you reviewers. Thanks for the reviews. Please continue!
WARNING! This is a MUST SEE chapter!
Chapter twelve: Trapped in the truth
Yami hadn't left her more than 30 seconds ago. Tea could still feel his soft, warm lips caressing against her cheek. The perfect moment— like in a dream— was an almost heart wrenching experience for her to endure. The brunette couldn't live knowing Yami kissed her and not tell anyone about it. Especially someone like Yugi. Yami was Yugi's other half— his darker half— and they were connected. Keeping something like this from Yugi was going to be like keeping a stabbing knife plunging for her heart— like almost being on the verge of life to death all at the same moment.
"I can't believe Yami kissed me," she touched her cheek softly, at the spot where he kissed it, as Tea slowly sat down on her bed. "It's like I was in a dream or something when it happened. But something wasn't right with about. Something's going on with Yami and I need to know what it is. Though, whatever's going on with Yami, I bet there's something all behind, twisting the game into two. Telling Yugi what happened maybe the only way to get to the bottom of all of this, but if I do tell him, how will he react?"
&&&&&&
"So... How did your talk with Tea go yesterday, Yami?" Yugi asked his other half the next morning before breakfast while tying his black and white tennis shoes on.
"Fine." Yami looked over to Yugi from the window, acting as natural as possible. "Why do you ask?"
"No reason. I just wanted to make sure that everything was okay with her after seeing that guy you two hate. I didn't want Tea to go to bed uncomfortable is all. You didn't by any chance do anything to make her feel that way, did you?"
Yami started to get a little nervous.
Just then, Yugi started cracking up. "I was only kidding, Yami. I know you would never do anything to make Tea feel uncomfortable. I should probably go downstairs now. Besides, Gramps is going to kill me if I don't show up when he asks the first time from now on. I think he's beginning to catch on that I've been talking to you up here. I guess we better be more careful from now on. I'll see you later, Yami." (A/N apparently Yugi has no idea what happened last night, huh?)
Yugi walked away as Yami stared out the window like he was before Yugi interrupted him. 'What happened last night? Why did I kiss Tea when I didn't even know how she was feeling about me? And Yugi... Ra, if Yugi finds out what I did last night I'd never be able to forgive myself... Now I wish I had never kissed Tea last night... even if in some small way I liked it.'
&&&&&&
"Morning, Yugi." Grandpa was the first one to greet the small, tri-colored boy when he got downstairs.
"Hey Gramps," Yugi responded back as sat down on the island counter. "Is breakfast ready yet?"
"No quiet yet, I'm afraid to say, my boy. I still need a few more minutes to finish the bacon and sausage. Joey's in the bathroom if you wanted to talk to him."
"Yeah, I kind of figured that when I was going through the hall and he was singing in the shower. So, where's Tea at? Was she up yet when you walked by her room?"
"No, not when I walked by earlier. Though, that was about a half an hour ago, so you never know. Tea might be up by now." Grandpa said him as he stirred around a bunch of pieces of sausage in two large skillets. (A/N does it surprise you? With as much as Joey could eat, why doesn't Grandpa have four pans filled with sausage, huh?) "You should probably go up there and see if she is awake anyway. And if she isn't go ahead and wake her up. Oh, don't forget to tell her that breakfast's going to be on the table soon."
"Gottcha." Yugi walked back up stairs and walked through the quiet hall. Laughing as he walked by the upstairs bathroom he could hear Joey singing in the shower.
As soon as Yugi came up to Tea's room he stopped in his tracks. Slightly nervous, Yugi lightly knocked on her door. "Tea? Are you up yet? Breakfast is almost ready." Silence. Nothing. Not a single sound was coming from the room. So he decided that because of this it would be harmless to open the door and ask Tea to come downstairs. There he found the brunette still sleeping in her bed. Tea looked like a sleeping angel in his eyes. To him, there was absolutely no one else in the entire world more beautiful than her when she sleeping. Tea looked so peaceful and calm in her sleep. Yugi could have stared down at her frail figure forever if he was given the chance to. Touching her bare cheek softly— so he didn't wake her quite yet— a faint smile played on his lips.
"Tea..." his eyelids slid down slightly, in a long gaze staring at her, his hand still on her cheek. "You're so beautiful... God, I wish I could tell you how I feel sometimes. But then I remember what a great friend you are to me and risking that friendship into becoming something worse than what we have has always stopped me from speaking the truth." Unknowing to Yugi, Yami's transparent form was at the other end of the room, watching and listening to his lighter half speaking to the unconscious Tea. "I guess up until now I really didn't understand what it felt like to love someone so much you could never admit the truth to them. Because the thought of even losing them just once is almost unbearable in their life. And I wouldn't risk that for second just as long as we're together. You mean so much to me... I truly wouldn't know my life without you anymore if you weren't in it."
Coming closer to Tea, Yami began to wonder what Yugi was trying to do. "I have thought about you every night since I realized my real feelings for you, Tea. I keep telling myself that maybe one day you might feel the same for me... And if that day comes soon I just want you to know that I've loved you since the first moment I saw you."
Then Yugi did something not even he would imagine doing in a thousand years. He bent down all the way to Tea's level and replaced his warm fingers with a gentle kiss on her cheek. Yugi started to feel lightheaded as he stood back up, as he suddenly felt a crimson blush came across his cheeks in the process. Yami stood in shock as he saw Yugi kiss Tea for the first time and disappeared...
That's when Tea started to wake up. She stirred around a bit, stretching her arms up slightly, and cracked up her eyes slowly. The brunette vaguely saw Yugi as she slowly gained consciousness. "Y-Yugi... is that you?"
Putting a hand on her almost completely bare shoulder he replied, "yeah, it's me."
Rubbing her eyes in exhaustion Tea asked, "what are doing in here, Yugi? Is there something wrong?"
"No. I came in here to awake you up. Grandpa told me to tell you that breakfast's just about on the table."
Tea took in a waft of the air and smelled it. "I can tell. You can smell the bacon from up here. It smells great. I'm already getting hungry."
Yugi smiled at her. "Me too. How's your report coming along?"
Tea slowly got herself in a sitting position on the bed and said, "it's coming. I'm almost done with it. I'll probably finish the rest of it up some time today— if Joey doesn't bother me all afternoon. By the way, I heard from Yami that you're almost done with yours. Is that true?"
"Actually, I'm finished with it. I got it finished up this morning when everyone was sleeping."
"Well what time did you get up?"
"5:30."
"5:30?!?!" Tea almost jumped out of her bed and fell over. "What were you doing up that earlier for?"
Yugi shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno. I was just up."
"'ey," Joey popped his head through the door, his blonde hair slightly damp from just getting out of the shower. "Ya two comin' down here or what?"
Tea rolled her eyes at him. "Yeah, we're coming. Can you just give us two minutes? Do you have a problem with that?"
"Geez! Don't be gettin grouchy with me, Tea. I'm just tellin' ya what I heard from Gramps is all. He's 'bout ta serve any second now so if ya want it while it's hot, come and get it now or I will." Then he left the room.
Yugi laughed as Joey left them alone again.
"What's so funny, Yugi?" the brunette looked back at her small, best friend.
"Nothing. I was just thinking about something, that's all."
"What?"
"I was thinking, besides duels and sleeping, does Joey ever stop thinking about food?"
The brunette giggled playfully and replied, "probably not, but it would be nice though. I'm just wondering if Joey actually started his project last night like he said he would."
Yugi and Tea thought about it for a moment and at the same time they both said, "nah!"
"Yugi! Tea! Breakfast's ready!"
"Okay, we're coming down, Gramps!" Yugi yelled back to him. Turning his attention back to Tea he said, "we should probably get there soon before Grandpa yells at us too."
"Good idea," she agreed, throwing the covers off of her body, exposing the rest of her pajama outfit, causing Yugi to blush lightly.
&&&&&&
"So, how's your English papers going, you three?" Grandpa asked as he started to serve out breakfast when Yugi and Tea finally made it to the kitchen table.
"I'm done," Yugi said.
"I'm almost done. I just have to write out my final draft," Tea added.
"Excellent work, you two! I'm very pleased to hear that." Grandpa beamed at them, then looked over at Joey, noticing that he hadn't said anything yet and asked, "and what about you, Joseph? How's your paper coming along?"
"Uh... I kind of haven't started it yet," the blonde barely mumbled out.
"Joey!" Grandpa yelled out his name. "Why haven't you started it yet? You've had all weekend to work on it."
"I just lost track of time... I guess. Besides, it's no big. I got time. I'll work on it dis afternoon. So don't worry 'bout it, Gramps. I got it under control."
Tea reached over to Yugi and said, "yeah, and last time he said that Joey almost blew up the biology lab last year."
Yugi giggled. "Tell me about it."
"And speaking of this afternoon," Grandpa brought his voice back to their attention, after giving Joey a small lecture. "I'm going to be working in the attic, upstairs in the hall, so I finally can fix that annoying T.V. cable up there that hasn't been working in my room. So you three best be entertaining yourselves while I'm busy... Especially you, Joseph."
"Grandpa, don't you think we should have a professional work on the cables?" Yugi asked, concerningly. "I wouldn't want you to get yourself hurt like last time."
"Nonsense, my boy! I can do. You'll see. I just need to be more careful this time, and I will be."
&&&&&&
"Ah! That should do it," Grandpa said after finishing up his work in the attic a few hours later. "I better go get that key before I forget to lock up this dusty old place." Grandpa climbed down the wooden stairs and walked away towards the kitchen.
Joey had just walked into the hall when he noticed that the stairs leading to the attic were still down. "Hey Gramps, ya still up dare workin'?" Joey called to him. silence "Gramps? Anybody up dare?" Joey started climbing up the stairs when Tea caught a glimpse of what he was doing.
"Joey? What are you doing up there? You're not suppose to be up there, I don't think," Tea told him as she watched her friend climb up anyway.
After Joey finished climbing up he said, "don't worry 'bout it, Tea. I ain't doin' anythin' wrong, am I? I'm just checkin' what's up here is all. Ya don't have ta worry 'bout me all da time, ya know."
"Joey!" Tea impatiently said as she climbed up with him. "Why do you have to be so annoying with everything? Why can't you just leave things alone for once?"
As Tea finished climbing up to the top, with Joey's help, they both noticed how long and wide the attic really was. "Wow... I didn't know an attic could be this big," Tea said, stunned and amazed, as she walked around the large, dusty area.
"Eh, dis ain't nothin'. Da attic at Tristan's house is way bigger den dis."
Tea looked over at him as they sat down on the hard, wooden floor. "Since when do you go into attic?"
"I dunno," he shrugged. "It's just somethin' ta look at, I dink. Besides, it's somethin' I'm gonna have ta do anyway when I'm uh adult so I might as well just get use ta it now, ya know what I'm sayin'?"
Tea smiled faintly. "We should probably got out of here, Joey. I don't want Mr. Moto to get mad at us for going up here when we weren't suppose to be."
"What's he gonna do? Send us ta 'checkin' out uh attic' jail? Ya really need ta stop worryin' so much 'bout things, Tea. It'll really get ta ya head one day, just wait and see."
"Oh yeah, and this coming from a guy that's failing math and hasn't even started his English assignment yet, that's 20% of our overall grade in the class."
"I'm startin' it, okay? Man, I swear I get more verbal abuse from you and Gramps alone den my own dad."
"What verbal abuse? Oh, I'm sorry. I guess I just wanted to see you pass the class. I didn't know that came with a price."
Tea was about to climb down from the attic when Joey caught her arm, preventing her from leaving. "Tea wait," his caramel brown eyes looked into her sapphire ones. "Don't go yet. I don't want us fightin' again. Just stay with me right now, please. I wanna be with ya."
The brunette stared at her blonde friend, in shock. Joey actually didn't want to end up in another argument with her again? And he wanted to be with her— in an attic? What was wrong with this picture? It was almost like Joey was hiding something from her when she looked deep into his eyes. Yet, at the same time, there was a comforting, and secure kind of warm feeling. That kind of feeling that could reach all the way down to your toes, but you never really could— or wanted to— think about it because the person's mesmerizing expression has captivated you. This was truly something Tea had never felt before with Joey.
"All right," she said, giving into him, as Joey pulled her up and sat her back down next to him again.
Joey was about to say something when they both heard footsteps. "Shhh... be quiet," Joey commanded her as he placed an arm around her shoulder softly— like he was protecting her for some reason. "It might be Yugi."
Tea looked away while she wondered, 'why would Joey be worried if it was Yugi?'
The person they heard coming wasn't saying anything so Joey and Tea could make out who it was, only to guess that it was either Grandpa or Yugi. (A/N uh... Duh! Who else could it be? Santa Clause? Or maybe they were expecting the Easter Bunny? Lol!)
Then, all out of a sudden, the hanging steps and door of the attic shut closed and a key that was turning on the other side of the board locked them in. Joey and Tea couldn't speak as they saw they were being locked in. After staring at the locked up board for a couple of moments, the blonde and brunette finally were able to yell out loud for help, after getting out of a state of shock.
"Grandpa!" Tea yelled out first as they banged on the floor, slightly, making sure they didn't break through it and fall through. "Let us out of here!"
"Gramps, ya gotta get us out of here!" Joey yelled out too.
"Mr. Moto, can you hear us?" Tea yelled out again. silence Nothing could be heard from the hallway. After about two minutes of yelling and screaming, Joey and Tea finally decided to stop, figuring it was probably hopeless to get help by now.
"Great..." Tea said tiredly and sarcastically as Joey turned on the only light in the room that was above their heads. "Just great... Grandpa can't hear us from all the way up here, and Yugi's probably still at the store." Realizing something, Tea looked almost panicking. "Oh my god... we might be stuck here for the next two hours!!! We have to do something to get out of here!"
Sitting back up from where he was, Joey responded, "after yellin' with ya for da last couple of minutes, do ya seriously dink I don't know dat by now?"
"Joey!!! This is no time for games. We're trapped in Yugi's attic for cryin' out! I really don't want to spend the rest of the afternoon in this attic—."
"With me?"
Tea was slightly thrown off with Joey's question when he cut her sentence off. "I never said that."
"Yeah, but I bet ya were dinkin' it."
"Are you accusing me for something I haven't even done?"
"Well, it sure seems dat way, doesn't it? Though, I'm also dinking dat you'd rather be stuck in here with Yami instead of me right now, huh?"
Tea stood shocked. "Why would you think something like that?"
"Because it's true."
"No it isn't."
"Don't lie ta me, Tea. Everybody— except for maybe Yug— knows dat you've been diggin' Yami since ya first found out who he was. It really wasn't dat hard ta figure out actually."
Tea didn't know what to say at this point. What was there to say at a time like this? "Joey... I... I don't know what to say... It's not like—."
"Yeah, it is, but forget 'bout it," Joey told her, kicking his foot away from himself. "Dare's nothin' ta worry 'bout— with da exception of our current situation— 'cuz I won't tell Yugi dat ya like Yami. But I've got uh feeling now dat you're not da only one keeping secrets from someone ya care 'bout in dis room."
"What are you talking about?"
Without speaking, Joey turned around to face Tea directly in her eyes. Sensing her confusion, he didn't want to freak her out. "I'm haven't always been honest with ya 'bout some things, and I dink it's time dat I do while we're here alone."
Tea didn't say anything. She merely just waited for her blonde haired friend to speak again as nervous started to creep up her spine.
"For one thing, I dink ya should know dat Tristan knows 'bout us. He knows 'bout us pretendin' ta date because he was da one I was with when I first thought 'bout da idea. Even though he completely disagreed and thought it was whack, Tristan promised not ta tell anyone dat he knew 'bout it. So what da ya got ta admit? Anythin'?"
"I don't know about that, Joey. I sounds kind of stupid and silly." Tea wasn't sure whether or not this whole 'letting out the truth in the open' was such a good idea. What if she did say something to Joey and he accidentally let it slip out to Yugi? Tea knew for sure that she didn't want to risk that. "Some things are just meant to be kept a secret and hidden."
"Some things? Or things ya just don't want ta share with me?"
"Both," she whispered to him as she turned away from his shadows.
"Tea... don't be like dat. If we're gonna be stuck here for two hours, like ya said we might, den I dink it's natural dat we do somethin' ta keep ourselves busy. Don't ya dink so?"
"Yeah... but I don't think this would be my greatest time to admit things to you. I've kind of got a problem right now and I really don't want to think about it anymore than I have to."
"Is it 'bout me?"
"No," she whispered to him, tears threating to fall out of her eyes as she sat with her head on her knees. "It's about Yami..." then Joey heard her cry.
Joey grabbed Tea's arms and placed her into his lap. He cradled her in his arms as she continued to cry between her two knees. (A/N Awww... Isn't that sweet?) "It's gonna be okay. Just wait and see. Everything's gonna be all right in da end. I promise."
"No, it won't, Joey," she said between her sobs. "Yami kissed me last night, after I left you, and now I don't know how he feels about me. Everybody thinks I'm dating you at school and I yesterday I couldn't hold it in anymore so told Yugi about what we've been doing the last week. And... it's over! I just want all of this to be over! Everything was fine before all of this happened and now I wish that I never agreed to pretend to date you."
Joey stared down at her as she just confessed all her thoughts and deepest secrets from the past week. He gave her a hug and rested his head on hers for a moment, raising it back up when he realized something. "Tea, dare's something I've been meanin' ta tell ya for awhile now."
"What?" Tea knew there was nothing else in this world that could bring her down even more.
"Look at me," he lifted her chin, showing off her tear-stained face. Joey placed a hand behind her neck and stared into her eyes again. "You're uh amazin' person and sometimes I don't know what I'd do without ya anymore. You've supported me through every duel and believed in me no matter, but none of dat matters more den what I'm 'bout ta tell ya right now."
"Why?" Tea was dumbfounded with what he was telling her.
Keeping a firm, but gentle hold on the back of Tea's neck, Joey placed his other hand to rest on the side of her cheek. After what seemed like eternity, he finally whispered to her, "I think I'm in love with you..."
Then, before Tea could even say anything, Joey leaned in and touched her lips. She didn't pull back, though she didn't kiss him back either. It was tie, though that didn't matter to Joey. Feeling the rush of his head spinning and everything around him disappearing with the wonderful kiss, the blonde broke away from the brunette. He wanted to see Tea's reaction as soon as they parted. From what he saw, Tea looked blank and almost lifeless. But on Tea's insides every worry in her mind faded when Joey kissed her lips. Tea felt hazy and light as a feather all at once. This kiss was beyond any small peck Yami could give to her on the cheek. Not that she doubted Yami was a good kisser. The brunette wasn't sure if it was right, but at this point; nothing felt better. "Joey, I think I—" then before she could finish he leaned in again and kissed her soft, pink lips. He knew now that nothing was holding him back from kissing Tea this time... not even Yugi.
O-M-G!!!! Did that just happen or what? Joey actually kissed Tea?!?! Wow! I'll definitely try to update soon. Who wouldn't want to see what happens next?
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!