Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh. The characters, I'm still fightin' for…..
Chapter 11: Breaking the Habit
Mai left her own mansion, bursting through the Venetian doors like a happy, little child. With her brand-new fiancé. They were both laughing, and gasping from the run, at her Convertible, which immediately uncovered and started up for her in greeting, as was the norm for technology today..
"Keys!" Joey said. It was rare thing when he was allowed to drive it, but she felt he deserved it, after what happened. She tossed them over, then slid into the passenger seat.
"I guess you can drive," she muttered, grudingly, looping the seatbelt about her coat's waist as the car's top covered again. "That was brilliant."
"Yeah…" he said easily. "I figured yer ma had a…..weak stomach." Looking behind, he pulled out neatly, and started down the road very carefully. He was surprised she surrendered so quickly; the keys, that is, not the game.
"Who knew…..Super Realistic Mode would cause her to flee in total horror?" Mai murmured, looking straight ahead with an even straighter, poker face. The monsters had turned into a crushing, pulverizing spectacle where violence was unlimited, and gore was in abundance. "Especially when….my Pet Dragon was doused with your Thousand's Nose Noxic Attack--I think that's what it was…"
"Nauseous Nostril Gust," he corrected with a grin. "And who knew you could point where the attack went….?" He went on, innocently.
Mai shook her golden blond head, curls waving. "Poor Mother….even I felt sorry for her….that was a new dress….!"
Both laughed. Technology had upped Duel Monsters into nearly the real thing, something they had had too much off two years past. Of course, there were options for 'downing' the realism, but accidentally-on-purpose the game was set to "Super Realistic." Poor Mrs. Valentine's hair had, literally, stood on end. Especially after Wind Gust Whirl Hurl Attack, which had made the whole house shudder.
"Maybe it's the dress I feel sorry for," Mai joked, with a laugh, tossing herself back against the plush seats. "You have a lot of cards I never even saw before!" Without warning, she smacked him on the shoulder. "Keeping more secrets, eh ?!?!?!"
"Ow." He drove on, giving the shoulder a rub, "so I went to the game store a few times…..when I was bored. An' I doan keep 'secrets.' "
"Oh, come on, there must be some secret, that you haven't told me about yet," she cajoled, flicking bits of golden brown away from his face as the cold wind blew them right back. " One little bitty secret?!"
"Nope. None." I learned it's not wise to; they always come out !
"All right, don't tell me then." She let it go, settling back comfortably with a soft sigh. "Too bad…..Mother made Daddy take away my trust fund, though. We could've really used the money…."
His fists clutched the steering wheel on a white knuckled grip. "I know…." was all he could say.
"Don't worry; who says I don't have a nest egg somewhere in the bank?" she said with a mischievous wink. Mother always likes to think she controls my life, but only I do! "Say, mind if you stop there? I have to make sure." He nodded absently. "Good! Now we can move on to talk about other things….." She smiled and he grinned over at her. "Like…..our wedding day!"
"….Oh." She punched him in the shoulder.
"Very good, smart boy! Now…." She said lightly, skating over this topic of conversation with care, "do you want….a big wedding!" She made her voice excited. "or…..a small one…." Her voice dropped to something akin to a mumble, as she looked at him critically.
In truth, he didn't mind either, thought because of their financial needs, it would be a better idea to have a small one. "I dink we…should….have…." He glanced at her face. " Big one….definitely."
"I knew you'd say that!" she lied, giving him a quick fierce hug. He'd better! she thought, as he sweatdropped, wondering how they were going to afford a wedding, plus a vacation for the honeymoon, and where to live….It had seemed that the hardest part was just to get engaged, but now he was beginning to think something else was a lot harder. But looking at her enthralled expression, he vowed he would find some way. No more borrowing money. Even if it means two jobs! Even three! He sighed wondering how he was going to do it, as shook his head slightly, while she continued:
"It'll be fantastic; don't worry, since I'll plan it all," she said brusquely, picturing the spectacular event. "All you have to do is..umm…pick out who'll be your best man, and your groomsmen annnnd…..that's it!"
He was silent until he noticed her expectant look to respond. "Oh! Well, I haven't really thought 'bout dat yet," he admitted when she'd finished talking. "I guess….either Yuge or Tristan could be my best men, and fer my groomsmen, uh---" He stopped, thinking about it, when she practically shrieked:
"One! You have to choose only one best man!"
"Jeez. Calm down, Mai!" She'd scared him out of his wits, nearly into a ditch, and he threw her a disgruntled look.
"Sorry," she apologized. "But….maybe I should choose for you….you know, to lessen the burden of thinking about it…."
"All right," he agreed finally, sweatdropping, "only if I choose da food!" It was his only condition.
"Deal!" They sealed it with a kiss. "Now let's see…..Tristan….oh yeah, that guy. Doesn't he live in a few towns over, now?"
"Yeah, we'll have to fly him down. Along---"
"Groomsmen. What about that white kid that always used to hang around you?"
"What white kid?....."
"White-haired kid, I mean." She was practically twitching her pen as it laid on her notebook as she waited.
"Uh….Bakura?"
"Yeah! He could be one." Who else?
"Hmm…." Joey thought, scratching his head as he made a left turn. "But he's in England now…..has been dere since graduation…."
"We'll fly him down!" she shrieked again, scribbling it down fast.
"Mai, yer goin' ultrasonic 'gain…." Another reproving glance.
"Oh, just keep driving. " She paused a split minute, looking over her notes with her body twisted towards him. "I'll have to choose my maid of honor, and my bridesmaids…." This is SO exciting! "I think….your sister could be my maid of honor……and Tea and Ishizu could be bridesmaids…." She chewed the tip of the writing utensils thoughtfully. Then, "Hm....music.....Serenity could be charge of it. You think she'd like to?"
"Huh? Oh, sure, yeah why wouldn't Seren wanta? Y'all are good friends, plus, she was really fired up when I told her the news."
Mai smiled a that, fondly. "I bet." Then she frowned, a little disconcerted. "Do you think---and this might be my imagination---she been acting a little weird lately?"
"How ya mean?"
"Well….always working herself to the bone, and…..she seems a little over-touchy, over emotional, secretive…."
"Ah, that's how she always is. What else is new?" He dismissed it with a shrug, but she took the time to mull it over. "Anyway, I tol' her to get some rest.....here's the bank and da market….….."
"I'll ask her if everything's all right later," Mai murmured, as he made a right turn. A sharp right turn. "Hey!" she said, coming back to the present. "Watch out for scratches!"
"Yeah, yeah….." He muttered, and when she shot him a glare, he grinned. They got out, with the car giving a happy beep, as a brisk wind hit them full on the face. "I need ta pay for da gas……ya coming?" She nodded, and the excaped from the winter weather, to a long lin of customers that greeted them.
After picking out their purchases, they stepped into it, right behind a plump, round girl with an earring in her left eyebrow, pushing a carriage. The stroller held one wailing, tiny baby, swaddled in light blue, who stopped as Mai bent down.
"Awww, such a cute baby! Yes, you are!" she cooed, then looked up, kindly. "How old is he?"
"Four months," the girl smiled, a little tiredly. She patted and readjusted the baby's hat. "Seems like a year….sometimes!"
Mai laughed appreciatively, then turned to Joey, who was eyeing the kid with uncalled suspicion. "Isn't he cute!" He nodded, but when the mother's back was facing him, he pointed, discreetly, towards a rack of bald-green melons, and made the charades gesture for "looks like."
She whacked him lightly, shocked, delightedly, by his nerve. It was true the baby didn't have any hair, but he still was cute! And he did NOT look like a melon. "It must be hard," she said sympathetically to the mother. "How old are you, if you don't mind?" she said kindly.
The girl smiled back, a bit bitterly. "24..... Oh, excuse me, my boyfriend's calling. Come along, Junior." She carted away her squalling son as they watched, promising a treat later. Mai sighed theatrically.
"So cute……" she sighed, shaking her head as the line pushed forward and grabbing some gum. "I wish I had one of those!"
"Dunno." He said, still looking where that girl had left. "Isn't twenty-four a bit young?"
"Are you kidding? That's like…a quarter of a century!" she exclaimed, drawing some bored stares.She ignored then, but lowered her voice anyway. "I can't believe you would say that twenty-four is too young to have a kid."
"Why, are you twenty four?" He asked in real wonderment, because she'd always kept her age a secret from him; erasing it from bank statements, covering it up with a thumb at the doctor's form, that sort of thing.
She gave him a mysterious smile and said only, fingering the fur collar of her button-down coat and shifting her leather booted feet weight. "Wouldn't you like to know."
"You're neva gonna tell me, are ya."
"It's for me to know," she declared, "and for you to never find out. Anyway," she said with a smile, but changing the subject faster than the speed of a Wind Guster's Whirlwind Attack, "did you tell anyone yet, about our engagment? Your mother?"
"Naw....." he scratched under his chin as if he hadn't even considered it, "I didn't, but I think she knows 'bout it. She knows everythin'!"
"You 'think'? You 'think'?"
"Well, I don't know! I was so busy preparin' on how to propose, I couldn't think of anythin' else! I do the proposin', you do the wedding." He held both hands up in the air in finality, and she nodded. It was what she wanted to, anyway.
"Okay. Fine. Well, let's see, if we'd don't have enough for the wedding party, I could always invite my cousin over.....hmm.....do you have any?"
"Any what?" he mumbled, distracted by paying the cashier.
"Any family members! You know, cousins?" She waved her hand expectantly and shortly in his face. "Hell-lo?!"
"Oh yeah, I do have a few....." And so they started plotting and planning, all the way to the car, and all the way down the road. Mostly she talked, while he gave the occasional, required nod when called for, and she noticed that he really wasn't interested in planning up the wedding. Typical male.
But, she grinned anyway, putting away her notes, knowing this wedding was hers, all hers from here on out, to shape and plan any way she wanted. "Can I give you a little hug...?" she said, making her voice tiny and innocent as possible, though a mischievous little smirk stretched her pretty face.
"Eh?" He didn't see it; his eyes were on the road. "Yeah..... sure......." And then, "Hey! Stop that! I'm driving!" as she chuckled and started to frisk him. And, "T-t-that tickles!" They finally made it to in front of the Wheeler's driveway, barely, and got out; Joey looking a bit dazed with his hair very messed up and Mai looking like the cat who ate the canary. They were there because he needed to pick something up, and bumped smack into Tea, who was just leaving.
"Tea?" Joey questioned, snapping out of it. "What're ya doin' at my house....?"
"Looking for you!" Tea snapped, her eyes flashing angriliy. "Where were you guys?!" she demanded of them, tossing her clipboard from one arm to the other.
"Um.....off getting engaged," he said, scratching his head in confusion and sweatdropping. Tea's look immediately changed.
"Congratulations!" she said with no embarrassment at all, looking at one to the other. Mai surveyed her carefully; in her grey speckled sweatpants and tennis shoes, Tea looked like a military drill instructor, or maybe a gym teacher. "Really," Tea added with a nod, before bursting out, "Still, that's no excuse! You guys promised to help out at the Game shop!!!"
"Chill out, Tea, we got held up," said Mai coolly as she conitnued to rant about how they were expecting them, and how they had failed to be there to help out. "We'll help, of course, since Yugi is our friend, but not for you, Miss Bad-Temper."
Throughout Tea's protestions about how she did not have a bad temper, how she was just disappointed at their failure to at least call, Tea managed to say, "Oh, yeah, Joey, don't go in there, your sister's upset about something." Without even pausing or taking a breath, at all!
"Sis, in dere?!" he said in real surprise, from where he'd been edging away from the bickering girls."'Upset'?! About what?!"
"Dunno, she wouldn't say." Tea shrugged, eyes wide in bewilderment. "But don't go in there, she said she wants to be--" she finished lamely, when he had kapwinged in there already, before she could finish."....A.....lone..." She gave Mai a rueful and sympathetic look, as if to say, "sorry you have to keep up with him.....for the rest of your life."
Mai frowned, dismissing it. "What's wrong with Serenity, anyway?" she questioned. "Did you go over and harrass her, too, when she didn't help out?!"
"No!" Tea said, defensively; haughtily lifting her chin. "She was crying and sobbing when I got there! Even more than usual. So I asked 'what's wrong', but she was too incoherent! I couldn't understand a word."
"Riiiight," Mai said, rolling her eyes at the truth of being unconvinced. "Well, I'll see you later, Tea. I have to see what you did to her." she said, deliberately riling her up.
"I said, I didn't do anything to her; she was like that when I came!" Tea tugged at the arm of Mai's expensive coat in a death grip. "And you're coming with me, to the Game Shop! Files needs to be filed! Inventories need to be taken!" she said, fiercely dragging her down to road while Mai protested. "No buts, Joey can see what's wrong with her. Now come on!"
"Sis?" Joey said uncertainly, as the sound of soft but poignant sobbing reached his ears. Wonder what happened? It could be any number of things, from stubbing her toe to having a fight....with her boyfriend. He glanced about, the house was still, otherwise; silent, so his Ma wasn't home, as usual. She was such a workaholic...like sis.....
"Oh! Big brother!" Serenity looked up from the kitchen sink, immediately stopping her crying. "W-what's going on? For a visit....? W-would you like to make you lunch?" She immediately bent and started fixing him a sandwich with an expert hand in midst of her nervous ramblings. The knife slipped from cutting the ham, nearly slicing her shaking fingers.
"Sis....." he said, using his older brother voice, "have you been overworking yerself again?"
"Who, me?" she said innocently. "No, I don't know. Anyway, I heard you got engaged; congratulations! That's great! Is Mai out there? I have to congratulate her, too!" And with that, she set the knife and bread down and hurried out the front door. The house seemed remarkably still.
"Sis....how did you know dat?!" He said in a warning tone, grabbing her arm to stop her.
"Uh....know what?"
"That we got engaged!"
"Uh....you told me?" she offered, her face still shining with tears, though her expression was uncertain. She never was good at lying.
"No, ya didn't! Ya went to da Valentine estate, didn'tcha?" He said in disbelief, sighing loudly. "Sis, I told ja to stay in bed!"
Now everything made sense. He realized that she must've seen the proposal, and got all upset because of the things he'd said. Not that they weren't true, but still.....she wasn't supposed to hear! Immediately, she started to cry again, and he shook his head and crossed his arms in disappointment, while she do so.
"I-I-I'm sorry!" she wailed, grabbing an old, checked towel and bruying her face on it to hide it. "I just wanted to see it so bad.....a-and it was a beautiful speech, really...." She attemped a half laugh, though it came out, also, a half-sob. "You see, it made me cry!" she joked.
He took her then by the shoulders and shook her, gently, to get her attention. "Dat's it, sis. Yer going straight ta bed! Fer real, dis time."
"But--but---"
"No buts," he said, taking a page from Tea's book, "yer gonna get...." he led her up to her old room and threw the covers on her, "..some well..needed....rest!" With that, Joey proceeded to tuck her in so tightly that she couldn't move, much less get out of bed.
Staring up at him as he dusting his hands off, Serenity figured she did need some rest, thought it wasn't for the reason he thought. "Ah, Joey, you've choked me...."
"Er, sorry, sis." He untucked it a bit around her neck, then.
"Okay, okay, I will get some rest...." she said, already sounding sleepy, and visit me soon....? Otherwise, I'll turn into a prune in here."
"Sure, sis; I'll come to check on you soon." Joey smoothed down her wet hair where it had stuck to her cheek. "I'll bring Mai wit me, she's plenty worried about you, even though I'd said it wasn't nothin' a good rest wouldn't need....."
"Yes....bring her along....I need...to congratulate her....zzzz." In a few moments, Serenity was fast asleep, before she could say any more, and he headed for the door and clicked off the light, then hesitated, turning around. Seeing that she was in deep, peaceful sleep, he thought better of it and closed the door behind him.
"Sheesh...." Downstairs in the kitchen again, he rubbed his hands through his hair, sighing. She must've been really hurt to hear the things he'd said about her, about how she'd hurt him so. Even though it was what he'd had felt, even though it was true, he didn't think she'd be there to hear it. Otherwise, he would've never had said it in the first place!
Me and Sis need to spend some quality time together, he thought as he made sure the door was locked, and going out in the empty street again. Tomorrow, we'll take a stroll down near Battle City, like we used to, no matter what are busy schedules are! Busy-schmussy! He shuddered when the thought of Tea dragging him down to the old shop to work, interfering with his plans.Well, I'll just hafta avoid her, not that I doan wanna help Yuge an all! I just think this is more important, that's all! He told himself to quell his guilty conscience, hopping into the car again. He'll understand. He always does....
"Ow, ow, ow, Tea, what the hell?!" Mai said, her feathers ruffled, have been dragged down two blocks. She'd half hoped Joey would'vecome to rescue her from work, but he hadn't shown up. Hm. That means either something's really wrong with Serenity, or.....he found an overdue sandwich in the fridge. "I told you, I'll help, but later! I have to plan my---"
"Plan your wedding later," Tea said brusequely, storming in the Game Shop, clipboard pen poised. "We need all the help we can get!"
"Hey, Mai, she roped you in, too?" Duke was sititng glumly in the corner, sulking. "Pulled me right out of bed, she did---"
Mai raised a perfect, golden eyebrow at Tea, who turned and paused, only slightly. "Not like that!"
"Oh, I was about to say!" Mai said, grabbing her chest threatrically as she undid the belt of her fur-collared coat. "I was like, geez, Tea----"
Tea glared at the both of them, then left in a huff.
Mai turned to Duke. "She's been like this all night?" She started with the broom, sweeping up the debris on the floor.
"I wouldn't know; I lit out at about midnight, when she fell asleep for a nap," he admitted, getting up and moving his feet up so she could sweep, but not doing anything else.
Mai stopped. "Nap? Tea?" She acts like she's constantly on espresso.....
"Yeah. Mokuba had to wake her. Rebecca had dragged Yugi someplace beforehand.....I think....saying she was to show him something." Duke shook his head, grinning down. "Something of a chick magnet, that guy...."
Mai had stopped listening. So, Tea still didn't fulfill her part of the deal and go out with him yet! When she had run into Tea in New York, she had 'accidentally' let it slip that Yugi still had a 'thing' for her. Tea had been so agitated, that she'd agreed on the plane back to go out with him, once, just to make her, as she put it, "Shut up, already!"
But she had been blushing like a nut, Mai thought, smiling. I just love playing matchmaker! Hm..hm, hm. "You know, I've been thinking of getting those two together, " she said conspiratorally to Duke, who cocked his ebony black head, listening. "Tea might tone it down a little, if she found love. I heard that she had her heart broken in New York, that's why she'd so testy, whenever I bring it up."
"She always was like that."
"Not at my wedding, she won't!" Mai huffed loudly, knowing Tea would be invited. "Better not...."
"Ohh, so y'all gonna married?" Duke said with a wink. "Well, then, I guess I could make time in my busy schedule for y'all's wedding. Joey is my good friend, and all," Duke said generously, locking his long fingers at the back of his head. " I just might be able to make it....since I'll be the best man, and all...."
"Actually, Joey didn't mention you at all," Mai said, twirling a piece of blond hair into a curl, busily wondering how she should wear her hair. (She now wore it straightened.) "I don't think you'll be invited, at all."
"Uh!" Duke made a plaintive, shocked gesture of hurt. "What am I, the next door neighbor? I thought we were friends!" He stopped, grumbling. "Who is he making best man, then?"
"I don't know, Tristan and Yugi, I guess....." she said slowly, just as Yugi and Mokuba came in through the living room door.
"What's this about me?" Yugi said softly. "Hello, Mai."
"Hey, hun, how're you holding?" Mai decided not to answer, since Joey would probably like to ask Yugi himself. "....."
"Hey, yo-yo-yo, it's Mai, to da M-O-C," Mokuba rapped his greeting, taking a gesture of a hip hop, taken straight out from MTV4, "lookin-and-tryin-what's-she's-not-to-be." He crossed his long, thin arms. "Peace." he finished with a smirk.
"Hello, to you, toom Snoopy Dog Don't," Mai said dryly, rolling her eyes. Even though the 'lyrics' were rude, she was used to it from Kaiba's little brother. "Sometimes you're just like your brother, kid!" It was the worst thing, she knew, to say at him, now.
Tea apologized for his rudeness, while he hissed at Mai, baring teeth even, and left. "Uh... let's get started, shall we?" Everyone groaned. "Come on, happy faces!" She assigned them each a different job, clapping a beat, then everyone set to work.
At the end of the day, the shop looked ten time better, the windows were once again clean, floors swept, counters wiped until they sparkled like chrome. The only thing that was missing was a few forms to open up for business again, since Yugi had put the place up for selling after his grandfather died.
Poor kid, Mai thought, seeing Yugi look around a bit sadly. He was no doubt remembering how it used to be. And Duke...he was really working hard, and it was his competitor's shop. I just might invite him to my wedding....if he promises to behave and not throw the bachelor's party! She would have much rathered Yugi or even Mokuba to throw it.
She was daydreaming, and almost didn't hear Tea say exhuberantly, "Wow...it looks like the days when Mr. Moto was here!" and put down sandwiches and hot cocoa. Everyone paused, and then Yugi excused himself hastily and ran out, then everyone continued to eat, although uncertainly.
"What?" Tea looked from face to face in total bewilderment, her long brown hair flipping about her shoulder. "What did I say?" What did I say now?!
There was a pause where everyone sat down with their sandwiches with a collect sigh of tired relief. "You don't talk about his grandfather around him, Tea." Mai said quietly. "Good sandwich, by the way." Enthusiastic agreements, except from Rebecca.
"Yeah, that was, like, totally insenstive of you," she shrilled, wagging a finger inches from Tea's face. "Like, why don't you just shut up when you wanna say something SO, like, insensitive!"
Everybody else flinched at this, except for Mokuba, who nodded, and grinned a mouthful of butter-and-banana. "Yeah, you were callous," He imitated a zomblie like creature, grinning even wider. Tea flinched. "He's p'bably feeling baaad, and it's all 'cause of you!" He laughed, and Rebecca joined him in giggles.
Tea put down the silvery dining try with a bang, and although it wasn't a very loud bang, everyone jumped. "Bull! He needs to talk about him sometime, what, do you think Mr. Moto would like to be forgotten?!" she insisted passionately, eyes darting angrily from face to face in disgust, asking for support.
"Some things......it's better if he does forget," suggested Mai, and Duke nodded.
"Not this! That's it; I'm going to go and talk to him." Tea huffed out of the room in two, brisk paces, eyebrows turning down in a frown. A talking-to, that is!
"Yugi?"
"Yeah, sorry, Grandpa. I have to go."
"Yugi?" Tea turned a corner. It was completely dark, except for the light from downstairs, where everybody else had started a game of charades. "Why don't you---" she fumbled for a light switch, found one, and attempted to click it. Nothing.
"Oh.....that doesn't one," he said obviously. "Forgot to change it.....about two months ago....." But he didn't make a move to change it.
"Who're you talking to, just then?" Tea asked curiously, more questioning than accusing. But she always was soft with him unless it was to shake some sense to him, like now. Still, he looked so lonely, brooding in the dark, while everyone downstairs was having fun. "Did you call someone?"
"No....I was talking to.....Grampa," he finished, nodding to a cylindrical metal tin near a framed photgraph. Tea looked, and blinked, seeing it glint through the din.
"I thought he was buried?"
"Sort of both," he said tiredly, scratching his head while yawning. "A long story.....I'm tired."
With that, he flopped down at a nearby easy chair and was still. Tea tugged at his bare arm. "You can't just go to sleep yet, Yugi...."
"Why not."
"'Cause......'cause you have guests downstairs. C'mon. Would your grandfather be happy, knowing that you weren't hospitable as he was?"
"I don't know. I never asked."
She was quiet for a moment, staring down at him and releasing his arm.
"I don't know," he repeated. "I can't ask."
"Yes you can," she said calmly. "I heard you praying just now. That's how you can ask."
He flushed, embarrassed that she had heard him, but the darkness hid it. She saw it anyway. They both began to talk at the same time.
"You always have good advice, Tea---"
"Nothing is wrong with talking to God--" she protested.
"--but this time, I think you should just--just--" He broke off, sounding like a broken record for a second. "--butt out!"
The last words came out forcefully, more than he'd intended, but he couldn't take them back, and anyway, he'd meant it. Then. Tea looked instantly hurt, and her voice was shaking as she responded to his turned away back.
"I know I may sometimes sound uncaring, Yugi, but the truth is, I do care. And no, it's not just guilt that's making me help you. It's because we've known each other since we were little and---"
"I know, I know--" he said quickly, about to apologize. "I'm--"
She cut him off, tears shimmering in her aqua eyes. "--and you're my best friend. That kind of friendship lasts for a long time. At least, I thought so." With that, she whirled so quickly that the air hit him like a blast of a cold splash. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, but nothing came out, and at the doorway, she regained composure, and added, "I'm thinking of leaving for New York, so you'll get your wish. Try not to forget your past while I'm there." Then she headed back downstairs.
At the foot of the stairs, she paused, dashed the tears out of her eyes, and strode in confidentally in the living room. Mai was laughing at Duke about, and Mokuba and Rebecca were conspiring. They all looked up.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Mai said keenly, seeing how overbright Tea's eyes were. Even Duke couold see it and stared.
"Nothing! 'Wrong?' You guys are so crazy," she answered with a short, too-loud fake laugh. "Anyway, class dismissed, you're free to go home. Great job, everyone." She clapped, the only one to. Everyone was staring puzzedly, but no one objected to finally going home.
"I'm going to say goodbye to Yugi-woogy," Rebecca said, starting for the stairs, looking at Tea as though she expected protestions. Tea said nothing.
"'Yugi-woogy?'" Mai shook her head after the little, curvy ponytailed blond girl left. "That girl has some screws loose. Anyway, you got a ride home?"
"Yeah, I do," Tea said distracted.
"I mean, for me. You dragged me down here, remember?"
"Oh, yeah, okay, but don't talk to me, I'm not in very good company." Mai looked at her in surprise, having never heard this from her before. "C'mon, let's go before it snows....again....." Tea hurried.