A/N: I promise, I deliver! This will be one of my longest chapters to date! Oh, what's up peeps? I hope your Valentine's Day was a lot more memorable than mine was. It's a sad day to not be in love…in any event, here are this chapter's thank yous:
Shyly In The Dark: Thanks for your review, as always, and best of luck to you as you revive your fic. I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Anime Ruthless: Two little side notes I want to get out of the way: First, Terrell Owens is a MAN! Second, not so fast my friend (holding up a pencil, pointing at you) My Saints will be in Detroit next year! We've never been, SO ITS OUR TIME DAMMIT! Sorry…had to get that out. Thanks for your review, I appreciate it.
Snow Weaver: Glad to see you've found your way back to this story, glad you still like it! Thanks a bunch for your review.
ThefutureMrs.Kaiba: NEW READER! Thanks for your input, glad to have you onboard. I hope you keep reading.
Telecoi: Glad you enjoy it. I had to look up the definition of "vexshipping" (Bakura/Tea/Anzu pairing, in case someone reading this doesn't know) so I could know what exactly you meant. Just a quick question, who comes up with this stuff? Really? I went to this site the other day; someone had a name for every pairing possible! If you didn't know….that's a damn lot of pairings. Sorry, got a little carried away…thanks for your review.
A total oversight on my part I'm afraid:
The Mystic Goddess: You reviewed way back in Chapter Six…but due to an oversight on my part, you didn't receive your thank-you in chapter seven. So, THANK YOU! My fault for not getting you mentioned sooner.
Also, I have a new fic, Angry People, up that I'm working on, I'd appreciate it if you would take a look at it. I warn you however, it is EXTREMELY GRAPHIC and shouldn't be read by anyone under the age of 14.
Don't worry you starving fans of the Seto/Serenity pairing, more of that will come soon, but this chapter is mainly about another pairing, Yugi/Tea…..or is it? Anyway: Here's the next chapter, Enjoy!
Random Quote: "Sports do not build character…they reveal it." John Wooden, former UCLA basketball head coach.
Chapter 9: Yes or No?
Flashback
1993, Colby Residence
Nathan and his girlfriend Jessica were sitting around at his house watching a movie. It was only twenty-four hours after Nathan had helped lead his team to victory in the State Championship final, and everyone had one question for him afterwards: What's next?
"Um, Jessie, I have something to tell you. I've been thinking this over…I was contacted by Kansas yesterday, before the final. They want me to go play there..." Nathan shifted uncomfortably on the couch, trying to hide his nervousness.
"But… I thought we had decided to go to Louisiana State…together." Jessica looked up at her boyfriend with emerald eyes that could melt any heart with relative ease.
"Now Jessie…I never said that I was going there, I said that I would consider it. There's a difference."
"Nathan...why do you want to go there anyway? There's nothing for you in Kansas!" Jessica was standing up now, slowly but surely losing her patience.
"They….told me that I could start there my freshman year, and they offered a FULL scholarship, something Louisiana State couldn't. This is probably the best fit for me, Jessie."
Jessica put her hands on her hips. "Me, me, me! That's all I hear from you! What about us? What about our future?" She was starting to tear up, but she had to get him to understand. She wouldn't let him slip away.
"We can still have a relationship, but I need you here with me, Nathan. That's the only way we we'll be together."
"I'll only be a few hours away Jessie, it's not like I'm going to war or anything! Please, don't be so rash about this; we can have a long distance relationship…"
"What for...so you can screw some cheerleader behind my back?" Jessica was losing her poise, and her patience.
"You've know me since kindergarten, you've dated me since junior high…I would never cheat on you and you know it!" Nathan was getting frustrated at his girlfriend's apparent insecurities.
"That's not the point; I need you here, with me."
"Jessie…I'm going to Kansas to play basketball, I want you to support me. But know this: I'm leaving regardless of what you, or anyone else says." Nathan had an edge to his voice, but internally wished to take the harshness back as he saw his girlfriend beginning to sob.
"I see now…this isn't about me, you, or us. This is about your brother, isn't it?" Jessica spoke each word with added venom.
"Jessie…that's not it."
"Isn't it? Ever since he died, that's all you've thought about, him and basketball! He played you for a fool for so long, filling your head with this nonsense about championships and the team. As soon as their done with you, they throw you away and go on to the next player, you know that! You're trying to live his life, and you're leaving me behind in the process!"
She ran up and latched onto him, tears and all, and refused to let him go.
"Don't do this…please, just stay here with me."
Nathan breathed deeply, preparing to say what he believed needed to be said. "Listen Jessie, I've already talked it over with my parents. I'm going to Kansas in the fall. If you agree, that's fine and good. If you don't, then…this is goodbye."
Jessie let go of him, and began to stare bitterly into his dark-green eyes. She couldn't believe what he had just done. Her boyfriend had chosen basketball, a game, over her love.
"Well….this is goodbye…"
Jessie picked up her jacket, and left the room, throwing her engagement ring on the floor on her way out.
She didn't look back.
Neither did he…
End of flashback
Back in the present:
"You remember it all…don't you?" Jessica said a pang of sadness in her voice.
"Yeah…that was a tough day for us." Nathan said, avoiding eye contact.
"Well…I came here because…I want to make things right, Nathan. I still have feelings for you, even after all this time. I said some things twelve years ago that were hurtful and mean-spirited. I'm still in love with you…and I regret what happened between us. So…will you let me come back into your life?" Her voice sincere, yet desperate, Jessica pleaded her case.
"Jessie…I've been through a lot since we've last spoken. Truth be told, I still think about you sometimes. But…I need some time."
Nathan picked up his suit-jacket and prepared to head up to his room. He knew he still loved her…but would he be able to forgive?
Saints Practice
Two Days Later
"Today, we're going to work on a new play, called Three Special. It's an offense specifically designed to give us opportunities at three point shots late in the game. First Team, you'll be running the play today, second team will defend it. We'll reverse tomorrow. Understood?"
The team, in their blue and grey practice uniforms nodded, and the practice began.
After explaining the simple concept of the play, Nathan watched has his team practiced the play several times. He was impressed at the intensity that everyone brought to the practice, including the reserve players. He was not impressed by what he saw as the practice came to a close.
Yugi was dribbling the ball, setting up the Three Special play as instructed. He decided to dribble to the inside, taking the option of an easy two-pointer over the difficult three.
Yugi went up to the hoop for a routine lay-up but was met with harsh resistance from a certain albino. Bakura jumped up and knocked Yugi down, slamming the smaller boy to the hard, concrete-reinforced floor. Yami and Tristan immediately rushed over to attend to the boy, and the rest of the team huddled worriedly around one of their best players. Even Kaiba, who was exempt from practice due to his suspension but practiced anyway,
showed some degree of worry.
"Yugi, are you O.K?" Yami helped his brother up, his ability to stand up being a good sign in itself.
"I'm alright, I think I hurt my thigh, but everything else is fine." Yugi was helped over to the bench by some of the reserve players, several of whom also were team trainers.
Nathan looked on at the scene, deciding on his course of action to deal with Bakura.
I think this issue is better settled after practice…
Yugi rushed hurriedly through his shower and put on his clothing after a long, hard practice.
Nathan, who had come in to talk with some of the younger players on the team, raised an eyebrow at Yugi's odd behavior.
"I know a run a pretty hard practice, but this is ridiculous! Where are you going in such a hurry, son?"
Yugi fixed the collar on his white dress shirt. "Sorry coach, I just
have somewhere I have to be in about…" The teen glanced down quickly at his watch as he fumbled with a button on his shirt. "Ten minutes! How am I gonna get there on time, Tea's going to be really pissed!"
Nathan laughed in understanding. "A date…I get it now! Don't worry, not only will I give you a ride, but I'll explain to her why you're so late."
Yugi breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks coach!"
"No problem, just wait outside and I'll be there in a second."
All the rest of the players were leaving, talking about their activities for the night. Everyone except for two people, Bakura and Seto Kaiba. Seto, as was his usual custom, stayed a little while after every practice, working hard to bring his game to perfection. Bakura on the other hand, merely sulked around the arena, waiting for it to close.
"Bakura?"
The albino turned his head slightly. "How did you know I was here?"
"It's my job to know my players' tendencies. You've come here after every practice since we've been here."
Bakura shrugged the comment off, and then proceeded to speak again. "What do you want?"
Nathan walked over to the bleachers where Bakura was sitting and sat
down beside him. "Well, to be perfectly honest, I think you have some sort of problem, Bakura. I don't know if you have some hidden animosity towards your teammates. I don't know if you're just a loner type with a short fuse. And quite frankly, I don't give a damn. If you ever pull another stunt like what you did today at practice, not only will I cut you from the team, I will personally throw you out of practice, am I clear?"
Bakura got up from his seat, a rather smug look on his face. "Clear
as crystal, sir."
"Good. As much as he hoped Bakura would listen, he had a feeling
that he didn't.
Later that night…
Seto Kaiba, fatigue and all, went upstairs into the apartment that he shared with his longtime rival, Joey Wheeler. As he threw down his gym bag on the floor, He decided to raid the refrigerator for dinner.
Frozen pizza…beer…half-eaten apple pie…I've got to get a damn refrigerator of my own! Living with this mongrel will hurt my diet…
After Kaiba had found the ingredients necessary to make a ham sandwich, he found a post-it note on the refrigerator door.
Hey, Moneybags…
Me and Mai are out on a date...so you and Mokuba will probably have the place to yourselves tonight.
Joey Wheeler.
"Humph…so the mutt's getting laid…It's a sign of the apocalypse I'll bet." Kaiba mused to himself as he crumpled up the note and threw it into the trash can. At this moment, he heard a muffled sound coming out of his room.
What was that? Kaiba decided to sneak over into the room, wondering what exactly was going on. He leaned into the door, and for a few seconds heard nothing. Shortly after that, he heard one of the loudest moans of passion in recorded history. It's high-pitched voice dismissed Joey, Mai, or Mokuba from consideration. Kaiba's brow furrowed as he realized who it was.
Rebecca…
Without giving a second thought, Kaiba barged into the room. He saw his brother on top of the teenage Rebecca Hawkins in a rather compromising position. As the two young lovers saw the elder Kaiba in front of them, they hastily attempted to cover themselves up.
"Um…hey Seto…We weren't expecting you home for a while.." Mokuba tried to laugh it off a little, but his elder brother would have none of it.
"Mokuba…get dressed. We're going to have a long, long talk about this."
Reggie's Café
Later that night…
Yugi and his girlfriend Tea were eating some dinner as they caught up with each other and their different experiences. "Yugi…did I tell you that I'm covering your team for the paper now?"
Yugi looked up from his soup in surprise. "Really? When do you start?"
"Actually I already started…I was at Duke University for the game last week."
"Why didn't you tell me that you were going to be there, Tea?"
"Because…you already have enough to worry about going in there with all of those people screaming against you. You want me to go in there and give you another distraction?"
Yugi dug his free hand into a pocket as he held on to Tea's hand with his other. "You're never a distraction to me…only an inspiration."
"Wow…thanks Yugi." Tea blushed a thousand shades of red as she lost herself in Yugi's violet-colored eyes. As the two lovers continued to discuss other everyday issues, such as school work, friends, and their respective passions, Yugi waited until what he thought was the right time to give Tea a very special present. Unfortunately, that would have to wait…
"Funny…I didn't think I would run into such company here." Yugi turned around in his seat as he heard a familiar British accent resonate behind him.
"Same here…Bakura." Tea shot a death glare at the albino, sending a small chill down Yugi's spine.
Uh-oh! I don't think I've ever seen Tea look at anyone like that…hold on a second…how does she even know who Bakura is?
How does Tea know Bakura, and what does he want with Yugi's girlfriend? What will Kaiba do now that he's found Mokuba making out in their home? How will these trials effect the team's chemistry as they head to Rupp Arena for Game Two of the season? Find out next time!
It's over, It's finished, It's done! We have a winner for the "Name that Stadium" contest that I set up a little while back:
Anime-Ruthless: "Domino Dome"
Congratulations…your prize will come in the mail…
Jimmy: What prize? You're too broke to be sending anybody anything!
BigLos: Good point..
Well, your prize, if you want it, is a special appearance in the fic. You can e-mail me any idea of how to include you, or just leave it in the reviews.
And that goes for the rest of you too! Um…I apologize, I really need to go to sleep now…Anyways, thanks for reading!
BigLos…out.