My gods. I finally got the next chapter out. The end is actually in sight in my mind now. This one isn't too long, but the next one will surely be long, and it'll come fast, believe me. It's extremely late, so I can't respond to reviews like I usually do; can't do it tomorrow because I have work all day. –sigh- I strongly appreciate everyone who's actually stuck with me through this fiction. Thank you to SukiLovesAnime, AllisonWalker, Aibyoka, ShibiChicken, panmotto, Aibyoka 13, Aoi Dragon, Kristen, Cobra Strife, ssp, chibi neko doll, blackrose113, Kikoken, Arabella Silverbell, Immortalbreath37, Soleil-Princess90, YamiServant, SirisAnkh, KaiKaiCutie, SapphireShadows, Skitty 2004, SladesDaughter, Jade Wyvern, FalsE FortunE, Arrna, Sphincter, starskittle410, Hikari, Lady of Light, eternitycode, Tanakacchi, and Samurai Angel for your reviews of the last chapter You all are awesome!

Chapter 13

"Kumi-chan!"

"Eh--?"

I looked to my left--there was Shinobu.

"Get away from her you perverted rich snot!" Shinobu snarled, stepping in between us. "Molesting her in her own house is one thing, but trying to do it out in public? Have some decency, man!"

"She didn't seem too happy in there with that runt." Seto smirked slightly, tilting his head to the side. "After having me, how else is she supposed to react to the rest of the scum?"

"You didn't 'have' her, so shut it! Let's go, Kumi-chan." Shinobu grasped my hand and tugged me away, but before I could breathe a sigh of relief, Seto's hand enclosed about my other arm and held me there.

"I don't think you asked her whether she wants to leave with you."

"Like hell she wants to leave with you," Shinobu spat. "If you don't let go of her in one second, I'll—"

"Shinobuuu-kun!"

All four of us looked towards where he had just come from to see that the mean girls had followed him to the restaurant—the lead girl daintily slipped her arms around his free one, looking eyes of pure innocence at him. "Shinobu-kun, why are you still spending time with Ikari? She's cheating on you, you know!"

I couldn't believe what a huge scene we were making—people were shooting glances over in our direction, I even saw a plump storeowner watching us through the window of his shop with his arms folded.

"What the hell are you talking about?" he demanded. "If you think we're fighting over her—"

"It's ok, Shinobu-kun," she purred. "You don't need to save face in front of me. I like you for who you are—" She shot me a nasty look. "—not for your looks, like some shallow sluts around here."

"You're more of a slut than she is," Seto said smoothly. "She doesn't go chasing boys around with her underwear showing for everyone to see. No one except me, of course," he sneered.

"Say that again, Kaiba!" Shinobu shouted; I nearly winced at how much his grip tightened.

The lead girl had let go of him, stepping back a little in surprise. "Don't let him get to you! He's just stuck up, you're way above him!"

"Will you shut up and leave me alone?" he rounded on her. "If you think acting like a bitch to Kumi-chan and everyone else will get me to like you, you're dead wrong! I don't ever want you to touch me again, do you hear me?"

"No one else cares about you more than me, Shinobu-kun!" she pressed, latching onto his shirt. "If you'd only give me a chance I'll show you what real affection is!"

"Get off! I—I'll hit you if you don't let go of me right now!"

Seto yanked me towards him—Shinobu's grip had slipped. I yelped as both his arms wound their way around me. "Well, this is all lovely drama, but I think we'd best be going."

"Damn you, NO!" My friend's face was flushed beyond reason—I had never, ever seen him this angry before; it was frightening me.

"You keep speaking on her behalf; no wonder she sits by herself at lunch all the time."

"Because I know what's best for her," he growled. "Men like you are what made my life hell as a kid."

"Oh, I'm so sorry I didn't take into account what might have happened to you. Shame on me for not bothering with your family's problems," Seto bantered, obviously becoming very annoyed. "What was wrong? Did your father get all punchy-feely with you?"

I didn't even see Shinobu's fist; all I remember was Seto suddenly not being behind me and on the ground. Shinobu nearly shoved me out of the way so that he could spit at the ground beside him. "Not with me… no… My sister got all of it. She was quite pretty, you see, and my father got bored of my mother once she got old and ugly." He stooped and yanked Seto up by his shirt to glare at him, barely two inches away. "He was just like you in every way, Kaiba. If you think I'm going to let Kumi-chan fall into your hands, you'd better rethink before your brain ends up splattered on the cement."

"Kaiba, what are you doing here?"

All of us turned around to see that Katsuya had come out of the restaurant finally. "…did I miss something rather important?" he asked, blinking as his eyes traveled over Shinobu holding Seto in such a threatening manner.

"That would be an understatement," Seto muttered, roughly shoving Shinobu's hands off of him and wiping his slightly bloody lip on his sleeve.

"Well—Ikari-chan! What—he was—you followed us here?"

"Obviously! Wake up, you dimwit!" My voice finally started to work. Man, I was ticked off.

"What's your problem?"

"You! How long does it take to notice a giant scuffle right outside the freakin' window? These two idiots were tearing me in two and what the hell were you doing? Nothing!"

"Hey! You stormed out like you didn't want anyone following you! What good would it have done to—"

"Shut up! Shut up!" I covered my ears. Oh God, am I crying? Why? Why am I angry? He didn't do anything! I can't think straight… what's happening to me?

"You all are jerks!" I yelled at all of them, not looking at anything but darkness with my eyes shut tight. "I hate this! I want to be alone again! I liked it better when I didn't know anyone, because crap like this never happened to me! I hate this! I hate all of you!"

I ran away then, the tears streaming down my face… so this is what it had come to. I had no idea in hell how I was going to face them after that, but it had finally spilled over—all the stress, the anger, the new experiences… they had broken me on the inside. I somehow made it home that afternoon, managing to force myself to eat a little bit before collapsing in my room upstairs.

My best friend punched my biggest crush since… ever. My crush molested me in my own bedroom… Katsuya is back… he's not threatening any more… he's an idiot… damn all of them… what did I do to deserve this?

The worst had happened to me. Or so I thought.