Joey Wheeler watched the rain fall outside as he…just kind of sat there. Everything was peaceful, for he loved to just sit places.
Then the silence was broken.
His drunken father burst into the small bedroom where Joey stayed when he was home. Otherwise it was just too dangerous.
"Joseph Wheeler…get your ass out there and feed the dog!" his father yelled at the top of his lungs.
Joey was used to this sort of thing. "Dad," he said in a quavering, frightened voice, "we don't have a dog. Anymore."
His father picked up a chair that was right next to the rounded desk. "I'M WARNING YOU, KID! FEED. THAT. DAMN. DOG!"
The blonde boy retreated quickly to the corner. "Dad, we don't have a dog. You…killed it."
With a threatening roar, his drunken father picked the chair up and swung it, meaning to hit Joey, but ended up hitting the bed post.
Joey yelped in fear as the chair went back up to his father's shoulder, as if he were about to swing a baseball bat, and swung. This time, it hit Joey in the abdomen, causing him to vomit.
As Joey wretched, the chair was swinging again, but this time, it fell on top of the older man as he passed out.
Joey quietly crept out of the room and ran down the stairs as he cried.
He ran to school, completely distorted. The first thing that came to his mind was Seto Kaiba. He had no right to know anything about his home life. Especially this.
As he entered the school, he was surprised to be early. Yugi wasn't there yet; neither were Tea or Tristan.
But Seto Kaiba was.
Seto noticed Joey's face was tear streaked and his eyes were red. Plus, Joey simply buried his head in his arms and was silent.
No daily rude comment?
Seto was glad Joey was finally minding his own business.
Yugi strolled into the classroom and spotted Joey. He had really wondered why no one had answered the door when he stopped be Joey's house, and now he knew why.
"Hey, Joey!" Yugi said happily.
No reply.
"…Joey?"
Still no reply.
Yugi glanced at Kaiba, who appeared not to be listening. Yugi shook Joey and said in a low voice, "Joey, was it…your father again?"
Joey nodded without lifting his head.
The spiky haired teen drew in his breath and continued speaking in the same low voice.
"I think you should tell someone, Joey."
"I…can't…"
Seto smirked behind his book. As if anyone abused Joey.
After school, Joey ran into a young boy about Mokuba Kaiba's age. He had short brown hair and greenish-yellow eyes. He was staring into the distance.
"Hey, kid. You all right?"
The kid turned slowly and said in a slow, careful voice, "My name is Kaito Kishi. Do you want a better life?"
Joey wasn't sure if he heard Kaito correctly. "Uh…what?"
"Do you want a better life?" Kaito repeated.
"Yeah, but I dunno how YOU would know that."
"Ways," the boy smirked and said something else.
Joey's mind went blank.