A/N: Welcome, loyal readers! Glad to have you back on board…a quick check of the mailbox and I'll get to the fic…

LadyPhoenix99: Glad you've taken interest in my writings…and you say the lemon wasn't that bad? I don't know if I'll write another one…but thanks.

The Broken Bow: Glad to see that you still love me, and I'm in agreement with you as far as Polarshipping goes. I just felt the need to write something a little different than what I agreed with, something I don't think would EVER work (Joey/Tea), so I decided to do this one as a way to exorcise the demons, if you will. Thanks for reading!

Anime Ruthless: Continue I will, my friend. Thanks for reading! Oh, in an off-topic note…I was about 20 feet away from Sting! HE ALMOST TOUCHED MY HAND:realizes that he sounds like he's drooling over a pop star, calms down: ahem. Thanks again.

It's Opposite Day: Thanks for the not one, but two reviews! I agree totally on the Joey/Tea pairing…it's definitely not normal. As far as the Tea/Kaiba pairing goes…I actually know a lot of people who are die-hard Peachshippers (Yugi/Tea) who would have something to say about that…I'm indifferent to the whole thing I guess. They both are plausible in my view.

Larien: Me? One of the best male authors? HERE? Thanks…I haven't heard such high praise before, and to be honest…I'm not sure I deserve it. In any event, even I don't know how these pairings are gonna turn out…maybe I should let people campaign for the couples they want to see the most. I don't know….anyway, thanks for reading.

DojomistressAmbychan: Better than Jerry Springer? I don't know whether to take that as a compliment or an insult. (j/k) Thanks for the rave review, and I hope to see you writing some in the near future.

Pyromaniacgrl: Kill Kagome? I'm not much into Inuyasha (if I misspelled it I apologize), but I can only imagine how much you hate her if you say this stuff about Mai! I agree on some points, such as her craving for perfect fashion and her lack of talent as a duelist (to her credit, she did make both the Duelist Kingdom and Battle City finals), but the part about her being a :ahem: "lady of the night" is a little over the top. When you get underneath the silliness and arrogance that she displays, you can actually see a caring, well rounded individual. That's my opinion I guess, reasonable minds can disagree. Thanks for reading!

Test of Friendship

Chapter Five

Tea stammered nervously for words, but nothing could come out. "I...I..don't know."

Kaiba laughed. "You don't remember that you got drunk and made out with that puppy Wheeler a few days ago?"

The entire crowed looked into the direction of Tea, who was close to a nervous breakdown. "That's not how it happened."

"Then do you care to explain to us how it happened then? I'm sure Yugi is highly interested in how this happened, aren't you."

Yugi was shocked silent. His best friend, the girl who stole his heart, sleeping together? No. Hell no! Impossible.

"Tea...is this true?" Yugi looked up at his long-time crush, his eyes almost pleading.

Tea, tears welling up in her eyes, turned away, unwilling to face the truth of the situation.

"It's true...Yugi...it's all true."

Everyone turned to Joey, who had decided to speak up for Tea. "I don't know how it happened, but it happened."

Before anyone else could say a word, Yugi charged at his friend. Well, former friend anyway.

"HOW COULD YOU? YOU KNOW HOW I FELT ABOUT HER! I LOVED HER YOU BASTARD!"

Joey didn't utter a word of protest, or attempt to stop little Yugi from hitting him. He just sat there, the real pain residing in his heart.

Tristan and Duke seperated the two as Tea began to run away, sobbing uncontrollably.

"That's right, run away like the TWO DOLLAR WHORE you are!" Mai yelled out as she watched the brunette running away from the scene.

Ryou, in all of the confusion, ran to catch up with her, hoping there was a way to resolve this horrible dilema.

"Humph...you see Yugi? You see how pathetic your so-called friends are now? I told you they would expose your weakness someday. Look at you! Crying like like a weakling, making an ass of yourself in public! This is what you deserve..."

Kaiba rambled on like this for five minutes or so, heaving insult upon insult on little Yugi. Yugi stood there, taking the CEO's verbal abuse.

"Let that be a lesson to you...WHAT ARE YOU FOOLS STARING AT? THIS ISN'T A SOAP OPERA!" Kaiba turned to all of the students and school personel who had watched the carnage unfold, and dismissed them bitterly. He then turned back to his girlfriend.

"I'll see you around seven, OK?"

He pulled Mai close to him, kissing her full on the lips. All Joey could do was turn away in disgust, trying to hold back tears from his own eyes.

With a smug and contented look on her face, Mai disappeared back into the limosine, and the driver sped off.

On his way to the building, Seto stopped in front of Joey, a smirk firmly planted on his face. "Don't worry too much, Wheeler. Look at this way, with that slut Gardener you have a female companion as third-rate as you are! HAHAHA!"

Joey clenched his fist tightly, but did not dare strike. He knew that would be what Kaiba would wanted, and would provide him another excuse to make his life more of a living hell than it had already become.

"That's right...heel, mutt!" Seto was honestly enjoying this. Not only did he humiliate two of his most bitter enemies in one swoop, but had claimed the woman who had been the object of his desire for almost three years. Life was good.

Kaiba blew past the rest of the gang and proceeded to his first class.

Meanwhile...

Ryou had finally caught up with Tea, beside an old oak tree near the outskirts of the surprisingly large campus.

"Tea...are you alright?"

Tea stared blankly at the roots of the tree, twirling a twig in her hand. "Yes Ryou, besides the fact that I've broken Yugi's heart AGAIN, broken up Joey's relationship with Mai, and had my personal life declared public record, I'm fine!"

Ryou blused a little, his eyes downcast.

"What are you going to do now?"

Tea turned to face her friend, anger outlining her face. "What would you do? The whole town thinks you're a slut, You're friends hate you, and when your parents find out they would probably disown you. What would you do, Ryou?"

Ryou stared, a little surprised at her anger.

"I'm sorry...I just came to see if there was anything I could do to help."

"Well...there's nothing you can do...as a matter of fact, there's nothing anyone can do."

Wow...I'm pretty cruel. Will Kaiba ever get what he deserves? Is Mai truly happy with the CEO? And what about Joey, Tea and Yugi? Is their friendship completely destroyed? Tune in next time, my loyal readers, and all will be revealed!

BDB...out.