Well she seemed alright by dawn's early light
Though she looked a little worried and weak
She tried to pretend he wasn't drinkin' again
But Daddy left the proof on her cheek
And I was only 8 years old that summer
And I always seemed to be in the way
So I took myself down to the fair in town
On Independence Day.
Well, word gets around in a small, small town
They said he was a dangerous man
But Momma was proud, and she stood her ground
She knew she was on the losin' end
Some folks whispered, some folks talked
But everybody looked the other way
And when time ran out there was no one about
On Independence Day.
Let freedom ring
Let the white dove sing
Let the whole world know that today, is a day of a reckoning
Let the weak be strong
Let the right be wrong
Roll the stone away
Let the guilty pay
It's Independence Day
Well, she lit up the sky that Fourth of July
By the time that the firemen come
They just put out the flames and took down some names and sent me to the county home
Now I ain't sayin' it's right, or it's wrong
But maybe it's the only way Talk about your revolution It's Independence Day.
Let freedom ring
Let the white dove sing
Let the whole world know that today,is the day of a reckoning
Let the weak be strong
Let the right be wrong
Roll the stone away let the guilty pay
It's Independence Day Roll the stone away.
It's Independence Day...
As the last notes trailed away Tea Gardener bowed and left the stage. She had sung to the best of her abilities and to her it had sounded wonderful. As she ran out the door back up to her seat in the theater she remembered why she had been forced to sing in this talent show.
Cue Flashback "So any volunteers to perform in this year's talent show." Asked Mrs.Taisho (AN so how do you like the name ;P ) Tea glanced around at her homeroom class trying to figure out if anyone would willingly enter. Yugi looked lost in thought staring at his deck. Joey was thumb wrestling Tristan. Mia was applying lipstick. Ishizu was giving Ziral a Tarot card reading. Aqua, Loraine, and Ayakiya were whispering heatedly. (AN Guys you got to love me) Mollita was mouthing the words to the heavy metal she was listening to. Misty was combing her hair with one hand and held a cellphone in the other. Tea turned to look next to her at Seto Kaiba who was as usual ignoring every word that Mrs. Taisho said and was instead typing something on his laptop. Mrs. Taisho looked around the room almost desperately before getting a look on her face that her students feared…. She smiled, but this was no ordinary smile it could scare everyone, even Tea thought with a glance to her left Kaiba didn't mess with Mrs. Taisho when she smiled. Her smile sent students running because they knew that if they didn't haul tail away from her they might be her next victim volunteer. "If nobody wants to volunteer maybe it will affect your grade in my class….." Oh Kami thought Tea she knew that she couldn't flunk any classes. Her thoughts were interupted by a sudden pain in her left leg "YOUCH!" instantly Mrs.Taisho pounced on her like a dog on a bone (AN More like Dog Demon)
"Tea thank you so much for volunteering. " Tea rubbed her sore calf and plotted how best to get Kaiba back for kicking her and drawing Mrs. Taisho's attention to her, however the teacher's next words did her job for her. "Oh class attendance at the show is mandatory"
"WHAT!"
End Flashback
Just the thought of Kaiba's reaction to those words was enough for Tea to smile. When she plopped down in her seat Yugi, Joey, Tristan, Mia, and Ishizu all congratulated her on her singing. Tea realized something was missing. Just as Aqua, Ziral, Loraine, and Ayakiya finished their stand-up routine Tea felt someone poke her in the back and Mia motioned for her to grab her bag and to her meet outside. Slowly so not to disturb the guys she followed Mia, and Ishizu out the door to the girl's bathroom and helped them get ready to perform just as Mia had finished Tea's makeup and Ishizu had finished Mia's hair Tea realized what had seemed wrong when she had gotten back to the bleachers the Kaiba brothers were gone. Since she was already dressed for her dance with Mia, and Ishizu Tea decided that she would go and see if they were back in the theater. As she walked she cursed her curiosity that made her wonder about everything. She was so lost in her thoughts that she almost didn't hear someone call her name. Thinking it was Ishizu or Mia she turned and looked where she expected the person's eyes to be instead she saw an empty hallway confused she looked down to see …
"Mokuba, how have you been and why are you out here you should be in the theater with your brother enjoying the show." As she said this she realized that he looked worried.
"The reason that I'm out here is that I'm looking for my brother when you sang he seemed to get really upset. I figured it was because he was forced to come here when he had important business. Well when you finished singing he stormed out of the auditorium and I went to go after him but he was gone when I got to the hallway. When I couldn't find him I tried to go back but I got lost"
"Well kiddo I bet your brothers back in the theater right now worried because your not there so come with me and we will both go back together." As she said this she offered the child her hand as they walked down the halls she wondered what upset Kaiba so bad that he actually left his brother.
After Tea took Mokuba back to the theatre and seen that the elder Kaiba had not returned she had left Mokuba in the care of Yugi and began to search for him. Her search had been in vain he was nowhere to be found just as she was heading back to the girl's room to see if Mia, and Ishizu were ready to dance when she heard something coming from the science hallway vaguely nervous Tea went looking for the source of the mysterious noise when she rounded the corner she jumped out of her skin to see Kaiba sitting against the wall legs against his chest forehead resting on his knees his arms around his legs. Later she would be hard pressed to figure out what caused her to sit down next to him. "Your brother is worried about you"
"Why do you care"
"Because even though I may wish you would get hit by a train I do like Mokuba." the silence between them was palatable when Kaiba finally asked "Why did you choose that song"
"I don't know why I chose it but I do think that it is an interesting song. Why do you ask?" He seemed to contemplate her question then he looked at her she was shocked to see that his face was streaked with tears both fresh and dried.
"What did I say"
"Huh"
"You are crying"
"That song brought back bad memories for me. Mokuba was too young to truly remember but our parents died in a fire when he was 3 and I was 8."
Tea winced "I didn't know that you were an orphan."
"Not many people do."
"That explains why you left when I sang. If I had known I never would have-"
"It's not your fault there is no way you could have known." Something in his voice caused her reach out and used the edge of her sleeve wipe away his tears. He stared at her as though seeing her for the first time "We should get back to the Auditorium."
"Oh Kami I still have to dance.Please do watch this time. You might enjoythe song this time." glancing at a clock Tea ran form the hallway to the stage entrance where two mildly frantic women were waiting for her "Where have you been? We only have 5 minutes before we go on."
"Relax it will be fine just wait."
This time Tea, Mia, and Ishizu stood one the stage in their starting poses waiting for the music to start
Look at me You may think you see
Who I really am
But you'll never know me
Every day It's as if I play a part
Now I see If I wear a mask I can fool the world
But I cannot fool my heart
Who is that person I see
Staring straight back at me
When will my reflection show
Who I am inside I am now
In a world where
I Have to hide my heart
And what I believe in
But somehow I will show the world
What's inside my heart
And be loved for who I am
Who is that person I see
Staring straight back at me
Why is my reflection
Someone I don't know
Must I pretend that I'm
Someone else
For all time
When will my reflection show
Who I am inside
There's a heart that must be free to fly
That burns with a need to know the reason why
Why must we all conceal
What we think
How we feel
Must there be a secret me I'm forced to hide
I won't pretend that I'm
Someone else
For all time
When will my reflection show
Who I am inside
When will my reflection show
Who I am inside
As the song ended Tea's eyes wandered to where her friends sat and met deep blue eyes that seemed to say.
Thank You.