Guardians

Note: Well, here we go, chapter 10! YAY! Review, my dears!

Karmina threw herself on the bed and tried to sort through her feelings. Joey and Kaiba were both talking to her… now what? Why did her only two friends, if they could be called that, have to hate each other?

"Oh… Wingweaver… what do I do now?"

Still, there wasn't a response. She was all alone. With a sigh she turned to Avril for help.

"All… they did was walk over start off, by shaking your hands, that's how it went. I had a smile on my face, and I sat up straight… Oh, yeah yeah. I wanted to know ya, I wanted to show you… You don't know me, don't ignore me, you don't want me there you just shut me out, You don't know me, don't ignore me, if you had your way you'd just shut me up, make me go away… No… I just don't understand why, you won't talk to me, it hurts… that how I'm wanted, for nothing, don't talk words against me. I wanted to know ya, I wanted to show you… You don't know me, don't ignore me, you don't want me there you just shut me out. You don't know me, don't ignore me, if you had your way you'd just shut me up!"

She sighed and turned it off. Yes, she felt that way, but she just couldn't focus on the lyrics. The only words that wanted to come out of her mouth were the lyrics to Hear Me, the song she connected most to. And it was raining. It was just about time for the usual ritual.

She shoved some dry clothes into a bag and rushed out the door, tears ready to join the raindrops.

Meanwhile, in a certain stuffy little office, Seto Kaiba was trying to sort through his thoughts. It wasn't going too well.

"Hear me, I'm crying out, I'm ready now."

He sighed. That stupid voice in his head was back. He spoke aloud with the song. "Turn my world upside down, I'm ready now. I get it already."

There was a loud crash of thunder and the lights went out. He rushed toward the window to get a flashlight and saw Karmina below the window, singing again. So he hadn't been hearing things. She was really there.

All at once, she stopped singing. "Oh, Wingweaver… where are you? How am I supposed to do this alone… how do I choose?"

Choose? Choose what? Seto Kaiba didn't have a clue as to what was on the girl's mind. But he did know that it was storming and she was out in the rain. Maybe… maybe just this once, he'd be nice.

"Karmina!"

Shocked, she flinched and looked up, all the way up, to where Kaiba's head was sticking out of the window. "K-Kaiba?"

He was a little hurt that she chose to call him by that name, but he didn't let it show. "It's storming… you should come in here… until it blows over… you'll get sick."

Was he really saying that? "I… I… Oh… Well, if y-you're s-sure…" The gate clicked open and she stepped gingerly into the building.

"Mr. Kaiba's office is on the 10th floor, Miss Karmina. Right that way."

She nodded nervously and stepped into the elevator. She had no idea what to expect. Seto Kaiba was so strange to her, it was like they had never met.

"H-hello?" She frowned, hoping she wouldn't become an up-talker (A/N: In case you didn't know, an up-talker is someone who phrases everything as a question.)

"I just thought… well… you're… wet."

"Umm… y-yeah… I… I am."

"Well… sit down, then."

She sat stiffly in the chair, facing him with reluctance. His eyes, she noticed, were very, very, blue. She found herself lost in them.

"… were you doing?"

She jumped. "Umm… w-what?"

"What on earth were you doing out there?"

"Umm… well, I… I… y-you s-see, I w-was… um… s-singing?" She mentally kicked herself. That was the last thing she needed.

"Are you getting a new speech problem?"

"N-no. I-I… I'm just… emb-baressed."

"Your… your voice is… amazing."

She wanted to scream, or faint. Had he really just… complimented her? "Umm… th-thanks… umm… yeah."

"So… why do you… sing… the songs… that you do?"

"Well… umm… I… I just sort of… like, sing w-whatever applies to me… to how I f-feel."

"Oh."

They were quiet for a long time, until Karmina couldn't handle it anymore. "Why… why did you ask me that?"

"I… It's just… the lyrics are… really… deep."

"I… yes… they… well… I just… sing what I feel… or as close as other people's l-lyrics can get."

He nodded and looked down at his laptop, a frown on his face as usual.

"Why are you always frowning?" The second she heard her own voice, she clapped a hand over her mouth. That was supposed to be a private thought. Why on earth had she said it out loud?

"That's none of your business."

"I… sorry… I didn't mean… I just… sorry." She felt tears coming on… she couldn't believe that she'd made him mad. She hated it when people were mad at her, not that they got the chance much. A single little droplet escaped, despite her attempts to hold it back, and slid down her cheek, sliding off her chin.

Seto Kaiba stared at her for a moment, horrified that he'd already managed to make her cry. He'd tried so hard to be kind to her… but it seemed that he just couldn't do it. Now she was crying. What was he going to do?

End Note:MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Cliffie! Stay tuned for the most romantic chapter yet! Review!