~~Hello Readers, I'm back with a new chapter.
I do not own Yugioh Zexal.
Only my original characters belong to me.
Thank you Lion Assaulter, Zerabia, and Anime100 for following and giving this story a favorite.~~
My new friend Yuma and I were spending some time in a beautiful courtyard at Duel Academy.
I had just revealed one of my fears to him.
As we exited the peaceful courtyard, I lost myself in deep thought.
Yuma and I walked over to the bulletin board to check our class schedules.
I definitely felt less nervous about school now that I had a loyal friend like Yuma by my side.
Yuma quietly watched as many people ran crazily through the walkways.
He had a worried look on his face.
"Somebody's going to get hurt," he said with a sigh.
"I agree," I replied while scanning the board on the wall.
After a few minutes of searching, I pointed to the board in excitement.
"Hey Yuma, we have the same English class! This makes me so happy," I said joyfully.
He just grinned at me in response.
Yuma didn't show much of a reaction to the great news.
Instead, he kept his focus on the crowds of people walking by.
Seeing this change in Yuma's behavior worried me.
I stared at Yuma and said in confusion. "You're so quiet today. Is something on your mind?"
"I'm just afraid to see that assistant of yours," he answered.
Hearing Yuma's answer brought a frown of concern to my face.
"I don't blame you," I quietly replied.
We sat in silence for a few minutes.
I placed a hand on Yuma's shoulder and said gently. "Cheer up Yuma, I won't let that evil woman get to you."
He seemed convinced by my words of reassurance and smiled in relief.
I hugged Yuma tightly as I trembled with joy.
"This new friendship you and I have is a dream come true," I whispered.
Yuma smiled brightly in agreement.
Our happy moment was soon interrupted when I spotted a familiar woman walking toward us.
Sitting completely still, I listened to her loud footsteps.
Her ominous aura sent chills of terror crawling up my spine.
"This isn't good," I whispered.
Yuma put a hand on my shoulder and replied quietly. "Sioku, who is that? She doesn't look very friendly."
I was almost too afraid to answer his question.
Watching Yuma fear for his life would break my heart.
"That's my horrible academic assistant Julie," I whispered in his ear.
Yuma and I got a closer look at her when she stopped right in front of me.
Julie wore black shoes and socks, blue jeans, an orange T-shirt, and a fluffy, purple sweater.
She carried a pink leather bag on her right shoulder.
"Hello Sioku, it's time to go to class now," she greeted with a smile.
I didn't care to say anything back.
She wasn't going to fool me.
Protecting Yuma from her was all that mattered to me in that moment.
Yuma gave Julie an awkward look in response to her low, harsh voice.
"You might want to look away Yuma," I whispered.
Yuma nodded before he turned his attention to the board.
I didn't fall for Julie's happy act one bit.
Instead of greeting her, I frowned at Julie in annoyance.
Julie crossed her arms and glared at me.
"I don't like that attitude at all Sioku. You will turn it around, or I'll punish you in front of your little friend!" she demanded roughly.
Yuma jumped at the sudden change in Julie's voice.
"Calm down Yuma," I softly whispered.
I then looked up and shook my head at the woman in response.
Yuma put his head down as he started to shiver.
"Help me Sioku," he said shakily.
He was clearly afraid of her.
Watching Yuma react like that caused my heart to drop a little.
At the same time, I was very angry at Julie for scaring him.
I placed my hand on his back and said soothingly. "It's okay Yuma, I won't let her hurt you."
He took a deep breath in order to relax himself.
"Thank you for doing that Sioku," he said gratefully.
"Any time Yuma," I whispered lovingly.
I then helped Yuma straighten himself up.
"You'll be all right Yuma," I said while giving him a quick hug.
"I hope so," he replied hesitantly.
"Let's go Sioku," Julie demanded impatiently.
Julie's impatience always had a way of ruining a good moment for me.
"I'll see you in class Yuma," I said sadly.
"Don't worry Sioku, we'll be together again. I promise," he replied cheerfully.
"That's the spirit," I added with a smile.
I glanced at him one last time before he stood up and walked away.
After standing up, I reluctantly followed behind Julie as she walked passed crowds of people.
We then walked down a steep hill toward a set of portable classrooms.
I admired all the beautiful plants along the way.
"I wish Yuma could see this beautiful place," I said quietly.
There weren't as many crowds of people in this area.
Julie and I quietly stood on a metal ramp.
I looked down at the tall green grass growing around a chain link fence.
"The scenery out here is beautiful," I thought.
Looking at nature seemed to be my perfect distraction from her right now.
Avoiding Julie was not always easy for me.
There was literally nothing that could stop her from either annoying me or tearing down my self-esteem.
I couldn't get away from Julie even if I tried.
I stood silently for as long as I possibly could.
However, she decided to start a conversation with me. "Sioku, how was your summer break?"
I almost wanted to ignore her question.
However, I decided not to because Julie was very controlling toward me.
Her threats have always frightened me.
"It was fine," I answered plainly.
She stared at me in confusion and continued. "Are you sure?"
"Yes Julie," I answered with an annoyed sigh.
I felt trapped by her threatening presence.
The flashback of a past nightmare entered my mind, and I couldn't push it away this time.
~Flashback~
In the nightmare, my ten-year-old self was being strapped down to a medical table in a research lab.
Three people wearing lab coats were standing around me.
They were talking about using me for one of their sinister plans.
~End Flashback~
I stood completely still with my face covered until it passed.
"Please come back Yuma," I thought.
My heart began to race as I breathed heavily.
I jumped in fear when Julie's harsh voice brought me back to reality.
"If you're zoning, I will send you to the office! I mean it Sioku," she yelled in my ear.
I felt my blood boil at her words.
Tears of sadness threatened to sting my eyes.
I immediately forced them down in order to prevent myself from drawing negative attention from Julie.
Deep down, I wanted to give her a piece of my mind.
However, I decided to protect myself by keeping quiet.
Explaining my paranoia or flashbacks to this woman would have been pointless.
Julie would have never understood how I felt during any situation.
Forcing my tears back, I shook my head to suppress the anger.
I thought about my wonderful encounter with Yuma to calm myself down.
Hearing his cute voice in my head made me smile.
I continued looking at the grass once my mind had returned to normal.
We heard the sound of footsteps coming in our direction.
I focused my eyes away from the grass just to see who was coming.
To my surprise, I saw Yuma walking toward us.
Seeing his cute face again caused my heart to flutter.
I instantly forgot about the flashback.
A big grin stretched across my face.
"Hey Yuma! Long time no see!" I hollered jokingly.
"Hi Sioku!" he called out.
Yuma joyfully ran up the ramp before he threw his arms around me.
I gratefully returned the hug.
Being in Yuma's warm embrace again was just what I needed after having a flashback.
I didn't care what Julie thought about us.
Julie's opinion never mattered to me.
"I told you we would meet again," he said happily.
I tightened my hold on him.
"I'm just glad you're back," I replied before laughing.
Julie gave Yuma and me a disgusted look.
Yuma looked at me with an uneasy expression and asked. "Sioku, does she always look at you like that?"
"Just ignore her," I answered.
We gently released each other after a few minutes of silence.
Yuma and I had an enjoyable conversation about dueling until the teacher arrived.
She unlocked the door before graciously holding it open for us.
"Good morning," the teacher greeted.
"Good morning," Yuma and I replied in unison.
"Hello," Julie added.
Yuma and I entered the room with Julie following behind us.
The teacher walked over to her desk once we were all inside.
Julie dragged a chair over to a corner near the door.
She stared at me like a hawk while situating herself.
Her death stare made me feel very uncomfortable.
"This is not unusual," I said with a frown.
I was once again trapped in a prison of intense fear.
However, I wasn't going to let it effect Yuma.
Yuma and I found a row of seats in the back and sat down.
Sitting beside him made me feel less nervous about being around Julie.
I thought about my dog Pegasus while situating myself.
Hearing Pegasus' high pitched bark in my mind brought a smile to my face.
I pictured him sitting in my lap.
Yuma tapped on my shoulder and whispered. "Hey Sioku, does your academic assistant always stare at you?"
I let out an anxious sigh before I answered. "Yes, it's one of her ways of controlling me."
Yuma's face saddened as he looked at me.
"You don't deserve to be treated that way. She really doesn't act like an assistant," he whispered.
I gave him a nod in agreement.
The compassion in Yuma's voice showed that he really cared about me.
We sat in silence while waiting for the other students to arrive.
The door opened a second time, and a group of students entered the classroom.
Many conversations were going on around me at once.
I watched as a boy and a girl sat in our row.
They happily greeted Yuma, and he did the same to them.
"Those two kids look friendly," I said with a smile.
Yuma sounded very happy to be with his friends.
Not wanting to interrupt their reunion, I decided to stay out of it.
I just sat quietly and listened to the constant chattering around me.
Once everyone had settled in, the teacher introduced us to her english class.
She then began her lecture on the class rules and regulations.
I was able to stay focused until I heard some commotion going on beside me.
Being the curious person that I am, I wanted to observe.
"Julie's going to be so mad at me," I thought.
I just shook away the bad thoughts and listened anyway.
"Yuma," wake up," urged a female voice.
I curiously looked to my right and saw Yuma fast asleep.
Just looking at him caused my heart to flutter.
"Yuma is such a cute sleeper," I whispered while smiling to myself.
The girl beside Yuma lightly shook him and said sternly. "I said wake up! You know better than to sleep during class."
I chuckled at the serious tone in her high pitched voice.
Yuma quickly opened his eyes and asked. "Hey Tori, is class over yet?"
His droopy face looked so cute.
I couldn't help but grin at him.
"You're so adorable Yuma," I complemented before I laughed out loud.
My laughter was soon cut short when I heard Julie stomping toward me with intent.
Yuma tensed up when he saw the angry look on her face.
Julie looked as if she wanted to murder somebody.
I closed my eyes to block out the upcoming situation.
Unfortunately, doing that only made my anxiety worse.
I let out a nervous yelp as she approached me.
"That little girl is such a baby," commented a female student at the back of the classroom.
Yuma glared at her from a distance.
"Awe how sweet, the little baby has a body guard. This one doesn't look like she could fight her own battles anyway," the girl teased while staring at me.
I ignored the girl's comments in order to focus on my situation.
Julie furiously grabbed me by the shoulders and yelled. "Sioku! You need to stop acting like a child and grow up! Do you realize how immature you are being right now? A middle schooler does not laugh at silly little things like that! Do you understand me?"
Yuma and his friends paused and looked at each other.
The heat of sadness and embarrassment rose in my cheeks.
Knowing that Julie's voice terrified Yuma, I started to feel angry at myself for getting yelled at in front of him.
"I'm sorry Yuma," I whispered sadly.
All eyes were on me as I started to shake violently under Julie's grasp.
A ball of emotion formed in my throat.
I immediately forced it down to keep Yuma from worrying about me.
"Yes Julie," I answered weakly.
Yuma watched in horror as Julie furiously pushed me into the chair before she let go of my shoulders.
"You should have stopped acting this way by the end of elementary school," she grumbled.
Julie sighed in frustration as she walked back to her seat.
That same girl burst into a fit of laughter as she continued staring at me.
"This pathetic baby's name is Sioku? It should be Sad Sioku instead," she blurted out.
The other male student in my row jumped up from his seat.
He glared furiously at the girl and hollered. "All right, that's enough! Yuma's friend doesn't deserve to get bullied like that! Leave her alone and grow up!"
I couldn't help but perk up at the boy's hollering.
"Whatever," the girl replied with a huff.
Yuma reached his hand out to me, but I turned away.
I didn't want him to be saddened by my current state.
He felt his heart sink with sorrow.
With tear filled eyes, I hid my face in the cover I was wearing.
Thinking about my dog didn't help this time.
I was too overcome by anxiety and fear.
I desperately tried to calm myself down by breathing deeply.
The girl sitting beside Yuma watched tears of sadness fall from his eyes.
"I've never seen you look so sad Yuma," she said softly.
Yuma wiped his eyes and faced her.
"I hate seeing Sioku get bullied like that," he replied.
Knowing that Yuma had also been hurt stung my heart like a wasp.
The pain was almost unbearable.
I was even angrier at Julie than I normally would be.
My body tensed up at the thought of me already losing Yuma as a friend.
"My life is over," I whispered in defeat.
The girl put her arm around him and said gently. "Cheer up Yuma, she's going to be okay. You'll be able to help her after class."
You're right Tori," he replied with a small smile.
"Yuma is lucky to have a friend like her," I said with a bit of jealousy.
I put on a brave face to help Yuma feel better.
Yuma relaxed once he saw me in a calmer state.
The teacher dismissed us after the lecture.
The thought of Yuma turning away from me due to his fear of Julie crashed into my mind like an ocean wave.
I felt as if I was having a severe headache.
All of the conversations began again.
Yuma quietly walked up to me as I was stretching my legs.
I shyly stood up and faced him.
"Yuma, I sincerely apologize for that incident. I really didn't mean for Julie to scare you this morning,"I said remorsefully.
Tears of sadness welled up in my eyes as I looked at him.
He moved closer to me and gently grabbed my hand.
"Hey Sioku, I'm feeling just fine. My good friend Tori helped me calm down. Are you all right?" he replied with concern.
Yuma's gentle touch along with his peaceful presence gave me a sense of comfort.
I was no longer fearing the worst of this situation.
The pain in my head began to fade away.
"I guess so," I answered sadly.
"I'll think of a way to cheer you up," he replied calmly.
Yuma immediately lost himself in deep thought.
I forced back more sad tears that threatened to sting the corners of my eyes.
Letting him see them would break my heart.
The cheerful boy smiled and gave my hand a gentle squeeze.
"Sioku, I have a great idea! You could watch me kick someone's butt during duel period," he suggested.
I giggled at the high amount of spirit in Yuma's voice.
His positive energy flowed through my mind like a river.
"Yuma, I would love to watch your duel!" I exclaimed as I looked up at him.
"This will be the best duel you'll ever watch," Yuma said confidently.
I grinned and pulled him into a tight hug.
"Thank you for cheering me up Yuma. You're such a great friend," I said quietly.
"I just want you to be happy Sioku," he softly replied.
Yuma and I released each other before Julie could spot and make a rude comment to us.
The bell rang, and everybody walked out the door in a single file line.
Yuma and I walked out once the coast was clear.
The fresh air calmed me down quite a bit.
I no longer felt anxious or frightened.
I peered behind me to see Julie quietly following us.
Ignoring her, I chose to stay focused on walking to my next class with Yuma.
I looked at Yuma with a worried expression and said. "Hey Yuma, thank you for staying by my side in class. I was so afraid of losing you forever."
"I would never leave you Sioku," he replied with sympathy in his voice.
Hearing him say that made me feel warm inside.
However, I still had a few doubts about us continuing our friendship because of Julie.
I gave him an uncertain look and continued. "Are you sure about this Yuma? I really thought Julie frightened you away from me because she is my academic assistant."
"I would never let Julie do that to me," he replied with love.
I thought about the sincerity in Yuma's voice and smiled.
"This kid is a true blessing," I said to myself.
There was a brief period of silence between us.
"Guess what Sioku," Yuma said suddenly.
I wiped a tear from my eye and replied. "What is it Yuma?"
"My friends and I have gym class with you," Yuma answered with glee.
I grinned at the thought of us playing a game together.
"This is great news!" I cheered with a bright smile.
"You have a pretty smile Sioku," Yuma replied.
I was thankful to have Yuma by my side.
His lively presence gave me a sense of comfort and joy.
Yuma and I followed a group of students through a set of double doors.
I happily watched Julie walk toward the bleachers with a group of teachers.
"Good riddance," I said to myself.
An announcement rang over the loud speaker. "Will all students please change and report to the indoor pool? I repeat! Please change and report to the indoor pool!"
I gave Yuma a quick hug before I raced toward the girls' locker room.
Once inside the bathroom, I changed into a pink two piece bathing suit with flower designs on it.
I then exited the locker room through a door that led out to the pool.
Luckily, I didn't see Julie anywhere.
This in ground pool was huge.
Yuma met me beside one of the chairs.
"That swim suit looks cute on you Sioku," he complemented.
"Thanks Yuma," I replied while blushing slightly.
Yuma's friends caught up to us a few minutes later.
I overheard their conversation about having a swimming contest.
It sounded interesting, but I decided not to join in because of that incident in English class.
Our teacher explained the rules before she granted us permission to get in the pool.
Julie's harsh words echoed in my head.
"I'll see you guys later," I said before I slowly walked over to the latter.
I carefully climbed down into the pool.
The warm temperature of the water felt very relaxing.
I was no longer feeling sad.
A sudden spark of hyperactivity instantly changed my mood from calm to energetic.
I took a deep breath before I pushed myself away from the wall.
With all of my bad thoughts aside, I began swimming laps around the pool.
That adrenaline rush was my perfect distraction from Julie's harsh words.
My heart pounded rapidly as I kept going.
After five laps, I returned to the latter for a break.
I leaned against the wall and tried to catch my breath.
My heart rate slowly returned to normal as I relaxed.
I heard Yuma calling out my name from a distance.
"Over here Yuma," I called back.
Yuma panted heavily while dragging himself toward me.
I quickly swam up to him and said smoothly. "Here Yuma, I'll help you. You can relax now."
"Thank you for saving me Sioku," he whispered.
Yuma's body looked very weak from the effort he put into his workout.
I took him into my arms and said gently. "You're welcome, I love helping you. I would help other people too if they ever gave me a chance."
I carried him back to my resting spot.
Yuma and I relaxed until it was time to get out.
I helped him climb up the latter and out of the pool.
Yuma waved at me as he walked away.
I then walked back to the locker room to change.
After changing back into my school clothes, I met Yuma by a picnic table near the dueling arena.
A wide grin was present on his face.
"Hey Sioku! Duel period is up next!" he hollered with excitement.
I smiled back at him and replied joyfully. "That's great Yuma! Are you excited to duel?"
Yuma confidently straightened himself up and answered. "I am so feeling the flow!"
That last phrase had my heart racing with pure joy.
"Your catch phrase is adorable," I said cheerfully.
I happily watched as Yuma challenged a few people to a duel.
Yuma was still in good spirits even though he kept losing.
Suddenly, Yuma and I noticed a scene involving two boys who had just ended their duel.
One of the boys was lying on the ground.
Yuma ran up to him and said frantically. "Hey Bronk, are you all right? What's going on?"
"That bully named Shark beat me in a duel. He also stole my deck," Bronk answered sadly.
I joined my friend to get a better look at the situation.
Bronk was dressed in blue pants with black suspenders, a red and white T-shirt, a red tie and a backwards cap.
His hair was sticking out of the front and sides.
I helped Yuma pull him up off the floor.
"Hi Bronk, my name is Sioku. It's nice to meet you," I greeted politely.
"Hey Sioku, I recognize you from English class. The pleasure's mine," he replied with a smile.
I smiled gratefully at Bronk as a thought crossed my mind.
"Excuse me, but your voice sounds familiar. Are you the person who yelled at that mean girl in class?" I asked curiously.
"Yes," he simply answered.
I gave him a hug and replied. "Thanks for your help Bronk, I really appreciated it."
"You're welcome Sioku," Bronk said as he returned the hug.
In the midst of our conversation, Bronk and I overheard Yuma confronting the dark blue eyed boy with purple hair who the others called Shark.
Shark had on white shoes with green gems, dark blue pants, a white shirt with green lined sleeves and collar, and a tie.
He also wore a grey, shark tooth-shaped pendant around his neck and two grey rings on his right hand.
Yuma spotted Bronk's deck in Sharks hand and hollered. "Shark! Give that deck back to Bronk right now!"
My smile grew wider as I heard Yuma raise his voice.
Shark glared at Yuma in annoyance and demanded. "Who are you?"
"My name is Yuma Tsukumo. I'm Bronk's good friend," Yuma answered.
"I'm not giving up this deck because I won it fair and square! You'll have to duel me if you want it back," Shark demanded.
"I accept your challenge," Yuma agreed.
Before they could continue, a girl came running toward us.
I immediately recognized her from my first class.
"Yuma! Bronk!" she hollered.
"Over here Tori!" Bronk called back.
Tori noticed me as she slowed down to a walking pace.
"Hello Mis, I saw you in class today. Do you know my friend Yuma?" she asked.
"I sure do, my name is Sioku. I met Yuma at the train station this morning," I answered.
"I'm really sorry about what happened to you earlier," she said sympathetically.
I patted Tori's shoulder and smiled.
"Oh it's all right, Julie is a complete maniac," I replied casually.
Tori was dressed in a schoolgirl outfit consisting of white shoes, knee high socks, a pink skirt, and a pink collared shirt.
Shark stared at Yuma in confusion and asked. "If I win this duel, what's in it for me?"
Before Yuma could say anything, Shark snatched the Emperor's key from around his neck.
"Hey, that's mine! Give it!" Yuma shouted angrily.
"You want it back? You have to beat me in a duel first," Shark replied.
This was my perfect opportunity to repay Yuma for cheering me up and accepting my friendship request.
I also wanted to help Bronk in return for the way he stood up for me in English class.
I quickly walked over to Shark and yelled. "You can't take that key from him! It doesn't belong to you! Bronk's deck isn't yours either! Either give those items back to my friends, or you'll deal with me!"
Shark laughed out loud while swinging the key around.
"You don't stand a chance against me, Shorty. Let those two losers fight their own battles," he taunted.
I furiously pulled out my duel gazer and a deck of cards.
"I won't let you talk about Yuma that way! All right Shark, you asked for it!" I challenged.
"Sioku, wait! You shouldn't mess with him," Tori warned.
"Shark is really tough," Bronk added.
Ignoring their warnings, I just shook my head and smirked at Shark.
The purple haired boy carelessly dropped Yuma's key on the ground and said sarcastically. "Oops, I hope nothing bad happens to it down there. Especially after I do this!"
He then repeatedly stomped on the golden key until it broke in half.
"Shark, you just made a big mistake. I'm coming after you now," I said in a low furious tone.
Shark smirked as he ignored my threat.
Yuma let out a growl as he retrieved one half of his broken key.
"Now I'm really going to beat you! That key meant a lot to me!" he screamed.
Shark kicked the other half of Yuma's key far away and added. "You're right! I am a bully! Meet me at the court yard on Sunday afternoon if you want Bronk's deck back."
I glared at Shark as he walked away.
Bronk ran off without saying a word to us.
Tori and I pulled Yuma into a comforting hug.
"Are you okay Yuma?" asked Tori.
Yuma let out a sad sigh in response.
"Don't worry Yuma, we'll help you get the other half of your key back. I promise," I said softly.
"You guys are the best," Yuma replied calmly.
Tori and I led Yuma to a picnic table where we sat down.
Yuma lowered his head and said with frustration. "This is the worst thing somebody has ever done to me."
I put my arm around him and replied. "I'm so sorry Yuma, dealing with bullies is no fun."
"Thanks Sioku," he sadly replied.
Tori looked up at me and asked curiously. "Sioku, aren't you dealing with a bully too?"
"Unfortunately yes," I answered.
Our situation was much worse because there were two bullies in the school now.
I tried to cheer Yuma up by showing him funny videos of my crazy dog, but he just wouldn't smile.
He was devastated by the loss of his Emperor's key.
As soon as the bell rang, I walked over to the cafeteria followed by Tori and Yuma.
We waited at the back of a long line.
Tori looked at me as a thought crossed her mind.
"Hey Sioku, do you know that girl who was shouting rude comments at you during English class?" she asked curiously.
I let out a heavy sigh before I answered. "No, but I can tell that she has the same personality as Julie."
"That mean girl was relentless," Tori replied.
After ordering our food, my friends and I sat down at a table in the back.
None of us spoke a word during lunch.
We just listened to the constant chattering around us.
After lunch, my friends and I hurried into one of the large buildings.
Julie intercepted me in the doorway while shooting me a stern look.
"Sioku Marie, you are late! If you do this again, I'll send you to the principal's office!" she yelled.
"That's fair," I replied casually.
I reluctantly followed Julie down the hallway and into one of the classrooms.
Luckily, Yuma and Tori had the same math class as me.
I smiled and waved at Yuma before I took my seat.
Julie sat down in a chair directly behind me.
She stared at me like a hawk to its prey while situating herself.
The small bit of joy I was feeling suddenly vanished.
Her threatening presence made me feel very uncomfortable.
I anxiously stared at the floor.
Being around Julie felt as if somebody had taken my dog away from me.
After taking attendance, the teacher began his lecture on the rules and regulations.
I desperately wanted to check if Yuma was still okay, but Julie's death stare prevented me from doing so.
Julie would immediately humiliate me in front of the whole class if I lost focus.
The teacher dismissed us an hour later.
My classmates and I had a few minutes of free time.
I decided to stay by Yuma's side until the school day ended.
Despite Julie's constant verbal abuse and dirty looks toward me, I tried my best to help Yuma out along with Tori.
Ignoring Julie was easier than usual because I focused on keeping Yuma calm.
Letting Julie get to me would be the same as failing to help out one of my only friends.
Tori and I didn't see Bronk since the incident with Shark happened which concerned us.
Class was dismissed as soon as the bell rang.
I was happy and relieved to see Julie walk out the door.
Yuma and I said good bye to Tori before we headed over to the train station.
After school, I sat beside Yuma on the train so he wouldn't be alone.
We had a quiet ride since neither of us were in the mood to talk.
Once the train arrived at our station, Yuma and I hugged each other before we parted ways.
Lynn and I walked down that same street toward our house.
She noticed my silence and spoke up. "What's wrong Sioku? You're quieter than usual."
"Something bad happened during duel period today. My new friend Yuma and I ran into a bully at school. Everybody calls him Shark because no one knows his real name. He broke Yuma's golden key after stealing Bronk's deck," I answered sadly.
"I'm sorry," Lynn replied sympathetically.
I heard Pegasus barking crazily as we approached the front door of our house.
"Pegasus will get your mind off of that bully," Lynn said.
"I agree," I replied before laughing.
Pegasus immediately jumped on me after Lynn opened the door.
"Hi Pegasus! Come here!" I hollered in excitement.
The dog wagged his bushy tail as I lifted him into my arms.
He panted happily and licked my face.
"I missed you so much Pegasus," I said while ruffling his long fur.
Pegasus panted before he let out a sigh.
I carried him into the living room before I sat down on the couch.
Kara was watching a comedy show on Tv.
"Hello Kara," I greeted with a smile.
Kara paused the Tv before she set the remote down on the coffee table in front of her.
"Hi Sioku, how was school today?" she replied.
"My day was fabulous until my new friend Yuma and I bumped into a bully during duel period," I answered.
"I hope you're not still calling Julie a bully," Kara said with a slight tone of irritation in her voice.
I frowned at her and replied in annoyance. "There's a kid named Shark who bullies people for fun! He broke my friend's key and stole other people's cards for no reason."
"I'm sorry for getting mad at you Sioku. You still need to find a way to get along with Julie though. She's not a bad person," Kara continued in a calmer tone.
I looked up at her and smiled.
"Okay, I'll try my best, but she should stop yelling at me for being myself in class. Besides, I'm really not doing anything wrong," I added.
I lowered Pegasus to the ground before I stood up.
"I'm going to take the dog out," I said.
Kara just nodded in response.
I led Pegasus through the kitchen and out the back door.
Pegasus and I walked a few laps around the back yard before we made our way back inside.
Lynn was helping Kara make dinner when I returned.
I walked into the dining room before I quickly set the table.
"Get Pegasus out of the kitchen," Kara ordered.
"You got it," I replied before I led him back into the living room.
Pegasus happily jumped up on the couch beside me.
I softly petted him while watching a video on the internet.
"Sioku! Dinner is ready!" Lynn called out.
I quickly walked into the kitchen with Pegasus following behind me.
"Pegasus! Get out," yelled Kara.
The dog ran down the hallway while panting.
I waited until my sisters were done making their plates.
Kara and Lynn walked over to the dining room table once they had finished.
"Thank you," I said while preparing my plate.
"Thank you for setting the table," replied Kara.
"No problem Big Sis," I added as I entered the room.
I quietly took a seat beside Lynn.
My sisters and I were silent during mealtime.
None of us cared to start a conversation which was unusual.
Pegasus broke the silence by running toward the window and barking loudly.
"Oh shut up dog!" hollered Kara.
I couldn't help but start laughing at that.
After dinner, Lynn and I cleaned up the kitchen.
I unloaded and loaded the dish washer while Lynn put away the leftover food.