The First Meeting

It all started when Emily was still in elementary school. If anyone knew her back then, they'd all be surprised. Actually, Téa knew her back then and she and Emily were best friends even then. But back then, Emily was a little troubled and didn't get along with most of her teachers. Her marks weren't bad, but they weren't too good either. Other than that, she sometimes had trouble paying attention and didn't always participate. But it couldn't be helped. Even back then, she was still quite shy. But Téa looked out for her and helped her to behave. It seemed to have changed when Emily met him.

During recess, Téa and Emily were playing tag. She managed to catch up with Tea and tag her, but then she stopped running to catch her breath. She took out her inhaler, but stopped before using it. That was when she saw Yugi for the first time. He had colorful hair shaped like a star and his blonde bangs were in many places. His violet eyes looked so endearing as they expressed innocence. "Wow," Emily sighed as she was intrigued by his appearance. She also felt her heart racing.

Seeing Emily look so still and in a trance, Téa played fair by walking up to her and gently touching her arm. "Tag, you're it," she announced. But the blonde girl didn't respond. "Didn't you hear me?" Téa asked. "You're it."

But Emily continued looking at the boy, watching him sit by the tree in silence. Finally, she spoke up and asked, "Tea, do you know who that is?"

The brunette followed her gaze. She did know him. "I know him. He's a friend from another one of my classes." Emily didn't understand. If this boy was friends with Téa, why hadn't she met him? "You've seen him a few times, remember?"

"I guess I never really noticed," the blonde replied. She looked at him again. "He looks lonely over there."

Téa nods and explains, "He's a little shy like you." She got an idea and suggested, "Do you want me to introduce you?"

Before Emily can answer, she sees a group of three boys approaching him and picking on him. One boy shoved his book away and another began making fun of his hair. Unable to stand by and watch, Emily approaches the boys. "Hey, leave him alone," she cries. "What's he done to you?"

One of the boys, Samuel, looks at Emily in astonishment. "Hey, aren't you that weirdo who's always talking to herself in class?"

Walden agrees and says, "Yeah, she's the one who doesn't listen and is always getting in trouble."

Alan looks at Emily, then back at Yugi. "One weirdo coming to help another weirdo," he commented. Feeling disgusted, he and his friends take their leave. None of them wanted to deal with the embarrassment of being stood up to by a girl.

Emily looked down at Yugi. "Are you all right?" He didn't answer. He just looked at her. She smiles gently at him and holds out her hand. "Here." He looks at her hand for a second, then back at her. He takes her hand and silently gasps as he touches it. It wasn't that it felt strange being helped by a girl, but he felt as though a strange sensation had sparked the instant he touched her hand.

She helps him up and introduces herself. "My name's Emily. What's yours?"

Yugi was still silent. He also felt his heart racing. He gulps and finally speaks. "Yugi."

"Hi, Yugi," Emily said cheerfully. "I don't know if you know, but I think we've seen each other a few times."

"We have," he asked nervously. "I guess I hadn't noticed." Then the bell rang, signaling that recess was over. Yugi picked up his supplies. "I have to go now." Before leaving, he smiles and says, "Thanks for your help. I hope I get to see you again." And he returns to rejoin his classmates.

Emily agreed and hoped the same thing. "Yugi," she whispered affectionately. Now she knew his name.

At the end of the day, Emily returned to her house. "I'm home, Mom," she announced. Before Emily lived with Robert, she lived with her mother, Rachel. She and Robert had divorced when Emily was little and had taken their daughter to live with her. It hasn't been easy with her family always moving around and needing to work two jobs to support her household, but Rachel still managed and was still able to make time for her daughter.

"Welcome home, Emily," Rachel greeted. She was a fair woman with chocolate brown hair reaching down her waist and she had dark brown eyes behind a pair of round framed glasses. "How was school?"

"It was amazing," her daughter answered.

Rachel was surprised to hear that. Usually, her daughter would answer with a vague response such as, 'it was okay' or 'just fine', but she had never heard Emily say she had an amazing day at school concerning that she was one of those kids who didn't like it. "Did anything exciting happen?" Rachel asked out of curiosity.

"I met a boy today, Mom," Emily told her.

Based on the excitement in Emily's tone, Rachel assumed that her daughter had met a boy that she liked. Usually, some of the boys would pick on Emily. She even once had a bad experience with some of them trying to remove her clothes and expose her. The boys got suspended for their behavior, but Emily was still against having to go to school. She still went nonetheless, but still didn't socialize much. Keeping to the subject at hand, Rachel asked about the boy Emily met. "What's his name? What's he like?"

Thinking about Yugi made Emily's heart race again. "He's special, Mom. I've never seen anyone like him before. He's got these eyes that are big and purplish, his hair is colorful, and his voice is soft and…" she stops and sighs affectionately.

It was now clear to Rachel that her daughter was in love with this boy. "He must be special based on the way you describe him," she commented, imagining his appearance. "Do you know his name?"

"It's Yugi," Emily answered.

"Yugi," Rachel echoed. "That's an interesting name. Is he in your class?"

"No, he's in another class," Emily answered. "But Téa knows him. She says they share a class together. She's told me a few things about him. Like me, he's kind of shy, but he's also very smart and kind."

"Well, you should spend time together," Rachel suggested. "Get to know each other."

Emily agreed. "He said he hoped we'd see each other more often and I hope we do too." For now, it was time for Emily to do her homework.

Not too far away, Yugi returned home to his mother as well. Her name was Kanade and she was just as fair as Rachel, but her hair was brown with a reddish hint and was a little bit above her shoulders. She also wore a yellow blouse and a blue skirt. She noticed a scrape on her son's arm and groaned. "Oh, no. Yugi, was it Samuel and his friends again?"

"Yeah, but they didn't do so badly this time," Yugi answered. "I guess it was because I had some help."

Kanade took out her first-aid kit and dabbed a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol. "Brace yourself, son, because this is going to hurt." Yugi understood and took a deep breath. He winced and whined as his mother cleaned his scrape. When she finished cleaning the scrape, Kanade applied a bandage over it. "Did Téa help again?"

"No, this time it was someone else," Yugi answered. "Actually, she happens to be best friends with Téa."

"Really," Kanade asked in astonishment. "If she's best friends with Téa, then why haven't you met her before?"

"She and I have different classes," Yugi answered. "Actually, I think Téa may have mentioned her a few times before. She said her name is Emily and like me, she's shy and gets picked on by bullies a lot too. But she seems really nice. She's very pretty too."

"Is she," Kanade wondered.

"When I saw her, Mom, I thought she looked like an angel," Yugi was saying. "I had never seen anyone like her before. Her hair was long and light blonde, her eyes were blue, and she sounded so sweet and so gentle. And when I touched her hand, it felt so warm and comforting."

Kanade grinned and wondered, "So do you like her?"

"I think so," her son replied. "I think we could be friends. If Téa likes her and is friends with her, I guess Emily and I could be friends too."

"I see no reason why not," said Kanade. "And next time you see Emily, be sure to thank her if you haven't already."

"Yes, Mom," Yugi said obediently. Upon returning to his room, Yugi continued to look at his hand. It was only for a short time, but Yugi was going to burn the touch into his memory. He didn't want to forget the feeling.