The Challenger

Chapter Seven: Matt's Baby

After Shadow told Matt about how her parents died the two had gotten closer. In class Shadow always sat in between Matt and Mello or just behind them.

For sport tryouts Shadow had done dancing and had made it in. She now did dance practice once every week.

The three of them were close and eventually old habits came back into play. Whenever the boys decided they wanted to play a cruel practical joke on Roger, Shadow was always by their side.

Shadow was enjoying her time at the orphanage and often thought to herself that maybe it wasn't such a bad thing about being there. However, all good things come to an end. Exams were coming up.

Shadow had been living in the orphanage for more then one moth so she had to do the exams, no matter how much she objected. Shadow sighed her breath pushing a strand of hair from her eyes.

She sat on Mello's bed, a book in her lap. She looked up from the book and over to where Matt sat on his own bed.

From this angle Shadow could see his Nitendo DS that was hidden behind a pile of books. Mello was lying on the floor his head shoved inside some old book.

When it was times for exams all the children in Wammy's were given a free period each afternoon for study.

Shadow wasn't the study type. Sure she had studied hard when she was younger trying to improve her grades.

But after her parents death she had given up on it. She flipped the book over and looked over the cover again.

'The complete guide to the societies of Ancient Rome' they were learning about it in History, one of her least favorite subjects.

Shadow tugged at a strand of her hair it fell from her ponytail and flopped down in front of her face. She pulled out two more strands and began braiding them together.

She looked up when she heard a knock on the door. Roger opened up the door and pocked his head in. "Are we all studying?" he asked. Shadow rolled her eyes at him. Matt jumped and shoved his Nitendo DS underneath a book.

It was a really thick book too. Shadow wouldn't be surprised if he pulled it back out and it was flat. "So you three all have your history exam on Monday?" asked Roger he came into the room. "Great!" though Shadow "looks like he's planning on staying".

"Yes," replied Mello not taking his eyes off of his book. Mello may be a troublemaker but he was always serious when it came to study and exams.

Shadow had only recently learnt that he was always coming second to Near and that was why he despised him so much.

Shadow could relate to Mello through this, as she too always seemed to come second to Near in relation to their parents.

Shadow slid off of Mello's bed and walked toward the door. "Where are you going Shadow?" asked Roger. "I need to pee," she replied as she walked past him.

Shadow walked out of the room closing the door behind herself. She walked down the quiet hallway.

She wasn't used to the orphanage being so quiet it was…unnatural. She headed into the girls bathroom.

Shadow looked at herself in the mirror and rinsed her face. She sighed. "Sorry for leaving you with Roger Matt," she said to herself laughing.

She walked back out of the bathroom and decided to take the long way back to the room, just incase Roger was still there. She walked slowly her head hanging, her eyes focused on the ground in front of her.

She looked up just in time as she nearly walked into someone. "Sorry," she said as she just managed to avoid the person. Shadow's eyes then widened when she saw who it was. Near stood in front of her.

His dark bluish-black eyes staring straight at her. Shadow's expression hardened "sorry," she repeated, "I'll be more careful next time".

With that she proceeded to walk straight past him but was surprised when he grabbed her arm. "Shadow wait," he called.

He stood there his eyes hid from sight by his hair. He was still holding onto her arm as he spoke. "Shadow I know you don't like me and frankly I don't like you either.

But," he paused. "The photo album do you still have it?" Near's voice was quiet and reserved. Shadow sighed no I had to give it back to Roger I only got to keep it for three days and two weeks have passed since then. I don't know what he did with it. I think he gave it to L".

Near's eyes widened at the sound of L's name. "Roger gave the photo album to…L?" asked Near. "Uh yeah something like that," replied Shadow.

Near's grip on her arm loosened. "Thank you," he said quietly. Shadow looked at him for a few more moments, "Whatever," she replied and continued walking.

As she approached the door to Mello and Matt's room, ready to open it she heard yelling from inside. Shadow opened the door.

Roger was standing up holding something in his hand, which Matt was franticly trying to get. "Please Roger I swear it won't happen again please give me back my baby!" cried Matt.

"Matt I gave you this free period to study. It's not for playing games!" he yelled. "Your Nitendo is confiscated until after exams!" "What no!" yelled Matt.

"Please I promise I will study please you can't do this I will die without my baby!" "That's not a good idea," said Mello from where sat in the corner.

"And why not Mello?" inquired Roger.

"Because," said Mello "when he says he will die without it. He literally means it. Matt can't function without his weird little games," as he finished the sentence he unwrapped a brand new chocolate bar and bit a piece of it off. "Your one to talk," she added in dryly.

Roger scoffed at Mello. "Matt you will study and if you don't have a higher average on your exams this year then you did last year, then," "Then," squeaked Matt.

"You won't be seeing this for a whole month," replied Roger. "What!" yelled Matt "You. Can't. Do. That! That's practically child abuse, you can't do that can he?" Matt yelled he was having some sort of emotional breakdown.

Roger turned toward the door "Oh hello there Shadow excuse me," he said as Shadow moved aside to let him out. Matt however wasn't giving up that easily he ran out after Roger and jumped at him from behind.

Matt missed. He didn't land on Roger or even manage to grab his arm. Instead he landed flat on the floor. However Matt grabbed Roger's leg just before he walked away and attached himself to it.

"Give me back my DS or I won't let go!" he yelled. The commotion was starting to gather some attention and other kids and adults were coming to see what was going on. "Matt! What are you doing let go!" yelled Roger as he tried to drag Matt off.

"Oh great," Shadow thought to herself "Matt let go he's an old man give him a break!" yelled Shadow over all the commotion. "An old man!" yelled Roger outraged, laughter burst from the surrounding kids.

"Who do you think you're calling an old man shadow?" asked Roger still outraged. Shadow gritted her teeth "oops!" thought Shadow.

"Come on Matt let go you have other games!" she yelled again. "Yeah but this one has my new Pokémon game in it!" Matt yelled back.

Shadow was getting sick of this she turned around and ran back into the boy's room. "Mello would you do something!" she yelled at him.

He was now sitting on his bed eating his chocolate. He seemed to be enjoying himself, Shadow could tell from the look on his face. "Why? The show has just began," he said smugly. Besides I believe you owe me an apology".

Shadow gave him a are-you-kidding-me kind of look. She then reached out and grabbed his arm hauling him off of his bed and to the door.

"The way things are going Roger's going to have a heart attack from over-exertion," said Shadow. "I herd that Shadow just wait till I get my hands on you miss!" yelled Roger.

Mello rolled his eyes then pushed her aside "Okay, okay I get the point," he muttered as he walked toward the frantic Matt and the panicking Roger.

Mello grabbed one of Matt's ankles and yanked him away from Roger. Roger stumbled then straightened himself up. "Someone Stop him he stole my baby!" yelled. He tried to get up but Mello was too quick and sat on top of him.

Matt could do nothing Mello had him pegged. Matt banged his fists on the ground like a four year old throwing a tantrum. Mello shook his head and glared at his friend.

"You're acting like a child knock it off," he said whacking Matt over the head. Matt glared at Mello.

Mello however got up and began dragging his read-headed friend toward the door the their room.

Once he got Matt inside he announced, "Shows over!" then slammed the door. Mello ignored the limp form of Matt and walked over to his bed.

He collapsed onto it and didn't move. Shadow just stood there in the middle of the room. "Shadow turn off the light," grumbled Mello his words muffled from his bed.

Shadow raised an eyebrow at his request. "I'm not your slave Mello get off your ass and do it yourself," replied Shadow. She then realized Mello had pushed all of her books off of his bed onto the floor. Well it was his bed but still was it so hard to just move them into a neat little pile on the floor.

Mello made a sort of grumble and got up. He walked directly past Shadow and turned the light off. "Looks like someone gets grumpy when he misses his afternoon nap," teased Shadow as he walked past again.

It wasn't late around 5 or 6 so the room didn't get very dark. Shadow could still make out the figure of Matt lying on the floor and Mello who had returned to his bed.

She sighed these two were no fun. Mello was dead from all that studying and Matt was having an emotional breakdown from being parted with his DS for more then 10 minuets.

Shadow walked over Matt and sat on his bed. She was board out of her brain. She reached into the pocket of her jeans and pulled out a sleek hot pink ipod.

She put the headphones in and began listening to it. She thought over what had happened earlier on, when Near had asked her about the photo album.

"I don't understand," she thought to herself. "When Roger first told Near and I about the photo album he said it held no interest for him, and now all of a sudden he wants it.

I don't get it". Time passed and the boy's room grew darker by the minuet. Shadow closed her eyes and listened to her ipod before she even realized she had drifted off to sleep on Matt's bed.

Shadow heard people talking, no arguing. She grumbled and rolled over on her side. "I'm trying to sleep here," she thought to herself.

She took in a deep breath and smelt the familiar smell that reminded her of Matt. Wait! Shadow's eyes flew open.

She immediately noticed where she was. She was still in Mello and Matt's room. She sat up and noticed someone had put a blanket on her.

Matt and Mello were arguing at the bottom of the bed. They looked in her direction when she sat up. "About time you woke up Matt wants his bed back," muttered Mello.

Shadow guessed he was annoyed at Matt. "Hey good morning sleepy head," greeted Matt in a happier tone. "What! Good morning?" she squeaked "Is it morning? How long have I been asleep?"

Matt smiled "It was just an expression chill it's only 8 you haven't been asleep very long but you missed dinner". "I was going to wake you up but Matt told me not too," added Mello.

Shadow looked between the two a smile came over her lips. "You know Mello you should have Matt's bed really is quiet comfy," she smiled mischievously.

"I could get quiet use to this". Both Matt and Mello's faces went pale. "Ahhh," said Matt awkwardly. "Just joking be careful you don't go into stroke Matty," laughed Shadow.

Mello's eyes widened "Did you just call him Matty?" he asked in disbelief. Shadow stopped laughing "Foxtrot uniform Charlie kilo, I did!" she thought. "Uhh," she said the awkwardness now falling on her.

Both the boys smiled Mello walked over to the bed and sat on it. "So you recon Matty's bed is comfy," he asked teasingly.

Shadow glared at Mello. "So you said you could get use to it, I guess I'll be seeing you a lot more often then," he added.

"You and Matt," he said tantalizingly "together," he whispered in her ear. That did it. "Oh shove off Mello," she growled pushing him off the bed.

She slid her feet out from under the blankets and slung them over the side of the bed. "You have a dirty mind," she growled at Mello who was lying on the floor.

He smiled up at her "Yeah but you know you love it". Shadow sighed in frustration. There was no getting through to that kid. "Besides you and Matt are pretty close," he added, "I bet you two will-"

"Mello shut up!" yelled Shadow and she picked up one of his many chocolate bars and shoved it in his mouth.

Matt just stood there he was clearly embarrassed by the look on his face. Not to mention the mega blush which was spreading across his checks.

It was Friday, which meant tomorrow was going to be a weekend, which also meant no studying! Shadow was relived, school was stressful she needed a break.

"Okay I'm going to bed I am still tired night guys," she said as she stepped over Mello. She headed toward the door.

"Night," called Matt "you sure you don't wanna' stay here with us tonight Shadow," called Mello. "You can have Matt's bed again". "Goodnight Mello," she said in a sarcastic cheery voice.

* * *

Okay where to start first off I AM SO SORRY FOR THE LONG WAIT!! Really I didn't mean to keep you waiting so long and I am really sorry please don't hate me . Secondly bac to school for me so I guess that means updates will be more lengthy (hopefully not as lengthy as the last one * cough, cough*) but I will update ASAP, hopefully once each week. Thirdly I want to thank everyone who has reviewed my review monster is happy. My aim is to get around 15 reviews before next chapter goes up. I will also try to start answering your reviews it all depends. So if you like the story PLEASE review it makes me happy! Anyway once again thank you people who have reviewed/ favorited my story. So yes please read, tell me what you think in your reviews, and (my own little personal quote) live everyday like it is your last! Bye for now.