Chapter Nineteen:
Unforeseen
The next morning had arrived quickly. The rain was already starting to show signs of stopping, with scattered rays of sun light, trying desperately to filter in through the heavy layer of grey clouds.
Tea had her eyes glued to the Television. Luckily, after a few minutes of searching, she had finally managed to track down an advertisement of the highly anticipated Ocean View night club premiere being held later that evening.
Opting for something a little different that morning she had made herself a smoking cup of coffee flavored with a generous helping of peppermint mocha. She listened attentively to the reporter's words, trying desperately to soak up every scrap of information she could.
As much as she wished and willed herself not to be, she couldn't help the unmistakable feeling of dread creeping up her spine. She sighed, feeling disappointed in herself.
Why did she always have to get so worked up about everything?
But could she really blame herself?
If ever there was a time to be worried, shouldn't now be it?
This wasn't a simple stroll in the park….It was her first official date with Seto Kaiba!
And the last thing she wanted was to make a complete fool of herself on such an important occasion.
They were becoming something else, and they had finally accepted it.
Now she was left with an important decision to make.
Kaiba wanted to be a part of her life but he needed her permission to step into her wounded heart.
With the way she felt about him, the choice was simple enough, wasn't it? But there was something holding her back…and she knew exactly what it was.
She was injured inside, and her defenses were on high alert.
She needed to convince herself that it was okay to take the risk again; otherwise her heart would never be free and it would ultimately remain closed forever.
She glanced at the clock hanging on the living room wall.
It was 7:30am.
If she anticipated right, she was in for a full day.
In addition to her date, Kaiba had also promised to take her shopping at the Ocean view shopping Complex.
She felt her face glowing with girlish excitement.
The sentiment sounded bizarre and unreal in her mind.
She smiled to herself feeling silly, rising to her feet. She headed into the pantry, having finished her morning cup of coffee.
As she cleaned up after herself she allowed her head to fill with thoughts of Kaiba.
She knew that he was under a lot of stress at the moment and she wished there was something she could do to help him. It was amazing how someone so young was so capable of balancing an entire company on his own two shoulders.
He was truly a force to be reckoned with.
She smiled.
No wonder the fan girls fell to his feet with stars in their eyes. Who could blame them?
Just then, there was a small knock on the door.
With a perplexed expression she dropped what she was doing and made her way through the living room.
Who could that be this early in the morning?
She cracked the door open, looking curious.
"Good morning Ms Gardner."
She was greeted with the warm smile of a young woman. She was dressed in white and black and her auburn curly hair was pulled neatly away from her face.
Tea smiled back, despite being utterly confused.
She noticed that the woman was holding a small package wrapped neatly in what looked like white silk.
She also noticed that this was the first time since landing on the island that someone had referred to her by her real name.
"…Good morning…"
The young woman beamed at Tea, as if she had suddenly turned into a celebrity overnight.
"Special delivery miss, Please enjoy!"
The young woman outstretched her hand, offering her the package.
Tea stared back confused and bewildered, not knowing what to say.
"..Um, …thank you."
She took the package hesitantly, feeling completely out of sorts.
The young woman smiled again.
"Have a wonderful day Miss Garner."
After bowing politely she left, leaving Tea staring at an empty hallway.
Tea held the silk package in her hand, trying to figure out what in the world just happened.
She slowly closed the door, feeling inquisitive.
She walked into the living room and sat on the couch.
She held the package on her lap, staring at it for a few seconds without actually doing anything.
After growing tired of waiting, she decided that the only way she would satisfy her curiosity was to open it.
She unraveled the wrapping carefully; involuntarily sucking in a breath as she did.
As the smooth, silky material slowly slipped away, her eyes fell onto an unexpected object;
It was a beautiful gold rimmed, black velvet jewelry box.
Her eyes widened at the sight of it.
Immediately, one person stole his way into her mind, partially subduing her curiosity.
She smiled, unable to contain her feminine anticipation.
She carefully unclipped the sides, opening the box slowly.
The first thing she saw was a neatly folded piece of paper, with the words 'For You' written across the top. Her heart was beating as she took the note, opening it with probing tenacity.
She read the words written in bold black letters.
…..
P.S
If you're still worried about tonight…don't be.
You'll be in good hands…..mine.
SK.
…..
Tea felt her breath catch in her throat; her heart rate increasing considerably.
She stared at the words a bit longer as if she was finding it hard to believe that they were actually written there.
Kaiba had actually sent her a present! She could hardly believe her eyes.
Talk about unexpected….and not to mention…irresistibly sexy.
Somehow, reading his words made her insides feel as if they were melting away.
She immediately averted her attention to the box sitting on her lap.
She carefully removed the top layer of velvet sheeting covering its contents.
As she did, she gasped at the sight of the object layed out neatly inside the bottom layer of the box.
She placed her hand to her chest in astonishment.
It was one of the most beautiful necklaces she had ever laid her eyes on.
The chain itself was studded with tiny translucent gem stones and the pendant was a beautiful glass butterfly with an intricate wing design, sculpted with what she assumed was blue sapphire.
She stared at the necklace inside the box as if it were an imaginary object that would disappear if she stopped looking at it.
Was this all for her?
She bit her lip as she cautiously ran her fingers over the pendant.
This couldn't be real? This had to be a dream. Any minute now she would wake up and then feel silly for ever believing something like this could ever happen…..
….But it wasn't a dream was it?
It was real…just as real as the fact that she and Seto Kaiba were about to step into another kind of relationship entirely.
She felt heat rising to her cheeks.
She continued staring at the necklace. As much as she wanted to take it out of the box, she decided that now wasn't the time.
Judging by his note, he obviously wanted her to wear it to the premiere that night.
She blushed.
And so she would…
It would grace her neck only when the occasion called for it.
It was the least she could do to show Kaiba how much she appreciated it.
She couldn't help feeling her heart filling up with a special kind of warmth. She loved it…but at the same time…. she was afraid of it.
Her defenses were still urging her to proceed with caution.
Why couldn't she let go of the past?
She sighed as she replaced Kaiba's note, fastening the box shut once again.
Life was actually giving her a second chance to be happy again, so why couldn't she just accept it?
She rose from the couch, feeling frustrated with herself.
She headed into the bedroom, with the box in hand.
She placed it gently atop the dresser; Looking at it with a soft expression on her face.
If she wasn't careful, Kaiba was liable to sweep her right off her feet.
And for that she wasn't ready….she would have to take her time with him.
If they were meant to be, everything would fall into place exactly as it should.
She breathed out heavily as she started to prepare for her morning shower.
Kaiba's room
9:00am
Kaiba finally closed his laptop shut, yawning in the process. He was grumpy, tired and restless.
He had stayed up half the night prepping for the upcoming meeting with Skynet and had even gotten up early to continue working.
He was used to not getting any sleep, but somehow being on the island made him aware of just how overworked his body truly was.
He ran his hand through his messy brown hair, feeling lousy.
As he sat at the desk trying to recover from a full nights worth of work, his eyes fell onto a small fold of paper.
He stared at it, feeling a lighter emotion slowly eating away at his bad mood.
It was a brochure showcasing the island's leading chain of preeminent jewelry stores.
While busily cutting through his work that night, it had unexpectedly caught his attention.
Tea of course, was the first person that popped into his head when he saw it.
Knowing how worried she was the day before, he had made the decision.
He knew it would at least bring a smile to her face if nothing else.
Within seconds he was online and a few minutes later he had special ordered the necklace, personal inscription and all.
He reclined in his chair, looking at the clock sitting on the table.
Judging by the time, he assumed she would have gotten it by now.
He wondered if she liked it.
He would have loved to see the look on her face when she found out who it was from.
He knew she was still afraid to warm up to him and that she still couldn't wrap her head around the fact that he had feelings for her; but he knew eventually she would, so he wasn't worried in the slightest.
It was only a matter of time before he could finally claim her as his own.
He was patient….and she was worth the wait.
As he sat pensively, he let his mind indulge her.
Before now, he never even knew he was capable of feeling this way for another person.
How she was able to get through to him was still a mystery.
Or maybe it wasn't.
She was different and he was drawn to that. He admired her strength and the way she always seemed to put others before herself…one of the few things that he always found practically impossible to do.
But she'd been hurt before.
Life played a dirty trick on her, leaving her to face the world on her own.
He was all too familiar with the sentiment.
She however, didn't deserve a life like that, and it was up to him to change her fate…and ultimately his own.
They had their first date later that day, and he would have to bide his time.
Whatever the future had in store for them, a huge chunk of it would be decided tonight…of that he was certain.
He rose from his chair, just now starting to feel a bit hungry.
He headed into the bedroom first, to find a T-shirt, being clad in nothing but a pair of boxers.
When he found one, he slipped it on and headed for the pantry.
He had ordered room service in the midst of working last night and hadn't been able to finish his meal.
He rummaged through the refrigerator, looking for left-over's.
Just then there was a loud knock on the door.
He sighed, finally getting his hands on the container of food.
He put it on the counter and slammed the refrigerator door shut, knowing exactly who it was.
He crossed the living room and yanked the door open.
Sure enough he was greeted by a beaming Mokuba, who was looking up at him with a silly wide grin on his face.
Kaiba rolled his eyes as he sighed again.
Mokuba charged his way into the room.
"Morning Seto…."
"Mokuba, would you stop making a habit out of tormenting me before 10:00am."
"Sorry big brother."
Kaiba watched as he headed into the pantry, curiously peering into the container of leftover food.
Kaiba shut the door, following him into the kitchen.
"Hey, hands off! That's my breakfast! Go find your own!"
He walked passed his overzealous little brother as he opened the overhead cupboard, searching for the coffee.
"Bet you wouldn't say that if my name was spelt with the letters T E A?"
Mokuba's taunting caught him by surprise, making it hard it hard to contain his amusement.
He nevertheless pretended not to care with more difficulty than usual, as he prepared his cup of coffee.
"…You're enjoying this aren't you?"
"Who wouldn't? It's not every day you get to see the mighty Seto Kaiba turn to mush over a girl."
Kaiba couldn't help smiling hopelessly, as he stirred in the sugar.
"Is that what you call it? Turning to mush? I guess, you would know."
Mokuba's cheeks suddenly glowed bright red.
"Hey, no fair Seto! Don't try to change the subject, you're the one in the hot seat here not me!"
"Last I checked I was about to have breakfast...you're the one who can't keep your mouth shut."
Mokuba pouted stubbornly, feeling defeated.
When Kaiba was finished warming his food and making his cup of coffee, both brothers headed into the living room.
Mokuba hurriedly switched the TV on, reclining comfortably into the couch.
He waited for Kaiba to sit down before attacking.
"So what did she say?"
"About what?"
Mokuba sighed hopelessly.
"Seto, would you stop treating me like a little kid! I mean what did Tea say when you asked her to go with you to the premiere tonight?"
Kaiba shrugged as he took a bite of his sandwich.
"..She said yes."
Mokuba smiled feeling satisfied.
"..Yea I knew that, she told me all about it yesterday…I just wanted to see you squirm."
Kaiba scoffed.
"Gee thanks…and I don't squirm."
Mokuba made himself more comfortable on the couch.
"So when are you taking her shopping?"
"Aren't you the one always booking appointments? I'm supposed to be asking you."
Mokuba smiled knowingly.
"…You know me too well Seto, I already made arrangements for a chauffeur. He'll be taking you guys to the shopping complex at about 11:00am."
"As long as it's not Ryan, I'm fine with it."
Mokuba let out a hopeless sigh.
"No big brother, it's not Ryan, don't worry, I want you two to be as comfortable as possible."
Kaiba took a sip of his coffee, looking perplexed.
"Aren't you coming with us?"
Mokuba frowned looking surprised.
"Are you kidding? I'd be a third wheel…There's no way I'd want to impose on you guys. Today is just for the both of you."
Kaiba pretended not to feel the impact of his statement.
He chose not to say anything. When it came to his little brother, the less he said about his relationship with Tea the better. Lord knows he'd never hear the end of it.
He continued eating in silence.
He had no idea how their date was going to turn out later that night, but he was leaning toward the positive. He wanted Tea to feel as comfortable as possible in his company and he didn't want her insecurities to ruin her chance to relax. Although she tried her best to hide the way she felt inside, he could tell that she was still carrying a lot of baggage on her shoulders, and it bothered him how useless he was to her.
It was time for her to experience something good in her life.
He would be the one to help her let go.
He continued his breakfast in his brother's company, eager to find out what the day had in store for them.
10:45am
Tea was sitting on the couch, feeling on edge.
She glanced at the clock for the third time as she tried her best to concentrate on the romantic comedy she had chosen to watch in an attempt to past the time.
She couldn't help feeling extremely silly as she was having a hard time not substituting the couple in the movie for Kaiba and herself.
Her cheeks burned crimson.
Sheesh, there she goes again, giving into girlish fantasies.
As she nevertheless indulged herself, a sturdy knock on her door yanked her back into reality.
Naturally, her heart started pounding again.
She reluctantly pulled herself together as she switched the TV off.
Okay, it was time to face the music.
Her day with Kaiba had officially started.
She grabbed her purse and the keycard from the cabinet and headed toward the door.
She stood in front of it for a few seconds, breathing deeply, gathering her courage.
Finally she opened the door.
Kaiba was standing out in the hallway, looking gorgeous as per usual.
He was wearing a white, simple short sleeved dress shirt and a pair of black tailored trousers. For some reason seeing him dressed so casually, made her voice disappear. She stared at him as if she was mute. His eyes stayed on hers, and it was obvious that he was amused at her reaction.
He smiled hopelessly.
"Good morning to you too."
His voice jump started her senses. She shook herself out of her dream state, feeling her face filling with color.
"…Sorry…good morning."
She stepped forward, closing the door behind her.
Kaiba kept his eyes on her deliberately. He knew she was feeling awkward and for some reason he loved that she was.
There was something enticing about the way she blushed.
He shoved his hands into his pocket.
"…Guess it'll take you some time to stop being afraid of me huh."
She smiled.
"…I'm not…."
"It's ok; I'm used to this sort of reaction from girls."
She couldn't help the gush of butterflies flowing into her stomach.
Why did he have to be so exceedingly self-assured all the time?
She looked up at him defiantly, despite herself.
"…Must be nice…no wonder you're so modest."
Kaiba smiled. Her smart mouth rearing its head was a good sign; she was starting to relax.
"Ah, there's the sarcasm we all know and love."
She blushed, as she looked away again. If she could turn to sand and blow away into the wind at that very moment she would have.
Just then, before Kaiba could get a chance to taunt her again, Mokuba came jolting out of his room.
"Hey you guys!"
Kaiba sighed as they both turned to Mokuba.
"…Just wanted to see you guys off, oh and here Seto, you forgot this."
He handed Kaiba a thin brochure.
"There's a list of all the best clothing stores and stuff, thought it might come in handy."
Kaiba scoffed, rudely.
Tea smiled warmly at him.
"Thanks Mokuba; that should be a big help."
He beamed back at Tea, looking satisfied with himself.
He decided not to keep them waiting any longer.
"Well, see you guys later, have fun."
Kaiba responded, looking annoyed.
"Mokuba, where do you think we're going? It's only a god damn shopping complex."
Mokuba put his hands behind his back innocently.
"Right…you're absolutely right big brother…there's nothing significant about today at all, what on earth was I thinking?"
Tea couldn't help smiling, amused at Mokuba's smart mouth.
"Humph, whatever."
Kaiba scoffed again as he turned his back to them and started heading toward the elevator at the end of the hall.
Mokuba sighed hopelessly.
"Well, that's my big brother for you. You better hurry up before he leaves without you."
"Oh…uh right."
She waved at Mokuba as she hurried down the hall, toward the elevator, where Kaiba was standing waiting for her.
Once inside, Tea felt the weight of being alone with him overwhelming her senses again.
They stayed silent as the floors counted down.
Tea suddenly remembered her manners.
"Um…thanks for the necklace."
Kaiba glimpsed at her, his arms folded.
"No problem."
"I love it…it's beautiful."
Kaiba felt something stir in his chest; something unfamiliar but welcoming. He was glad that he was able to bring a smile to her face.
He listened as she went on.
"But..I hope it didn't cost too much."
"Nope, Turns out it's worthless…I just picked it up after they threw it out. "
Tea smiled.
"Very Funny.'
"Besides, why would I waste my money on you? It's not like I like you or anything right?"
Tea sighed.
"Ok, ok fine, I get the point, enough with the sarcasm already."
"What sarcasm?"
Tea couldn't help smiling, feeling her cheeks turning red again.
He was so charismatic and charming sometimes that it was almost scary.
She pursed her lips together, blushing to herself as they finally stopped at the ground floor.
Ocean View Urban City District
The sun was back in all its wonder again. The rain had finally cleared away and the sky couldn't have been more blue.
Tea sat quietly next to Kaiba, feeling too uneasy to say a single word. As Mokuba arranged, they were on their way to the Ocean View Shopping Complex in the back seat of a shiny Rolls Royce phantom.
Looking at the vintage interior of the car, she couldn't help feeling out of place.
Kaiba stared out the window, thinking of Tea.
She was sitting fairly close to him and he could feel the edges of her purse touching his leg.
Why was he so prone to let his imagination run away with him whenever he was alone with her?
She was oblivious to the fact, but she once again managed to entice him by doing nothing at all.
She was wearing a black long sleeved T-shirt that hugged her body, a little too well for him not to notice, and a pair of tight faded blue jeans.
Why she was so insecure about herself was beyond him.
He turned to look at her.
She looked back at him, sensing his movements.
He lowered his voice to speak to her.
"You ok?"
She responded, smiling warmly at him.
"Yea."
"Then try not to look so worried"
She nodded.
Somehow, sitting next to him like that was making her body tense.
Kaiba noticed that she was still having a hard time relaxing. He decided that he should give her some time. He knew it was probably extremely hard getting used to a Seto Kaiba that actually had feelings for her, so he didn't put any pressure on her. As far as everything stood at the moment, they weren't exactly going out. She still had to give him the green light…or the red as the case may be.
But he had a hunch that she would be willing to give him the chance soon. He knew she had feelings for him too and it was only a matter of time before she surrendered to them.
They finally arrived at a large car park, pulling to a stop in an area sectioned off from all the other vehicles.
There were only about two other posh looking cars parked alongside them.
The notice posted on the wall above was hard to miss.
-RESERVED-
The driver, after putting the car in park, exited the vehicle, walking around the back. He stopped beside the door on Kaiba's side and opened it politely.
"We're here Mr. Kaiba, Please enjoy the accommodations."
Kaiba of course didn't bother to respond. He stepped out of the vehicle, moving aside for Tea to follow suit.
The driver shut the door behind them, obviously used to rude interjections.
Kaiba gestured for Tea to follow him.
"Come on, let's get this over with."
She did so without hesitation, knowing exactly whose turf she was on.
They both walked out of the parking lot and started toward the huge shopping centre directly in front of them.
Tea found it hard to contain her astonishment. The sidewalk leading toward the complex was lined with an array of coconut palm trees and there were a number of expensive looking restaurants lining the streets with exotic patios and outdoor dining areas.
She walked silently alongside Kaiba, soaking up the sights all around her.
She also noticed that there were a lot of people staring at them.
She tried her best to avoid their eyes, but there were so many she was finding it hard to.
Kaiba noticed her uneasiness.
He glanced at her as they walked.
"Just try to ignore them."
Tea looked up at him.
"…I am, but it's harder than I thought."
"We're almost inside; I think Mokuba already reserved one of the boutiques for us."
Tea frowned.
"Reserved?"
Kaiba forgot that she wasn't used to high society.
He explained.
"Meaning, off limits to everyone but us."
Tea couldn't help being impressed.
It was as if the world belonged to them. After everything she had been through, she would have never thought that she would one day find herself in a situation like this one.
Not that she was complaining or anything.
Kaiba glanced at his surroundings. He couldn't help noticing that there were considerably more people gawking at him than usual. The fact that he was actually in the company of a female was causing quite a stir.
For some reason, he didn't mind. Let them speculate all they wanted.
He was glad to be in Tea's company and he didn't really give a damn about the public's opinion.
Tea couldn't help feeling girlishly shy, walking alongside Kaiba.
Although it was strange, it wasn't in the slightest bit uncomfortable. In fact she actually liked it.
She blushed to herself as they both continued down the sidewalk toward the large Shopping Complex straight ahead.
Ocean View Shopping Complex
Kaiba pulled the folded brochure from his pocket. He glanced at it for a few moments until he decided on the most sensible course of action. Shopping, especially for clothes, wasn't exactly his thing so he was eager to get it over and done with. He led the way, Tea following closely behind.
The biggest difference between the Ocean View Shopping Complex and a regular mall was of course their upkeep of the Caribbean theme. Otherwise, Glossy Floors, escalators, intricate ceilings and of course a vast assortment of stores everywhere the eye could see was still the main attraction of the day.
After a few minutes of maneuvering through the scattered crowd of tourists and on lookers, Kaiba finally managed to spot the store he was looking for.
Tea noticed the name of the store inscribed in fancy looking letters.
The Blue Ritzy
It was a weird name, but at least it was unique.
As they neared their destination, she noticed that there was a 'closed' sign hanging on the glass doors.
The security guard standing at the entrance spotted them as they approached the store.
He recognized them right away, as if he were expecting their arrival.
He smiled politely as they stopped in front of the store.
He unclasped the small lock on the door.
"Welcome Mr Kaiba."
Kaiba didn't respond.
He casually stepped inside as the young man opened the doors, Tea silently following his lead.
The air-conditioned store was huge and inviting. The perfectly varnished wooden floors contrasted tastefully with the neutral cream color coated walls. There was a 'new fabric' aroma filling the entire space, with subtle hints of Pine and peppermint.
The assortment of clothing racks and shelving extended as far as the eye could see, with multiple levels of fashion sets to choose from.
Tea couldn't help the swell of feminine anticipation and excitement as she eyeballed her surroundings.
Usually, she would naturally avoid stores like this one; price tags with so many zeros weren't meant for people with regular jobs.
It felt unreal standing there. She squeezed the strap of her purse, practically gawking at the vast amount of clothing and accessories.
She spared a glance at Kaiba. He was standing there looking bored and unimpressed.
Just then a well dressed middle aged woman approached them from the back room.
"Oh my! Welcome, welcome Mr. Kaiba; I'm so glad you could make it Today!"
She glided over to where they were standing.
Her eyes immediately fell onto Tea's.
"...Oh, it's so nice to meet you Miss Gardner, welcome to The Blue Ritzy; the Ocean View Hotel's most esteemed fashion boutique! My name is Kiki Lavelle and I'll be your fashion stylist for the day. Young master Mokuba, personally requested my services and I was happy to accept."
Her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm and perfectly refined customer service.
Tea felt more than a little unhinged. No one on the island ever addressed her so directly before. It was as if she had suddenly become part of the rich and famous club.
She smiled thinly, not knowing what would be considered an appropriate response.
She nevertheless fumbled the first thing that came to mind.
"…Oh, um…thank you."
The woman, now identified as Kiki Lavelle, beamed at her as if she had been awarded a stylist of the year award.
Kaiba suddenly intervened.
"We don't have all day, so just give her whatever she wants, do your job and see how fast you can have us out of here before 2:00pm."
Tea saw the woman's expression falter only slightly; she was obviously used to dealing with snobbery in high dosages.
"..Of course Mr Kaiba, but your brother has also requested that you purchase something for yourself as well."
Kaiba frowned, looking perplexed.
"What for?"
"Well, he informed us that both you and Miss Garner will be attending the Night Club premiere later tonight and he requested that we offer our assistance to you both."
Kaiba paused before opening his mouth to yell at her.
He suddenly seemed to remember something he had managed to overlook all this time. Night Clubs weren't exactly his idea of a good time and he couldn't remember the last time he even stepped foot in one. In fact he highly doubted that there was anything appropriate in his entire closet back at home that would be considered night club savvy.
He sighed cursing his anti-social workaholic lifestyle.
"Fine, whatever, let's just get this over with!"
Kiki beamed again, clasping her hands together excitedly.
"Great…well I'll go get James. You two love birds can make yourselves at home, have a look around and I'll be right back."
With that said she left, retreating into the back room once again.
Tea couldn't help her cheeks turning red again at being addressed as Kaiba's lover.
The both of them stood in silence for a few seconds until Kaiba turned to look at her.
'Well, I guess the sooner we get done with this the better, go look around for something you like…and don't worry about the money."
Tea tried to protest.
"..But.."
"No buts, I want you to be comfortable tonight so choose whatever you want. Trust me, even if you decided to buy everything in the entire store, you won't be able to leave an impression on my wallet…"
She smiled, amused at his over confidence.
He continued; glad to see her lighten up.
"…so it's ok to be selfish today. It's on me."
Tea forced herself not to blush under his gaze. It was hard adjusting to this side of him but she couldn't deny the fact that the more she was exposed to it, the more she was starting to warm up to it.
She responded, feeling shy.
"….Fine….but, don't you have to pick something too?"
He sighed, obviously frustrated.
"Unfortunately yes, but the men's section is upstairs so when we're done, we'll meet each other back here ok."
Tea nodded.
"Okay"
They both parted ways and headed toward their destinations.
Approximately one hour later...
"Oh my God, now that is a gorgeous look!"
Tea stood in front of the mirror, gawking at her reflection, while Kiki did the same.
"…Mr. Kaiba won't be able to keep his hands off you when he sees you in this little number."
Tea's face glowed with embarrassment again.
She fiddled with the top.
"..Um..I'm not so sure about this, I mean, I don't usually dress this way."
"Well that's the point isn't it honey, don't forget, this is an important publicized event, you have to dress the part."
Tea felt another helping of worry filling up her stomach.
"…I know but…"
Kiki smiled empathetically.
She gently placed her hand on Tea's shoulder.
"Listen to me…are you comfortable?"
Tea hesitated before responding.
"…Well, yea I guess."
"Okay, now forget what everyone else thinks…do you like the way you look?"
Tea pursed her lips together, giving herself a once over in the mirror again.
"…Well it's really not something I'd normally wear but…I actually really like it."
"Then there's your answer, wear it, you look absolutely stunning."
Tea smiled, feeling a little more confident.
"..Thanks."
Kiki smiled back.
"I guess it must be hard keeping up with a man like Seto Kaiba."
"It is"
Tea spoke before even realizing what she had said. Why was she talking about him like they were already a couple?
Kiki continued, obviously glad she could get in some girl talk.
"Well, don't worry, I have a sixth sense about these things…he really likes you, I can tell."
Tea's face continued to glow like a Christmas tree bulb.
She decided not to say anything.
She smiled instead.
"…and I can tell you really like him too."
Kiki seemed to be getting a kick out of making her blush.
Tea continued looking at her reflection as she smiled.
"…I do."
The tone of her voice surprised her. She was being sincere, without even thinking.
Her feelings for Kaiba were growing and she hadn't even realized how much she was starting to like him.
His kiss suddenly flashed across her memory, causing her heart rate to increase.
This wasn't something she could sweep under the rug anymore. Today was more important than she even thought to realize.
After tonight, everything was going to change between them, either for better or for worse.
She suddenly felt the full pressure of their first date weighing on her shoulders like a heavy pair of boulders.
Kiki seemed to notice the worried look on her face.
"..Come on Miss, don't look so worried, he's going to love you in this, I promise."
She smiled brightly.
Tea smiled back, knowing that him liking her outfit was in fact the least of her worries.
She finalized her decision as she turned to Kiki.
"Ok, I'll take it."
Kaiba was waiting downstairs on the ground floor. Normally he would be fuming with impatience, but today he was willing to make an exception. He had finished about twenty minutes ago and had already made his purchase. Having to attend public appearances and attending all those high society meets made his fashion sense quite attuned. He was able to put something together with ease, despite the fact that he didn't exactly consider night club attire worth the effort.
He waited patiently for Tea as he sat on one of the wooden benches.
He took the time to himself to think about a few things.
After everything he and Tea had been through since they reacquainted, it had all come down to this.
Everything had finally come spilling out into the open and now they were actually on the verge of becoming romantically involved.
He would have never thought that something like this would happen between them.
Nevertheless, his feelings were real and he wanted her more than he ever wanted any another woman in his life before.
Yes the feeling was new to him and he wasn't quite sure what to expect but he had already come to terms with it.
His resolve was strong.
He was used to getting exactly what he wanted, why should now be any different?
Just then, before he could contemplate any further he saw Tea emerge from the back of the store followed by Kiki.
She was holding a large Blue Ritzy bag in her hands, looking shy and cute as she always did.
"Well Mr. Kaiba, your date has finally found the perfect outfit."
Kiki intervened before either of them could say anything.
Kaiba stood up, his eyes falling onto Tea's. They stared at each other as if they could read each other's minds.
"I trust you had no problem finding something suitable Mr Kaiba."
Kaiba tore his eyes away from Tea's to look at Kiki, a slightly annoyed expression falling over his face.
"I managed."
Kiki smiled brightly despite Kaiba's glum response.
"I'm so glad we could be of assistance to you two."
She watched happily as Tea walked over to where Kaiba was standing.
"And forgive me for being so forward but, I gotta say, you two make such a beautiful couple."
Tea's face burned bright red again.
Kaiba cleared his throat, looking caught off guard.
He recovered instantly, ignoring her comment.
"Just put everything on my Hotel bill."
"Of course Mr. Kaiba."
Kiki smiled brilliantly as she finally bid them farewell.
The security guard outside smiled politely at them as they made their way out through the glass doors.
As they stepped out into the open air of the mall, a number of curious eyes fell on them once again.
Tea avoided their piercing gazes as she followed closely behind Kaiba.
Finally they were back inside the shiny Rolls Royce Phantom.
They sat next to each other in silence as they drove through the urban district of the island.
She tried to steal a glimpse of Kaiba's Bag, wondering what he had chosen.
Just then he turned to look at her.
"So did you find something you actually like or did you just let that woman choose something for you?"
"…I actually chose this myself; I'm not used to having a personal stylist."
"Good, as long as you're comfortable it's fine with me."
Kaiba watched as she bit her lip, looking straight ahead and not at him.
"So, you hungry? cuz I sure as hell am."
She turned to look up at him.
She smiled.
"Actually you read my mind exactly."
Tea watched him as he ordered the driver to make a detour to the nearest upscale restaurant.
It was actually getting a lot easier to talk to him now. He was still the same old ill-tempered Kaiba but with an added hint of congeniality. A girl could get used to this side of him, no problem.
She blushed to herself as they continued to drive through the city.
After a few minutes, they finally turned into a rather cozy looking side street; with an assortment of rose bushes lining the side of the road.
The car came to a stop inside another parking lot.
The driver once again got out and opened the door for both of them to exit.
Tea followed Kaiba out of the vehicle.
The driver intervened politely.
'Here we are Mr Kaiba, the best daytime restaurant on the island. Please enjoy. "
Kaiba was rude once again. Not bothering to respond, he gestured for Tea to follow him as they walked along the empty sidewalk.
As they approached the building Tea noticed the well designed burgundy sign posted at the left of the entrance.
Lounge Café.
As she averted her eyes from the sign she noticed that a lot of the customers dinning outside were once again staring at them.
She sighed inwardly.
How the heck did Kaiba deal with this sort of attention everywhere he went?
She'd only been exposed to it for a short amount of time and already she was sick of it.
Then again, Kaiba wasn't exactly what you'd consider 'normal'
People's opinions obviously weren't important to him in the slightest.
It made perfect sense that he would be suited for this type of lifestyle.
They finally stepped into the restaurant; both of them hungry and eager to get some food into their stomachs.
Fifteen minutes later…
Outdoor patio dining area
Tea took a sip of her refreshing glass of ice cold lemonade. She wanted something simple and to the point. Once again, she and Kaiba both opted for the same dish. They had ordered two large servings of seafood salad.
Kaiba watched her as she took the first bite of her shrimp.
She was still avoiding his eyes but she looked like she was starting to feel a bit more comfortable in his company.
He waited for her eyes to catch his.
"So are you still nervous about tonight?"
She took another spoonful before answering.
"Well, I can't exactly say no, because the fact is…I'm a little mortified."
Kaiba appreciated the fact that she was being honest with him.
"Well like I said, there's no need to be…haven't you been to a night club before?"
"..Yea, but…"
"So what's the problem? It'll be just like any other time, the only difference will be the fact that you managed to score a date with me."
Tea smiled, willing herself not to turn red.
He was smirking and he couldn't have looked sexier.
She responded between her smiling.
"And of course the fact that there'll be a million cameras and TV crews there…"
She took a sip of her drink again before continuing.
"and all of them will be trying to catch a glimpse of us."
Kaiba shrugged as he took a spoonful of food.
"So? I must've missed the part where other people actually mattered."
Tea sighed as she continued eating.
He continued.
"Besides, the only other person you should be concerned about is me, or have you forgotten that this is actually a real date?"
Tea couldn't help blushing this time.
"..No, I haven't forgotten."
Kaiba reveled in the fact that he was making her squirm. He wasn't about to let her forget what his intentions were.
He took a sip of his drink.
"Good, as long as we understand each other."
Tea kept her head bent as she poked at her food on the plate feeling the butterflies filling her stomach. Why the hell did he have to be so intimidating all the time?
Just then before they could say another word to each other, Tea noticed that a young woman was glaring at them from across the patio. She was deliberately trying to make eye contact, as if she had spotted a mortal enemy.
Tea frowned as she stared at the young woman.
"Geez, how do you deal with this everyday? I can understand curious on lookers but that woman over there's glaring at me as if she wants to have me murdered."
Kaiba looked in the direction that Tea indicated.
Sure enough there was a young woman sitting alone at a table at the far corner of the patio. She was definitely glaring at them. As he looked at her she switched her attention from Tea over to him. As their eyes met, he suddenly realized that she looked strangely familiar. Her hair was tied into a bun and she was wearing a sun hat that was casting a shadow over most of her face but he definitely knew her from somewhere.
Tea noticed that he was still staring at the young woman.
"What's the matter? Do you know her or something?"
For some reason Kaiba felt a sinking in his gut as he saw the young woman rising from her seat. She was starting to walk over to them.
As she drew closer he suddenly remembered exactly who she was.
He sighed hopelessly as he looked at Tea once again.
"Unfortunately I do…"
Tea stared at him looking perplexed.
Only then did she notice that the young woman was actually approaching their table.
She gulped as she watched her come to a stop before them, daggers in her eyes as she folded her arms.
"Well if it isn't the king of jerks himself."
Kaiba continued eating as if no one was there.
He waited a while before responding.
"Can I help you?"
The young woman looked insulted.
"How dare you ignore me Seto!"
Tea felt her stomach turn.
Did she just address him by his first name?
Kaiba sighed again, looking impatient.
His eyes met Tea's.
He knew she was probably wondering what was going on and he decided it best if he dissipated the situation as fast as he could.
"Look, you have no business here so just get over yourself and get out of my sight."
Tea cringed at the cold in Kaiba's voice and immediately started to put the pieces together.
The young woman scoffed.
"How typical, I see you haven't changed."
Tea stared down at her plate, feeling awkward.
Just what the hell was going on here? Could this woman actually be…an ex lover?
She stayed silent as she listened intently to their 'conversation'.
Kaiba blew out a breath of frustration.
"I'm not asking you again Krista, could you kindly remove yourself from my table before I get angry?"
She scoffed again but there was definitely a hint of hesitation in her voice as she responded.
"…Huh, fine, I'll get out of your hair…just wanted to say hi to your little date…"
She turned to Tea.
"Enjoy it while it lasts honey, it's over the minute he gets what he wants from you."
Her voice was dripping with venom, her eyes cold and scornful.
Tea stared back at her, feeling as if she had just been slapped extremely hard in the face.
Kaiba glared daggers at the young woman as she twirled on her heels and walked away before he could get the chance to say or do anything.
She seemed to have been disenchanted with them altogether as she marched out of the patio, not bothering to return to her seat.
Tea sat poking at her food with her fork again. She was deliberately avoiding any eye contact with Kaiba.
A think blanket of silence fell over the table.
Kaiba sighed inwardly, feeling the swell of anger in his chest slowly deflating as he looked at Tea.
What the hell was one of his ex's doing on the island anyway?
This was definitely something he wouldn't have predicted happening. He knew that Tea was probably wondering what the hell just happened.
He searched through his brain for something to say to explain himself.
Before he could find anything plausible however, to his surprise, he saw a smile spreading over Tea's lips. She finally looked up at him through curious eyes.
"..sooo….was that one of your ex girlfriends?…as if I had to ask."
Kaiba stared back at her, caught completely off guard by her reaction.
He decided that it was best if he simply gave her the answers she was looking for. He at least owed her that much.
"…something like that…."
Although she was disturbed and a bit offended by what the young woman said to her, Tea couldn't help the curiosity that was starting to eat her alive.
She decided that it was her turn to pry. It was only fair.
She watched him as he sipped his drink.
"So…when exactly did this happen, I mean, aren't you the very definition of a workaholic? I guess you do make time for girls."
"It's not what you think…. I met her at a dinner party one night…"
Tea listened attentively, not wanting to miss a single word.
This was the first time she had ever heard Kaiba talk about his personal life. He had always been like a mystery novel that had never been opened. She was glad to get the opportunity to find out more about his past.
She watched as he paused, looking like he was choosing his words carefully.
"..I thought that I would be compatible with someone who was just like me…"
He took a sip of his drink before continuing.
"Unfortunately, it turns out that I was wrong…she was a mistake that never should have happened."
Tea listened to every word feeling a sense of elation, finally being able to listen to him for a change. Despite that however, she couldn't help the singe of jealousy building up at the pit of her stomach.
But she decided that now wasn't the time to let petty emotions get the best of her. She ignored the feeling altogether as she responded.
"oh… I guess that's understandable….but…"
Kaiba watched her fumble to find the courage to continue. Somehow he knew exactly what was coming.
"…what exactly did she mean by what she said?"
Kaiba kept his eyes on her, as she nervously tried to find the words.
He decided to let her off the hook; it was pretty obvious what she wanted to ask.
"I didn't use her for sex, if that's what you're suggesting."
Tea felt her chest tighten as she felt his response crash through her.
"..no…that's… not what I meant, I was just curious."
Kaiba studied her expression before saying anything. He noticed that she was turning red in the face. She was obviously interested in his personal life. He watched her feeling amused.
He took a spoonful of food, allowing her time to re-gather her thoughts.
He knew there would be more questions to come and he would have no other choice but to swallow his apprehension to answer them, knowing that she deserved an explanation.
Finally, just as he predicted, she started again.
"So how long were you two an item?"
"Three weeks."
Tea frowned, looking astonished and amused at the same time.
"Three weeks?"
"Yea..I'm surprised she even lasted that long."
Tea couldn't help laughing.
Kaiba was glad she was taking this so lightly. Her laugh was like a refreshing breeze, blowing all the tension away.
"Then I guess from her point of view you did use her for sex."
"Her perception of it means nothing to me."
Tea took a sip of her drink, feeling butterflies fluttering about in her stomach again. Was she actually having a conversation about Kaiba's sex life? Why was that so hard to accept without turning red?
Tea felt the questions creeping into her head and she wasn't sure whether she should act on them.
After a few moments of deliberation she finally gathered enough courage.
She looked at him, causing him to look back.
"So…did you …actually…."
Kaiba knew what she was going to say without even thinking.
He decided to let her off the hook.
He intervened before she could finish.
"Yea….we did… once"
Tea felt the impact of his response.
She stared back at him.
"..Oh…ok…I see."
Kaiba knew how awkward the conversation must be for her. They were only starting to get to know each other, and already they had stumbled upon the issue of sex.
He continued nevertheless, knowing it couldn't be helped.
"I broke up with her, shortly after, which is why she thinks I only wanted her for one thing."
"Oh, well I guess you can't blame her for being bitter like that."
Kaiba took another spoonful of food.
"Maybe not, but you can blame her for being childish, self absorbed & uncaring brat."
Tea smiled.
"Funny who that sounds like."
He smiled back.
"There can only be one king of jerks, and that title's taken; otherwise there'd be a conflict of interests in my castle….and we can't have that, now can we."
'I guess not, your queen would have to be someone who's submissive and yet strong enough to stand by your side as an equal… am I right?"
"Looks like someone's been watching a bit too much Television lately."
Tea laughed again.
"Yea I know; I saw that on a late night talk show in my room the other night."
Kaiba smiled as he watched her laugh. She was such a joy to be around. He waited for her to recover before responding.
"…But you're right though… …that might be just what the doctor ordered..."
She stared back at him getting lost in his eyes again as he continued.
"…know where I can find someone like that?"
He kept his eyes glued to hers.
Tea felt his intimidation chewing away at her ability to keep calm again. She couldn't help blushing, knowing exactly what he meant.
"..well, maybe if you look hard enough, she might just come to you."
"She just might."
Tea noticed that his eyes were drilling into hers and there was something a little too suggestive in the expression on his face.
She pried her eyes away feeling intimidated.
She took another spoonful of salad, trying to buffer the moment.
Kaiba could sense her uneasiness but he knew she had gotten the point.
The fact that he wanted her all to himself was something he needed her to understand wholeheartedly.
And the sooner she came to terms with that the better.
They continued eating, conversing about whatever popped into their heads.
Tea smiled as she noticed how well their day had been going. Despite the little hiccup with his ex-girlfriend she'd have to say that she was actually having a good time... much more than she predicted she would.
She let her mind and body relax, soaking up the joy of Kaiba's company.
But the main attraction was still to come and she couldn't help feeling nauseated by thought of finally facing it.
Their first date was only a few hours away….and she had no idea what to expect.
She would have to come to a decision, and finally find the strength within herself to let go of the past and move on to something shiny and new.
She hoped with all of her heart that she was ready for the transition.
After a few minutes they had finally finished their meal, heading back to the car where their chauffeur was waiting patiently for their return.
They drove through the city, heading back to the Hotel in comfortable silence; both eagerly anticipating the events of the night to come.