JC: Chapter 18 is here! Woohoo! I'm pumped because this fic has reached 300+ reviews. I'm thinking of making another promotional fanart soon. I wanna try drawing Atticus and Mac next, but who knows what I'll come up with. I've added a little sweet moment between Atticus and Mac here. I'm seriously in love with that couple because of the GX manga. Zane and Alexis are gonna have a one-on-one talk. Be ready for that.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, people, or its characters, but the plot of this story is mine. All rights belong to Kazuki Takahashi.

White Vow

Turn 18: Friends are there to Support

Jaden glared at the blonde man and felt his annoyances reach a whole new level. It was obvious that David was trying to break them apart by causing him to doubt Alexis' feelings. However, Jaden had no reason to get jealous. Alexis had told it straight to him that he was the guy she loved, not Zane. But Jaden had every reason to get angry at David for forcing a kiss on Alexis. He wanted to punch the guy already, but surprisingly he had built some self-control in front of him.

"Why don't you just give up on her, Yuki? I mean, come on, it's not as if she could just forget her feelings about Zane Truesdale. After all, he is her first love, as much as I hate to admit it," David went on. "Anyway, if you're still gonna be stubborn, then I'll have to turn your life into a living hell."

Mac rubbed a hand across her face, sighing in exasperation. "You think I'm gonna let you do that?" She felt too disgusted to even call David her brother. "And stop dragging Zane into this. Alexis no longer—"

"Stay out of this," David hissed, blue eyes narrowing. "This Slacker needs to know his place. I'm pretty sure Mr. Rhodes doesn't want him for a son-in-law either. What can he and his family offer? They have nothing."

Jaden closed his eyes, trying to maintain composure. He wished David would shut up already. "Man, you're pathetic." He scoffed, crossing his arms. "You're just desperate cuz Alexis doesn't like you at all. You don't mean anything to her. At least Zane is someone special to her."

David blinked in surprise. "And you're not affected by that? You should be furious that Zane—"

"Unlike you, Zane's not doing anything to sabotage our relationship," Jaden explained proudly. "Instead, he supports me and Alexis. He truly cares for her, you know, and just wants her to be happy."

Both Jesse and Mac smiled upon hearing his mature words. Jaden was doing a good job keeping a level-head.

"That's bullshit!" David grumbled. "How about Mr. Rhodes? Huh? You've got no status and money. How could you possibly—"

Jaden sighed. "Sure…The old man doesn't like me…for now." His lips then curved into a smile. "But I'll make him accept me sooner or later. You'll see."

David stared at his as if he had lost his mind. "You're crazy," he said gravely.

"Crazy in love with Alexis, that is," Jaden promptly said. "Whether it's you or the old man, nothing's gotta make me back out."

There was nothing more David could say. Jaden had certainly proven his point. No matter how infuriated David was, rebutting the subject further would only make him look stupid. Throwing one more mean look at Jaden, David turned on his heel and walked off to the direction of his room.

As soon as David was out of sight, Mac gave him a one round of steady applause. "Good job keeping it cool, Jaden," she said. "For a minute there…" She crossed her arms over her chest. "I thought you were gonna punch him. Please do excuse my brother's stubbornness. He just doesn't know when to quit."

"I reckon he'll be back to cause more trouble," Jesse said, cupping his chin, thinking of the worst possible scenarios. "Y'all better watch out for him."

"He doesn't scare me one bit," Jaden declared confidently. "Besides, he's only one guy and we're like a hundred. You think he stands a chance?"

Mac sighed. "Jaden, don't take my brother for granted. Just be careful."

"Hey, don't you guys worry, okay?" Jaden winked an eye. "I'll be okay."

"Ya won't be once I tell them boys about your jealous streak," Jesse said in a mischievous tone, running towards the hall.

Jaden's face fell. "No wait! Hold it! You're not telling anybody!" he yelled, running after Jesse.

Mac quirked an eyebrow, wondering what that was all about.

Like a pair of ten-year olds, Jesse and Jaden raced through the hall and ended up stumbling into their friends' guestroom, crashing down on the floor with Jaden on top. Syrus woke up to the sound, rubbing his eyes sleepily, and tossed them a tired look.

"Uh...And I thought you guys were straight. Jaden, you dare cheat on Alexis with another guy?" Syrus said in a deadpan tone.

Jaden blushed beet red and quickly got off of Jesse. "Damn hell I'm straight!" he retorted, and Jesse snickered.

"What were you guys doing anyway?" Syrus asked, swinging his legs off the bed. "Or we're planning on doing?"

"Ah…Playing tag?" Jesse replied, and Jaden immediately nudged him on the elbow. "Kidding!"

"Hmmm…" Putting on his glasses, Syrus glanced over to the next bed and saw Hassleberry still deep in sleep and snoring like a two-ton dinosaur. "He's not getting up anytime soon." He sighed and turned to the duo. "So, is it time for breakfast?"

Jaden grinned. "Hardly…It's almost time for lunch," he said.

Syrus' eyes popped wide open. "WWHAT? I slept that long?" He slumped his shoulders in defeat. "Oh, man…Alcohol really wiped me out. I bet Zane stayed sober."

Speaking of Zane, Jaden knew he had to apologize to him as well. He was ashamed for overreacting and jumping to conclusions right away. Zane was trying to make him understand, but he refused to listen.

Jesse hopped onto the bed, taking the spot right beside Syrus. "Hey, Sy, I've got something that may lighten up your mood," he said.

"Really? What is it?" asked Syrus.

Jesse opened his mouth to tell him about Jaden's drama and jealousy issue, but Jaden instantly lunged forward and clamped his mouth with his hand.

Syrus blinked in surprise. "Jaden?"

"It's nothing important, Sy. Don't mind, Jesse here," Jaden said with an awkward laugh.

Jesse then brushed his hand away, back rolled across the bed, and laughed. "Man up, J, it's nothing to be embarrassed about," he said.

Shaking his head vigorously, Jaden lunged for Jesse again. Jesse, however, saw this coming and moved out of the way, causing Jaden to land face first on the carpeted floor. "Woah! You okay there?" Jesse asked, and Jaden got on his knees and looked up at Jesse with a grumpy look. "I'll take that as a no."

"Seriously, what is up with you guys?" Syrus asked.

"Well, Jaden here threw a fit when he found out about your big bro's feelings for Alexis," Jesse said hurriedly, avoiding Jaden's attack again. "And then I got yelled at just because I was spending time with his gal." He ducked as Jaden tried to grab him and then he ran across the room. "Alexis sure gave him a piece of her mind." He chuckled.

"Jaden, the jealous type," Syrus stated. "Who would have guessed?"

Jaden shrugged. "Okay, fine! I admit it! I got upset…and jealous." He grumbled with an almost pouty face. "Can you blame me?"

Adjusting his glasses, Syrus thought about what Jesse said about Zane. "So, Zane told you about his feelings for Alexis?" he questioned Jaden, and the brunette nodded in reply. "I knew it. He was acting a bit strange after Alexis left the academy. Kinda heartbroken if you ask me. Guess my hunch was right all along. I feel sorry for him."

"Sy…"

Syrus knitted a smile. "Hey, no worries there, J. I'm not gonna resent you or anything. Alexis chose you, and I'm sure my brother is giving you guys his full support."

"Even if it hurts him…" Jesse muttered.

"Love's a battlefield. It can be sweet at times, but it can be a real pain in the butt too," Syrus explained.

"Wow, Sy! When did you become such an expert?" Jaden teased, nudging Sy's side with his elbow.

Pushing himself off the bed, Syrus turned and smirked at Jaden. "When it comes to love and romance, I'm here," he said, slightly raising his hand to his eye level. "And you're here." He lowered his left hand to hip level. "Jaden, sometimes being too naïve can be a problem."

Jaden turned to Jesse and asked, "Did I just get insulted?"

Jesse chuckled. "Yup!"

Running a hand across his face, Jaden let out an exasperated sigh. "Man, you guys don't hold back, do you?" he muttered before perking up. "Hey! How about a Duel? I mean, you guys are leaving soon, and who knows when we're gonna meet up again."

Jesse and Syrus tossed each other a glance and put their game faces on.

"How about a Tag Duel?" Syrus suggested.

"Sounds like a great idea," Jaden replied enthusiastically.

"Guess I'll pair up with Sy then," Jesse said. "Beasts and Machines against Heroes and Dinos—that'll be interesting."

"You're on," Syrus said.

"I'm getting pumped," Jaden said. "First things first though…I have to wake up my prehistoric partner there." He crossed his arms over his chest. "So, Sy get me a pitcher of ice cold water, and Jesse, grab some markers from the drawer." Flashing a mischievous grin, he rubbed his hands together in a sinister-like way. "Let's make this a wake-up call he'll remember forever."

Cozy inside her room, Mac reached for a sterling silver key on the dresser. Taking particular care, she placed it inside her jewelry box. She had been busy packing her belongings for her departure. Atticus had suggested letting one of the maids help her pack, but she wanted to handle her things herself. The key was one of them. She cherished it because it was the first gift Atticus gave her. She'd been surprised and deeply touched when Atticus gave it.

"In our dreams and thoughts, the key is an important symbol to everyone. Let this key be our connection…our symbol…the one that can open the door to my heart," he had told her in a sweet tone a few years ago. Sure, Atticus had sounded cheesy—too dramatic for his own good—and she even teased him for that, but his intentions were pure and sincere. "I don't intend of giving my heart away to anyone but you, Mac."

She smiled as she thought of his words, bending to lay the jewelry box into the small compartment of her luggage.

"Oh, you're busy packing…" said a familiar voice.

Glancing up, she found Atticus standing in the doorway. "Hope I'm not disturbing or anything," he said.

"Yes, you are," she replied.

Atticus made a face. "Oh, sorry! Guess I'll see you later?" Looking away, he began to turn.

"Just kidding," she said. "You can come in."

He stopped and met her gaze with a smile.

"Do me a favor and don't mess with my stuff, got it?"

"No problem, ma'am," Atticus chirped, striding over to her bed. "Hey…Do you have to leave so soon?"

Mac sighed, directing her gaze to her stack of clothes on the bed beside Atticus. "Lots of work to do, you know. Besides, I have to keep a close eye on David."

His dark brows rose as he shook his head. "What are you? His babysitter?"

"No, but I'm his sister. You know how David is. I know he's up to something and it isn't good." Something shattered on her face. "I don't want a repeat of that incident again."

A frown greased his lips as he turned his head away. "We've kept it from our parents because we didn't want any trouble…"

One side of her mouth turned up in a rueful smile. "It was Alexis who asked us to keep it a secret. Believe me, I've wanted David punished for what he did. You don't know how many times I've felt ashamed because of him."

"Alexis was thinking of us…If our parents knew, then we—"

"Don't say it…"

He looked at her sincerely. "Mac…"

She packed all of her folded clothes inside her luggage and zipped it close. "David's known for playing dirty, and I'm not about to let him have his way. You should watch over Alexis too, understand?" She sat down on the bed and crossed her legs. "Alexis got lucky last time because that guy was there to save her."

"Yeah…I'm pretty thankful." He lay down and stared up at the ceiling. "After that, my pops suddenly changed his mind about the engagement. He has no idea about the incident though, but it seemed like he didn't want David anymore for my little sissy after talking to Mr. Knight in Shining Armor."

"Who knows what goes through your father's head?" She shrugged. "By the way, have you found out about Alexis' fiancé candidate? The one your father wants presently. He must be some big shot, huh? Not anyone can just please Mr. Rhodes."

"Still a mystery to me," Atticus replied. "I just wish things could be simpler for Alexis."

"David and Mr. Rhodes are here to complicate matters." She sighed.

"Hmmm…" Atticus sat up and lowered his head. "Hey…um…can I ask you something?"

Mac's pristine eyes shot wide for a second. "What's with the grey tone?" she asked.

"I can't help wondering what would've happened if you didn't fall in love with me." Setting his elbows on his lap, he clasped his hands together and rested his chin on top of them. "I'd say you'd rebel against your father and—"

"Why dwell on it?" She cut him off. "It's not like you, Atticus."

"But—"

"I fell in love with you, didn't I?" She looked away and folded her arms. "You're not satisfied with that?"

"I didn't mean it that way."

"Our parents wanted us together and they got what they wanted. I used to hate the idea at first. I would have done what I could to get out of it, but you made me fall in love." She stood abruptly. "So…I'm really glad my father chose you." She knew she was blushing, and she couldn't stand exposing that to Atticus. She turned, about to move away as quickly as she could, but he reached over and caught her wrist.

"Mac…"

Leaning back on her heels, she tugged against his hold. "Let go. I have to finish packing."

"I will. As soon as you face me."

She was about to refuse him when he leaned up on his knees and used his other hand to round her waist. "Atticus! Hey! Let go of me!"

Ignoring her demands, he tumbled her down, settling her beneath him on the bed.

For a few seconds, she couldn't breathe and her heart thundered in her chest. She relished his scent and the heat of his skin. Atticus was covering her body like a living blanket. A tiny voice was telling her to push him away, but her body refused to move. It was almost as if her body wanted to be in this position.

"You're even more beautiful when you blush, Mac," he said, smiling handsomely.

She turned her head away with a shrug. "You're dead if you don't get off me in five seconds."

"I'll kiss you senselessly then," he said.

"Not without my permission you don't." She shoved against his chest with both palms. "Now get off me."

There was a slight hint of disappointment in his gaze. "Tell me you love me first," he muttered.

Her cheeks turned redder. "What's with you?" she retorted. "I told you to get off me. You're not exactly light, you know."

Atticus chuckled. He knew she was getting flustered and nervous. He liked teasing her that way. "Three words and that's it. Come on, Mac."

Glaring straight into his dark eyes, Mac let out a soft grumble. "I swear I'm gonna strangle you." The edge of his mouth turned in an apologetic grin before he kissed her temple. Mac felt her whole body heating up like a steamer. "Atticus!"

"Say it," he whispered huskily into her ear.

Closing her eyes, she did her best to ignore the craving ache between her legs. She hated being vulnerable, especially in front of him, but Atticus always had ways to make her soft like jelly. He was the only guy who could bring out desires from her. "Atticus…" She bit her lip as she looked up at him. "I love you…"

Smiling in satisfaction, he leaned down for a sweet kiss on the lips, stunning her mouth with great deal of gentleness and care as he drove her passion high. Her breath came in panting little gasps, her body shuddered. He scattered a trail of kisses across her cheek, then paused to nibble her earlobe. "I know you're loving this," he whispered.

"There goes your ego," she said, half-dazed.

He slightly chuckled. "Just admit it."

He was right, she did love it. Yet her pride told her not to tell him. "Don't get so cocky, Rhodes."

"You know I'm right when you start calling me Rhodes," he said.

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever…"

He was about to kiss her again when all of a sudden…

"Atticus, you in here?" Jaden barged into the room. "The gang and I are up for a challenge and we—Woah!" His mouth fell wide open when he discovered Atticus on top of Mac on her bed. "W-What are you guys doing?" He found himself blushing as he quickly realized the situation.

"Wow, J…" Atticus' expression was a mix of annoyed and humorous. "What perfect timing you have," he said sarcastically.

Remembering herself once again, Mac pushed him off the bed, sending him crashing to the floor. It was bad enough Atticus had to tempt her, but having another person see them in such position was totally embarrassing for her. "Should I go for the face first?" She cracked her knuckles. "Or maybe I should kick your balls?"

Atticus quickly backed away and hid behind Jaden. "Now, now, Mac…Violence is bad," he said.

And before they knew it, both boys were kicked out of the room with the door slammed shut behind them.

"Hey there, Atticus, Jaden!" Mindy greeted them as she and Jasmine were passing by. "So, what are you guys doing here?"

"Um…" Jasmine bent down to inspect Atticus' face. "What's with the big red hand print on your face?" she asked.

Atticus laughed out loud as he jumped up. "That's the mark of love, girls," he said cheerfully.

Both girls turned to Jaden with a curious look on their faces, and Jaden simply shook his head in dismay.

"Oooo-kay…" Jasmine said. "Like, whatever…Hey, has any one of you seen Alexis?"

"Yeah, we'd like to have some girl time with her since we're leaving today," Mindy said, tone a little sad.

"Probably in the garden," Atticus said. "Let me be your escort, ladies."

"Thanks, but no thanks," Jasmine said, sighing, as she placed her hands on her hips. "We don't want to get on your girl's bad side, you know. Besides, we'd like Jaden to come with us."

Jaden pointed at himself. "Me? Why?"

"Don't ask, just come," Mindy said, tugging his arm.

"But I've got a duel—Woah!" Jasmine and Mindy were already dragging him away. "Hey, just wait a second! What about my duel?" He looked back at Atticus for help, but the guy was only smiling and waving at him without a care. "Oh, come on!"

Atticus cupped his chin. "A duel, huh? Then Sy and the others are probably waiting for him at the arena. I don't think his talk with the girls won't be that long." His lips curved into a smile. "Come to think of it, J was probably looking for me so he could ask permission. I guess I'll head over to arena then."

They were not even two feet away from the main doors when Jasmine and Mindy tugged Jaden to a halt. Mindy was all smiles at him, but Jasmine looked rather serious with her arms crossed. Jaden could feel a sermon coming, and he was not going to like it.

"I have no interest in being lectured," Jaden said, scratching the back of his head.

"I used to think all Slifers were just a bunch of slobs," Jasmine started with a sigh. "I mean…Almost all of us Obelisk did until you came to the academy. You proved everyone wrong and became the top duelist in our batch."

"Umm…What is this about?" Jaden asked.

"A Slifer from Day 1 and yet…Alexis got interested in you," Jasmine said, looking a little pouty. "Can you believe that? The Obelisk Queen fascinated by a slacker." She shook her head in dismay as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

Mindy giggled. "Well, Jaden always stood out from the reds," she said. "And he doesn't let Dr. Crowler push him around."

"I don't know whether I should feel flattered or insulted here," Jaden said.

"We first thought she was gonna end up with Zane," Mindy said, earning a frown from Jaden. "I mean…Who wouldn't? Zane's a dreamboat and Alexis is, like, the queen of queens, and they've been so close since Duel Prep.

"Alexis never said anything, so we don't know the details. She's good at hiding her feelings, but…" Jasmine's lips curved into a deep frown. "As friends…we somehow knew after observing her from time to time…"

A sad smile appeared on Mindy's face. "Alexis is a strong girl." Tilting her head a little to the left, she placed a hand on her left cheek and sighed. "She has always been cool, calm and composed."

"Her mask—she keeps it tight in front of others. Inside…she was hurting because of Atticus' disappearance and…because of Zane," Jasmine trailed on.

"Back then…When Atticus was still missing, Alexis would sneak out of the dorms to meet up with Zane at the lighthouse every night." Mindy tapped her cheek with one finger as she recalled. "There was this one time when Jasmine followed her secretly."

"That's when we knew about their relationship. Alexis had confessed to Zane once, but Zane decided to stay as friends," Jasmine explained, leaning casually against the door.

Jaden narrowed his eyes in a funny-sarcastic kind of way. "You followed her and eavesdropped on their conversation?"

"We went to the same Duel Prep school with Alexis," Mindy said. "We were classmates, so naturally we became friends. However…Alexis never really did open up to us. I guess it's in her character to be so reserved."

"You said it," Jasmine agreed with a slight nod. "But she became less grey, then happier when she started hanging out with you. And as she did, she also started to speak of you often. Well…not in a chatty kind of way like Mindy here, of course…"

"Hey! What's that suppose to mean?" Mindy puckered.

"Anyway…" Jasmine said, ignoring Mindy on purpose, "Bottom line here, J, is that you've always somehow managed to give her encouragement."

Jaden graced the two girls with a handsome smile. "So this is why you wanted to talk with me," he said, understanding.

Mindy winked an eye. "We felt like letting you know."

"Alexis is into you, so be thankful," Jasmine stated, poking his chest with a finger.

"We're counting on you to make her happy, Jaden," Mindy said, lightly patting his shoulder.

To get this much support from Alexis' girl friends meant a lot to him. "Thanks! I won't let you down," he said cheerfully.

Jasmine smirked. "You better."

"But wait…You said that you went to the same Duel Prep school. Did you guys know about David?" Jaden almost gagged as he mentioned David's name.

Jasmine rolled her eyes. "He's got the looks, but his attitude sucks."

"He's the big bad bully at school. We didn't know him much since me and Jazz were in a different class from Alexis during the first year," Mindy explained.

"It was a good thing he transferred, right?" Jasmine said, and Mindy nodded in agreement.

"Guess he doesn't leave a good impression with anyone," Jaden muttered under his breath.

"Well, we've gotta go meet up with Alexis now," Mindy said, circling an arm around Jasmine's. "You better run along to your duel, Jaden."

Jaden made a face with a wide open mouth. "The DUEL! I TOTALLY FORGOT!" he exclaimed. "Gotta motor!" With that, he sprinted back into the mansion.

It was sad to say goodbye to good friends. That late afternoon, Jesse, Syrus, Hassleberry, Mindy, and Jasmine had all left the island to go back to their usual lives. Jesse had a Thesis to assist, Syrus was needed back at the Pro Circuit, and Hassleberry still had school to take care of. Jasmine and Mindy were off pursuing their careers too.

Zane, on the other hand, had mentioned some important business to Alexis and Atticus, but he did not say anything further. Zane wasn't leaving till later in the evening since his plane was delayed, so Alexis thought it would be the perfect chance for her to talk to him about their relationship.

An hour after their friends' departure, Alexis met up with Zane at the harbor of the island. It was a nice place—a reminder of their usual spot back at Duel Academy. He was already waiting for her there, staring out to sea.

He noticed her arrival from the corner of his eye and graced her with a formal smile. "So…What did you want to talk about?" Zane asked.

Alexis returned a smile. "How should I start?"

"Should I be nervous?" Zane coolly said.

She raised an elegant brow. "You? Get nervous?" She stifled a laugh. "Yeah, right."

He grinned sheepishly. "Then what is it?"

Alexis let out a deep breath and reached for his hand to squeeze in hers. "A part of me will always be with you, Zane," she started, hazel eyes kind and sincere. "I don't know what would've happened if we got together."

"Alexis…"

"I'm sorry that things didn't go well between us, but I just want you to know that you're still someone special to me. I loved you wholeheartedly once, but now I love you as a friend…no…I love you like a brother." She felt her eyes getting a little watery.

Zane gave out a quiet sigh. "A proper closure, huh?" he muttered, smoothing her cheek with one hand. "I will never regret falling in love with you, and I don't regret letting you go now because you're in better hands. Jaden's a great guy, and I'm sure he'll take good care of you."

She smiled, relieved that to hear his sincere words. She wished David would be the same, but he was as stubborn as a mule, not to mention obsessed. "Thank you, Zane." A proper closure with Zane was only fair to him, and she was glad it turned out well. She made a mental note to tell all the details to Jaden later.

"You'll be attending Duel College soon. Excited?" Zane said, giving the ocean his attention.

She sighed. "Yeah…I'm a bit nervous though."

"You'll be fine. You're smart and a great duelist."

She giggled. "Stop it or you're gonna make me blush, Zane."

"America…It's really far, you know. Will you and Jaden—"

"We'll work it out," Alexis said, not giving any signs of doubt. "I trust him as much as he trusts me."

"That's good. How about his plans? He doesn't seem to have any intention of joining the Pro Circuit, even with his skills."

"Maybe he will and maybe he won't. We all know how unpredictable he is."

"I agree."

Alexis paused for a brief moment before she turned to look at Zane. "You'll be leaving soon," she muttered.

"It's been a nice visit. I'm glad your mother invited me because I got the chance to talk to you." He lifted a gentle hand to her right shoulder. "Next time we meet, I'm going to challenge you to a duel."

Alexis brought a smile to her face. "You better watch out. I'm not easy to beat."

"I know. You're one of the best." He withdrew his hand and held it out in front of her to shake. "Let's stay as good friends and rivals."

It was déjà vu, Alexis thought. A similar scene happened before between her and Jaden, but this was a tad different because her feelings for Zane had drawn a complete closure. Zane will always be a good, loyal friend—safe, steady, and dependable. He used to ignite fires inside her, but not anymore now. Her heart lied with Jaden now. Jaden could make her burn with a passionate intensity unlike no other. And she was happy that Zane supported their relationship.

To be continued…

JC: Zane and Alexis, rivals and good friends till the end. Their scene here was inspired from a true story about my friend and her ex-boyfriend. She talked things out with him to get a proper closure and now they're very good friends. But what I really enjoyed here is the scene with Atticus and Mac. Hehe...Jaden had excellent timing, no? That's it for Chapter 18. Please review and no flaming.