We're all standing in a big circle, waiting for Mr. Brian to start the proceedings. It's now Friday, the end of the longest week of my life, and I can't wait to get home. Jou and I have simply been... cordial with each other, for lack of a better word. I would say hello when I passed by, and he would say hey back - but both of us never went out of our way to hold a conversation. It's an odd, awkward agreement we have, and I only hope something good will come from it. Perhaps before going home, I'll catch up with him and see where it leads. Or...maybe I could...

An idea strikes me right as Mr. Brian swings his little bell. The room trickles into silence.
"Well, we have all had quite the week." He begins, exuberant. "Does anyone have any announcements?"

I have never made any kind of speech before, but today I step into the middle of the circle, clearing my throat. There is a weird sense of surprise around the room, but I'm not sure if everyone is shocked - or if it's just my own mind. This is as good a chance as any to redeem myself, even if just a tiny bit. I'm sure no one knows what to expect from me, and neither do I, so I just start talking:

"I don't know if you all know who I am...and I don't know if most of you even care, but..." I draw in a quick breath. "There are people in here that I have hurt - whether I meant to or not - and I just wanted to take this chance to say that I'm sorry. I don't think I ever intentionally mean to hurt people, but I do. Hurt others, I mean. It's hard to be left behind, and I've been left behind by some of the people most important to me." I look around at the faces. "I want to add that I'm trying to change. I'm trying to be more open and accepting. I'm afraid of being hurt or abandoned, but I'm starting to learn that it's just a part of life, and I should be braver. There's at least one person here who already knows all of that about me, and I'd like to thank them for always trying to reach me, even though I was less than willing."

At this, I lift my face to see that Jou is looking at me. There's a long yarn of longing and muddled feelings between us, and I wish I could tug it toward me to bring him closer. Now that my announcement was over, I could feel the embarrassment settling in, so I quietly step back into my place in the circle. A few other people make announcements after mine, but I don't really hear them. When the meeting is finished, I scan the crowd for Jou, but get sidetracked when Kaiba taps my shoulder.

"Kaiba!" I'm stunned. "I haven't seen you in a while."

"You've been off in La-La Land for the past few weeks." He says, giving me a look that let me know it was my fault we haven't talked, not his. The corners of his mouth are pulled down more so than usual, and suddenly I'm overcome with an impulse to hug him - an impulse too strong to stop. He is very stiff at first, but then his hand comes up and pats my back awkwardly. I pull away quickly, not wanting to prolong his torture.

"I've been a very bad friend."

"Well, I wouldn't go that far." Kaiba replies, shrugging. "At least you're the only one who's ever completely honest with me." I stare at him, realizing that he isn't just saying it to make me feel better.

"It's weird having a conversation like this with you." I say. "We are an odd pair."

"What about you and Jou?"

"What about us?"

"Are you an item now or something?"

"Maybe." I say gently, staring past Kaiba's head, thinking. "I mean, I hope so."

"Well, as much as I dislike him, and as much of an idiot he is...I hope you're happy with him, at least." The words seem so out of charcter for him, I have to laugh, which makes him look haughty. "I'm trying my best here." He complains.

"I know, I know." I pat his shoulder. "Thank you."

After that, there is nothing more to say. We both make our way through the assembled crowd, breaking free into the hallway. We stride through the front doors, out into the wind. It's chilly, so I pull my scarf from my bag and drape it around my neck. I miss the green shrubbery, the falling gold leaves, and the pink cotton-candy tree, but I don't mind the changing weather. Autumn is a comfortable time of the year. A time when drinking hot chocolate, huddling near a fireplace, reading books, and cuddling with Harpy are about the only things I want to do. And I love doing them.

Kaiba pauses, and I look over at him. His gaze is locked onto something in the distance, and I follow it to see Jou leaning against a narrow tree trunk. He is watching us, and I somehow know he's waiting for me. Kaiba rolls his eyes very obviously, and I stick my elbow into his side. "I'll see you later." He says, already walking down the side walk, reaching into his bag for a book.

Slowly, I close the distance between Jou and I. He tries to smooth his hair out of his eyes, but it falls right back down to where it was before. I tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear, feeling a strange jitter of nervousness in my chest.

"Hey," I greet.

"Hey," he answers, giving me a small smile. His eyes are on the single, white stripe on my red coat, following it down. I abruptly remember what he had written about me before: 'she was wearing a color I had never seen her wear before - red. Usually it's purple or white or black. But that day it was red. She looked so stunning, I couldn't remember how to breathe.'

I hope that still applied even now.

He pushes off of the tree, and together we start walking. Slowly. He kicks some stray pebbles, and some of them hit my black, lace-up boots. "Sorry," he mutters.

"It's alright."

"I mean about what I said. On Monday."

"I know." I assure him. He's quiet as we walk, and it doesn't seem like we are heading anywhere in particular. "Did you decide whether I'm crazy or not?"

"I never thought you were crazy. Just...confused." He shrugs. That hurt, and I was ready to let him have it, but he rose his hand to stop me, as if he knew I had taken his words the wrong way. "I mean about your feelings with Valon and me."

"Oh." I say dumbly. "But...I only was trying to fall for Valon because I didn't know you liked me. I mean...it's been weird, and I know Kendra wanted to be with you - I just assumed that you were going to date her, actually. I mean, she's not exactly my favorite person, but she's very pretty."

"I mean, yeah." Jou nods. "She is."

"So why would I think you wanted me when she was already there, willing and available? Especially when I've done nothing but push you away this whole time."

"Well, I thought me trading character education partners so that I could specifically work with you was a big enough hint."

"What?!" If it's possible to be thrilled and shocked at the same time, that's what I am. "You switched partners to work with me?"

"Of course I did." He sounds tired. "I practically begged Mrs. Hannigan to change my partner when the list first went up. I got her to agree - though reluctantly. She crossed out my original match and penned in your name instead."

"I had no idea!"

He stares at me as if I am a very slow child.
"You never even looked at the board, did you?"

"I didn't need to. Kaiba told me who I was with. Before that, I was planning on doing it all alone." I am happy and embarrassed at the same time. Jou really seems to know how to mix up my emotions. He seems mixed up too, though.

"If I had known that you liked me, I wouldn't have gone out with Valon."

He's thoughtful for a while, so I don't know if my explanation is good enough. But, finally, he says, "I guess there was no real way you could've known I liked you. I never did say it to you. Out loud, anyway."

"I should have known." I kick at the ground as he had done. "Looking back, it's obvious. The way your friends encouraged you and how you always wanted to hang out. Valon knew, too - he kept asking me if we were an item. He says everyone else could see it, too. But I thought that you'd jump at the chance to be with someone else - like Kendra."

"Mai." Jou stops walking, grabbing my arm. He looks into my eyes with such intensity that I know this is costing him effort - like he's mastering something inside himself. "I don't want Kendra. Or anyone else. I want you. I like you the most because of your spirit. You're just..." He tries to find the right words. "So firey. You don't let people walk all over you. You're smart. When bad things happen, you still push through. Like when your mom died...I know how much it must have hurt, but you were so brave about it. You still are. Even when Shizuka was gone, and you seemed all alone, you came into class everyday like normal, wearing badass clothes - like you didn't care."

"I did care." I admit, quiet.

"I know, but you had the courage to keep your head up. You don't give people the satisfaction of knowing they hurt you, and that takes guts."

"So I'm still a hot skank - just with personality?"

"No!" Jou shook his head. "Ignore what some others think about you. Who cares? Yeah, you have killer curves, but you're soft." He seems to have stopped thinking about what he wants to say. He's just going with it. "I love the feel of your skin, and you're thick hair - I just want to dig my hands in it and mess it up. And your eyes, Mai. You have the most vivid, beautiful eyes I've ever seen, and I love watching their shade change with the different clothes and make up you wear. From being so dark and velvety indoors, and then they become this bright, expansive purple when the sun hits your face. You're lips look like candy. You always smell so good. I don't know if it's perfume or shampoo or just you. Maybe it's pheromones - hell if I know, but I love it. And I don't ever smell it anywhere else, just when I'm with you." His hand tightens on my arm a little. "I like you. I really like you a lot."

I don't know who is darker in color, Jou or I. But we're both staring at each other and blushing and not talking. A cool gust blows by, and I reach up to pull my hair back over my shoulder.

"Do you want to go to the stupid dance with me?" He suddenly blurts, and I blink rapidly. "I mean, only if you want to. I'll only go if you go. Preferably with you, though."

Now that it's my turn to speak, I find that I can't. So I just nod. Jou visibly relaxes.

"Okay. Cool. Good." He releases my arm, and, as if from habit, we start walking again. "Are you going to make your own costume?"

"I - sure. Yeah, I'll sew one up." I say, trying - and failing - to suppress a smile. "I mean, that's the best option, since store costumes don't usually even fit over my huge ch-" The words catch and stick in my throat, and I look at Jou.

He's grinning, a little crookedly, and his amber eyes glow. "Your huge..." he whirls around, and suddenly our chests are touching. I can feel his breath on my face. "Your huge personality?" I shake my head quickly, wanting to take back my statement. He tilts his head. "You know, Mai...you have a completely sick body. Don't feel ashamed for bringing it up."

I stare at his face in open amazement.
"What did you just say?"

He suddenly gets super nervous and mumbles, "I said I think your body is...nice."

"You said sick, actually."

"Yeah?" Now he looks perplexed. "Sick...? Well, it's a skater word. For example, if someone mungs a primo grind...it's sick."

I'm speechless. I can only look at him, my mouth hanging open, eyes sending out rays of happiness.
"Sick is... a good thing?" I ask quickly, unable to believe my own ears.

"Uh, yeah. To be sick is to be awesome." Jou is smiling like he's just about to laugh, and that makes me want to crack a joke.

"I have much to learn, great punk. Will you teach me the ways of your people?"

"Pretty lady, I could get you your own board if you want."

"Okay. But only if we listen to my CDs when we practice."

"Oh!" He suddenly digs into his bag. "I have something for you."

"What is it?"

"You'll see." He says as he pulls a lumpy object out. It's wrapped up with some kind of soft, black bag that you usually find beaded bracelets in. I take it from him and open up the drawstring. The cover slides of the object, and I gasp. It's my jewelry box - except now the lid closes with a perfect seal.

"you fixed my box for me?" I'm astonished. "When did you even take it?"

"I nicked it on my way out when Valon came for your date." He rolls his weight to one leg. "I was upset at the time, but..." He shakes his head. "But even so, I wanted to fix it for you. I even rubbed it with a beeswax finish to preserve it."

I run my fingers over the warm taupe finish of the wood. It feels very smooth, almost like skin. I open the box to see that he even lined the inside with the same velvety material he had wrapped it in. It was one of the most beautiful things anyone had ever done for me. "I love it." I say, because I know he's waiting for my opinion.

I'm so moved, I could cry. But I don't want him to see that, so, without thinking, I wrap my arms around his neck and lean my face on his shoulder. After a minute, I realize that I actually don't care if he knows I'm teary-eyed. I don't mind at all. We stand there for a long time, holding each other, and I can feel the wordless thoughts moving between us. It's more than the inklings I get from other people, because I can feel his thoughts with my whole body. Everything I get from him is deeply warm, like sunlight through glass.

I pull back from him and stare at his mouth. His tongue flicks along his bottom lip. I can't bear to look up into his eyes. I know that, if I do, something inside me with break and flood through me, and I'll be lost - swimming, trying to breathe. But I can't help myself.,my eyes travel upward. And he's looking back at me. Just watching. He takes a deep breath, pulls my head toward him, and he kisses me.

The sun is bright, students walk to their classes, and dried up leaves swirl around us, and Jounouchi is kissing me. His hands are rough and calloused, but they way they hold my face is gentle and precious. We move together as if we're dancing, and I love letting him take the lead. For the first time in my life, I let go of control completely. I melt against him.

After everything, I really had heard Jou calling me sick - I just never understood what he meant. My filter was on the wrong setting... or maybe it was just clogged with all my negative crap. I guess life is just one big guessing game, no matter what cheat I have or how much I think I know.

But, if there's anything I don't have to guess about, it's this: kissing was invented by silken-haired angels with violin voices and dewdrop eyes, and that no one in the world could ever make me feel the way Jou does.

End