Chapter 13
Two days after the excitement back in California between two teenagers had caused a difference in the relationship between Claudia and Zane, Especially when she had got back to the dorms that night to see Jaden sat on her bed, and Syrus sitting on her desk chair. They had both been curious as to where she had gone the whole day as they knew she had training with Zane. But they couldn't even find Zane anywhere on campus, Jaden had asked Alexis but she didn't know and got rather nasty when he asked about Claudia.
Jaden had told the blonde girl to calm down and that Claudia wasn't going to bite her and didn't know why she was so uptight with his best friend, but the only reply he got was, "isn't that obvious Jaden…She's like a Virus infecting everyone around her." Unfortunately for Alexis, Jaden didn't quite understand what he meant, but the red head did once he had repeated the words to her.
Syrus had noticed the dreamy look on the girls face when she sat down on Jaden's bed and the fact she was continually touching her lips and stomach. Which had made him smile to her, "Something happened between you and Zane didn't it? It's cool"
She had told them that Zane had taken her to a Museum that was holding an exhibit on the 1800's, both boys knew that she loved her history and that she was always researching something on her laptop not only for her, but for her co-workers too, but she didn't say much about it apart from stating that they was all history freaks.
She had told them on how Zane was making her feel and both of them routed for her, Although Syrus was a little worried that his brother was going to hurt the girl he called his best friend because of how cold Zane could be.
So now she was currently sitting on the roof of Duel Academy, headphones on listening to some Disturbed song alone, she wanted to try and sort out her feelings before later that evening when meeting Abigail at her therapy session, raising her wrist, and pulling back the red sweatband she was wearing looking down at the scars she held on her wrist. She knew Zane had felt the ones on her stomach on Saturday, because she could feel his fingers tracing along them while they was up her top. She had tried so hard not to have a panic attack and when Pete had caught them, she was actually counting her lucky stars that she had something else to keep her mind busy to avoid breaking down.
Zane had visited her again on Sunday and they went through the lessons they missed out on Saturday, and then he took her for coffee where they just sat down and he spoke about his past, the happy moments he held when watching Syrus get happy over some silly little Duel monster card he'd given him, But he had also spoken on how he felt his parents held so much responsibility on his shoulders at the time.
Rising a plastic take out cup of coffee to her lips she relaxed her right wrist looking up to the sky, the clouds was nowhere in sight, as the suns ray's hit her pale face.
Today she had opted for a black t-shirt that said no game no life on it, black skinny jeans that was ripped at both knees. Placing the cup down onto the ground, she pulled the sweatband back over her wrist just as the door to the roof opened. Smiling the man that had plagued her mind so much over the past few days walked up to her with a white plastic carrier bag and sat down onto the ground.
"Thought I'd find you up here, You wasn't with my little brother and Jaden" sitting up straight crossing her legs she looked up to him shielding her eye's from the sun while pulling the headset off her head. "I didn't feel like sitting in a crowded lunch room that smelt like last week gym socks, I have to deal with that back at the dorm when Jaden doesn't do his laundry."
Zane took out a black box and handed it to her that had chopsticks tied to it, "I have a feeling that room would be so much worse if you wasn't living with them too, Are you ok though you've been kind of distant since… "
She opened up the lunch box he gave her, and she could have sworn the food sparkled to her, "Sorry, I've just had a lot on my mind." He picked up a small fried squid from his own lunch box, "I'm a very good listener" pressing her rosy pink lips together, she tilted her head down to the ground, "Zane… when we you know… kissed back in the museum…it was accidently I know but I liked it, but… I didn't exactly feel…." She spoke off into the distance, he noticed her grip on the chop sticks tighten slightly.
"It reminded you of something about your past? Claudia I don't mind if you want to take this slow… like I said to you, I'll always be there for you, whether it's to listen, or to be friends…or even something more, I'm not going to pressure you into anything that you don't want to do. I know there are things you can't tell me, Whether it's because your afraid of what I may think or it's because it's too hard for you to even think about. It's ok because I'm not going anywhere."
She gave off a one sided smile looking back up to his onyx eye's, ones where she could get lost in, "Thanks, just… could you maybe give me some time?" he looked back to her, and gave a slight nod then held up an egg roll to her mouth.
"only if you open wide." Letting off a laugh she opened her mouth and he gently placed the food inside until she took it and smiled. "Mmmm Delish…."
Standing off into the Distance, Alexis could see the two up on the roof, she felt anger boil inside of her. "I'm going to make sure you get expelled from this school Claudia, no one takes my best friend or the guy that I like either…. You are just a whore and I'm going to make sure the whole school knows about it."
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For the rest of the school day, Alexis Rhodes kept a close eye on the red haired teenager, she knew the girl was 3 years older than her, same age as Zane but she was also a first year in Duel Academy, and a Slifer none the less. She had to put up with watching the two become close friends, Zane teacher her secrets of his deck and him stating that the girl was connected to them just like himself.
Alexis didn't want to believe it, and then on Saturday night down by the docks, she had seen them exit the chopper walking hand in hand up to Claudia's silver Prius, Zane giving her a kiss on the cheek as he opened the driver side of the car for her. That's when it hit a nerve deep inside the blonde she knew there was more going onto the pair then what other people was seeing.
So now here she was following the red head down the schools crowded hallway, at 3.15 to the school counselling office. She knew her best friend had been wanting to know why Claudia Donovan had been skipping their training sessions on Monday and Thursdays so now here she was seeing the girl walking into Abigails office without knocking of all things and the girls voice booming off the walls. "Yo Abby, how's it going?"
The woman Alexis knew as Abigail smiled to her rival "very good thank you but, you do know these therapy sessions are all about you right?" "Oh come on Abby, I only get to see you twice a week now, you know I miss girl time." Abigail closed the door to the room and without trying to look like a stalker Alexis pressed her ear against the door.
She could only hear muffled words behind the door such as, "I know I'm crazy! But I can't help it… it's there, haunting my mind constantly since then…"
Having a grin going wide from one side of the face to the other, Alexis stepped back "I've got you now…. I knew you belonged in a mad house Donovan…" turning on her purple heel, Alexis switched her evil face to a panicked one and began running off down the white halls of Duel academy in search for the one person she needed to tell.
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On the other side of the school, Zane was stood talking to Syrus trying not to make the young boy strain his neck, "And then I realised the kid was trying to replicate Professor Crowlers' moves back in Jaden's entrance exam, so I managed to counter it and win the duel! Isn't that awesome Zane! Yeah I know it's only my second duel I've won but still…"
"That's very good Syrus, you are starting to taken in my words I spoke the other week during my duel with Jaden, I'm proud of the progress you are making." He noticed his brother held a large smile with his eye's closed behind the small framed glasses his wore.
"Oh and another thing Zane, I've noticed that you and Claudia are hitting it off… I never knew you was the one for the gothic types! If it's anyone I'm glad it's her, she needs someone like you to-" he was cut off by the sound of heavy footsteps coming down the hallway, "ZANE! You….you need to hurry!"
Turning around they met the panting frame of Alexis Rhodes, horror was clearly struck on her face, Zane's eye's narrowed to the girl, "What's wrong? Is someone in trouble?" placing a hand over her heart, leaning over panting hard, "Yes… I'm afraid so…. It's…. Claudia … She's … gone mad….she's with the school councillor… she's demanding that she needs to be accepted into an institution!" Both Trusdale brother's eye's widened, but both for different reasons, "What?" in that instant, Zane dropped his books to the floor and began running in the direction Alexis came from. Syrus looked up to the girl who watched her best friend leave, "I don't know what your trying to prove Alexis but Claudia would never want to be placed in an institution…" with that he took off after his brother.
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Inside the room with Abigail and Claudia, the red head was leaning against the window holding a cup of coffee while looking to the woman, "So when Zane touched the scars on your stomach, you was instantly reminded of the foster father that gave you them… that's understandable Claudia them memories will be buried deep inside your mind so anyone that will touch them will instantly give you flash backs to that traumatic time. Did it bring up any old nightmares that evening?"
Claudia turned to look out of the window… her brown eye's hardened slightly "Yeah, It did… it was like I was still there in that house… him pinning me down and dragging the blade across my stomach.. before he slowly pushed it into it…" she placed a hand underneath her top trailing against the scars. "I could feel the pain, but I couldn't scream…. My throat had been damaged by him strang-" she couldn't finish her sentence when the door slammed open, jumping out of her skin Claudia turned around and widened.
There stood leaning against the door panting out of breath was Zane Trusdale, "Zane! W…what. Are you doing here? In fact! How did you know I was here?" was all Claudia could muster, until Abigail stood up, "I'm sorry but this is a private consultation."
But Zane ignored both of them while he composed himself and walked up to the girl by the window, "You …. Now I understand the reasons why you was so secretive about this….about your past… I overheard the last few sentences you spoke… why you freeze up when I touch you sometimes… thank god…." But the girl couldn't muster a reply, "Even if what she said was right, I wouldn't allow you to go into a psychiatric ward, because you are sane enough to me…. And I care about you too much to allow you to go… I know you said you needed time but…. I have feelings for you Claudia."
At this Abigail couldn't help but smile at the two teenagers "My what's this Mr Trusdale, is this something you would like to sit down and talk about?" asked the very curious Abigail, but he just turned his head towards her, "I think it's quite obvious Ma'am on what this is… so there is absolutely nothing to talk about. Claudia"
He turned his attention back to the girl who looked like she was about to drop her coffee, "I promise you that I will never hurt you, I know this is something that will take time so I will let you think about this for a while…" with that he turned around as anger was clearly shown in his eye's but Abigail looked outside the room to the person he was staring at, the blonde girl at the doorway.
He walked out of the room not looking back, but Claudia turned to Abigail, "Did he? What…. Wait… hold up!" she placed the coffee on the table and ran out after him while Abigail sat down at her desk sighing, "Another session gone un finished…"
Claudia had caught up with Zane quite quickly for the fact that she wasn't a sprinter or any type of sports person, and grabbed hold of his hand spinning the boy around, just as she leaned up making their lips crash together.
In that moment, Claudia felt the sparks electrify throughout her body, she had never been so bold with anyone in her life not even with her ex-boyfriend Todd, she felt his hand gently comb through her hair as he kissed her back, not with force no, this was a gentle passionate kiss.
It didn't last as long as what the girl hoped for though, as she did need air so to her disappointment she broke the kiss and looked the boy in the eye's, "I feel the same way Zane, I don't know what you was told but I will NEVER! Go back into a psychiatric ward, not when I have you to keep me sane."
He smiled, gently cupping her cheek "That's good, one less worry off my mind."
Claudia leaned in for another kiss when her eye's caught the attention of Alexis, "What are you doing here?" Alexis just crossed her arms, Anger clearly shown through out her body movements, "I tried to warn him about you, you are just one crazy fucked up bitch that's just jumping guys…. First Jaden now Zane! Who's next this loser right here?" she pointed a thumb at Syrus who looked shocked for the fact that his best friend snogged the hell out of his brother.
"HEY! I haven't done anything with Jaden we are just friends you are just blinded by too much jealousy to see that!" Snapped the red head, at this current moment in time the mood had been broken and the blonde was the cause, "No you listen here computer nerd! You have to sleep with guys to make them love you, when in reality no one loves you, Jaden doesn't, Syrus doesn't, Zane doesn't and I bet your daddy doesn't love you either… I bet that's why he sliced you open like a turkey."
At that point Zane was getting angry but before he could do anything a blur of red left his side and tackled Alexis to the ground throwing her fist into the blondes face, "DON'T YOU DARE BAD MOUTH ARTIE! YOU LITTLE BITCH!" but Alexis wasn't going to stand for that, she rammed her knee into Claudia's stomach rolling over making the teenager hit her back on the wall.
Claudia went in for another swing but Alexis head butted her right in the face before sending another blow to the rib cage.
Before it could go any further Professor Crowler entered the scene, he grabbed Alexis by the arms while Zane and Syrus grabbed Claudia, both girls rearing to go for another round. "What in tarnation is going on here? Alexis! You're a model student! And Claudia Donovan, yes I expected something like this from you but …."
The teacher was suddenly cut off by Zane, "With all due respects sir, it was Alexis that started the fight, I know under normal circumstances this would end in both being Expelled but… Claudia's therapy session had been interrupted…" with that Professor Crowlers face looked to the young teenager with a sympathy expression, "I see… well Zane I know you are not one to tell lies, … Well then I will allow this fight to continue….but! it has to be a duel. If not then both of you will be heading to Chancellor Sheppard's office immediately AND! BOTH your guardians will be contacted!"
Claudia's eye's hardened, "oh it's on bitch…."
Alexis looked back "Bring it…"
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And that is it for this chapter! Who's going to win the duel?
CLAUDIA AND ZANE FINALLY CONFESSED AND WE GOT A BITCH FIGHT GOING ON TOO!
I hope you enjoyed it!
Curedream90 and ArticDragonSlayer over and out!