Chapter Thirty-Five
35
A Touch Of Jealousy...?
A/N: This Chapter Forward is going to have new content in compared to what it had before.
Chazz walked out at early morning. he had a knapsack tossed over his shoulder as he took a glance back at the school that had forsaken him.
"Good riddance, Duel Academy!" he huffed,"You demote me...you laugh at me...well that's it! I've had it!"
The images of Connar's shattered expression however, played before his mind's eye and he clenched his jaw.
And Connar...
He sighed and let out another huff as he adjusted the bag on his back and made his way toward the docks.
"So be it!" he scoffed,"You won't have me to kick around anymore."
XXXXX
Connar hadn't seen Chazz all morning, and it was beginning to worry her. She checked all of his usual spots, and even lingered on the shore for a bit since he also liked to show up there often. She had hoped she could get a chance to talk to him...maybe get an explanation. Or some closure. She let out a heavy sigh as the time approached for class and she had not seen or heard from head or tail of him. She even attempted to call him and send him messages on the PDA but they were all "return to sender" or "This party can not be reached"
"Maybe Princeton just isn't feeling well today..." she said with a soft sigh and made her way back to class. She had taken her seat next to Jaden who greeted her cheerfully, though as she wore her heavy expression on her face, she didn't seem to notice him. Not long after, there was the mechanical sound of the sliding door and a panicked Syrus rushing his way down the steps.
"Jaden! it's awful!" he panted,"Chazz is missing!"
"What did you say!?" Connar gasped.
"Oh that got your attention, but the pencil in my nose was a bust." Jaden huffed and leaned on his hand as he responded to Syrus,"Anyway...that's awful, how?"
"Jaden!" Connar snapped and gave him a punch in the arm.
"Ow! Relax Connie, I'm kidding haha!" Jaden teased gently patting her shoulder,"Still...you're kinda cute when you're mad."
"JADEN!" she huffed with puffed out red cheeks.
She was clearly not in a playful mood.
"Besides, Jay!" said Syrus,"Isn't he like, your big duel rival!?"
"Oh! You're right!" Jaden gasped,"I need my competition!" not far away Alexis had been listening in to the situation.
"Say, ya know..." One of the Obelisk students started to mention,"I saw Chazz packing his stuff late last night."
"Yeah, ya know why?" said another,"Because he lost to that Ra."
"That's right...Bastion, wasn't it?"
"Yeah! And That Slifer Slacker too!"
"Yeah, if you can't beat the ketchup and mustard team, good riddance!"
The mutterings soon began and Connar had reached her limit with the insults. She slammed both hands on her desk as she stood and shot icy blue daggers at the responsible party, which just so happened to be Chazz's old crew, even from back in prep school.
"You should be ashamed of yourselves!" she snapped," Who are you to insult Princeton!?" she huffed," You called yourselves his friends but then you were quick to leave him high and dry the first time he had a bad day!"
"Man, what a bunch of jerks." Jaden stated,"I tell ya, if those were the only friends I had, I'd probably run away too."
" Hey, you shut up, little girl!" the blue haired Obelisk said as he responded to Connar," It's not like it concerns you, Slifer Princess!" he huffed as he adjusted his frames, "What could a little girl whose daddy could barely survive a decent education for her even during prep school, so she wound up in red, even possibly comprehend?" Connar's blue eyes narrowed and she stood up straight. Clearly these Obelisks were very misinformed so they just took on whatever story they thought made them feel like know-it-alls and rolled with it.
But Connar was taking no shit today.
She rolled her shoulders back and walked straight up to this male student with her chest puffed forward and gripped him tightly by the collar.
"You have no idea who my father is or what kind of man he is so I'll forgive your ignorance." she stated," However I assure you, had you any form of a clue in that thick numbskull of yours, you would soon find that he-nor I -are no push over." she stated,"In fact I could wring your blue cuffed collar so tight that you would choke on that southern twang of yours, So I do suggest that you, oh so kindly~ shove it!" with that she dropped him back in his seat and the rest of the mutterings had ceased. Even Jaden and Syrus were shocked into silence from a few rows down.
"Man Connar is definitely in some kind of mood today." Jaden blinked," Maybe I better keep to myself this time..."
"I've seen Connar in a bad mood before..." said Syrus,"But never that bad."
"Yeah she's definitely not herself." stated Jaden"Hasn't been since that incident with Chazz." he sighed,"Still though, something about Connar's behavior seems...familar..." he blinked,"I swear I have seen something similar in someone else before but I can't quite put my finger on it.." he pondered,"I wonder who..."
"Say...Jaden?"
"Yeah, Sy?"
"Well...I know Chazz has been a pain in the past." Syrus said softly,"But what if he's in some sort of trouble...and needs us to help him?"
"Good point." said Jaden,"The right thing to do would be to go look for him."
"Yeah...so when should we go?"
"Right now, Sy." said Jaden,"Besides, Connar seems to be on a rampage today and I would rather be with her, not against her!" he laughed,"After all, it's also and excuse to sneak out of class!"
The two slifer students wuickly randezvoud with Connar in the hall, as she was already storming her way out to search for Chazz on her own. The three of them army crawled their way out of a hole in the building that they had discovered on one of their other skip days and dusted themselves off on the otherside.
"You know...this school does have regular doors!" Alexis greeted them on the otherside along side her two friends Jasmine and Mindy, startling the three Slifers.
"Oh! Hey Alexis!" Jaden stammered,"I bet you're wondering what we're doing out here...we were just...uh..." he struggled to find a valid excuse,"Getting an early start on our homework!" Both Connar and Syrus gave him a look, as they were certain everyone knew that Jaden wasn't one for "keeping up with homework" let along getting ahead on it.
"Yeah, right!" Alexis huffed,"You're looking for Chazz...and we're going to come with you." She gave a wry smile and glanced over at Connar who blushed awkwardly and averted her gaze.
"Really?" Jaden blinked,"Since when do you guys ditch class?"
"Chazz is an Obelisk Blue." Alexis stated,"And we take care of our own."
Alexis smiled as she approached Connar.
"What you did for Chazz today was pretty cool...the very least we can do is help you guys find him."
Connar acknowledged the female Obelisk's compliment and smiled.
"Thank you." she said softyl.
As the wandered through the woods Jaden continued to call for Chazz but got no response from anyone and sighed.
"Say, Connar...?" Jaden blinked as he tried to get the pink haire's girl's attention,"You acted pretty odd in class today." he said softly,"Are you feeling okay?"
"...No one insults my father and gets away with it." She stated firmly,"...And no one should insult Princeton either. Especially when he's not even here to defend himself."
"I agree with that." said Syrus,"After all, two wrongs don't make a right." he sighed and cupped his hands over his mouth as he continued to call for the missing Princeton,"Come on Chazz!" he sighed,"Come out already!"
"Yeah, we're worried about you...you...'scrub'!"
"Really? Jaden?" Connar blinked and gave him a narrow-eyed gaze.
"What?" Jaden blinked,"That's what he calls us...I figured that would get his attention."
"That's it!"Alexis huffed and took a deep breath,"LISTEN UP CHAZZ, IF THIS IS SOME SORT OF MESSED UP PRANK YOU BETTER HOPE THAT WE DON'T FIND YOU, GOT THAT!?"
The echo from Alexis's scream sent the surrounding birds flying and Connar blinked.
And I thought I was in a bad mood today...
she thought to herself.
Remind me never to get on Alexis's bad side...
"Yeah, threaten him." said Jaden,"That will bring him running."
Connar blinked and let out a slight giggle.
"Ya know...maybe there's a good reason Chazz ran off." said Jasmine.
"Yeah, like maybe he just snuck out to get me flowers~" Mondy giggled,"My Chazzy is so romantic~"
"Your Chazzy?"
Connar twitched and shot a subtle look at the giggling Mindy.
That can't be true, right?
She thought to herself.
Surely Chazz and Mindy...aren't...?
Mindy was always known to be boy crazy, but it didn't make Connar feel any better thinking that it was possible that she and Chazz ever could be a thing...
Alexis was picking up on Connar's notice, and quickly tried to find a way to change the subject.
"Ew..." Jaden cringed awkwardly.
"Chazzy?" Even Syrus felt a little woozy on that one.
"You like Chazz?" Jasmine blinked.
Connar only continued to get more discomforted.
"Last week it was Bastion..."
As Connar began to squirm awkwardly, Alexis quickly stepped in and tried to change the subject once more...hoever Connar found herself distracted...drawn into a familiar place...
The Abandoned Dorm...
She thought to herself.
"OOOH! Maybe Chazz is hiding there!" Dark Magician Girl's voice teeters through, though, Connar was the only one who could hear at the moment.
"Admittedly so..." Kaibaman joined, "If someone was trying to hide...that would be a good place to start...but..." he pauses, "You remember what happened last time you were near the place, Ms. Connar?"
"That's true..." she responded softly, "But...it's at least worth looking, right?" She paused and gave a firm nod, "We'll just take a peek...and hurry back okay?"
"But wait- !"
Though Kaibaman's voice hung in the air ignored. Nit by Jaden hoever, who took notice that Connar was trying to break away from the group.
"What's up Connar?" he asked softly, approaching closely from behind.
"Oh, Uh-" she gulped, "I as just thinking...maybe Chazz is hiding in the Abandoned Dorm..."
Jaden's eyes widened for a moment and narroed into something uneasily.
"That's not a bad idea." he said softly, "I'll go with you and we can check and-"
"Look! Something's moving in those bushes!" Alexis called out, grasping Jaden's attention.
"I don't see anything..." he said, then suddenly the bushes shook.
"Chazzy?"
All right now Mindy getting annoying!
Connar huffed to herself as she shot an icy glare towards the supposed love sick Mindy.
Stop calling him that. already!
He'd never stand for it...!
...Would he?
Suddenly she was starting to feel a sort of sickly sad pain in the pit of her stomach at the possibility.
"Y-You know what Jaden- I think I got this one-"
"What? But Connie what if it's him?" Jaden asked.
"It must be him!" said Syrus.
"Doubt that." she said point blankly, "Otherwise I'm sure he would have responded sooner- Still It may not be a bad direction for you to look, it could be someone else who's seen him, and-"
"But Connar-"
"I Promise, I'll be back okay-" She said, giving him a eak smile. But her eyes ere clearly stating that her mind was made up, waving a hand dismissively as she took off toward the other direction. Towards the Abandoned Dorm.
"All right," Jaden sighed softly. Clearly he wasn't winning this one...all he could do was hope she'd be all right ithout him, "Be careful..."
To Be Continued...