Chapter Thirty-Eight
38
When It's Just You And Me
Connar pretty much spent the entire winter break locked away in her dorm room. Her father was too busy during the season, as it was one of the company's most popular. But then Kaiba Corporation was pretty much busy year round. Some seasons had bigger spikes than others. She could have gone home but it would only have been her alone at the mansion as they let the help go for their Holliday vacation, so she was better off staying at the school, especially since she pretty much planned on spending the entire break alone anyway either there or at home. She didn't go out much, as it was too cold to hang out on the shore line. Besides that...it pained her to be there, since it was a special place where she spent quiet moments with Princeton.
So it's really true...
she sighed.
Princeton really is gone...
He really left.
She didn't know how to organize the complicated feelings in her head. Or her heart. She was confused.
Who was he really?
Apparently he wasn't who she saw since they first met...
She wondered if he ever was at all.
"Ms Connar?"
The familiar call of her spirit partner called for her attention.
"Perhaps you should meet with your friends..." he stated.
"That's right, you haven't spoken to anyone lately...we're worried." the familiar female magician spirit's voice chimed in as well.
She gave them a glance as they appeared on either side of her but then just let out a sigh.
"...No thank you..." she said softly as she curled herself back up under her blankets.
I wonder if they even really are my friends...
She thought to herself.
It's not like I dislike them...
We get along just fine...
And we have fun together...but...
They don't really know anything about me...
...But Princeton did...right from the beginning...
She sighed and rolled to her back.
But then... I haven't told my supposed friends about me, have I?
I mean...Jaden knows a little I guess...but even he doesn't know everything...
Not even Syrus does...and he's known me longer than Jaden has!
How can I say anything?
And if I do...
...Will they ever look at me the same again?
XXXXX
The days came and went and before long, the break was over and classes started up once again. Connar remained silent, distant and to herself. always glancing over to Chazz Princeton's empty seat.
It began to worry her friends...
Finally Jaden had enough of the silent treatment and started chatting it up with her as though nothing were different. It didn't leave her much choice when she was cornered in the dining hall.
She was listening...but not really connecting to anything, blue eyes glancing over to some posters.
That's right...
Yugi's deck went on tour recently.
She thought to herself as Syrus and Jaden mentioned the duelist who stole his deck and impersonated the king of games himself.
I've seen it so many times before that I didn't really think about showing an interest in going to see it... Especially since my Dark Magician Girl came from Yugi directly a long time ago-
I guess I can see how that may come off as a little strange...
That Duelist impersonator now runs around dressed like Jaden, though-
Still she didn't show much more reaction as she twirled her utensils around in the food on her tray.
"Yeah you did miss a lot!" Syrus huffed,"But you wouldn't have if you hung out with us and talked to us again!"
"Sy's right..." Jaden sighed,"You've been locked away long enough...I can respect needing time to sort yourself out..." he blinked,"But is it worth worrying your friends?"
There's that term 'friends' again...
She sighed.
That was a situation she still couldn't figure out...
She wanted friends...
She really did.
And she really enjoys spending time with them...
But it took being lied to herself by someone who she thought was sort of a friend, to realize that she had been lying to her own "friends" all along...
How can I even expect to consider myself their friend after that... let alone see them as mine...
She fiddled with her food in silence and Jaden's own silence was slowly becoming a hum or irritation. But he didn't even know what he could say or do at this point that could even be comforting. It's not like he knew anything about Connar's previous History with Chazz. All he could get when he asked Alexis about it was "It's complicated." He wondered if even she really knew...
And while Connar did share some things with him, he could still tell she had a lot on her mind, and was hiding something else. So he knew that she didn't share everything.
"What have you been doing anyway?" Jaden asked,"Locking yourself up all by yourself?"
"Studying." she answered softly,"My father was pretty mad before so...I figured this would be the best way to not cross him."
"Boooring..." Jaden sighed. But the truth was he was torn. He didn't really know the first thing about handling a female friend. Guys didn't show their emotions much. Unless their name was Syrus.
He sighed.
The Professor soon walked out infront of the students and began speaking.
"Attention children...would you mind looking up here for a moment?"
The muttering ceased and the room fell quiet,"Good." said Banner,"Now please join me in welcoming a new transfer student, Blair Flanagan."
A small statured student stepped in front of the crowd and looked up shyly. He was cute.
Like a little kid on his first day at a new school kind of cute...
"Aww man..." Syrus sighed,"He's smaller than me, dresses goofier than me, my side kick gig is up."
"Hm?" Jaden blinked,"Be nice~" Jaden stood on the table and began the welcome cheer which threw everyone, even Blair for a loop. He then ran to greet him,"We're the best dorm on campus!"
"Hold on, Jaden, you don't understand." the Professor stated.
"Huh?" Jaden blinked,"What's not to understand, Professor Banner?" Jaden asked,"I'm just trying to help Blair feel at home..."
"But this isn't his home."said Banner,"Atleast not for long...he scored near perfect on all of his entrance exams."
Connar blinked as she listened closely.
"See it is custom that all transfer students start out at Slifer, but with his high marks, he will be bumped up to yellow within a couple days."
"Haha riiight." Jaden laughed,"Next you'll say he can crash in our room because of all the extra space~ good one teach."
"Excellent idea."said Banner,"Blair you can stay with Jaden during your time with us." he chuckled,"Go on and say hello to your new room mates."
"...Hello."
Blair Flanagan, was it?
Connar blinked.
Why does that name sound so familiar...?
xxxxx
The students were all gathered into groups with their designated dorms as The Chancellor called for an announcement about the upcoming "School Duel" with North Academy.
The murmur about Zane's big win against them in the previous year took into a slight uproar which gave Syrus an excuse to boast about his big brother to the new student.
"Hey, Blair~" Syrus nudged,"Did you know Zane is my big brother?"
"Really!?"
Needless to say the new student was excited to hear about it.
Still something rang suspicion to Connar and she kept eyeing him from time to time. Not in malice, but more along curiosity.
"Now I want to win against North Academy once again this year!" said the Chancellor as he beamed on the big screen,"But we still haven't decided on anyone to represent us...so if you keep hitting the books and dueling hard, it might just be you!"
With that the monitor shut off, and the murmur began once again.
"All right!" Jaden beamed as he burst between his Slifer mates and threw an arm each around Syrus and one around Connar as well,"Did you hear what he said!? It could be me in this match!"
"Hey, it could be me too!" Syrus huffed,"But let's face it, it will probably be Zane who gets the spot again."
"How come?" Jaden blinked.
"Because he's amazing~" said Blair as his gaze fixated on the older Obelisk male. Once again raising Connar's suspicions.
"Not only that." Connar stated,"Why fix what isn't broken?"
Jaden and Syrus gave Connar a sideways glance as she still seemed to be down and out.
"You know Connie...we really need to work on getting your bubble back." said Jaden.
"Yeah...you just don't seem like yourself lately..." said Syrus.
Once the class meeting was over the usual menagerie gathered together and walked out, while Blair had some how separated himself from the group.
"Amazing!?" Jaden scoffed,"What's that got to do with anything!? It should be about who's best!"
"Well Zane did beat you in a duel, Jaden." said Syrus.
"Maybe so, but it was a totally close match." said Chumley.
"That's true." Syrus sighed.
Connar remained silent.
"Say, Connie? You wanna weigh in?"
"Huh?" she blinked.
It seemed she was tuning out the rest of the world once again and everyone let out a heavy sigh.
"Wait...is that Blair?" Jaden muttered as he noticed a small red blur dash across the court yard.
"Huh? Jaden?" Syrus and Chumley both blinked as the brunette seemed distracted by something and took off after it.
"I'm gonna check something out." He called back,"See you later!" suddenly he stopped short,"Oh, right." he said and quickly ran back to grab Connar by the wrist.
"What!? Hey!?" she gasped as he pulled her along.
"I'm gonna borrow her for a sec...Later!"
Syrus and Chumley stood dazed, blinking as the twosome took off in a dash. Though Connar's situation was more against her will.
"You know...if Jaden wanted to be alone with Connar..." Syrus sighed,"He could have just asked."
"Yeah, no kidding." Sighed Chumley.
XXXXX
"Can I ask why we are sneaking around the Obelisk Blue dorm, Jaden?" Connar huffed. She would have ran off sooner, but Jaden had a tight hold on her hand.
"I thought I saw Blair come this way." He said quietly.
Connar blinked and raised a brow.
"So?" she blinked,"Chase him yourself!"
"I can't!" he said,"You're in good with Obelisks right? I figured you could help!"
"I'm in good with Zane...not all Obelisks." Connar sighed,"Did you forget I threatened one?"
"Yeah. what was up with that!?" Jaden asked,"Something's going on with you Connar and I wish you could just tell me what that is." he sighed.
"...Honestly, Jaden?" she sighed,"I wish I knew myself..."
"Hmmm..."Jaden blinked and let out another soft sigh,"Well...I'm here for you, ya know?"
Here for me, maybe...
She sighed.
But are you really? Would you even understand...?
She didn't know how to ask him. And suddenly the silence between them was broken with a light chuckle which led her to give him a look of confusion.
"Have you noticed?" he asked,"It's been a while since we were last alone together just the two of us."
"And?" she blinked,"Is there something wrong with it not being just the two of us?"
"Well...no." he laughed lightly," But I seem to recall last few times we were alone together you felt more open to share things with me." he smiled,"I'm just saying, so long as it's just us...you can tell me anything...okay?"
Connar let out a soft gasp as the realization hit her and she could feel his grip on her hand tighten a little more into a gentle squeeze.
"Uhh...Jaden." she blinked.
"Yeah Connie? What's up?"
"You dragged me here to follow Blair right?"
"Uh...well...yeah, kinda." he spoke awkwardly,"But also I thought getting into some good old fashioned Shinanigans might help you get your pep back...so..."
"Risking detention?" she blinked,"That's how you want to get my pep back?" she let out an awkward chuckle,"You do know that if I get in trouble again I doubt my dad will be as easy on me as he was last time."
"You call that easy?" he laughed,"Man I'd hate to see what 'hard' is for you!"
Jaden's smile softened, filled with relief. He was happy to see her become a little lighter...
Yeah...maybe this is a risk.
He thought to himself.
But I'm willing to take a risk for you to be okay again, Connie...
He sighed.
Besides...Like she said before...she's good with Zane.
He blinked.
Alexis couldn't tell me much...Syrus couldn't tell me anything...but maybe..Zane can.
And Maybe...he might be able to help me get her out of this funk she's in...
"Jaden, look!" she gasped and motioned Jaden to turn as she pointed into a tree.
"I knew it!" he stated,"It's Blair!"
"Is he sneaking into the Obelisk Blue Dorm?" she blinked.
"Looks like it." said Jaden,"And added in with that weird comment about Zane...something's definitely up!" he blinked,"Stay here!" he said to her, as he finally released her hand and began to climb up after Blair.
Curiouser...and Curiouser...
Connar blinked as she crept in close.
Wait a minute...this room...?
It's...!
Jaden slowly crept onto the Obelisk balcony and peeked inside the open door that he was certain Blair went into.
When he peeked inside he was met with a disturbing scene of the small Slifer student, snugging his face into what looked like Zane's deck.
"Ahh...oookaaay...this is getting weird." he shivered and gave a soft gasp as he noticed a group of Obelisks approaching the building not far from where Connar was hiding. And among them happened to be Zane Truesdale.
Jaden...!
Connar thought to herself.
This isn't looking good...hurry up!
"Uh Oh...it's Zane!" He gasped and ran inside the open room,"Listen Blair, I don't know what you're up to...but you gotta get outta here now!" Jaden claimed to the startled Blair,"Other wise you'll get booted out of this school for trespassing!"
"But...where'd you come from?"
The sound of muffled conversation resonated on the other side of the door and the two students didn't have time to chat.
"I'll explain Later!" he stated as he took the small statured student by the hand,"We need to leave now!" as he tugged away at full force the smaller student stumbled over his feet and the hat he wore flew off, releasing a mass of long dark hair.
"Huh!?" Jaden blinked and let out a gasp,"Wait-you're-!" But neither stayed to chat. The student called Blair Flanagan was actually a girl in disguise, and she leapt at the first chance she got, right back out the window she got in through.
"Outta here." He stated as he watched her run, and he too took to the balcony.
Connar gasped as she watched the scene play out, the small girl took a leap of fate to the tree she climbed and ran off as soon as her feet hit the ground.
I knew it!
Connar gasped.
I knew I had heard the name Blair before!
Jaden was now on the balcony preparing to run for it himself.
"Come on, Jaden, hurry!" she panicked but he didn't make it out in time-
"Hey you!" One of the Obelisk students caught sight of him and he had no way to run,"Take a wrong turn on your way to detention?"
"Hey Zane, check it out!" said another student,"Look who we caught hanging out in your room!"
"Oh no, Jaden!" Connar gasped and acted quickly, making her way inside.
"Huh...so it seems he wasn't just hanging out...but digging around your cards too!"
"Oh boy..."Jaden gulped,"Hey look, so listen...This is a misunderstanding." he stated,"See there was this guy-well...girl-and-"
"Girl!? Ha!" One of the Obelisks laughed,"What girl? I don't see one-"
"ME!" Connar declared as she made a dynamic entry startling Zane.
"Connar?" he blinked as he glanced between her and the scattered cards on the floor.
"He was..uh...he was here with me and...we were here on a dare." she stammered trying to come up with a valid excuse."Y-You know...truth or dare?" she gulped and Jaden was at a loss for words.
"W-well uh...as you can see things got a little bit...heated~" She stated,"I needed to go freshen up...sorry about knocking your deck over, Zane." She blushed profusely. This excuse was a wild one but she had come too far to stop it now.
"So there really was a girl." One of the students muttered.
"Save it you Slifer Slackers!" shouted another,
"You know, it's funny... I didn't think Slifer guys would be ones to have girlfriends." scoffed another,"But then...she's a Slifer too so I guess it's not surprising."
Zane only held his silence as he glanced upon Jaden and Connar, who quickly united with her brunette classmate and laced her fingers with his, hugging onto his arm.
"Ooh, yeah haha , he uh..." She coughed,"He really rocks my world, ha~"
Zane narrowed his eyes and gave Connar that look.
The one that said quite clearly: I know you're lying Connar...
And she really began to squirm under the pressure.
"Connie what are you doing-"
"Shh-shut up Jaden! Go with it!"
"Is that so?" the three students behind Zane muttered with doubt,"Prove it." they stated.
With a gasp, Connar nearly choked on her own breath.
"W-Wait, what?"
"You heard me...prove it!"
"Uh...y-yeah...uhm..." She gulped,"S-Sure..." feeling her heart beat pound against her chest she didn't know what to do in this situation. So she did the first thing that came to mind. She swallowed hard and turned toward the Slifer male, clapping her hands on each of his cheeks. His eyes widened as he didn't quite understand how she wanted him to follow, when suddenly, while cupping his face she quickly pushed herself forward and pressed her lips against his in a, what she hoped would be convincing, lip lock. Though with Jaden's stunned reaction, she wasn't sure how believable it seemed. Without much else to go on, he quickly grasped her hips and returned the gesture, sending the audience in a disturbed shock, where as Zane just shared a disturbed twitch.
Upon releasing their alleged lip lock they both glanced awkwardly at the discomforted crowd.
"And well...there you have it...haha" Jaden said as he pulled Connar in close to him to try and carry on the ruse,"So uh...we'll just be going now!" With that he gave her a gentle push toward the Balcony and attempted to follow after her.
"Hold it! You're not going anywhere!" One of the students huffed as they grasped the two by the collars of their uniform,"Except for 's office!"
"Noooo~ Anyone but him!" Jaden whimpered.
"Fine then we'll deal with you ourselves!"
" ! Heeelllp! !"
"Hands off!" Zane snapped, and the fellow students instantly obliged.
"What?" Jaden and Connar both qquestioned this sudden act of mercy.
"Do you two want me to change my mind?" he asked,"Or do you wanna leave?"
"Leave!" they both stated.
"Yup leave is good!" Jaden laughed as he quickly grasped Connar's wrist and headed for the room door,"Thanks a ton guys, it's been fun but let's not do this again some time!"
XXXX
Connar and Jaden walked together in awkward silence before the brunette finally decided to break the ice.
"You know Connie...maybe a better warning before you just plant one on me!?" he stated,"Had I known I was gonna get kissed today, I would have taken a breath mint-"
"That...was a one time thing...never to be dicussed again..." she murmured.
"Connie-"
"NEVER AGAIN!" she huffed, and Jaden heaved a heavy sigh.
"So listen, about Blair-"
"You mean the fact that she's a girl?"
"How did you know!?"
"I saw her Jaden." she sighed," I saw her running off before I had to pull an escape plan out of my ass in order to save your ass!" she sighed,"A lot of good it did...Zane knew right from the get-go that I was lying through my teeth, even as I was planting a fake kiss in a panic!" she sighed,"...He just didn't say anything about it...but I'm sure I'll get a heated conversation over the phone later on..."
"Well...atleast you helped us out of that jam..." he blushed,"...Thanks for that." he sighed and quickly coughed to clear his throat,"So...about Blair."
"...I kind of had a hunch." she said softly.
"And you didn't think to say anything!?"
"We had this conversation before!" Connar stated,"I can't just accuse someone of something without proof!" she sighed,"But after what I just saw I know I knew her from somewhere."
"Really? From where?" Jaden asked.
"Nevermind that." Connar sighed,"Let's just hurry back to the dorm."
"Yeah..." said Jaden,"Wait until I tell the guys about this!"
"Never...to be discussed...again."
XXXX
The light of the light house spun and Alexis Rhodes was on her way to meet Zane after a concerning message.
"Wow...a cold wet dock in the middle of the night." she stated sarcasticly,"You sure haven't forgotten how to show a girl a good time."
"Lex..." Zane said softly," I caught Jaden snooping around my room today."
"Jaden?" Alexis blinked,"Why would he be in your room?"
"I don't know..." he said softly,"But I found this."
He carefully took Alexis's hand in his and placed a small item in her palm.
"But..."Alexis blinked,"This is a girl's hair clip..."
"Funny you should say that." said Zane,"Because as it turns out Connar was there too." he blinked,"But I know this isn't hers."
"Huh!?" Alexis blinked,"Connar too? What was she doing?"
"...She claims she was there making out with Jaden due to game of Truth or Dare gone wild."
"What!?" Alexis gasped and coughed choking up on her breath and a mix of sea breeze.
"Relax, Alexis, it was fake." Zane stated,"She was lying about something..." he sighed, seeming somewhat relieved that Connar and Jaden weren't actually fornicating in his dorm room,"The question is..." he blinked, "What were they really trying to cover up?"
To Be Continued