Isolation 002
Yugi woke the next morning and was quickly out the door before his grandfather could stop him. He knew where Tea would be walking and wanted to catch up with her. He was right, of course. Three streets over where they both would usually meet Tea was already walking towards the school. “Tea wait up?” yelled Yugi.
Tea stopped and glanced over her shoulder, smiling ever so lightly. “Sorry, Yugi. I’m not in the mood to talk,” replied Tea as Yugi ran to catch up with her.
Yugi stopped to lean over and catch his breaths. “You’ve been avoiding me. Did I do something wrong?”
“No,” stated Tea quickly as she started walking.
Yugi blinked. Her response was so different, so quick. Yugi glanced to his side. The pharaoh was staring with a strange look. It was almost as if he knew something happened. “Did Yami do something?” Tea shook her head and started walking even quicker causing it hard to Yugi to stay caught up. “Tea, if he did something, please, I need to know.”
Tea shook her head as she wrapped her arms around her body. “It is nothing. Just let it go.”
Yugi watched as Tea walked into school. He stood so confused. Tea was usually so open with him, sharing about her days, cheerful. Today, though, she felt cold, distant. Yugi glanced over his shoulder and saw the pharaoh leaning against the school building. He watched as the spirit eyes squinted and as his hands tighten into fists. Why would the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle be frustrated? It was then that it hit him.
Yugi quickly ran over to where the pharaoh was standing. “It’s you. You did something to her on the night of the storm,” pointed out Yugi.
Yami’s eyes went wide. “Nothing happened,” he stuttered quickly. “I took her home and stayed with her till morning.”
Yugi shook his head. “I’ve never seen her act like this before except…” Yugi stopped and started at Yami. “During Battle City when she became worried about you. You hurt her. That is why she is avoiding us.”
“I never hurt her,” stated Yami biting out each word as he crossed his arms over his chest. “I stayed with her till morning, keeping her safe.”
Yugi sighed. “I didn’t think physically. She cares about you more than you know. She said something to you, didn’t she? You rejected her. That is why she is avoiding us. Too upset to even see me.”
Yami watched as the young boy entered the school building, his head hung low. Yami snorted. He knew what was going on. It didn’t make sense, though. Why would she react that way? Why would she keep herself so isolated from everyone? Yami knew he had to speak with her, and he had to talk with her without Yugi being around.
Yugi watched from a distance as Tea talked with Serenity and Joey. She would glance towards Yugi occasionally, but there wasn’t a smile on her face. She would catch eyes with him and then quickly glance down before returning to whatever conversation she was in. Yugi glanced back towards the corner of the room and noticed that the pharaoh was also watching Tea. He watched as the spirit only dropped his head and shook it before disappearing.
Yami watched from a corner as both Yugi and Tea went through with their school day. He watched as Yugi would glance at his friend, but she showed no interest of speaking with him or even being near him. The more she kept avoiding him, the more anger started to build. The pharaoh knew he had to speak with the girl, and it had to be soon.
It was lunch time when that decision was made. Usually, everyone would get together and eat, but Tea was recently starting to avoid everyone and eating alone. Yugi watched as she went through the exit door to the roof. “Let me talk with her,” spoke Yami softly.
Yugi glanced to his side, “Why? She’s avoiding me because of you.”
Yami shook his head. “There is more to it, but I need to know why.”
Yugi shrugged and switched places. “Fine. I don’t know what more you can do than what I have already done.”
“A lot more,” thought Yami as he slowly removed the Millennium Puzzle and placed it within Yugi’s school bag.
Tea was leaning against the rail looking out over the city when Yami stopped by her side. She glanced at the nameless pharaoh before turning to look back over at the landscape before them. “I told Yugi that I wasn’t in the mood to talk,” stated Tea softly.
“Well, I am not Yugi, and I don’t believe this is a subject we can avoid. Yugi believes I hurt you.” responded Yami as he rested his arms on the rail and leaned upon them.
“Well, maybe you should make up some story to ease Yugi into leaving us both alone regarding it.” Her voice was calm, no emotion as she spoke.
“You don’t really believe that, do you?” A little bit of anger flickered through Yami’s eyes as he glanced towards the girl.
Tea pushed from the rail and started walking towards the closed door. “Maybe. Wasn’t it you who said that we shouldn’t, that attachments were not a good idea?”
Yami cursed silently. He remembered the whole conversation. He was a spirit, not long for this world. However, that would mean he would need to harden his heart which he knew was impossible especially with all the events that have been happening. He knew he couldn’t deny it. Why was he asking anyone to do the same?
Yami quickly pushed from the rail and reached for the girl, pulling her to his chest as he wrapped his arms around her small body. “I know what I said, and it’s the truth. However, that would mean me hardening my heart towards everyone.”
Tea shook her head against his chest. Slowly, she pushed against him till he finally dropped his arms. “Yami, please don’t,” she said softly. “ Just let it go. Forget what happen that night. It will be easy for us both.” Tea didn’t give him a chance to respond. She quickly walked through the door. He could only stand and stare at her retreating back as the metal door closed behind her, isolating her from him even more.