Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Pools of Glass ❯ Torn Inside ( Chapter 3 )

Thanks for the reviews! I've decided I'll start posting review responses! So, here are my first two:

Oichijouji: Hey! Thanks for the review girl! There will be a lot more happening in this fic than you think after you read this chappie! Your ideas are awesome help too!

Wheeler's Hanyou: Thanks, I will continue it for as long as I have my inspiration!

Torn Inside
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Next day, Jou found Bell outside in the schoolyard talking to Ryou again. Ryou looked up over Bell's shoulder and waved to him as he came walking up behind Bell.

"Hi, Jou!" Ryou cried, waving happily to him. Jou strutted casually up to the two shy students and took a double take at Bell.

"Hi Jou." She said quietly.

"You… you got your contacts already? You look great!" Jou cried.

She shuffled her feet and avoided his gaze. "Thanks… it feels a little weird to say the least."

"Yeah but…" Jou struggled to find a decent enough answer so as not to embarrass her. "Wow, what a difference!"

"That bad huh?" She said sheepishly.

Jou could have smacked himself upside the head. "No, I didn't mean it like that!"

She flushed deeper as Anzu, Honda and Yugi approached. Honda's jaw nearly dropped to the ground when he saw Bell without her glasses on. Anzu's eyes went slightly wider than usual.

Kaiba came sauntering past without saying a word, or making eye contact at all. Jou just snickered under his breath as Bell watched him go by solemnly. She bit her lip and frowned a little.

"It is kind of sad seeing him that way…" She said quietly.

Jou grinned. "At least he won't go buggin' ya no more."

"He's right about that one." Anzu added.

She sighed. "I still feel like I should apologize to him."

"What for? He's a cold-hearted loser, Bell. Just forget about him." Jou replied

Lunchtime…

"Dude… Bell is way hot now that she got some contacts!" Honda remarked to Jou as they watched her having a giggly conversation with Anzu across the table from them.

"Yeah I know. It's kinda weird how she's not so shy anymore now that she's hangin' out wit us." Jou said thoughtfully. "You know… I think she's a lot better off with some friends like us, Honda."

"Yeah… I still can't get over Kaiba though. I mean, it's just so… crazy!" Honda commented.

Jou hmmed contentedly. "I think he got the message. She's just not interested in him." Jou leant back on his chair and put his hands behind his head.

"Are you interested?"

Jou nearly fell right back at a ninety degree angle. "Have you lost your marbles, Honda-kun?! Me? Interested in …. Kaiba?! You're even crazier than I first thought ya were!" Jou exclaimed, being careful not to call attention to the rest of the group.

Honda held his head in his hand and closed his eyes. "That's not what I meant, Jou. I meant… are you interested in… her?" Honda's brown eyes drifted across to the thin, dark haired girl chatting to Anzu and Yugi.

While Jounouchi pondered over his thoughts, staring hard at the girl opposite him, who was oblivious to his staring, a tall, familiar figure appeared behind the group. Anzu, Bell, Yugi and Ryou looked up to see Kaiba. Jou's instinct kicked in as he growled at the offender with tidily cut brown hair. Honda latched onto Jou's wrist before he could act instinctively and jump out at Kaiba again like the other day's episode.

"Bell, can I speak to you for a moment?" He asked, looking down at her. Bell's happy brown orbs suddenly turned distant and nervous as she looked up into those freezing cobalt eyes belonging to Seto Kaiba.

"Uh… um… sure. I'll be back in a minute, guys." Bell hesitantly rose up from her seat and followed Kaiba to the small garden outside the cafeteria. Jou watched bitterly through the glass doors as they sat down on one of the wooden benches together.

"Firstly I want to say that I'm sorry for putting that note in that mu- in Jounouchi's locker. I just… think you'd be better off without him." Kaiba said, hoping not to upset her.

Bell sneered at him. "Jou's the only real friend I've ever had, Kaiba. Why are you trying to push me away from him? I mean… I know you two aren't the best of friends or anything but honestly…"

"I'm your friend too Bell…"

"You're only my friend because you want something out of me that I'm not willing to give!" Bell shouted.

"No, no Bell that's not it…" Kaiba replied.

"Then what is it Kaiba? Please just… just leave me alone!"

As soon as Jounouchi saw Bell run off, he launched out of his seat and ran after her quicker than you could have imagined. But he stopped at Kaiba for a few last words first.

"What did you say to her? You fuckin' idiot!" Jounouchi screamed.

"Leave her alone, dog. She doesn't care for you!" Kaiba shrieked back, lying through his teeth. He got to his feet and stood eye-to-eye with the blonde.

Honda came scrambling into the yard. "Kat? What's going on?!" Before Honda could ask anymore, Kaiba and Jou were on the ground wrestling once more. Jou's temper flared uncontrollably around Kaiba - and vice versa. They were simply pure opposites - which didn't attract.

That afternoon, Bell didn't show up to detention. Jou felt angry at Kaiba and more so at himself. He swept the floor of the science lab alone and silently, going over his thoughts. What if Bell didn't speak to him again? What if she wasn't at school tomorrow? Jou wondered why he even cared so much about this newcomer in his life. Was it because he was protecting her from Kaiba? Or was it something else? Something… more? Jou racked his brains for the next hour until Ms. Sae let him go home for the day.

Later that night…

Beads of sweat ran down Katsuya's worked, muscled body as he jabbed again and again at his punching bag hanging from the ceiling in the storage room. Sadistically, he had drawn a face, representing Seto Kaiba on his punching bag in thick black vivid. He had loud, angry music cranked up to the loudest that his eardrums could withstand. He screamed the lyrics to the heavy-metal song as he took more lashings at the red concrete-hard punching bag. His knuckles were starting to ache, as he didn't bother to put on his boxing gloves.

"You love the way… I look at you… while taking pleasure in the awful things you put me through…" Jou sang along, letting out all his frustration and punched harder and faster with all his strength when the chorus came on.

At about eight thirty he gave up and turned off his stereo. He wiped the sweat from his face with his blue and white t-shirt and hopped into the shower briefly. He admired his toned, tanned chest and just-visible six-pack in the mirror and did assorted poses, somewhat showing off to himself. He frowned a bit at the bruises that were at his lower ribs… Kaiba. He dried his blonde locks and walked into the warm living room with just a white towel around his lower half.

Up on the bench of the small breakfast bar, a red light flashed, indicating a new message on his answer machine. Guess I must not have heard it while I was boxing. Jou thought. He walked over and pressed the button, slouched down on the couch, and listened:

"Hey Kat, it's me. Uh, listen man, I think you should go and see how Bell's doing. I heard she didn't show up in detention today. What if Kaiba did something to her man? Anyways, if you get this, her address is…" It was the somewhat concerned voice of Honda. Jou jumped up hurriedly from the couch, causing his towel to slip down from his slim hips, and ran down the hall stark naked to his bedroom and put on some black jeans, a light blue tee and a blue jacket. It hadn't occurred to Jou that Kaiba might have had something to do with Bell's absence at detention today.

Jou ran down his street rapidly and swerved into the blossom-tree lined avenue which Bell lived down. He looked at the blue ink scribbled on his hand that he had written her address on. Slowing his pace to a casual walk, he stopped outside Bell's house. There were no lights on in the house. This only made it more daunting for him. He opened the gate, which just happened to squeak rudely, and a dull light upstairs came on instantly. Jou looked up to see a curtain be pushed aside and saw Bell stick her head out the window. Her hair was down and she was wearing her glasses again.

"Jou?!" She cried in disbelief. "What are you doing here? Oh my gosh my mother is going to kill me…" Her head went back inside and she went down to meet Jou in the garden outside. She had put her contact lenses in again, though.

"Heya." Jou said extra-casually, shoving his hands in his black-jean pockets.

"Jou… what brings you to my house at this time of the night?" Bell asked contemptuously.

"Well, I just wanted to check if you were okay. I mean, you ran off pretty quickly at lunch today, and you weren't in detention. I wondered what happened to ya!" Jou said, relieved that Kaiba hadn't hurt her.

Bell forced her hair back behind her head and looked at the ground. "I'm okay… I just got a little… upset. That's all."

"I should have gone after ya… I'm sorry I didn't. I just got so angry at Kaiba for making you run off like that." Jou reassured, resting a hand on Bell's quivering shoulder.

"… Jou?"

"Yeah?"

"Why do you care so much?" Bell looked at him inquiringly.

Jou's body went rigid. "You know… I was asking myself that same question earlier on tonight. I'm kinda questioning my sanity for just standin' here with you right now."

Bell laughed a little. "I really like you Jou… you're the nicest friend I've ever had."

Jounouchi felt like the cat got his tongue. Sure he had a lot of close friends, but none of them had ever said that he was the nicest friend that they had ever had. His cheeks glowed slightly before he broke the silence.

"I like your hair like that."

"Really?"

He nodded. "I like more than your hair, too." He loved making girls blush. Especially this one. He didn't know why. He just did. "What are you doing Friday night?" Jou asked seemingly out of nowhere.

Bell looked taken by surprise. "Uh, um… I'm not sure. Why?"

"Wanna catch a movie or somethin'?"

"Oh… I don't know Jou…"

"Why not? It'll be fun! We can bring the others too if you want." Bell looked at him sadly. "What's on your mind?" Jou asked quietly as he noticed her eyes become frightened and nervous again like they had done at lunch earlier today.

"It's just… I've never been on a date before Jou…" She replied weakly.

Jou raised an eyebrow. "Well, don't consider it a `date' as such… just a fun night out. I guarantee, if you're with me on a Friday night, there's no way you won't be havin' fun. So whaddya say? Pick ya up at eight?"

She sighed and smiled. "Alright then. Friday it is, Jou."

He cracked a giant grin. "Great, well I guess I'll see you at school tomorrow, huh?"

She nodded and shivered a bit. "Alright, Jou-kun. See you tomorrow."

"Will you be in detention this time? I was pretty lonely in dere today. That reminds me; you never said why you weren't there today."

Bell hesitated a little. "I better get back inside, Jou. I'll see you tomorrow." She turned to walk off.

"But Bell-!" Jou grabbed her wrist to hold her back. He had a feeling that she was hiding something, and he wanted an answer. He swore he heard Bell scream quietly when he grabbed her wrist. She snatched back from him. Her eyes watered as she turned back to face him.

Jou felt something warm on his fingertips as he released her wrist. He looked down to see blood on them. "… You wanna tell me what's goin' on, Bell?"

Bell breathed out, her breathing raspy and hiccupy. She tried to speak but it just came out all jumbled and rivers of water spilt out of her eyes. As she went to wipe her eyes, Jou noticed her sleeves slip down, revealing white bandages on each of her wrists, soaked right through with blood. Jounouchi couldn't believe his eyes - he had never known anyone who had some this to themselves before.

"Oh… no it's okay… come here… sshh… its okay…" Jou took Bell into his arms and held her closely. Her body racked with hiccups in his embrace. He stroked her hair gently as she let loose and eventually calmed down a little.

"I'm sorry Jou… I - I - I - "

"Bell, listen to me. You have to stop doing this to yourself, alright?" Jou said, cupping her face in his hands.

She nodded. "I know… it's just… such a relief though… I can't describe it, Jou." Bell said, looking up at him with bloodshot eyes.

Jou wiped the tears off her cheeks. "If you keep doing this you could die, Bell. Does anyone else know about this?"

She shook her head. "I didn't want anyone else to know…"

"Why are you doing it?" Jou asked.

Bell's bottom lip wobbled. "Because… it makes me feel better. I'm so angry at myself… I hate myself."

"No… no don't say that! You have nothing to be angry about. Don't hate yourself Bell, you're a wonderful person and you've got a lot going for you."

More salty water spilt out of Bell's eyes. "Thanks Jou…"

"Listen, I know we don't know each other well, but I want you to stop doing this. Do it for me, Bell. Please?" Jou looked down at the trembling brunette girl standing before him.

"Alright, Jou. If I really mean that much to you."

Jou smiled. "Promise?"

"I promise."

"Good. I'd better be going now, though. You go and get some rest." Jou replied.

Bell nodded, and rubbed her arms. "Thanks for coming, Jou."

"Don't mention it. Take care, now." He found it hard to resist giving her a hug, so he did. Bell seemed to enjoy his touch.

Jou watched Bell walk into her house and close the door. He wondered what he had got himself into. This girl needed help… and if Jou and the rest of the group weren't there for her, she could very well do something that could endanger her life. Jou didn't know whether to tell anyone or to keep it secret, but one thing he did know, is that he had to be there for Bell for as long as he could until she got better - if she did.

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