Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Things Change ❯ Dinner Time, Revelations, And Kaiba's First Day! ( Chapter 6 )

I wanted it to post this up the same time as I post the most recent chapter to my other story "A New Path" (Obvious plug, I know.) but I had to make a few adjustments. Now since we all want to get to the chapter already...let's get to the chapter already!

"Oh boy…" Joey muttered as he and Arisa walked up the steps of an apartment building. He just had to open his big mouth about him cooking. He'd always heard that women love a man who was good in the kitchen, but then again, he heard a lot of stuff about what kind of man a woman love. Arisa was the type of girl who would love a home cooked meal, despite her family matters, so Joey knew that he was trapped.

"So what are we having for dinner?" Arisa asked.

"Not sure. Depends on what we got." Joey said as they made it to a door which read "2C." He then took out his key as he then unlocked the door.

"Serenity, I'm home!" Joey shouted as he and Arisa walked in. His apartment wasn't too shabby, but not too fantastic. It had some pictures of artwork and some photos of family. One of them caught Arisa attention: It was a picture of a woman with curly auburn hair and a man with dirty blonde hair. In front of them where what appeared to be a younger Joey and Serenity. "They were so cute…" She cooed. She kept in mind that this picture was taken before the father discovered Scotch, Rum, and Jack Daniels.

Joey called for his little sister again, after there was no response. "Probably out with friends," He figured, remembering about her friends from Serenity's ballet practice. "Aw well…might as well get dinner started." He said as he then walked into the kitchen to take out the pots and pans, as well as the food he would need from the fridge.

After about two hours of seasoning, boiling, and frying, the meal of fried chicken with green beans and rice was ready. Even during that time period he still didn't see Serenity.

Joey sighed, "Aw well, guess it's just you and me then…"

Arisa took a sniff of the food, and much to her delight, it was delicious. "Mmm…smells good!"

"Thank you!" Joey replies with a smile as he looked at the chicken-filled bowl. "So which one do ya want: the thighs, the breast, the wing, or the leg?"

"I'll take the breast." Arisa said as she walked over to grab a paper plate, beginning to place a breast on the plate, followed by two spoonfuls of rice and green beans.

Suddenly, the door opened as Serenity walked in, carrying her pink "Hello Kitty" backpack. "Joey, I'm home!"

Arisa couldn't help but let out a giggle as she heard Serenity use the same greeting as her brother. 'Yep, she's Joey's sister alright.' She thought.

Serenity walked in as she then noticed another girl in the house, holding a plate filled with food in her hands. "Umm..."

Arisa noticed, "You're Serenity right?"

She nodded. "And you?"

"I'm Arisa, Joey's girlfriend."

Serenity blinked. "What!?" To say that Serenity was in shock would be an understatement.

"Like I said, Joey and I are dating." Arisa explained.

Serenity was speechless. Here she is, just getting home from Ballet class and look who's at the door: Some girl, a complete stranger, holding a plate filled with food that came out of their fridge. There was only one thing she could do in a situation like this…

"JOEEEEEEY!!!"

As if like a flash of lightning, Joey rushed in, carrying his own plate which had twice the amount of food Arisa had. "What's up Serenity?"

"Who is she?" She asked, both in panic and anger.

"She's my girlfriend, Serenity. She's havin' diner with us!" Joey explained to his little sister.

"Your girlfriend?"

"Yeah."

"As in 'I love ya so much I wanna kiss you and have your babies' girlfriend?"

"Yeah." Joey nodded. "Go ahead and grab a plate."

With a sigh, Serenity walked into the kitchen to grab a plate, leaving some for their Mom when she got home as Joey and Arisa sat down at the table. "So you got a girlfriend, without even telling me?"

"Since when do I need yer approval on who I date?" Joey asked, getting a bit annoyed all of a sudden.

"Joey, there's no need to get upset." Arisa said, as Serenity glanced at her.

Joey sighed, "Sorry Sis. I've been having a bit of a bad day on that subject."

Serenity blinked as she took her seat. "What happened?"

"Let's just say that you can't always count on yer friends to support you…" He said as he took a bite out of fork-skewered green beans. "At least Yuge, Tristan, and Bakura didn't really have a problem. Tea on the other hand…"

Serenity asked, "Well, how long have you guys been together?"

"Not that long." Arisa stated. "We were considering going out before, but today it was official."

"But still, shouldn't you have told your friends about it?" Serenity asked Joey as she mixed her rice together with the green beans. "They've been worried about you."

Joey sighed, "Good point…"

"Tea and the others, even though they didn't show it, were probably shocked…" Serenity sighed as she then says silently, "Or even disappointed…"

Apparently not silent enough as Joey raised an eyebrow. "Disappointed, Sis? Are you saying that you don't like that fact that Arisa and I are together."

"It's not that…" Serenity sighed. "It's…"

"Joey…" Arisa sighed as she grabbed her plate, feeling dejected. "I don't think this is working out…"

"Wha-What do you mean, Arisa?" Joey asked, with a bit of hurt in his voice.

"Maybe it was better and less stressful to everyone when we were just friends…" Arisa walked towards the door. It appeared to her that none of his friend or even family really liked her, let alone supported her and Joey being together. "See ya around at school…okay?"

Joey sighed, "Okay…" He watched the love of his life leave as Serenity got up from her chair to check up on him…

"Joey…I'm sorry. It's just-"

Joey cut her off. "It's just what? You drove Arisa away from me. And just after I told you that I was already getting annoyed with the way my friends were treating Arisa! It's bad enough I'm getting this crap from my so-called friend Tea, but my own sister saying that she's disappointed in me!?"

"Joey, will you just listen for one second!"

"No, I'm through listening!" Joey stated as he went to his room, but Serenity grabbed him by the arm!

"Wait a second, Joey! You're going to calm down and listen to what I have to say!"

"I know what yer going to say: Arisa and I shouldn't be together."

"It's not that, Joey! I don't care that you're going with Arisa! Hell, I wouldn't care if you were going out with Ishizu! It's just…"

"It's just what?" Joey asked, impatiently.

"I just hoped that you'd go be with Mai instead of someone else!" Serenity stated. "You make quite a couple and you look cute together!"

"Mai? Is this what this is about? So you literally made Arisa feel unwelcome all because I didn't go out with Mai?" It took everything from inside to keep Joey from losing it. "Serenity, we already had this discussion about-"

"Should it matter how much of an age difference it is!?" She snapped, "You and Mai belong together, Joey!"

Joey narrowed his eyes. He was sick of everyone not supporting his and Arisa's love for each other. And Serenity's reasons for not supporting just about drove him over the edge. "Read my lips Serenity: I only like Mai Valentine as a friend, a best friend maybe but nothing more! Arisa Mallovic is who I love! Got it, Serenity?"

"Yes Joey…" Serenity sighed, looking down.

"I'm not hungry…" Joey said as he walked into his room. He was getting sick of people not accepting Arisa. It wasn't as if she was a bad person or anything, but they were treating her as if she burned down the church.

The next day, Kaiba walked out from the limo as he then made his way inside the school. For the sake of his sanity, he was not going to even look at Joey Wheeler today. As far as he was concerned, the dog didn't exist, so he wasn't going to waste his time insulting him like he always did, especially since they backfired and resulted in him becoming humiliated instead.

Kaiba then saw Yugi, Tristan, and Tea outside their lockers, but no Joey. But then again, he was always late anyway. Just because he wasn't going to insult Wheeler, didn't mean that he couldn't insult someone else he hated just as much…

"Yugi, I suggest that you make sure the monkey has had his banana before he gets cranky." He said in his usual cold tone. "I mean, you wouldn't want Taylor to go ape in class, would you?"

"Kaiba…" Tristan glared.

"What's the matter? Does the monkey boy want his banana?" Kaiba taunted as Tristan went to leap at him, but Yugi and Tea held him back. With a sigh, Kaiba walked off, "It's just not the same…" He muttered in a somewhat whiny tone.

"What's with Kaiba?" Tea asked, "Doesn't he usually go after Joey?"

Yugi sighed, "Yes, but for one thing he's not here. And two, you've seen what's happened the last few times he tried to make him angry. It all went down south for him, so I guess he's going for a new target?"

"It still seems very pointless for him to do so after what's happened…" Tea said, "Even if he did get Tristan angry." She then saw Joey walk in. "Hey Joey, what's-"

Joey just walked by, not bothering to even acknowledge her presence. He was still angry about what happened yesterday and was hoping Arisa would be here.

Tea's eyes narrowed. No way was he going to ignore her. She ran off after him, "Joey it's me, Tea! You know? Your friend?"

"Friend? Hmph…" Joey muttered as he stopped at his locker.

"Oh come on Joey, you can't possibly be angry about what happened yesterday. I didn't know-"

"Yugi, please tell Tea to keep her distance." Joey said towards Yugi's direction. He was so angry that he didn't even want to talk to her, probably not even want to breathe the same air as her.

As Joey opened the locker, Tea slammed it shut. "Now you listen to me Joey: I tried to apologize to you, but it's your fault as much as mine. If you would've told us about what's been happening to you instead of keeping it like one big secret, none of this would've happened."

"Would it really, Tea?" Joey snapped in response. "First I had to take your crap, then from Serenity. And now Arisa doesn't want us to date because of what's happening." He noticed Tea's shocked response. "That's right. I invited Arisa over for dinner last night. And Serenity treated her the same way, and for what? Because I'm not dating Mai, but someone who's around my age and wouldn't have to worry about legal trouble for an underage relationship? Well at least Serenity told me why she had a problem with our relationship, unlike some people I thought I knew..."

"Joey, will you shut up for just a second!? Just for one fucking second!?" Tea shouted.

"I'm listening…" Joey said, with his arms crossed.

"Do you really want to know why I don't like Arisa? Why I don't like the fact that you two are together?" Tea started.

"Duh, Tea…"

"Well…it's…it's…" She was looking for the right words. "Look, I just don't like her! She's too good for you!" Tea was in shock of what she said. That wasn't what she wanted to say, but she couldn't think of anything else. She might as well go with it.

"Too good for me?" Joey was near his breaking point.

"That's right! She's too much of a sweet girl to be with an insensitive jerk like you!" Tea snapped, which Yugi and Tristan sighed, seeing that Tea has just made it worse.

"Insensitive jerk? You're the one who practically made Arisa feel like an outcast, and you call me an insensitive jerk?"

"That's right! I don't want you to abandon her the same way you've been abandoning us lately. You didn't even bother to call or let us know about your problems. Friends-"

"Don't even give me that Friendship bullshit. You have no grounds to criticize me about how I treat my friends!" Joey snapped. To hell with keeping his cool, Tea was asking for it. "What'd you want me to do, apologize on my knees?" He dropped down to his knees. "I'm sorry for worrying you, Tea!" He jumped back up. "There, ya happy? You always got on my case, and I'm sick of it! Okay, so I wasn't always a nice guy! What the hell do I have to do to atone for what I've done in the past? Cut off both my arms? Gouge my eyes out? You know what? I don't need to take this shit! I'm outta here!" With a turn on his heel Joey walked…more like stormed towards the door.

Tea was beginning to feel remorse for those hurtful things she said. She just couldn't handle the way Joey was acting, especially towards her. "Joey, wait-"

"Fuck everything…and fuck you, Tea!" He said as he walked out the door.

Everyone was in shock, especially Yugi and Tristan. It was true that Tea had got onto Joey's case for some things in the past, but they had no idea how much of an offense it was to Joey. Tea meanwhile already had a look of remorse as her eyes became teary.

"I'll go check on Joey." Tristan said as he went after his longtime friend.

Yugi gave a nod as he then walked over to his childhood friend. "Tea…Are you okay?" He asked.

"No…" She said, on the verge of crying. "How could Joey say that…after all we've been through?"

"Joey's just upset…" Yugi assured. "He'll come around…"

"No he won't…" She disagreed. "Joey really likes Arisa, and I said that he didn't deserve her. He finally found someone he really likes, and instead of supporting him like a real friend, I treated her like dirt and I wasn't that very friendly with Joey either. He must really hate me now…"

"He doesn't hate you…"

"Yugi, when someone says 'Fuck you' to you, I don't think that it means they like you."

Yugi sighed. "Maybe you guys need to sit down and talk."

Now it was Tea's turn to sigh, "Yugi…can you keep a secret?"

Yugi nodded. "Of course Tea."

"You want to know the real reason why I don't like Arisa? Well what I said about her being with Joey was only partially."

"What do you mean?"

Tea took a deep breath, "Well...it's because I'm…I'm in love with Joey. There, I said it. I'm in love with Joey Wheeler!"

Yugi blinked. "You're in love with Joey?"

"Yes…" Tea simply said.

"Why didn't you just tell him in the first place?" Yugi asked, still in shock at this revelation.

"I don't know…I was scared, okay? I was scared that Joey would just laugh in my face or worse…"

"Oh come on Tea, Joey isn't like that!"

"Oh get a grip, Yugi! At one point Joey was head over heels over Mai! How could I ever measure up to her? And now with Arisa, well she's not as gorgeous as Mai, but she's like an angel, not a conceited stuck-up like Mai."

"Well…I think you such just tell him anyway." Yugi suggested. "It wouldn't be fair to you or him if you kept it to yourself."

" I know…" Tea sighed, "Okay, I'll tell him. But only when I'm ready…"

"Okay Tea, take your time. But don't take too long…"

"Don't worry Yugi, I won't."

Meanwhile, just outside of school, Joey was about to cross the street. He didn't care if he'd get another detention or suspended again, there was no way in hell he was going back inside, let alone with her there.

"Hey Joey, wait a second!"

Joey looked back as he saw Tristan running towards him.

"You out of your mind or something?" He asked.

"Look Tristan, I'm not in the mood to go to class today!" Joey replied as he waited for the crosswalk signal to change to green.

"So you're going to leave after you basically made Tea cry?"

"Oh c'mon Tristan, don't tell me you agree with her!" Joey complained.

"I don't agree with her, but she has her reasons." Tristan said.

"Oh yeah? Name one!" Joey challenged. "Give me one reason that justifies the way she's been acting towards me and Arisa."

Tristan sighed. He had hoped it wouldn't have to come down to this. He was very angry with the way Tea treated Arisa yesterday, but from an email, Tea told Tristan how she felt about Joey, while threatening him if he told anyone-especially Joey- she would…let's just say that he wouldn't be able to bare children when she was through with him. "Joey, promise me if you won't tell!"

The light changed green as Joey made his way across. "Tristan, are you coming?" He called out.

"I don't know, Joe…" He replied.

"Oh come on, pal!" Joey insisted.

Tristan sighed as he began to walk over. "Okay…" Once he was across, he looked at his friend. "So where we're going, anyway?"

"Anywhere but there." Joey said, referring to the school. "So what's this thing that you want me to promise not to tell?"

"Okay Joey…but if you tell anyone…"

"Yeah yeah, I got the big picture." Joey said at the two walked. "Now spill!"

Tristan sighed, "Okay, you want to know why Tea's been acting this way?"

"I'm listening…"

"Joey…Tea likes you!" Tristan said.

"Well, she has a fine way of showing it." Joey replied sarcastically.

"I'm serious Joey, she really likes you!"

"…" Joey stopped for a second, as he then burst out laughing. "Good one Tristan."

"Damn it Joey, that's exactly why she didn't tell you!" Tristan snapped. "She's afraid that you were going to laugh at her!"

Joey stopped, it was all becoming clear. Her attitude when she first saw him with Arisa. They way she was acting when he ignored her. "You're serious? Tea really likes me?"

"Yeah."

"As in like me like me?"

"Yeah."

"As in 'I want to have your babies and spend the rest of my life with you' like me?"

"Yeah, but not so sure on the 'babies' part…"

Joey sighed, "Well that explains a lot."

"You know what you have to do, right?" Tristan asked.

"Yeah…" Joey sighed as they walked into the park. He then stopped as his eyes went wide.

"What's up Joey?" Tristan asked as he then saw her: Wearing a white tanktop, blue jean shorts, and white sandals, sat Arisa with a depressed look on his face.

"Arisa!" Joey rushed towards her, followed by Tristan.

Arisa looked to her right as she then saw them both. Her eyes went about as wide as Joey's. "Joey? Tristan? What are you guys doing here?"

"I was about to ask ya the same thing." Joey replied. "What's up?"

"It's nothing…" Arisa said.

"Arisa, is there something that's bothering you?" Tristan asked.

"Why do you care?" She snapped. "Look, the reason why I decided not to go out with Joey was because of what it was doing to you guys?"

"What?" Tristan blinked. "Hey, I'm cool with it, whatever you and Joey have together!"

"Bullshit!" Arisa snapped. "That bitch Tea basically doesn't like me. Even his sister didn't think much of me!"

"Well how would you feel if you liked someone and found out that they were going out with someone else?" Tristan asked.

Arisa was shocked. "Y-you mean…"

"Yeah…" Tristan explained, "Tea has a crush on Joey."

"This is…wow…this is just wow!" Arisa said, not knowing what to think.

"Yer not alone on this one, Arisa. Tristan just told me the same thing." Joey informed.

"Okay…but what about your sister?" Arisa reminded.

"Let's just say that her reasons are similar to Tea's." Joey said. "No, it's not an incest relationship. It's that she wanted me to go out with someone else…"

"Who?" Arisa asked.

"Mai Valentine, you've heard of her, right?"

"Oh her, the only female duelist in Battle City and Duelist Kingdom! You mean that your sister wanted you and her to get together?"

"Yeah. She thinks that we make a cute couple. But I know one that is much cuter." Joey grinned.

"Oh really…what couple are you talking about?" Arisa asked with a grin.

"Come here an' I'll show ya!"

Arisa smiled as she jumped into Joey's arms, both of them now going into a kiss.

"Oh get a room, you guys!" Tristan complained.

"What's the matter, baby? Don't have someone?" Arisa teased Tristan.

"No, it's not that. I already have someone in mind." Tristan smiled, which earned him a glare from Joey.

"How many times do I need to tell ya to stay away from my-"

"Oh let him be, shut up, and kiss me." Arisa turned his head towards her and kept him from talking with her own lips on his.

Tristan grinned. 'She's not so bad after all. Now Joey won't be so damn overprotective…' He thought, then remembered about Tea. "Are you sure you guys should be acting this way?"

Arisa sighed as she broke away from Joey. "Yeah, I forgot...you have to let her know!"

"I know..." Joey sighed. "And I have to apologize..."

Arisa blinked, "Apologize?"

"Let's just say that I might had said a couple of things I'm not exactly proud of." Joey informed Arisa.

"Oh...bummer..."

After School, Kaiba was in the limo. Fortunately, he didn't see Joey today so he didn't have as much stress as he usually had. But then again, today was his first session at the new group he was unfortunately going. Him, Seto Kaiba, sitting in a circle with a group of idiots, low lives, and other scum of society! It was basically an insult for a man of his standards to be there.

"Ahh…your first day at anger management..." Seto said, sitting next to him with a smile on his face. "I'm so excited!"

"Then why don't you go to the meeting instead!" Kaiba hissed.

"Remember? Only you can see me? Not visible to anyone else." Seto said as the limo arrived to a YMCA building.

"Whatever…let's just get this over with…" Kaiba said as the door opened. He then stepped out and told the limo driver to come back around five.

"Well…have fun!" Seto waved goodbye to Kaiba.

"You're not coming with me?" Kaiba glared.

"Not this time. Then we'd talk and people would look at you as if you're some kind of freak." Seto explained.

"Please…I figured they'd be used to that, seeing that they're in the group in the first place."

"Sorry Seto, you're on your own!" His conscience smiled as then, in a blink of an eye, he disappeared.

"Whatever…" Kaiba walked into the door up to the front desk as a young lady with flowing long red hair smiled.

"Mr. Kaiba…" She asked. "Anger management, right?"

"Yes…" He replied in a cold monotone voice.

"The group's been expecting you." She pointed to a oak door on her left. "This way, please."

"Right…" Kaiba said as he went to the said door. As soon as he opened it…

"Kaiba!?"

Kaiba looked to the source of the two voices as then saw the last two people he needed to see: Joey and Arisa. "Oh hell no!"

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Well…this is becoming interesting. Who would've thought that Tea was in love with Joey? More importantly, who would've thought that Kaiba would be in the same class as Joey and Arisa? What will go down from there? Find out in the next installment.