Chapter 1 - Bad Beginnings

Bad Beginnings



As the sun shone bright in Domino City, three girls sat inside a café on a busy street of shops, chatting and laughing. They sat around the table, sipping milkshakes and showing each other the things they had brought.

One of the girls, who had short brown hair and light blue eyes, held up a new dancing dress that she had brought only that morning. `It was reduced by 30%!'

`But are you ever going to wear it, Tea?' Laughed the girl next to her. Her long, pale gold blonde hair was down, flowing freely around her shoulders. She brushed it out of her blue eyes as she laughed at her friend.

`Yeah, you'll probably have grown out of it by the time you get out of you job at Burger World and start dancing pro,' said the girl sitting on the blonde's other side. Her brownie red hair was tied in a ponytail to keep it out of her bright green eyes. Her skin was tanned brown by the sun and her long legs were crossed under the table.

`I will wear it, just not for anything but dancing,' Tea said defensively. `Anyway, how's your life guarding going, Kaede?'

The red head sat up in her chair and smiled. `Well, I finished the course and have done my shadowing* (*following an experienced lifeguard around for eight hours), got my uniform and now I have done a couple of hours at the pool and been paid.'

`Lucky you, I never have any money,' the blonde sighed.

`Oh come on Yuula!' Kaede cried. `How much stuff have you bought today? You got loads of new clothes!'

`I know but I never have any money,' Yuula said.

`That's because you always buy new clothes!' Tea shouted across the table.

They finished off their milkshakes and left the café. When outside, Kaede turned her face to the sun and breathed in deeply. What a beautiful day! If only everyday were like this.

The three of them walked in the direction of the main street. As they were walking past the large skyscrapers along the street, Yuula glanced at her watch.

`Hey, my brother Takumi finishes work now. Can we go get him?'

`Sure, why not?' Kaede said and together they walked in the direction of Takumi's work place: Kaiba Corp.

They stopped in front of the building and waited outside. Kaede leaned against a fence and crossed her arms, looking bored. She wasn't really bored; in fact she loved Kaiba Corp. Her grandfather was on the Board of Directors and practically set up the whole of Kaiba Corp. And she did like Takumi; so waiting for him didn't bother her. It was just Kaiba.

Seto Kaiba, the owner of Kaiba Corp, was hated and scorned by many, but especially by Kaede. He was in their class at Domino High, but left to expand his business, and to get there he cheated, stole and some say murdered. In many people's eyes Seto Kaiba was a slime ball, but Kaede hated him beyond words. There was just something about him she didn't like.

The doors to Kaiba Corp opened and Takumi strolled out. When he saw them he jogged over straight away. `Hey guys. What are you doing here?'

`We were waiting for you. You are so ungrateful!' Yuula screamed, bashing him in the stomach. `We come and wait for you and all you can say is “What are you doing here?”'

`OW! I'm sorry, just don't kill me!' Takumi bent in half, mockingly clutching his stomach. He looked up and saw Kaede standing glaring at something. `Hey Kaede, what's the matter?'

Kaede ground her teeth together and lifted one hand up and pointed with her finger. `THAT'S the matter.'

Yuula, Takumi and Tea all looked in the direction she was pointing. Standing by the door was Seto Kaiba, smirking at Kaede. Kaede crossed her arms again before pushing herself away from the fence and walking past the other three. `I'm going home. See you guys at school.'

As she walked past Seto Kaiba he smirked again. `Hey Mishua, been practicing your duelling skills?'

`Keep away from me you scum!' Kaede stopped and turned to face him. She stared him straight in the eye. `How dare you even talk to me about duelling after our last match Kaiba?'

Kaiba smirked again. Visions of their last match flashed in Kaede's mind, her winning, about to finish the match with a glorious victory, when Kaiba somehow produced his blue eyes white dragon and defeated her in one move. The only way he could have done that was by cheating. Kaede glared at him, and then continued walking away.



***



`Kaede, is that you there?' Where have you been my child?'

Kaede walked in through the front door of her house to find her grandmother standing in the kitchen doorway holding a tray full of freshly baked cookies in her oven gloved hands. Kaede walked over to her, kissed her cheek and took a cookie from the tray.

`You know where I've been. I told you, I went shopping with Tea and Yuula.'

Her grandmother mocked slapping her hand away. `You should wait until these cool down, otherwise you'll burn your mouth. Besides, they are nicer cool. And you didn't say anything about going shopping. You should tell us where you're going next time or we'll get worried.'

Kaede rolled her eyes and left her grandmother in the kitchen, stuffing the cookie in her mouth as she went. She was just about to run upstairs when she heard someone calling her name.

`Yes?' She jogged back to the living room where two men sat watching the television. One was her grandfather and the other was-

`Joey!' Joey stood up when he heard his name called and grinned when he saw Kaede. She ran up to him and glomped him. `When did you get here? Has my grandfather been making you watch the telly with him?'

`Hey! There's no need to be cheeky!' Kaede's grandfather called over his shoulder, still focusing his eyes on the TV screen. `As a matter of fact he wanted to watch this with me.'

Kaede shook her head at her grandfather and her and Joey began to walk upstairs to her room.

`I got here about half an hour ago. Where've ya been?' Joey said climbed the stairs.

`I told you not to come so early today. I said I was going out with Tea and Yuula. Weren't you listening?'

`Ya never said anything `bout going out today.' Joey said haughtily.

Kaede smiled. `You just weren't listening darling.'

Joey put his arm around her waist as they walked down the upstairs corridor to her room. Joey sat down on the bed as Kaede went behind a screen to change. `So, what did you buy?'

`Hold on a sec, I'm just putting it on,' she called from behind the screen. Joey lay back on the bed and put his arm over his eyes, thinking she'd be ages.

Kaede came out and leaned on against the screen, waiting for him to notice. When he eventually looked up, he saw she was wearing a white mini skirt and a yellow halter neck top with white flowers dotted all over it. `Yeah, I like that.' Joey smiled, and then frowned suddenly. `The skirt is a little short though.'

`Oh come on!' Kaede sighed and jumped onto his lap on the bed. `Does it matter? I am only going to wear this around you anyway.'

`Will you wear it tonight when we go out to the cinema?' Joey put his arms around her waist and held her there.

Kaede thought, frowning slightly. `Well, alright, but only if you are a good boy and be nice to me for a change.'

`When am I ever not nice to you?' Joey exclaimed.

`You are NEVER nice to me,' Kaede giggled, laughing at the look of horror on his face.

`Whatever!' He muttered and pretended to sulk, refusing to look at her. She put her hand under his chin and turned his head towards her, until he was forced to look at her. Then she brought her head close to his and kissed him.

`Are you angry at me?' She said sweetly, smiling kindly at him.

`Hmmm, I don't know about that one. Better try again and see if I feel better. You know, it isn't nice to be accused like that.'

Kaede laughed and kissed him again. She wrapped her arms around his neck as she kissed him and closed her eyes tightly.

`Better now?' She asked.

`A little better.'

`Well tough coz that's all you're getting from me chump.' Kaede jumped off his lap and ran down the corridor to the top of the stairs. `Grandma, when do you want me back tonight?'

`Where are you going tonight, love?'

`To the cinema with Joey, when should I come back?'

`But I thought you were going to this dinner with your grandfather?'

`What?'

Her grandmother appeared at the top of the stairs, holding a plateful of cookies. `Come down here and take these up to that young man of yours.' Kaede went down and took the plate from her grandmother. `Ooh, my, that is a nice outfit there dear. Yes, I thought you said you would go with grandpa to this posh sit-down tonight.'

Kaede's eyes widened. `Oh god, I forgot that was tonight. Oh hell. I spose I'll have to go instead of going to the cinema, won't I?'

`Yes dear. You can't let your grandfather go alone to this thing. You know how much he hates it.'

Kaede sighed and took the cookies back up to her room. She put them down on the table and Joey immediately grabbed a handful and stuffed them into his mouth.

`Whatsamatter?' Joey sprayed her with cookie crumbs.

`Oy! Watch it!' Kaede pushed him slightly, laughing with him. Then the laughter died. `I'm sorry; I can't come with you tonight.'

`Why not? Don't you want to come?'

`No, I do, it's just that Grandpa is going to a sit-down dinner and wants me to come along with him. I already promised him I'd go as he hates going to these fancy dinners, and I can't abandon him. I am so sorry, but we can go out tomorrow instead.'

Joey, who had been looking miserable, brightened. `Sure? Okay, but only if you wear that skirt!'

`You can count on it.' Joey got up to leave, then turned around and grabbed Kaede's arm, pulling her up with him. He put his arms around her waist and kissed her. Then left the room. `See you tomorrow then!'

`Bye!' She called after him, then went to her wardrobe to find an outfit for the evening.

After a while she decided to go with her new dark purple dress she had got just the other week. Kaede had so many fancy ball dresses because her grandfather had to go to so many of these stupid sit down dinners, and they insisted that she had to wear a different dress each time.

After tying her hair up in a curled bun so that it seemed to have disappeared, she was ready. She put on her long dark purple gloves that matched the dress and went downstairs.

Her grandfather was standing waiting for her in his tuxedo and monocle. He smiled and offered her his arm. Outside their front door was parked a limousine, sent by Kaiba Corp to pick them up. As Kaede and her grandfather climbed into the back of the limo, her grandmother waved goodbye from the front door.

`I hope Cinderella gets to the ball on time!' Kaede's grandmother called as the limo pulled out of their driveway and onto the road.

Kaede waved at her grandmother out of the window, then sighed as she leaned against the seat of the car. She knew that Cinderella would go to the ball, but the question was, would she enjoy it at all?

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