Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!.

Hello again, it's been so long.

My account has been sadly neglected, as I've been dealing with a ton of drama, disastrous relationship problems, schoolwork stress, music-related catastrophes, and persistent writer's block.

To be honest, I don't expect this to be my best work. It is morbid, yes, and it involves death and sadness and all that other good stuff. But it does have a comforting ending, if that redeems it any. And, as always, it is YamixTea.

I guess my goal is to be a well-known Revolutionshipping author on fanfiction. Like, my username, Atemusluckygal, associated with the gigantic archive of (dare I say) -decent- Yami/Pharaoh/AtemxTea stories. I dunno, but I hope it will lead to that, someday. In the meantime, I will just write what is on my mind.

Also, in the meantime, if you get bored waiting for my next chapter, or just bored in general - check out my new forum. For revolutionshippahs!

Chapter 1

Shit, thought Tea, as heavy rain suddenly began to pour.

At least now it's harder to tell that I've been crying, she mused, as tears continued to fall down her face and mix with the rain drops. Not like anyone would be out here, anyway.

Tea wasn't sure how she could be so unlucky at a time like this; amidst all her inner turmoil, she somehow managed to lock herself out of her own house, just in time for Domino's biggest torrential downpour of the season. In an attempt to get some fresh air after a night and a half of crying, she had nowhere to go but the harsh, wet, drastically cold outdoors in the early hours of the morning. After several loud, painful knocks on the door got no response from her parents, she had no idea what to do but to continue in her grieving–her mourning, in an environment that somewhat matched the interiors of her heart.

She didn't want it this way. There was no way in all that is holy that she wanted this to happen. Jared Grayson was a good man. He was a smart, attractive, hard-working kid that deserved to have a solid relationship with the girl of his dreams. A girl that he would love, and who would return his feelings just as passionately.

Tea Gardner just wished, with all of her pure heart and soul, that it didn't have to be her.

Of all the girls in Domino High–the pretty, smart, social girls who would have given a left limb to go on one date with Jared, Tea was the one that undoubtedly held his heart. The only problem was, however, that Tea did not requite his love. Unbeknownst to Jared at the time, Tea's heart indeed belonged to another...

She figured, if she had at least let him down more gently, or even gone on one date with the guy, then maybe...

...maybe he wouldn't have shot himself.

He didn't exactly leave a suicide note, but she knew it was because of her. Everyone knew. The news was devastating as it was shocking; even the English instructor shed a few tears as she delivered the sudden death of Jared Grayson the morning before. Almost everyone in the class was somehow involved with him–his fellow club member, personal friend, gym buddy, or various other activities shared. Tea herself met him in this very English course, which now stretched out into a long, slow, painful drag.

The worst part was that Tea knew, in her heart, that it was her fault that Jared was taken away from everyone; no, he took himself away from everyone. He simply could not handle her rejection, no matter how diplomatic she intended to be about it. She was the reason he has found nothing else to live for.

She felt that her life was traumatized, because she now had to live with that fact for the rest of her life. She was too young to experience such a distressing tragedy. Everyone is too young to have to go through that. But now, she has to live with the fact that she was a deciding factor on a person's life or death–someone who was much too young and gifted to die.

"Hey, Tea!"

Hmm... she knew that voice: a mature, deep, masculine voice that seemed to warm her from the inside out. It definitely wasn't Yugi.

The pharaoh? What was he doing at school?

"Hey Yami," she replied. "What happened to Yugi?"

"He was feeling a bit tired this morning; his grandfather had him run the shop late last night. I told him he could get some rest while I–"

"Oy, Tea!" a third voice interrupted. She knew this voice, too.

"Oh, hey Jared." She gave him a half smile and averted direct eye contact with him.

"Could we...?" he began, pointing a thumb over his shoulder. Tea briefly glanced at Yami, who in turn gave a small nod of understanding. She gave him an apprehensive smile as she turned and joined Jared at his locker nearby.

This wasn't, by far, the first of his attempts.

"I wanted to let you know something..."

Tea could feel Yami's eyes watching them curiously, though he was out of earshot.

"I really, really feel that we can connect with each other, and I have so much to offer you. You're beautiful, smart, and an exceptionally talented dancer...you're just a wonderful person overall..."

Tea continued to weep outside her house, in the pouring rain, not waiting for anything or anyone. By now, her hair, skin, and pajamas were completely soaked. Maybe, if she were lucky, she would get hypothermia, and die too. But no, it wasn't cold enough yet.

"Jared, please try to understand...you're a great guy but, I don't like you this way, and I don't think I ever could... we can still be friends..."

And yet, despite the tragic situation regarding Jared, Tea could not bring herself to stop thinking about the man that did have her heart, the one she thought of instead of Jared–the man of whom Jared had suspected near the end.

Tea turned her head slightly, seeing out of the corner of her eye that the Pharaoh was still standing there, waiting patiently.

"You like that Yugi kid, don't you?"

"No, Jared, you don't understand..." It was only half true.

"Don't lie to me Tea," Jared whispered through clenched teeth. Tea immediately tensed and was genuinely frightened that he was going to do something drastic. "You love him–"

"Jared..."

"–and I'm just not good enough for you."

"No..."

He looked away, a pained expression on his face. It broke her heart. She didn't want to hurt anybody like this.

"I see." He paused for a moment.

"Then I hope you find happiness in one's arms, even if they are not mine."

And with those final words she had ever heard from Jared again, he gently closed his locker, and walked away, sulking in a very unlike-Jared manner.

And, above all the dissonance, the bell had decided to ring, signaling the end of the nutrition break.

At least it was Friday.