Millenia Love

“You got her number?” Tristan exclaimed, “You actually got her number?” Yugi slapped his hand over Tristan’s mouth. We were in the middle of study hall, and, as usual, no one was studying.
“Tristan calm down!” he hissed, looking around, “Someone might hear you! Besides, I didn’t, get her number, Yami did.” Joey chuckled.
“Yami? Is that that the name of a guy who just scored big time?” he laughed. Yugi sighed.
“It’s a name of one of the bands I listen to. He was also talking to this psychic lady who told him that’s his name,” Yugi told them.
“Well, that’s strangely convenient, don’t you think?” Joey said sarcastically. Tristan nodded in agreement.
“It is kind of weird, but when I looked it up, it was a girl name meaning ‘people’, which doesn’t even make any freakin’ sense!” Joey and Tristan burst out laughing.
“Great,” I told Yugi, hand over my face, “now they’re gonna constantly bring up the ‘girl’ name.” Yugi sighed.
“It doesn’t matter, guys,” Yugi told them, “She got his number. Big damn deal.” Tea had turned her chair facing the window. She was still refusing to look at me. Yugi noticed this also, remembering to give me a cold see-what-you-did?-now-she-blames-me look.
“Tea, I never said any of that, it was…..” He gave a reluctant glance at Tristan and Joey, who were waiting to hear the name again, “Yami.” They chuckled. Tea just humphed.
“Thanks for throwing me under the bus, Yugi,” I told him sarcastically. He shot me another look.
“We’ll, I’m telling her the truth because she blames me for what you won’t apologize for,” he snapped.
“I guess so then,” I said. He glared at me.
“Just apologize!” He yelled at me, strangely only catching Tea’s attention. I replied with a no.
“She didn’t want to save Taura, and she was in serious trouble. The men had guns, Yugi, guns! Guns, and she still didn’t want to help,” I told him, “If I hadn’t had saved her, who knows how or where she’d be right now!” It was true, and Tea had no right to be mad. So I told her she needed to get a grip, big deal. Tea slammed her palm on the desk, catching the attention of several other students.
“Just because I appreciate friendship, unlike some people, it doesn’t mean I’m eager to throw myself at armed men!” She snarled at Yugi. He backed up a bit.
“Tea, I told you, it was Yami,” he whispered, noticing others turning to watch the unfolding scene. Tea stormed out of the classroom, and Yugi and I followed. We found her on the roof, overlooking the city in silent remorse. Yugi approached with silent footsteps.
“I don’t trust her,” she sniffled. Both Yugi and I were thoroughly surprised to see her so upset. “You heard what they said about her. It’s so obvious they don’t want us around, and honestly, I don’t want her around either.” Both of us were completely puzzled. Yugi made me take over. I stood there awkwardly awhile before I said anything.
“Why the sudden change of heart?” I asked, sincerely concerned, “That night she was kidnapped, you were so eager to meet the band! You acted like you wanted to be her best friend!” I was getting more and more confused as I realized what I’d said considering it was true. Tea still didn’t turn around.
“You saw how she made all the boys instantly fall in love with her,” she said with a monotone voice, “And how instantly they laid down their lives for her.” She looked past over her shoulder to give me a quick glance, somehow noticing me and Yugi had swapped places. So she was worried about me? But why would she?
“I’ve never really had friends like you guys before,” she had noticed Tristan and Joey had come up on the roof and were listening, when I hadn’t noticed. “I’ve never really had friends at all before. And in one night, she seemed to have won you all over. It was so quick. She made friends instantly, and it’s taken me all my life to find three great ones. I just don’t see how she could make a zillion friends just like that, and find good ones, too. It’s just not fair.” She sniffled again. It made sense why she changed her mind about Taura. Tristan, Joey, and Yugi were the only friends she’d ever had, plus me.
“So you’re jealous of her?” Tristan asked mindlessly. Joey whacked him upside the head. Tea stayed silent awhile.
“Yeah,” she said sheepishly, “I guess I am.” I sighed.
“Tea, I’m sorry I insulted you like that in the stairwell. We just had to do something,” I told her and smiled, “And we did. You got help.” She turned slowly back around. She had tears welling up in her eyes. Yugi took over.
“Don’t worry about Taura,” he told Tea, “The friends she has, most of them are only friends with her for selfish reasons. They’re not real friends.” Tristan walked over and scooped her up in a hug. Joey and Yugi surrounded them in another hug, and Tea laughed.
“I guess you’re right,” she mumbled, closing her eyes in her friends’ embrace.

“How am I going to call Taura? Her cousin is the only way I can see her again!” I had just realized I had another issue to deal with. Yugi was sitting on the park bench with Tea while Tristan and Joey, strangely enough, scared all the little kids in the vicinity away so they could play in the sandbox alone. Tea couldn’t see me, so she just sat there as Yugi seemed to talk to no one. When people would pass with puzzled looks, Tea would nod and pretend he was talking to her. Yugi shrugged.
“Just call her! What’s the worst that could happen?” Yugi sighed. I was pacing again.
“He could hang up, or tell me to get lost, or call the cops and tell them I’m stalking her-” Yugi interrupted me for about the billionth time that day.
“And what’s the best that could happen?” he asked nonchalantly. I opened my mouth to answer, but no words came out. The best that could happen? The best would be him telling me he wants me to hang out with his little cousin all I want and that he wants to give me a million dollars. Yeah, like that would ever happen. My face shifted from thoughtful to doubtful.
“Besides the fictional results,” he chuckled, “He’d just give the phone to Taura, maybe?” It was a possibility.
“Still, though, what would I say to her?” I asked, freaking myself out again, “Oh, hey Taura, just calling to ask you out!” I slapped myself in the face. Yugi flinched at the motion, which made a passing group of girls flinch.
“Gesundheit,” Tea said casually. The girls gave one last puzzled, look, and then scurried off in dismissal. Yugi relaxed and kept talking.
“There’s no need to get so worked up about this,” he told me at a lower volume. He paused awhile in deep thought, then gave me a half smile, “You really like her, don’t you?” I felt the blood rush to my face, but I didn’t mean to do it. I sat on the edge of the bench and sighed.
“Why do you think so?” I asked, my white flag waving at Yugi’s army of knowledge. I wasn’t even sure if I liked Taura the way Yugi was implying I did. Yugi just chuckled.
“Isn’t it obvious? It’s just the way you look at her,” He beamed, “And don’t even get me started on the way you talk to her, not to mention your blushing and flipping out on how to call her. I’d say you’ve been hit pretty hard.” That last part was a bit confusing.
“But I did that,” I told him. Yugi gave me a what-the-hell-are-you-talking-about look.
“What? No, that’s not what I meant,” he shook his head, “It was a figure of speech meaning you like her a lot and you can’t help it!” How could he tell?
“Well, how do you know the signs of this, liking, thing, situation…..thing?” I asked, pretty sure I had sounded like a bumbling idiot. He chuckled.
“Well, I would know,” He smiled mischievously. I returned the expression.
“Oh?” I asked, dragging out the question, “How so?” I had wiped the cocky grin right off his face. I got him. Well, so much for being an expert on love. He gave a couple of cut off noises and began to blush. He looked down, but I saw his eyes glance up at Tea then shoot back down to his hands. I smiled.
“Well, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’ve been hit pretty hard, too.” He gave a snort at his own words turned against him. A passing old couple gave him a strange look, and without missing a beat, Tea shoved a tissue in Yugi’s face.
“Try not to get your germs all over me,” she said, remembering to give the elderly couple a sweet smile dismissing her ‘sick’ friend. For some reason, they pulled out face masks, put them on, and kept walking. We three stared at their worn figures scurry off into the distance, strangely faster than before. After they’d disappeared, Joey and Tristan ran up to us, holding clumps of wet sand in their hands. They were panting, so Tea asked the million dollar question.
“Um, I’m kind of afraid to ask, but what IS that?” she said, holding her nose. It was then Yugi covered his nose too.
“It’s a good thing I’m a five millennia old spirit, otherwise that would really smell,” I smiled at Yugi.
“Shut up, Yami,” He realized his mistake when Joey and Tristan began uncontrollably laughing. Yugi slapped his forehead in shame. Tea asked again.
“Seriously, guys, where’d you find that?” Tea asked.
“We didn’t even have to go make mud pies, because they were already there,” Joey said excitedly, “Seems we scored more than the sand box when we scared those kids away.” They both gave us triumphant smiles, as if we should praise them, but Tea shot them straight down.
“You guys do know that what you’re holding aren’t mud pies,” She shot them a mischievous half smile, “So did you scare their cat away, too?” It took them awhile to register, but after awhile, horrified looks bleached their faces. They dropped the patties instantly and began frantically wiping their hands on the grass. Tea burst out laughing, and Yugi and I followed suit. They could be dorks, but we liked them anyways.
“Anybody could have mistaken that for a sand clump,” Tristan mumbled. Four little kids pounced from the bushes and ambushed Tristan and Joey. They began ravenously kicking their legs in sweet revenge. Those kids seemed to know what the ‘sand patties’ were, and I was right. As they ran away, our friends holding their throbbing shins, the group of kids chanted ‘idiots’ as they ran away. Joey stuck his tongue out at the direction they ran off to.
“We’re not idiots,” Joey called. Tea smirked.
“Of course not,” she told them sarcastically, “Only REAL men play in the sand box and mistake cat poop for mud pies.” She chuckled, and so did they.
“Well, why don’t you come and show us the difference?” Tristan asked. They inched closer, and then pounced.
“What the hell are you doing? Let me go!” she screamed as the tall boys toted her away over Tristan’s shoulder. She punched him in the back continuously, but he just kept going, unmoved by her attacks. Yugi chuckled at his friends.
“So what do you say?” he asked after awhile, “Are you going to call her?” I smiled.
“Sure,” I replied, “What’s the best that could happen?” He snorted at his own words again.

Ring. Yugi, Tristan, Tea, and Joey were sitting on the couches in Yugi’s living room, watching, waiting. Ring. Yugi’s spirit was sitting on the couch because I’d taken over to call Talfryn’s phone. Ring. They were waiting to see if he would pick up.
“Hello?” came a voice deeper than Taura’s. It was Talfryn. I gave a sigh, and my friends knew it was exactly who I’d feared it’d be.
“Um, hi, this is-” I shot a warning look at Tristan and Joey, “-Yami.” There was a pause.
“Yami who?” he replied gruffly. I stuttered.
“You know, Pharaoh? The guy Taura introduced you to at the Halloween party?” Another pause.
“Doesn’t ring a bell,” He replied icily. Was he trying to get rid of me?
“You know, the guy who-”
“Seriously, I don’t know anybody by that name,” He interrupted me, “Sorry, bro, wrong number.”
Click.
He’d hung up.
With every second I stared at that moaning phone, my heart slowed loudly in my ears. My friends gaped at me, all of them shocked by Talfryn’s rudeness. I slumped myself onto a chair, unable to breathe. Tea spoke up.
“Are you sure you dialed the right number?” She asked, “You could’ve had a digit wrong.” I shook my head. I’d spent a whole three and a half minutes dialing that number, afraid I’d mess up. One of the several things I’d scared myself silly over.
“Couldn’t be,” I mumbled, my face still frozen in shock. Tristan piped up.
“Maybe it wasn’t meant to be,” he said. We all stared at him, Tea appalled, Joey agreeing, Yugi worried, and me confused. “You can find someone better. Maybe she’s just too far out of reach.” He continued philosophically. I shook my head again.
“No way,” I mumbled, “I just wanted to talk to her again.” They exchanged looks. Just as Joey was about to say something, the phone rang. My heart began beating fast. Had Talfryn regretted hanging up and called back? Had he told Taura to call me? We all leaned over onto the coffee table and observed the caller ID. We read the digits, each one painfully slow, until it made up Talfryn’s number. I snatched the phone up and answered before I’d figured out what to say.
“Hello?” I’d answered, after clearing my voice. There was a giggle on the other side. Either Talfryn was creepily bipolar, or someone else was calling.
“Sorry about, Tal,” Taura replied, “I’d over heard him talking to Rio, and instantly called back. Thank God for received calls.” I was still silent.
“So,” I started hoarsely.
“So,” she copied, “What’s up?” I began to silently panic. Tristan whipped out a sharpie and a piece of paper and began vigorously writing. He held up the paper for me to read:
Say this: “Just thought I’d might call and take you up on your offer,” but say it smooth!
I guess Yugi told them about the police station. I wasn’t thinking straight and completely messed up the already obnoxious line.
“I was waiting for you to call and take me up on my offer,” All four of my friends’ eyes widened in shock and began frantically motioning for me to stop. But stop how? I’d already stumbled through the words. Taura chuckled.
“Oh really?” she said with slight mischief in her voice. I panicked more. I mouthed to my friends ‘what do I say now?’ Tea swiped the paper from Tristan, and crossed out his words. She began writing below it, and then she showed me her finished note:
Say this: “Well, actually, I wanted to see you again,” but make it clear YOU want to see HER. Joey was sitting next to her, and tried to take the paper away, but accidentally elbowed Tea in an awkward spot.
“Don’t touch my boob!” she hissed. Once again, I’d messed up even a simple line, only it was worse than before.
“Well, actually, I wanted to see your boob again.” I said quickly. I slapped my forehead, and my friends practically died there on the couch. Taura chuckled, and then burst out laughing. Her contagious laugh took all of us off guard. “I mean I wanted-”
“No, it’s cool, Pharaoh,” she giggled, “I know what you meant to say. I heard Tea.” Joey had written something else to say under Tea’s line, but just reading it frustrated me so much, I burst.
“Oh, for Pete’s sake!” I cried out, “Taura, will you go out with me next week?” My forwardness shocked me into silence.
“I thought you’d never ask,” Her voice smiled, “Friday at four?” I stuttered, and then agreed.
“Great!” she chirped, “Oh, and just for future references, don’t read things off of paper. It’s weirdly easier to mess up what you try to say.” How could she know we were using paper?
“Um, ok,” was all I could reply with, “Pick you up Friday?”
“Ok,” she chimed, almost dreamily, “See you then.”
We hung up.
My heart began beating loudly in my ears. I could feel my face burning, and I began to breathe hard. After a few moments of silence, we burst out cheering. I’d done it. I had a date with Taura. I’d survived her cousin’s tricky hang up. Tristan was wrong. This must be meant to be, otherwise Taura wouldn’t have called back and been waiting for me to ask. But it was just luck that she overheard her cousin. Well, maybe that’s a good thing. That means luck is on my side. Hopefully, it can stay with me long enough to figure out what Taura feels. And if luck stays with me, she’ll feel the same way….I hope.