Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL: Heartland Academy [Yu-Gi-Oh Watty Awards 2019]

Chapter 21: Darlene Meets Shark (Part 1/2)

"Oh no, I'm going to be late!" Darlene got out of bed and quickly got dressed in her school uniform. She started running in the rain, then she got to the school and she tried opening the door. "Darn it...the door is locked!" She did a puffy anime sigh. "What is--?" She noticed that there was a paper taped to the next door that had Japanese writing in it. "There's no school today? How odd? I think it's because the school must be flooded from all this--rain." The minute that she said the word rain', there was a sudden crack of thunder and the calm sound of heavy rainfall falling down.

"Oh great." The pink-haired girl said sarcastically. She ran, splashing puddles around her. She stood behind the wall of Heartland Academy, outside of a field. "What will I do? I can't go back home now. Not with what everything that always happens and the stuff that he does to--"

A girl with black hair began approaching Darlene. "Hey there.."

Darlene widened her eyes. Oh no! Not her! Not Nadine. Not this again...I have to get out of here before she-- The girl had cornered her.

"Darla, long time no see." Nadine smirked at her. "It's been quite a while, why don't we duel?" She put on her duel gazer and took out her duel disk.

Looks like I have no choice. I have to try my best to win this time. Darlene got ready to duel. "So be it!" They dueled in the rain.

~~~~~

I'm only down to 1 life point. Thought Darlene, looking up at Nadine.

"You're so pathetic!" Nadine cackled. "You're going to lose like you always do!"

"Nope, not this time." Darlene moved her hand to activate her trap card. "I activate my trap card! And because of its effects, it means that I win the duel."

"WHAT!?" Nadine's eyes shrank in surprise. "NO! That can't be--" She fell down, losing the rest of her life points.

I did it, I finally won. A small grin formed on Darlene's lips. She then proceeded to walk away in order to avoid anymore interactions with Nadine.

"Where do you think you're going?" Nadine went in front of her.

"Away from you."

"No you're not." Nadine pushed Darlene, making her fall down on a wet puddle of rain. She started fighting her by punching her. "You can't win against me in our duels 'cause I'm STRONGER than you! You just can't! And you're weak!" She slapped her. "And no one likes you!"

Someone from the sidewalk was watching the fight. Darlene held back her tears as she got hit. She closed her eyes, waiting to be hit. Nadine raised her hand, about to slap her again but was stopped by a guy holding her arm back.

"Leave her alone!" The guy said. "Stop hitting her!"

Nadine turned around and saw a boy with purple hair. Oh no it's Shark.  I'm going to call it quits for now since I don't want to get on his bad side. "Fine." She said, then Shark let go of her arm and she walked away.

Shark looked down at Darlene and he pulled his hand out for her.

Darlene thought for some seconds if Shark looked like the type of person that she could trust, she then took his hand. "Are you okay?"

Darlene was back on her feet. "Yeah I'm fine," She faked a smile.

"Are you hurt?"

"N-no." Darlene said. "I'm fine." She began walking.

"Hey what's your name?"

"My name is Darlene."

"Darlene? Well my name is Reginald, but you can call me Shark if you want."

"Oh okay." Darlene didn't seem interested, so she kept on walking.

Shark took out his umbrella and followed her. "Stop following me. Leave me alone!" Darlene started running to lose Shark out of sight.

Shark began running after her. "Wait!"

Even when Darlene was running out of breath, she didn't bother to turn back. She wasn't paying attention so she slipped over a puddle of water and fell against Shark, who caught her in his embrace.

"Are you alright, Darlene?" Shark asked.

Darlene blushed, because she felt safe in Shark's embrace. It made her feel warm and happy in the inside, a feeling that she hadn't had in the longest. "I'm... okay."

"Why does that girl bother you?"

"You mean..." Darlene stopped blushing and snapped back to her senses. She got out of Shark's embrace. "Nadine?"

"Yeah, Nadine. The girl that you dueled? Why was she fighting you? "

Darlene frowned. "It doesn't matter anyways, she always does that. She forces me to duel her and she bullies me."

"She bullies you? Why don't you tell her to stop?"

"I have. I've tried but she doesn't listen to me."

"Well if that girl bothers you again, just let me know and I'll take care of it. I'll help you."

"Help?" Darlene stepped back into the rain, not caring that she was going to get wet. "I don't need your help. I'm fine! I can handle it by myself!" She stormed off.

Shark stood there in the rain speechless, while holding his umbrella, watching Darlene disappear off into the magical mist of the rain.