Love and Rivalry

Chapter 11

Aria and Téa had stayed up late into the night talking. Aria hadn't realized how complicated things were with the Pharaoh, but of course it would be complicated if someone had feelings for a 5000-year-old spirit who didn't have his own body in which to inhabit.

So, on Saturday they slept in late, then headed over to the mall to shop and hang out. The boys wanted to join them, but Téa and Aria wanted it to be just them girls for once. Although they loved the boys dearly, it was nice to not have to put up with their childish antics for the day. Téa invited Aria to sleep over again, and Aria readily accepted. She knew she needed to go back to Riku's house eventually, so she simply enjoyed her time being away.

For Saturday night, they swore to no more talking of the men in their lives and instead stayed up watching chick flicks. Aria didn't know if that was worse. Watching a bunch of on screen romances made her yearn for her own. She had been perfectly content being single, but then Kaiba had come along and stirred up feelings in her that she had never felt before. And now having spurned his advances, it made Aria feel...lonely.

By Sunday afternoon, Aria knew it was time for her to go. She thanked Téa profusely for the amazing weekend. Leaving the apartment, she started the walk back to her stepfathers.

There was a bounce in Aria's step as she strolled down the streets of Domino City. She hadn't felt this light in years. She didn't realize how badly she had needed a friend. To pour her heart out to someone, even if only partially, had lessened the dark cloud that had hung over her head. Aria could now see some rays of sunshine poking through.

When Aria reached Riku's house (she refused to call it her home anymore), she walked right through the front door and immediately up the stairs. Not even stopping to give her stepfather a chance to corner her, or even seeing if he was home at all. Fortunately, the rest of Sunday passed by uneventfully, until bedtime when Aria had to prepare herself for her first full day at Kaiba Corp the next morning.

It seemed that whenever she and Kaiba found equal footing, something always seemed to come up and send them staggering. Aria wasn't sure they would be able to find that balance again after their last encounter. There was some solace in the fact that it would only be for the next couple of months. But still. Two months of five days a week seemed like a long time. Would she be seeing more of him now that she is working on his next special development?

Aria didn't have any answers. She almost wished she wasn't a member of the team, then Riku wouldn't have been able to blackmail her into stealing the plans. That was one question she really wished she had the answer for.

Monday morning dawned warm and bright. Aria thought that rainstorms and thunder clouds would have been more appropriate for the day. But thinking of rainstorms only reminded her of the shared limo ride to work with Kaiba, and how the rainwater had appealingly mussed his hair. Was there anything that didn't remind her of him?

Now Aria stood in the lobby of Kaiba Corp, facing the elevators. The same secretary who had stopped her before, called her over again to tell her to head straight to the 29th floor. One level below Kaiba's office.

How could she go from upbraiding Domino's most powerful CEO, to quaking in her boots at the thought of having to face him? Aria straightened her spine. She earned her place on this team and whatever happens in the next few months, nothing was going to change the fact that she was a good programmer. And she would do everything in her power to help Kaiba Corp bring about the next advancement in Duel Monsters.

Her resolve set, Aria joined a few people walking into an open elevator. She hit the button marked 29. After a few stops, it was just Aria left in the elevator. When it started to slow its ascent, Aria took a deep breath.