Love and Rivalry

Chapter 19

The room had gone silent again over Aria's proclamation.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Tristan queried. "I mean, he doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would willingly hand over evidence to his possible indictment."

"Do we even know what kind of evidence we're lookin' for?" Joey added.

Aria thought for a moment. "It has to be something connecting my stepfather with the mastermind behind this all. Once we know who that is, then we'll have something substantial to take to Kaiba."

Everyone nodded their heads in agreement.

"Well," Téa said, "Then we need a plan to break into his house and steal some evidence. Where would be the most likely place to look?" Téa asked, turning to Aria.

"His study, definitely," Aria responded.

"Then we break in there, grab whatever it is we're lookin' for and scat!" Joey said, jumping up while punching the air.

"Woah, hold on a second there," Tristan interjected. "You do know what we're going to do is highly illegal right? How bout we do it without anyone finding out."

"Right...that's what I meant," Joey said sheepishly.

Aria quirked an amusing brow as he sat back down. "I may have a way of getting in. We just have to make sure that Riku is out of the house."

"So, we stakeout the house, wait for him to drive away and then you make your move. If he comes back we shoot you a text," Joey explained nonchalantly.

Aria blinked at him in surprise. "Huh..." she said thoughtfully. "For being quite simple, it sounds pretty good actually."

Joey leaned back on the couch with his hands behind his head, a smug look on his face. "Hey, whattya expect? I'm more than just a pretty face."

A hand whacked him from behind the head.

"You mean more than pretty idiotic," Téa said irritatedly.

Chuckles rippled throughout the group as Joey uncomfortably rubbed the back of his head, while shooting Téa an annoyed glance.

"Well I guess that settles it then," Yugi said, speaking up for the first time. "This weekend we'll get that evidence and exonerate Aria's name."

Everyone but Aria nodded their heads in agreement.

"Hold up a second guys," Aria said with a raised hand. "As much as I appreciate your enthusiasm, you don't have to be involved with this. I am perfectly capable of doing this on my own."

Téa grabbed Aria's hand and pulled it down. "Haven't you learned anything about this group of friends by now?" Téa said sincerely. "We stick together, no matter what dangers might lie ahead."

Aria's eyes softened. "But Tristan is right, this is highly illegal. What if you get arrested because of me?"

"Hey, haven't you heard that old saying?" Joey asked, "A good friend may bail you out, but it's your best friend who's sitting in the cell with you."

A small laugh escaped Aria at Joey's logic. "I don't think that's a real saying Joe."

"Whatever, the point is we're your best friends Ari, so don't try and change our minds, it ain't gonna work."

Aria gave a reluctant nod. She wasn't used to having people help her, or having to depend on others for help. For the past five years, it had only ever been her, with no one around to go to in a time of need. Tears pricked her eyes as she wondered at the people sitting around her. After her mom had passed, Aria had stopped believing that someone would come along who cared about her as much as her mom did. Even with Kaiba now out of the picture, she was still not alone and surrounded by people who loved her.