'Love or Pretend?'

Sorry about the wait, guys. I've been through a lot lately with school ending and a bunch of other things—but I'd rather not go into details with the whole situation. Anywayz, I'm dedicating this chapter to total fluff for Joey and Tea because I think it's time we have a really good chapter between these two; just like in chapter 12 and 14. Hope you enjoy!

WARNING: TOTALLY JOEY/TEA FLUFF!

Chapter twenty: The unforgettable memory

Joey and Tea held each other on the edge of the sidewalk for a few moments until the brunette finally broke free from her boyfriend's warm and caring embrace. She wanted to stay like that forever—happy, content and completely safe in Joey's strong arms—but the confused and stressed-out blue-eyed teenage girl realized that they couldn't, no matter how good it felt.

"Joey…" her voice emitted out barely, sounding weak and frail, after she finally let go of him. "You don't know how glad I am to see you."

'I dink I've got uh pretty good idea of how much,' Joey said to himself through his mind, wondering if Yugi had told Tea about his crush on her. "Sorry I'm uh little late—I accidentally got caught into something back at Tristan's house and I almost lost track of time."

"What happened? Did Serenity call or something? Is she okay?" her voice was full of concern and still some sadness, but knew it really wasn't entirely for Joey or Serenity at the moment.

"No, it's wasn't Serenity. She's fine." The blonde smiled slightly at his girlfriend, remembering that Tea and Serenity had become quite close during the Battle City Finals and formed a special bond together as friends. "It was nothin' important, but I'll tell ya 'bout it later."

A small smile formed on Tea's lips as well. She was happy about being with Joey again, though more importantly she was glad about being away from Yugi and Yami, strangely, for once. After everything that had happened between the three of them Tea didn't know how she was going to be able to confront them "normally" again. With Yugi telling her that he loves her—and always had—plus, Yami trying to make her admit there was something she was 'hiding from them,' all Tea wanted to do now was—

"So are ya ready ta go out now?" Joey interrupted her thoughts in a daze that was beginning to look lost and almost lifeless.

"Huh?" the brunette teen asked, still trying to snap out of her own thoughts. "What did you say, Joey?"

"I said are you ready ta go out yet? Don't you remember we have uh date tonight?"

"Oh…that…" Tea's words drifted away from her quietly, making Joey feel a little disappointed. "I completely forgot about it."

"Do ya still wanna go out tonight?" he couldn't resist in asking. "Or should I just drive ya home for da night?"

She thought about it for a minute and then gave him her answer, striking a great idea. "Yeah, I think I'd like to go home…but I want you to stay with me." A second smile came on her lips, larger with excitement, amusement and curiosity building up.

Joey's eyebrows furrowed in confusion and suspicion, trying to figure out what Tea was talking about. "Okay, I'm confused now. What are ya talkin' about?"

Tea rolled her eyes at him and giggled. She wrapped her arms around his back again, and Joey placing his back on her waist, staring into those caramel brown eyes that she loved so much, wanting to be held by him like this forever. (A/n Awww…) "I want you to come back to my house with me and stay a while. We can sit on my porch couch, talk until we both tired and then—"

"What 'bout you're parents? Won't they be home?"

"No, my parents won't be home tonight or tomorrow. You see, late last night my dad got a call from work to fly back to New York for something 'vitally important' and I insisted to my mom that she should go with him because they haven't had any 'alone' time together in over 3 months. They agreed and now I'm home alone for the next 2 days."

"Man, dat reminds me of every time my dad isn't around because he's doin' God only knows what. At least when you're parents leave da house ya know dat they're doing a good cause by workin'. You're really lucky ta have parents dat care about ya, Tea."

Tea couldn't help but sarcastically laugh a bit because she knew it wasn't all that it's cracked up to be with her parents always being gone on business trips even though she knew that they loved her very much, but then she put on a pitied look for Joey. He also knew what it was like to be home alone a lot—though in a worse way. His dad was always out getting drunk and partying at bars, while her parents were always traveling around for their jobs—as similar as their situation were they were also worlds of difference. Though it was one whole constant cycle of being home alone, with nothing ever really changing and desiring there to be.

"I know…I'm sorry about your dad, Joey. You know I'd do anything to make you feel better about that, but…I guess I haven't always shown that, have I?" She remembered back before they were friends telling him that there probably wasn't anyone on the whole earth who cared about him and how he wouldn't let anyone get close to him because of that reason.

"What—? Of course ya have, Tea. You've always been there whenever I needed ya—don't you forget dat."

"And so have you for me." She reached up on her toes slightly and gave Joey a light kiss on the cheek, making him blush for a quick moment and grin happily.

(10 minutes later…)

Tea walked up the familiar porch steps of her house and turned around to wait for Joey, who was still locking up her car down on the driveway. She figured that he would agree to go to her house if her parents were away for the night. And even though Tea wasn't intentionally trying to get her parents out of the house to be with Joey alone she was glad that they were gone for the time being, because at this moment all she wanted to be with was Joey and no one else.

He came running up the step so fast that Tea almost lost her balance, flinging her arms around everywhere. She laughed out loud humorously once she was back up and said to him, "Joey, are you trying to kill me or what?"

"Sorry," he smiled nervously with his eyes closed, scratching the back of his head. "I guess I got a little excited there for uh second."

The brunette walked up to him slowly and said, "Just for a second? I thought you were always excited to be with me."

Joey stared at her, not sure of how to answer her for a minute and replied, "I am! Don't try and get me all confused here, Tea. We've only been here for 2 minutes."

"Oh, but it's just so easy and fun to do when it comes to you, don't you know that by now?" she continued to playfully toy with him.

The blonde walked up to her, smiled softly while kissing her on the cheek and holding her around the waist. Tea felt a slight tingle of his kiss on her cheek with excitement and bliss, the same feeling of wanting to be with him like this forever. She couldn't describe the feeling exactly though—it was weird, but so wonderful. It was still somewhat bizarre how they went from best friends to a couple. The memory of them just becoming friends in the first place was still completely fresh in her mind after all this time.

"Hey, Joey?"

"Yeah?" he responded as he let go of out her, though holding her hands gently in his.

"Do you still remember the day we became friends?"

"Do I? How could I forget? Dat's uh day dat I'll never forget."

"Yeah…me too…"

FLASHBACK…

Tea

Freshmen year at Domino High had just begun and as usual Tea was dying to get out of there so she could just get home, slip into her pajamas watch movie alone before her mother got there to cook dinner. She walked up the steps of her house, unlocked the door and opened it, then went into the dark living room. After she dropped her yellow backpack into her room she went to the kitchen for a snack. As Tea approached the refrigerator she noticed a note stuck on it a magnet so she picked it up and it read to herself:

Hey sweetheart,

Sorry that I didn't see you this morning, but I hope you had a good day of school today. I won't be able to make dinner tonight because work is making me stay late for the new interns arriving in the night session and they need someone to show them the ropes around the office building, you know how it is. Anyways, you're on your own for the night and your father and I will probably see you tomorrow morning before you go to school. So if you go out tonight be home before 10:00 and don't invite anyone over without calling me on my cell or if you have an emergency. Take care, honey!

Love,

Mom

Tea couldn't help but roll her eyes and smile. Her mom always sounded the same—even in a note—with the whole 'I love you, sweetheart' and 'I'm sorry that I'm not here right now' speeches. And although it's sweet to know from parents, why did they constantly talk say it? Probably because they were always gone!

"Great…" the brunette sighed out and rolled her eyes again. "Now what am I suppose to do?"

She wasn't in the mood for cooking dinner and didn't have enough money to order a pizza. So Tea thought about what to do for a few moments until an idea was struck in her head. "I know what I can do…" she whispered to herself softly and grabbed her pink purse before going out the front door and locking it on her way out into town.

Joey

"Tristan, I already told ya dat I'm not goin' out tonight so give it uh rest already, will ya?" Joey told his best friend over the phone.

"But why not, man?"

"Because I'm too tired ta go out with ya right now. We did just spend 7 hours at school—so I'm beat."

Tristan expressed an indigent look before replying to the blonde. "From what? You slept 6 out of the 7 hours in all the classes. And the only reason why you didn't sleep the whole time was because of lunch." 'Heaven forbid ya missed lunch one time and then the whole world would come crashing down on you.'

Joey made a silly and stupid laugh over the phone causing Tristan to merely roll his eyes until he was done. "I know. That was pretty funny, wasn't it?"

"I had to wake you up every time a teacher came close to you so you wouldn't break the world record of 'Most Detentions Ever Given.' So—no—it wasn't funny at all."

"Aw, relax bro. I was just messin' with ya. You know I'm only tryin' ta get a rise out of ya."

Tristan walked over to his family's living room, plopped himself on the brown leather couch they had and sighed heavy. "Yeah, I know, man. Makin' my life harder is your main thrill in life."

"Isn't it da truth though?" Joey flashed a sarcastic smile and then giggling for a moment at himself.

"So what are you goin' to do instead of hangin' out with me this afternoon?" The brunette teen made an attempt to stop Joey from driving him crazy.

"I dunno. I was thinkin' about doin' something in town before my dad gets home—whenever dat may be," Joey tried to shrug off the cold feeling he felt for his father.

"But that's just what I asked you!" Tristan couldn't help but explode into fury. "And you told me no!"

"Yeah, I know." Joey playfully brushed off his friend's outrage and sounded completely calm over the phone. "But I also said dat I didn't wanna go hang out with you right now."

"Uh—I think ya lost me there in that last part." Tristan eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he scratched the back of his head.

"I'm not in da mood ta hang out with ya tonight. I kinda wanted ta be by myself for uh little while and see what goin' on in town."

"Let me get this straight—you'd rather be by yourself, in town, and not hang out with anyone at all, including me?"

"Well, I don't necessary wanna be alone the whole time… I guess. I just wanna go out for uh little while. Do ya mind?"

"Do whatever ya want, bro. I'll see ya tomorrow at school." Then Tristan hung up the phone before Joey could even get a word in.

The blonde teen placed the telephone back on its hook and said out loud, "So where should I go?"

Together

"Here's your order, miss, and thank you for coming to Domino City Café." Tea gave a slight smile at the waitress handing her the drink while sitting comfortably on one of the café's many couches and then sipping it slowly.

The brunette girl looked back down at the book she was reading called 'Dreamland' by Sarah Dessen when suddenly she heard someone standing nearby, calling out her name. "Tea, is dat you?"

Tea immediately lifted her head up to be locked in eye contact with none other than: "Joey! What are you doing here?"

Joey gave out one of his genuine, warm-hearted smiles that almost wanted to make Tea smile back—but she didn't. She knew what kind of guy he was and Tea wasn't going to fall for his act like Yugi unfortunately did. Joey was jerk, a school bully and worst of all—he hurt her best friend. The brunette was, however, grateful to hear that Joey had retrieved Yugi's Millennium Puzzle, but that was only after he threw it into the dam in town himself. Joey couldn't be trusted, at least not until he could prove himself to her that he was really being a true friend to someone.

"What?" The blonde's smile slowly faded away as he replied to Tea. "I just came here to get something to drink. I didn't except to see you here."

"I'd have to say the exact same thing about you." Her answer was as cold as when she first met him face to face after he and Tristan tried to steal Yugi's Puzzle away. "I never thought I would actually see you in a place like this."

Joey placed a hand on his heart, pretending to look like his feelings had been hurt. "Well I am shocked ta hear dat, Tea. Maybe if ya got ta know me better you'd see dat I'm uh sensitive and carin' guy—probably just like the ones you hang out with."

Tea shot him a glare after he said that and sit down next to her on the emerald green couch. "You know what; I'll try to remember that the next time I see you trying to steal lunch money from students smaller than yourself and Tristan."

Joey rolled his eyes at the brunette and sighed. "When are ya ever goin' ta get over dat stuff? It's not like I'm really hurtin' anyone. I'm just playin' around and havin' uh little bit of fun—besides, I don't really do dat stuff anymore now dat I'm friends with Yugi."

Tea shook her head in disbelief with her anger towards him rising. "See this is why I can't believe Yugi would ever agree ta be friends with, Joey. You're mean, selfish, and completely heartless to others."

"Completely heartless ta others?" he questioned her statement quickly. "Is dat what you see in me, Tea? Ya think I'm uh completely heartless guy because I goof in high school with a bunch of other guys."

The teenage girl closed her book, set it down, and made eye contact with Joey once again to get his full attention. "You don't goof off, Joey—you upset people when you make fun of them or take their stuff. Your actions have consequences—and I'm not going to be apart of them. You may have gotten Yugi to join your little joy ride, but eventually he's going to see you the way I do."

"And how do you see me?" Joey tried inching closer to her while she moved away.

"You want the truth?" her left eyebrow arched up slightly.

"Yeah," he said steadily and calm. "I'd like ta know what ya really think of me."

Tea waited a moment to speak and then gave him her reply. "Joey…Yugi told me about your dad and how he's never around for you because of the things he does, and I can understand that's why you're a little troubled, but you don't have to be. I mean, I've seen you steal lunch money countless times, tear up things without getting caught in the classrooms, and make more trouble for yourself than you need because of that big mouth of yours…but I've also seen other things in you, too." Joey was surprised to hear this as she continued to speak her mind. "You saved Yugi's Millennium Puzzle from the dam that you threw it in and gained his friendship for it. You're a brave, honest and determined person; I noticed that the first time I met you—but you don't bad things just because of those reasons and your father mistreating you. I know deep down inside, where I'm not upset with you, that you have a good heart because you wouldn't have one if you didn't get back Yugi's Puzzle. So I just want to know that if you're going to be Yugi's friend that you'll use that same good heart as before from now on. 'Cause if you hurt him, I'll never forgive you for it."

Tea wanted to see what Joey was going to say next as he had his head down for a few moments and looked back up to smile at her. "Ya know dat's probably gotta be da nicest thing I've ever heard anyone say ta me since I last saw my little sister, Serenity—before our parents got divorced. Thanks, Tea. I won't forget what you just said ta me now."

And for the first time ever Tea actually gave a smile to Joey and said sincerely, "You're welcome."

The blonde was just about to say something else when they were interrupted by the same waitress Tea had seen before. "Um, please excuse me, miss, I didn't mean to bother you and boyfriend, but I was wondering if he wanted something to drink as well."

"No, actually, he's not my boyfriend," she answered, touching Joey's arm with her hand while looking up at her and then holding it back again into her lap. "He's just—just a friend, that's all."

"Oh," the waitress replied quietly. "Well, can I get you something anyway, sir?"

He glanced over at Tea, who was looking away at the moment, before turning his attention over. "Yes, ya can. I'd like a medium size vanilla latte."

"Coming right up," and then the waitress turned her heels and left.

Joey turned back to Tea and gave her a confident look. "So, uh friend, huh? I could get use ta da sound of dat."

She blushed at his words and tried hard not to smile, but wasn't able to succeed. "I—uh—well, what was I suppose to say? That you're friends with my best friends, but we 'somehow' ended up sitting together in coffee shop late one afternoon?"

"Dat would have been da truth…or would it?" The blonde eyed the brunette strongly, with nothing holding him back.

"What do you mean?" her face gave off a slightly worried expression.

"It's up to you, Tea. Would ya like ta be my friend or not?"

Tea took a closer look into Joey's brown eyes and stared at him softly. "Why would you ask me something like that?"

"Because dat's what I've always wanted since ya left me at da bus station dat one time, do ya remember? You and Yugi taught me somethin' dat I never thought I would learn, and because of dat reason I want ya ta be my friend, just like Yugi is now."

"But what did I teach you?" the brunette was oddly intrigued by him and wanted to move closer to him, though didn't quite yet.

"You taught me what it meant ta be uh true friend ta someone. You were right about me before. I didn't really care about anyone because I had been through so much as uh kid. My dad got hooked on alcohol so my mom decided ta divorce him. Den my sister was forced ta leave with her without us even being able ta say goodbye. And I just felt so alone inside—like no one could understand what I was goin' through."

Tea finally moved over to Joey and rubbed his shoulder for comfort, the feeling of guilt washing all over her. "Wow…I had no idea, Joey. I am so sorry that I said all those things to you. I—I didn't really mean to say them; I was just so upset that you and Tristan pushed Yugi around so much. Sometimes my emotions get the best of me when I'm angry."

"No," his voice was saddened and felt guilty. "You've got no reason ta apologize. I was uh jerk ta Yugi…and ta you. And neither of ya deserved it so I'm the one who should be sorry."

The teenage girl couldn't believe her ears. What she saw, what she heard, what she felt were feelings that she never thought possible for a street smart, school bully at Domino High School. Joey looked so upset and honest with what he was saying that she wasn't sure if it was really real or not. 'Wow…I never thought in a million years I would see Joey like this. He's acting so honestly, so kindly, so real. It's almost like he's not even himself anymore. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think he's truly being sincere with me. Joey Wheeler wants me to be his friend—words I never thought I'd say.'

"Joey…you really are sorry, aren't you?" her blue eyes pierced into his own deeper than before, wanting an honest answer from him.

"Yeah, I am. I really am sorry for what I did ta you and Yugi."

"And you want me to be your friend too?"

"Would ya get mad at me if I said yes?" he asked, looking more up at her.

Tea sat there in silence because she didn't know what to say; the expression on her face could almost show the struggle she had to decide on an answer.

'God, now what do I do? 15 minutes ago I would have said that Joey Wheeler is the lowest scum on earth, and now I'm deciding whether I can accept him as friend. Am I going crazy or is this all just a dream? No, if this was dream he would look cuter than this—oh, but what should I do? I think I'm beginning to see a side of Joey that possibly no one's ever seen before—the side of his true self that's blocked off from the rest of the world and now he's opening up to me for the purpose of trying to be my friend. I've never seen anything like this before—at least not with Joey. Though…Yugi was willingly to be his friend by proving his worth so…maybe I could be his friend after all…'

"All right," she nodded her head softly in agreement. "I will."

"Ya will what?"

She rolled her eyes playfully and grabbed his hand gently, holding it in her own. "I'll be your friend."

"You will!" Joey almost screamed out in joy.

"Yes," she answered him again, smiling sweetly.

"Tea, you're da best!" Joey yelled into the entire café, but didn't care as he pulled the brunette so close to him by the waist in a hug that they almost kissed on the lips—if it wasn't for her hand pressing up against his chest they would have—gazing deeply into each other's eyes.

"Are you sure you two aren't boyfriend and girlfriend?" the waitress came over with Joey's drink and placing it down on the glass table in front of them.

Joey and Tea untangled themselves from one another and blushed furiously while people all around them stared, whispering and smiling right in front of the two.

"Nope, we're just friends," the blonde answered the waitress as he smiled at Tea, her doing the same. "Hopefully really good friends."

"I think we will be, Joey. I think we will be."

FLASHBACK END! (A/N Wasn't that so cute! That was a total Joey/Tea moment right there when Joey hugged her! Oh, I hope you guys really liked that part.)

"Yep, dat's definitely uh day I could never forget, but I wouldn't wanna either."

Tea rested her head on Joey's shoulder, sitting on the porch couch, and asked, "And why is that?"

"Because dat was the day I became friends with da one of the most important people in my life and cared for so much since den." He smiled, kissing her left temple and closing his eyes for a brief moment with her in his arms.

The blue-eyed girl lifted herself off of her boyfriend and cupped her hands in his cheeks seconds later, wanting to remember this moment with him. "Joey, you have given me a friendship that, at first, I wasn't even sure was completely possible for you and me because of how you used to be. But I had faith in us and all our friends, remembering all the good things you had done for Yugi, and if I had to go back and do it all over again I would without even blinking."

Joey moved closer to her face and kissed Tea gently on the lips; the kiss returned instantly as they held each other as close as possible. When she broke the kiss the brunette could do nothing but whisper out an "I love you" to him and rest her head on his chest while he had her in his arms.

"I love you too, Tea. I love you so much," the blonde breathed out softly and then they sat like that for the rest of the night, gazing up at the stars, thinking of their love together.

Previews for the next chapter:

Yami speaking: "You still love her, don't you, Yugi?"

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Seto talking to Tristan: "Why don't you just give it up already? Your friend's relationship with Tea is never going to last…and I think we both know that because of how Yugi feels towards her."

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That's it for now, reviewers! Thank you SO much for the long wait! I promise the next chapter won't take as long to update.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW!