Alabama Boy (Jaden Yuki x Jesse Anderson)

A new start?

A ship arrived and dropped off the new Duel Academy transfers. Jesse was nervous and he could feel his palms sweating and anxiety building up in his chest as he stepped foot onto Duel Academy island. 'No more beatings and bruises' Jesse thought to himself as he deeply took breaths and tried to suppress his anxiety. He couldn't calm down his heart rate, he felt as if he was going to faint or have a heart attack anytime soon. He was met with some staff that escorted the transfers to the school building and showed them around. He felt paranoid for no reason and he felt like students were staring at him from time to time. Jesse decided to disband from the other transfers and found his way up the stairs to the roof. He stood up there and glanced around at the island view. It looked pretty peaceful. Jesse was thinking and he wasn't sure if he could leave the past behind him now and move on. He thought he'd just be the same. An outcast and locking himself away from everyone because he didn't want to get hurt.

Suddenly, in the corner of his eye he spotted a boy who seemed to be passed out far behind him on the roof.
He was wearing a red jacket of the lowest rank here. As Jesse walked over to him he seemed to be waking up. "Hey? Are ya' okay over there?" Jesse asked him. "Yeah.. I'm fine" He responded rubbing the back of his head. "Just had a strange dream... Wait, who are you?" He asked. "The names Jesse Anderson! I just transferred here" Jesse told him before holding his hand down to the boy and helping him up. "I'm Jaden Yuki! Welcome!" He replied and we shook hands. He's the first person Jesse's talked to here and Jaden seems alright but he's yet to know what anyone else here was like. They sat down next to each other on the edge of the roof and started talking.

-Jesse's POV-

"So, where'd you come from?" Jaden asked. "Alabama in the Southern part of America" I replied. "Nice! What was it like there?" He asked. I wasn't sure what to say since my life's been terrible while living there and I didn't want to tell him too much. "Eh, it's not that bad but I'm just happy I got away from there" I replied. "Whys that?" He asked. "It's personal..." I told him.
"Oh, okay. I understand" He replied.
I wasn't ready to tell anyone about my life yet and I had only just met this guy, so I wasn't gonna let him in on my personal life. I don't wanna be judged again like I always am. I don't know why everyone hated me. At school I always showed up with bruises and no one cared or said anything about it. They just stared or laughed. Right now I still have some recent marks on my arms, chest and my back from my last abusive foster parents. They will be my last. I refuse to ever leave this place no matter what. Somehow I always end up with horrible people and they beat me whenever their drunk and even when their sober. I don't know what I did to deserve any of it. Even at this age I wasn't able to fend for myself. I'm just a worthless, defenseless 17 year old that only knows how to duel. Duelling is the only thing that made me happy not that anyone really ever wanted to duel me. Mostly because I was disliked and I was actually better at duelling than anyone I ever did face.

I noticed Jaden look at me in concern and I wasn't sure why. "Why ya' lookin' at me like that?" I asked.
He moved closer to me and slightly pulled down my blue vest along with my long sleeved shirt down my shoulder and I couldn't bring myself to stop him because he already knows now. My shirt uncovered purple and some brown faded bruises on my shoulder that lead down my arm.
My eyes started to sting and I gritted my teeth and closed my eyes as tears started to fall down my cheeks. I felt him suddenly pull me into his embrace and start rubbing my head.
I felt embarrassed since I just met him and I'm crying in front of him and he's seen my bruises. I didn't want anyone to know about them but Jaden seems supportive towards me...
"Do you wanna talk about this? I'm always here to listen" He said.
I cried into his shoulder. "N-not right n-now" I said before backing up a little from him and wiping away the tears.

Sometime later I tried to make myself presentable again and was introduced in front of the whole school by Viper.
A very suspicious man but I didn't think about what evil intentions he could have. It's not my place to get involved, plus I already know that Adrian Gecko guy was already looking in to him. I had been late before I was introduced and I could feel everyone's eyes piercing into my soul. But that Jaden's eyes... his didn't look at me with a murderous intent. His eyes shimmered brightly and didn't make me feel intimidated or unsafe. As for the others, fire burned in their eyes and made me feel like that if I looked at them. I felt like his eyes were the only eyes I wanted to look into. At that moment I wanted to have tunnel vision for him. Why am I feeling like this? It's not a normal feeling. It's just like he's an angel in a school full of devils. What am I saying? I don't even understand myself right now...
I just have a strange feeling... that's all.
Dunno what it is though...

It was now the evening and I was in my room in the obelisk blue dorm.
It was nicer than any room I had moving homes around the state.
I never had as much as a bed, drawers for my clothes and my deck. I heard whispering coming from just outside of my door and I went over and listened in. "This is that Alabama kids room, right?" A student asked their friend. "Yeah, it is. Do you know what they do in Alabama?" The other asked while giggling. "I heard they do incest" one laughed. I felt frustrated just hearing that. They don't really know.
Man, I hate stereotypes... I know nothing ever happened in my family like that and I wouldn't be involved with it anyway. I hate my family.
It's better being here than physically abused all the time. People are probably going to assume some things about me but I don't care. I'll have to put up with it I guess... I don't even wanna be in this dorm right now.
Maybe I could go stay in the red dorm with Jaden? He wouldn't mind. I waited awhile until the whispering stopped and I exited the blue dorm and went outside and walked to the red dorm. I have no idea which room he could be in... Suddenly a door opened in front of me and Jaden walked out. "Thought I heard something. Watcha' doing over here this late?" He asked. "I just didn't wanna sleep in the blue dorm and I could hear people talking about me" I told him. "Oh, come in!" Jaden said gesturing me to go inside. I went in and his friends seemed welcoming. Syrus Truesdale, younger brother of Zane Truesdale... and this Hassleberry guy. They were cool. A bit nicer than expected.

"Hey, uhm... is it okay If I sleep here tonight?" I asked. "Sure it is! There isn't really anywhere else you can sleep... so you can uhm.. sleep next to me" Jaden said. "O-okay" I responded.
It got later and everyone got into bed and I got in beside Jaden. It was kinda awkward but I guess I felt better.
I faced the wall and I felt like I had eyes on me and I looked back and I was right. I met with Jaden looking into my eyes with his beautiful angelic ones. "Hm?". "I just uhm... uhm..." Jaden couldn't get any words out of his mouth but our eyes were like glued together. I looked at him confused and he just awkwardly smiled. It was quiet and I could hear his heart beating really fast and he looked nervous now. "I can hear ya' heart beatin' pretty fast" I pointed out to him. "I- hehe" He blushed. He looked really cute right now but I dunno why I think that. I couldn't keep myself from telling him that.
"You look cute" I told him. His cheeks lit up even brighter. "Anyway, we should go to sleep now" I said and I turned back around to face the wall.
I wanted to turn back around but things were already kinda awkward.
I wanna look back into those angelic eyes if his... Right before I fell asleep I felt an arm around me and breathing down my neck and then I fell asleep.