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

Chapter 20: Rio's Talk With Darlene

"Oh my gosh! She collapsed! We should take her to the nurse right away!" A blue-haired girl said, going over to Darlene.

"Okay then, Rio take Darlene to the nurse now."

"Sure, Sensei." Rio picked up Darlene from the floor and walked to the nurse with her by her side.

~~~~~

Darlene's eyes began to flutter open and her eye vision was adjusting. She blinked and looked around the room. "Where am I and what happened?"

"Hi!" Rio called out and she was sitting down on a stool that was beside the bed that Darlene was laying down in. She dipped a cloth into a bowl of cold water and rubbed it against Darlene's forehead. "Remember in class, when the teacher randomly called on you to solve the rest of the math problem on the board? And you got up from your desk and tried to solve the math equation and you flat-out just collapsed right in the classroom. You had a panic attack." Rio explained further. "And after that, I took you to the nurse's office, where we're at now."

"Oh right." Darlene nervously giggled. "I had a panic attack. I got really nervous when I got called on by the teacher to solve that math problem and I felt pressured with everybody looking at me that I just completely lost it. It's hard since I have social anxiety."

"I can tell...you're a shy girl." Rio took the cloth off of Darlene's forehead and set it aside. "So are you feeling better now, Darlene?"

"Yes I'm feeling better--WAIT! YOU KNOW MY NAME!?" Darlene didn't expect for anybody to know her name--especially a popular girl like Rio Kastle.

"Of course I know your name. You're in my math class after all." Rio giggled.

"I'm sorry it's just that I don't expect for anybody to know my name...especially you, Rio... 'cause you're popular at school. I wish I was more like you; beautiful, outgoing, and "perfect" in every way."

Rio scoffed. "Popular!? I think not. There are just many guys that happen to crush on me a LOT. I have so much admirers these days but I have a boyfriend now that I'm dating, so I often ignore them now. I'm mostly known around school because my brother is well-known...His name is Reginald but everyone mostly calls him by his nickname "Shark" since he has a shark-type of deck he uses when he duels."

"Oh my gosh, I didn't know you had a brother! And his nickname is Shark? Wow that's cool!" Darlene took the blanket off of her and sat up on the bed. "I wish I had a cool nickname like him but I'm just plain-old Darlene."

"Don't worry about that! You shouldn't wish that you're someone else like me, with wanting good looks, popularity, and a perfect life. Let me tell you this...which will probably shock you," Rio Kastle got out of her seat and stood up--straight and tall--to look into her rosy-pink eyes. "I don't have either of those!"

Darlene Homes was even more shocked about what she was hearing from her. She put on her shoes. "I didn't do anything to change how I looked, this is how I naturally look. I don't go for attention, I don't go for popularity. I'm not a popular girl as you think I am. I don't have a perfect life either." Rio's eyes became watery with remembering flashbacks. "I've been through a lot, when I was little... I lost my parents in a car accident. And..." She closed her eyes, remembering the time when she was a Barian and died in the duel that she had with Vector. "A lot of stuff happened way after that, which people now probably wouldn't believe me if I ever told them it...it's a really crazy story, believe it or not. But now, things are going well for me."

Darlene was already curious about what Rio's crazy-unbelievable story was. I wonder what her unbelievable story is that sounds hard to believe? "What's your story if I may ask?"

Rio sweat dropped. I can't tell her about the story when I was a Barian. I don't think she would believe me. "Um...it's quite a long and complicated story. Maybe I'll tell you another time?"

"S-sure. That's fine with me."

"But Darlene," Rio picked up the light pink ribbon that was on the table. She tied the ribbon onto her bright pink hair. "Remember this, no matter what..you have to be strong." She smiled at her. "And don't wish to be someone else. Just be yourself. And you're already beautiful, Darlene. Everything bad will be behind you, the good things are on their way to come to you."

"Really?" Darlene smiled. "Thanks so much, Rio." She went to the entrance to the door to leave.

"You're most welcome. Have a nice day!" Rio saw Darlene walk away. Whatever it is, I know that she's been through a lot. I can tell by the look in her eyes that she's been hurt. I don't think she felt open about talking about it but whatever it is...I hope the best for her, whatever is going on in her life. I wish her the best, I wish her happiness in her life.