Thank you: Winged Wolves, Raku Ozzarian Princess, Kai-cutie-angel, Nekomoongirl, Moon Bind, Vampyre Neko, Ladyfiction, Svart Mirai, Songs make me cry, and Forfirith-on-a-sugar-high!

You guys get Falborg and Wolborg plushies! Oh, and for Winged Wolves: --smiles real widely-- Of course we can be friends! =D

Enjoy the chapter, everyone!

Disclaimer: T-T Stop interrogating me with such idiotic questions. If I DID own Beyblade, then Kai and Rei would be making out in every episode and Tala and Bryan would always be occupied with each other, right? But, as seeing that it didn't happened yet… I don't own Beyblade… x.x

Stuck – Chapter 2

I opened my eyes reluctantly, realizing that I'm not in the kitchen anymore. Where am I anyway? I remembered something about dashing inside the kitchen because---that's when it hit me like wheelbarrow of bricks. I sat up; when I realized that I was in my bedroom, with Rei pacing back and forth on the floor. I raised one of my precious eyebrows in confusion.

"Umm Rei, if you keep on pacing back and forth like that, you'll create a big hole there."

Rei turned towards my way, and then wrapped me in a bone-crushing hug, literally. I could have sworn that I broke a few ribs and there…

"Tala! Oh thank god, you're awake! I was so freaked out when you just suddenly collapsed out of nowhere…" he kept on babbling, while my usual pale complexion was turning into a nice shade of blue, like the colour of my eyes.

"Uh… Rei… you might want to let go of me, please? I… really can't breathe properly right now…" I managed to gasp out, until he FINALLY let go of me, letting me breathe of my own free will.

I could obviously see that Rei was… let say on the verge of tears that he almost killed me with asphyxiation, and then he kept on apologizing every five seconds. At first I'm really grateful that I had a best friend like Rei… but then hearing him apologize every five seconds, it was starting to annoy me one bit. Finally, he managed to be quiet when Hiwatari had come into my room to tell us that dinner is served while giving Rei a loving look. Even though that little moment that my best friend and his boyfriend had was adorable, that got me thinking… if Rei was here waiting for me to regain my consciousness, who finished cooking the food? And who carried me all the way to my bedroom? I'm pretty sure that Rei's not THAT strong to carry me, despite the fact that he can give me an arm-bruising hug.

"Rei… who finished cooking the food, and who the heck carried me here?"

"Well… Kai-koi volunteered to continue cooking while Kuznetsov-kun carried you here," Rei explained to me. I blinked for a couple of minutes, until what Rei said to me registered into my mind. That cute guy---whom I finally know what his surname is (all I have to do is to find out what his first name is)---carried me, bridal style (well, I think he carried me bridal style) into my bedroom and put me down into my waterbed, when I had fainted.

I feel like I'm on cloud nine… then suddenly out of now I started to jump continuously like a three-year-old, squealing every now and then, though I had to make sure it's not that too loud so that the other people outside my bedroom won't think that I had gone crazy. Unlike Rei of course, I could feel his eyes looking at me like I just drank twenty cups of coffee and ate thirty pieces of Coffee Crisps™.

I dragged him outside my bedroom, trying not to look ecstatic that by the fact, that my dream guy had carried my to my bedroom… Okay, now I'm starting to talk like an obsessed freak. But no matter, as long as Hiwatari doesn't find out that I'm mooning over his friend, I'll be fine. Though, I couldn't help but wonder… how could my dream guy be friends with that arrogant butt-hole? I gasped inwardly. What if he acts the same way as Hiwatari?

Okay Tala, breathe in; breathe out. He couldn't be possibly act the same way as Hiwatari… nuh uh, never ever. You're just overreacting, I told myself. I didn't even felt Rei pull his arm away from my grasp, since I'm so paranoid over this little problem. At long last, Rei and I were finally in the kitchen/dinner area where Hiwatari and the cute guy---I mean Kuznetsov-kun (Must. Get. His. First. Name. Before. I. Get. Berserk!), and sat right beside Rei, and fortunately or in this case of me being nervous, unfortunately, I also sat right across from him.

"Wait, you guys have never been introduced yet, right?" Oh Rei… you're too naïve… which really annoys me so lots of times, like now actually. I can't believe he mentioned that! Can't he see that I'm squirming uncomfortably here?! And for Kami-sama's sake, he sits right beside me! I can mutually understand that Hiwatari would do that since he's an idiot, but Rei? My best-est friend in the whole wide world, be an idiot? I sighed inwardly, Hiwatari must be rubbing off of him, and I'm not talking physically either, so get your mind out of the gutter, people.

I managed to nod my head, while he---the cute guy of course---just gave a 'Yeah' with his deep, sexy voice… I could easily see that I'm drifting off to one of my fantasies… until Rei stabbed my foot, and made me jump three inches off the chair. How deeply embarrassing… and right in front of him too…

"Tala Ivanov," I ignored Hiwatari's idiotic, mocking quiet laughter and took out my hand and in hopes of shaking it. Surprisingly, luck was on my side and he also took out his hand and shook mine. Once again, I felt like that I had died and gone to heaven.

"Bryan Kuznetsov." Hah! I told you I'd find out his name soon. When he let go of my hand---much to my disappointment---I could still feel his hand… it feels all tingly… I am so not going to wash this hand ever again, not even if becomes stinky and dirty, if I wash it, then the tingly-ness will be gone!

After that wonderful, ecstatic, marvellous introduction, we started to eat our dinner. Well, the three of them did, I just poked around my food. Even though Rei was the first one who started cooking the food, Hiwatari was the one finished cooking it. And you all know that I don't trust him, even if it means that, that's the only way to save my life. Hiwatari noticed that, and gave his annoying smirk.

"You think that I put some kind of poison in it?" he asked, making Rei look at me with that disappointing look. Oohh… one of this days, I'll take the smirk off his face… using a cheese grater! I just glared at him and took a small portion of food into the fork, and I ate it. To tell you the truth… it isn't really that bad, in fact it was great! If Rei cooked the food all the way, instead of Hiwatari finishing on cooking the food, I would have started on praising the cook.

Bryan---yes, I'm going to call him by his first name… well, not really but you get the idea---was really enjoying the food. I just wished I could cook as good as Rei… then that way I could always come to his apartment suite and cook him food, and then maybe feed him, with his head on my lap… I was too fantasizing to notice that he was actually trying to make conversation with me… until Rei stabbed my foot again.

"Oh umm, sorry, what was that?" Way to go, Ivanov. Go ahead and make a fool of yourself right in front his mesmerizing, moonlit eyes. I felt my cheeks heat up just a little bit.

Bryan just gave a low, sexy---in my opinion anyway---chuckle and shook his head slightly. "No, it's alright. And as I was saying, I'm really sorry for splashing that water on you earlier."

I blinked confusingly. He was that guy in the car who drove by that stupid curb and splashed dirty, rain water on me? Oh god… and I called him a jackass too! Oh crap, oh shit… what should I do now?

"I'm sorry too," I blurted out suddenly, making him stare at me. "I err… kind of called you a jackass, after your car passed by…" I tried to make a pathetic attempt of that cute kitty eyes Rei does---when he wants his whipped lover to forgive him or when he wants Hiwatari to do something---at him, in hopes of forgiving me and forgetting what happened. Surprisingly, I pulled it off good and for some reason; he's staring at me… weirdly. Not that I mind at all, oh no… I LOVE the attention that he's showing me right now. It's just it's kind of overwhelming.

Anyway, we continued eating, and having usual conversations about nothing, until it was time to wash the dishes. Thank Kami that Rei and I have a dishwasher, that way our fingers don't get all wrinkly after washing the dishes. So we all dumped the plates, glasses, and utensils in the dishwasher and pressed on.

We went to the living room to watch a couple of movies. As obviously, Rei was sitting Hiwatari's lap in the armchair where the idiot used to sit, and Bryan and I just sat on the big couch. He was on the end, and I was on the other. Such a shame though… if only he would come closer and then put his arm around me… that would be so wonderful…

Time had passed to fast for my liking and it was time for them to leave. I know I shouldn't sulk like a three-year-old since he only lives down the hallway, but I couldn't help it! I don't know how many opportunities there would be… to talk to him again like that. I saw Rei give Hiwatari a long, passionate kiss and I couldn't help but feel envious. Envious because I know that Bryan wouldn't do that to me…

"Well, it was nice meeting you, Kuznetsov-kun," I gave a small bow towards his way.

He gave a small chuckle, and said, "You could just call me Bryan, you know."

I widen my eyes when he had said that. He wants me to call him Bryan! He also probably noticed the happiness in my eyes, because he gave a real, surprisingly rare, and sexy smile at me, which was a real turn-on. At last, he and Hiwatari left our apartment suite.

I still can't believe Hiwatari and Bryan (Saying his name makes me all tingly inside) are friends.

"Rei, I have one question," I asked the raven-haired neko-jin, while helping him clean up the living room.

"What is it?"

"Well, how did Hiwatari know Bryan?"

I looked at Rei, who sat down on the exact armchair where him and Hiwatari were cuddling earlier. "Hmm, Kai-koi told me that they were childhood friends a long time ago," He then yawned quietly. "Then, when Kuznetsov-kun moved houses, they lost contact with each other, and they just saw each other umm… like two weeks ago when Kai-koi was visiting us and yeah…"

I nodded with understanding, and let Rei go to his bedroom and sleep, since he has work tomorrow and he also has to wake up really early. I do too as well, but I'm not really sleepy right now. I walked out to the balcony and stared at the sky. It was really pretty, since the stars are really pretty at night…

"I wish… I wish I could spend more time with Bryan," I said to no one. Then I went back inside, sighing. Hah! As if anyone could here me say that.

Beep, beep. Beep, beep…

I groaned and smacked my alarm clock upside down. What time is it, anyway? I opened my eyes and looked at the red digits that are showing on the screen.

7:45

Oh… fuck. I'M GOING TO BE LATE! I quickly bolted out of my bedroom and went straight to the bathroom, taking at least a minute of shower and brushing my teeth at the same time. Crap, crap, crap… I'm going to be late! I dashed out of the bathroom and in to my bedroom again, and put on my work clothes. I didn't even bother eating breakfast, since I know that I'm going to be even more late than I already am. So I grabbed my car keys and headed straight towards the door, not noticing that Rei had already gone to work.

But, that's when I realized that the only way to get to the basement parking lot was to ride on the elevator of doom. I smacked myself for sleeping in, and ran all the way to the elevator door. Thank god that a person just entered the stupid machinery and it gave me a chance to get myself inside. I sighed with relief as I leaned against the wall and closed my eyes.

It was quiet for a few minutes, until the person with me inside the elevator gave a small laugh or I think it was smirk. And a very familiar one, I might add…

Could it be?

Nah… my mind is just playing tricks on me, I reassured myself. There is no damn way that he could be in the same elevator as I am in. Nope, none, zilch, nada. That is, until I sensed that the person was now standing right next to me. So me, being a curious person, opened one of my icy-blue eyes and what I saw made me choke on my own saliva.

It was him! Right here, standing right beside me… by the flesh!

"Umm hey," I managed to say without having to faint in shock again… man, I really need to stop doing that.

He said hi to me back, and we were silent for a couple of minutes. It's a good thing too, because I was trying to arrange my thoughts in order… or either that, my brain had just come back from its permanent vacation.

All of a sudden, there was a sudden jerk and for some odd and freakishly reasons, the elevator had stopped. IT STOPPED! Ok Tala, don't panic… it's only for at least half an hour… well, I hope it only lasts half an hour. But no matter… I'm still going to be late anyway!

Hey, but at least you're going to be spending time with your lover boy over there… Oh goodie, my inner thoughts have decided to annoy me… and at the wrong time too. Well, now that my "inner thoughts" mentioned it… I am going to be spending some time with my lover---I mean Bryan over there, right? Even if it's in a wrong time and a wrong place…

"So… woke up a little too late?" he started the conversation.

And what did I do? I just nodded. Good thing that the lights were on, so he saw my nod.

"Been watching the stars?"

Again I nodded. What was he getting at?

"I heard that a "shooting star" came down last night. Was that why you can't barely keep your eyes open?"

A shooting star came down last night?

I wish… I wish I could spend more time with Bryan...

My eyes widen in disbelief when I remembered that silly wish that I made last night. It was just a coincidence that we're stuck… on an elevator… right? RIGHT?!

Crystal: And that concludes chapter two of Stuck. Hope you guys enjoyed it! =)

Tala: T-T You made me look like an obsessed freak…

Crystal: But you ARE obsessed with Bryan, Tala. Don't even bother on denying it. –smirks--

Anyway, I really hope you guys liked this chapter. Until next time, bye!