No school today, so I decided to update. This chapter is a little shorter than the first one, and it's really bad. Nothing much happens until the very end bit... But I uploaded it anyway. Hope it's not too bad.
love-sunny88: Yaaay! First review! Thank you!
Warnings & disclaimer: see chapter 1
Daylight tortured his closed eyes, making him groan as he rose to consciousness. His eyelids fluttered open and closed instantly when the light pierced his retinas. What time was it? What day was it? What year was it?
Using the edge of his bed for support, the boy slowly sat up straight, wincing as yet another headache hammered inside his skull. But, like the one before, and the one before that, and the one before that: he ignored it.
Limbs protesting painfully, he swung his legs out of his bed, knowing that sooner or later he'd have to get up and face the day.
But before that, though, an urgent trip was required. He grabbed the small bag hidden under his bed, grimacing as his fingers brushed against a pointed corner, and made his way to the bathroom. His life support, the thing that kept him sane was in that bag. His only comfort.
And the pain helped.
The sickening scent of bacon wafted into his nostrils, the overwhelming stench making his stomach churn. Pressing his lips together, he entered the kitchen, which was alive with talking and shouting.
"Tyson! That was my sausage!" An annoyed voice cried out.
"Well, you can have it back if you want."
"Close your mouth Tyson! Ewww!" Another voice demanded. Tala guessed that it was Mariah's, as it sounded very girly and whiny. Not that he was stereotyping or anything.
"Oh hey, Tala. Bacon?" Ray asked, seeing the wolf lurking in the doorway, trying to remain unseen.
"No. Thank you." He added as an afterthought, not wanting to seem rude. True, he hated the idiots he lived with, but Ray was okay. At least he wasn't ridiculously annoying.
"Still got a headache?" Spencer asked, frowning at his friend. Tala flinched, remembering that he was meant to be sick. Well, he wasn't entirely pretending; his head did hurt.
"Yeah. I'm not hungry, anyway." He shrugged off the question, praying that no more questions were asked.
"But you've not ate since... I don't even know. I don't want you to pass out or something." Spencer wouldn't let the subject go, narrowing his eyes at Tala.
"Like you did last night." A voice said. Tala blinked, looking at Bryan, who was sat on the work top glaring at a piece of toast.
"What?" The room had fallen silent at Bryan's previous comment. Spencer was looking extremely puzzled, glancing between Tala and Bryan.
"Nothing. Carry on." Bryan muttered, looking at the floor. The volume level slowly rose, Tyson and Max continuing their fight over the food, Daichi spearing sausages violently, Kenny the only one actually eating sensibly. The White Tigers were spread around the room drinking milk and washing dishes.
Tala turned around to exit the room, but at the last minute glanced Bryan. Grey eyes locked onto blue ones, and Tala gulped fearfully. So that was how he ended up in bed.
Breaking the ice cold glare, the falcon continued to glare at his toast. Tala spun on his heel and walked swiftly out of the kitchen, not giving his friends a second glance.
Bad idea. That sudden movement left him feeling dizzy, again. Squeezing his eyes shut, the wolf prepared to hit the floor, but a pair of hands wrapped themselves around his middle, holding him close.
"I'm not stupid, Tala. Tell me what's wrong." Bryan demanded, his voice surprisingly soft. Tala sighed. Giving up on trying to regain his balance, he collapsed against Bryan's arms, legs finally giving up on him.
"I... I can't." He whispered timidly. There was silence for a few seconds before Bryan spoke again.
"Why not?"
"Because you'll hate me. Like everyone hates me." Tala felt Bryan tense his muscles.
"No. No, Tala, I won't. I could never hate you. Now tell me." The falcon said, still supporting his friend.
"Not yet. Just... Please. Let it go. I can't tell you. Not yet." Another silence. Another sigh.
"I'm worried about you." Bryan admitted, loosening his grip on his friend slightly when he realised his breaths were raspy and laboured.
"Don't be. Trust me, I'm okay." Tala insisted, standing up now his strength was back. Bryan exhaled, but let the matter slide. For now.
Suddenly, the phone rang, breaking the silence. Kevin shot out of the kitchen to answer it, but Lee got there first. Fortunately.
"Hello? Mr Dickinson?" Tala and Bryan frowned, confused. Why was Mr D calling them?
"Of course. See you then. Goodbye." Lee put the phone back on the table, ignoring Kevin's whines.
"What was that all about?" Tyson asked, emerging from the kitchen, chewing on a sausage.
"Mr D called. Guys? Mr Dickinson is coming round with some important news, so tidy all your shit up!" Lee yelled into the kitchen, eyes widening at the mess. There was even bacon on the ceiling.
"On second thoughts, just tape the kitchen off. With hazard tape." Lee backed away from the kitchen as of it contained some kind of deadly disease. Bryan smirked.
"You used it all yesterday, taping up the shed. Remember?" The falcon smirked, crossing his arms. Lee sighed tiredly, took a deep breath, and entered the kitchen.
"Brave boy. Doesn't know what he's let himself into." Bryan shook his head, sounding like he pitied the neko-jin.
"His own fault." Tala rolled his eyes, flopping down on the living room sofa. Bryan sat down next to him, looking at the wolf from the corner of his eye.
"That's it. I quit. I'm an through with dealing with those... Those... Animals!" Lee gasped, staggering out of the kitchen, covered in egg and bacon and something unidentifiable.
"You look healthy." Bryan grinned, entertained at Lee's discomfort.
"I'm taking a shower." The lion said, running his hands through his hair. Tala and Bryan smirked.
"Wonder why Mr D's coming round."
"No clue. Probably some beyblade thing."
"Probably." Bryan agreed. A sudden knock on the door broke the silence.
"He's here already?!" Hilary shrieked, speed walking to the front door. A gust of cold wind blew in as she opened it, giving Tala goose bumps.
"Hello, Mr Dickinson, and Garland too." Hilary greeted kindly, inviting them both in.
"Garland? Why's he here?" Tyson shouted from inside the kitchen.
Tala bit his bottom lip. He hadn't seen any of BEGA since he had awoken from his coma.
"You'll be fine." Bryan comforted his friend, sensing his distress. Tala just nodded.
"Hello everybody! I just have a few questionnaires for you to fill out, just so you can qualify for the next tournament." Mr Dickinson said cheerfully, a huge grin on his aged face. Garland stood behind him, not looking particularly happy.
"Hey, Mr D! Why's Garland here?" Tyson said as everyone walked into the front room. Spencer discretely shut the kitchen door, hiding the scene of mass destruction.
"I am dropping Garland home to his friends, but I thought I'd get this over and done with first." Mr Dickinson explained, retrieving a stack of papers from the briefcase he was carrying. He was about to pass them around, but a yell made him stop in his tracks.
"YOU SON OF A-" Ian charged towards Garland and flung himself onto the shocked boy.
"YOU PUT TALA IN HOSPITAL, SO I'LL PUT YOU IN HOSPITAL!" Ian yelled, thrashing out at a very surprised-looking Garland.
"Ian!" Spencer shouted loudly. Ian froze, in the process of stopping Garland's ponytail off, and looked at Spencer.
"What? He deserves it!" The snake pouted. Spencer glared at him.
"Fine. I'll get off him. But just remember, Spencer, it wasn't YOU who tried to get revenge. It was ME." Ian huffed and stormed away, leaving Garland on the floor.
"Garland! Are you okay?" Mariah cooed as the griffin regained his footing and brushed himself off.
"Yeah. Just a cut lip." He timidly wiped the bead of blood that was slowly making it's way down his chin.
"Come here." Everyone turned in astonishment to Tala, who held a tissue in his hand. Before he could complain, he pressed the white material to Garland's lip.
"Sorry I put you in a coma." Garland mumbled guiltily.
"I'm over it. I like to think of it as a month-long sleep." Tala shrugged. Garland chuckled softly.
As Tala tended to Garland's lip, Mr Dickinson handed the forms around to everyone.
"You'll live." Tala eventually said, examining his patient, before binning the bloody tissue.
"Here's yours then, Tala." Mr Dickinson smiled, passing Tala the sheet of paper.
As everyone quietly filled their forms in, Tala stared at the sheet in front of him.
Most of the questions were simple enough, like 'What is your full name' and 'what is your date of birth'. But one question caught his eye: 'what are the names of your parents?'
What should he put? He never knew his parents. They were both killed just a few days after he was born.
Scribbling N/A, Tala threw his form angrily onto the table. Bryan looked at him, instantly understanding what he was annoyed about.
"I need to go upstairs." Tala muttered, shoving past whoever blocked the doorway. Another headache was coming on. And he needed to be alone.
Tears dripped down his face as he knelt down in front of the toilet, fingers stroking the cold piece of metal in his hand. He knew he shouldn't. He knew Bryan and Kai and Spencer would hate him if they found out. Yet he did it anyway. He had to.
Red filled his vision. The pain stung, of course it did, but it was meant to. After all, wasn't that the whole idea? Wasn't that the intention? He wouldn't do it otherwise... Right?
He hated himself. The amount of self-loathing built up in his head over the course of the day, and the only time he could let it out was when he was alone. But today it had pushed him over the edge, the question about his parents had made him snap. So he let his hate out the only way he could.
A pattern of red scratches decorated the insides of his arms. He knew he was crazy. He knew it wasn't normal. But he continued, the razor blade slicing through his skin.
Not deep enough to kill him, though. Never deep enough to kill him. Because suicide was the easy way out. And if he was dead, he wouldn't be able to cause himself pain, would he? So, so much pain. But pain was a good thing. It reminded him that he was still alive. Still a person.
His body shook, racked with sobs. He wanted to stop. But at the same time, he didn't. The pain was a way out of the torturous life he lived.
Blood dripped on the floor, dripped down his arms. It hurt so much. Yet he did it anyway.
Because he had to.
Aww poor Tala! DON'T WORRY BABY! YOU'LL BE OKAY!
Everyone: but you're the one writing it?
Me: ... Heh...
So... What's bothering Tala? The next chapter is when things will get a lot more dramatic. And some answers! FINALLY!
Please R&R! Remember, I still need your romance pairing opinions! (See chapter 1)