Chapter 3

Isn't it funny the way in which fate works? Sometimes what we think is a disaster might just turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Of course it wasn't a blessing for Tyson when he accidently demolished his granpa's newly bought, expensive bonsai tree. He knew for a fact that he was in big trouble no matter what he would do. Lucky for him however Hillary had a part time job at the greenhouse from where the bonsai tree had come. It was also lucky, miraculous actually, that she told Tyson that there was another tree that looked like the old one.

While the rest of the boys took care of things at home, Kai was sent off to the greenhouse to bring over the replacement. That was partly because only Kai had pockets big enough to buy that plant and partly because they suspected that he wouldn't be much help in keeping granpa at bay. Kai suspected these motives but he didn't mind. He himself much rather do the less complicated job then run around the dojo.

The walk up to the greenhouse was short. Kai entered and proceeded to the counter at the far end, which was where Hillary worked. Much to his astonishment, he found the Capulet twins over there talking to Hillary. It seemed to Kai that Alex and Hillary were sort of friends. Drake had a corsage his hands and he was asking the girls what they thought of it.

"It's beautiful," Hillary assured him, "you're date is going to love it. What about you Alex? Who are you going with?"

Alex was about to answer when she caught sight of Kai approaching. She laughed slightly.

"Okay we have got to stop meeting like this." She said smiling.

Hillary turned and saw Kai too, "oh he's just here to help Tyson in some hare-brained scheme of his to avoid trouble for destroying a bonsai tree. I've got it here Kai."

She stooped underneath the counter to take it out and asked Alex again, "so who are you going to the dance with?"

The other girl grimaced,"No one actually. Nobody actually asked me out…" she hesitated for a second,"So I got this friend of mine to be my escort. He said yes but he cancelled out yesterday cause the girl he has a crush on asked him to it. Who am I to stand between puppy love?"

Hillary stopped in the process of checking out the plant, "man! That sucks!"

"Tell me about it!" Drake exclaimed, "If he said yes he just can't dump my sister like that, and she doesn't have to take it either, "he said looking at Alex, "and the dance is tomorrow! That means no time to get another guy"

"Well you never know," Hillary said turning towards Kai to hand him his credit card and the substitute tree. She seemed to freeze when she saw him. Suddenly her eyes widened. Kai rather thought that she was having a seizure.

"OMG!" she exclaimed, "Kai can take you to the dance!"

There was a moment of silence when both Alex and Kai looked at her as if she had lost her mind. Drake on the other hand seemed to like the idea.

"Hey yeah!" Drake said turning to Kai, "maybe you could"

Kai scoffed, "yeah rights that's happening!"

"Ok I am not going to go to my school dance with a guy I barely know" Alex said crossly, "I've met him like three times only."

"So?" Hillary asked, "Kai's not a bad guy. Well not in this sense."

"Maybe you didn't understand my sarcasm the first time," Kai said coldly, "Kai is not going."

"See" Alex said indicating a hand towards Kai, "even if I'm desperate enough to agree to this ridiculous plan, he's not"

The sentence seemed to revive one of Kai's memories. The idea struck him like lightning. Maybe…but would it work?

"You know what?" Kai said turning towards Alex, "I think I am crazy enough to go with this plan."

Now Alex looked at Kai as if he had grown a second head. He was not done though.r4

"I'll make a deal with," he continued, "I'll go with you to your school dance but in return for something."

"And that would be…?"

"Every year, I have to go to this ball held by certain family members. Lots of people come and since up until now I have not been accompanied by someone, I do have to face many irritating comments. Are you catching on?"

Apparently Alex was. "Let me get this straight. You will take me to my school dance, if I go to some ball with you?"

"That's about it. Do we have a deal?"

Alex looked at Kai for a few seconds then turned towards Hillary and Drake. The two nodded eagerly.

"Yeah we do" Alex said to Kai finally. Hillary gave a small cheer.

"So you know where my school is?" Kai nodded, "be there tomorrow at seven. And please dress accordingly."Alex pleaded at the ended looking at Kai's scarf, jacket and blue shark fins.

Kai gave a small grunt and headed outside. Once on his way to the dojo he thought again of his plan. He wondered how he was supposed to get out of the dojo without being caught in something fancy.

But as it turned out it wasn't hard to sneak out the next day. Hillary had kept the others distracted while Kai slipped out. As Alex had requested and as Kai was smart enough to do on his own, he had traded his usual clothes for a coat and pant. Nothing too formal but nothing too informal as well.

When Kai reached the school, Alex was already there waiting for him. She was leaning against the metal frame, wearing a black dress with a red ash around her waist. The hem of her skirt reached just above her knee and on top of her dress she was wearing a red jacket. Below her skirt, her legs were covered with black stockings. The girl seemed to be oblivious to Kai's approach and only looked up from her cell phone when he tapped her on the shoulder.

She smiled when she looked at Kai and indicated that they proceed inside. Trying to ignore the annoying tapping of her heels on the concrete, Kai allowed himself to be led by the girl through the halls of her school. The sound of music got louder and soon the two had pushed past two doors marked 'Gymnasium' and faced the steadily growing crowd of partying teenagers. The decorations were nothing Kai would have gone by, but well, it was a school. What could you possibly do?

Barely had the two entered the when a couple of girls approached Alex. Kai noticed that both of them were dressed in expensive looking clothes and jewellery. And apart from make-up, they wore stuck-up expressions on their faces.

"Alex! So glad you could make it tonight. I thought you were gonna be a no show." The blonde one with a lot of pink said that, her obvious mockery badly covered up by her sugary tone.

"I love your dress, where did you get it? Loserville" the other, a brunette said.

"Oh no!" Alex replied happily, "that place has a strict policy on who they let in. I couldn't even get past the door. Maybe you should try it. Maybe you already have seeing as you think you know what goes on in there."

The two girls smile faltered for a second but then they turned towards Kai.

"Who's your friend? I don't think I've seen him around here before. I would definitely remember someone like him." The brunette asked.

Kai inwardly cringed. Not even five minutes and this party was already getting on his nerve.

"Oh this is Kai," Alex answered.

"Well any friend of Alex is a friend of ours" the blonde looked over at Kai, "I'm Nicky. Something tells me we're just be like totally BFFs"

"Yeah, me too" brown hair chirped in, "and I'm Alexandra."

The odd coincidence of names caused Kai to look at Alex for an answer. He wasn't about to get one. Alex looked as if she was barely controlling her laughter.

"Pleasure" Kai said coldly turning to the other two girls, "excuse us please. We have to get somewhere."

He led the now slightly giggling Alex away from Alexandra and whatever her name was and towards the food table. Grabbing a glass of grape punch each, the duo proceeded towards an empty table. They didn't talk while they silently drained their glasses. There was an awkward silence for a minute.

"So….you want to dance" Alex asked hesitantly.

"Hn." The usual reply from Kai. That wasn't a big surprise. What was surprising was that Alex looked relieved. "You don't like dancing?" he asked curiously.

"Yeah. I've basically got two left feet." She replied sheepishly.

"So you play football with two left feet?" Kai asked, slightly raising his voice to be heard over the loud and music.

"The field presents a completely different scenario." She answered, also increasing her volume.

"Like how?"

'Sorry-I can't hear you"

"LIKE HOW?"

"WHAT? Oh forget this! YOU WANNA GO OUTSIDE?"

Obviously Kai had heard that since he nodded. The pair got up and left the gym. Little did they know that two sets of eyes were following them.