A/N: Remember, I haven't watched or read beyblade related stuff in a long time, so characters may be slightly off. Thank you.
TalaRei
Chapter 7
--
"How long have they been dating now?"
"They don't call itdating."
Xing sighed, shaking her head. "Boys are so bizarre sometimes."
Her daughter nodded in agreement. "They've been doing whatever-it-is for about two months? A bit less?"
"Have they kissed yet?" the older woman asked, nibbling on a piece of chocolate from a plate between the girls.
Mao sighed. "I don't think so."
"Honestly…" Xing shook her head. "If they can't establish a proper relationship, how will Tala ever meet Rei's parents?"
"You didn't tell them, did you?" Mao asked. She caught the guilty smile. "Mum!"
"I couldn't help it!" she protested. "A woman has a right to know about her son!"
"Would you want to know about Lee's relationships?"
"I would, does that mean he has some?" golden eyes sparked. "Do tell."
The pink haired girl rolled her eyes. "Lee? In a relationship?"
"What's so bad about that?" Xing asked. "I remember a couple of years before we moved out here he was in one."
"I think he's still pining," Mao muttered. "Well, I should go get them ready. We have to set off."
"Good luck with that."
"Thanks."
The lady stayed where she was, leaning against the counter where they ate, picking up pieces of chocolate. Only moments after Mao had left she heard her house awake.
"Mao! Get out of my room!"
"Put on some clothes Lee!"
"Maybe you should knock first!"
"Come on guys, we have to go!"
"Finish your hair, Rei! You can't walk to school like that!"
A pounding through the thin walls. "All of you shut up! I'm trying to sleep!"
"Then go back to sleep!"
Xing smiled, opening her mouth to speak. "Lee, don't talk to your father like that!"
A long haired male charged into the room, flinging the fridge door open and taking the milk carton out, opening it and starting to drink while leaving the room.
"Are you going out again today, Rei?"
He smiled brightly. "Yeah, tutoring."
"Have fun."
"Thanks! Later!"
"Rei! We're leaving without you!"
He ran out the room, carton still in hand. "Coming!"
Xing smiled happily. "Oh, if only your parents could see how wonderful you've become, Rei," she said. "If only."
--
Rei looked up as a long, golden blond braid fell onto his page. Bright blue eyes that reminded him of another pair of colder ones set on pale skin instead of tanned.
"Hello there, my dear."
"Mystel," Rei greeted with a smile. "How've you been?"
"Same old same old," he sighed dramatically. "But if you could just see the sweet soul that's captured my heart!"
"Oh god," Rei rolled his eyes. "Not another one."
The Egyptian boy grinned. "Yes, another one. No need to be so sarcastic!" his grin turned into a sly smirk. "Though, I do hear that a certain someone has his own sweet soul?"
"What? Tala?" Rei scoffed. "I'd hardly call him my own sweet soul, he's my English tutor."
Mystel huffed slightly. "What's wrong with that?"
"It doesn't matter. Tell me more about this soul then."
"Sweet soul."
"Sorry, how could I miss the sweet?"
Mystel pulled his chair out and straddled it, facing his friend and smiling dreamily. "He's so cute. He works at this restaurant near my house. He looks amazing in a waistcoat and tie, I swear! And he has sea green hair that's tied in a plait."
"He doesn't go to our school?"
"Apparently he's rich," Mystel sighed. "And way out of my league. But his father wants him to get a job and shit."
"Since when did you care if someone was out of your league?"
Mystel paused in thought. "I don't. But still, I'm trying to make this dramatic, give me some credit."
"Oh, of course," Rei cleared his throat. "Mystel, oh great one, how will you ever manage to get into this amazingly sweet soul's heart when he's so not in your league!"
"No need to be sarcastic," the other replied with a pout.
"Mystel! Face the front!"
The boy winked at his Chinese friend and turned in his chair.
Half way through the lesson, Mystel leaned back on his chair, turning to Rei.
"So, when do you want to come with me to see my beautiful future husband?"
Rei raised a brow. "You want me to come with you?"
"Yeah, you and your English tutor could come- oh! We could get a big group together and go, and I could be all on my own in a group of couples and so I go to the bar and start talking to him-"
"He works at the bar?"
Pause. "No."
"Oh."
Mystel sighed, letting go of the table, forgetting it was holding him and his chair up and fell back, his head slamming on the edge of Rei's desk.
"Mystel!" Rei exclaimed, jumping to his feet and looking over his table. "Are you okay?!"
"Mystel! How many times do I have to tell you?! Don't swing on the chair!"
"Ow…"
--
"So, I like, I do not like, and I hate."
Rei frowned. "How would you say ashiteru?"
Tala paused. "I love you," the words felt unfamiliar on his tongue. "Moving on, let's read this book."
"Okay," Rei shifted closer to the redhead, ignoring the pain it seemed to take him to translate the simple statement. "I like the sun, because I can have fun, I like the rain, because I can...splash...in pu-dd-les."
"Silent e."
"Puddles."
"Right."
"But I love it when it snows, because I can play with my friends in the...park," he frowned. "What's park?"
"Ko-en," Tala gave Rei a lopsided smile. "Do you want to come to the café with me and Miriam?"
He paused. "Sure, that'd be awesome."
"She wants to see Salima, because she hasn't in so long, and I don't think I'll be able to face those lovebirds on my own."
Rei smiled slightly, heart swelling. "Sure."
"Awesome, pack your things and we'll go."
They clambered onto the motorbike, Rei carrying the bags, and started driving towards the Lemonade Cafe. When they finally got there, Tala having taken the long route, Miriam was standing outside, holding a dark grey messenger bag, hands on hips looking impatient.
"What took you so long?" she demanded. "I've been waiting for ages!"
"Sorry, we ran over time with the lesson," Tala excused smoothly. "Shall we go in?"
Salima was at the counter, taking off her apron and finishing up. She grinned at them as they entered and walked over.
"Can I get you guys drinks while you order?"
"Aren't you on break?" Miriam scolded. "Should you be relaxing?"
"Details, details," Salima said with a wink. "I already know what I want to eat anyway."
"I'll have a beer," Tala piped up.
"Chocolate milkshake," Rei added.
Miriam rolled her eyes at the expectant looks she was getting. "Sprite, don't forget your own drink, workaholic."
"Sure," the redhead said, leaving to go make the drinks.
The other three sat at a four person table, looking at the menu in the middle, talking about what they wanted. Miriam and Tala were sat next to each other, and Rei was sat opposite Tala, so when Salima came to sit down she was next to Rei, a glass of water for herself.
"Who wants what then and I'll go order it," Tala said. "No, you're not doing anything else, Salima."
She pouted slightly.
"So, Rei, you and Tala," Miriam started as soon as the redhead had gone to the counter. "What are you exactly?"
Rei raised a brow. "…friends?"
Salima looked at the dark haired boy. "You and Tala?" she thought about it. "I guess you would make a good couple."
Rei flustered, much to the two girl's amusement. "Ah, no, it's nothing like that- I mean, we had a date, but he couldn't make it- not that we are dating because of that, it was just the one time!" he laughed nervously. "Oh, look, he's back!"
Tala sat, face with its emotionless mask and relaxing in his chair, ignorant to the conversation.
Miriam sighed in disappointment, her hands dropping onto the table. "Hopeless."
Salima patted her hand sympathetically. "Well, you aren't the most subtle person in the world sweetheart."
Miriam started playing with the other girls fingers absentmindedly. "Shut up, I can be subtle. I just prefer to be blunt."
Tala snorted. "What were you talking about?"
Miriam looked at him, her fingers slotting between Salima's. "You and Rei."
"Oh."
"And the nature of your relationship," Salima finished with a small smile. Rei was still blushing
"He's my bitch," Tala said smoothly before taking a swig of his beer, face still smooth. "Right Rei?"
The Chinese boy lit up. "Sure."
The redhead smirked, mouthing 'lip-virgin' at the boy.
"So, is this like, a double date?" Miriam asked, her fingers still linked with Salima's.
"Considering that no one at the table is actually together, probably not," the redheaded girl replied with a small smile.
Tala scoffed. "You two act like you should be."
Miriam smiled sweetly and batted her eyelids at Salima. "Oh, my dear sweet lesbian, will you do the honour of being my date for this double date?"
Salima grinned. "Why, with an offer like that, how could I refuse?"
Miriam smirked, turning to the boy next to her. "Your turn."
"To do what?"
"Ask your lover boy over there to be your date, duh!"
Rei flustered at the term, wanting to object. But Tala took his hand and kissed it softly, looking up seductively through his lashes. "Rei Kon, be my date."
"You make it sound like I have no choice in the matter," the Chinese student teased.
Tala smirked, linking the tips of his fingers with Rei's. "Well, you'd be crazy to say no to me."
"So long as you're not grounded."
Miriam huffed. "I got grounded for that too!"
"It was so worth it," Tala said, his eyes not leaving the golden ones. "To watch that shitty movie."
Rei chuckled.
Miriam turned to her 'date'. "And Tala complains about us being love birds!"
Salima felt her face heat up slightly. "I guess he's just getting us back."
"So, Rei, tell us a bit more about yourself," Miriam suggested, pulling her hand out of Salima's so she could rest her head on her fingers.
"I'm Chinese?"
"I knew that!" the girl replied before smirking, leaning forward slightly. "Tell us something interesting. Something juicy. Like, how many boyfriend have you had? When was your first kiss?" her eyes lit up. "Are you a virgin?"
Rei spluttered at the questions. "I've-I've never had a boyfriend."
Salima looked stunned. "You're kidding me?"
"I never took the time to have one," Rei admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "I have lots of friends, and people have asked me on dates, but I've always preferred to focus on my studies."
"Complete opposite of Tala then," Salima joked. "How many people have you dated, Tal? Sixty?"
"You make me sound like a whore," he replied. "Eleven."
"Yet you two still make such a sweet couple," Miriam sighed.
"What about you, Miriam," Rei dared. "How many people have you dated?"
"Hmm? Not many. A couple of boys, a couple of girls."
"Her and Tala seem to be in competition to see who can lay the most people."
"And I'm winning," Tala announced, leaning back in his chair. It was then that Rei noticed their fingers were still linked.
"I think I'll look for a more serious relationship," Miriam said, glancing at Salima. "I get tired of going from one person to the other. I think I'm ready for commitment."
Rei saw the faint signs of a smile tugging at Tala's lips. "Boring."
"Are you going to find someone to actually be a boyfriend to?" Salima asked. "Rather than just dating your friends?"
"It works for me," Tala said. "I don't do commitment."
Rei drew his hand back and cleared his throat, suddenly feeling awkward. "Let's pay, seeing as we're all finished?"
The group fell into an awkward silence, Tala looking at Rei with those icy blue eyes, and Rei looking anywhere but at them.
The four stood outside, Miriam saying goodbye to Rei, Salima saying goodbye to both boys.
"You want a lift home?" Tala asked hesitantly.
"Please," Rei said with a slight smile.
They put their helmets on in silence.
"Do you really not do commitment?"
Tala looked at the boy, cringing behind his mask. "Rei," he flipped the cover up. "I like you. I like you a lot. But I've not known you for long, and I'm not a very trusting person. I've only done commitment once before, and it didn't turn out well."
"I didn't…I didn't mean…"
The redhead sat on the edge of the bike. "How about I take you on that date, huh? A real one. Just me and you."
Rei smiled his infectious contented smile. "Sure."
The couple drove back to Rei's house, same as always.
"I'll pick you up at seven," Tala said. "On Friday?"
"Sounds good," Rei replied with a bright smile. "See you then."
"Later."
Rei wandered into his house, feeling slightly bewildered.
No way was he going to be passed on like a toy this time round. He'd make sure that Tala couldn't not take him out.
--
Kivea: Haa, I love Miriam. And Mystel. Ohhh, Mystel -loves-
Yall be ubber proud of your Author here for going a whole 30 hours without a ciggy :3
Ja ne ~
Kivea
PREVIEW:
"I had a nice time."
"I'm glad. Me too."
"I'll see you on Tuesday then?"
"What about that goodbye kiss?"
