AN:  Well here it is, chapter 7… nice and long!  Maybe to long.. but oh well I think its entertaining ^^  This one goes out to Cherry Rain, who reviews faithfully!  Thank you all reviewers.. and heres another disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade!  Bleh…soory about any spelling or grammar mistakes =)

"I'm telling you, he was up to something Liika!" Mariah exclaimed to her best friend who was shuffling through her locker early Monday morning.

Liika sighed and stopped her movements to look at the pink haired girl.

The weekend had flown by after the scene outside of the diner.  The other three boys had shown up at the bowling alley five minutes late –for which they apologized profusely, and so were stuck and a different lane.  Liika and Mariah shunned them the rest of the night.

"So he was watching, at least he wasn't talking."  Liika replied dryly.

Mariah groaned and leaned back against the locker beside Liika's.  "He wasn't just watching Ika, he was learning."

"Learning what?"

"I can't actually say," Mariah sighed," but I do know he was.  Something about him bothers me."

At this Liika chuckled and went back to switching books from her bright red locker to her purple backpack.  "Me too Mari, everything about him bothers me."

"Heh."  Mariah said turning to look down the hall.  "Looks like Eny's up to his same old game this year."

"Eh?"  Liika looked up and down the hall where Mariah was nodding to.

Some fifty feet down the hall stood Enrique with his unbrushed hair and wrinkled uniform talking animatedly with two girls, his arm thrown casually around the tall black haired girl's shoulder.

Liika rolled her eyes and continued on with what she was doing, muttering a bit.

"He's so desperate he's resorted to hitting on freshmen."   Mariah snorted with a shake of her head.

The two girls shared a look before breaking out in snickers.  "Yeah all the older girls turned him down!"  Liika exclaimed zipping up her bag.

"Now that wasn't very nice!"  An approaching voice drawled in a hurt tone.

The girls looked over to see a pouting Enrique strolling toward them.  Liika frowned and busied herself with closing her locker with a clang and locking her lock, almost ignoring him completely.

"Aww don't tell me you're still mad about Friday!  I said I was sorry!"  He whined, the pout increasing as he stepped in front of her, cutting of her exit.

"You ditched us for a car Enrique."  She said flatly, trying desperately to ignore how cute and frantically pathetic he looked.

Mariah giggled from beside Liika, not hiding the fact that she thought he looked pathetic, with is dark blue eyes wide and glassy and his bottom lip quivering. 

"I know!  I just got carried away is all.  It's not everyday you see a brand new Mercedes around here!  I'm soooo sorry!  I promise I'll make it up to you!  Pleeeeaassee..??" He pleaded, grabbing the hand that wasn't holding up her backpack.  "Pretty please..?  My bestest buddy in the whole wide world?"

Liika's lips twisted as she struggled to keep from laughing.   He really did look adorable and it was hard to stay mad at him.  "Make it up to me how?"  She asked arching an eyebrow.

Enrique grinned, he knew he had won.  "Anime night.  My house.  Saturday."

She narrowed her eyes a bit.  "Frontier and Kenshin?"

"Anything you want!"

"Junk food?"

"You got it."

Her face lit up and she laughed, dropping her backpack to the floor and throwing her arms around his lanky shoulders, hugging him.  "You're forgiven!"

"Woohoo!"  Enrique hugged back, his face glowing with a silly grin.

Mariah smiled and nodded down the hall.  "You drive a hard bargain Liika!  Now come on the bell will ring soon."

They all started toward their home room classes, traveling the halls at a leisurely pace.

"So Icki, how was History this morning?"  Enrique asked thrusting his hands into his green trouser pockets.

Liika moaned.  "Hell.  Damn advanced History and damn it being in the morning.  And damn Grandpa for making me take it!"

"You could have said no."  Mariah pointed out smiling.

"Bleh…" she replied then changed the subject as she looked ahead of them to see three boys lounging against the lockers a few meters away.  "Hey look, it's the carrot trio out in full force!"  Then smiling and waving Liika called, "Hey Michael!"

Michael waved back with a "Hey."  Beside him stood Tala and Johnny, just as they were every morning.

"What I don't get a hello?" pouted Tala mockingly, batting his eyes for effect.

Liika, Enrique and Mariah rolled their eyes and shook their heads.  "Hola, leader of the carrot top trio, one who is also called Tala."  Liika greeted in a formal tone, jerking a bow.

Tala smirked, folding his arms behind his head while leaning on his locker.  "Knew you couldn't not greet me, no matter how mad you are at me."  He winked.

"Uh-huh."  Liika stuck her tongue out at him, rolling her eyes again.

Mariah and Enrique looked at each other and shrugged, some things would always be the same.  Mariah inclined her head toward Johnny who was standing closest to her.  "Hello Johnathon."

"Yo."

Liika stepped out from between her two friends and addressed Michael.  "So Michy, why don't you stop hanging out with these two leaving them as the carrot top duo?"  She asked with a grin.

"Hey!  Stop calling up that!"  Johnny shot out irritatedly.

Liika sent him a cheeky grin and replied, "I have been calling you that since you first started hanging out together, deal with it."  Then turning back to Michael expectantly, "well Michael?"

Michael merely smiled and tweaked her nose causing it to scrunch up.  "The answer is the same as it is every time you ask."

"Blah, blah, blah, you like your friends got it.  Well if you every wanna change social circles just let us know!"  she smiled, nudging his shoulder.

Just then the warning bell went, causing all six teenagers to sigh in despair.  Enrique moaned and started to 'cry' against Liika's back.  Liika patted his head consolingly and bid farewell to Mariah, Michael and Johnny who headed off to their respective homerooms.  "Come on pain, let's get to homeroom," she said to Tala, who shrugged and fell in step beside her and Enrique.

After homeroom, Liika and Enrique met up with Robert, Lee, Rei and Mariah, Oliver joined them soon after.  It was break and they had ten minutes before they all had to go off to Family Management.  They all sat in the senior lounge –which ironically the seniors never used. 

It was a fairly small room stuffed with couches, chairs and a medium sized coffee table in the middle of it all.  One wall was made completely of windows, allowing the sunlight of the bright autumn day shining in and blind all who faced it.  Bulletin boards were hung all over the wall facing the window, blank for the moment but would soon be filled with answer keys and homework pages.

Mariah and Rei cuddled on one of the love seats that was shoved against the window wall, they apparently had not suffered from the events of Friday.  Lee sat in a chair beside them, Oliver was perched on another love seat against the opposite wall, covering his eyes and Robert was beside him looking down and to his left to avoid the light.  Liika was sprawled on the second loveseat to the left of Oliver and Robert, her feet dangling over the edge and her head tilted up to look at Robert, a light tinge of pink on her face.  Poor Enrique was left to sit on the floor, his back leaning up against Liika's love seat.

"I hate school."  Enrique muttered allowing his head to fall against his chest.

"I second that." Rei muttered as well, pressing a kiss to Mariah's temple.

"I actually quite like school.  I would like it even more if it didn't start at the crack of dawn."  Liika said sighing.

The door opened and in walked Tyson, Max, Emily, Jade and Kenny who stood in the threshold staring at the half awake juniors.

"Dude!  You guys look dead!"  Tyson exclaimed looking surprised.

Liika took one of the pillows she was lying on and threw it at him.  "Duh, you would be too if you had to get up at 5:30 am to be at school for 7!"

"Ok, ok, no need to get all pissy about it!"  Tyson shot back waving his hands dismissively.

"Why don't you guys come in… there's not many places to sit, but I'm sure we can manage."  Oliver invited, smiling at the newly arrived sophomores.

"That's right!"  chimed Mariah, smiling as well.  Her smiled then turned mischievous as she addressed Liika.  "I'm sure Liika wouldn't mind giving up her seat… in favor of more…comfortable accommodations."  Mariah's teeth flashed as her smile morphed into a grin.

Liika's eyebrows surrounded over her eyes and she turned her head to look at the grinning Mariah, flinching as the sunlight shine directly into her eyes.

"Of course," added Enrique, catching on to Mariah's plan and craning his neck to judge Liika's reaction as he said his next words.  "There is plenty of room between Robert and Oliver."

Enrique was not disappointed; as soon as the words left his lips, Liika's face lit up like a red Christmas bulb.  She glared at Mariah and Enrique in turn, making sure they knew she did not appreciate the embarrassment they had just caused her.

Robert arched an eyebrow in interest.  Why was she so embarrassed by sitting between himself and Oliver?  Normally she wouldn't have thought twice.  And then there was the teasing tones in Enrique and Mariah's voices…. Just like Friday when he had been around.  What was the common factor?  Frowning in thought, it struck him.

It was him.

The common factor was Robert, himself.  Any time Enrique or Mariah would bug Liika to make her blush he was somehow involved, all except the make up incident.  Unless….

It had been for him.

The thought struck him as oddly humorous, that the town tomboy would dress up and where make up for a boy.  But why?  Why would Liika do something like that to try to impress him?  For the second time in a minute a thought struck him.

Maybe she liked him.

The thought made a slight blush creep up his neck and ears.  She liked him?  But how could that be?  With out thinking he opened his mouth and said, "You may come sit beside me Liika."

He snapped his mouth closed after he said it, not believing he had opened himself up for ridicule like that.  Miraculously, however, no one seemed to notice.  Liika came, shyly hanging her head a bit, peeking at him from under bangs, earning a small smile from Robert.

Tyson watched his cousin with hidden glee.  Yes!  Soon she would have a boyfriend and be out of his hair for awhile!

"Come on Em, let's grab the couch before Ty snags it, besides there is only like eight minutes 'till Fam. Man." Jade said, stepping over to the loveseat, pushing Enrique out of the way in the process. 

Emily soon joined her and sat down beside her, then Max came and sat on the plush arm beside Emily.  Kenny plopped down on the floor where he had been standing and crossed his legs.  Tyson looked around bewildered and pouted, "Where am I supposed to sit?"

Jade shot him a smirk and said sarcastically, "The floor seems to work wonders."

Tyson muttered as he lowered himself to the floor beside Kenny.  It wasn't fair, why did he always end up on the floor?

Kai grumbled as he heard the warning bell ring signaling the end of break.  Homeroom sucked… his teacher was frightening.  A tall dark man with purple hair and creepy beady eyes; he wasn't really listening when the teacher introduced himself, he was so busy trying to avoid the man's eerie leer, apparently the man was the drama teacher.  Scary thought.

What was next…oh right Family Management.  Damn.  Kai cursed the state of Colorado for making it a mandatory course in the sophomore and junior years; cause he sure as hell wouldn't have taken a class where you had to learn about parenting and marriage and crap if he wasn't made to.  Like he cared.  He wasn't even going to get married!  Women, che who needs them?

Sighing he shifted his backpack and stopped in front of the room number indicated on his schedule.  Stupid government, he thought stepping into the class.

The classroom itself was just like the other classes he had been in.  Sterile white brick walls with blue carpeting or beige linoleum, this one had blue carpeting. There were no desks in this classroom, instead round tables were spread out, each seating eight people.  The walls were covered with magazine clippings, mostly depicting funny slogans and catch phrases or thin anorexic looking girls and buff looking guys.  A female teacher was sitting in her desk, legs crossed, staring down at what looked like a fashion magazine.

Kai was chagrinned to notice all of his new team and soon to be ex-team were in the class with him.  He snorted, must be a grade split.

Stepping into the class, he headed straight for the table where Tala, Ian, Johnny, Michael and some girl he had never met, nor cared to.

"Hey Hiwatari, what's up?"  greeted Tala, as Kai sat down.

"Yo."  He replied, tossing his backpack to the floor and pulling at his collar.  "Why does this school have uniforms anyway?"  Kai grumbled, loosening his tie.

The other boys at the table laughed, the girl giggled and batted her eyes at Kai.  "Ehn, years back some kid was complainin' about harassment because he couldn't afford good clothing or something.  So the school decided that it would be beneficial for everyone to wear the same thing, and voila –uniforms."  Johnny explained shrugging.

Kai snorted to signify his disgust at the matter.  He thought he could escape uniforms when he went to a public school.  He was wrong. 

His eyes started to shift around the room, studying its occupants and where they sat.  There was six round tables in the room that sat in two rows in front of the white board at the from of the classroom.  She along with her shaggy blond friend, the pink haired girl and her boy toy, the pretty red head girl, Michael's little sister and the one she so obviously liked sat at the table across from his at the back of the classroom. 

At another table in front of the blue haired girl's table sat the loud mouth boy who knocked him over on his first day, his blond friend as well as this little kid with the computer, the green haired pretty boy, Laan, and a few other kids he didn't recognize.  Only two other tables were occupied, and neither of them were full, and there seemed to be an over abundance of boys in the class.  There were six girls to the fifteen boys, some counselor had not scheduled very well.

When the second bell went the class quieted a bit and the teacher shut her magazine gracefully and stood, addressing the class.  "Ok class, we have a lot to do today so we need to get started!"  She called, clapping her hands to get attention.

Kai rolled his eyes; great the teacher was one of those happy go lucky perky people.  Ugh.

"First of all I would like to welcome a new student to our class, Kai Hiwatari."  He smiled at him and got a nod in return.

Somewhere in the direction of Liika's table a cough sounded, a not very nice cough.  Kai glared in her direction.  Stupid girl; even annoyed him sitting across the room!

"Moving on, Kai you are very lucky to join our class today, as we are starting our major project, by the way if you didn't know my name is Miss Giesinger, but you may call me Miss G."  The class groaned at the mention of the major project.

Miss G had been known to give different projects to every one of her Family Management classes, so that the next group to take the class couldn't cheat or know what it was.  It worked well, however, it also had the students extremely nervous.  Her projects had been known to be very…nasty at times.

The teacher laughed at the groans, grinning.  Every class she had groaned, it wasn't new, but she got some pleasure out of surprising them.  Winking she continued.  "Now this classes project is something that I've never tried before.  I debated using my new idea on this class, because the ratio of boys to girls is how it is.  However I have decided to use it."  She walked through the aisle between the two rows of tables, studying each table in turn.  "As you know this major project is worth twenty-five percent of your final grade, so I expect you all to do well on it."

The class groaned again, yes they knew… all but Kai anyway, who scowled in extreme annoyance.  He hated projects, and in his last school Family Management had been nothing more than filling out some difficult worksheets and socializing with his friends.  Damn public schools and their 'catering to the less intellectually gifted'.

"Now, like I said, I've never done this type of project before, generally I assign some sort of written project, however, this time the majority of the project will be non-written and in class based.

Before I explain the project I would like to say that this project is for the juniors, and the few sophomores that chose to challenge Family Management ten when they were freshmen.  These sophomores include: Emily Parker, Jade Maxwell, Ian Mitchell and Max Tate.  The rest of you will be helping me grade your fellow classmates as well as be participating in the activities I have lined up for the project goers, and yes before you ask Tyson, you will be graded."

Tyson slumped at this, just when he thought he was getting off with out any work.

Miss G ruffled Tyson's hair on her way back to the front of the room, sending him a kind smile.  "Now!  On to the project!"  She exclaimed happily.

"Most of you will be working in pairs for the entire project, which I suspect will last until just before Halloween, so about a month to a month and a half.  I will be choosing your partner.  Those of you not working in pairs will be working as a collective, you'll see what I mean in a moment.

The project is this: each pair will have to function as a normal, healthy marriage.  You will be put through situations and trials just as any normal couple would have and you will be graded on how you adjust and adapt to the situation.  About halfway through the project each pair –or single will be given an automated doll that will act just like a new baby.  The doll has a small computer in it and will allow me to know if you take care of your baby.  Each pair is graded as a pair, so if one spouse does not take care of the baby you both suffer, I pray you remember that.

The only writing you will have to do is a daily or bi-daily journal on how your marriage is going, this is a very small part of the project so don't worry about it.

The last thing I have to tell you before I tell pair you off is that if at any time during the project you wish to 'divorce' your 'spouse' you may do so, however, there will be an automatic fifteen percent deduction in your final grade.  Meaning you can't get the perfect twenty-five percent, you can only get ten, and the best you can do in the class is an eighty-five, which you all know is not an A."  Pausing she looked over her desk quickly and gasped a little.  "It seems I have left your pairings in the teachers lounge, I must go get it, feel free to talk amongst yourselves until I get back."  With that she strode out of the class, shutting the door behind her.

"Fuck, do you believe this project!  It has to be the worst yet!  I'm just lucky I don't have to do it!"  Exclaimed Johnny with a shake of his head.

Tala nodded in agreement.  "At least we don't have to do much written work."

"Yeah but guys, there are only five girls doing the project, and there is what…ten guys?  What are the other five guys gonna do?"  Michael asked.

The rest shrugged, and the only girl at their table, a junior named Jenny Silverton, said, "Well she said something about single parents right?"

Kai shrugged, he didn't really care either way, but he kind of hoped he was one of the 'single parents'.

"Aww… this has to be the worst project she's come up with!  I mean one girl?  Marriage?  I'm soo not ready for that kind of commitment!"  Enrique bemoaned, pouting as he placed his head on the table.

"I dunno, I kinda think it's pretty cool.  Much better than last semesters project where they had to follow a married person other than their parents around for two weeks and interview them and stuff.  Much less writing, and I mean what could be so bad about pretending to be married?  It's not like you actually are."  Liika put it, leaning back on her chair to the point of almost falling over.

Robert, who was sitting beside her, grabbed the back of the chair before she could topple over.  "Don't do that you'll hurt yourself."  He scolded quietly.

Liika blushed and stuck her tongue out.  Like she needed a babysitter!

"Well I for one hope I get Rei!" Mariah giggled winking at her boyfriend next to her.

Rei smiled gently and leaned over to kiss her cheek.  Jade and Emily looked at each other and simultaneously made gagging noises, to which Enrique and Liika soon joined in.  Rei and Mariah just laughed and waved them off.  "Well then smart asses who do you hope you get eh?"  Mariah teased back.

Jade and Emily shrugged.  "There's no one in this class worth getting! –No offense boys." Emily said, tossing her hair, blushing slightly.

The boys at the table made non-committal noises.  Jade waved her had dismissively.  "I don't really care who I get either.  It's just a project!"

"That's what you say until you get someone you hate!"  Tyson called from the other table.

Liika ripped out a piece of paper from her notebook and threw it at him.  "Quiet twirp!"

"All right class, listen up!"  Miss G strode back into the classroom with what looked liked clear purpose.

She headed straight for the white board and started to copy names down, calling them as she went. "Ok, since we have twice as many boys as girls, I have had to improvise one of the pairings.  In today's society it is not at all uncommon for gay marriages to happen, so two of you boys will be paired in such a relationship."

"WHAT??"  Several boys yelled, horrified.

The teacher turned around calmly and replied.  "If you would rather not do the project then you can take an automatic fail, taking your chances for whatever project I decide next semester."  She smiled sweetly, yet menacingly.

This shut the boys' outraged comments up quickly, yet some still muttered and prayed that they weren't one of the two chosen for the 'gay' marriage.

"Now, on to the pairings!  I know you're all just dying of excitement."  She chuckled at her own joke, earning groans out of several students.  "Ok here we go.  First up, Mariah Low and Oliver Du Bois."

Mariah wilted in disappointment, to which Rei squeezed her hand and Oliver sent her a sympathetic smile.  Oh well, Mariah thought, It could have been worse… much worse.

"Next, Jade Maxwell and… Ian Mitchell."

Jade raised an eyebrow and turned around to look at her new 'husband'.  He smirked at her and winked, earning a giggle.  She had lucked out as well and got one of her friends.

"Emily Parker and… Max Tate."

Both Max and Emily turned a rosy pink color and sent each other shy glances.  Score! Max shouted in his head, resisting the urge to jump up and do a happy dance.

"Rei Kon and Jenny Silverton."

Mariah spun and hissed at the other girl, whom smirked right back and did a little victory sign.  Mariah hated Jenny ever since she had moved to Bakuten the year before, the girl was a tramp and tried to get with every guy from senior to sophomore.  Rei placed a hand on Mariah's waist to calm her and completely ignored Jenny.

"And I figured I'd put the last of our girls Liika Tomoda with our new student Kai Hiwatari."

Liika's eyes expanded to twice their normal size and she turned her head to stare across the room into twin chestnut orbs that were almost as wide as her own. "No!"  both exclaimed at the same time, jumping out of their seats.

The teacher turned from the white board to stare at the two students in surprise.  "Excuse me?"

"I can't be paired to him!" Liika said with disgust, pointing directly at Kai.

"Like I'd even want to be near something as disgusting as you!"  Kai shot back.

"Liika!  Kai!  That is enough!  Take your seat's this instant."  Miss G commanded sternly.  "I don't care what you seem to have against each other, but you'll have to get over it because I am not changing the pairs.  Deal with it."
Kai and Liika growled at each other almost inaudibly and took their seats, glaring at their respective tables.  Robert scowled deeply, he had already decided to make something of this thing Liika obviously had for him, and Kai would make it difficult by putting her in a continuously bad mood.  Truth be told, he had been hoping to be paired with her, it would have made the task he had set for himself just that much easier, but alas things just weren't meant to be easy.  He just hoped he wasn't one of the two paired in a gay marriage.

"Ok, for our last pairing, the two boys will be… Enrique Sattiay,"  Enrique looked up, horror written across his face, "and Tala Valkov."

The expression on both boy's face was priceless, however, Tala's expression was that much better.  His usual look of smugness and haughtiness was replaced by sheer panic and terror.  How could the great Tala Valkov be in a gay relationship with his childhood tormentee?  Life wasn't fair!

Enrique started moan and actually cry, beating his fists on the table.  "Why me?  Why me?  God must hate me!"

The rest of the two's tables grimaced and awkwardly tried to comfort their friends.

"Now that's enough of that you two, it's just a project, and like I told Liika and Kai: get over it.  Now the rest of you that didn't get a partner, this is Robert, Lee and Michael you will get your children right away and will begin your parenting right off the bat.  Also because you don't have partners and you are 'single parents' you will be expected to work and 'live' as a collective, helping each other out when you need it."  The teacher walked to a cupboard and pulled out three baby dolls and handed them to the three boys.  "Don't turn them on for a moment, I need to get the memory cards I have prepared for them."

Robert, Lee and Michael nodded, taking their new children.

"The rest of you, those in pairs, please move your seat to beside your respective spouse and as soon as I finish with the single parents we will move on to the bonding ceremonies!"  giggling with excitement Miss G, retrieved three small plastic cards from her desk and slid them into each of the babies the boys held.  "There you go, now you can turn them on now or you can wait till after class, it's your choice."

All three boys opted to wait and settled in to their new seats at one of the middle tables, essentially opening they new collective.  Emily, Max, Jade, Ian, Jenny and Rei had moved to one of the front tables, leaving Mariah, Oliver, Kai, Liika, Tala and Enrique to sit at the table beside the 'collective of single parents'.  Mariah, Rei, Liika, Kai, Tala and Enrique all thinking at once: Life isn't fair.

Haha now I KNOW that a school would NEVER make two guys do that… but I's for effect… work with me here ;)  No flames please..