AN: Ok… so FFnet hates me… the last chapter was SUPPOSE to be a chapter but the stupid thing cut off… gah. Anyway, thank you people for your support! You guys rule! Here is chapter 14… sorry bout Bryan being a wee bit OOC.. and same with Voltair.. but all is good!
"This better not be a waste of my time and money Kai."
Kai sighed, rolling his eyes. It was not the first time his father had said those very words. Ever since his old man had agreed to sponsor the beyblade team he now captained the Friday before, the man had used every opportunity to express his doubts to his only son. Why couldn't he, just for once, trust Kai? He hadn't ever cost him money before, hell he had even made his father a good deal of money. "I told you, father, it will not be. I have every faith that this team will go to the nationals."
The older man grunted, taking a bite of his gourmet chef salad. "How good could a backwater hick town be?" He said, swallowing.
"Kevin!" Kai's mother scolded none too gently.
"Your wife's right my son," An aging man added regally, his tone haughty. "You mustn't look down on Bakuten, after all, you chose to buy property here, and you built your house here. Besides, we've already agreed to sponsor the boy's beyblade team. I have complete faith in my grandson's evaluation of the team and we will see them in time."
Kai snorted, dropping his fork onto his plate, signifying his completion of the meal. "Thank you, Grandfather. They may be kids from a backwater hick town father, but let me assure you I have never seen such beyblade talent in my life. Not even at last year's Nationals. If they were as bad as you think they are, do you really think I would be on the team, much less captain of it? I think not. Now if you will excuse me I have homework to do." Kai said, bowing his head and stalking away out of the dining room.
The adults stared after the young man for a few moments before returning to their meal, totally ignoring as a servant came and took Kai's plate away.
"The boy's getting an attitude, I don't like it. Must have picked it up from that public school of his." Kevin Hiwatari all but sneered the word public, "next year he's going back to private school."
"Oh no he's not!" Kate Hiwatari –Kai's mother- swore fervently. "I have never seen Kai as happy as he has been since he started going to Bakuten High. He has real friends here Kevin, and I will not see you take them away from my son!"
Kai's father dropped his fork with a clang. "He had friends at Abbey!" He all but growled.
Kate snorted, ripping her napkin off her lap and depositing it on her plate. "Oh yes he had friends. Those same friends that used him to get jobs at BD Pharmaceuticals, those friends that exploited his beyblade talent, those friends that used him for homework answers." At her husbands glare she blinked innocently and said, "Ooh not them? Then you must mean the friends that got him arrested for vandalism and for beating up that poor boy at his school. Oh yes, I remember those wonderful friends."
Kevin growled. "Kate-"
"Katherine's right. I'll admit I had my doubts when she told me he was going to Bakuten, but now that I see the outcome I'm afraid I agree with her. Kai deserves a chance to be happy, and lets face it, he will not suffer a lower education at Bakuten, if he was going to then Katherine would have never sent him there." Kai's Grandfather cut in, placing his hands elegantly in his lap.
Kat sniffed gently, standing. "Thank you Voltair. Excuse me." With one final look at her fuming husband she strode out of the room, flipping her steel blue hair behind her.
"I now see where he gets the attitude." Kevin muttered.
Kai sighed, hearing his parents start to fight as he left the stuffy dining room. They didn't fight often, but when they did it was usually about him. However, he never stuck around long enough to find out what about him. But from the general things he had heard it usually had do to with how he acted around his father. He snorted, like he cared. He didn't even particularly like his father, he was a greedy, unemotional bastard. Kai doubted he even cared about him or his mother, only really keeping them around for appearance sake. His grandfather was only marginally better, but at least he expressed some interest in Kai's life, he always asked how his schooling and beyblading was going; and it was him that agreed to sponsor Bakuten's A, it sure as hell wasn't his cheap ass father.
He reached his room after a five minute journey through the massive halls of his family's seven odd thousand foot mansion –halls he had been traveling since he could walk. His family's home was situated about fifteen minutes south east of Bakuten, Colorado. He had never even been to Bakuten before he started school there, beyond once or twice for emergency clinic visits. His father much preferred to go to the slightly farther away capital city of Denver, which was always fine with him. But now that he had…friends… he found himself going to the small town more and more.
He had to admit, it felt good to be included just because he was Kai… not because he was the son of the president of a multi-billion dollar company. His other friends thought he was stupid… thought that he didn't know that they were just using him, but he knew. He knew all too well. Ti was one of the reasons he hadn't really fought his mother's insistence that he go to the public school. He was sick and tired of the rich pansy asses that had nothing better to do than spend their money and get in trouble –and who always ended up getting bailed out by mommy or daddy. Just thinking about Abbey made his blood boil, he would never go back there… never, and nothing his father could say would make him change his mind. He was fine where he was, better than fine actually, he was almost happy, somewhere he had never been before.
Kai had never been truly happy with any school or environment in his life. His home was stuff, filled with rules, stiffness and lack of love, and the same when for his school. None of the school's he had ever been to knew the meaning of the word fun. In kindergarten, instead of painting pictures and playing with blocks like most normal kids did, he had been learning how to behave properly at grown up parties, and learning the rudimentaries of math. Now, however, he was at a good school –Bakuten for all it being a small school had an excellent academic record- he had real friends that liked him for himself, he had a beyblade team with an incredible amount of talent and potential… and he had a little blue haired rival to harass when ever he felt like it. Yup, life was pretty good the way he saw it.
Flopping down his desk chair he moved his mouse, starting the screen up from the screen saver. He looked at the time, 6:30 pm, still early. He yawned in boredom, and clicked his MSN, thinking about what he had for homework. Advanced History –that homework not due until Thursday, Chem – finished that in study and Family Management… bleh stupid journal. He had half a mind to write something particularly nasty about his blushing bride but decided against it, he would write something monotonous and boring during homeroom the next morning. So that left him with absolutely nothing to do, he contemplated breaking out his PS2 to play Resident Evil.
The MSN sound broke him out of his thoughts and looked at his 20 inch flat monitor to see who messaged him.
You're stuffed with pure venom you vile lint infested human! says:
Yo man, what's up?
Ah, speaking of friends… Tala. The boy was almost like a kindred spirit. They were alike in so many ways, they quickly became fairly close friends. Tala had already been to his house… and that was saying a lot considering no one ever came to his house. Tala's father was an ass too, so they found each other to be good sound boards for father bashing.
I see holes in everyone… you're no different. says:
Hey.
You're stuffed with pure venom you vile lint infested human! says:
You can't possibly see holes in me. I'm perfect!
Kai's lips twitched.
I see holes in everyone… you're no different. says:
Ha! You got it wrong Red, I'm the one who's perfect!
Only hours after befriending the tall boy, Kai had taken to calling him Red. Tala's hair was so red that it was the first thing he noticed about him… beyond his strange hairstyle. Tala didn't object, just replied with calling him 'blue'.
You're stuffed with pure venom you vile lint infested human! says:
We're both perfect and everyone should bow down to our greatness?
I see holes in everyone… you're no different. says:
lol Fair enough.
You're stuffed with pure venom you vile lint infested human! says:
So, what are ya up to?
I see holes in everyone… you're no different. says:
Absolutely nothing. I'm bored stiff. My dad was being a fucking prick at the dinner table so I left early… now I'm hungry.
You're stuffed with pure venom you vile lint infested human! says:
Bastard. I'm bored too, and hungry now that I think about it. Ian just messaged me saying he was bored. Wanna go to DB's and grab something to eat? No asshole fathers will bother us lol.
I see holes in everyone… you're no different. says:
Heh, there it's not asshole fathers.. but bitchy girls one has to look out for.
You're stuffed with pure venom you vile lint infested human! says:
LMAO! Perhaps, but you wont have to worry about Icki either, they spent all day at the hospital with Tate, so she's probably at home catching up one school work. Besides if you look at your list she's online… which means she is at home.
Kai looked at his list absently and sure enough there she was, her name different than when he messaged her before. It now read "My poor Maxy… get better soon!". He shrugged. Not like he would not go to DB's with his friends even if he knew she was there. If he did that then she would win… and that could not happen.
I see holes in everyone… you're no different. says:
Sure, twenty min?
You're stuffed with pure venom you vile lint infested human! says:
Sounds good, see ya there
Tala signed off then and Kai followed suit. If he had twenty minutes then he had to leave right then or be late. Which suited him fine as his clothing was already changed from his uniform to a pair of baggy blue jeans and a Tommy sweater. He strode out of his room, grabbing his leather jacket and keys, and made his way to the front door.
"Mom, I'm going out with Tala, be back later." He called, spotting his mother at the top of the stairs.
"Ok sweety, remember, be back before eleven!" She replied blowing a kiss, while thinking, He didn't really have homework.
With one final wave, Kai disappeared out the door and headed toward the garage where his black Mercedes was parked.
Turquoise eyes narrowed as they caught site of their query early Tuesday morning. The pale haired young man was at his locker stuffing books from the red locker to his army green backpack. Taking a big breath Liika squared her shoulders and walked toward him determinedly. She hadn't told the rest of her team her plans –with exception of Judy who replied "I trust your judgment". Well, here goes nothing.
"Bryan… I … need your help." She said brokenly, coming to a stop about a foot and a half from him.
However, he didn't acknowledge her, not even a glance in her direction.
"Bryan…?" She tried again, thinking that perhaps he didn't hear her the first time.
But when he still didn't even spare her a glance she began to get irritated. What had she ever done to him? She scowled. "Bry-"
The slamming of his locker door cut her off. With nothing more than a cold lavender glance he started down the hallway, away from her.
That was it! She could handle the silent treatment if she had actually done something to deserve it, but she hadn't done anything to him besides go out with someone else.
"Bryan Alexander Wakeman you stop right there!" Liika yelled, stomping her foot for emphasis.
The burly boy froze in his tracks, but did not look behind him. Liika growled and stomped her way over to him, grabbing his arm and spinning him around. Jamming her hands on her hips she glared up at him. "Look here buddy! Don't you treat me like crap just because I'm going out with someone else!" She said, poking him in the chest. He however, didn't even flinch, just stared at her with impassive eyes. "Let me tell you something! If you had bothered to ask me, rather than just telling everyone I belonged to you, I probably would have said yes, making me your girlfriend. But you didn't! Therefore it's your own fault Robert asked me first!" Her voice had a growling tone to it, her eyes narrowed and sparking.
Still he said nothing, his eyes however had shifted from impassive to slightly angry. Turning on his heel he began to stalk away, more angry at himself than her, but unwilling to let her see that.
"What do you want from me Bryan? To beg? Is that what you want to see? Fine then." He froze once again, slowly turning.
Liika dropped to her knees, placing her palms flat on the ground. "I'm begging you. I need your help. Max is unable to blade for the foreseeable future and we're short a blader. With out eight we can't register and we don't have a team. Please Bryan…you're my only hope." Liika's voice had dropped to a low plead by the end, her head bowing low so her chin touched her chest. He truly was their only hope. He was one of the best bladers in Bakuten, and the only one left. Sighing she closed her eyes and waited for what seemed like an eternity for him to reply.
"Get up."
The low demand startled her, causing her to blink in surprise. Slowly, raising her head she looked up hopefully, her eyes wide. His eyes were closed and his arms were crossed over his chest. Her heart sunk, he wasn't going to help her. "Wha-what?" She finally squeaked, still kneeling on the floor.
"Get up." He demanded again, this time opening his eyes and taking a step toward her, his voice a bit gruffer.
He stepped in front of her, leaned down and helped her to her feet. Liika was thoroughly confused, what was he doing? After an awkward silence that stretched about thirty uncomfortable seconds Bryan spoke again, his voice quieter. "You never need to beg me for anything."
Liika looked up into his lavender eyes, tilting her head in confusion. His tone was normal, cold and almost monotone, if a bit quieter. To the casual observer, his face was stony, his eyes flat, but to someone who had known him since elementary school his face was anything but. He was… apologetic and almost regretful, not to mention angry, but Liika had the feeling that was more at himself than her.
Lifting a hand, Bryan brushed a few strands of her bangs off her forehead, looked around to make sure no one was watching and then pressed a slight kiss to her forehead. Liika's eyes grew ten time their size. Bryan… kissed… her… forehead??? Bryan never showed any emotion! Life was getting crazy!
"If he hurts you, I break him got it?" He growled; stepping away and picking up the green backpack he had dropped when he helped her up. With one final glance over his shoulder he left the dazed Liika behind.
She shook her head just in time to see him retreated down the hall. Frowning she called, "Does that mean you'll join my team??"
He tossed her a smirk over his shoulder. "I'll be there. Gotta keep an eye on Jagen somehow."
Liika laughed and waved at him. Yes! She had a team again! A competitive team! Now all she had to do was tell the rest of her team… fun. Enrique would whine, Robert would frown his frown that meant "I am not at all pleased with this situation", Jade and Emily would roll their eyes, Mariah would threaten to knock his head in if he called her woman and Lee… well Lee probably wouldn't say anything. He didn't have any major problem with Bryan so far as she knew. Sighing, she skipped her way to her locker. Time to start her wonderful day! Haha yeah right.