AN: Well here it is.. chapter 18. Fair warning, because I'm losing interest in Beyblade and becoming more obsessed with Yu-Gi-Oh this ficcy will get updated less… but I hope to put out at least a chapter a week =) happy reading
"Hello Mama!" Liika chirped, bouncing through the back door of the Sattiay household about seven o'clock Friday evening.
"Well hello there!" Mrs. Sattiay replied turning from the stove to catch Liika in a bear hug. Mrs. Sattiay, or Amelia, was a tall plump woman. While most women her age that were overweight as she was were called 'fat', Amelia could only be described as 'matronly'. Her laughing blue eyes twinkled merrily, and her dark brown hair that was streaked with gray –thanks to Enrique she'd always say- was held back in a tight coil in the back of her head. The second generation Italian blood that flowed through her veins could be clearly seen in her appearance. Liika's own mother died in child birth, and her father soon after in a car accident, so the Sattiay's practically adopted the cheerful girl. Amelia had always wanted a girl, but one never came, instead she demanded Liika call her Mama, since Enrique and Liika were like twins anyway. The same went for Julien, Enrique's father.
Letting Liika go, Amelia gave her an affectionate pat on the bottom and said in a scolding tone, "Haven't seen you in days child! Enrique tells me you've found yourself a boyfriend… you haven't been neglecting your studies like you have your old mama have you?" She waved her wooden around menacingly.
Liika laughed, ducking under and arm to snatch a freshly baked cookie off the rack where they were cooling. "Nope! Robert wouldn't let me even if I wanted to!"
This time Amelia used her wooden spoon to paddle Liika's behind. "Stay out of those you! I swear you're as bad as that son of mine. Bratty child." She scolded more, smiling. "So it was the Jagen boy you snatched up hm? Mighty fine catch there," She winked, turning back to the stove as Liika popped the cookie in her mouth. "But I always though you and Tala would finally see that you were meant for each other."
The blue haired girl nearly spat the cookie out. "Tala?!" She demanded around a mouthful. "Ewwww…"
Amelia clucked her tongue disprovingly. "Now Liika, you know better than to talk with your mouth full, besides I was just teasing you."
"What's this? My beautiful daughter finally comes home and she can't even come say hello to her old Papa?" A deep male voice quipped from behind them.
Liika grinned, turning and jumping into the large blond man's arms. "Hello Papa!" She chirped, placing a smacking kiss on his cheek.
"That's my girl!" He replied setting her down again with a pat on the head.
While Amelia Sattiay was fairly tall, Julien Sattiay was a giant. He stood easy, 6'4 maybe more and had massive shoulders. His pale blond hair –which he passed down to their only son- matched perfectly with his tawny brown eyes. It always made Liika wonder why Enrique wasn't hugely tall when both his parents were of a good size.
"Anyways, my dear girl, have you eaten?" Amelia cut in, stirring a pot of what looked like spaghetti sauce with a white plastic spoon.
"Nope." Liika replied. "Grandpa's on a trip to Japan to learn more about Kendo or something…"
"Oh that's right! I totally forgot David was leaving. Oh dear me, what are you doing for food you poor children?" The older woman exclaimed, her face scrunching into a frown.
Liika smiled. "Well Grandpa left us some money for food and allowance, as well as stalking the cupboards before he left. I imagine I'll be cooking for Ty. Tonight, however, I told him to fend for himself." She replied, skipping over to the stairwell that led to the basement.
Once again Amelia clucked her tongue. "That wont do, I'll put some extra on so you can take it home to Tyson. There is more than enough here for you. Go downstairs and tell my delinquent son that dinner will be done in about fifteen minutes." Mrs. Sattiay had a habit of affectionately calling Enrique a delinquent because he was a skater. She knew he really wasn't and that he didn't do any of the drugs that went along with the 'skater' tag, but she liked to tease him about it.
"Okie!" Liika responded then dashed down the stairs.
At the bottom of the stairs a small horizontal hallway connected the family room with Enrique's bedroom, the stairs directly between. As soon as she stepped off the bottom step she could hear the low strumming of an electric guitar. Not even thinking about it she turned right and opened the door to Enrique's bedroom.
There he was, lounging on the pale gray sofa across from his twin waterbed, strumming cords on his blue and whiter electric guitar. Briefly he looked up, but then turned his attention back to his guitar. "Yo."
Immediately she knew something was wrong, beyond his sore arms. Enrique was never cold to her unless he was royally pissed about something that pertained to her. "Alright, spill it. Why are you so pissed at me?" She said blandly, coming over and plopping down beside him.
"I'm not pissed." He replied flatly, not even looking at her.
"Liar. She shot back. "I can see right through you, seriously you've been quiet for days, what's wrong?"
He sighed agitatedly, picking up his guitar and walking across the room to put it on its rack. "You never have any time for me anymore!" He exclaimed finally, after staring at his wall for a few minutes. Whirling around, his upset blue eyes met with her confused ones. "It's always Ronert, Robert, Robert! Hell, Kai gets more of your time than I do! It just…" Enrique trailed off sighing. "I just … miss you that's all. Ever since you and Robert started going out I've seen you less and less outside of school, and in school you're always hanging off him. It's like… It's like I've been replaced, and you don't need me anymore." His voice, by the end, was nothing more than a sad whisper. His hands were buried in the pockets of his tattered baggy jeans, his head drooped to his chest, shaggy blond hair hanging over his eyes.
Liika felt her eyes well up with tears. She hadn't realized she had been neglecting him for Robert. Sure, she knew she was spending less time at his house than she used to, but she didn't think it was this bad! She began to think of all the times in the last three weeks that she had actually spent some one on one time with her best friend.
……She could count them on one hand. She really had been neglecting him!
"Oh my god… I never realized! Oh Eny, I'm so sorry! You're right… I have been neglecting you.." Liika cried, springing off the sofa and across the room. Jumping on him her arms tangled around his waist, and she peered up into his face. Actually… he was rather tall…of course she was only 5'1. "Forgive me?" She pleaded, pouting.
Enrique wanted to stay mad, he really did. She had forgotten him like some passing acquaintance! However, he just couldn't stay mad when she made that face. A face she knew was his downfall.
Crafty little…
He sighed, sliding his arms around her shoulders, hugging her to him. "Alright, you're forgiven, but you gotta promise me something." He said, looking down at her sternly.
"Anything!" She promised.
"No matter who we date, we'll always have time for each other."
Liika grinned, hugging him tighter. "It's a deal. Friends forever?" She asked, holding up her hand.
He clasped her hand with his. "Friends forever." He vowed, then both pressed a kiss to the others fingers of their joined hands. It was their 'secret' hand shake, developed all the way back in second grade when they decided that all best friends needed a secret hand shake. The only one who knew its meaning besides the two was Enrique's mother –its original creator.
"Oh yeah, Mama said dinner would be ready in fifteen minutes." Liika said stepping away, back to the sofa.
Enrique perked up, following her. "You're staying aren't you?" He said, voice hopeful as he dropped down beside her.
Immediately the petite girl laid down on her stomach, propping her chin on hone of Enrique's crossed legs. Grinning at him she winked. "You can't get rid of me now! I'm here for the night."
"Just us?"
"Just us."
"Promise?"
Liika sighed. "Promise."
"Sweet!" Enrique exclaimed, ruffling her hair.
"Bah! Enrique! Top that!" She complained, slapping his hands away.
Enrique laughed, slipping her hair band out of her hair quickly then jumped off the sofa.
"Hey! Oh you're sooo asking for it!" Liika cried, leaping and tackling him to the ground. "Take this thief!" She began tickling his sides, causing him to squirm and write in giggles.
"Ahh!! Mercy, Mercy! I give, I give!"
"Wahaha!" Liika cackled, grabbing her hair band back and stringing her hair back up. Lying back down beside him, both teens were silent, catching their breaths.
After a few moments Liika decided to break the comfortable silence.
"Soooo… tell me what's been going on in your world? What's up with you and Riley?"
He started to sputter, a red blush crossing his decks. "No-nothing!"
Liika felt a smirk growing on her face. Turning over, she threw one arm around his waist and propped her chin on his chest. "Oh really? Then why are you blushing? I know something is going on Eny!" She prodded, one blue eyebrow raising.
"Nothing, I swear!"
It was clear that he was hiding something. While Enrique was a brilliant actor, he was a horrible liar. If that makes any sense.
"Che, if you won't tell me who will you tell?" Liika demanded, glaring.
"Oliver?" He said innocently, blinking his large eyes.
Liika growled, pushing herself up and plunking herself down on his stomach. Enrique let out a wheeze sound and struggled to catch his breath. "Icki! Get off!" He whined, trying to push her off.
"Nope." She replied, crossing her arms. "I'm not moving until you tell me the truth!"
"Kids! Dinner!"
Enrique shoved at her again. "We gotta eat! Get off!"
She shook her head. "Nope, sorry, dinner will just have to wait."
"But..but.. I'M HUNGRY!" He wailed, shoving harder.
Liika, however, refused to budge and just stayed on top of him and smirked. "No telly, no full belly."
Enrique paused in his struggles and sent her a dead pan look. "That was lame Icki."
"Point taken. I'm still not letting you up."
"Dammit. Fine! Yes! I do like Riley are you happy??" Enrique growled finally, his face blossoming into a bright blush.
She giggled and got off of him, helping him to his feet. She tossed him a gloating look. "Since when does the great ladies man blush?" Liika teased, poking him in the side.
He shot her a glare and brushed himself off. "I really like her ok! Ever since she came back from Mexico we.. I dunno, we just clicked!" He said. Liika grinned, a mischievous smile. Enrique knew that smile; it meant she was up to no good. "Oh no you don't Icki!"
"Don't what?" Liika replied innocently, the grin never leaving her face.
"No!"
"ENRIQUE! LIIKA! DINNER! NOW!" Amelia called once more.
Liika cackled and raced out the door, Enrique hot on her heels, pleading with her not to do anything drastic in his name.
Tala looked over his shoulder, groaning as he climbed the bleacher steps toward his friends. "Ok this stalker thing is getting out of hand. I know someone is following me now, or rather some girl." He moaned, plunking down beside Kai and leaning back against the bleacher back –they were seating in the very top corner.
Kai shoved a chip in his mouth and raised a slate eyebrow. "You mean that girl you were telling me about is actually following you?" He said, chewing.
The red head nodded, staring up into the sky. "Yup. Don't know her name and barely what she looks like. She always stays far enough away.
"Is she blond?" Ian piped up curiously.
"Yes why?" Tala replied, sitting up again to stare at his shorter friend.
Ian snickered, and was soon joined by Johnny. Michael hid a smile behind his sandwich. "You mean to tell me you didn't know she was following you around?" Johnny asked incredulously.
"Should I have?" Tala shot back, clearly unamused.
Ian shook his head. "Dude, that girl has been tailing you since school started." He said.
Tala's face went completely blank. "You're not serious."
Ian shrugged. "'fraid so man. I can't believe you didn't notice, I mean it was so obvious!" He laughed.
"No doubt!" Johnny joined in laughing.
Tala glared at the two, picking up a piece of trash from the bleacher beside him and throwing it at the two chortling boys. Kai rolled up his chip bag and tossed it at them as well. "I didn't notice either so shut up."
"I only did because I was walking behind her one day." Michael spoke up, finishing off his sandwich.
This drew the rest of the boys' attention. "And?" Tala demanded, raising a blood red eyebrow.
Michael shrugged, stretching his legs out in front of him. "Not much to tell. I was walking behind her and one of her friends. They were giggling and pointing at something in front of them. When I looked at what they were pointing at I found you."
Tala sighed, he being stalked by a girl he didn't even know. Not that he blamed the girl any. He was rather good looking, not to mention sophisticated and incredibly cool.
"Her name is Riku, Riku Makino if I do remember correctly. She's a freshman." Johnny added.
"And how do you know that MacGregor?" Kai asked, his eyebrow once again raising.
Johnny huffed defensively. "If you must know, she's in my sister's homeroom class and she identified her after school one day." He shot back with a glare.
"Well that's just great! I'm being stalked by a freshman!" Tala muttered, leaning back again.
Johnny smirked. "That's not all. Word has it she calls you Yuri-senpai."
The look on Tala's face sent the other boys into howls of laughter. It was just so priceless! He looked so mortified! "How the fuck does she know my middle name?! Ahhh… damn my parents and their Russian background. And what does senpai mean?" Tala said, scowling.
Ian, Johnny and Michael shrugged, none of them knowing the answer to either of the questions. Kai smirked, he hadn't known Tala's middle name, but he could sympathize with ethnic origin names. His own middle name, as well as last name, was a testament to it. "Senpai means 'senior'." Kai stated. "It's a term of respect younger students give older ones."
"So... she worships me?"
Kai rolled his eyes. "She follows you around like a little puppy doesn't she?"
"Sweet!" Tala exclaimed. "You can't really blame her tho, I mean look at me."
This elicited groans out of the other boys and they all simultaneously tossed garbage at him.