I'm SO sorry that I'm this late in updating! ^.^'' I've just gotten so side tracked!! I'm sorry!!!! I'm just going to 'cut to the chase' and put any notes after the fic…

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade…. Duh!

Chapter 5: Hints

It has been sixteen days since Rei's accident. Nine days since he got his neck brace off. Eight days since Averil arrived. Seven days since Averil left. The Bladebreakers had been in South America for twenty days now. To some, this concept of time weighed heavily upon them, to others, it was something of a marvel that they had only been there for such a short time.

Since the time following Averil's visit, Kayla's behavior became increasingly perplexing to the other five youths, well, except one. Rei. He knew perfectly well what she was up to; half of him was mad and irritated at her, the other half wished for her to stop beating around the bush and just say it; because he certainly couldn't. He was too scared to say it.

So, according to Kai's calendar, it was their twentieth day stuck in this miserable place and everyone was late getting up. Therefore, practice would start late. Therefore, they'd complain and want the day off. Therefore, they'd loose more training hours. Therefore, the training day would be cut short. Therefore, he'd have to spend more time than usual in the company of that girl.

After a big argument, over practicing, at breakfast, all the Bladebreakers went outside to practice. Sighing and shaking her head, Kayla went about cleaning-up.

"Look how cloudy it is out, Kai. It's going to pour any time now!" Tyson protested, trying desperately to get out of another of these now dreaded practices. As far as Tyson was concerned, ever since last week, after Averil had left, Kai had been more of a jerk than was usual for him. 'He's made practices worse than any torture/boot camp. Rei's,' Tyson noted, 'acting weird, too…'  but the bluenette didn't' have any more time to reflect on his teammates' strange behavior as Kai's angry voice finally broke into his thoughts.

"Tyson!" Kai was glaring at him. Right at him. Tyson gulped. Gritting his teeth, the team captain repeated himself, "It's not raining now and even if it does, we will still practice."

"Unless there's lightning." Kai swiveled to glare at Kenny. Shaking slightly, Kenny collected himself and continued, "The power emitted from the blades would attract any nearby lightning and if the lightning struck it would either hit us directly; killing us instantaneously, or strike the blades. If the latter occurred, the blades would absorb the energy. However, the voltage of the strike would be too much for any of your blades to handle and would ultimately destroy them." Kenny held his breath as Kai continued to stare knives into him.

"Fine, but only if there is lightning will we go inside."

Silently, Tyson prayed for lightning, but also wondered at what Kai meant when he said 'we will go inside' rather than 'practice will be cancelled.' He never did find out though, because it never did lightning, but, it did pour. When it was finally time for lunch, all the Bladebreakers trudged inside, soaked and miserable. Before eating, Kayla advised that they all go dry off so that they wouldn't get sick. Kai, however, didn't go off to change.

The golden eyed girl sighed. "Kai?" But he didn't seem to have heard her from his position on the wall, arms crossed and head down. Slightly louder, but in a controlled voice, "Kai?"

Not even bothering to look-up at her he replied, "Hn."

"Kai…" she bit her lower lip and thought about just dropping the subject when Kai spoke up and inquired in a non-too-nice voice.

"What?!"

'Might as well…' Kayla thought. "Kai, you're pushing them too hard, you're going to wear them out. If you keep going at this pace, none of you will be in any condition for the American Tournament."

The Russian sneered, "Don't worry; your boyfriend will be fine."

'You have to tell him!' part of the raven haired girl's mind screamed.

'No, I can't, it's not my place.'

'So, what are you going to do?' her mind asked of herself.

'… I just have to get him to say something. It's the only way…'

"So, what's for lunch?!" a cheery voice asked.

"Your favorite, Tyson, food." Kayla winked at him. "And lots of it."

"I hope it's something hot." Kenny mumbled form the doorway.

"It is."

"What is what?" Max asked as he and Rei came into the kitchen.

"Sit down and you'll find out." She smiled. After all the guys had taken their seats Kayla came around and ladled hot tomato soup into bowls already sitting on the table. Once everyone had soup she came back with a platter filled with grilled ham and cheese sandwiches, alone with plain grilled cheese. After everyone had grabbed their first serving of sandwiches, Kayla placed a lid over the plate to help keep them hot.

"Kayla?" Rei asked.

"Hm?" she answered around a mouthful of food.

"What are you doing?"

She held up a finger while she finished chewing, than, swallowing she paused and than replied sweetly. "Eating."

"I could figure that much out." Rei said in mock irritation.

Smiling she continued, "Dipping my grilled cheese in the soup." With the looks she got form the other beybladers who were now paying attention to the conversation she added, "It's good! Besides, plain grilled cheese is yucky unless you do so!"

"Mm! That's good!" Tyson cheered form his seat, quickly getting another two sandwiches. Tentatively, Max, Rei and Kenny also tried it, but Rei didn't really care for it and stuck with eating his soup and sandwiches separate.

Just as everyone was finishing up eating, a deafening crack of thunder resonated throughout the cabin. Not before the thunder had finished roaring, blinding lightning lit up the room, making it brighter than when the sun shone threw. Though the lightning only lasted for several seconds, and when it died away, so did the thunder. And the lights.

"Okay, someone explain to me how it's pitch black at noon!" Tyson asked.

"Well, Tyson, the clouds must be so thick that it is blocking all of the sun's rays, and that volt of lightning must have knocked our power out. Right, Chief?"

"Right, Max."

"Do any of you know if there are any candles or flashlights anywhere?" Kayla asked. "'Cause I don't know about you guys, but I don't feel like sitting around in complete darkness."

"I don't think we do…" Kenny answered.

"…"

"Yeah, this is nice…" Max remarked sarcastically.

During the next four hours they all sat around talking. Sometimes the conversation would die out, but it would eventually start back up again. Several times one or two of them would get up to try and fumble around for food or drinks. When Rei was coming back with a bag of what he hoped was chips, he accidentally sat on Kai instead of his own chair.

"Sorry, Kai, I just can't see in this blackness, it's just well, not light enough for me to see well enough by to get to the correct seat." Rei stuttered, completely embarrassed.

'I've got to do something…' Kayla thought after Rei's 'accident.' Just than she caught part of Kenny, Tyson and Max's conversation.

"It's just one of those strange things I guess." Kenny commented.

"But think about it," Max persisted. "Why is it that they call driveways the things we park on and parkways the things we drive on?"

"Aren't there other words like that?" Tyson asked, "Words that just don't seem to make sense?"

"Hm." Max nodded. "Umm… sunflower…"

"Dogwood." Kenny added in.

"Flying fox…" Max continued.

"Vampire bat." Rei jumped in.

"Bull shark." Tyson added.

"Tiger shark." Max listed.

Everyone paused, trying to think of other things to add to their list, but before any of the Bladebreakers could think of one, Kayla's brain, in over-drive, finally found the hole she'd been looking for in the conversation.

"Actually, that one doesn't fit."

"Huh? What doesn't fit what, Kayla?" Tyson inquired, perplexed.

"Tiger shark." Everyone remained silent, waiting for the rest of her explanation. "It isn't a word that doesn't make sense, for its name."

"You lost me." Max said.

"Tiger shark is the perfect name for it and it makes sense, too!"

"How so?" Rei questioned, getting the distinct feeling that Kayla was up to something, but was clueless as to what. 'She isn't… but…' Rei shook his head, 'I'm not even going to try and figure that girl out.'

"Well, at first, you may think it an unusual name, but if you get to know it, you realize that there is no better name for it. We can easily see why it has 'shark' in the name, it swims in water, is a loner by nature…'

"It's a shark?" Tyson remarked sarcastically.

"Yes!" Kayla said with enthusiasm, more sure of what she was saying now. "A tiger is a beautiful creature with black stripes and can sometimes even be aggressive if pushed… So while a tiger and a shark may seem like two things that shouldn't be stuck together… if you study and know that tiger and the shark, you know that putting them together, embodying them in one creature, is really the perfect combination… For the tiger shark is both a loner, stripped and aggressive."

Kayla held her breath.

"I still don't get it…" Tyson thought out loud.

"That's because you need to really know the two to know that they belong together…" She paused, than took the plunge, "You get it, don't you, Rei?"

A pause followed her question, but just than, the lights flickered back on. All of them were sitting around the circular table. Tyson and Max were sitting next to each other; Kenny was a little removed from them. Kai was somewhat off by himself, pushed back from the table. Rei was about evenly spaced between Kayla and Kai. For the seconds after the lights came on and everyone was still blinking in the sudden brightness, Rei just stared at Kayla. Than, slowly, he lowered his head to his hands. Shoulders slumped; Rei got up and headed towards his and Kai's room. Stopping in the doorway of the kitchen and speaking sadly over his shoulder, "I don't know…" Continuing, he walked into the bedroom and closed the door softly but firmly behind him.

"Rei…" Kayla whispered, suddenly finding herself fighting back tears.

As a dead silence fell onto the group, a deep, resonating growl broke the silence. Sheepishly, Tyson smiled, "Sorry, guess I'm just hungry."

Sighing, the raven haired girl got to her feet, glad of something else to do. "What would you like, Tyson?"

About thirty minutes later, everyone, minus Rei, was eating fettuccini Alfredo. The meal passed in relative silence, and after everyone was finished eating, Tyson, Max and Kenny went into the next room to play cards. Just as Kai was about to leave, Kayla stopped him.

"What?" He asked in a non-too-nice voice.

"Here." She held out a tray with a bowl of fettuccini, silverware, a napkin and a glass of water. "Take this to Rei, he's probably hungry…"

Kai glared at her for a moment, than took the tray, nodding his head and replied with his typical "Hn."

As the Russian youth entered the room he shared with the Chinese blader, Rei looked up form where he sat on his bed, knees pulled up to his chest. When he saw it was Kai, he tensed for a second, than forced himself to relax. As it seemed to Rei, an eternity passed while Kai entered the room, closed the door and stopped at the foot of his bed. Though, in reality, it was only a few seconds.

"I. Kayla thought you might be hungry…" Kai mumbled as he held the tray out for Rei to take.

"Umm… thanks…" he replied as he reached to take it. As he grabbed it, his and Kai's fingers brushed against each other. Both blushed furiously, but neither noticed the other's embarrassment. As Rei forced himself to breath rhythmically, he looked down at his dinner, using it as a focus, to think of anything but… Rei shook his head and began the mechanical process of eating. Kai had gone over to his own bed where he was reading his book. He was 'reading' so intently, that he read so slow, that he had to reread the same page ten times.

When Rei had finished eating, he took his tray and got up. Before leaving the room, he mumbled something about returning dishes and being sleepy. Sure enough, several minutes later, Rei returned and immediately got ready for bed. As he and Kai had gotten into the pattern of, Rei, once ready for bed, would get in his bed and roll over and race the wall. Kai would than undress to his boxers, which was all he wore to bed (just like Rei), and than turn off the light and go to bed himself. Though, tonight, Kai hesitated a bit before changing for bed because it was still quite early, but something in the back of his brain said that since Rei was in bed, he should be too.

The next day started off quite peaceful. In fact, no one, not even Tyson made the smallest complaint about having to practice. Actually, practice went a little better than it had in a long while. The Bladebreakers found themselves having fun. Even Kai seemed to be enjoying himself.

When Kenny tried to figure out why everyone was suddenly in such good humor, he could think of no good explanation.

"Maybe they just had a good-night's sleep?" Dizzy suggested.

"Maybe…" Kayla mumbled to herself, a sly look coming across her face as she studied Rei from a distance while he battled Kai.

"What do you mean?" Kenny asked her from where he sat next to her on the grass.

But she just shook here head, not even hearing him. "No, that's not it…" Sighing deeply, she focused her attention back on the beybladers. Sighing again, but this time in humorous exasperation. 'Tyson vs. Kai, the never ending battle…'

As the day continued, everyone's mood only improved.  The rest of the world seemed to also be having a good day, for the sun shone down brightly, but it didn't make the world below it scorching hot, just a nice pleasant warmth radiating down.

Following dinner, Kayla brought out a chocolate cake with rich, sugary icing on it.

"What's the occasion?" Tyson asked, mouth drooling.

"None really, just felt like celebrating a good day I guess." And she wasn't lying. She really didn't know what had possessed her to bake it.

For the next hour of so, the group of teenagers ate scrumptious cake and carried on lively conversation.

"Hey, Maxie, you okay?" Tyson asked between fits of laughter.

However, all Max could do to answer was nod as he was currently curled up on the floor in an uncontrollable fit of laughter himself.

"You sure know a lot of good jokes, Max!" Kayla put in as she too was giggling.

"Just call him butter, 'cause he's on a roll!" Rei put in. This comment sent everyone into another fit of laughter… well, except Kai, who just smirked in amusement.

Climbing back to his feet, Max cleared his throat. Everyone stopped laughing and looked at him as he began a song in a sing-song voice:

"I'm a little coconut

Sitting in a coconut rut

Please, oh please don't step on me

That is why I'm cracked you see.

"I'm a nut," Max clicked his tongue twice while he had his hand into a fist and pretended to knock on his head.

"In a rut," Again, the blonde blader repeated these motions and sounds.

"I'm crazy.

"Called myself on the telephone," He held his right had with his three middle fingers curled and little finger in front of his mouth and his thumb in his ear, like a little kid pretending to make a phone call.

"Just to see if I was home,

Asked myself out on a date,

Picked myself up at half past eight." Max used both his hands to mime picking something up.

"I'm a nut," Max clicked his tongue twice while he had his hand into a fist and pretended to knock on his head.

"In a rut," Again, the blonde blader repeated these motions and sounds.

"I'm crazy.

"Took myself to the movie show

Sat myself in the very first row." Draciel's blader took his right leg and crossed it over his half bent left leg, pretending to sit on an invisible chair. Unfortunately, but to everyone's amusement, he lost his balance and fell. Quickly, though, Max picked himself up and continued without missing a beat of the song.

"Rapped my arms around myself." Doing as the lyrics indicated, max wound both his arms around himself and turned.

With his back still to them he sang, "Got so fresh…" Max moved his head and body in such a way that it looked like he was making out with someone. "… I slapped myself." Taking his hand he mimes slapping himself so hard that he spins around. Facing everyone again he continues.

"I'm a nut," Max clicked his tongue twice while he had his hand into a fist and pretended to knock on his head.

"In a rut," Again, the blonde blader repeated these motions and sounds.

"I'm crazy.

"So if you see a coconut,

Sitting in a coconut rut

Please, oh please don't step on me

For that is why I'm cracked you see.

"I'm a nut," Max clicked his tongue twice while he had his hand into a fist and pretended to knock on his head.

"In a rut," Again, the blonde blader repeated these motions and sounds.

"I'm crazy."

At the end of the song, Max bowed deeply and everyone broke out into fits of laughter and applause.

"That was hilarious, Maxie!" Tyson cheered.

"Where'd you learn that?!" Rei exclaimed, clutching his sides which were burning from laughing so hard for so long.

"That would be my little secret!" Max replied, winking and holding up his right index finger, shaking it.

And so, the evening passed for the sugar-high teens. Around eleven, everyone was still on a sugar-high, but not quite so sugared as earlier. By this time they had migrated to the room adjacent to the kitchen. Rei was sitting on the couch between Kayla and Kai. Kenny was sitting on the floor with Dizzy on the coffee table (located in front of the couch). Max and Tyson were currently sharing one of the extra large sofa chairs.

Suddenly, Kai sneezed. Tilting her head to the side and saying in a sing-song voice, "Achoo-achoo! Someone's thinking of you!"

"Oh really?" Tyson asked, getting in Kai's face, with a sly look gleaming in his eyes. "Who do you like, Kai?"

Taken completely aback by the question, the Russian blader just stuttered. "Wh…What?"

"But what does that have to do with someone thinking of him?" Max asked.

"Uh…" Tyson turned away from Kai and plopped down on the floor, arms and legs crossed as he tried to think.

"Guys, it's just a myth, it's not true." Kenny put in.

"What makes you say that?"  Kayla inquired. "What do you think, Rei? Myth or truth?"

"I don't know… It might be true…"

"See, Rei agrees with me!" Rei just shrunk into the cushions of the couch, a slight blush gracing his cheeks.

For the next hour or more they had an 'intelligent discussion' over whether or not if you sneezed once, it meant that someone was thinking about you. And than they got into the myth/truth about sneezing consecutively three times meant that someone hated you.

"Alright, I'm tired of this argument." Kayla exclaimed, throwing her hands up into the air.

"Yeah, it was getting kind of annoying." Kai added.

"Oh my gosh!" Kenny exclaimed. "Look what time it is! It's past one in the morning!"

"Wow, now wonder I'm tired." Max said with a yawn.

"Night, Rei." Tyson said, giving Rei a hug, a 'guy' hug, but a hug just the same.

The other bladders continued to 'hug' each other good-night, except Kai, no one went near him out of fear of being hurt. Severely. This got Kayla thinking. First, she hugged Tyson, Max and Kenny good-night, than went up to Rei. She hugged him and gave him a peck on the cheek. Everyone stared at the duo as the raven haired girl leaned in and whispered something in Rei's ear. She than quickly made her retreat to her room, calling out "Sleep well!" to everyone as she closed the door behind her.

Whatever it was that Kayla had whispered to Rei had left him speechless and blushing so deeply that he was brighter than a tomato.

Kai glared for a couple of seconds, than headed towards bed. Just as Kai had opened the door to the bedroom, Rei snapped out of his stupor and quickly followed Kai. Once in the room, Rei closed the door. He stood there for about a minute, opening and closing his mouth to speak, but never finding his voice to speak.

"What?" Kai snapped finally, unable to hold back his anger anymore.

Hurt, Rei mumbled, "Nothing…"

"Hn."

About thirty minutes later all occupants of the cabin were in bed, though, one person never got to sleep till dawn was approaching.

***

Okay…. Well?? Was it worth it?? Maybe???? ~sigh~ anyway…

The song Max sang was a song I learned at Drama camp many years ago… don't ask why I suddenly remembered it, I just did…

The rhyme "Achoo-achoo! Someone's thinking of you!" is from Yu-Yu Hakusho

The sneeze three times=someone hates you is from Rurouni Kenshin

And the stupid/lame joke Rei made "call him butter cause he's on a roll." That was from math class…..

Yeah…. I guess that's all I have to say except, thank you for reading my fic!! There's only one chapter to go!!! So stick with me, we're almost there!!!!