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Chapter 8: Dinner and Dancing
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~The Night of the Banquet~
"I hate penguin suits," Tyson grumbled, pulling on the collar of his white button up shirt. All of the guys wore black suit jackets and dress pants. Each guy added his own personal touch to it though. Rei wore a white shirt with an upright collar, while Tyson's shirt was blue. Max had a tie with BBA written in red. Kenny wore his regular green tie over his white shirt. Kai looked sinister (But majorly sexy) in all black. His shirt and tie were the same jet black as his jacket and pants.
"They're not so bad," Kenny said tying his green tie.
"Well I think you guys look hot," Kiki came down the stairs. She wore a red off the shoulder dress with a slanted hemline to her knees. Her thick black hair fell in perfect waves just above her shoulders. The guys drooled until Nicholai gave them a glare worse than Kai's.
"You all clean up well," Mico came down right after Kiki. She wore a dark green dress that made her green eyes shine. It had short peasant style sleeves and laced up a little in the front below the neckline.
"So do you," Kenny commented walking over to her.
"Aww you're so sweet," Mico blushed. Everyone else in the room groaned slightly.
"We're missing one," Mr. Dickinson said from behind group. "Where is my niece?"
"She must still be upstairs, " Mico replied. "I thought she was right behind me."
" Allow me. AMARA!!!" Kiki called up the stairs. "Get down here!"
"Ouch! That's hard on our ears Keeks," Nicholai scolded his twin.
"I'll meet you all there," she called back shortly.
"Why not just come with us now?" Nicholai yelled.
"I said I'll meet you there," Amara's tone was sharp.
"Suit yourself," Kiki turned to head out to the SUV.
~ At the BBA Banquet~
"Whoa, look at all the people," Tyson marveled, staring out through the tinted window of the SUV. There was a giant crowd surrounding the outside of the building. Most of them were screaming girls.
"Those are just the fans," Mr. Dickinson told them. "They're not all going to be inside. This is event is for Beyblade teams only."
"That's good," Max sighed. "Less chance of being mauled."
"We wouldn't want to have another incident like what happened at the mall," Mr. Dickinson chuckled. So did everyone else in the vehicle, except Kai who slumped further down into the seat. He didn't really like talking about his near run down by a bunch of screaming teenage girls.
"Stupid girls," Kai grumbled under his breath.
"Do we have to go through that crowd to get in?" Rei turned his worried face away from the window.
"Yes, but don't worry they'll hold back all your little fan girls," Kiki answered, her tone hinting at jealously. The SUV pulled into the line of arriving vehicles and waited to let the passengers out. Mr. Dickinson was the first one out followed by the Lucky Sevens, and the Bladebreakers after them. Upon seeing the World Champs the crowd burst into a loud uproar causing every head to turn and see who had arrived. They were rushed into the building quickly by security when the crowd began to push the barrier.
"I love you Kai!"
"Marry me Rei!"
"Tyson I'm the girl for you!"
"Max call me!"
"Kai, Rei, Max, Tyson!!!!" The crowd chanted and waved signs. The closing of the double doors drowned the sound out.
"I'm glad to be out of that," Max said once they were in.
"Whoa, this place is great," Tyson surveyed the large banquet hall. The room was decorated in red and white with banners and streamers hanging from the high ceiling. Dozens of tables filled the floor around a stage. The floor in front of the stage was left empty for dancing. "Especially that buffet." He drooled.
"I'm afraid there will be no chowing down right away," Mr. Dickinson stopped Tyson from raiding the buffet. "There is an order to how things work here."
"Can't have you hooligans running around like animals now can we," a sickly sweet voice came from behind the group.
"Well hello Catarina," Mr. Dickinson was the only one who decided to be polite to the snotty girl. Kiki and Mico were busy boring holes into Cat's skull with their eyes, while the guys couldn't stop drooling over Cat's bubble gum pink tube dress. The skintight mini dress left nothing to the imagination. Kai on the other hand was leaning against one of the large pillars and was trying his hardest to drown out the others.
"Will your father be joining us this evening?" Mr. Dickinson inquired of the arrogant teen.
"My father is detained by business this evening sir," Cat answered him sweetly.
"That's unfortunate. Why don't you introduce everyone to your team?"
"I'd love to," Kiki groaned at Cat's brown nosing towards Mr. Dickinson. "Blade breakers, I'd like you to meet the best looking team at the tournament, the Rockettes."
"I think a few of us would like to argue that," Kiki said under her breath but loud enough so Cat could hear her.
" Anyway, I'd like you to meet my teammates, the Black sisters," Cat introduced the three teens behind her. "This is Lila." She gestured to a tall girl with jet black hair cut in a short bob. She wore a dress similar to Cat's but it was dark purple. "And the twins Mattie and Roxy." Two girls both with auburn hair stepped forward. Mattie's hair was short like a boy while her twin sisters hung in waves down past her shoulders. They both wore simple short black dresses. All three sisters had violet eyes and flawless dark skin. Their short dresses showed off their long dark legs.
"Well they're definitely good looking," Tyson thought out loud, which got him a jab in the ribs from Kiki.
"That depends on your views of what's good looking," Kai's voice came from behind the group, his gaze on the floor.
"Ah yes Kai," Cat walked to stand in front of him. "I suppose a certain red head is what you would consider good looking?"
" All I'm saying is dressing like a skank does not make you good looking," Kai said flatly, raising his eyes to see her reaction. Her eyes were wide, her mouth turned in distaste.
"Well I think your drooling teammates would disagree with you," she put her sweet smile back on but it was really more of a sneer.
"I hate to interrupt you all but the evenings festivities are about to start," Mr. Dickinson cut the conversation short before Kai could retort Cat's comment. "Let me show you to your tables." They all followed Mr. D to the tables marked with their team names. The Blade breakers and the Lucky Sevens where placed at the same table, which was fortunately at the opposite side of the room from the Rockettes.
"Welcome everyone to the Canadian Championships opening banquet," a tall bald man stepped up to the podium. The room quieted down as everyone turned to face the stage. "I have the pleasure this evening of introducing to you the chairman of the BBA, Mr. Dickinson." The silence was broken by a loud applause.
"Thank-you everyone," Mr. Dickinson took his place behind the podium. "This is a very exciting tournament indeed. We have teams here from all over the world. I'm very excited to see how the tournament will turn out…blah blah blah"
Kai soon began to drown out Mr. D's speech. His eyes scanned the room looking for any sight of Amara. But he saw no sign of the sapphire-eyed redhead.
Finally Mr. D's talk was over and tables were beginning to head to the extensive buffet table. Tyson jumped up as soon as their table was called and grabbed a plate. The rest of them followed shortly after.
"It's about time you decided to join us," Kiki talked to someone standing behind the group. Kai turned around and came face to face with Amara. Her sapphire eyes locked with his.
"Whoa, looking good Ams," Nicholai let out a low whistle. She was wearing the dress that Kai had seen her in at the mall. Her red hair was in one bun instead of its regular two and on her feet were a pair of black strappy heels, making her eyes level with Kai's.
"I would have to agree with Nicholai, my dear," Mr. D came up and hugged his niece. "You look so much like your mother." He kissed the top of her head before releasing her.
"Are you people trying to tell me I don't look good all the time?" Amara joked, even though her face was a little red.
"Oh no," Tyson suddenly seemed uninterested in the food. "You just look really REALLY good in that dress." Needless to say Tyson was no longer drooling over the food.
"Right," Amara forced an uneasy smile. She wasn't use to guys drooling over her. Usually that was Kiki's thing. "I'm going to get some food now before it's all gone."
* * *
After everyone was done eating the band came onto the stage and people began to dance. Mico and Kenny left the table and headed out towards the dance floor.
"Aw those two are so cute," Kiki sighed wistfully.
"Computer geeks unite," Nicholai laughed. Two girls came up and asked Nicholai and Rei if they wanted to dance. "Sure." That left Tyson, Max, Kai, Kiki, and Amara at the table.
"Some guys have all the luck," Max grumbled but at the same time was chuckling.
"Isn't that the truth," Tyson joined his laughter. "I kinda feel like dancing myself. Hey Amara wanna dance?"
Amara turned to face Tyson. He looked so hopeful but Amara didn't want to give him the wrong impression or anything. "Sure why not."
"Come on Max you and me," Kiki pulled the blonde to his feet. "You missed your chance Kai." Kiki threw the comment over her shoulder.
"I didn't want the chance," he grumbled at her. He watched every one, from the comfort and security of the table, dance to a fast song. And he saw Tyson pull Amara close when a slow song began. Kai glared at the dancing pair. He decided to look at something else before he went crazy with jealousy. He steely eyes scanned the large banquet hall and stopped at the large double doors. The door was being pounded on from the outside as if someone wanted in really badly. Security guards were trying there hardest to barricade it.
"You're a great dancer," Tyson complimented Amara.
"Thanx," Tyson had pulled her very close when the slower song began to play. Amara probably wouldn't have let it bother her if a strictly friendship relationship was shared between them. But she had a feeling that Tyson had developed a bit of a crush on her or any other girl in the room for that matter. When he wasn't drooling over food it was some girl that walked past their table. "I should be after 6 years of dance lessons. You're not too bad yourself."
"Never had a lesson in my life," he chuckled.
"I would have never guessed," the truth was he had been stepping on her toes a lot. Their dance was cut short by the front doors bursting open and a sea of fans erupted into the room.
"RUN!!!" Kiki yelled. The fans began to swarm the room looking for their favorite bladers. Amara watched a girl from another team be mauled by a group of male fans.
"Quick," Mr. Dickinson ran up to the group. "The SUV is through the door over there." They ran to the fire exit dodging the crazed fans.
"Where's Kai?" Kenny asked climbing into the vehicle.
"Oh great," Amara groaned. "The one person all the fan girls want is still in there!"
"Someone has to go get him, we can't just leave him," Rei and the rest of the team looked worried.
"We need to get you boys to safety too," Mr. Dickinson continued to usher them into the SUV. "Kai is a big boy, he can take care of himself."
"But Mr. D…" they began to protest.
"In everyone…Amara?AMARA!!!" Mr. Dickinson yelled but his voice fell on deaf ears.
Amara raced through the riot in the hall, looking everywhere for a glimpse of the silver haired blader. She considered calling his name but there were a hundred other girls calling the same thing. He would never answer for fear of being caught by them. There was also the fear of getting caught herself. She'd heard stories about the things crazy fans would do to get a piece of their idol.
"LOOK IT'S AMARA JONES!!!"
"BUGGER!!" Amara shrieked when she saw a swarm of fans headed in her direction. Amara made a beeline for the main exit. She had a clear path in front of her until four guys got ahead of her and blocked the door.
"You're all ours baby," a tall gangly blonde sneered.
"That dress looks great but it would look better beside my bed," the second boy called out.
"Come with me and we'll show you how to put that blade of yours to good use," the largest boy winked suggestively.
"I don't think so boys!" Kai, riding Amara's Kawasaki Ninja, put himself between the guys and Amara.
Without a second thought, Amara hopped on the bike, sidesaddle, behind Kai. She wrapped her arms securely around his waist. He revved the bike and the sped across the room to an open exit door on the other side of the dance floor. Soon Amara felt the cold night air whip past her face, they were free.
