AN: This chapter is dedicated to Drum Kero, who was nice enough to im me and tell me that he likes me stories!!! ^_^ Thank you!!! I also want to ask all my reviewers a question, as well, who do you want to be paired in this story? Just for curiosity's sake, please vote for either Psymon/Kaori or Mac/Kaori. I already have this all figured out (finally!) but I just want to know what you guys want and why?? I'll be counting!

Chapter 8

Kaori was boarding aggressively.

          She forgot about everything. She forgot about her life. She forgot about the competition.

          But more importantly, she wanted to forget about Psymon.

          Kaori squinted her eyes as she prepared for a jump.

***

Mac gritted his teeth. He hated being so close to Psymon. He hated boarding with him. He hated being on his side.

          "You still care for her!" Mac shouted as they boarded.

          Psymon twisted over to the side, stopping immediately and causing snow to fly all over the place.

          "What?" he asked quietly, his eyes dark and narrowed.

          "You still care for her." Mac stopped as well, coasting back to Psymon.

          "No." Psymon muttered, "Never did."

          "You're not good at lying," Mac pointed out, "You can tell me the truth,"

          "Wha-?" Psymon paused, unsure how to react to what Mac had just said. You can tell me the truth? What did he mean by that? "What're you talking about?"

          "You can tell me, Psymon," Mac said quietly. "I love her. And I know you love her, too. I'm not stupid, man,"

          Psymon snorted, "That's news to me," With that, Psymon pushed onward, leaving Mac standing there absolutely furious.

***

Zoe and Elise were busy following the two boys, and weren't faring well with the icy conditions.

          "This is icy for Hawaii!" Zoe cupped her hands and shouted over at Elise who was far on the other side.

          "Yeah,"

          Elise wasn't really comfortable boarding with Zoe. She had always seen her as the unapproachable "punk" type of girl. However, the circumstances proved to be more important then Elise's old grudges. If only Kaori had told her Psymon was doing this to her...

          Zoe, however, was thinking the exact opposite. Kaori had toyed with Psymon, and he was only but an innocent bystander who fell in love. (No,) she told herself quickly, (he didn't fall in...love. Did he? And did he still love her? Was he even in love?) Even though Psymon had in fact told Zoe that he felt that he was pressuring her, Zoe still felt that it was Kaori's fault.

          (It's all Psymon's fault...) Elise thought angrily, (Look what he's done to the poor girl...she's left now in a fit of tears probably because he's a fuckhead...)

          Zoe tried to push her thoughts out of her head and focused on boarding. This was going to be a tough day.

          "Zoe?" Elise shouted, "Why did she leave anyway? Did Psymon tell you anything?"

          Zoe shook her head. She thought it would be best to keep Psymon's feelings a secret. After all, he wasn't the type of guy who enjoyed letting everyone underneath his shell.

          But of course, he had so happily welcomed Kaori.

***

Kaori's speeds were steadily increasing, and she was loosing more control of her board with each second.

          Kaori twisted her body to the side to manage a sharp turn...but she couldn't nail it.

          Instead, she slammed back on the ice and was dragged across the course, her jeans ripping and her flesh dragging against the ice. She screamed and tried to stop, but she had been going at too fast of a speed. There was nothing she could do.

***

Eddie and Brodi froze.

          "Did you hear that, my friend?" Brodi broke the silence and strained to hear the scream again. "That sounded like..."

          "Kaori..." Eddie finished.

          There was a pause of silence, but Eddie soon found it unbearable. He strapped his board on and stood up.

          "Eddie, what are you doing?" Brodi asked, "Mac asked us to stay here at the finish line to see if we caught Kaori when she came in,"

          Eddie snorted, "Look, man, your funky and all that jazz, but I'm not about to just stand here when I heard a bone-chilling scream that sounded oddly like Kaori's. Catch me?"
          Brodi nodded. "Okay. Then I suggest we leave together. It would be safer that way,"

          "Safer the better," Eddie mumbled as he slipped on his purple-tinted shades and pushed off with Brodi right behind him.

***

Rahzel was furious.

          No one was at the hotel. No one was where they should be.

          No one ever listened to him! He was only the manager of the entire circuit!!

          Well. Enough was enough. It was time he changed things around here. For good.

***

Psymon cursed under his breath.

          "Did you hear that?" Mac shouted, "That was her! I know it!"

          "Yeah," Psymon said, "it was squeaky."

          "It's not funny!" Mac yelled, "She could be in trouble right now!"

          "I didn't mean to be—" Psymon sighed and pushed on. He wanted to find her...at least make sure she was okay. (Please...let her be okay...let her be okay...)

          Mac paused and glanced at Psymon. "Yo! Psymon!"

          Psymon slowed down and waited for Mac. "What do you need now? You gonna beat me up, Fraser?"

          "No. I just think we should split up and search for Kaori on our own terms," Mac muttered, "You're just getting in my way,"

          "My pleasure." Psymon said darkly as he turned and sped off. "I know all the shortcuts, anyway!" he shouted as he took a sharp turn and dove down into a tunnel.

***

Eddie could see someone far in the distance. It looked like...Elise?

          "Ellie! Is that you?" Eddie cupped his hands and shouted. The figure waved, so it must've been. "Any luck?"
          "No!" Elise shouted, "What about you?"

          Eddie leaned forward and bent his knees, accelerating towards Elise. When he approached her, he answered with a "no,"

          Brodi was right behind Eddie, and soon enough Zoe could be seen approaching them from behind Elise.

          "What's up, guys? Any sign of the kid?" Zoe asked.

          Brodi shook his head gravely, "We were hoping you would've seen her,"

          Zoe sighed, "No luck here, Buddha. We can't find anything. Did you hear that scream, though?"

          "Yeah, sounded like Kaori if you asked me."

          "Didn't Mac tell you guys to stay at the finish line in case she showed up there?" Elise asked, placing her hands on her hips and staring at Eddie.

          "Well, what would've you done, huh? Kaori screams, you think she's heading to the finish line soon? That didn't sound like an 'oh-goodness-I-got-a-paper-cut' scream to me,"

          Zoe nodded, "Yeah, well, I guess you're right. That sounded more like a 'oh-shit' scream to me. I'd know,"

          "Right," Brodi said, "Now that we've discovered that it is in fact an 'oh-shit' scream, I'm guessing we should head out and search for her?"

          "Do any of you guys know the shortcuts around here? Kaori could be using those," Elise said thoughtfully.

          "I know a couple," Brodi said, raising a hand.

          "Good. You come with me," Elise instructed, "and Eddie can go with Zoe,"

***

Mac sighed. Psymon and he had separated little over a half-hour ago, and still no sign of Kaori.

          He squinted his eyes and peered into the distance. He recalled his memories with Kaori before they had gotten together.

          The first SSX circuit. He remembered when he first met her. He felt a little uncomfortable near such a bright and cheerful girl. But...afterwards, when he got to know her, he slowly found himself looking forward to those times when he'd be able to see her again. He recalled the times when he had flirted with her, constantly stealing her yellow bucket hat, and then putting up with Elise when Kaori gave up and began pouting.

          Kaori hadn't been the most amazing boarder ever back in the first circuit, but still, she had never given up and she always was determined to beat him. Though they were indeed boarding partners, Kaori and Mac always had a friendly rivalry between them. Mac was in love with her, he knew, and when he had finally been able to kiss her, to able to taste to soft and tender skin on her neck, he thought he was in heaven. He had wanted her so badly...and now...

          Mac sighed.

          He lost her to some psycho-path maniac who was obsessed with scaring the shit out of her.

***

Psymon groaned. He had been out here for hours! No sign of her! But still, he wouldn't just leave her out her. He had to find the little squirt.

          But now that he was alone, he could really reflect on himself.

          He knew he still loved her, but refused to admit it. Even to himself.

          Love was just another complication...something that got in the way of life. Life was so much simpler when he would run into some girl at the slopes when he would be practicing. He knew the line.

          "Ohmigod! You're Psymon Stark!"

          "Yeah, yeah I am," Psymon would say.

          He wasn't the type of guy who would pick up a chick at a bar, screw her brains out and then leave. He hated bars in the first place. He only went there if it was mandatory. If he needed a good hangover. Bars were filthy places, with people just sticking together with their sweaty, sticky body heat. Occasionally, Psymon would find himself waking up next to some hung-over brunette with mascara dripping off her face. In those situations, Psymon would just leave. That was it, plain and simple. The girl would eventually find her way out, right?

          But, when he had found himself thinking about Kaori more and more, he had convinced himself that he just needed a good screwing. But then, when he had thought about that, if he just needed some girl, then why wasn't he having those feelings for Zoe? Of course, he knew she was interested in him, but then again, she was also absolutely fascinated with Moby Jones. The Brit. When Psymon found that it wasn't the fault of his hormones, he just tried to avoid thinking about Kaori altogether. But that didn't work.

          He then found himself kissing her passionately in front of her door, slowly dragging her inside.

          Psymon knew it wasn't lust. How could he prove it?

          Because he respected her.

          Psymon disregarded anyone. He didn't give a rat's ass if they got in his way, he just help them out of his way. He respected Kaori, and had nodded understandingly when Kaori had pulled away from him.

          That was how he knew it was love.

          Suddenly, he could see someone in the distance.

          "What the hell?" He murmured.

          Psymon picked up his speed and jumped towards the figure, who was lying down on the snow, unconscious.

          "Kaori," he whispered, "Oh God, Kaori...please...be okay...please..."

          He embraced her, stroking her hair and burying his face into the soft spot where her neck and shoulders met. Psymon found himself crying soon enough. Why? He couldn't explain why. All he knew is that he wanted Kaori to be okay again. To smile and giggle at anything and everything. To be the bright and sunny girl she was again.

          (It's my fault...) he thought numbly, (I did this to her...I pushed her away...)

          She wasn't injured, but her jeans were ripped down the sides. She had one long cut down the side of her right leg where her jeans were torn, but it didn't look serious. She must've went unconscious from hitting her head against the ice, or something.

          Psymon sobbed quietly. He didn't see Mac approaching him from behind.