Hey, since I have nothing better to do. Here is another chapter.

Pyro Inu: Ya, I came up with that saying and stuff all by my old little self! =)

Kai Rei's Gurl Forever: Uh...I want to answer it but I don't want to spoil this awesome ending I have planned! (Well, I think it's awesome...dunno about you. Wait and see!)

0bss3ssi0n: Do you really need to ask me to update faster? I think I'm more impatient than you are! Why did you kill Yuna off so soon?

Nise-angel: You're right, love is VERY complicated. More complicated than I like... I read your review for 0bss3ssi0n's newest chapter. She did seem very happy that Yuna died, didn't she? Lol! I gave her that idea, she thinks it'll help her with the story. Update your story soon!
Chapter Thirty-Five – Shopping and Karaoke

"Let's go and have lunch!" Tyson said eagerly.

"Let's eat sushi today!" Zarine suggested.

At the restaurant...

"Wow, this is all-you-can-eat!" Tyson exclaimed.

"Oh dear," Kai muttered. "Looks like he's going to get us kicked out of this one."

"Kai, what are you guys planning to do after the party? Are you going to go home or what?" Zarine asked.

"You mean what we are going to do," Max corrected. "You are part of the team, remember?'

"Not sure yet," the team captain answered. "So what do you guys want to do? Go home, or stay together either at my place or at Tyson's dojo? It actually depends on you and Ray because Max, Kenny, Tyson and I go to the same school."

Tyson paused eating for a second and said, "I vote we stay together."

"Fine," Ray shrugged. It didn't matter to him.

"Will, Zarine, what do you say?" Kenny asked. "It's going to be awesome with all of us sticking together."

Will and Zarine exchanged a look. "I don't know," Zarine answered. "I got a call from our closest family friend. Actually, more like they're part of a family. They said they would love it if we go and stay with them. They live next door to where we used to live, so it would be just like going home," Zarine answered.

"Come on," Tyson urged. "You haven't seen Kai's big mansion yet, or seen my dojo, or even met Hilary, our friend who helps us train."

"I'll think about it. I'm not making any promises though," she said slowly. "So what about you?" she asked Will.

"I think I'd like to go home more," Will replied. "I really miss our town, and I really want to see Jeff again. We haven't seen each other for ages. I think you should come with me. Then, Jeff, you and I can have fun together like we used to.'

Zarine thought about it for a moment. She didn't want to leave her team, because it would mean she wouldn't see Ray for six months. On the other hand, how can she leave her brother to go to Japan? "Alright, then. I won't go to Japan," Zarine decided.

"But..."Tyson began to protest.

"Tyson, it's her decision," Kai said firmly.

Ray's heart filled with disappointment when he heard Zarine said she won't go to Japan. He wanted her to be there. He should've known that she would go to wherever her brother goes.
Zarine's POV

"Here's some money," Kai said as he handed me a bunch of bills. "Meet back here in two hours."

Mariam and I nodded before leaving the guys at the water fountain.

"How is it going with you and Ray?" Mariam asked curiously.

I sighed and bit my lip.

"I'll take it as not well," she said. "What's the problem?"

"I don't know why, but since last night, he had been really cold and distant with me. This morning, he wouldn't even help me get the mixing bowl down from the cupboard!" I said, and sighed again.

"Tell me everything," she said. "Then maybe I can figure out what his problem is."

I told her about Ray's change of attitude toward her. After, Mariam was silent for a while before saying, "Maybe he is upset because you're spending time with Will and not him?"

"Will is my brother! I have every right to hang out with him!" I said hotly.

"Just do something with Ray alone," she advised.

"Okay," I said doubtfully. "I guess it might work."

We walked into this shop filled with fancy dresses.

"How can I help you?" the lady at the counter asked.

"We are looking for dresses to wear to a formal party," I replied politely.

"What kind of dresses are you looking for? Sophisticated, cute, or some style that you have in mind?" the lady inquired.

"Um..." I said. I hadn't thought about it.

"She's looking for a dress that will show off her figure and I am just looking for something that will look good on me," Mariam answered for me.

I stared at my friend. I was NOT looking for such a thing. But before I could say anything, the lady exclaimed, "I know the perfect dress for you."

She went over to a rack and got out a sparkly gold colored dress. "Try it on."

When I put it on, I blushed at the image in the mirror. It was sleeveless and cut really short too. It was tight around my body so you can see all the carves of my body.

I stepped out of the fitting room, embarrassed.

"It looks great on you!" Mariam complimented. Turning to the lady, she said, "We'll take this one for her."

"But don't you think it looks a little too..." I tried to find another word other than slutty, "...bold?"

She said, "Nonsense." Then whispered in my ear, "Don't you want to impress Ray?'

"I suppose," I said slowly.

"Then it's decided," she said with a note of finality.

When I came out, back in her normal clothes, Mariam had already gone into one of the fitting rooms to try on some of the dresses. In the end, she got a dark red one with spaghetti straps.

"I have to buy something for Ray," I told my friend.

After searching for half an hour, I finally found what I was looking for in a souvenir shop.

Mariam stared at it, and asked disbelievingly, "You are going to give him that?'

It was a necklace. The pendant on the end was one of those cylinder things that you can open and there's a piece of paper inside it that you can write your wish down. (I don't know what they're called!)

"Yes, but not like this. I am going to get a star engraved in front. On the back, a Z, a heart to represent love, then an R, vertically. Then, I am going to have silver filled in those lines to make it stand out in the dark blue. I know someone who can do it for me," I said. "Let's go, it's not far from here."

"But, shouldn't we tell the others?" Mariam asked uncertainly.

"We'll be back in time. Besides we never said we won't go out of the mall. We just have to meet them there," I answered.
Normal POV

"So what did you get?" Will asked Zarine.

She blushed, just thinking about the dress made her embarrassed. Luckily, Mariam saved her by saying, "It's a surprise, you'll just have to see it at the party."

That night, they were all very bored. They didn't know what to do, so they were just sitting there in silence, occasionally yawning.

"I know!" Will spoke up suddenly. "Let's go to a karaoke!"

"Karaoke?" asked Kenny, surprised.

"We're not very good at singing though," Tyson said slowly.

"Neither am I," Will said. "But Zarine's really good"

Zarine was embarrassed. "Will, how many times do I have to tell you? I'm not that great."

"We won't know until we hear you," Max said.

"Let's go, we don't have anything better to do," Ray said. 'It's better than just sitting here."

At the karaoke, there were many, many songs to choose from.

"You go first, sis," Will insisted.

"Do I have to?" Zarine asked. She was very shy about singing in front of other people.

Her friends all nodded. Giving in, she chose the song, Through the Rain by Mariah Carey. From where Ray was sitting, he saw that she looked really nervous standing in front of the TV.

She raised the microphone and began to sing, "When you get caught in the rain with no where to run..."

Forgetting all about the people watching and listening to her, she sang with her heart. The others were dumbstruck. They sat there and listened with their mouths open. When she finished, she saw them looking at her with their mouths hanging.

"God! Where did you learn to sing like that?" Tyson asked, amazed.

"Yeah, you were so good!" Max exclaimed.

"You should've told us!" Kenny said.

"Even I'm impressed," Kai said.

Zarine looked at them, embarrassed. She wasn't that great, was she? They all think she was so good...all but one person. She looked over at Ray, he was just staring at her.

[I bet he thought I was horrible.] Zarine thought before turning away.

Ray sat there, speechless. Never before had he heard such a voice.

[She was so good, so amazing, like everything about her.] he thought.

Everyone took a shot at singing, even Kai, though none of them were as good as Zarine was. Tyson and Kenny were horrible. It was a nice attempt. The others kept on begging for Zarine to sing. Ray didn't. Every time she sang, he was mesmerized by her voice. He tried not to listen to her, because the more he listened, the more spellbound he was, and the more spellbound he was, the more he loved her.

The last song Zarine sang was Never Had a Dream Come True.

"I've never had a dream come true till the day that I found you..." she trailed off and looked at Ray. Then she snapped out of it and continued singing, although her heart was not into it. Ray noticed her eyes were a soft blue when she looked at him, he wondered what it could mean.
Zarine's POV

As soon as I sang that line, it hit me. I was in love with Ray. The thought hit me hard. I didn't want to believe it, but it was true. Why now? Why do I have to realize it now? He was mad at me for no reason, and he's going to leave in four days! If only I could go to Japan too! But I can't leave my brother either. How did I ever get myself into this mess?

"You're in love with him, aren't you?" Will asked me on the way back to the hotel.

I blushed, surprised that my brother had figured it out so soon.

"I take that as a yes," he said, smiling.

"You have nothing against it, right?" I asked earnestly.

"No, but I do wish he would be nicer to you," Will replied, frowning. "When are you going to tell him?"

I was silent for a while. "I'm not sure I am even going to tell him," I answered finally.

"You have to," he said firmly. "You're not going to see him for six months. You have to tell him before he leaves."

"I don't know," I sighed. "Maybe."

"Look, you don't have to stay with me if you don't want to," Will said.

"What about you and Jeff?" I asked, worriedly. "You want me to be there!"

"Yes, but I want you to be happy more than anything. I'm sure Jeff will want the same," he told me gently.

Our conversation had carried on the whole way back. "Think about what I said, okay?" Will asked when we stopped in front of his room.

"Okay," I agreed.

"Good. Sweet dreams, Starlight," he said and kissed me on my forehead.

In bed, I wondered if I really should tell him. I suppose I better, because it'll probably drive me insane until I do. When should I tell him? Now? I know he's still awake. I looked up at him on the other bed. I gulped. No, I can't do it. I'll do it tomorrow, when I get the gift from the jeweler.

Then I wondered if I should really go to Japan. I wanted to, a lot. I guess I could...If I don't, I won't see Ray for six months. I should go. I want to be with him and no one else.
Sorry if it wasn't the greatest. I think you guys are going to hate the next chappie. I have something horrible planned. Muhahahahah! I'm so evil.