I hadn't intended to, but I've decided to extend this another few chapters...
Thanks for the reviews!
--
Four pairs of slightly shocked eyes followed Liz up the stairs before turning to Tala.
"What was that about?" Korimi asked, slightly concerned for her brother. Catty and Rei were chuckling and Kai... well, Kai had already left the room to train. They could hear Liz stomping around her room upstairs, blaring something that they couldn't identify. They heard her door slam, open and then slam again.
"When did you get home?" Tala asked.
"Somewhere along 'what the hell was that for?'" Catty said. Korimi and Rei nodded a confirmation, Korimi still giggling slightly. They stomping upstairs stopped for a moment before they heard her slam another door and stomp back across the room. There was a long pause in which the four below exchanged glances.
Finally her music was shut off, her door flung open, and she stomped downstairs. "I'm taking the BMW!" There was a jangle as of keys and they saw Liz walk pas the doorway carrying a suitcase and a slightly irritated expression. She stomped out to the black car, threw her suitcase in the back seat and climbed in, slamming the door.
"WHERE ARE YOU TAKING MY CAR?!" Tala came out yelling. Liz just waved him off.
"Soul searching, Be back tomorrow!" She said before rocketing out of the drive.
There was a long silence in which four shocked observers stood. Finally Kai approached from the behind.
"Does she even have her license?" He asked. The five exchanged looks before running inside to try and reach her cell phone.
Liz glanced at her purse from which her phone began ringing. She hummed along to 'Ode to Joy' whilst ignoring the fact that she had a caller. She finally pulled into a McDonalds parking lot and picked up the still-ringing phone.
"S'mores?"
"LIZ! BRING MY CAR BACK HERE BEFORE YOU GET FINED!"
"I won't!"
"YES YOU WILL AND IM NOT PAYING!"
"Well I don't have any money."
"EXACTLY!""...Bye." Liz hung up and turned the phone off, then tossed it in the back seat with her suitcase. She pulled out of the lot and onto the near empty highway. She fought the urge to floor it, and instead put it on cruise control. She checked the mirrors and pulled into the middle lane and sat back, just driving as far as possible.
'What the heck was that all about? Did I dream the whole thing up?... I had to have! That's the only way. Everyone knows that Tala wouldn't fall in love! Especially not with someone like me. And he's totally not my type! ...Do I even have a type?'
Liz's mind was whirling and so she didn't worry too much when she was pulled over. The cop came up to the drivers side and smiled down at her.
"Ma'am, I was wondering if you knew that you had a light out?"
"Do I?" Liz unbuckled and stood, getting out of the car. She went around to the back of the car and looked at the tail light. "No, I didn't. Thank you, officer." She said. She suddenly paused. 'OH SHIT!!!' She cried mentally. Outwardly she kept her composure.
"Is this your car?" The officer asked casually. Liz looked at him and realized that he was quite young, and quite good-looking as well.
"No, actually. It's Tala's, but he lent it to me because I have a bit of... soul searching I need to do." Liz said, carefully maintaining her cool. The officer nodded.
"Alright, miss. Have a nice day." He said, returning to his patrol car. Liz returned to the car and sat down in the seat. She buckled up and took it out of neutral.
"Oh... shit... that was close..." She murmured before pulling back onto the highway.
An hour later Liz pulled into a small but apparently well-kept motel. She got a room for the night and went to the tiny one-roomed cabin. It had cost a bit extra, but she was happy to have a place away from the rest of the adjoined rooms. She pulled the car right up to it, locked it and then dragged her suitcase inside.
She dropped it on the low dresser and went into the bathroom. She sat and stared into the mirror for a very long time.
Meanwhile...
"FASTER! Geeze, she could be in AUSTRALIA by now with MY CAR!"
"SHUT UP TALA!"
"Humph."
"Come one, Korimi, don't be so hard on him. I think Liz's sudden departure spooked him."
"Shut up Catty."
"I will not!"
Err... tensions are running high, all centered around our poor red-haired Russian blader.
"And besides, she'd have to airlift it to Australia."
"Shut UP!"
"Hey! I see your car!" Korimi suddenly swerved the silver Mercedes into the parking lot of the small motel. "She's probably in the room next to where its parked."
"Brilliant, Watson." Tala muttered.
"Oh that's nice."
The three got out of the car and went up to the door. "You knock." Tala said to Catty. Catty shook her head. "You."
"Korimi?" Korimi shook her head. Tala sighed and pulled something out of his pocket.
"Tala... what are you doing with a lock-picking kit?"
Tala didn't reply but knelt in front of the doorknob and began working the lock. Finally the door swung open silently, admitting the three over-curious individuals.
"What did I do to deserve this?" Liz asked aloud, still staring at herself in the mirror. "I don't love the jerk! Quite the opposite. Right?... Who the hell am I kidding!" Liz dropped to her knees and hit her head gently on the faux marble counter. "I wouldn't have dreamed of kissing him if I didn't feel that way, right? Or... gah... He was covered in blood... Maybe that means its doomed from the start?"
Catty, Korimi and Tala approached silently, hanging on to every word, quite confused.
"Gah... Tala you idiot, what are you trying to prove?" Liz muttered. Catty and Korimi turned to Tala, who shrugged. "Wait—why am I asking you? Like you can manipulate my dreams... Hell, why am I talking to thin air like it's you?... I'm going crazy. Absolutely, stark raving bonkers."
"You dream of kissing me while I'm covered in blood?" Tala finally asked. Liz screamed and jumped up, backing away before falling into the tub, bringing the shower curtain down on top of her. Tala blinked, and Catty and Korimi burst out laughing. Liz emerged from the mess bright red.
"How did you get in here? How did you find me for that matter??"
"How many black BMW's have a license plate reading 'WOLBORG' and a Beyblade hood ornament?" Tala asked sarcastically.
Liz was silent for a moment. "One?"
"Exactly. Now come on, you're coming home." Tala said, grabbing her arm. Liz jerked it away. Or tried to at least. She would up loving her balance and falling. Tala caught her inches from the ground.
"Stop resisting."
Liz fell silent. Tala snorted in exasperation and let her drop the last three inches. Liz grunted and glared up at him.
"Meanie butt." 'And what a butt it is...' "SHUT UP!"
"I said nothing." Tala smirked.
"I was talking to my head voices..." Liz muttered, standing up. "But I'm not coming home either way."
"Yes you are."
"You can't make me!"
"Yes I can."
"NEVER!" Liz cried, shoving them all out of the bathroom and locking the door.
"I can pick locks, you know."
There was a pause. Then: "You couldn't pay me a million dollars to leave!"
"You're right. We don't have that kind of money."
A longer pause. "I'm not coming home tonight."
"Why?"
"I told you. Soul-searching!"
"You're going to soul-search in a motel?"
"...Yes..."
"Hey Liz? Does this have anything to do with your kinky dream?" Catty asked suddenly, suppressing hysterical laughter.
"...WHAT?!" Liz flung open the door, red faced. Catty broke down in hysterical laughter beside Korimi.
"Well... kissing someone when they're covered in blood usually is a component of a kinky sex dream, isn't it?"
"I'd think it hilarious if it wasn't my brother..." Korimi semi-gagged, but you could tell she was trying not to laugh as well.
"What version of Freud are you using?" Liz asked confusedly before returning to anger. "And in ANY case it was NOT a kinky sex dream!"
Tala, who had remained silent throughout this exchange, finally spoke.
"Let's just go before I get nightmares." He turned and made to leave.
"You think that imagining me having kinky sex dreams is a NIGHTMARE??" Liz suddenly burst out. "Try dreaming about kissing a dead guy and him then coming to life! TALK ABOUT CREEPY!" Liz whirled around and went back into the bathroom, locking it back up. Tala looked at the door for a long time before leaving, picking up the keys to his BMW on the way. They heard the car start up and pull out, and then silence.
Catty and Korimi heard Liz breathe a sigh of relief. "Finally they're gone... Finally he's gone..."
"Liz?"
"GAH!!" Liz flung open the door and peeked out. "I though you left."
"Tala did. We didn't!" Korimi said cheerfully.
"Soo.... What's this about a dream? And blood? And kissing? And all that tied to Tala?" Catty asked, bouncing over to the bed and jumping onto it. Liz blushed even deeper.
"Nothing."
"Come on! Spill!" Catty urged.
"I just had a weird dream. Nothing big, nothing meant by it. Just a weird dream." Liz said evasively.
"Aww! Come on! Please!"
"Okay. Pay close attention 'cos I'm not going to repeat this, and I'm not going to say any more." After receiving an affirmative response from her friends she proceeded. "I dreamed that I smelled blood and so I went up to Tala's room and he was there and it looked like he had cut himself all over and was bleeding to death and then he 'died' and then I kissed him and he revealed that he had only been pretending and so we kissed and then I woke up."
"You... dreamed... of kissing... my brother?" Korimi asked slightly incredulously. Liz nodded.
"Yes, I did." She said, as if to a two year old.
"I KNEW IT!" Korimi said, jumping up and pointing at her accusingly. Catty just laughed. Korimi then hung her head. "My poor brother..."
Liz glared. "It's not my fault. And it's not like I meant it..."
"Suuuuuurrree.... Now come on home, Rei and Kai are getting dinner ready as we speak." Catty said, dragging Liz out to the car. Korimi came after with the suitcase. They buckled her in and she crossed her arms petulantly.
"Meanies."