TEN REASONS
Chapter 10 – Why everyone thinks I love Ray
Mariah's POV
"Who's Meyong?" Aneki interjected her laughing fit over, noticing the seriousness in my voice.
"Ray's fiancé," Kevin and I replied in sync, deadly venom dripping off each word. Tala and Bryan appeared to exchange some sought of glance.
"And why is it such a shock that she wasn't on the White Tigers, you were on the team?" she asked really confused.
"Yeah, what do you mean she wasn't on the White Tigers?" Emily echoed. Tala and Bryan exchanged a pair of raised, confused eyebrows.
"Ray told you that only he was coming out of the White Tigers so when I asked you who was coming out of my old team you only replied Ray, not Ray and Meyong."
"I don't follow," the usual brainy intellect lost on such a wrong time.
"Don't worry it's just a minor technicality now Em," I sighed depressively. "She's here and we can't do anything about it."
"Why is it so bad that she is here?" Aneki perked up once again, her eyes filled with a desire for the low down on my situation.
"Cause she ruined our lives back home at our village by brainwashing Ray and the entire village that they should marry so she can marry the future village leader." Kevin spat.
"I get it," Tala smirked suggestively.
"You do?" Emily replied sceptically has she had no grasp on it at all.
"Jealousy trip, she wants Ray back," the red head leered in a knowing tone. Bryan snorted disgusted at the thought of anyone wanting Ray.
"Now it makes sense," Em agreed. "You two were meant to be together."
"I don't like him," I made clear.
"Exactly its love," he corrected with a smile tugging the left corner of his lip. Bryan still wore the look of someone being forced to eat dirt, he thoroughly detested Ray. From the moment he laid eyes on him, he knew they would not get along.
"Look," I demanded, "You've got the plot all wrong." And so I threw myself into playing the 'tell your big cry in one minute game'.
10 Reasons why everyone thinks I love Ray…
1. Supposedly we look good together
2. We've known each other all our life
3. Because I used to love him and they don't think I'm over him
4. The whole event back at my first world tournament, I stayed with him every second he was in that hospital
5. How he saved me from these bullies when I was younger
6. We used to be a couple
7. How we used to train together non stop
8. In fact we used to do everything together
9. The special bond our bit beasts have
10. We were meant to be getting married
Tyson's POV
Sprinting back to where I had last left Mariah, I could not believe the scenario that had unravelled before my very eyes. Ray had arrived with none other than the princess of the dogs herself, Meyong. Who was at this precise moment, hunting down Mariah who is meant to be marring Kevin. Over my dead body. Speaking of the monkey himself, his presence was hopefully still unknown to Meyong. All the while Maxie is mustering up the courage to propose to Emily.
Side stepping around a rather large, oddly placed pot plant, I felt my weight bowl someone over. Swivelling around I caught my accidental victim's arm, preventing them from a collision course with the sandstone paving.
"Hey sorry, I didn't see you… Meyong?" I startle, slicing my humble apology abruptly short.
"Apology accepted. Just make sure you open your eyes next time!" she advised waving her index teasingly. Man! What exactly were this lady's motives? If I hadn't been buzzed in on the 911 of Meyong's schemes, I definitely would have assumed she was innocent and good natured. Never judge a book by its cover.
"Has Mariah settled in okay?" she pondered, straining to start a conversation
"Yeah, really well." I reply distractingly. Should I delay Meyong's hunt of Mariah, or try and find her hopefully before Meyong and warn her? Talk about inner dilemma.
"That's good. I hope she's enjoying herself." She carried on for sake of conversing.
"Hope so. Otherwise I'm not a very good host." I joked changing the topic from Mariah to me. The raven haired lady laughing softly in reply in a polite manner.
"Glad to hear Japan hosts such an entertaining host," she complimented referring to my joke. I have my funny moments sure, but seriously this not A grade humour or anything.
"What can I say?" Unsure of how to follow that remark so retreat to my boastful self. "I might be a good host but Japan's just a great place to live. People from the four corners of the globe flock here to live. That's why it's so crowded." I yarn earning another predicted courteous chuckle.
"That's what I've wanted to talk to Mariah about." She announced switching topics back to the former. Personality trait A, laughs at overly used jokes. Personality trait B, her cunning ways.
"What? About living in Japan?" I reply as if I don't follow. Hey, you can't go wrong when you say it dumb.
"You could say so. I wanted to chat with her about her residency in Japan, concerning the future." She implied distantly, not directly, saying nothing in depth so it couldn't be used against her.
"How come," I pressed on; squeezing the most intrigued and concerned voice that my throat has ever squeezed. Goal, determine her motives.
"Oh," she sighed, fumbling for her words as her control of the conversation slipped away from her grasp. That's right I'll be the one asking questions from now on. "See, the villagers are really displeased, especially the leader that Mariah has disappeared, presumed ran away due to her un-cooperative behaviour towards the matter." She explained with a select choice of vocabulary so all fault would be shifted to the village not her.
"So basically you believe it would be more beneficial for Mariah to live here because of the state of the villagers." I assume, trying to suss out her motives. Hilary's lawyer ways must have rubbed off on me.
"Yeah, I wanted to warn her that if she goes back without a marriage certificate with her and Kevin's name on it they'll disown her officially and strip her of Galux. So I thought she'd be safer here." She stated. Damn it! She's good I'll give her that.
"Good idea," I chimed leading her to assume I was on her side for what ever side she was on. "I suppose you'll want to chat to her before the night is over." She nodded gratefully. "I last saw her over in that direction, if it helps." I directed, pointing towards where the pool filter was kept. My sudden genius taking me by surprise.
"Thanks Tyson. It was nice talking to you," she smiled contently.
'You too, later!" I sung.
Going, going… gone. Now to find Mariah.
Heading through the sea of people where I left Mariah last I chuckled at the thought of Meyong running into the pool filter instead of Mariah. Bingo!
Mariah's POV
"Mariah, Meyong is here." An always welcoming voice to my ears informed in a low tone, tapping my shoulder concerned.
"Thanks but I already know Kevin debriefed me."
"Let me get this straight, Ray's been brainwashed by Meyong and is engaged to her because of her shrewd behaviour." Aneki restated, exaggerating Meyong's new nickname she dubbed for her.
"Basically yes," I answer shortly.
"Shit…" she gasped. Bryan's and Tala's piercing glance remained fixated on me. Clearly the Russians were not comfortable with the whole soap opera drama they had just heard of, yet somehow were intrigued by it all.
"Mariah we need to get out of here or at least hide,' Kevin advised.
"No what we need is a plan." Emily stated bluntly. "Mariah needs to talk to Ray, free of Meyong that is our objective. Any ideas?" she asked. After a brief pause Tyson replied.
Emily you stall Meyong by relating with her about your engagement. I mean her engagement. You'll find her by the pool filter. Won't be hard to miss, long black hair, red eyes, pink dress." Tyson advises hastily causing him to blunder.
"Right," she replied confidently, eyeing curiously about his mistake choice in words, and then departing from the group.
"Kevin you hang low," Ty counselled.
"Mariah you wait in the kitchen for Ray to join you, while the rest of us split and find Ray…"
"Ah-hem." Kevin coughed pointing to Bryan.
"Excluding Bryan." The bluenette corrected.
"Like I would anyway…" Bryan remarks, glaring at Kevin.
"I know he can go and stall Meyong further by telling her she's a dickhead for marrying Ray." Tyson suggested, using Bryan's hatred towards Ray in a creative and helpful approach. Bryan however sent him a dirty look, for getting him involved.
"You heard the problem now be part of the solution." He directed. Bryan merely huffed and headed towards the pool filter surprising everyone with his sudden actions. "You too Tala," he warned, "You're involved now, whether you like it or not."
"I don't think…"
"Just do it and I'll shout you a carton of Crown Lager," Ty finalised.
"Let's go then," I suggested, eager to get this thing over and done with. The sooner the better, I reckon.
The five of us split up and set off to perform our delegated tasks.
Aneki's POV
Seriously I have all the luck in the world. All of it! It is all mine! Seriously getting invited to this party is one thing but not thirty seconds into searching for Ray and I bump into the guy. Honestly though, he doesn't look like the type who would be manipulated so easy.
"Ray Kon?" I ask in a jokingly astonished tone.
"That would be me." He replies flashing me a grin. Man he looks way hotter than he did all those years ago at the World Championships. "Do I know you?" he pondered out loud.
"Aneki Miansho, I beybladed for the Singapore team, Hot Ice all those years ago. Our team was meant to battle the White Tigers but one of our members got… the flu." I introduced myself.
"That's right… I thought I knew you from somewhere." He reminisced.
"Anyway we'll chat later; Mariah wants to talk to you in the kitchen." I notified, blowing him of by my rapid change of subject.
"What about?" he questioned curiously.
"You'll see as soon as you go and chat with her."
Mariah's POV
"Hey Mariah. What did you want to talk about?" he greeted abruptly, startling me.
"Hey, you scared me. I want talk about the pressing events." I began fretfully. "About Meyong and Jan in particular." I shot straight to the point taking advantage of the little time I had. The bundle of nerves in my stomach knotted tightly, as I gulped down a hard lump of emptiness, down my suddenly parched throat.
"What about them?" he replied ponderously.
I sighed, where to begin?
"Jan and Meyong arranged for you two to wed so that Meyong would marry the future village leader." I started deciding to be simple and blunt, adverting my eyes to the ground. Ray remained silent.
"I don't know what her motives are to do this, but it's true," I bumbled lamely, studying the speckles in the tiles.
"Mariah, you shouldn't go and say things when you have no evidence to back it up." He replied as calmly as possible, though I noted his fists were clenched, trying to understand where I was coming from. I racked my brains for some kind of evidence. Zero.
"Kevin agrees with me too," I stated just above a whisper, he being my only back up. There's Tyson too, but he doesn't know Meyong.
"WHAT? Since when did you start talking to him again? I thought the guy wanted to marry you?" he bellowed.
"No," I murmured, frozen by Ray's out burst. "He doesn't."
"Since when," he exhaled noisily.
"Forever,"
"Meyong said…"
"Meyong lied," I cut him off sharply. "You've changed Ray." I declared.
"Elaborate?" he challenged.
"Can't you see it? I know I can and Kevin, and probably even Gary too. Ever since Lee died, you've been more distance, moody, snappier, short tempered."
"Have I?" he dared.
"You've become Lee, Ray. You're acting just like he did when you abandoned us all those years ago." I asserted.
"Listen up everyone. I need your attention for a moment please. Everyone gather around, I have an announcement to make…"
"That's Max, we have to go up." He informed distractively, staring at the exit.
"Ray, I'm not finished." I spat furiously, wanting to rid of this burden on my chest.
"Mariah some words of advice. Give it up. Just get over me. We can never be together. Understand." He advised.
What? He thinks I still love him. But I don't. He thinks I am trying to win him back. I should have realised, everyone else thought I was still in love with him. Why didn't I see it?
"Ray, I don't…" I tried to explain.
"Mariah, learn to understand" he finished and headed towards the stairs.