Chapter 12: Tornament day
Ray blinked, staring up at the plain, white ceiling. He shifted, his blankets tangling even more tightly around him. He hadn't slept at all last night, having good reason.When he had chased after Rika, he had lost her somewhere in the stairwell. She was bound and determined to lose him and whenever he got even remotely close enough to try to stop her, she'd put on an extra burst of speed and he'd have to struggle to keep up with her. Running down the hallway, she had made a sharp turn and flew down the open door of the stairwell, managing to vanish completely.Ray had sat down on one of the steps and stayed there for what seemed like forever, lost in his thoughts. He knew he needed to talk to Rika but it was obvious she definitely didn't want to talk to him.Finally rising from his position, Ray had gone to his room, finding Kai already sleeping in the bed beside his. Changing, he slipped into the freshly made bed and lay there, thinking.Surprisingly, Kai had rolled over and bluntly told him it was his own fault.That he definitely had to agree with.Kai was silent the rest of the night while Ray kept tossing and turning. Kai was right, it was his fault and he needed to fix it.If it could be fixed.That was what was plaguing him now, as the sun started to rise. He sighed, his attention divided between Rika and the knowledge that it was the day of the tournament and his team would be going against the White Tigers. His attention divided even more as he heard a door slam down the hall.'Who would be up this early?' Ray thought, a headache starting to throb near his temples.His question was answered as the muffled sound of feet running along the corridor came through the walls."TOURNAMENT DAY! TOURNAMENT DAY! TOURNAMENT DAY!" came an oh-so familiar voice.The sound of someone running up and down the hallway screaming 'Tournament Day!' at the top of their lungs, over and over and over continued to torment them.Ray distinctly heard Kai let out an irritated breath as he tried to get more rest.No such luck.Their hotel door slammed open and the loud screaming came into their room.Sasha continued to yell while she bounced up and down on Kai's bed, still in her PJ's. Ray was torn between throwing her out in annoyance and laughing.Kai looked positively thunderstruck as she continued to bounce up and down on his bed, still yelling. Growling, he promptly swung out with his leg, knocking her straight off the bed."Ow, that was mean..." Sasha said from the floor, rubbing the spot where he had kicked her.Seeming to lose her interest in the boys, she ran back out into the hall, slamming their door behind her."TOURNAMENT DAY! TOURNAMENT DAY! TOURNAMENT DAY!" she continued to yell, darting up and down the hall.Ray sat up and listened as another door slammed open. He heard someone's muffled footsteps as they stomped across the carpet. He listened, as there was a loud smack, then a loud thump and a loud wail.Rolling his eyes and chuckling, he listened to Sasha wail while Rayne angrily walked back to her room, slamming the door.
Once Sasha figured out everyone was more or less rooting for Rayne, the bawling stopped and Ray heard her run down the corridor to get some breakfast or something.Sinking back into the covers, Ray closed his eyes. Fatigue was making it hard for him to keep his eyes open. He felt guilty for making Kai stay up the whole night with him as well."Well, there's no point in wasting our time trying to sleep." Kai said, as they heard another door open and Andi whine about how early it was.Ray gave a small, exhausted nod as Kai rose, grabbed his clothes and disappeared into the bathroom. Throwing back his covers, Ray got up and quickly got dressed, reminding himself he had to talk to Rika before they left.He paused.What was he supposed to say? Sorry that was an accident; I didn't do it on purpose? He hadn't really done it on purpose but it wasn't like he had tripped and fallen on her lips.Ray sat back on the mattress. He really had no clue what had happened and he had no clue what to say to her. He closed his eyes, trying to sort out his feelings. It wasn't like he was disgusted by kissing her, but he wasn't planning on doing that again anytime soon.At least he knew one thing for sure. Rika definitely didn't want him too.Guilt gnawed at his stomach. That had been a stupid move; Rika sure seemed to realize it.Frowning, Ray stood and made his way to the door, deciding that waiting for Kai to get out of the bathroom would take too long. Stepping into the hallway, Ray turned in the direction of Rika's room. Andi was staying in Sasha's room and Rayne was staying in Rika's.Ray guessed Rika probably wouldn't tell Rayne what had happened.Or anybody else for that matter.
Rika scowled as Rayne continued to mutter under her breath, as she got dressed. Pulling the covers over her head, Rika was positive the next time she saw Sasha, she'd smack her a good one.Rayne continued to complain about 'annoying wake-up calls' while she dug around Rika's stuff, trying to find her clothes. Turning to look at the lump that was Rika, she rolled her eyes.Some people.Rika listened as Rayne threw stuff around the room in her quest for the missing clothes. Suddenly there was a loud shriek and a thud as Rayne hit the floor. Snickering, she guessed she had slipped on some piece of junk lying around."Shut it, Tanaki! If you'd pick up your stuff, that wouldn't have happened!" Rayne said.Suddenly, there was a knock at the door."Who is it?" Rayne called, picking herself up."Ray." Came the reply.Rika sat bolt upright, the covers sliding off her head.Oh no.Shaking her head furiously, she waved Rayne away from the door. Arching an eyebrow in confusion, Rayne shrugged and dropped her arm that was reaching for the doorknob."Uh...do you need something?" Rayne asked, amazed at Rika's sudden mood swing."I'd tell you if I wasn't standing out here yelling through the door." Ray called back."Um, I can't let you in because I'm changing!" Rayne lied quickly, running a hand through her hair.Rika glared two holes into the door as Ray spoke. Her face darkening, she turned her head away in disgust. After chasing her around the hotel, you'd think he'd get a clue."Look, I need to talk to Rika so either change fast or send her out." Ray said.He had a lot of nerve! Hands clenching in the blanket, Rika bared her teeth."GO AWAY!" she screamed.Rayne blinked and swiftly backed away from the door. Woman's intuition or common sense, something told her not to mess with Rika at the moment."Look-" Ray began."YOU LOOK! I DON'T WANT TO TALK TO YOU, SO GET IT THROUGH YOUR HEAD!" Rika screamed, scaring Rayne into the bathroom.There was a bit of a stunned silence on both ends of the door."All right." Ray said quietly, leaving.Rika let out the breath she was holding in, not noticing her hands were shaking slightly as she gripped the blanket.Something about him freaked her out.Whether it was the fact he had stolen her first kiss, or the fact that she got a weird fluttering feeling in her stomach whenever she thought of him, she didn't know."Hey, it's all clear?" Rayne asked, stepping back into the room."Yeah, it's all good..." Rika mumbled, sliding out of bed.Digging around, she found her signature black pants and tee. Changing quickly, she pulled her hair into the usual ponytail, fixing her bangs and side locks out. Turning back to Rayne, she blinked, then kneeled down and reached under her bed, pulling out Rayne's clothes."I'm going for some breakfast." Rika said, grabbing her blade and walking out the door.Rayne stared after her, still slightly shocked at the whole exchange between the two beybladers. Shrugging, she looked at the only clean clothes she had left. The baggy blue cargo pants she didn't have a problem with, the shirt was. It had been a birthday present from Sasha, for a joke.A not funny joke.The shirt wasn't even a shirt. It was made to cling on to you but Rayne thought it made her look like Britney Spears. It went around her chest, without any straps and showed off her belly. Cringing, she pulled it on, feeling completely and totally naked.At least it was blue."I have to beyblade in this!" Rayne wailed, shoving her dark, navy blue beyblade into her pocket.Walking out the door, she tried to look natural as she walked with her arms hiding her chest.
Sasha smiled as Rika walked in the dining room, Andi waving at her so she saw them."Did you like my effective wake-up call?" Sasha asked, as Rika sat down."No." she answered bluntly."Fair enough." Sasha laughed."If Kai hadn't killed you, I was sure Rayne was." Andi commented, yawning.The freckled girl was wearing shorts, and her school's t-shirt with the sleeves rolled up onto her shoulders. As usual, she had her messy pigtails done up and flying around. "Cha! I could so fend Rayne off!" Sasha said, dressed in her usual style of pants, tank top and jacket."Maybe. But could you fend Kai off?" Rika asked.
"That'd be a big fat no. Sasha can barely win an arm wrestle with a 3-year- old." Andi said."Laugh it up, meanie people! Just wait until you're not watching-" Sasha started."Then you'll call your mom!" Rika gasped, her voice dripping with sarcasm.Andi laughed while Sasha stuck her tongue out."Well I am going to go harass the cooks and other hotel employees, I'm starving and I ordered a millennium ago." Andi said, getting up.When she was out of earshot, Sasha leaned forward. "So are you and Ray friends yet? Did I miss anything important, 'cause there sure was a lot of yelling going down!" she said."No, we're so far from friends it's not funny it's hilarious and no, you didn't miss anything life-changing." Rika answered, bordering on telling the truth and lying."Too bad..." Sasha said, grinning."Wait a sec, how did you know anything? Unless...blackmail. It was you, wasn't it?" Rika accused, narrowing her eyes."No it was Kai!" Sasha said innocently."Riiiiiiiiiiiiiight, and Tyson's a big purple dinosaur." Rika said."He could be!" Sasha answered, waving her hands in front of her in a surrendering motion."Nosy fruit..." Rika muttered, as Andi appeared from across the room.Getting some breakfast, the girls ate quickly, making room when Rayne finally arrived. Pleasing their appetites, the four finally decided it was high time to go and discuss the tournament matches and the competitors before it actually started. Disappearing into Andi and Sasha's room, they started to come up with some late strategies.Even strategies against the Bladebreakers
"We are so gonna kick butt!" Tyson cried, shovelling food into the enormous hole called his mouthRay glanced at him. After having Rika scream at him like that, he wasn't in the mood for food."Don't be so overconfident. That's how you lose." Kai said sharply, his lips curling in distaste at Tyson's eating habits."Yeah Tyson, don't underestimate your opponents." Max said, waving his fork around."They're both right, you're going to screw up big time." Dizzi said, from Kenny's lap."Now now, I know you will try your best out there." Mr. Dickinson said, joining them at their table."Good morning Mr. Dickinson." Kenny greeted."Good morning boys!" Mr. Dickinson said, sitting down, "I hope you're all in tip-top shape for the tournament." He said, knowingly looking in Ray's direction.Kai glanced at the Chinese teen, frowning.'Why bother to compete if you can't concentrate?' Kai thought, staring at the untouched food on Ray's plate. Suddenly an unbidden image of Sasha's cheerful face appeared in his mind's eye.Shaking his head, Kai frowned."Something wrong?" Max asked him, everyone staring at him pointedly."No." Kai said sharply, standing up and leaving."Can't bear the cheerfulness in the room?" Tyson asked, following Kai's retreating form with his eyes."Guess not..." Max said."Well, we should start thinking about getting ready to go." Mr. Dickinson said, rising."Yes, the tournament will start sometime in the next two hours or so and it's a long bus ride." Kenny said."Then lets go!" Tyson cried, jumping up."Yeah! Lets tell the girls so they don't miss the bus." Max suggested.The Bladebreakers got together everything they needed and quickly went in search of the Blade Bratz before they left. Meeting Kai in the hall, they knocked on Rika's door. They got no answer so they ran across the hall and knocked on Sasha's door. Ray quietly stood in the back, not wanting Rika to get upset again."Buzz off!" they heard one of the girls yell."Hey! Time to go! You guys are riding with us!" Tyson yelled. Suddenly there was a harsh whisper."Uh...is Ray going?" Sasha called back, her voice faltering a bit.Max glanced at Ray curiously for a moment. "Duh, he kinda has too!" he yelled.Another whisper."Is there more than one bus?" Andi asked, just as quietly.Tyson looked back at Ray who nodded. "Yeah there is, now can you open the door and get your butts moving?""Never thought I'd see the day when Tyson said that!" Dizzi said.The door opened and Rayne and Andi filed out."Where are Sasha and Rika?" Kenny asked."Uh...they're taking another bus..." Rayne said, shrugging."What? Why?" Max asked.Andi glanced back into the room and shrugged."I don't know, but Rika seemed dead set on taking another bus so Sasha volunteered to stay with her." Andi said."We don't have time for this." Kai said, annoyance written on his face."Kai's right, lets just go." Tyson said, knowing Rika could be way stubborn.Ray's golden eyes flashed as he caught sight of a bright head of hair from inside the hotel room. His eyes widened when the hair whipped around and he was staring straight into a pair of lavender eyes. He seemed frozen, staring into Rika's emotionless face.She sneered and slammed the door.The girls jumped as the door slammed shut behind them. Looking at the Bladebreakers, they gave nervous smiles. Everyone quickly darted down the hallway for the buses, leaving Sasha and Rika behind.
Sasha stared; wide eyed as Rika slammed the door so hard she was sure the walls shook. Rika turned back to face her, crossing her arms and legs as she leaned on the door. Letting her spiky bangs fall into her eyes, Rika tossed her nose in the air."I take it you're not gonna tell me why we're taking another bus...?" Sasha asked timidly.Rika opened her mouth to reply when the door suddenly swung open and she toppled backwards into someone. Arms wrapped around her, holding her up as she crashed into someone's chest.Tilting her head back, Rika was met with a pair of bright, blue eyes.Smiling so hard her cheeks hurt, she squealed and wrapped her arms around the person. Sasha got off the bed when she heard the excited squeal and saw Rika hugging a boy with spiky blonde hair and dark, chocolaty-brown roots. The boy raised his head and grinned at her, his baby-blue eyes shining.Sasha screamed in delight, running full force into the two, knocking everyone to the ground.The boy laughed as the girls started talking at the same time, one hugging him around the waist, the other off his leg."Ok little devil-children, stop strangling me!" he said."We aren't children, only a year younger than you!" Rika said, trying to sound annoyed but laughing.The boy laughed, the three lying sprawled out on the floor."Man, I missed you Derek!" Rika cried.
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