DISCLAIMER: I do not own Beyblades, only my ocs and this plot.
Enjoy!
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Chapter 20: In Memory Of
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Saturday…One Week Till Wedding"Brilliant Tala," Amara scolded the red head who was reclining on her bed as she moved about the room collecting her stuff. "Making out with her was a sure fire way to help her forget you."
"I know it was stupid but I seriously wasn't thinking when I did it," Tala said in his defense.
"You told her you didn't love her and then you kissed her," Amara said with a heavy sigh. She tossed her toothbrush into backpack. "That's definitely some mixed signals.
"I never got to kiss her goodbye in the first place," Tala grumbled defensively. "At least you got to kiss Kai goodbye."
"No, I kissed him," Amara corrected him. "There was really nothing on the other side of it since he was sleeping."
"Well, you said something that is sticking with him," Tala put his hands behind his head and leaned back on the pillows. "What did you say anyway?"
"I don't want to talk about it," Amara replied sternly. Her definite tone told Tala that he shouldn't push it. The two teens fell into silence. Amara continued to pack her bag.
"Why do you have to leave already? You just got here," Tala moved to the foot of the bed and sat beside the bag she was packing. "Ams?" Tala pressed when she didn't answer him right away.
"They're on to me. I need to move quickly before they catch me," Amara answered without meeting Tala's eye.
"Where are you going then?"
"Don't know," Amara shrugged and zipped the tattered backpack closed. "I'll be back in time to go with you to the wedding."
"Ams, how are you planning on getting in there?" Tala's eyebrows shot up. "They'll have security to the nines and you will not be on that guest list."
"You need a date don't you?" Amara said with a smile. The first real smile Tala had seen from her in a long time. The smile that she got when she had a plan that she was sure about.
"That won't be a slap in the face for Jules or anything."
"Tala," Amara sighed. She moved to stand in front of the red head and cupped his face in her hands so she could look into his eyes. "You can't think like that alright? It's over…as much as we hate to hear it."
"I know…I just…" Tala started but trailed off without completing the thought.
"I'm gonna miss you," Amara, still holding Tala's face, leaned down and kissed his forehead.
"Come back soon," Tala said pulling her into his arms for a hug. "Alive."
"I will," Amara chuckled and gave Tala another kiss this time on his cheek. "I'm always careful. Trust me."
"You I trust." Tala said still holding Amara. "Them I don't."
"Well, they should be off your back now." Amara said sadly. Tala nodded his agreement.
"Come I'll walk you out of here," Tala picked up Amara's backpack and put an arm across her shoulders.
"One sec," Amara said rushing into the bathroom that was adjoined to the large bedroom. A minute later Amara reemerged wearing a very familiar blonde wig.
"Do you really have to wear that thing?"
"Yes," Amara insisted, adjusting the wig slightly. "I came in with blonde hair so I better leave with it on."
"Alright Edie, let's go," Tala smiled and together they headed down the stairs.
0 0 0
Tuesday…Four Days Till Wedding"Jules, Lady Catherine wants to discuss some more wedding things with you when you're done breakfast," Kai told his fiancé taking his seat across the table from her.
Jules didn't look up and greet Kai the way she had been for the last few days since their chat. Instead her head stayed down, intent on something she was reading in the paper. Kai leaned over trying to see what she was reading. The paper was wet and smudged.
"Jules?" Kai asked the concern in his voice obvious. She looked up as if realizing for the first time that he had joined her. Jules eyes were red and puffy. Trails of tears were falling down her cheeks.
"She's…she's…" Jules stuttered but she was crying too much to speak. She picked up the paper and dropped in front of Kai.
"Oh God, no," Kai breathed after reading the bold headline. "Please no…"
On the cover of the newspaper was a horribly mangled car. It was almost impossible to tell the make of the car that's how disfigured it was. In the bottom left hand corner was a picture of Amara.
0 0 0
Thursday…Two Days Till WeddingThere could be no casket or burial for Amara. The car she had been in was burned along with being completely destroyed meaning there was no body left to bury. Instead Mr. Dickinson planned a memorial for his niece and was to take place in the mansion she called home in Vancouver.
Many fellow Beybladers came and said their condolences to Mr. Dickinson. They came from all over the globe just to honor her memory. On the gate in front of the house there was a large display of flowers and cards from fans and other people who had known her.
Kai wandered through the crowded house in a daze. Everything around him reminded him of her and the first time they had met. He stopped in the foyer and stared at the framed pictures of her that had been put on display. One in particular caught his eye. It was them together. It was must have been from their first meeting. Amara was beaming with her arm around Kai, while he wasn't smiling at all, but looking at it brought a small smile to his lips.
"Kai?" an apprehensive voice came from behind him. Kai put the picture back on the table and turned to face the person.
It was Kiki. She was dressed in a knee length black skirt with a black tank top and cardigan on top. Her black hair was swept back into a tight ponytail. Kai thought she looked a lot older.
"Hey Keeks," Kai said softly. Tears started to roll down the young girl's cheeks. Kai instinctively pulled her to him and held her. Sobs racked the smaller girl's body. They stood like that for a few minutes.
"She always called me Keeks," she told him with a small smile. She looked up at Kai with sad brown eyes.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you," Kai said quickly.
"Oh no, it's okay. I like hearing it," Kiki told him with a small smile. She wiped the tears from her cheeks with the sleeve of her sweater. "Here these are for you." She held up an envelope that she had been holding in her hand. "If you don't want them I'll understand."
Kai opened the envelope to find a small stack of photographs. They appeared to be from their trip to the cabin the past summer. There was one of Amara in the pink bikini that Kiki had insisted Amara wear and another of Kai and Amara sitting on the couch that he didn't even know had been taken. They were staring at each other. Amara had a smirk on her face and looked as if she was going to lean in to kiss him. Kai thought back and remembered that she did.
Kai stopped flipping through them after seeing that one. He slid the rest back into the envelope to be looked at later.
"Thanks," Kai said offering Kiki a small smile.
"You're welcome," Kiki put a hand on Kai's arm and stood up on her tiptoes to place a kiss on his cheek. "I'll see you later." Kai nodded and watched as she walked away to go stand by Tyson who was talking with Nicholai and Cat.
Kiki wrapped her arms around Tyson's waist as they talked. Kai couldn't help but feel envious as he watched the couple. He could feel fresh tears burning at the back of his eyes. They begged to be released but Kai refused. He wouldn't cry. Not here. Not when there was an audience. He had cried when he first saw the newspaper with her picture. Only Jules saw the tears stream down his face.
"Hey man." Kai turned to see Tala walking towards him. "How you holding up?"
"I'm alright," Kai, replied looking down at the envelope in his hands. "You?"
"Devastated," Tala said stuffing his hands in his pockets. Kai nodded and they fell into silence. Kai didn't really feel like talking.
"I have a confession to make." Tala paused and looked for Kai to signal for him to continue. The confused look in Kai's eyes was good enough so Tala went on. "I saw her…before she…died…recently before."
"How…how recent?" Kai asked not quite understanding what his friend was trying to tell him.
"That day you were at my house." Kai nodded remembering the day. "She was there."
"She what?" Kai hissed through clenched teeth.
"She often would come and visit," Tala explained. "But never for long for fear of being caught…"
"Caught? What do you mean caught?"
"Someone was after her…"
"Who? Who was after her?" Kai pressed his voice growing louder. Tala motioned for him to take it down a few notches. "Who was it?" Kai said again this time quieter.
"We don't know. We never did know who," Tala replied sadly. "She just knew. That's why she never went back to her house in Vancouver. That's why she moved around all the time and never put return addresses on her letters."
"And they're the ones that killed her?" It was more of a statement then a question.
"Don't know but it was no accident."
"I didn't really think it was," Kai said begrudged.
"This is for you," Tala said pulling an envelope out of his jacket pocket. "It's from her." Kai took the envelope and right away recognized Amara's loopy writing of his name.
"I loved her," Kai's voice was far away. The same way it had been when he had told Tala about his reoccurring dream. He was staring at the envelope. His thumb tracing over his name that she had written.
"I know man," Tala put a reassuring hand on Kai's shoulder. "She knew it too."
0 0 0
Kai didn't open the letter from Amara until he was alone in his hotel room later that night. Mr. Dickinson had offered him a room at the mansion along with all the other Bladebreakers, Tala, and Jules but Kai declined the offer. He couldn't stay there. He found it hard enough to be in the house during the memorial let alone spend the night.
He sat at the end of his bed at stared at the plain white envelope that he had discarded on the dresser when he had walked in. It seemed to stare back at him. Amara's loopy scrawl sending his memory into over drive.
Finally, Kai couldn't take it anymore. He tore open the envelope and pulled out the letter. It was written on plain lined paper. Nothing fancy.
Dear Kai,
If you're reading this then something has happened to me. A sad thought I know but I couldn't imagine dying without knowing that you knew this…I love you. I love you so much. I hated having to leave you like that. It killed me. You were right, I did say that I loved you and I had been trying to tell you to your face the whole time we were together at the cabin. I couldn't say it to you that night because I was leaving and you were engaged to Jules. I wasn't going to stand in the way any longer. Your marriage to her was going to happen and I couldn't stop it. It was best that I wasn't around to confuse the issue any longer. Running was the only way I really knew how to deal with it. Please forgive me.
I want you to get on with your life and be happy. I just wanted you to know this. I'm sorry I couldn't tell you under different circumstances. Don't hate Tala for keeping me from you while I was visiting him. We both know that was probably for the best.
I love you Kai Hiwatari…always.
Love Amara
The letter floated down and landed on the carpet in front of Kai's feet. For the second time in a week, Kai Hiwatari cried.
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Okay please don't hate me…please don't. Keep in mind that the story is not over yet. That will help you get through the next few days while you wait for me to write the next chapter. There will be a "happy" ending since I don't like sad stories therefore will not write a sad story…well as long as I don't think it's too sad. Anyways, please review…no flames. The happy ending is coming…promise.
Miss Wright
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