Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of its characters. All unrecognizable characters, aside from those mentioned in chapter nineteen, belong to me.
Fine fine, no against-Kai-evilness in this chapter, lol.
A couple in this chappie is modeled after my two pals who shall remain nameless, cackle cackle cackle.
:) read my fic! Ep!
"" For speaking
'' For thinking
Italics just for the fun of it!
She's Going Where!
Chapter 27- Beauty Is Only a Light Switch Away
Written by Euphrosyne
"I don't think I understand."
"And that's bad because…?"
Scarlett crossed her arms before leaning back against her seat. Unable to hold back the aggravated huff, her two friends muttered a few apologetic replies as the frightened waiter unloaded their desserts.
"He brought you home because he was genuinely worried-?"
"And then stayed with you the whole night?" Rin's eyes flared with romantic esteem.
"There wasn't anything sweet or dreamy about what he did. You two are just totally twisting my words-!"
"Beauty is only a light switch away…"
"That's disgusting, Chloe-"
"You always made him out to be such a horrible person, Scarlett. One who couldn't find or maintain a conversation with a girl for that matter! Was that all a part of your manipulative plan? So you could hold him all for yourself-?"
The teased girl slammed her glass against the counter, instantly silencing the other two. She cleared her throat for emphasis before replying. "Johnny took me back to my hotel. I was sick. He brought me pills and a glass of water. I fell asleep. He gently pulled up my covers then patiently sat waiting for my fever to down before leaving at three. As for the soup and prepaid room service, it was probably just Maeve. You know how she is before games-"
"We were all waiting for you in the lobby for brunch. Remember our plans? Maeve was royally pissed when you didn't show." The Japanese girl turned to face Chloe. "The Tai and Riley thing really hit her hard."
"Guys, focus. Attention back on me."
"There's nothing more to say…"
"-If he loses his battle, it would be because of you!"
"You like him."
More than one pair of eyes gaped at the blonde.
"Look, I've known Johnny as long as I've known Ash. Though the redhead appears all macho and such with the added on reputation of his friends, honestly, he's a good guy. He's serious about his relationships…" Chloe took a sip of her water before staring her friend in the eye. "Can you tell me the same?"
Scarlett paused.
Rin smiled. "Love has made you wiser, Chloe." The smaller girl wrapped her friend in an adoring hug. "I almost miss your damnation towards mankind, slaughter and death to all, your witty comebacks against the lesser gender…"
"I wanted to kill the sexiest person alive, then I realized, ohyeah! Suicide's a crime." The girl wrote off the bill, grabbing her purse from her seat. "We better hurry. Ash and the others are meeting us at the stadium. Your battles start in a little over an hour."
The three stood to leave.
"Shhh! Just a little longer or they're going to hear us." Sincerity continued leaning against Tala in their slouched positions a booth over. She released her hand from the boy's mouth as her three friends passed. Tala turned to face her.
"Ah! Did you hear them? They were talking about Johnny! Our Johnny! Our Johnny from Middleton. Johnny McGregor-!"
"Hush." Violet met turquoise as Sin clasped Tala's face with both her hands. "Relax. Deep breaths."
The boy did as he was told. "She," Tala breathed in, "likes him?" Exhale. "All those sinister acts," inhale, "were applications of affection?"
"Are you going to be alright, baby?" She brushed a strand of ruby hair away from his eyes, indisputable concern on her own.
Gathering himself, Tala slowly smiled. "Yeah, I think I'll be alright…" His palm overlapped hers, his other hand picking imaginary dust off her shoulders as he leaned forward…
Sincerity backed away. "Tala-"
The said boy rose his hands with repentant justification. "I'm sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me. It's just, you're so kissable and I've kissed girls I don't even like before on first dates, I mean-!" The redhead took this as a signal to shift into the seat across from Sin, fingers laced on the table, head lowered with embarrassment and shame. "I know you want to wait. I respect that. I can do it."
Pushing their piece of cheesecake forward, Sin reached across the table to squeeze Tala's hand. He unwilling looked up. "I had a really nice time today. It was really nice of you to bring me here…"
For the first time, he felt the rush, the need to be with someone, and great, he screws up.
Slicing a piece of cheesecake with her fork, she brought it playfully to the boy's mouth. "How you got reservations or knew my favorite dish, I do not know, but-" She unexpectedly peaked him on the cheek. "Thank you."
Tala rose a hand to touch the sacred blessing.
He was yanked to his feet.
"Where are we going?" he asked as the two, hand in hand, left the café.
The beyblading analyst hopped onto the street before spinning to answer him "Your friends are gaming against us in an hour. You're obligated as moral support. I'll forgive you this time for cheering for the opposing team, especially when you know we're gonna troddle y'all!"
"Is that so…?" The boy mischievously jumped in front of her path, "Technically we're even then since I'm forgiving you for tomorrow when we kick your hineys!" Tala suddenly wrapped his arms around Sin, the girl squealing from the ticklish embrace. "Even?"
She tried to bat his hands away, "Never! We Gen-X students are elite and superior!" She gasped for air between syllables.
"Are we even?"
Pause. Uncontrollable laughter.
"Okay, okay, we're even! You win!"
Shooting a V for victory stance, the teen did a quick happy dance before stopping with a few macho poses. Tala grabbed her hand and skipped up the block. "I probably look like a fool, but it's alright. I'm here with the prettiest, smartest, nicest, most perfect girl. I'm in too good of a mood to care!"
.:Flashback:.
"Marry you, Enrique? Yeah right. You're almost as pathetic as your friend Johnny over there-"
"Johnny boy. Virginity is not dignity; it's a lack of opportunity."
"-You know I'm selective like that. It's all about the rich and the beautiful. You would have both if you weren't such a loser."
"Shut up! Why do you care? What are you even doing here? Shouldn't you be goody-two-shoeing somewhere else right now?"
.:End Flashback:.
"I always get what I want, Johnny. We will win this battle, just as we did last year-"
He watched her, twirling her hair with supremacy and assurance, arrogance swelled by the audience's cheering and her natural importance. A sneer escaped his lips as Salamalyon took another blow. Johnny was forced to steady himself.
Scarlett's eyes lit at his vulnerability.
"Men and their weaknesses. So easily detected. Ego, pride, their need for sexual pleasure…detestable really. How I loath your kind."
"Really? That's lovely and all cause the feeling's mutual. I absolutely despise you. Your materialistic nature, your inability to feel for others. You are aware of your assets and know exactly how to use'em. Disgusting. I hate you."
The words hit her a little harder than he expected. A reaction? It was brief, but…did she looked hurt?
This was his only chance. "Salamalyon, attack with-"
A catabolic collision engulfed the stadium.
"Ohmygod. Scarlett!"
"It's alright, Rin. We won our battle. It's 1:1…?"
"This had never happened before. Not during semis-!"
"The headmasters will not be pleased." Uncrossing her arms, Maeve rose to her feet. "We will win. I will make sure of that. Gen-X never double teams for tournaments. I will not give them a reason to retract the exception. " The captain nodded towards their fallen blader. The Asian beauty's finger's clawed into the furbished wood, her breaths seemingly steady. "Retrieve Scarlett. She has never lost before. She's shaken."
"Maeve." Sasha placed a hand on the girl's shoulder, their other team-mate rushing to their friend's aid. "You and I are like sisters, I know you will win this battle. The work and effort you put into the game is immensely incomparable. You're strong, we all know that, it's just…" She tried not to look away from the captain's hard stare. "It's just…your anger. I mean, these are just the Majestics. The finals against Tai's team. That's the real battle…"
Tai…
Riley.
"Hmph." Maeve shrugged off her friend's touch. The crowd went wild as she stepped towards the stage. "Fine. Holler when Robert starts bleeding…"
"I'll come with you in three days when the reports are due. Don't overwork yourself Rye. Your health is the most important thing."
Looking down at the girl with a warm smile, Tai took a hold of her hand before sticking his other into his pocket. The two silently waited for the light to turn green.
She didn't feel comfortable telling the doctor about the weird 'hand spasms' as she called them, she had been having lately, especially with Tai around. The boy always worried more about her and the other two blondes than he did about himself. It was a role he adapted being the oldest of the Haven crew.
The first notable contraction she had had to be during Gen-X training, their all for all battle against nature. She woke up in Tai's arms, but the boy probably didn't notice her distress then. He was a good captain, cared for all their teammates equally. The training itself was meant to push them all to their limit. Then again, what about that time before Scarlett's battle, when all the gals were hanging in her suite. The sudden pins and needles feeling, her muscles cramping…Time seemed to have stopped as that glass unconsciously slipped from her grasp, shattering against the marble tiles in specks and pieces…
"Hey, you there?" Tai laughed at her spacey expression.
"Huh? Yeah, of course. You don't think Maeve and the others will be mad at us for missing their battle right?"
"Nah, of course not, I called Chloe to tell'em and apologize. We'll be at the victory dinner anyways. If for some reason they are angry, I'll take the blame, I dragged you here. We've gotta be at our best for our game tomorrow. Those Middleton boys aren't too bad. Expected that much from Robert and Co. but Ray's team, wow, first year too…"
"Yeah…" She came to a stop as they reached the pavement on the other side. She turned to face her best friend.
…We're best friends but can we be more…?
"Tai-"
"Hey, isn't that your friend Tala with Sin…?"
Looking over her shoulder in the indicated direction, her eyes widen with cheer as the redhead flashed ridiculous poses alongside his staggered attempts of skipping.
The dark-haired boy chuckled, those pearly white teeth mimicking the sparkle in his eyes. "You were saying?"
Hesitation.
"We need to talk."
Ob-la-di, ob-la-da, life goes on bra! La-la, how life goes on!
God, I love the Beatles.
Hehe. Took twenty-seven chapters to incorporate Riley's "character flaw." What could it be?
Please read and review!
