Now, now, where did you guys get the idea that I have any intention of getting Kenny and Carrie together? Who implanted that idea? (Glares at everyone suspiciously) A lot of people mentioned that pairing for some reason. (Confused look)
Eden: Yeah, I know! Jewels totally put Kai where he belongs. Ha, well nearly.
Diamond Core: I could use parts of your idea...As for Leo...well you're just going to have to wait and see.
Raymond: Um...read and see?
AnimeCrazedGal: That question will be answered shortly.
Kanilla: Lol, the comment about guys was so true! They are really dense sometimes. Wait, no, I mean most of the time.
Pishcules: Well you see, Jewels is ready to admit to herself that she likes Kai, and tell the other girls when she realize that she does, but Kai...Man, that stubborn fool is too proud to even admit to himself that he can fall in love with Jewels.
Cooperstar: I agree, what Leo did was terrible.
MaxLover: There's nothing wrong with the poll! I told you the reasons behind it and I think it's reasonable. A girl's gotta satisfy her curiosity somehow.
Clio: That is really unlike Kai. Jewels was the one who started it though, in my POV anyway.
Spazzy's Girl: I know! Ray's just the greatest! (dreamy look) Lol.
YBM: Of course not! I mean, a guy's brain is like, what? As big as a pea!
0bs3ssi0n: I suppose the last scene was a little like the one in Dirty Dancing, but that movie never came into my mind until you mentioned it.
LauncherStrike525: Lol. I think you're the only guy who reads this. How can you bring yourself to read, okay, I really shouldn't say this, but, it's such a....lovey romance story, ya no? It's just kind of weird...Lol, not that I don't appreciate your reviews or anything. Don't worry, the next story will have more action and less romance!
Puppalupp: What do you mean Finally, another chapter? I updated two or three days before the last one, but I guess was screwed up again and didn't send my readers an alert...
El-drydzia: I loved that part so much! It was probably my favourite part of the story.
Anim3-ang3l: Take your pick! He's hot either way!
Minijkitty: We can only hope that there are some guys out there who are as sweet as Ray! But seriously, had you even met one yet?? I know I haven't...Lol.
Chapter Twenty-Five – Parents! (Credits to Wreckless Spirit for the idea!)
"He didn't do anything, did he?" Ray interrogated Zarine as soon as Leo left.
"Um....no," Zarine lied. She knew if Ray found out what Leo did, he'll go crazy and kill Leo, most likely. She didn't like people to get hurt over her.
However, he could tell that she was lying because she hesitated. Grabbing her shoulders, he demanded, "What did he do to you?"
"Ray, he did nothing," she insisted, looking away from him.
"Don't lie, he did something. He did, didn't he?" he pressed. "Zarine, just tell me!"
"He tried to kiss me," she lied. "But he didn't do anything else, I swear!"
"I told him to keep his hands off of you!" he said angrily. "I warned him."
"Ray, it's okay. It's not like he really did anything," Zarine said. "You can't go beating up every guy that makes a move on me." She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him gently. "I don't want my boyfriend to turn into a violent person."
Ray smiled. "I thought you didn't want to kiss because you are still sick."
She blushed and said, "Can you stop embarrassing me every time I kiss you? It's not illegal, you know? You should be grateful that I kiss you at on, Zarine, you know you want to," he teased and winked at her.
Then, Kai came along, looking troubled. "Hey, Kai!" the petite girl said brightly.
Our sexy Russian boy didn't bother to answer her as he passed, still looking up ahead.
"Kai!" she said loudly, shaking his arm. "Earth to Kai!"
He looked up finally, his face showing confusion. "Huh?"
"Why have you been so lost lately? You passed right by us and you didn't even say hi, or give any sign that we existed!" Zarine told him crossly.
The truth was, they didn't exist in his mind then. He was busy thinking about Jewels. He thought about how great it was to drown in the deep violet pools of her eyes, how sweet it was to kiss her, how close to her he felt whenever he smelt her cinnamon scent, and the way her hair looks when the sun is shining on it. It doesn't sparkle or shine like Zarine's, it glows, like amber.
Kai sighed heavily. "Is it Jewels?" Ray asked.
The blue haired boy nodded, and looked a bit embarrassed.
"Wow, if she can make you act like this, she must mean a lot to you," Zarine remarked thoughtfully.
"Ray, can I talk to you?" he asked. Ray nodded, wondering what Kai wanted.
"Oh, so now, Ray's advice is going to be better than mine?" the girl demanded, hands on her hips.
Kai smirked and nodded, knowing exactly how she would react.
She scoffed, "Guys," before walking away. 'I swear, they always make the wrong choice! How can Ray's advice be better than a girl's?' she complained to her bit-beast.
'I agree, neither of them had fully understood the female's species way of thinking,' Xeora said in amusement. 'I know that Driger, Dragoon, and the other group leaders don't. They've been around for...well...for quite a long time now, and I can tell they only know what a girl's thinking thirty percent of the time.'
'Do they know what you're thinking about?' Zarine asked.
'Nah, I surprise them every now and then. Surprises keep men on their toes,' her bit-beast told her. 'Besides, it's so much fun!'
'I'll remember that,' the girl with the silver hair laughed.
"Dad!" Max called when he reached the house. "I'm home! Mariam is here!"
"Hey, Mariam," Max's dad said cheerfully as he walked into the room.
"Hello," the blue haired girl said politely.
"I just got dinner ready, you can stay and eat with us. I bought some brownie today for desert," the man said.
"Oh boy! Brownie!" his son exclaimed, all thoughts of dinner at a restaurant gone from his mind.
"Sure," she accepted his offer with a smile.
After dinner and the delicious brownie, Max let out a loud burp. "Oops, excuse me," he said sheepishly, a wide grin still on his face. (He hasn't been able to stop smiling since he saw Mariam, lol.)
"Dad, Mariam and I are going out," he said, grabbing his girlfriend's hand.
"Don't stay out too late," his dad said.
"So do you have anywhere you want to go?" Max asked.
"Not really," Mariam said uncertainly. "Where do you want to go?"
He thought for a moment before responding, "Yep, just follow me!"
The street was full of people still since it was the weekend. The crowdedness of the streets made Mariam excited to be around people after being isolated in the village for so long.
"Ozuma is training to be the tribe leader," she told Max.
"That's cool, he's suited to be one," he said. "What about Dunga and Joseph? What are they doing?"
"My brother is being a monkey as usual, he's too young to be deciding what he wants to do in the village. Dunga is taking an anger management course. God knows he needs major help in it. When I left the village, he was failing the course miserably," she said. "His bad temper is only to be expected, he came from a long line of bad tempered ancestors."
"What do you want to do for your future there?" he questioned, wondering if she would go back and contribute something to her village.
"I...I don't want to stay there. I like cities better," she said, a hint of defiance in her voice.
Max frowned. "Wouldn't the people in the village get upset if you leave them?"
They turned the corner and walked through the automatic door of the mall.
"Let's not talk about it," she said shortly. "So are Ray and Zarine happy together?"
"Yeah, they argued a couple of times but nothing too bad happened," he answered, leading her past the fountain. When he was in front of a chocolate shop, he stopped. "We're here," he announced with a big smile. He could taste the chocolate in his mouth.
"Why are we here?" she asked.
Max didn't answer. Mariam followed Max to the back of the store. There were a buckets full of melted chocolate and molds of every kind.
"We get to make our own chocolate here into whatever shape we want," he told her happily.
"And this had to be something related to sweets," she remarked.
Max looked crestfallen. "I thought we can have a fun time together making chocolate."
"I didn't mean that I don't want to. I'm just saying this was related to candy," Mariam told him.
"Oh, okay! Would you like a heart or butterfly, my lady?" he asked, bowing.
"You're sweet Max, but not as sweet as chocolate," she said before looking for a mold."
He smiled at her bluntness, knowing that she didn't mean it in a hurtful way.
Jewels glared at her sister through dinner. The rest of the family sensed her foul mood and stayed silent through dinner. Her parents didn't have their usual long debate about the government for fear that she would explode. The only sound heard in the room was the clanking of cutlery.
Mr. Satuki wondered what was up with the twins since they usually got along really well. He turned his gaze on Carrie, she was eating cheerily as if she didn't have a care in the world.
"What's the matter with you, Jewels?" her mom questioned hesitantly.
"Nothing," Jewels snapped. "I'm just fine. It's not me that has a problem."
[Oh great, here we go.] Carrie thought, her good mood evaporating as fast as her sister's patience.
"Are you sure?" her dad asked. "You looked really bothered."
"Maybe if some people don't make up stuff in front of strangers," she said, shooting a irritated but meaningful glare at her green eyed sister, "then I'll be fine."
"Get a grip on yourself, Jewels," Carrie said calmly. "All I did was saying that Kai's your boyfriend in front of Mariam. You handle the situation quite well. I think she got the point that he isn't when you called him a moron."
"What's the problem with that young man? Your mother and I approve of him. We think he would be great for you," her dad told her.
"All the more reason for me not to go out with him," Jewels muttered under her breath.
Carrie was having a hard time trying not to laugh. "Why not? You do like him," Mrs. Satsuki said, frowning.
"Yeah, as a friend, not as a lover!" her daughter snarled. "Excuse me." She walked out of the room, leaving her half finished dinner behind.
Carrie's parents looked at her and she shrugged. She was used to Jewels' behavior to care. "She'll come around and date Kai eventually," she said. "My dear champies (her nickname for the Bladebreakers) and I would get them together soon."
"I sure hope so, he would make a great son-in-law," her mom said dreamily.
"Mom!" the redhead exclaimed in surprise. "You better not mention that to Jewels. We're sixteen for heaven's sake! We don't want to think about marrying and having all the responsibility that comes with it yet!"
Forgive me for such a long wait and such a short chapter! I have the dreaded writer's block, heh. I'll continue the date next chapter, I think I got it figured out...yeah...I do!! Oh ya, do you think Mariam acts like the way she does in the story? It's kind of vague in the show what she's really like apart from being sarcastic.
Thanks to everyone who sent in ideas for the date!!! I really appreciate it! I would use the carnival idea, but I think it'll be better for the whole gang to go. Fun for everyone!
