Star-Shimmered-Dragon: Hi everyone!
Aura: Beware. She's got off work at 4:00pm Eastern Australian Time and she's lost it.
SSD: Have not!
Stormy: Then why are you posting two stories today?
SSD: Because i can! Anyway, to my...faithful reviewers...COOKIES!
Stormy and Aura: >sweatdrop
SSD: Here they are!
Samantha aka Sam aka Bob aka S: You're my favourite person right now! I'll write you into my other Beyblade fanfiction I'm writing. It's called Deeper Wounds. You ca be Johnny's girlfriend! Just gimme a bio and I'll add you! Cookie for you!
MEZA: I'm glad you like it. I hope you'll keep reading with the rest of the story.
Viper-Vegeta: You love my story don't you? (shouts) MY BETA RULES! (normal voice) She's the best. She writes great DBZ fictions. Thanks for reviewing!
SSD: On with the story!Chapter 10
"Shiri!"
Shiri's face lit up in a smile, as catcalls and whistles sounded throughout the hall. Her hair, sparkling blonde, was layered an inch from her jaw, and was glittering as though someone had thrown diamond dust into it. Her dress, which hugged her figure, shimmered in the same way, and it's emerald green contrasted her eyes beautifully. Silver shoes boosted her height, ever so slightly, and an emerald drop-crystal on a simple silver chain, and her make-up only enhanced her beauty even more. When she got to the base of the stair, she turned slowly.
"How do I look?"
Max's POV
Whoa! Shiri looks like a total knockout! I can't say that though, Mariam would be upset! I can see her in the next room!
"Shiri, you look totally awesome! That suits you so well!"
Kenny's POV
For a girl we only met a few days ago, Shiri's changed a lot. Who knew she could look so pretty?
"Pretty astronomical, if I do say so myself."
Tyson's POV
WOW! Both Shiri and Hillary look awesome! Hillary's creamy brown-and-red dress looks beautiful, especially with her hair bundled up like that! But Shiri looks stunning!
"Shiri, You're a knockout!"
Kai's POV
"Cousin, you are absolutely drop-dead gorgeous, and if we weren't related," I bowed to her, "I would ask you out, right now!"
Ray's POV
I could only stand there, mouth slightly opened in shock. Tyson punched my arm."Dude, say something!" He whispered. I flushed and gulped as Shiri walked closer.
"Do I look that bad?" She asked, her shoulders slumping as her face fell. I panicked.
"No, no, no, no, no, no! You…you…you…"
Shiri sighed.
"I thought so." She murmured, then turned back to the stairs. I grabbed her arm and pulled her back.
"You don't look that bad." I said quickly, then blushed. "I mean, you're just so beautiful. The stars dim to your beauty! Either that, or you stole them and are wearing them in your hair."
Shiri's face lit up. "Thank you! You're rather corny, but thank you." She threw her arms around my neck, and I hugged her back as a tuxedo-clad man bowed from the door.
"Dinner is served." He said.
Normal POV, After dinner
"Wow, that was great." Shiri smiled. "I'd love to know the recipe."
"In the morning, I'll ask the chef to help you." Robert said, sipping his tea.
"It seemes like you know your food, Hiwitari-girl." Commented Johnny McGregor.
"Firstly, Johnny, the name's Shiri, so use it. Secondly, I can cook almost anything."
"Chicken Chassure?" Oliver piped up.
"My personal favorite, after Stroganof." Shiri smiled. "I can rival the best chefs in the world, and I've even created my own dishes."
"Are you able to cook tomorrow night?" Robert sat forward, cradling his tea cup in his hands.
"But Shiri needs to join the celebrations!" Tyson protested, standing up. Robert smiled.
"If she cooks sample dishes for lunch, I'll get the cooks to make dinner, ok?" Robert looked at Shiri.
"Ok. I'll do it!" Shiri laughed. "Wait till you see me cooking!"
Ray's POV, Next day
The BladeBreaker boys, (and me) were standing at the door to the kitchen, watching Shiri work magic with the food. The other girls were out by the pool, because of the heat, and the other boys were doing…well…boy stuff.
"I'd think that she'd complain, being stuck in there all morning." Tyson exclaimed.
"She's cooked for more, in a warmer environment." Kai said. "As she would put it, 'try cooking hot indian curry in the middle of a desert!' She's good."
"You can say that again." I muttered, meaning something different entirely. Shiri spun to chopping some herbs from stirring a sauce, and her skirt lifted slightly. She was wearing a tight blue tank-top with 'look but don't touch' written on the front, and a short denim skirt that wasn't so tight. She had her hair tied up, but some strands were tucked behind her ears, which, I noticed for the first time, were double pierced. After adding the herbs to the sauce, she turned back to the counter to chop the onions. Tears ran down her face, and she muttered 'stupid onions' while wiping her face with her arm.
"Is it just me, or does Shiri look upset?" Kenny asked softly. Shocked, we turned to look at him. "Well, if she's such a good cook then she would know a few methods to stop onion vaours from getting to her. Plus, either her shoulders were shaking, or I need new glasses."
A thud from the kitchen caught my attention again, and I went back to the door. The thud, I noticed, came from the knife, which was sticking up in an odd angle from the cutting board. Shiri was bent over the sink, sibbing silently.
What makes you so sad, Shiri? I thought to myself. Was it last night?
Flashback, Normal POV
Walking down the hall, Ray passed an open door that he knew was to the girls' room. He walked in, looking for Shiri's bag so he could put a surprise into. He looked under the bed, and as well as finding her bag, Ray saw the doorway to the girls' bathroom. He could see the girls feet as they walked past the door, thanks to the gap under the door. Surprise forgotten, Ray lay on the floorboard and listened in. (AN: He's not a peeping tom, he's just curious)
"Does this suit?" Came Mariah's voice.
"It's perfect!" A voice identified to be Hillary's called. "Will Tyson like this?"
"If he's got more than two working brain cells then he should!" Selima said. Something droped to the floor and smashed, to a couple of gasps, then someone started sobbing. The pair of feet closest to the door buckled asn the girl who was attached to them fell to her knees, sobbing.
Shiri, what's wrong? Ray thought to himself.
"Shiri, are you ok?" Miriam asked as she rushed over, side-stepping the slivers of glass on the floor.
"Yes, I'm fine." Shiri muttered, picking up a rather large shard by the door. "I'm ok, even if I am upset."
"Why?" Hillary asked. A tinkling sound came, indicating that someone was sweeping up the glass.
"Well, you girls all have someone who cares for you, and you care about them. Me? Well, I can't think straight right now. I've just discovered that, not only do I have a half-sister, but also a twin brother! I'm running, but I've never felt safer or more at-home in my entire life! But I'm scared. I'm so scared." Shiri replied, wiping her eyes.
"Shiri, you're bleeding!" Mariah exclaimed. She moved for the door, and Ray leapt up and grabbed the small silver box that had been on the floor next to him, then fled the room. Nobody noticed him.
End Flashback, Ray's POV
Blinking fast, I saw Shiri run her hands under the water, and I saw the waterproof bandage that repelled the cold liquid on her palm. She went back to cooking after drying her hands, but I could see that her grip was clumsy. Before Kai, or anyone, could stop me, I went in and grabbed her hadn so she wouldn't drop the pan.
"Do you need some help?" I asked softly. Shiri nodded and smiled slightly.
"Thank you." She whispered. Together, we replaced the pot, then I turned to her.
"How can I help you then?"
Shiri smiled. "Well, the parsely needs to be chopped." She said, going to wipe her eyes again. I grabbed her hand before she could.
"You've been handling onions." I said, pulling out my handkerchief and wiping her eyes for her. "You don't want the onion vapors to adhere to your cheeks."
"True." Shiri turned to lift another pot from the stove, and while her back was turned I looked back out the door to see what had happened to the boys. Kai was shoving them into the pool, and he grinned at me before leaping forward and bombing Tyson.
"Thank you Ray."
Spining around in shock and surprise, I saw Shiri standing behind me, a tea towel in her hands, embarrassed.
"Thank you?" I asked, concerned.
"You've been so nice to me, but everything bad has been happening, and you got hurt, and it was my fault! You believe in me though." Shiri said, then she shook her head. "No, that came out wrong. You were there when I needed you the most. Thank you."
I grinned. "Anytime, Shiri, anytime."
SSD: Well, there you go!
Aura: Very nice. BTW, it's going to get better soon. You learn what's in the box, and something happens to-
Stormy: (covering Aura's mouth) you'll make her mad...
SSD: I hope you review so i can post soon! Two people post, and I'll update. Don't be afraid!