"I must admit, these homework grades surprised me"
It was the next day, and Ray and Lee were sitting in their classroom, beaming. Their teacher looked baffled.
"Especially Kon and Sevela" the teacher added, and the boys grinned at each other from their seats across the room from each other.
The teacher looked at them curiously and began to pass out their homework papers. Ray and Lee happily saw a large, red 100 on their papers.
"It looks like you two are finally getting serious about your schoolwork" the teacher said, nodding to them. Ray grinned as he put it inside his binder, next to the most recent grades he and Lee had been getting, mostly 75's.
"You could say that" Lee said, and the teacher was about to question them when the recess bell rang.
"Does using Mariah count as getting serious?" Ray asked as the two walked outside. Lee shrugged, and then turned as they reached the end of the schoolyard.
The boys had a special place that they went for recess, it was a little area outside the schoolyard that had a hollowed out tree stump, perfect for Beybattles.
"You ready?" Ray asked as they pulled out their Beyblades.
"Yeah" Lee said, putting it on his black launcher.
Suddenly, the boys spotted a little pink blur in the distance, racing up the hill the schoolhouse was on at top speed. Once it reached them, it stopped, and Ray realized it was a very familiar girl.
"Mariah!" Lee cried, "You know you're not supposed to be here!"
Mariah shrugged.
"So?" she asked, and Ray smiled.
"Oh well" he said, "Let's battle, Lee"
"'Kay!"
Mariah sat down, her legs just barely dangling over the in-ground stump. Both boys launched their Blades, and Mariah began to cheer.
"Go Ray! Go Lee!"
Ray grinned, and his Beyblade seemed to feel it, because it suddenly jerked forward, hitting Lee's hard.
Lee quickly responded with a sharp attack of his own, but Ray dodged it and attacked from the back.
Lee's Blade went flying back towards him, and it crashed into the side, where it made a large dent in the wood.
"Not again!" Lee cried, raising his arms in exasperation.
"Hey, you were close that time!" Ray said as his own Blade flew into his open palm.
"Yay!" Mariah cried, and Ray grinned again. Suddenly, there was a large gust of icy wind, and all three of them shivered.
Lee's blue jacket and Ray's new brown one he'd gotten for his birthday from another friend, Gary, were fine, but Mariah's old white one was falling apart. But her own birthday was next week, though Ray and Lee both already knew what they were getting her.
"How come I can't Beyblade?" Mariah asked for about the millionth time.
"Because you don't have a Beyblade!" Lee cried, "And besides, Beyblading's not for girls!"
"Is too!" Mariah cried.
"Is not!" Lee responded.
"Is too!"
"Is not!"
BRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNGGGGGGGG!
All three of them looked up, that was the school bell. Mariah stuck her tongue out at Lee, and then took off down the hill.
Lee pouted, and Ray rolled his eyes.
"Come on, Lee" he said, "We've got to get back!"
"All right" he said reluctantly, unfolding his arms. The boys pocketed their Beyblades and took off for the school building, just waiting until they could go home.
Author's Notes: Wow, that was fast! I guess I really like this story! Anyway, please review, and until next time, guys! Oh, and by the way, here are some cookies for all who were kind enough to review.