I'm sooooo sorry it took so long for me to update. My grandparents are here from New York and they're staying for 13 days. Well, I kinda got in trouble because I commented on the weather. Where I am, it hasn't rained since before school ended. After they got into the car I was all like "Welcome to hell, guys." You should have seen the look my mom gave me. It was so funny. Anyways, here is the update. Also, if anyone has any ideas on pairings, my character included, let me know.
Disclaimer: I do not own beyblades.
Chapter 6: A short-lived half-date
Max's POV.
"Kai. Kai Hiwatari." answered Starr. Her calm grey eyes were filled with a seriousness that rivaled even Kai's.
"WHO?" I asked. I thought maybe my hearing was going. 'She couldn't have just said Kai's name, could she? How? When? Is it even possible? Is she lying? No. I don't think she is. Something in her eyes tells me that she isn't. I may be blonde and I may have unnaturally high sugar levels but I am not totally stupid. Whoa, Max! Calm down. You keep forgetting that Starr is new here. If I start bombarding her with questions, the small bond of trust that we share might be lost.'
"Kai Hiwatari, silly. Are you deaf now?" asked Starr. Amusement shone in her eyes and I laughed.
"No. I'm not deaf, Starr. Just surprised that you know him. He's our team captain. Normally, he would be here right now making us run laps or something like that but I think he is taking care of some business. With him, we never know. He just disappears for a while and then comes back." I said.
Starr's POV.
'Wow. That was a really wordy response. It wasn't the reaction I anticipated though. I wonder where Kai went. He's always been like that. Thinks he doesn't have to tell anyone where he's going. Just wait until he gets back here.'
"Hey Starr? What did you say?" asked Rei walking outside again. "I only caught the edge of your conversation. Can you repeat that again?"
"Yeah. And hurry up because I'm hungry." said Tyson before stuffing half of a hero sandwich into his mouth and chewing noisily.
"Shut up Tyson. You're always hungry. Max asked me where I learned to blade like that and I told him that I learned from one of the best bladers in the world." I yelled at Tyson before explaining to the others.
"And?" asked Rei.
"I answered him." I stated.
"Who did you learn from?" he asked.
I sighed.
"Kai Hiwatari. Are you happy now?" I asked sarcastically. 'How much will it take to make them shut up? I'm not exactly Ms. Sunshine and all these questions are getting on my nerves.'
"You know him?" asked Tyson, still chewing.
" I don't have to answer that question. I'm going for a walk. The next person who asks me a question is going to regret it, sorely." and with that I stalked off. I knew they were staring at me but I ignored them until I reached the street where I turned around and called, "Hey Max! You can come if you want to. Ice cream? My treat."
"Sure!" he turned and said a quick good bye before running up to join me. He waved and laughed while his blonde hair flew wildly in the wind.
"Starr! Max and sugar is not a good combination. They don't mix..." Rei's voice trailed off as we disappeared from view around the next block. It felt so good, so good to be free. To do whatever I wanted. And now I had Max to keep me company.
Max's POV.
'This is a great chance to get to know Starr. I wonder if she knows I like ice cream.' Max continues to brood on his thoughts until Starr laughed slightly.
"Huh? What did I do?" I asked, questioning Starr's sudden laughter.
"Nothing." she said. "You just looked so funny all caught up in your own thoughts I had to laugh. So, know any good ice cream places around here?"
"Well. There's Mr. Softy, Ice Creamery, Tastee's Ice Cream Bar..." and I proceeded to name about a million ice cream places.
"Ok." she said, laughing. "Which one is the closest?"
"That would be my favorite. Tastee's Ice Cream Bar is about three blocks from here. Can we go there?" I hopped up and down in excitement trying to make her laugh again. It worked.
"Are you always this hyper and silly?" she asked.
"Yep! I'm 99.9 sugar hyped." I smiled.
"And what's the other .1?"
"I haven't decided yet." Giggling, I reached over and teasingly tugged on her hair.
"Hey! Get back here!" she shouted, chasing after me.
Fifteen minutes later we reached Tastee's Ice Cream Bar, panting and out of breath. Eagerly we went inside and smelled the mouth-watering scent of ice cream. Walking up to the counter we stared at the rows and rows of neatly printed orders. I
"What do you want, Max?" Starr asked, turning to me.
"Triple fudge sundae!" I shouted out loud.
"Okay, okay. No need to yell. Here is some money. Can you order while I go find us a table.
Starr's POV.
A few minutes later, Max brought tour orders and we sat down at a blue table. Occasionally, wetook a bite of ice cream. He spoke.
"So, Starr. Tell me about your family. Were they nice?"
I stiffened. My parents was not a subject I really cared to discuss. Suddenly, I saw a shadow. As I turned around to follow the dark blur, it disappeared. The hairs on the back of my neck started to stand up. 'We need to get out of here. We're being followed . I can't let Max fall into danger. I have to protect him no matter what. I don't want what happened to me to happen to Max. The other's won't trust me anymore.'
"Max. It's time to go." I ordered, cold as ice.
Max's POV.
I shivered. It felt like the room had dropped several degrees. 'What happened? She was warm and friendly like five seconds ago and now she's a completely different person. And why do we have to go? We just got here.'
"Max. Let's go now." she grabbed my hand and pulled me closer to her.
"We're being watched, Max. We need to get out of here and fast." she whispered harshly in my ear.
"Ok. Let's go." I stood up with my half eaten sundae and looked at it sadly before throwing it into the trash. Starr did the same and we started to walk out when suddenly there was a loud BANG! Something whizzed by, shattering the glass door. The glass spewed everywhere, cutting my arms and legs. I looked to see if Starr was alright and I noticed she was holding her right shoulder. I gasped. Blood seeped down, turning her shirt red. A large chunk of glass protruded grotesquely from her arm.
"Starr! Are you okay?" I asked. "Starr?" I repeated when she didn't reply. She released her arm and pushed me behind her.
"Get back, Max." she said in an emotionless voice. I caught a glimpse of vacant grey eyes and shivered. What warmth was in the room dissipated as her empty toneless voice spoke again.
"You may have hurt me, father. But you will not hurt my friends. You want me back, daddy dearest, then you can come and try it, you filthy heartless bastard."
"Protecting your friends? What friends? You don't have friends. And I don't really think you have much of a choice now, do you." a rough voice came as a man stepped out from behind the service counter. Just then, I noticed he was the only one there. 'How could that be? Did he know we would be here?'
In his hand was a shiny black pistol, cocked and ready to fire.
"You'll come with me Starr. If you know what's good for you." the gun pointed to Starr.
"No! Screw you." she screamed loudly. Another bang. I covered my ears and shrank to the ground.
A heavy silence set over the whole place. Thud!
"Starr!" I cried. She was laying on the glass covered floor. Dark red blood gushed out of a bullet wound on her leg. Her eyes slid open in an odd half way. Her lips tinged purple and her skin grew paper white.
"Max. Get...get out of here." her voice was barely a whisper.
"But what about you?" I asked frantically.
"YOU! Get away from her now. I'll shoot you too." barked the man who was Starr's father.
Starr moaned and her eyes closed. 'This can't be happening again. I won't do it. I refuse!'
"Go. Tell the others. Hurry." she whispered again.
I stood up to find the man staring at my face. Before I knew what was happening, he started punching me at a supernatural speed. Three blows to my head and two to my stomach. I sank to the ground and gasped in pain.
"Leave before I have to kill you." he threatened, reloading the gun and aiming it at my head.
"Okay. I'm going. Just don't hurt Starr." I stood up slowly and walked through the glass doors holding my stomach tightly.
'I don't want to put her life at risk.' I thought.
"That bitch doesn't deserve you." he said and bent down to pick up Starr. He grabbed her carelessly and threw her over his shoulder. He shoved me out of the way and jumped into a black van. Landing hard on the sidewalk, I scraped my elbow and my knee. A small amount of blood came from the cut and ran down my leg. I watched the van speed off and tried to get the license plate number before it rounded the curb.
'Run, Max. I've got to run and tell the other's. they'll know what to do. I just hope we aren't to late to save her.' I thought and started running as fast as I could back to the dojo. I ignored the pain in my chest and head and ran on.
Fifteen minutes later, I barged through Tyson's door into the house. Hot tears prickled my eyes and blurred my vision. Rei and Tyson ran into the room, hearing the noise of my crash.
"Max! What happened? Where's Starr?" questioned Rei worriedly. Tyson just stared for a moment and then said "What happened?" in a gentle voice unrecognizable as his.
"It's Starr. Her father was at the place we went to. He shot her and kid napped her. It's all my fault." I sobbed and then collapsed from exhaustion.
Kai's POV.
I had just walked into the room where Rei and Tyson were. I saw Max unconscious on the floor.
"What happened?" I questioned coldly.
"I don't know." said Rei. He picked up Max and placed him carefully on the nearby couch before continuing.
"Max ran in and said something about Starr being shot and kid napped."
I froze. 'Starr? It can't be. I thought she was dead. There is no way she could've survived a blast like that.'
"Starr? Starr Esther Marie?" I asked. I had a horrible sinking feeling in my stomach.
"Yes. She said she knew you and trained with her. Is that true?" asked Tyson turning to face me. I could tell he was worried for her safety. Suddenly it hit me.
"I know why they took Starr." I said, ignoring his question.
"Why?" asked Rei, his golden eyes shining with unshed tears. He must have known somewhat about her past to be upset. I knew he just wanted to protect her because that was in his nature.
"Because Starr is the only one, other than myself, who can control Black Dranzer."
I left it at another cliffie. Now everyone has to review so I can start writing the next chapter. Just joking. Nobody has to review unless they want to. Let me know what you think and if anyone has any ideas for the next few chapter's feel free to let me know. Thanks for reading. See you in the next chapter.