ASenorita: Hey! Wow, my first reviewer! And it's you KaiJr91! I love you're reviews, and thank you so much for giving me such a nice review! I really appreciate it!
Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade.
Warning: I'm sorry if this chapters a bit lame, but it's a kind of 'in between' chapter, if you get what I mean. Things start happening in the next one….
"Take your feet off the dashboard,"
Kai ignored his mother, and kept on with staring out of the window. When he ignored her again, they had a deafening argument, so that when they stopped at the next service station Kai stormed out of the car, slamming the door shut violently behind him.
He went and hid in the magazine rack in a newsagents, wincing against the bright lights of the inside of the service station. He knew his mother would be a while yet. She had to fill up the car, get a sandwich and a coffee, eat and drink them and read a magazine at the same time, then flirt with whoever she saw as she left.
He knew his mother too well.
She found him though, whilst he was skulking around looking for a decent CD and trying not to attract attention to himself.
"Come and eat now," she said, tersely, and directed him towards a small café.
They ate in silence, Kai staring moodily at his sandwich and coffee and his mother, as he predicted, eating her sandwich and drinking her coffee and reading her newly acquired magazine.
Kai could see how tense she was, how annoyed she was at having to go to all this trouble to drop her son off at his dad's house. She hated his father even more than him and Kai knew that taking him there hadn't put her in the best of moods.
"Aren't you going to eat that?" she snapped, finishing off her coffee, "I'm not having you fainting in the car,"
Kai glared at her until she went back to her magazine then ate the sandwich.
In the car, Kai had his walkman on as loud as she would let him have it. He didn't like to admit it, but he was starting to get nervous.
The night was dark, only other cars lights lighting up the interior of their car dimly. Kai knew he only had an hour or so left then he would see his dad for the first time in seven years. He tried not to think about it, not to work himself up or get too nervous or he would freak out, he knew it.
His Mum was starting to freak out too. She swore over the instructions Bruce had given her, then screamed out her lecture to Kai just before they got there.
"Your father didn't take you in in the first place, if you screw up and misbehave, then he'll never want to see you again. So behave and don't get him ringing me up and complaining. If you're going to be out of my life this summer, I want you COMPLETELY out,"
"Fine!" Kai snapped. He didn't tell her to stop screaming though, he didn't want her crashing the car whilst she slapped him.
They turned up a gravel drive. They were out in the countryside, all they could see was what was lit up by the headlights.
Alexia parked the car, and got out stiffly, Kai following. He was surprised that his heart was pounding.
He got his bag from the boot and followed his mother to the door. It was dark, so he moved slowly along the gravel drive, hoping not to trip over anything. Behind shutters that had been pulled over a big window by the front door, was a bright light, and he could see two shadows moving around. The other lights were off.
"Don't ring the bell until I get in the car," his mother hissed, when they reached the front step. Kai watched as she got in the car. Then he turned to the door. He let out his breath, which he realised he had been holding since he had got out of the car.
He lifted a hand and rang the bell.
There was a moment's pause, then the door opened. Kai was greeted by a tall man with a face so familiar to Kai, but so strange.
Bruce grinned when he saw his son at the door. The same thoughts ran through his head as he took in his fifteen year old son. The boy had grow so much, yet Bruce could see clearly the small seven year old boy in him that Bruce remembered so well.
"Hi Kai,"
Kai blinked. He really don't know how to react to standing there, being in front of his father.
"Hello," he said.
Bruce glanced over his shoulder at the car screeching off down the drive.
"She's not staying around then?"
Kai shook his head mutely.
"Well, we can't have you standing on the doorstep. Come in,"
Kai really didn't regret hearing the sound of his mother's car revving away, and the sound soon vanished when the front door shut behind him.
The hallway was bright. There was a stair case against the right hand side wall in front of him, and a door to his right just at the foot of it. The hall stretched down the side of the stairs and there were three doors down it. The door closest to Kai was open, and he could just see the corner of the sofa, part of someone's leg, and the lights of the television.
There was a commotion in the sofa when Bruce shut the door behind him. There was a cheer and the sound of someone scrambling up. And the sounds of him hurting some people along the way:
"Oof!"
"Watch it!"
"OW, you need me in the stomach!"
As the last whine died away, a teenager hurtled into the hall through the door Kai could see through.
He stood at the doorway, vibrant brown eyes wide and alight. The teenager grinned.
"Hey Kai,"
Kai swallowed.
"Hi, Tyson,"
Wow. Now this was weird. He stared at his younger brother as if he had been greeted with a small furry Martian he was supposed to know. He scrabbled around in his memory for a memory of Tyson, an image of what he looked like. But he was too confused to do it so he gave up and took to taking in this stranger who was his brother.
He had wild bangs of deep grey/blue hair, skin tanned from the sun, and his face was open and bright. He was wearing PJs with a huge jumper over the top.
Bruce couldn't help grinning, the look on both boy's face was picture perfect. Kai looked taken aback and freaked out, and Tyson looked excited and awed, and yet feeling the same weird feeling no doubt Kai was feeling. He remembered how many times Tyson had asked about when Kai was coming, how he had begged to be allowed to stay up even if he was delayed and came really late.
"Well, you can drop your bag Kai and come and get something to eat. Make a hot drink for Kai would you Tyson?"
Tyson nodded, not taking his eyes off Kai. He felt…so odd about seeing him. Kai. His brother. He had bought up any memory he had of Kai the past few days, and he could clearly see the seven year old boy Tyson had once known in Kai. But…he was still a stranger.
'A stranger I know,' Tyson thought, 'It's too weird. I…I just can't explain it,'.
He broke out into a grin anyway and ran into the kitchen, the door on Kai's right. Kai dropped his bag onto the hall floor and followed Bruce.
This was the room with the shutters over the window and bright lights Kai had seen outside.
It was large modern kitchen, and was quiet and cleaned from dinner. Tyson was trying to work a kettle and deal with the fact that his estranged brother was staying for the summer and had just walked through the door. It wasn't working well. It took him five minutes to work out the thing wasn't switched on at the wall.
"Didn't she stick around?" he asked, eventually, turning away from the kettle. Kai picked up immediately on the fact that Tyson didn't say 'Mum'.
Kai suddenly realised the question had been directed at him and he said, "No, she didn't. She…had to get back,"
Kai heard Bruce huff something, then he got a hot cup of tea shoved in his face. He glanced up over it's rim, to see Tyson holding it, giving him a smile. Kai took it off him before he sloshed it all over his face.
A slightly awkward silence filled the room as Kai nursed his tea. Then a young woman entered. She was wearing a jumper and jeans, and her blonde hair was cut very short. She had blue eyes and delicate features.
"Oh, Judy! Judy, this is Kai,"
Judy smiled at Kai and laughed, "Well, it's great to finally meet you Kai. I've heard a lot about you as a boy,"
Kai stared.
Who the hell was this!
Actually, why hadn't he thought that same thing when he had heard the people in the lounge? He thought it'd just be his Dad and his brother.
"H-Hello," he said, trying not to look like he'd been smacked around the face.
"Well, Kai, this is Judy,"
Judy.
Judy.
Nope…Kai knew no-one called Judy. And there was no introduction apart from her name, as if he was expected to know her! He blinked and she smiled at him.
"Oh, Tyson, are you making a cup of tea?" she asked, turning to Tyson who seemed to feel awkward and was still stood by the kettle. He didn't reply, he seemed to be taking everything in.
"Tyson?"
No reply.
She sighed and pulled a glass from the cupboard, "OK then I'll have some water,"
Bruce gave Kai a smile as Kai glanced over at him. Maybe it would be awkward between him and his son, but he hoped things would go well. He hoped too, that Tyson and Kai could get along.
And that Kai would get on with the others.
"Tyson why don't you take Kai his bag upstairs whilst he finishes his tea?"
Tyson nodded.
"Oh!" Judy cried, rushing out, "I forgot to make up the bed!"
Suddenly, it was only Bruce and Kai in the room. In the distance Kai could hear the sounds of boys talking. It puzzled him. Who was staying over?
"You'll have to get used to the other boys making lots of noise, they're all pretty much hyperactive,"
Kai blinked.
Other boys?
What, had this place become a boys boarding school or something?
And who was that woman?
Bruce seemed to register something was wrong.
"Are you alright, Kai?"
"Oh, yeah, I'm fine,"
He drank a bit more of his tea.
"Well, I'm very glad you could come over. I'm glad your mother was enthusiastic too,"
Before Kai could stop he snorted. Bruce smirked, "Hm, well, I see what you mean. She's not enthusiastic about anything but work,"
Another pause.
"Well, I'm glad you got to meet Judy at last. And if you don't see the boys this evening then I'll introduce you tomorrow. I expect Judy's sent them up to bed now,"
WHO WHERE THESE BOYS!
Kai was getting exasperated now. He really couldn't work out who the hell these 'boys' were meant to be.
"Who?" Kai decided to ask, eventually.
Bruce frowned.
"What…do you?...oh…oh god," he groaned, running his hands through his hair, his face falling.
"Your mother," he hissed, shaking his head.
"What?" Kai asked, frowning.
"She…you don't know about Judy and I?"
"No. Who is she?" Kai asked, knowing he wasn't going to like the answer.
"Kai…we're married. I remarried three years ago. She had two kids: Max and Rei. They all moved in three years ago. I…I told your mother to tell you! I insisted! I don't believe she never told you!"
Kai stared at his father.
Remarried?
"I'm sorry," Bruce said, as he was about to leave the room. He had taken Kai up to his room to find Tyson and Judy making the bed. Judy had said she'd send the others off to bed, and then had sent Tyson. Tyson had given Kai a lingering look, as if wanting to do something but not being sure. Eventually he had said, falteringly 'G'night…g'night Kai,'
Kai glanced up at Bruce as he apologised.
"I'm sorry, that I didn't make sure you're mum told you. I mean…" he sighed.
"I don't mind," Kai pointed out.
"Well…we can talk tomorrow. I expect you're tired. Good night Kai," he smiled again, "It's great to see you again,"
He closed the door behind him and Kai was left standing beside his bed.
It was Kai's turn to run his hand through his hair (he now knew where he got that habit from).
He couldn't believe this! It would have been weird enough to get used to his dad and brother again, never mind the extended family! A step-mum, step brothers!
Once he had got over the initial shock he had found it quite funny, actually, having all that family and not knowing about it.
And now, he just had a cold feeling.
For two reasons: one, his mum was sick enough not to tell him that he had a step-mum and two step-brothers, and two, his brother and dad really had moved on and got on with their lives.
And where had Kai got? Into a load of trouble, that's where, and found himself in a load of screw ups which, by the way, he had no intention on re-telling to his dad.
They had made their own family, their own little circle. Without him.
Kai had been stuck with the one person in the family who seemed to enjoy emphasising the fact it was broken and messed up, whilst his brother had stayed with the one who believed in family love and values.
He had such a cold and empty feeling when he got into bed and thought about it.
Had they really moved on so far without him?
------------
BEEP
"Hey Kai it's Tala…well, I guess you're asleep, since you're not picking up. Or you're still mad at me, I don't know, but it is five in the morning I suppose. Well, I'm still pretty mad at you but I rang to see if you were OK, if you got there OK and if you were alright….I'm on the way to my sister's gymnastics competition, and I'm bloody knackered and bored. Ring me back whenever you can. See you Kai. Oh, and by the way… :good luck. Bye,"
ASenorita: I'm sorry, this is a pretty boring chapter I know, but it explains things and it's kind of an 'in between chapter' that I hate writing. Sorry if it bored you!
And I can't explain Tyson and Kai's feelings well. It's just that they know they should know each other and so be able to compare them to when they were kids but they can't, because in their memories they were so close but in reality they look different and they don't know each other.
Something like that!
Kai: you make very little sense.
Apple: I hope you realise I'm not talking to you and that i hate you