Summary: Mariam is considered 'rebellious' but Mariam herself considers it thinking for herself, which everyone says otherwise. What'll happen when someone finally takes her side?

Disclaimer: I have no idea what I own, but it's definitely not Beyblade.

Sorry for the wait... even though it wasn't that long...but yesterday was my last day of school and I'm going to this long party tomorrow, so I thought 'might as well do the tenth chap today...'

Why was he doing his? Joseph probably told him…that jerk. And now he probably pitied her. Enough to kiss her? Unlikely.

Mariam was arguing with herself, whether to move away or let him do whatever.

He leaned closer.

"K-Kai?" Mariam managed to utter out softly. She noticed that his eyes were also half-lidded. But… maybe this wasn't the real Kai Hiwatari! Kai Hiwatari did not do love and he most certainly did not do kissing…especially with a girl whose guts he hated. Nothing in the universe could possess the infamous Kai Hiwatari to do this, not with her, never with her… He hated her…just like everyone else in her life.

Except Joseph, of course.

And maybe Max. Max was nice…but Mariam wouldn't stoop so low as to forcing herself to like someone, just because Kai didn't like her and Max did. She did turn Max down for Kai, though… Now that she thought about it, she could've used Max to make Kai jealous.

Kai? Jealous?

Not possible.

Mariam would've shook her head furiously, if Kai hadn't placed a hand on her cheek… This was so not Kai Hiwatari… Something bad must've happened to the real Kai. Would Mariam even consider trying to save him? Maybe it was that retarded Abbey leader…or Tala, who captured the real Kai.

She backed into the wall, telling Kai that she didn't want him to pity her enough to kiss her. Crap it all…she just allowed herself to be surrounded by him. Her knees were feeling weak, from standing around all day, especially after all the standing and staring she did with Ozuma.

Mariam knew she liked Kai, and if anyone but Joseph said she did, she'd deny it completely. But Mariam wouldn't even expect Kai to like anyone, let alone her. He didn't seem like the type… Although he had…'fan-girls', he never showed any emotion toward them except giving them the cold shoulder and a simple 'Hn' but that was it.

"Hn?" Kai answered, his face looming over hers. Although Mariam despised his guts, he couldn't help but…be a guy. Well, most guys have feelings for girls and they don't know how to express them, so they insult the girl.

Idiots.

Kai sneered. They're idiots to not realize what they feel. Kai realized his…late, but still. That's why he stalked Ozuma stalking Max and Mariam. He, like Ozuma, wanted to make sure that she was alright. But he was Kai Hiwatari…mostly known for being the strong, cold, heartless bastard who never showed any emotions but pure hate. So he couldn't have Tyson and the others knowing. He was sure they'd coo at him and laugh, probably. Hilary would probably turn pale and not be able to move; her infatuation with the Russian blader was apparent, even to him.

"W-What are you doing?" Mariam asked, her voice quivering. She didn't want Kai to think that she was scared again; he'd make fun of her again.

Mariam gulped lightly when she felt a warm hand on her waist. A light tint of scarlet fell on her cheeks. Was he actually going to do it? Did he really…have emotions other than pure hate? She could only wonder. She couldn't move...

Her hands pressed against the cold wall behind her. She should be hitting him! Did she lose her mind? Why did part of her want this to happen?

Kai made no reply. She knew full well what he was doing. Maybe she just asked to see if she was correct. Well, what else would he be doing, drawing a picture?

Foolish girl.

Kai's eyelids felt heavy, closing down all the way. Mariam followed his example. Only a mere two seconds passed before he lightly brushed his lips on hers.

Mariam gasped inside; what was she supposed to be feeling now?

"Mariam?"

(A/N: Do you know how much I wanted to leave it there, just to for the heck of it all? ...but I decided to be nice and continue... also because the above is only like, 2 pages and my minimum is 6 pages)
Kai cursed in his head and backed off, looking at the source of the sound as his eyes opened. "Max?" he asked gently. Now everything'd be weird. Max wouldn't get mad…he didn't really kiss her… it was just a slight brush against her lips…that's all.

Mariam opened her eyes, looking in the direction that Kai was. "Max…" she said, just as gently as Kai did.

The blond American boy was staring at them, possibly because he was looking for Mariam because of what Mr. Granger said. And this is what he found? He couldn't take this… Maybe…Rei was right. The American shook his head furiously, looking downward at the ground below him, shutting his eyes tight.

None of them spoke for a long while. Mariam didn't know what she was supposed to say to Max. How was she supposed to deal with another person hating her because she liked Kai? One was too many, and now there was two? Mariam just stood there, staring at the blond.

Kai resumed his usual trademark position; arms folded over his chest, head hung with eyes closed gently. It happened again, didn't it? First Ozuma, now Max… and Kai didn't even know if it was his fault or not. He wanted to take the blame for Mariam, so she wouldn't hurt anymore. But wouldn't that just prove that he did like Mariam and was protecting her? He couldn't do anything now…Max found him out.

Max's head was hurting, trying to figure out what he just saw. What was he supposed to do?

Nothing?

Max didn't believe that. He had to do something. Ten bucks was nothing compared to what he was feeling right now. The bet with Tyson didn't matter. Did that 'date' with the diner and ice cream mean nothing to her?

Apparently so.

What were any of them supposed to say? But Kai found that Max had very little reason to get mad. It wasn't like Mariam was Max's girlfriend, despite the constant remarks from the grandfather of Mr. World Champ.

But Max did like Mariam, the whole world knew it, and Kai just came out of nowhere to take her away from him. Was Kai supposed to feel bad? Was Mariam? Max felt hurt, that was certain.

Kai shook his head. It was just some stupid chain…Emily liked Max who liked Mariam who was liked by Ozuma who was friends with Kai who fell for Mariam who liked Kai who was on Max's team who was liked by Emily who was interrogated by Ozuma about Max who hates Kai who made Ozuma break up with Mariam who pitied Max who was stalked by Ozuma who now hates Mariam.

Oh boy, that hurt…

Kai lifted his head and opened his eyes. The blond seemed to be arguing with himself inside. It was nothing; barely even a kiss, so why get mad? Kai always figured himself superior to the other human boys…

Conceited.

Yep, that was Kai, all right.

But Max…was he naturally protective like this?

Finally, after yet another session of just staring, Mariam seemed to speak up. "Max!" she shouted at the blond. Her voice was filled with a slight concern or begging, that he wouldn't hate her like Ozuma did.

The blond lifted his head and stared at them for only a moment before his eyes flashed in anger. He shook his head fiercely then turned to run away. She wasn't supposed to see him act like this…nobody was.

Mariam took a step forward. "Max, wait!" she held out a hand, to stop him, but it made no difference; the American ran away anyways.

Why did Mariam suddenly feel so guilty for all this? She glanced to her side. Uh, Kai was at fault too! Yeah…

But it was Mariam who knew Max's infatuation with her first.

It was Mariam who turned him down for someone else.

It was Mariam who never considered Max's feelings.

It was Mariam who fell for Kai…

And it was Mariam who almost let Kai kiss her.

Mariam hung her head; it was her fault…

"…Mariam!" Kai shouted.

The girl's attention went back to the Russian. "Yeah?"

Kai looked around suspiciously, like they were being watched. And he knew that very well, didn't he? "C'mon…it's getting late. Ozuma wouldn't want you getting lost."

"Ozuma wouldn't care." Mariam replied quickly without hesitation. Well, it was true…he wouldn't. Not anymore. He hated her. He hated her guts. He hated her with a passion. He hated her guts with a passion.

"But Joseph would, wouldn't he?" Kai replied, raising a brow at her. He got no response from her. Was she too afraid to admit that her brother was the only one who cared for her now that Max saw…that? Was he too afraid to prove her wrong?

"So he would…" Mariam admitted after a while. Everyone hated her, because she was just being who she was. How was that such a crime? "he's the only one left, isn't he?"

Kai tilted his head to the side. "Perhaps…maybe it's just the way you see it," he shifted around uneasily, "and if it means anything," which I'm assuming it won't, "I would."

Mariam's eyes fluttered in confusion, looking right at him, "Kai…" she said gently, in a voice that might as well have been a whisper.

"Hn?"

"Thanks…" she said in a caring voice. The look on her face said that she meant it. Kai was about to smile warmly, were it not for what happened next.

Mariam's expression dropped back to normal. "But stay off my side." She warned icily.

"Wha?" he asked, tilting aback.

"I mean it, Kai; stay off my side. I don't need you to pity me enough to make me think that you actually like me." Mariam shook her head, and then looked away from him. Why was she saying this?

Kai just glared at her. "Mariam, you don't get it, do you?"

"No, I don't!" she said confidently, "But I can only guess! And the closest assumption is that you pity me. I don't need your pity or your false sympathy, Kai Hiwatari. Don't even think about trying to use the sympathy act on me, just to get me to start letting people in again. If I was ever gonna start letting people in, why would I start with you?" she spat.

Kai tilted aback. Mariam looked quite confident in what she was saying, but Kai could see that she didn't really mean it.

What was Mariam saying? Was she saying all this because she was too stubborn to admit that she had feelings for him? But Mariam realized that Kai was only trying to help her because he had been there before. He knew that world better than she did, and yet she was insisting on traveling it alone.

She knew that Kai was smart, and most likely, he'd see through her little 'phase' again, just like he always did. Kai was smirking…was that a good thing? Was he smirking because Mariam was reverting back to her old self?

But the whole point in Kai helping her was so that she wouldn't go back. Besides, what was she to do, being separated from the Saint Shields? Did Kai pity her enough to let her stay with him?

Not likely.

But right now, Kai was the closest thing Mariam had to a…friend. Everyone else just left her, because of what she was.

Stereotypes…

She muttered in her head.

"The fact that I'm the only one willing to be on your side." Kai answered.

"But why? Why would you want to help someone who's so much trouble?" Mariam asked him. It didn't seem like much of a question, more like a demand.

Kai, subconsciously, lifted her chin up to his level. "Because I know who she really is…" he said softly.

Mariam stared up at him. She moved back to that 'this is not Kai Hiwatari' theory she had earlier. Ozuma had said that before…a while after they met. She was mourning over her lost parents. Ozuma had approached her and offered her his help. She asked why.

He simply stated, "Because I know who you really are…"

But Kai?

Kai would never say that, not to her, not to anyone. But he did…

They were silent once again, with Mariam trying to avoid his maroon eyes while his were intently staring at hers. What did he want with her?

Kai shook his head in shame. He had really thought that before, he had broken through and gotten to her good side, and now this happened again?

Kai still had a lot of work to do if he was ever gonna win her heart, he decided. He had to push, not only Ozuma, but Max out of her head.

Was she really worth it? Was her heart really worth it? And was she really worth his time? Like really, really, REALLY worth it?

Of course.

Mariam stared up at him. "Why're you doing this for me?" she asked diffidently. It was so unlike him to do this for her.

Kai's eyes darted around nervously. How was he supposed to answer that without drawing suspicion? He could answer her without a word, but that would mean that he'd kiss her. And there was the chance of her slapping him. And Kai couldn't risk it.

"You're upset because of a memory…I'll help you."

"But why? What could someone like you possibly want with me?" Mariam demanded.

How was Kai supposed to answer now? Would she hit him?

Of course not…this was Mariam we're talking about.Came the sarcastic reply in the Russian's head. She'd hit him…

Oh, Maxie's mad… ooh, what's he gonna do?

Hope you liked that chapter! Yeah, I know, they're both stubborn…and they'll be like that for quite a while. 'Cause I know that neither of them is that forward, right…?

Both of them seem to think that the other hates their guts, or just hate them. That's possibly what's stopping them from saying anything about their feelings.

And the time there is about a few minutes before sunset, alright? That's why Kai said it's getting late.

And I bet that some of you were either betting that she was either gonna let him kiss her or hit him. Well, she almost let him…kinda. Well, she couldn't really move away so there's that to consider...

I kinda got a reference to the summary. Mariam says "stay off my side" to Kai. Hehe... and poor Maxie… that's it for now.

Sorry that it's so short! I know; I'm so stupid… Bye!