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?

Well, a whole line like this is thought.

A simple italicized word like that in a sentence with non-italicized words means that the italicized word(s) is/are stressed by speaker. (Same in reverse, if in flashback or already italicized in thought)

"And like this is…over the phone…see? With the little quotation things?"

Yeah, for some reason, that's just how I do things…

Disclaimer: I kinda don't own Beyblade…okay; forget 'kinda', I just plain don't own 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…

Kai stored his hands in his pockets coolly. "I…don't want you to suffer what I did." He shrugged.

Mariam gave him a disbelieving look. "Sure…right," she rolled her eyes, scoffing at him, "and I suppose that next, you're gonna tell me that Dunga can beat me in algebra."

"Perhaps." He smirked at her, "It wouldn't take much, would it?"

Mariam's eyes widened slightly, her jaw hung open. She looked over to him, seeing him scoffing at her with a slight laugh to back it up. He did not just say that… meh, another excuse to argue with him over crap. Seriously, she didn't need this from him; not now. He couldn't have picked another time to do this?

Bastard…

"All right, Kai, you can help me." Mariam smirked, heading for the opening.

Kai scoffed, crossing his arms. This should be interesting. Why'd she give in like that? She wasn't usually like that. She liked doing things her away and didn't give a damn about what anyone else thought. Like how she beat Tyson a while ago, even though the Russian was non-verbally questioning her moves during the battle, she didn't care whether he agreed with her strategy or not, she played it through, and that, Kai found, was a good thing.

He was sure that if Hilary ever bladed before in her life and had to partner with Kai, she'd be trying to impress the Russian, and if Kai thought she made a wrong move, she'd change the strategy, not caring if she won or lost, but if Kai agreed with her. That seemed more like…

…desperation.

To get him to see her? Mariam wouldn't have cared about something like that. She wasn't the type to do that…especially after that Ozuma and Max thing… And now Kai had to work past that…

But why was he constantly comparing Hilary to Mariam?

But it wasn't like there were any other girls he could compare. He barely knew Salima or Mariah…or even Emily.

Well, all he knew was that Salima had an interest in Rei that didn't show until he was around her. And that she had some cheap Drigger metal carbon copy crap. Other than that, he knew absolutely nothing. Like he cared anyways…

And Mariah… well, he had no freaking clue how that girl got pink hair and he didn't even want to know… Again, she had some affection for Rei, and to no surprise. Did everyone in this freaking world like Rei, or was Kai just crazy? Was Kai doomed to remain the unloved, heartless, emotionless bastard for…what, ever?

Oh yeah….

He still had those haunting fan-girls…shit. Okay, Kai was perfectly fine with the fact that everyone liked Rei. He took it all back. Hehe… whew.

Back to Mariah… well, besides the fact that her hair was pink, why did her clothes have to be pink too? Wasn't that a bit much? C'mon, she looked like pink walking cotton freakin' candy! Truly, that was more than enough pink for the world to see. And what would become of those poor 'pink-hating' people? Were they doomed to die if she were to walk by them? Holy frig, man…

Moving on…Emily. She was like intelligence and physique put together, and in her case, it wasn't very good. She always went on about her superiority and her stupid competitiveness! She wouldn't shut the hell up about that crap. And even worse, like Salima and Mariah, she was also 'love-crazy', as Kai had so often referred to before. But it wasn't Rei this time. Oh no, it was the blond that Mariam turned down. And Kai was betting that Miss York (A/N: That is her last name, right? ...?) now hated Mariam's guts, just because Max liked her.

But it wasn't like it was Mariam's fault. She did absolutely nothing to Emily… Mariam was just dragged into it. And if Emily was gonna do something to Mariam about that stupid shit, Kai would certainly have something to say about it later. Because, again, Kai saw Mariam's side. Why hate someone for doing nothing? It wasn't like Mariam asked Max to like her…and even if Mariam did like Max back; it still wasn't an excuse for Emily to go bitch slap her or something, because emotions can't be controlled.

Boris already tried controlling Tala's feelings, and it didn't work, so blah to Emily!

And Kai didn't like those girls because…they were too…love-sick. They seemed to use every chance they got to impress their target. Even Hilary, but…hm. Mariam didn't seem to give a shark's butt about that, because she simply didn't care.

"Okay, how?" Kai asked.

At long last Mariam smirked in her head. "Shut…the hell up and leave me alone," she said firmly, and then she smiled sweetly, "'kay?" she said, faking a sweet, innocent voice.

Kai just stood there, in shock of what she just said or did, he couldn't decide. She turned and began walking away. Kai growled.

Crazy girl, she'd get herself killed.

Crap again…she was right. He thought she was some helpless little girl that he needed to save. Kai had never been this protective over a person before, had he? And in that 'first time' thing, what was he supposed to do?

If he wrapped his arms around her from behind after catching up with her, she'd whip around, hit him and scream 'pervert' and possibly stomp on his foot to top it off.

Yeah.

Kai could just imagine it now. And…she was getting away!

Stupid Kai, you weren't supposed to let her get away. Moron. His mind scolded him. Kai shook his head in shame. What, was he gonna follow her again? Mariam didn't know about that thing where he stalked Ozuma stalking her and Max, right?

Kai smirked.

Boo-yah.

She didn't.

Wait… 'boo-yah'? Where the flip did that come from?

What was he, Ron Stoppable from 'Kim Possible'? Or Cyborg from 'Teen Titans'? Or whoever? He was Kai Hiwatari, dammit! And Kai Hiwatari did not say 'boo-yah'.

Humph. He folded his arms and closed his eyes, tilting his head down.

She's kinda getting away, buddy. His mind said again, just KINDA…

Kai scoffed and went after her.

Mariam shook her head as she swiftly walked along the sidewalk. Her hands were clenched in fists by her sides, mumbling things to herself.

He didn't come after her…

Well, duh, you told him to leave you alone. Her head scoffed.

Mariam shut her eyes tightly for a second before opening them again. She didn't really mean it…she was just saying that. She just said that so he wouldn't think that she actually liked his company. True, the smartass comments and comebacks weren't really needed, but there was just…something about him that she missed.

What the hell?

She just left him there a few seconds ago, and already she missed him? Was she seriously that desperate?

While walking, she turned her head around, to see if he'd come after her. But she wasn't really, really hoping he would. It wasn't like he was her boyfriend…hahaha.

Kai? Being a boyfriend?

Che, not possible.

It wasn't like they had a relationship where he would come after her. But she was just hoping…maybe he would…?

And SLAM, right into some guy's chest, "Oof!"

Way to go, Mari… she sighed to herself. She uttered out her apology, looking up at his face.

"Oh shit, it's you!" she jumped back a bit.

Kai tilted his head to the side in confusion. "That's not very nice, Mariam…" he pointed out bluntly, "besides, I saved you from walking right into that street."

Mariam shook her head quickly and glared up at him. "You! How did you…? What are you…? Are you stalking me?"

Kai's arms were folded over his chest and the look on his face was projecting that 'you stare, you die' expression. "Mariam, I take offense to that. Do I look like the stalking type?"

Mariam put a finger under her chin in thought, looking up. "Well, now that I think about it…" she sighed in a saccharine voice, "chyeah!" she scoffed, laughing right at him.

Kai sent her a dry look. "Well, I'm not." He lied.

Mariam observed his expression for a while. "Sure…right, Kai, and you expect me to believe that?"

"Believe what you want." He stated simply.

Mariam also folded her arms. "And that I won't believe." She pressed past him.

Kai stood there, staring at her departing figure. How could she just…do that? Why did she always make Kai feel like he lost the argument when it meant absolutely nothing? But of course, being Kai, he just…felt it was his duty to follow her. Or should he see to the American and make sure he was alright? Max seemed pretty pissed about that 'barely a kiss' thing.

Tyson could handle Max freaking out, couldn't he? Max was a big boy; he didn't need Kai babysitting him all the time.

But Kai was the reason Max got upset.

Kai was the reason Mariam turned the blond down.

Kai was the reason Ozuma hated Max.

And Kai was the reason Mariam didn't like Max at all in that way.

So…what was Kai trying to do? He was the reason Max was hurting, and Kai couldn't say that he did 'absolutely nothing' to the blond. He knew Max liked Mariam, and he tried to kiss her… So basically, Max saw it as some sort of…

Betrayal.

But Max should've gotten used to it. Kai left the Bladebreakers for the Demolition or Blitzkrieg boys…whatever they called themselves. And he was moving back and forth between them, wasn't he? Betrayal was Kai's thing…besides stalking, of course.

But betrayal in this way was something Kai was sure the American didn't acclimatize to. Kai was pretty sure that the once 'happy-go-lucky' boy was now full of hate. Did Max really like Mariam that much? Enough to lash out like Mariam did?

Mariam had vanished from eyesight and Kai cursed to himself.

Mariam sighed, closing the door behind her. Joseph was sitting in a chair, sinisterly, glaring at her. He held up a flashlight, aiming it at her face.

"Alright, sis. Spill. Where were you? Ozuma said you went off with Kai." Joseph said resolutely.

"Ugh…" she lifted an arm to shield her eyes from the light of the device in Joseph's hand. She squinted, "I was with Kai, Joe, but nothing happened."

Joseph lowered the flashlight. She lowered her arm. "My god, he kissed you, didn't he, Mar?"

Mariam put her hands on her hips, annoyed. "Seriously, Joe, what makes you think that happened?"

"You like him, simple as that."

Mariam scoffed. "You're a retard…" she shook her head, making her way past him, to her room.

"Oh…" Joseph nodded in realization, "You kissed him. Got it." He held up two thumbs-up.

She turned her head to glare at him. "Really, are you like, asking for a beating, or what?"

Joseph raised his hands in mock defeat. She began walking back up the stairs again. Then he smirked at her. "And you know a 'Max Tate', right?"

Suddenly interested, Mariam whipped around to look at her brother. "Yeah…what happened?"

Joseph grinned. "Well, he called, like, five times…"

"And what'd he say?" Mariam asked, nodding to play along with Joseph's stupid antics. She slipped into the room, with Joseph following.

"Not telling." Joseph ran out of the room.

Mariam rolled her eyes and slammed the door behind her brother. "Yeah, well, I hope you burn." She said quietly.

Well, Kai was hopeless, as it seemed. He went back to Tyson's dojo. Did that kid have to practice after dark, too? Didn't their parents worry?

Kai scoffed. All he had was Voltaire… and what did he do? Make Kai work, work, and…work. His grandfather was some strange hell-bent maniac. Ruling the world with little spinny tops? Was he serious?

What a fruitcake…

What a retard…

What a bastard…

Then it occurred to Kai; what would Voltaire do if he found that Kai…fell for someone?

Perhaps he wouldn't give a shit, but if he did…

Wasn't Kai supposed to be those heartless, emotionless boys who can't have emotions?

Obviously...

But Tala had emotions. And Tala used those emotions to…shake hands with Tyson? Okay, well, not those emotions…but emotions of like, love, infatuation…stuff like that. It wasn't Kai's style, and yet… here he was…with all these. Tala would have a field day. Then Kai wouldn't be Boris's favorite anymore and Tala could be on top again?

Hah. Not bloody likely.

Was Tala really so bent on being Boris's number one?

Weirdo.

Really, how'd Boris get purple hair? How'd Ozuma get red and black hair? How'd Joseph get green hair? How'd Mariah get pink hair? How'd Tyson get midnight blue hair? How'd Mariam get lavender hair? (1)

Well, he wasn't really bothered by Mariam. But still…

Kai saw that Tyson and Rei were practicing while Kenny explained that Max was inside, hogging the phone.

"Huh. I thought that was Hilary's job." Kai scoffed, walking inside.

Hilary leaned over to Kenny. "What did he say?"

"I have no clue." Kenny shook his head, then resumed to be interested in the laptop on front of him, to block out more of Hilary's questions.

Kai found Max, sitting at the phone.

"…yeah, I am. Rick, if you tell Emily, I swear that you are gonna get it. Che. Something…but you won't like it."

"Ahem." Kai said, standing in the doorway.

Max looked up. "Gotta run, Rick." He put the dark phone back down. "Yeah, Kai?"

Kai just stared at the cross-legged boy. A few minutes ago, Max looked like he was ready to kill the first person he saw, and now, he seemed to be acting like nothing had ever happened. And it wasn't like Kai wanted Max to remember; it just…seemed odd.

"Having…fun, Max?" Kai asked, nodding a head toward the phone in front of the blond.

Max's cerulean eyes moved away from Kai's maroon-ish ones to glance at the phone before resuming eye contact. "Hm," was all Max could think of.

"Nice…" Kai concluded, nodding in false agreement.

Max nodded in return. The two glared at each other for a while before the shrill ring of the phone broke the silence. Max picked it up. "Hello?"

"Mariam asks who the hell you think you are, calling her five times while she's out with Kai. She said that she never intended to hurt you, but you asked for it." Joseph said for his sister on the other line.

Max glanced at Kai for a second before listening to what the boy was saying.

"…she wants to know why the bloody hell you called so many damn times. Huh? What's that, Mar? She wants to know what your problem is." The olive-haired boy said calmly, not minding that he was in the middle of the fight.

Max growled. "Tell her that she's my problem. What was she doing with Kai?" the blond waited a moment before hearing the distinct voice of Joseph talking to Mariam, despite the hand over the receiver.

"She says that she doesn't give a damn if she's the problem or not and that it's none of your business what she was doing with Kai." Joseph replied in a happy tone.

The blond took a hated glare at the Russian who went over to the kitchen where Tyson's grandfather was. He was listening behind the wall.

"Well, I'm making it my business." Max replied.

He heard Joseph's sigh again, then his voice talking to Mariam once more.

"She said for you to burn. And she wants to know why you were looking for her anyways."

"I wanted to know why she turned me down." Max said desolately. Kai shook his head. Was Max really, really in love with her? Was he so desperate that he would do this? He didn't seem like the type.

"She said it's because she likes someone else." Joseph said in an ominous voice. Max then heard Mariam scream 'What?' at her brother, then the grunts of effort in struggle, possibly for the phone.

"I did not say that, you little brat! Stop telling lies! Lying is a sin! Jeez, man…" Mariam sighed.

"Jeez, Mar! I'm not lying! That's what you told me, remember? Remember you told me that you liked Kai?"

Mariam was growling on the other line. "Gimme the phone, brat!"

"Why? You said you didn't like Max! You never liked him, Mar! You said you were just 'using' him!" Joseph answered.

Max's eyes widened in shock. He was staring off into his own little world now as he slowly put the phone back down.

Mariam finally got the phone. "Hello, Max?"

Nothing…but dial tone.

Mariam slammed the phone down. "Look what you did, Joe." She shook her head and stormed off.

Another person hated her…and would Kai be able to fix it for her?

Max was still staring off into wherever. Kai came back in the room. The blond looked up at the slate-haired boy.

"You…heard that?"

Kai nodded. "Almost every word." (2)

Max nodded solemnly and looked away. "Kai…I need to be alone right now."

Kai just stared at him, and then walked out of the room, muttering "Welcome to my world, Max." on his way out.

(1) I wanted to put Ming-Ming in there saying "How did Ming-Ming get bright blue hair?" but I forgot that she's not supposed to be in here… I think there was some other people I was gonna put in here, but I forgot them…

(2) He said almost every word, meaning that he didn't hear it all. He didn't hear when Joseph said that Mariam likes Kai though, because Grandpa made Kai help him with something in the kichen. All right? And I don't want their emotions clear to each other just yet...hey, real emotions take time to develop!)

So, Max knows now… And Kai's…evaluation on the girls…well, yeah, that was just odd, I know. Really, Joseph should learn to shut up, I swear… (right now, I'm basing Joseph's character on one of my guy friends whose name is also Joseph… isn't that fun?)

And Mariam isn't really mad…but right now, I'm just trying to take Ozuma and Max out of the picture for the Kai/Mariam thing… I think I might also have to remove Hilary from the picture… Who else is in the way? Hm…

And is Max OOC? And should Kai and Max hate each other? Hmm...

Still...poor Maxie.

Kai's a stalker! That's how he got in front of Mariam! Run!

And please review! I feel sad now...