Silence.

Me: It's a really quiet out here now.

Silence.

Me: Even Tyson shut up.

Ray: Morosely There is the little known fact of which Kai's threat.

Me: perking up Really? He's talking? Great, cos he owes me sixty bucks.

Ray: Yup. But excuse me for saying this; you ain't going to see that money again.

Me: Great, then! He is getting back to no-

Max: Hey all my fans! Like, you must be yearning for me! Like, 'cos, like I've been, like, out! Like, 'cos I was watching these cool, like, shows and, like-

Me: What the hell have you been watching? Clueless? Valley Girl?

Max: Like, awesome! You know it? Like cool. Like, so cool it's cooler than, like, ice.

Me: hangs head I give up. What have I done? What did I do?

Ray: wearily You know what? DeViLlIsH or what ever does n-

Max: I'll do it! I'll do it!

Ray: Folds his arms challengingly

Max: Proudly Please, like, R&R.

Ray: Get out of here Max! And take your puts on a girly (Me: And I resent that!) tone "like" attitude with you! What, Barbie? Sweet Valley? Anyway, before I was rudely interrupted, DeViLlIsH does not own Beyblade.

Max: pouting like a girl It's, like, Valley Girl! Girl, you gotta get out more! (Imagine it in a whiny high-pitched voice)

Ray joins writer in banging head against table and ranting.

Max: Like, go, like, on, like, with like, the, like, story!

The stadium was left in pandemonium. Everyone was stunned. Slowly Mariah ran out as well, no doubt in pursue of Sora. Slowly everyone filtered out after the lackluster awards ceremony, all thinking hard about what they had witnessed. A few theories were formed, all wrong of course. In strange ways, does the mind work.

The two's teammates figured out that they wanted to be left alone the hard way. For Sora, Mariah was greeted with no noise till she tried to break in. Then she nearly got a broken nose, what with the door slamming into her face. Tyson got a good right hook to his face when he banged on the door. The others were smart enough to get out of their way, after that.

That night was a stormy one. Lighting flashed, thunder crackled, rain poured, tempers flared, tears splashed, and hearts broke.

Sora slept fitfully, tossing, turning and battling her inner demons. Kai lay awake most of the night, returning the incident in his mind over and over till he knew every movement she made and analyzed it. Sora just lay in bed, hugging her favourite old teddy bear when she was young. Tears seeped into its soft fur.

Does he really hate me?

Does she really hate me?

Maybe I pushed him too far. I should have listened to explanation. It wouldn't have killed me, Sora berated herself.

I want you so bad that I can barely breathe…

"Why would she say that? Why doesn't she understand?" were the two main questions running through his mind. Leaning out of the window, Kai screamed, making a soundless noise full of anguish and pain. All because of one kiss… Now I fully appreciate how truly screwed up the world is.

Unleashing a small shriek of rage, Kai wheeled around and lashed out, so absorbed in his anger that he didn't realize what he'd knocked to the floor.

It's a sign of my obsession,

Sora's journal.


That I can't stop thinking bout'

He knelt to the ground, nearly mindless with frustration, rage and tears that had been cooped up far too long.


Your lips upon my lips,

He picked up the leather bound book, and ran a thumb across its rough edge. He had swore that he would never read about the details of her life that she had not saw fit to tell him, so he only read that entry. (Refer to Chapter 13, Journal Entries.)

I've been waiting for someone to come into my life

Who would bring me joy and give me pleasure

I have taken chances on romances once or twice

And I found that in my heart it's you I treasure

(All My Life by Mariah Carey)

But now… The temptation was pulling at him, making him feel dizzy with wanting, with longing.

Can you envision this…

I don't even care anymore. Kai persuaded himself. But deep down he knew his honor would never allow him to do such a thing.


Temptation that I could never resist,

He stooped to pick it up. He had it by a corner, and then he accidentally dropped it. Of course reader, that's what he told himself.


Your skin upon my skin..

The book's pages turned, then stopped at a random page. Kai knelt again, slowly this time, as the honor and curiosity in him battled it out.

Did the honor in him win then, reader?

Did the curiosity?

Did he close it?

Of course he didn't.


Would be the Sweetest Sin,

Because even if curiosity killed the cat, satisfaction brought it back.


That would be the Sweetest Sin…

He read the page.


It would feel so good,


To be so bad..


You don't know how bad..


I want that,


I would do anything to feel your love..

I don't care.

I don't care.

I do not care.

I do not.

I DON'T CARE!

I DON'T CARE ABOUT A FRICKING SERIAL CHEATER LIKE KAI HIWATARI!

I don't.

I swear I don't.

Kai smiled bitterly.

Can you just picture this…

He turned another page.

I don't really care.

Fine, a bit.

Fucking hell, a lot.

Thanks Kai. Now you not only broke my heart, you're driving me crazy, too.

I have not gotten over Kai. I can still see the rhymes-with-witch kissing him, just loving that she had a hold over me. I should have known that he would do it. I have had so much experience, after all. Just when I give my heart to a guy, he ups and bang, is gone. What is it about guys? What is it about commitment that scares them? Why doesn't anyone get a fairytale ending except those in real fairytales? Not even the greatest of people get good endings. Look at Mom. She doesn't even get parking tickets! So why did she end up like she did? It's always the guys. Love scares them. Affection does. God, only sex doesn't. I bet that was just his plan. Kai's, I mean.

Kai's heart ached. How could she ever think that?

I just caught him with a hitch in his plan. Getting it on with the ex, I suppose.

Your finger tips on my fingertips,


Your skin upon my skin..


Would be the Sweetest Sin

(Sweetest Sin, by Jessica Simpson.)

Kai flinched.

Just writing this again makes me feel sick, reliving the night that Dad ran off. I remember the confusion, and Mom screaming and crying, and feeling the absolute feeling of loss and love and beginnings of hate for someone who was closest to your heart, then turned on you, mercilessly stabbed it, tearing it apart. Hate so deep that it shames even eternal enmity. I remember crying. I remember sorrow. He might as well be dead for all we cared.

It was a normal day, a deceptive day, a disguised day. A day that came robed in peace then tore it away to show clothes that were as red a battle flag. Bloodstained. Tearstained. I remember tears, slowly at first, then coming rapidly, a stream, a sea. I remember my mother's screams, then quiet tears, then soft sobbing that broke my heart to hear, and it took all of my power not to run out of the house and make that coward face her by himself. But she needed me then. I've often wondered if that was the right thing to do. I still haven't discovered the answer yet. Who truly knows it? If I had run after him, who knows if I had found him? Worse then, what if I didn't? I wanted my mother to feel secure, that someone loved her and needed her.

She was somehow stronger after that. She pulled herself up, and regained dignity. She was colder though, and never let any man through her barrier. She took care of me like a fierce lioness though, but I never rebelled. Well, not usually. I – We- never needed my father. We are perfectly capable by ourselves.

We are.

We are.

We are.

I pretend that I don't hear the ragged weeping that comes from her room at night. The small signs that remind me that she remembers he is gone.

I pretend that everything is okay, that everything is all right, and that our hearts have healed.

They haven't.

We aren't.

And we never will be.

Kai looked up at the bright light streaming from the lamp and blinked. He hardly noticed that the day had gone. He blinked again, and for a moment, he thought back to Sora's pain of the worse kind, and his face broke out in pity. Betrayal. It was no harder nor easier that his childhood pains, but she had never gotten used to it. Never learned to school it into rage, which she could channel to fight, or get revenge. Revenge. Revenge was like a two-edged sword, fickle and dangerous. You'd always get bitten.

He schooled himself back to emotionless, his mind working as rapidly as it always did. Sora had never adjusted to men, as she put in up to being once bitten, twice shy. But she was afraid of the heartrending pain that love brought, but still wanted to taste the sweet of it.

Those wonderful things that you do


They got me feelin'


In love with you


In love with you

He could have been her once, but then he had matured. She was the sweet to his bitter, the innocence to his guilt, the angel to his devil, the fire to the ice. Loving her, he realized, was easy. It was getting her to love him, which was hard.


That loving you is easy


Comes so naturally


Loving you is easy


Comes so naturally

He stood, grabbed Dranzer, and headed out. Ray, reading, waved a lazy hand to greet him. Kai smirked when he saw the book's title. How to Train Your Observation Skills. Ray waved, and then went back to avidly reading. Then he sat up.

"Wait a minute. Kai?"

Sora's POV

I would give you laughter


And Oh so much more than that


Oh yes I would (a oo)


Anything you're after

Sora stepped out of the bathroom and sighed luxuriously, stretching and cracking bones. She toweled her hair dry and sat on her bed, feeling at long last, that she was clean, though feeling in your mind and feeling in your heart and in your mind that you are really clean is totally different. She still felt his loathing and insults clinging to her like slime from the worst kind of swamp.

I would climb the highest mountain


to bring it back


you better believe

Although she knew she wasn't tired- she slept for more than ten straight hours- a kind of fatigue tugged at her, making her movements slow and sluggardly, pulling her down. When all else fails, Sora decided, get ice cream. Preferably Ben & Jerry's.

Kai sat at the edge of the beyblade plate, pulling his knees in and resting his forehead on them. Dranzer rested loosely in his palm.

/ Just apologize. /

/What/

/ To Sora. /

/Thank you, Captain Obvious. / The sarcasm was dripping.

/Fine Mr Grumpy-pride-comes-first, I'll spell it out for you. It wasn't solely her fault. /

/You are kidding me, right/ His pride took over. / She was the one who said she hated me. /

/You just don't understand do you/ Dranzer communicated patronizingly.

/ Dammit, can't you just tell it to me straight/

/ It won't be as fun. Ta–ta for now/ With a last sarcastic remark, Dranzer vanished. Or at least shut up for a while.

Kai groaned.

Trust a sarcastic bitbeast to get the last word.

Then he straightened, his eyes shining with cold pride. His legs slipped into a defensive stance, his body coiled as if to strike. His hands were clenched into fists, and his knuckles were stained white. His eyes were terrifying, bloodstained iron in the shape of irises. It was amazing, the way that ice and fire combined in his eyes. Sora knew, now she had to fight for her victory.

On the sidelines, their teammates watched on, in horror, fascination, interest, or curiosity. For what seemed like ages, the competitors looked at each other, and seemed to be conversing. But how could they converse? By reading each other's lips? Chaos started to form in the stadium. They were not moving, though their blades fought still.

"Guardian Driger! Attack and be done with this!" The sound rose above all, though nobody detected the slight quiver in her voice. The crowd was on their feet, cheering their favorites on.

Please, Guardian Driger…. I need you now. Her eyes ached from holding back tears, her heart was wounded, her pride and dignity shredded, and her mind could barely function. All she knew was to defeat him, defeat him and be done with it. Please… beat him. She felt Guardian Driger's presence in her mind. Sora… Maybe it will be best to just leave this… You and Kai have to resolve your differences… no matter how irreconcilable they may be.

Driger, just do it! Please. She felt a salty tear touch an eyelash. Now! Weakness, strength, distress, and iron pride melding back together, (albeit slowly) in her mind. Do it, Guardian Driger. You swore to protect me. I will hold you to that promise now! I will not let him have the satisfaction of seeing me cry, seeing me other than strong and proud. I may break, but I will not, will not bend. Driger paused, troubled. Sora- Do it, Guardian Driger. Driger sensed the undercurrent of sorrow, anger and hurt in her voice.

Driger attacked.

Kai's face was stone, cold, unresponsive and emotionless. A strong stream of memories built up, roaring in his mind. Sobbing in a cold cell. Meeting Sora. Bringing her out. He closed that part of his mind, like closing a chapter of a book, knowing now, was not the time for nostalgia or reminiscence. It was time to fight.

He felt cold, unfeeling. Even though his features seemed frozen, his brain still worked. Now it was telling him to win, to show Sora that he was not hurt, was just as before. Even though he wasn't.

Kai? Do I fight back? Dranzer could sense his pride and uncertainty running through him, battling it out. Pride that Sora had just scorned him, or he uncertainty of whether she meant it or not. There was still the intimate side of him that he barely revealed, that only Dranzer knew.

Show her what you're made of. The lack of emotion in this statement made Dranzer blink.

Kai?

I answered, didn't I! He snapped. His façade was fading, his walls cracking.

Yes, but- Kai's steady, below-negative-temperature voice cut off Dranzer's last statement.

"Dranzer, my bloody heart's been broken, and may I remind you what happened the last time that happened. ……… Dranzer! Finish This! Final Attack!" His voice was a deadly whisper, carrying more than a hint of despair.

It was cold, winter, North Pole cold in the cell. A young boy shuddered, trying desperately to warm himself up. His warm breath caused clouds of steam as he curled up in the fetal position, shaking his head desperately. His voice trembled. "They can't…can't…be… go...gone." He chanted, desperately ridding his head of the image of his parent's dead bodies.

But as he cleared his head, sinister soldiers made of the stuff from nightmares crept in by the ton, making him shudder and whimper. He looked like he was having a fit, and even the hardest heart could not look on without the slightest twinge of sympathy. As his bitbeast, Dranzer felt the extent of his pain and bore it along with him, but it was an awful strain.

"Maybe it'll be better, if you just let the pain go away… Forget the memories," Dranzer said quietly. Kai was so outraged he even kept silent and steamed for a while.

"Easy for you to say! You don't know what its like, you don't know anything! It's not that easy! I'd never do that, they're my parents! You're just a dumb bitbeast… You never lost anyone important before, you don't know how much it hurts!" Kai screamed. Tears rolled brokenly from the raging fire of his eyes.

He closed his eyes and blocked Dranzer from his mind completely, tears dropping down, down, down. That night, Dranzer experienced true pain, as he was cut off from the world and Kai.

It was threat, in a way, but more like an expression of how deeply his despair was rooted. Nevertheless, Dranzer obeyed.

Nobody heard what he was saying at first, but then his voice built up into a rushing crescendo.

"…Dranzer! Finish this! Final Attack!"

The beyblades fought, clashing as the sound rose louder and louder, filling the stadium, till people were on their feet and cheering. Then Dranzer swept G. Driger to the edge of the dish, so G. Driger was balanced precariously between the raised tip and the swoop of the dish. Then Dranzer knocked it out of the dish a one savage move. It was so strong that when Guardian Driger hit the floor, it broke into pieces. The crowd hushed down to the softest of whispers. Not even the annoying emcee congratulated the winner. Everyone watched the two, intrigued at what was going to happen next.

Dranzer spun on.

Kai waited still as a statue.

Sora bit her lip so hard it started to bleed.

Sora opened her eyes before the memories could torment her longer. Even in her daydreams the nightmare lived. She put a scoop of ice cream into her mouth and gave herself up to the pure, unadulterated sweetness and the rush of endorphins that the ice cream brought. No way was she going to face that lying, sneaking, rat-faced bastard that Kai was. Not yet.

Even though she knew she would deny it, a tear leaked into the ice cream.

This time, this place


Misused, Mistakes


Too long, too late


Who was I to make you wait?


Just one chance

Kai sat back, glaring at everything balefully, like an overly suspicious, morbid cat. He was in a bad mood because the only things he could do to cheer himself up to a reasonable degree of happiness (means until he's not happy or sad) were

Meet Sora. Clearly that was out.

Train. With Dranzer out of his mind, that was also clearly out.

Beat Tyson up. Good choice, but the freaking coward would probably lock himself in his room.

No wonder he was in a bad mood.


Just one breath


Just in case there's just one left


'Cause you know,


You know, you know

That I love you

To hell with it. Sora watched sordid romance movies, turning most of it off after the heartbreak part, swallowing ice cream mechanically and crying, emotions depleting her body's energy. Not that there was a lot of it anyway. Even with her eyes trained on the screen, her mind was overactive, imagining she and Kai as the heroine and hero, flinging things at each other, fuming over petty misunderstandings, sulking like children then finally kissing each other senseless.

I have loved you all along


And I miss you


Been far away for far too long


I keep dreaming you'll be with me

But deep inside she knew it could never happen. Kai was too stubborn or serious to get angry over silly things. She was quite the opposite. She was stubborn too, but she was too insecure to let anything go. And little did she know that was why he loved her. That she wasn't sure he loved her or she was sure that every girl he talked or touched was in love with him. That was probably why she had overreacted when she saw him with Hilary.

Well, maybe not. That was her opinion.

What she needed right now was a best friend. Someone you could confide in, someone you could gripe with, someone you weren't ashamed to cry, someone that she could watch completely sad and stupid movies with, someone she could blast loud music with. But now she'd settle for someone she could trust.

That used to be Lorelei, or Kai. Needless to say, she didn't have anyone right now. Another tear slid down her cheek. She stood, upsetting the ice-cream carton. She wiped away the tears. She felt sick of crying. She felt sick of feeling sorry for herself.

Hell, she was sick of feeling sick.

She switched off the television, grabbed her jacket and G. Driger, and stormed out of the room.

And you'll never go


Stop breathing if


I don't see you anymore

On my knees, I'll ask


Last chance for one last dance


'Cause with you, I'd withstand


All of hell to hold your hand

She breathed deeply as she headed for the park where the Beybladers usually trained, feeling nostalgic for the simpler, nicer times when they trained and teased each other. Fun times… She stalked to the blade ring, feeling the cool night's wind ruffling her hair, lifting it like a halo round her head. She relished the rush of old memories, startled as she realized a tear tumbled down, meeting her cheek, sliding down her smooth skin.

She gave a start when she saw a dark figure huddled up at the base of the ring.


I'd give it all


I'd give for us


Give anything but I won't give up


'Cause you know,

You know, you know

As all clichéd movies turned out, it was Kai. She swallowed, cursing her luck. She wasn't ready for this, for him. She willed her tears back, refusing to cry in front of him.

That I love you


I have loved you all along


And I miss you


Been far away for far too long

Kai lifted his head, sensing another presence. He blinked the tears away and unfolded his long, lanky frame. He looked down and into red-rimmed brown eyes.


I keep dreaming you'll be with me


and you'll never go


Stop breathing if


I don't see you anymore

So far away


Been far away for far too long


So far away


Been far away for far too long


But you know, you know, you know

I wanted


I wanted you to stay


'Cause I needed


I need to hear you say


That I love you


I have loved you all along


And I forgive you


For being away for far too long


So keep breathing


'Cause I'm not leaving


Hold on to me and, never let me go

(Far Away by Nickelback)

Ray: Hm… Max in his sugar-intoxicated state or pure idiocy?

Me: Oh I am just so tempted.

Ray: ……… Really?

Me: Please wait while I perfect the perfect are-you-kidding-or-are-you-just-naturally-stupid teenager-esque look.

Ray: I take that as a no.

Me: Perfected the Look

Ray: Fine… Don't get on my case.

Max: Watcha… like… talking about?

Me: How incredibly stupid, idiotic, ass-iotic, deaf, blind, dumb, retarded, freak, weirdo, bitchy……

Max: Hey… I'm not exactly feeling the vibe here…

Ray: Rolls eyes No duh.

Max: ……… Is that sarcasm?

starsinthetwilight: ……And now we leave you on the latest episode of the Blonde, Clueless and Idiotic.

Ray: Teenage angst is always good to have on your side.

Me: My sister.

Max: She is…like…your sister?

Me: No Max, she is my mother-in-law.

Max: WHAT? So you are…like…married?

Me: ARGH!