Chapter 8

September soon changed to October and onto November. My feet healed but the doctors did mention something that if I walk for too long or run or do whatever too much on my feet, I'll find it hurts to walk and it'll effect both my legs, so I shouldn't do to much running or other sports for too long. They told us or more Hero that if I was to collapse he had to inject something into my legs. I shiver even now at the thought of injections. Things never changed except the area with my mum. She did marry Mr. J Kuroyuri; I never attended it even though I had an invite. Heather kept rubbing it in my face that she was a bridesmaid but I didn't care. Mum had also tried to contact me but every time Grampa Granger or Hero would lie and tell her I had left home. She never checked school because it was half an hour away from home, so I was in luck with getting away. The Bladebreakers entered one tournament and once again won it. I can still remember Kai's finishing speech.

'What a surprise I won,'

I met most of the teams. I met the White Tigers, Blitzkrieg boys, F Dynasty, Team Phykick, Saint Shields and the old members of BEGA. It was fun but even though I did blade I felt slightly different from all of them. I mean you have them all knowing each other from years ago and growing up together to battling each other in the major World Championships. Mariah who I found out to be the nicest person I had met had told me it was okay and many people were new to it. We were all sitting in the Dojo after school on a Friday evening. That day it was announced that the school was holding a dance on the 21st of December for anyone still in Beycity then.

"It was great seeing everyone again," said Max lying on the couch across me and Ray.

"Yeh nice Max," I said after smelling his sock that was in my face.

"You love it really," he smiled. Just after the phone rang and Hilary answered.

"Hey Mr Dickenson, yep I'll just get her," she said to the phone "Thea it's yours!" she called; I nodded and rolled Max off and got up to the phone.

"Hi Mr D, what's up?" I asked

"Oh I'm so glad I could get hold of you, now on New Years Eve there's a new thing to help get more new beybladers, it's a masked ball or dance. I was wondering if you could be one of the performers for the evening?" he asked, I was a little shocked, how did he know I sung. Okay maybe it could have been the time he caught me beyblading using my special way but that was a mistake. I mean he was never supposed to see, it wasn't as if I was the one to let him in, it was Tyson's fault.

"Oh, erm….yeh I will, okay, yes I will," I replied carefully, everyone in the dojo was staring at me.

"Brilliant, would you also tell the Bladebreakers," he said cheerily,

"Sure, I have to go now," I replied,

"Okay, goodbye," he finished; I hung up after and went to sit down.

"There is a masked ball on New Years Eve, for all bladers," I announced I was greeted by shouted and cheers. "But I'm not going, I have to erm…..I have a erm…..singing audition in Tokyo that day," I replied

"But why?" asked Ray looking a little upset,

"I'm sorry Ray but I could go somewhere and I'm here for Christmas and the other dance," I answered

"Fine, but will you go with me to the dance?" he asked, I could see Max, Tyson, Kenny all smiling, Hilary giggling and Kai smirking, they could obviously see I was shocked.

"S-sure," I replied, he smiled and stood up and hugged me. I almost melted in his arms. Almost but not quite.

"Come on Thea lets go late night shopping, the mall'll be virtually empty," said Hilary smiling and grabbing my hand.

"Okay, okay!" I shouted after her being dragged away. We managed to get Hero to drive us there and we said we would get the bus back. When we arrived, Hilary was right there was virtually no one there. We walked in and went; well more or less Hilary dragged me into the dress shop. To my surprise we saw the rest of the girls from the other teams in there.

"Hey guys!" waved Hilary

"Hey!" they replied,

"Are you here for the New Years Dance?" asked Emily

"Yeh and also the Christmas Dance at our school," replied Hilary "Although Thea just needs one for the Dance, she's not going to the New Years thing,"

"Sh!" I said quickly,

"Why?" asked Mariah curious. God are Neko's always nosy, didn't they ever hear the thing 'Curiosity didn't kill the cat but got it severely hurt' no didn't think so.

"Well, promise you won't tell why," I asked,

"Yeh," said Mariah

"Pinkie swears?" I asked sticking my pinkie out,

"Pinkie Swears," they replied hooking my pinkie.

"Okay, I am going but I was asked to sing that night and I want it to be surprise," I replied, they all started screaming excitedly.

"We need to pick you a dress," said Matilda cheering still. I never understood why Miguel liked her but then it dawned on me why. She wasn't like everyone else, she was always happy unless for an obvious reason.

"Yeh," I replied. They shoved me into the changing room quickly and started throwing dresses over the top. The first I tried on was all black corset of almost tissue type material with tissue type material from the waist down. I felt like a walking ghost. I walked out and half the people cheered and the other booed. I walked back in and each time I came out they did the same reaction. I had already tried on a dress from almost every colour on the colour scale.

"Guys enough!" I shouted, they were quiet, "Good I choosy now!"

"Fine," they huffed. I walked off and left them to go look for their own dresses. I eventually found to at the back. The first was a deep red colour that was strapless. It had an embroidered bodice and went to below my knees. The second one I chose was a black strapped and shouldered one that had no back but had one strap horizontally across the back. I changed into them and went out.

"That looks so nice!" cheered Julia; I blushed and went to change again. Once we finished buying them we went back to the Dojo and found all the guys on the floor sleeping.

"Oh my god they are asleep already?" said Hilary, I nodded and proceeded to drag them over to their beds. Hilary joined and helped me drag Kai over to his bed, because he was the biggest. Man, you'd think for a guy who trains and looks thin would weigh like nothing. After I sighed and sat on the sofa and fell asleep with Hilary talking to someone. The next morning I woke up slowly and found everyone else awake and me left by myself. That's a little depressing but I cheered up when Hero walked in.

"Morning Hero!" I said smiling.

"Morning, Thea, everyone's outside training." He replied,

"Thanks," I said getting up and walking through the kitchen. He was right; on the porch outside were Kenny and Hilary sitting. They seemed to be talking about something then Ray joined them and got angry. I watched carefully as Kai tried to calm him down. Then I heard something that changed how I view the situation.

"Well then where else is she going to live?" shouted Ray. He turned to storm out when he saw me. I was close to tears. Was I really just freeloading on them? Surely not, I mean yeh I was staying there but it wasn't my fault.

"Thea, wait!" he shouted as I ran out the door and through the garden, showing them I heard almost every word they had said. I ran to the river bank and sat down next to the water. It was so carefree that I wished I was the water or that at that moment it would swallow me up and take me from this miserable world. I started singing quietly and launched Vertigo.

"Come on out little man," I said, Vertigo came out slowly and was looking as equally depressed and upset "It'll be fine, I'm sure we'll find somewhere to stay for a bit, if not I'm sure I can ask Mr. D to contact Jake," I added, my bit beast seemed to brighten up. I started to sing and low sad song which caused Vertigo to started moving.

"Hey Thea!" said someone behind me, I turned and saw the White Tigers.

"Oh hey guys," I replied wiping the tears from my eyes "What's up?"

"Nothing much just wandering around are you alright?" asked Lee,

"Yeh, I'm f-" I started

"Thea!" shouted someone else, the person ran over and saw me sitting down, and it was Ray.

"What is it Ray!" I shouted at him, still upset, "I left to find somewhere else to stay,"

"No, we didn't mean it like that!" he replied "We have a present for you but it has to wait till tomorrow!" he added

"What, then you kick me out, look here I've left, so you don't need to trouble yourself," I hissed at him and grabbed Vertigo and went to leave.

"What's going on?" asked Lee

"Nothing," said Ray

"Everything," I replied at the same time, "I just over heard something and feel like I'm intruding on something. More like I'm not wanted," I shouted at them, and turned to go away. I started sprinting away from them and into the town. Ray started after me and was sprinting after me. I ran through markets, ally's and even hid but he managed to stay with me. I then went into the forest and through the trees. I stopped in a clearing and sat down.

"Finally," I sighed, he wasn't behind me anymore, or as far as I could see.

"Not so fast," he said jumping out a tree in front of me. I screamed and backed up. He grabbed my arm and pulled me to him.

"You're not going anywhere," he whispered,

"Why? You going to make me stay?" I said being stubborn,

"Maybe," he replied then pulled me into a hug. I stood there then hugged back and started crying into his shirt. I didn't care if I looked horrible or if I soaked his shirt, I just want to stay there crying, crying because my life was miserable, because everyday I spend in sadness, because my friends helped me and because I was broken inside.

Ray's Point of View

I eventually managed to catch her. She was one of the fastest runners I have ever had to chase. She stood in a clearing.

"Finally," she sighed

"Not so fast," I said jumping down from the tree I hid in. She screamed and backed up but I grabbed her arm and pulled her to me "You're not going anywhere," I whispered

"Why? You going to make me stay?" she asked being stubborn again,

"Maybe," I replied and pulled her into a hug. To my surprise she started crying. I just wanted her to stay there, not caring if she cried into me or not. She hugged back and stayed like that. I slowly pulled her to sit down on the ground; she followed and sat down leaning on me. Eventually the sobs stopped and she fell asleep. Why does crying always make girls fall asleep? It always happens. I sighed and picked her up quietly and started walking home. She just had to wait till tomorrow until her surprise. I walked through the Dojo gates and saw everyone sitting on the floor thinking.

"I found her," I said sitting down next to Kai and Max quietly, careful not to wake the precious girl I was carrying. Max smiled and Kai nodded.

"That's great, I feel so bad," said Kenny,

"She only has to wait until tomorrow, and then she'll never be sad again," said Tyson happily,

"Yeh I know," said Kenny

"Training," said Kai getting up,

"But Kai!" whined Tyson "We always train, how about a nice lovely ho-" started Tyson

"NOW!" shouted Kai, we all sighed and got up from the floor. I was having a mental battle on whether to leave her inside or be there when she woke up. I chose to wait with her and bring her outside with me. I carried her outside and sat her down next to Hilary and Kenny while she slept. I couldn't wait to see her reaction from the big surprise. Tomorrow one of her older twin brothers, I think its Jake, is coming its going to be fun. Mr D gave both brothers a promotion and are moving to Beycity but only one can come to set everything up, they decided Jake. It was going to great, Hero was the one to set this up, and he knew them from university before graduating. It was perfect.