AN: Sorry about the wait, I've been insanely busy with school… and it's just going to get worse. Especially if I get a job too :s
Hope you like the chapter, this is the last the horribly depressing chapters for awhile.. XD the end is funny tho…
I've decided that I'm really tired of the Kai/Liika pairing in this fic LOL… I'm gonna throw in some twists XD
I own Liika, Akito Imoraz and Broderick Johanson…the rest of Abbey are property of the makers of Naruto =)
Zadien: Hehe….cute review XD Johnny and Amy are around somewhere.. but they're not really close with either Kai or Liika or Tala or Mariah so that's why they don't show up much =)
Liika sighed heavily, struggling not to lose the already fragile hold she had on her temper. All day she had been bombarded with questions, why did Bryan hit her? Why had she stayed so long there? What had happened? It was frustrating.
However, even more frustrating than the questions was Kai's incensed silence that hung over her head every second she was with him. He dropped her off at her classes and was there to pick her up as soon as the bell rang. Between classes and during breaks he didn't let her out of his sight, and when she had to go to the bathroom sent Mariah with her to watch her.
It was annoying in more ways than one. Now not only did her head throb, but she had lost the trust of her boyfriend. Not that she blamed him any. She'd be incredibly pissed if she thought that he had spent a day and a half alone with some girl, especially a girl that had been in love with him as long as Bryan had been with her. She felt incredibly guilty about the whole thing. Worrying her friends was not exactly something she liked to do, nor was betraying the trust of her boyfriend. She just hoped that he didn't actually think she did something with Bryan. That would make the already sticky situation even worse.
And to top it all off, Kai had dragged her with him to detention with Mr. Amery. It was bad enough she had had to put up with him in Junior Drama last year, but seeing him when she didn't have to was crossing the line. Now she was just annoyed. Annoyed with Kai's overprotective and possessive streak that apparently ran a mile long.
"Tomoda, get out. I tire of looking at your battered face."
Liika's face snapped upwards, blinking in surprise as she found irritated red glass covered eyes glaring down at her from the aisle beside her. "Uh…"
Just the Kai stood, jerking Liika to her feet. However, Mr. Amery centered his glare on the blue haired boy and nodded at the seat. "Sit your ass back down Hiwatari. I didn't say you were done. You have ten more minutes." He then looked back at Liika, "Get moving Tomoda, unless you'd like to stay in here with me all week."
"No sir." She grumbled, picking up her bag.
Kai grabbed her had as she moved to walk away. "Wait for me on the steps," he hissed, his eyes reflecting a meaningful glare.
"Whatever…" She replied tiredly. She didn't want to deal with the crap any more. She was already dreading being alone with him, as being alone meant that they would finally have their 'talk', and that meant she'd be expected to explain just what happened two nights ago and yesterday. Something, which she had no intention of doing no matter how angry Kai got; she couldn't betray Bryan's secret, only he could do that.
So she was irrational for wanting to help someone that had hurt her. Kai had hurt her before—with words not fists—and yet here she was, in love with and dating him. Rationality had never been one of her strong points.
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After waiting for approximately fifteen minutes Liika grew impatient. Stupid Amery…ten minutes my ass, she thought gritting her teeth. She missed bey practice for this! She was just thankful that Tala and Robert were both more than capable of running things while their captains played companions to the grumpy teacher.
"Are you ready to tell me now, just why the fuck you were at Wakeman's house for two days, let alone at all?"
Liika shuddered at the sound of Kai's disturbingly calm voice. His voice was deceptive. She knew that he had had all day to stew about her lying to him, and that it had probably made him angry to the point of unadulterated rage. His tone was a red flag. If Kai's voice was soft as it was then, then he was only seconds away from blowing a fuse. Her response wasn't going to help any. She knew this.
"I was worried about him. He…hasn't been well."
Kai scowled, his right eye developing a twitch. "And so you just decided to ignore my command not to see him and go to his house? Are you stupid witch?" He demanded, storming down the steps so that he could stand a few levels below her and look her directly in the eyes.
"You were drunk when you made that decree," she bit back sarcastically, sending a glare back in his direction. "Besides, who the hell are you to tell me who I can and cannot see huh? Bryan is my friend, and he was my friend long before you came along!"
Kai was silent for a few moments, weighing her words over in his mind. She was completely wrong of course. He had every right to tell her who she couldn't see, especially if that person was dangerous to their relationship, or to her in general. As for Wakeman being her friend before he himself coming along, he also knew that was a crock of shit. She and Wakeman hadn't even socialized beyond Wakeman's stalking of her until last year. Tala had told him so.
"I'm getting sick of your lying and covering for him," Kai stated, his voice still calm. "And I sure as hell can tell you who you can see if it pertains to your health or us. I told you Wakeman was dangerous, this just proves I'm right. Maybe now you'll obey me when I tell you to do something—though don't get me wrong, I have every intention of making it clear to him as well that he is not to come with in five meters of you."
She gave a small scream of frustration, glaring with all her might at the silently seething young man in front of her. "You may be my boyfriend, but you can't tell me what to do!"
Kai growled, stepping forward so that his face was inches from hers, his breath fanning her lips. "It's because I'm your boyfriend that I can. I protect what's mine witch, don't forget it." With the dark growl his lips descended on hers, pressing against them softly as to not injure her further.
Liika couldn't help but submit to him. It was a weakness of hers, a weakness he exploited when it suited him. Such as right then. No matter how annoyed or angry with him she was, all he had to do is kiss her and she forgot everything and submitted to his will. It was bloody irritating.
Well he wasn't going to win this time! He wasn't going to trick her! He wasn't…
"Now tell me why…tell me everything?" He whispered against her lips, his eyes opening to slits.
"Kai…" She breathed, wanting nothing more than to feel his kiss once more, "I…I…ca-"
Just then the loud jingle of her cell phone sounded from her backpack, effectively cutting into the moment. Kai cursed violently. He had almost had her.
Liika shook her head, cursing also. Damn it! How did he always manage it?! It was one time in her life where the cliché 'saved by the bell' actually applied to her life. Sighing, she pushed Kai lightly out of the way and retrieved the phone from her purple backpack.
"Hello?"
"Liika! Oh thank God I got you! Where are you??"
Liika blinked, frowning instantly upon recognizing the voice on the line. "Riley? I'm at the school with Kai still…what's the matter?"
There was a long silence, followed by some sobbing and shouting in the background. "It's Bryan…" Riley answered finally, her voice sounding extremely frightened, "Mom found him collapsed on the kitchen floor having seizures."
Liika gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. Kai was looking at her strangely, his eyebrows furrowing. "You're not serious…oh my God… is he alright?"
There was a sniffling sound followed a sigh and a voice that sounded like Enrique's. "I don't know," she said, "the doctors can't tell us anything. We don't know what happened…we have to wait until the tests come in…but you were the last one to see him Ika. Mom wants to know if you'll come to the hospital and tell us what's going on. We all heard about your…run in with my brother."
Liika's eyes drifted close and she sucked in a deep breath. Kai wasn't going to like this. But, it was the way things were going to be. At least he'd find out what really happed over the last two days and that she hadn't been at Bryan's the whole time. "Yeah…I'll be there in a few minutes. Kai too. Bye."
With that she hung up the phone and sighed loudly. "We have to go to the hospital." She said quietly, putting the mobile back in her bag and standing. "Now."
Kai scowled. "Why? What the hell is so important that you have to rush to the hospital when we have things to discuss?" He demanded, his auburn eyes flashing.
"Bryan's in the hospital Kai. His mother found him lying unconscious on the kitchen floor convulsing in seizures. That's why. I'm the last one that saw him apparently." She explained in exasperation. She never questioned what he needed to do! But he always questioned her.
"We're not going."
Liika growled, turning on him and glowering. "Oh yes we are! His mother asked me to be there! I'm the only one that knows what's going on! If you take me there I promise you'll get your precious answers as it seems that the secret is out anyway!"
Kai paused, staring at her, studying her for a few moments before he jerked his head in a nod and reached in his pocket for his keys. "Fine then."
She sighed in relief, glad that he wasn't going to question her any further.
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As soon as she entered the emergency doors in the hospital, Riley latched on to her, leading her towards where the Wakeman family plus Enrique was anxiously waiting word from the doctors. Kai trailed behind, looking out of place and slightly pissed.
"Liika!" Kelly Wakeman exclaimed, shooting to her feet as soon as the two girls entered the waiting room. She gasped upon sight of Liika's face. "My son did that to you?"
"Yeah…" Liika trailed off, looking away. It hurt to see the panic and the anguish in the older woman's face.
"Why..? Why is this happening? Liika if you know something…please, tell us. Please tell us why Bryan would hit you of all people…he…cares for you." Mrs. Wakeman said, leaning against her husband, who had come to stand behind her.
"Yes Liika," Kai interrupted, his gaze stern, "Tell us just what you are hiding for him."
Liika turned her head to find Kai staring down at her. She sighed. "Very well…"
However, just as she started to explain a young looking doctor approached. Liika winced…she recognized him all to well.
"Hello, I'm doctor Barton, you are the Wakeman family?" He asked, his eyes running over the slightly disheveled. His green eyes paused when they reached Liika, a brown eyebrow shooting up. "Miss Tomoda, I must say I am surprised to see you back so soon. But then, I'm told you were the last one to see Bryan. How are you feeling?"
The blue haired girl winced inwardly, feeling Kai's hand squeeze her shoulder meaningfully. "I'm better… and yes I was."
Dr. Barton nodded, scanning the clipboard he was carrying. "No headaches since yesterday? Your concussion was serious enough that you were supposed to come see me tomorrow, but today will do."
"No, no headaches."
"Concussion?!" Kai hissed in her ear. "It was nice of you to inform me of that minor detail Liika Amanda Tomoda."
"It didn't come up.."
"Ahem," Mr. Wakeman cleared his throat, looking more worried than ever. "Doctor what is wrong with our son?"
Dr. Barton sighed, lowering the clipboard and the pen he had been scribbling with. "It seems that Bryan's suffered from a drug overdose, though which drug we can't determine until the blood tests come back. I suspect something hard."
There was a collective gasp—minus Liika who knew and Kai who didn't really care—and Mrs. Wakeman let out a low wail before burying her face in her husbands chest. Tears sprung in Riley's eyes and she latched herself onto Enrique who held her and whispered soothingly in her ear.
"It was crack."
Dr. Barton's green eyes snapped to the small blue haired young woman. "You know for sure Miss Tomoda?"
Liika nodded, wiping at the tears in her own eyes. An overdose! My God Bryan, didn't I tell you?? How could you do this…? "Yes. I found it on him two days ago."
The doctor nodded, scribbling some more things on his clipboard. "I think you need to tell me what exactly happened before he brought you in here yesterday morning. It may help us discover what exactly is going on here now." He said, leading the group to the waiting room chairs.
Liika nodded again, slipping her hand down and backwards reaching for Kai's. Kai, as much as he wanted to pull away and show his displeasure with her, found that he couldn't. He could see she needed his support at the moment, and so he took her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze as they both sat down.
"Miss Tomoda, please, whenever you're ready." The young doctor said, leaning forward.
Liika breathed deeply and steadied herself. God this was such a nightmare. "I went over to the Wakeman's after bey practice on Tuesday. Bryan didn't show up for the first day of school…he never misses school, even when he's sick, so I got even more worried. I had run into him on Saturday…he didn't look good. I went to Aspin for the summer and so didn't see him…he had lost weight and looked like he hadn't been sleeping, and so when he didn't show up for school I got really worried you know? So I went over there…" She paused, her free fist clenching the material of her skirt. "When I got to Bryan's room he wasn't there…he must have been on his balcony having a cigarette or something—a habit he started over the summer as well. Well while he wasn't there I noticed his desk had been semi cleared and there was a bag of white crystals laying on the surface. I picked it up…and discovered it to be a back full of crack cocaine."
Once again Mrs. Wakeman let out a quiet wail. Liika tried to drown the sound of the woman's tears out. They were making her want to cry as well.
"He came in then, yelling and demanding what I was doing there and how I got in—he had forgotten to lock his door. Anyway we started to argue…he wanted the bag back and I wouldn't give it to him. I was determined not to let him destroy his and his family's life. So…when he went to answer Riley's knocks on his door I escaped to the bathroom.
"I flushed it. All of it. Down the toilet. I couldn't let him hurt himself. However, when he came back and discovered what I'd done he flew into a rage unlike I had ever seen from anyone before. We exchanged more words then he backhanded me. Because he's so big and I'm so…well not, he sent me flying, my head hit the ceramic tile wall at full speed, splitting my temple and giving me a concussion.
"Bryan panicked I guess, not really sure what to do. But it was after midnight when I came to, we were driving in his jeep, to the hospital." She paused again, looking up at Kai. "I wasn't at Bryan's for two days. I was at the hospital, I needed three stitches and had a semi-serious concussion; I was released this morning. My grandpa knew but told Tyson I was at Mariah's. He didn't want to worry Tyson needlessly I suppose."
Kai let out the breath he had been holding in one loud whoosh. It made him feel better knowing that she hadn't been in another man's house for two days. It didn't, however, explain why she hadn't called him.
"I didn't call you because I knew you would try and hurt Bryan. You need to understand Kai, that Bryan didn't need for you to beat him up…he was already hurting himself." Liika said softly, leaning her head against his chest. "I'm sorry I lied to you."
Before Kai had a chance to respond Dr. Barton cut in, letting out a loud sigh of his own. "So sometime between when he left early this morning and when Mrs. Wakeman found him, Bryan procured more crack—presumably enough to cause serious damage—and smoked it. That would explain the seizures. I'll be honest with you all. Bryan will live, but we're not sure as of yet of his state of mind. He could be perfectly fine. He could be brain damaged. It all depends on just how much crack he smoked today. Only time will tell."
"What is going to happen to him?" Liika asked, lacing the fingers of both hands through Kai's.
Dr. Barton shook his head and shrugged. "I'm not sure. When he recovers I will recommend him to a rehab facility in Denver. It will be up to Mr. and Mrs. Wakeman to decide what to do. Please excuse me." With that he walked away, scribbling on his clipboard.
The small group was quiet for a moment before Kelly Wakeman let out shaky breath, her tears finally coming to a stop. "He…He'll go to Denver." She said quietly, struggling to hold back a fresh batch of tears. "What happened to my baby???" She wailed after a few moments, apparently not being to reign in the tears any longer. She collapsed once again against her husband's chest.
The four teenagers weren't quite sure what to say. Riley was crying right along with her mother, clutching on to Enrique to dear life. Enrique comforted her the best he could, rubbing soothing circles in her back and whispering in her ear. He looked disturbed, and greatly depressed.
Liika had cried all the tears she could in the past two days and so had none to cry. However, that didn't stop her from looking like she's burst out in tears any second. She too hung on to her significant other, staring off into space. Kai for the most part remained stoic, an expressionless look on his face as a way to respect the family's and his girlfriend's grief. As much as he hated Bryan, he didn't really want to see the guy fucked up. Well, unless it was by his fist of course, and even then he wouldn't be almost dead… just…damaged.
He sighed, tightening his grip on Liika's hands. "Come on witch, I'll take you home. You shouldn't be straining yourself."
Instead of protesting like he thought she would, Liika just nodded, bidding goodbye to the Wakeman family and Enrique before following Kai silently out of the hospital.
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"Please tell me you're kidding." Liika moaned, slapping a hand over her eyes. "I looked forward to going the whole season with out seeing that blond jackass's face!"
Judy merely raised an eyebrow and shook her head. "Language. And I'm not kidding. The sponsors and Mr. Dickenson felt that our American team needed some extra practice, and that a week long training camp with Abbey was what they came up with. Abbey is the third strongest in the country, they might even win Nationals this year."
The blue haired girl scoffed, tossing her head. "Not if we do. We are still entitled to go to Nationals even though we are going to Worlds?"
"Of course," Judy replied, not bothering to look up from her desk, "but they have some new talent, apparently the seniors replacements are even better than the two that left."
She shrugged. "Fine then, so it will be good practice. I'll enjoying stomping Imoraz into the ground. When is this little training camp?"
"Today."
"WHAT?!"
Judy glanced up, staring at the senior blankly. "Kai knew two weeks ago, he said he would inform you. However, since that fiasco with Bryan and you I suppose other things have been on his mind. Speaking of which, how is your head? Has the doctor given the ok for you to blade again?"
Liika nodded. "Yes, I got the note yesterday, I gave it to Mr. Dickenson this morning. My concussion is almost healed, and as you can see the stitches were removed," she motioned to her forehead. "I just have to take it easy for a bit longer. But I'm able to blade."
"Good," Judy replied standing. "You'd best be getting to the courts now, its almost four. Abbey should be here any moment."
Liika paled, and turned, muttering under her breath. Kai was so going to hear about this one!
Kai felt the dark glare far before he saw it. It didn't take a genius to figure out who was glaring at him, he was only that intune with one person. Anyone else glaring he probably wouldn't have noticed because he didn't particularly care. But she had a way…any look she gave him affected him. He rolled his eyes and chose to ignore her. "I think we should move the doubles structure a bit, at least just for this training camp. I want to see how well others can beyblade together. I also would like to see how well Laan and Low would blade on the A team." He said, tapping the paper on the table in front of him.
Robert frowned. "Do you think that playing with the structure at this late in the game is a wise idea? This training camp is to prepare us, not to experiment."
Kai nodded, and looked towards his vice-captain. "What do you think?"
Tala yawned, running a hand through his hair. "Jagen has a point. I think it should also be pointed out that the Golden pair is the only good pair B has. Well truly good pair anyway. I mean, I'm sorry but the Parker-Maxwell pair just isn't in the same league as Parker-Dubois or Laan and Mari. Or even MacGregor-Mitchell for that matter." He stated matter-of-factly.
Before either of the other two boys could open their mouths to comment a fourth voice interrupted. "Well it's good then that the Parker-Maxwell pair doesn't exist anymore isn't it!" The voice crooned sarcastically, intensifying the speaker's anger instantly. "Really, you men pay no attention to anything. Max and Emily have been a pair since June. I can't wait to see the look on your face Valkov when they destroy MacGregor and Mitchell! Oh and let's not forget who won the match between Emmy and Jade and your two at Nationals hm?"
Tala rolled his eyes, shooting the new arrival a dry look. "What crawled up your ass and died?" He asked casually.
Liika made a face at him, and glowered fiercely. "Drop dead Valkov. You should just be glad my quarrel is not with you!"
"Oh believe me I am." He bit back sarcastically.
Kai barely looked up from the roster he was staring intently at, his brain cells working. He hadn't known about Tate and Parker…why hadn't he known? Damn. "What's the matter witch?" He asked impatiently, not even looking at her.
Liika's eye twitched. She growled. "Just when were you going to inform me that our school was going to be invaded by that your ex-best friend and his nightmare team hm?"
Kai's eyes moved slowly from the paper to her flushed and irritated face. "I was a little distracted." He stated flatly.
"My ass you were. How is it that I am always the last to know about everything?!" She demanded, jamming her hands on her hips.
"Liika," Robert interrupted, placing a hand on her arm and pulling her back a bit, "You were not at school for the week after we found out."
Kai's eyes narrowed at Robert's hand. "Jagen's right. Besides, you know now. Stop being dramatic."
"Fuck that you—"
She was cut off by the sound of snickering. "Must be awfully difficult to listen to that screeching all the time. I hope she has…other attributes to make up for her harpy like qualities." A sardonic voice broke out from behind them.
Liika cringed, closed her eyes and took a deep breath before slowly turning. "Akito Imoraz!" she exclaimed incredibly falsely, a bright grin on her face, "How nice to see you! We were actually just talking about you!"