Disclaimer: The song 'Can you feel the love tonight' has been taken from the Lion King soundtrack. It's one of my favorite songs and also the words match the feelings here! Don't you agree?
Questions…& Answers?
The Bladebreakers were returning home from one of their little practice session, next to the river. The boys were all talking amongst themselves. Hilary sulked in the shadows. Kai had not turned for practice again. The others were growing worried about his frequent absence. Only Tyson seemed unperturbed by Kai's irregular attendance of team practice.
"I'm worried about Kai" said Kenny "He really should practice more..."
"Relax, Chief" said Tyson, smiling "Kai's still in form."
"Sure" said Max "But you tell me for how long!"
They passed by the children's park now. Hilary glanced at it for a minute. A certain red head boy caught her attention. She smiled to herself.
"I can see another shirker!" she mused.
Tyson stopped dead and found Daichi standing there, blading some other kid. There was silence for a whole minute. Then –
"DAICHI!" he yelled, making all of them jump out of their skins.
Daichi jumped as well and his blade flew out of the stadium. He turned around and faced Tyson, angrily.
"Tyson – you blasted show off!"
"Daichi, how dare you miss practice sessions?" thundered Tyson.
What followed was an explosive argument. Tyson and Daichi headed home in a huff. The other went homewards too. Hilary smiled to herself.
'Daichi's bickering does remind me of myself!' she smiled 'Dear little soul!'
"Max" called his father, when he heard the blonde boy open his house door, that evening "Are you home, son?"
"Yeah, dad!" called Max, going to the kitchen. Sure enough his dad was there cooking dinner for the both of them. "Hey, dad!" he smiled.
"I'm so sorry Max, but there is no mustard." Mr. Tate told him "And you're gonna have to buy it if you want some tonight."
"Doesn't matter, Dad" said Max at once "It's not too late. I'll go out and bring it."
"Be careful, son" was all that his father said.
"Hey, you don't have to worry. After all Tyson's not around right!" chuckled Max as he made his way out of the backdoor.
On his way to the store, Max stopped suddenly in front of the Children's Park. Some one was there. Some was singing. The voice sounded like an angel's. It was so beautiful and earthly...it didn't seem like it belonged to a mortal.
'Sounds like some one is singing, who's in love' thought Max, his mouth slightly open.
He listened hard: The voice was filled with heavy emotion. It was the feeling of love that made this voice sound so divine. He caught some of the lyrics –
There's a calm surrender
To the rush of day
When the heat of the rolling world
Can be turned away
An enchanted moment
And it sees me through
It's enough for this restless warrior
Just to be with you
And can you feel the love tonight?
It is where we are
It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer
That we got this far
And can you feel the love tonight
How it's laid to rest?
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds
Believe the very best
Max couldn't control his curiosity anymore. He entered the park and saw a solitary figure sitting on one of the high swings. It was swinging itself in time with its music. He edged himself nearer towards the figure. Then with a shock he realized who it was! But the person continued to sing:
There's a time for everyone
If they only learn
That the twisting kaleidoscope
Moves us all in turn
There's a rhyme and reason
To the wild outdoors
When the heart of this star-crossed voyager
Beats in time with yours
And can you feel the love tonight?
It is where we are
It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer
That we got this far
And can you feel the love tonight
How it's laid to rest?
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds
Believe the very best
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds
Believe the very best
The music died. Max spoke.
"You do have a beautiful voice Hilary" he said, quietly.
Hilary jumped out of her trance.
"Hey! Maxi! I didn't see you there..."she grinned sheepishly, "I was just...um...musing...um..."
"Artist. Singer. Top student." Max counted Hilary's recent achievements of his fingers "What next - Blader?"
"Don't be ridiculous!" said Hilary, stiffly "I'm not a natural artist. I learnt it. I'm not a top student. I work hard. And most of all, I am not a good singer. It sounded good because..."
"Because you're in love" said Max, suddenly.
Hilary looked away from him. Her eyes were slowly filling with tears and she was determined she would not let Max see how inwardly hurt she was due to Tyson's indifference. Max sat down in the swing next to her.
"C'mon, Hilary" he said "You have to admit it. You are in love aren't you? Tell me with whom!"
Hilary muttered feebly, "Not with you."
Max sighed deeply.
"I know that. I'm your best friend – you can never be in love with your best friend!"
Hilary grinned in spite of herself. Maxi was her best friend? He wasn't really but he certainly was a true friend.
"Look Max," said Hilary "I can't talk about it. I don't want to."
Max got to his feet suddenly and said, "I'm sorry Hilary."
"What-?" Hilary looked at him with a startled face.
This time Max did not meet her eyes.
"I'm sorry I can't knock some sense in Tyson."
"Max, what are you...?" began Hilary.
"It's no use pretending I never saw it, Hilary" he said, quietly "It's written all over your face whenever you see him...I'm not blind like Tyson, Hilary. I know that you love Tyson."
"Tyson is blind, Max" said Hilary, trying to control her tears "But I can't help loving him."
Max nodded silently. He began walking away from her. Max knew she needed time to herself.
"And Max?" said Hilary.
He halted and looked around.
"Yeah?"
"Please don't tell anyone"
Max nodded again and silently exited the park. When he was on the road again, he heard a lament emerging from near the swings:
There's a time for everyone
If they only learn
That the twisting kaleidoscope
Moves us all in turn
There's a rhyme and reason
To the wild outdoors
When the heart of this star-crossed voyager
Beats in time with yours
The blonde boy walked away, anxiety written all over his face. Not far from there stood another boy. But no: this wasn't the two-toned hair boy. This was the boy with jet black hair, who had seen them from a distance.
"Maxi?"
The startled word issued from the mouth of Tyson Granger and echoed all around the Children's Park.
The next morning, found the Bladebreakers in Tyson's dojo. Hilary wasn't there today. On the other hand, both Daichi and Kai showed up today. Tyson's initial shock of discovering Max and Hilary had subsided and he began teasing Max about it.
"Wasn't yesterday night a really romantic one?" he smirked.
"Sure, Tyson" said Max, startled "For you anything would seem so!"
"Ok, team" said Kenny "Let me see you hone your new skills! Max and Tyson you're on!"
The boys took their position and Kenny counted: "3-2-1-…."
"LET IT RIP!" shouted the pair of them
Max and Tyson were both slamming into one another. It was a rather intense battle.
"So tell me, Maxi, why hasn't your sweet lover showed up today?" Tyson teased.
"What?" asked Max, distracted "Who?"
"You know," said Tyson, as his Dragoon pushed Draciel near the edge of the beyblade dish. "Hil"
"Nonsense" said Max, angrily "You're wrong!"
"My eyes didn't defy me, Maxi" Tyson's know-it-all attitude, made Max suddenly angry.
"You're an idiot!" he thundered "And you're blind."
His inner strength suddenly burst forth and he knocked Dragoon away.
"Go, Draciel!" he shouted.
His blade simply flew at Tyson's and then with a final swipe threw it out of the stadium. Tyson was speechless. When he found his tongue he said,
"Well, I wish you're girlfriend was here to see this battle!"
"She's not my girlfriend Tyson" Max burst out "She loves someone else!"
"Well, if she does why don't I know about it?" he asked arms folded.
The others had been listening to their fight for a long time now. Kai was the one who answered Tyson.
"Because you're a jerk, Tyson!"
"But Kai – I …I d-d-don't UN-understand!" spluttered Tyson.
"And you never will" said Kai, walking away from him – nose in the air.
Tyson looked around at the others for help. They were staring at him with an over-obvious look on their faces.
"Is anyone going to tell me?"
"It's you, chimpanzee!" Daichi said, folding his arms in front of his chest.
"Me?" echoed Tyson.
"Yes, you hooligan – you idiot – you donkey – YOU!" said Daichi. Yawning he added, "I knew it from long ago…didn't you know?"
"No"
Tyson's eyes were wide with both shock and surprise. If she did love him, why didn't she say so? Why didn't the others tell him? Had he was been this blind? Would he ever be able to know for sure if she did love him….questions stormed up in his brain. Yet he had no answers….only time could answer him.
The lament of the night before again played in his ears:
There's a time for everyone
If they only learn
That the twisting kaleidoscope
Moves us all in turn
There's a rhyme and reason
To the wild outdoors
When the heart of this star-crossed voyager
Beats in time with yours