Chapter 11: Competitions and Illnesses

Thursday, October 12, 2006, my room, 3:30 pm

Guess what? No, really, guess. Actually, never mind. Even if you could guess, how would you be able to tell me? No, no, I'll just tell you.

I'm going to beyblade! I'm going to be famous, looking hot, and leading lives of the rich and famous! Go me, ya!

Well, I'm sort of exaggerating. Who would want to know about a 14 year old fiancée anyway? And me, looking hot, and leading the life of the rich and famous? Yeah, not really me. But, I can dream.

Tyson, Kenny and I were walking home after a long day at school. Tyson and Kenny were discussing new ways of improving Dragoon, while I was being ignored, as usual. Tyson has been ignoring me ever since he met Ben, so that's no surprise there. And as for Kenny, he already has his friend, Dizzi. So that left me, the third wheel.

But, as we were passing Max's dad's beyblade shop, I saw a colorful poster taped onto the window. I looked at the poster, and it said,

Come one and all beybladers!

How would you like to be recognized by all your peers as a beyblade whiz?

Well, this is the chance of a lifetime!
We're offering the chance for you to meet the Tyson Granger one on one

For a lunch date to the winner!
To enter, sign an application form at the Tate's Beyblade Shop.

So, what else could I do but get an application form? I dragged Tyson and Kenny with me in the shop, and who do I see but Ben. Funny how things happen like this. Even now, I remember how Tyson's face turned into a slight scowl, and when Ben waved over to me, I saw him reach into his pocket for his beyblade. Either he wanted to challenge Ben, or maybe he wanted to hurt him…

Whatever he was planning, I had to stop him. I grabbed his arm and said, "Behave.", before smiling at Ben, and making my way over to him. Even though we were separated for a while, I feel like I still want him in my life. Maybe not like before, but if we could manage being friends…

"Hey." He said, in that voice that used to make my knees feel like jelly.

"Hey." I say right back. Kenny was right behind me, and I knew he wanted introductions. "Oh, um, Kenny, this is Ben. Ben, this is Kenny." They shook hands.

"Wait a minute," he said, snapping his fingers like he just remembered something, "You're on the Bladebreakers. And, I saw you once on TV, Hil," he then pointed to Tyson, "and you, too Tyson."

Tyson puffed out his chest, in an attempt to be manly and mature. "Well, obviously," he said rudely, "I am the World Champ after all."

Bun smiled politely. "Um, yeah, I'm not much of a beyblader." He said shyly, blushing slightly. Ever since we were kids, he never liked beyblades and all that. He preferred the other sources of entertainment; books. This is one of the reasons I dated him; beauty and brains was very hard to come by these days.

"Oh, you should try it," said Kenny, "it's very exhilarating. Right, Hilary?" I nodded, and said, "Absolutely!" I heard Tyson groan and I could basically see him roll his eyes behind me.

Ben smiled his perfect smile. "Well, maybe I should try it then!" he said to me. My eyes were locked with hers for a moment, and then I looked away, blushing. I had a fiancé already, and I didn't any other men in my life to further complicate things.

"So…what are you here for?" asked Ben, desperate to avoid any uncomfortable silences. That's what he always was like; full of joy and wanted everyone to have the same.

"Oh, Hilary and I wanted to sign up for the beyblading competition," Tyson said, "Why shouldn't we, since we are-"

"-Friends! Ha ha, friends! Because, you know, that's what friends do, you know, sign up for things…and stuff." I babbled. Tyson gave me an angry look, as if to tell me to be quiet. I just didn't want Ben to know about Tyson and us right now. I wanted to be the one to tell him, not Tyson and his anger, or the tabloids. Me.

Ben looked at Tyson and me amusingly, smiling softly. "Anyway, I better go. I promised to call my mom when I got comfortable, and I completely forgot yesterday." He gave me a light kiss on my cheek, before exiting the shop, the little bell on the door indicating he was gone.

I sighed. This couldn't go on like this. I mean, he couldn't just give me kisses whenever he wanted to! I was an engaged girl, after all. And Tyson was getting pretty frustrated about all this. Maybe it was time for me to talk to him.

"Hi, you guys. What's up?" asked Mr. Tate from the counter. I remembered my original plan to sigh up for the competition, and forgot my dilemma.

"Tyson and I want to sign up for the beyblading competition." I informed, walking up to him. I was really fond of Mr. Tate. Unlike my father, he seemed very responsible, and he cared for Max a lot. I thought it was sweet the way they were so tight. My father and I used to be like that, until mom passed away. Since then, I've been keeping to myself.

Mr. Tate got out a few forms for us, telling us to fill them out. There were dumb things they asked me, like if I ever got in a car accident, or if I was ever pregnant. I mean, hello? I'm only fifteen, not thirty! People these days don't understand.

Anyway, after we filled them out, Tyson and I left, while Kenny said he had to go to the library to do some research. Tyson was pretty quiet while he was walking me home, so I took it as my cue to apologize.

"Look, Tyson, I'm sorry I didn't tell Ben the truth. But, I can't tell him yet."

Tyson looked at me with a dry expression. "You still like him, don't you?" he asked me, his face and voice showing any sign of emotion, which freaked me out a bit.

"Well, I, um…I don't know." Was the best response I could think of. I didn't think I was still in love with him. It was just complicated. I couldn't tell him because he still loves me. And I can't hurt him. I just can't.

But, I wasn't going to tell Tyson that.

Tyson turned away from me, and for a brief moment, I thought he was going to yell out something dramatic and sweet to me, but instead he kept quiet. Which was way worse than him yelling.

I sighed. "Why do you care, anyway?"

"Because you're my fiancée."

"I thought you didn't want this anymore than I did."

Tyson scratched his head at that one. But, before he could say anything, I said, "I'll tell him later, if it'll make you happy."

Even now, as I sit in my room, I don't know why I said it. Why did I promise something that I knew I couldn't keep? Ben is my friend, and I don't want to hurt him in anyway, shape, or form. But, I guess I have to.

Same day, the beach, almost 9 pm

Sorry if you can't read this, but I'm not the one writing this. Yeah, it is me, Hilary, but I have someone else to write it. Ben has a butler, and his butler follows him around everywhere, so I decided to ask him to write our whole conversation, since I want you to know about my 'little talk' with Ben. How cool is that?

Anyway, we're sitting at the beach, in the sand, and it's almost sunset. We're watching the sunset, and it's beautiful. I wish Tyson was here; he loves to watch the sunset, too.

"Do you like Tyson?" Ben just asked.

I gaped. "Of course I do! Why would I hate him?"

Ben smiled at me. "I mean, like like." He explained, causing me to blush. Do I like Tyson? (A/N By the way, this is Ben's butler, but let's pretend Hil's doing the writing, kay?)

"NO! Why would I love a pig stomached, rude, egotistical-" Ben turned away from me, facing the sunset. The orange color was imprinted on his face, and I thought he looked beautiful.

"So many things have changed, right Hilary?" he sighed, still mysteriously staring to the horizon.

"What changed? I'm still Hilary, you're still Ben. What's so different?" I asked curiously, carefully watching his expressions for anything to give away the answer.

"Tyson, he, well. I can see you care for him more than you let on."

My eyes widened at that statement. How could Ben think something that hardly ever crossed my mind? Did he know me better than I know myself?

We sat in silence for a while, watching the orange in the sky turn purple and pink. Ben has always amazed me; maybe that's why I fell so hard for him. But that seemed so long ago. His eyes would sparkle, like he knew something I didn't. Like a hidden secret he would only tell me if I was able to touch his heart. So, maybe that's why I did. Touch his heart, I mean.

"You know," he started, turning to face me, "we should enjoy these moments. The moments where we think so…profoundly. Like, the times where we understand ourselves the best."

I stared at him. "Well, you could say that, but, um…"

"No, Hil, it's more that what I'm saying," he said (I cringed when he said Hil), "there are so many things we aren't telling each other, so many things that we can't find the courage to say, and it'll kill us."

Sweat began forming on my head. Did he know about me and Tyson? What was he talking about? "Ben, look, I can explain-"

"Hilary," Ben looked at me straight in my eye, and I could no longer see the hidden mystery in his eyes.

"Yes…" I prompted him, my hands going in circular motions to inform him to go on,

Ben sighed, and ran his hands through his light brown hair, "Hilary, listen," he started,

"I'm dying, Hil."