The Way to My Heart

by funkypianist

 

 

“RAAAAAAY!!!”

She was hurtling towards him, some mysterious force driving her forwards. He was there, arms open wide, smiling, happy to see her, saying her name. She was getting closer, nearly there…

“Mariah, kitten, wake up. We’re here. The plane’s landed Mariah.”

Hearing the pet name Lee had called her when they were little caused her eyes to snap open. It was another dream.

She sighed and gathered her hand luggage. Lee was watching her, worry written all over his face. She carefully avoided his gaze, suddenly very interested in her trainer.

Ever since China, she had not been herself. On the last night of the semi-finals, she and Ray had been alone, laughing, joking, just like old times. Everything was perfect until she started talking about their childhood. Suddenly Ray became silent and looked away. When she asked him what was wrong, he just snapped ‘nothing’ and saying a hasty goodbye, left, leaving Mariah extremely confused. He avoided her after that and when she for France, he didn’t even say goodbye. Since then she had been trying to figure it out, it was so unlike Ray to be like that.

Lee had sensed something was wrong and was extremely supportive when she told him. She hadn’t practiced for weeks and though Lee hadn’t scolded her or forced her to practice she could tell that his patience was wearing thin.

‘Get a grip on yourself girl,’ she told herself. ‘It wasn’t your fault, if he could be such bastard, he’s not worth it. Forget about him, for Lee’s sake.’

Slowly she lifted her gaze, finding herself, as she had expected looking straight at Lee’s concerned face. She smiled reassuringly at him. That’s all he needed. He smiled back at her and squeezed her shoulder. Mariah stood up, banishing all thoughts of Ray from her mind, her mind set on the on the final round, which was taking place in Paris. She straitened her hair tie and walked off the plane.

 

 

The Paris Plaza Hotel was so glamorous; the White Tigers were completely taken aback. Huge marble ballrooms graced with chandeliers, dining rooms with big oak tables, magnificently landscaped gardens. Mariah had never seen anything like it. She glimpsed the opposition scattered hither and thither in the reception. She instinctively started looking for the broad back and shoulders, the raven hair, the white shirt. ‘No’, she said to herself. ‘Forget about him’.

Lee was watching her again, immediately noting her expression when they walked in. Mariah quickly regained her composure, pretending not to notice Lee’s eyes on her back.

They checked in and were taken immediately to their rooms. The rooms were amazing, four poster beds, ensuite bathrooms, long windows and luxurious satin carpets.

Lee immediately set about giving out orders.

 

“Gary, you take the back bedroom, Kevin, you’re the next one along, I’ll take the front and Mariah, kitten, you go next to me. Now I suggest we all go for a walk before the ball…”

“Ball?” Kevin pulled such a face that Mariah and Gary both sniggered. “You never said anything about any ball!”

“Well I am now so quit whining,” snapped Lee.

They put all their stuff in the rooms and walked out, with Kevin muttering darkly about suits and dancing.

 

 * * *

 

Only a corridor across, the Bladebreakers were having their own problems…

 

“OWWWWW!!” yelled Tyson clutching his hand, “I’ll never be able to use my hand again. I’ll never beyblade again, my life, my career is over!”

“Tyson!” Yelled back Max. “It’s only a splinter, give me your hand and I’ll take it out!”

Reluctantly, Tyson held out his hand. With on swift movement Max pulled out the offending splinter, sending Tyson into a fresh wave of howls.

“You brat! You nearly ripped my arm off!”

“Tyson you big baby! God, talk about overreacting.”

 

Ray, usually playing a part in a scene like this was standing on the balcony looking out over the gardens. He felt like such a fool. Why did he hurt Mariah like that? He didn’t even give her an explanation. When he called on her the next day she had already gone. He had hurt the person he cared most about and now, he had no way of finding her.  Little did he know that she was only a few hundred metres away from him in the gardens. He heard footsteps behind him. Kai came up to him, distancing himself, as always from the chaos that was reigning in the next room, with Tyson now fighting against Max and Kenny who were trying to bath the cut caused by the splinter.

 

“Your worrying about Mariah again, aren’t you?” he said coming to stand beside Ray.

“Yeah, I feel like such an idiot, letting something affect me like that and not give her an explanation. She was always looking out for me, yet I let my emotions take the better of me.”

“There’s nothing you can do now,” said Kai, matter-of-factly. “Your better off concentrating on the match, then sorting out your love life.”

“Love?” enquired Ray, as though it was something completely alien to him.

“Well, you’ve been sure acting like you love her. Moping about like anything, it’s obvious you’re in love with her and the longer you deny it, the harder it will be.”

“I’m not in love with her, Kai, get a grip.”

“Well, suit yourself but remember, it was you denying it in the first place that made you lose her. Anyway, you’d better get ready for the ball, its starts in an hour.”

And with that, Kai went inside, where pandemonium still reigned with Tyson now accusing Max and Kenny of trying to ruin his Beyblading career.

 

* * *

 

Mariah had been the happiest she had been in ages. The long walk outside had cleared her head and her team-mates cheered her up by telling jokes and laughing, taking the mickey at the idea of a ball and generally forcing Mariah to have fun.

Now she was in her room, admiring herself in the mirror, and she had every right to, she looked stunning. She was clad in a white off-the-shoulders dress studded with pink pearls, a diamond encrusted star shaped pendant on a silver chain hanging about her neck, white elbow length gloves and dainty, white kitten-heel shoes. Her hair was down, smoothed so it was a just a pink sweep, with a white rose pinned at the side. She smiled at herself. She would forget all about Ray and find a nice sensible caring boy. She sweeped over to the door, humming to herself and went into Lee’s bedroom. Gary, Kevin and Lee were all there dressed in suits causing Mariah slight surprise as they looked so different. There were far more noticeable motions of surprise from the boys as they stood thunderstruck, looking at the stunning new Mariah.

 

“Wow!” said Gary.

“Holy cow!” gasped Kevin.

“Mariah you look fantastic!” exclaimed Lee.

She smiled at them. They were being so nice, even after what happened with Ray, they never complained about her not practicing.

“You all look great as well, you know. I didn’t know you did smart!”

“Yeah, well, we don’t normally go about in suits and ties,” said Gary.

“Bloody ball, I hate dancing, I hate music, this tie’s too tight…”

“Quit your whining Kev, we’re gonna go out there tonight and show those opposing teams what we’re made of!” said Lee and all four shouted in unison:

“Yeah!!!”

 

* * *

 

“I look sooo stupid!”

“You! What about me?”

“You guys are nothing compared to me!”

“Too bad we can’t all look so cool in suits like Kai and Ray.”

 

Ray smiled to himself, the first time he had done so in weeks. To tell the truth, Max, Tyson and Kenny all looked great in suits but they just did not want to admit it. Ray himself had certainly made an effort. Clad in a white shirt (the first four buttons undone) and an ivory suit, he looked the picture of cool. Abandoning his usual headband, he had swept his long black hair into a loose ponytail, with a bit of hair flopping sexily forward at the front. Kai didn’t make any less of an impact, dressed from head to foot in grey. Max had chosen a dark green suit, while Tyson was clad in black. Kenny was in brown.

The five made their way to the Grand Ballroom, feeling instantly at ease with seeing all the other males in the same attire. Many a female passed them throwing them appreciative looks. They went over to the bar and ordered drinks, with Tyson already responding to a pretty girl in black who was making eyes at him.

“Excuse me,” he coughed as he left his team nudging each other and pulling faces at Tyson weaving a path with the girl through the dance floor.

 

 Over at the other side of the ballroom, Mariah was being hassled constantly by boys asking for a dance. Finally she gave in to a very attractive blonde and let her lead him to the floor. Giggling helplessly, she twirled and moved letting him sweep her across the floor. She turned her head left, to see Lee smiling at her. She waved giddily back at him and turned the other way… and went rigid. Sanding feet away from her was Ray, laughing as he exchanged jokes with Max. Felling someone’s gaze on him, he turned his head and froze, completely thunderstruck at the stunning girl, quite different to the Mariah he saw before.

 

“Ray? What is it dude?” asked Max. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Ray did not reply. He stood, eyes boring into Mariah as she stood and gazed at him.

The blonde boy asked Mariah:

“Miss Mariah? Are you ok?”

Mariah replied, her voice high and twittery:

“I’m… just a bit dizzy, that’s all.”

“Would you like to sit down?”

“Yes please, I’ll join you again in a minute.” She said and hurried over to the side, her heart going a mile a minute. She felt relief sweep through her as a reassuring hand touched her shoulder.

“Mariah?” said Lee. “Are you alright? Are you dizzy?”

Mariah looked straight at him and he understood immediately that it was anything but. He followed her gaze until it came to rest on Ray, who was still staring at Mariah. Lee swore loudly.

“Come on Kitten, let’s get out of here.” He said placing a firm but gentle hand about her shoulders.

 

Mariah stepped weakly. Lee looked about for signs of Kevin and Gary but both were lost in the crowd. He led her round the side, noting that she was trembling slightly. Mariah was staring at the floor. Both of them hurried out into the grounds. He sat her on a bench and wrapped his jacket around her shoulders.

“I’ll just go and see if I can find the other two, I’ll be back in a minute.” He said and walked off back inside.

Mariah sat there, pulling the jacket tighter around her shoulders against the chilly breeze. Ray looked so different, hair up, suit… and the way he was looking at her…

Mariah shuddered and leaned back against the bench.

“I loved him so much,” she thought. “If only he would open up, he never liked to tell people his troubles…”

“Mariah?”

Mariah jumped. Standing a few feet away was Ray. Mariah’s heart did a back flip.

“Mariah, I want a chance to explain, I would totally understand if you didn’t give me it, but please, if you would, I’d be really grateful.”

Mariah seemed to have swallowed her tongue, so she nodded.

“Mariah, that night in China, I was such an idiot, I let my emotions get the better of me, I thought you were being nosy, trying to dig into my past…”

Mariah found her tongue again,

“How could you possibly think that Ray! I would never do that if I felt it would upset you, you didn’t even give me a chance to know that, you just walked off!”

“I know, I know, I was an idiot. I hurt you, something I would never do deliberately but when you started talking about our childhood, I couldn’t stand it. I didn’t have such a happy childhood as you would think Mariah.  My mother became very sick after a long, particularly hard winter. She died two months later. I was seven. When you started talking about it, it just brought it all back. Mom on her bed, slowly slipping away and there was nothing I, my father or the doctors could do about it. Then the funeral. And after. I couldn’t take it Mariah, and I know it’s no excuse for the way I acted, but maybe it will help you understand, and I hope, forgive me.”

Mariah sat there, then, lifting her gaze, she found herself gazing into those striking amber eyes, shining honesty and sincerity. But it was not over, she needed to know how he felt about her…

 

Ray watched anxiously, heart beating fast and hard against his chest. Then Kai’s words came back to him,

“It’s obvious you love her, and the longer you deny it, he harder it will be…It was you denying it in the first place that made you lose her…”

“Mariah?”

“Mmm?”

“I don’t know how to tell you this… I only realized it when the thought that I might lose you struck me, and even then, not straight away…”

“Ray, you’re babbling…”

“I know, it’s just… I … Why is it so difficult?”

“Ray?” Mariah held her breath. She hardly dared to breathe.

“Mariah, I… I think I’ve fallen in love with you…”

Mariah got up quickly.

“I mean, I don’t think, I know. It’s just its so confusing. It’s so new to me. I dared not think about it at first but this feeling grew until I knew I could not deny it any longer…”

Mariah touched her finger to his lips, silencing him. Then, slowly, she got on her toes and Ray leaned his head down slowly as their lips touched. Slowly, Ray’s hands moved down to her waist and wrapped his arms around it and Mariah’s arms found his neck and wrapped her arms around it. They stood, kissing, slowly, tenderly, arms wrapped around each other as though they would never let go.

Mariah could scarcely believe it. She had waited such a long time for this moment, and now it happened, it was perfect. He was so gentle, so loving, but she needed to know…

“Ray?” she said, breaking off.

“Yes?” he replied softly.

“Do you really mean what you said? About you loving me?”

“Yes. Mariah, you’re so special to me. You’re the biggest part of me, and I would never, ever try to hurt you. Remember, that whatever happens, my feelings for you would never change, not until the end of time. I love you more than anything or anyone. Now I’ve got you, I’ll never let you go.”

“Oh, Ray!” she said and threw her arms around him, kissing him again. There followed loud cheering, causing them to break away. Tyson, Max, Kenny, Lee, Gary and Kevin were all running towards them, with a thoroughly embarrassed looking Kai bringing up the rear.

 

“Way to go Ray!”

“You’re a lucky dude!”

“It was sooo cute the way you told her you love her!”

“Sorry Ray, I tried to stop them but they just had to see you.”

“You better take care of my sister Ray, or you’re for it.”

“You finally got through to him then Mariah!”

“Took long enough, then again you were always slow on the uptake, Ray!”

 

Both Mariah and Ray looked very bemused, until they realized what happened and then both blushed furiously.

“You mean you guys were watching all along?!” said Ray.

“You bet, it was like watching a film. Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Said Tyson.

“Idiots,” said Ray, but fondly.

“Just remember Ray, do anything to hurt my baby sister and I’ll kill you and make it look like an accident!” said Lee, trying to look fierce but unable to hide a smile.

“LEE!” Laughed Mariah.

“It’s my duty as your older brother, Mariah!” said Lee, puffing out his chest.

Laughing and chatting, they made their way back to the ballroom, with Ray and Mariah holding hands, and smiling at one another.  They were together at last, never to be parted again. Above them stars twinkled and the full moon shone a silver light, but this beauty was wasted on them, they were content just to be together and in the company of their closest friends.

 

The End

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