The Trials Of Love And Life

I do not own Beyblade of any of it’s characters. Any side character belongs solely to me and will not be touched or used by another.

Summary: Review to chapter 1.

Writing Style: Review to chapter1.

A/N: LALALA.... I’m having so much fun!

**~**~**~**~**~**


Chapter 9.


“So?”

“ ... ”

“Will it work?”

“I’m not sure.”

“I’m not going to win, am I?”

“It doesn’t look good, but I won’t let him win this case.”

“Kai?”

“Hm?”

“Give up, it’s already lost.”

Tala slumped onto the couch beside him, his head falling back onto the warm cushions. He closed his ice blue eyes and sighed, letting the sleepiness that was draining him take over. They had been at it for more than eight hours and found nothing that would help Tala’s case. Kai had already downed two jugs of coffee by himself and was looking terrible; his usually good looks much older and strained.

“I should be getting home,” Tala whispered.

Kai looked over at him, seeing how tired his friend was and shook his head saying, “no, stay here tonight. You’re to tired to be driving and I’m not risking you running off the road.”

“I’ll be fine,” Tala protested.

“No, Tal,” Kai said seriously. “Sleep in my room. I’ll stay up and see what I can find. There has to be something in here to help you.”

“That bastard sure has us running in circles, doesn’t he,” muttered Tala darkly.

“I’m not going to let some punk ass kid throw you in prison,” Kai said monotony.

Tala nodded his head and sat forward again, getting to his feet. He stretched, his long wrinkled white dress shirt sliding from under his black pants and hanging loosely over his thin form. Kai couldn’t help but noticing how much thinner Tala was. He didn’t look healthy at all and was barely eating since the whole case had come out against him.

“Want anything to drink?” Tala asked, yawning heavily. “Some m-m-more coffee?”

“No, a shot of schnapps will do, though,” Kai said, picking up yet another book from the hundreds piled around the room.

“Sure,” Tala muttered, walking toward the kitchen.

Kai turned page after page, reading to the best of his abilities as his eyes blurred in and out of focus. He shook his head and rubbed his eyes with the back of his hands., riding them of the heavy sleep. They had classes to attend in the morning as well, but they also had the case to focus on, and Kai wasn’t going to allow Tala and his trial go down the drain.

A shot glass was prodded under his nose and he looked up, Tala holding the bottle of Schnapps, his own shot glass in hand. He placed the large bottle down and raised his class with a fake smile, Kai raising his own in unison.

“To the bastard who sued me. May he rot in hell,” Tala announced.

“Here here,” Kai said as they clinked their glass together and downed their shots.

Tala flopped onto the couch beside him and wiped his mouth, picking up one of the many books they still hadn’t read. His blue eyes flickered to the grandfather clock on the wall and watched the large chiming hand tick back and forth, reading as each minute went by.

2:45 am...

2:59 am...

3:15 am...

At 3:45, Tala had finally dozed off, leaning against Kai, eyes closed and looking very peaceful. Sighing, Kai lifted the lithe man into his arms and carried him to his bedroom and depositing him on the bed. He pulled the covers back and drew them up to Tala’s shoulders, watching as the redhead buried himself deep into the warmth of the sheets, his head resting reverently against the soft pillows.

Kai retreated back to the solitude of his living room, picking up the books they had read and depositing them back onto the bookshelves in his study. His eyes traveled along the bare shelves and stopped on a brown leather bound book he hadn’t noticed before, it’s cover old and rustic looking. He pulled it from the shelf and sat in the high-backed leather chair behind his oak framed desk.

He turned to the first page and read the scrawl on the inside cover. His eyes widened as he read it, knowing this penmanship very well.

It was his sisters.

‘Kai, I’m sorry I never told you, but I had to protect you some how. I would not, could not, allow him to touch you the way he did me. You mean to much to me baby brother, and I would never allow him to hurt you.

‘You have grown up so much, and I am very proud. This book was mother and fathers, Kai, and I am giving it to you out of my own Will. When in times of need, open these pages and reminisce on the past the present and the future. I will always be with you Kai, and be guiding you through those days. I love you little brother. Never forget me. Mavra.’

Kai read and reread and message over a dozen times, his eyes lost to the scroll of his sisters writing. It had always been so beautiful, just like her. He looked from the opened door of his study and into his bedroom beyond, making sure Tala was still asleep in bed. He turned the first page and read through the inscription marking it as his sisters... and now his.

He turned another page... and stopped.

A black and white photo of the two siblings, Mavra at her young age of twelve, Kai at only about five or six. She was holding him in her arms, her head leaning on his, eyes lulled softly at half mast. Her hair was cascading around them in the breeze and Kai, his face innocent and childish, was beaming at the camera, one arm outstretched toward the camera, the other holding tightly to his sisters shoulder.

Back then he was so much more childish and was able to act immature like a five and six year old. But Mavra, Mavra had grown up fast. She had become an adult by the age of eight and never knew the meaning of play. Had Voltaire been violating her at such an age then?

Kai turned the page, unable to look into his sisters young face. He stopped on an old clipping from the paper back when they were young. A shooting. Two people dead. A wife and her husband. Mavra had told him, long ago, that Voltaire had forced her to do it, that she had cried herself to sleep that night and tired to kill herself. When their grandfather had found out he beat her, chained her in the basement and allowed her to bleed until she was forced to be taken to the hospital so close to death that she would have died.

He turned the page again, glaring at the heading of the news clipping and read on. Sliding down the page and onto his lap was a pendant bound on a sterling silver necklace. Kai placed the brown leather book onto his desk and gently picked the small golden pendant up form his lap, turning it over to look deeply into the ruby eyes of a embroidered phoenix, it’s wings spread wide in flight.

A note was scrawled on an old bit of paper that looked badly torn and burnt. Kai picked it up gingerly and read it through, smiling softly at the scroll his sister left.

‘For you, my baby brother. Give it only to the one you feel so deeply for; Someone you will love in life and in death. I give this to you, because I love you in both life and death, and now, you must give it to the one you love also.’

Kai smiled and opened the top most drawer of his desk, pulling out a small wooden box and placing the golden pendant and sterling silver chain inside and snapping the lid shut. He turned another page and fell upon a testimony, an old regime from back when they were younger. Words were circled on this page in red ink and a hastily written note was plastered on the bottom of the page, splotched from what looked like tears obscuring the writing.

Kai read and reread the circled words over and over again, scrunching his eyes as he tried to decipher the clues. His eyes widened with understanding as he reread the message for the twelfth time and dropped the book back onto the his desk.

‘You know what you must do – sacrifice is the only way.’

“Sacrifice is the only way,” Kai whispered, reading aloud. “I know what I have to do for Tala to win...”

*~*~*

“PARTY TONIGHT,” Tyson cheered, punching a hand in the air and jumping around the living room.

“Calm down, Tyson,” Max said, leaning on Miguel as he read one of his child prosecution textbooks.

“Aww, come on, Maxie,” Tyson whined, falling beside him on the couch. “It’s the first one of term. Be excited. I am.”

“We couldn’t tell,” Claud said in a mock tone.

Tyson tossed a pillow at him and flopped onto his boyfriends lap to indulge in a major makeout session while Ray turned to the others.

“So which dorm is hosting it?” he asked, putting down his own prosecutions text.

“I think mine and Claud’s and your guys’,” Miguel said.

“Who’s bringing the keg?’ Max asked politely while turning another page.

“Actually, a girl in my dorm asked me if I’d bring it,” Miguel said. “I think she was trying to come on to me.”

Max looked up from his book for a second time and stared at his boyfriend.

“Shouldn’t she know you’re not exactly straight by now?” Max asked in an ethereal voice.

“I think she’s hoping that if she shows me enough of her breasts I’ll turn straight,” Miguel laughed.

“Not bloody likely,” Max mumbled, the added, “not if I have anything to do about it.”

Miguel kissed his cheek and Ray sighed and sat back into his armchair, looking out the far window into the grounds. Classes were over, everyone was getting pumped for the upcoming party that was starting at eight and the dorms were going mad, people running up and down the halls screaming about sex rooms and blowjob coupons.

“Guys,” Ray said tentatively. “That – um – Michael guy – ”

The others looked at him. Tyson even broke apart from Claud to stare at him, his face going white. They hadn’t mentioned it at all since it happened, and he knew bringing it up might be one of those bad ideas.

“I just wanted to know – he’s not in any of the dorms throwing this thing – is he?” Ray whispered, staring at his feet.

“Unfortunately he is,” Claud growled angrily. “He’s in mine and Miguel’s.”

“Bastard hasn’t been around much lately, though,” Miguel grumbled. “Probably saving his neck knowing we’d kill him if we saw him.”

“Cheers to that one,” Claud said, pulling Tyson nearer.

Max tilted his head to the side as he watched Ray curl deeper into the armchair he was sitting in, lifting his feet from the ground and pulling his knees to his chest. He rested his chin on his knees and sighed, looking at the carpeted floor.

“Ray, is something wrong?” Max asked gently. “I mean, when Michael saw you, you two seemed to know each other.”

Everyone turned to look at him now making him feel every exposed.

“He attacked me,” Ray whispered.

Tyson gaped, Miguel stared and Max’s jaw dropped open. Claud, on the other hand, looked thoughtfully at him and slightly worried.

“I’m sorry about what I said,” he whispered.

Ray looked up at him quickly. “What do you mean?”

“I said since he couldn’t find a freshman to bed he went after Tyson. I was wrong, he did go after a freshman... he went after you,” Claud whispered. “So I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Ray whispered sincerely. “But... that’s why I turned up looking bruised last week. He attacked me and Professor Hiwatari helped me.”

“The bastard should burn in hell,” Tyson whispered.

“I second that one, babe,” Claud agreed.

“I also – um – heard something,” Ray said, looking from Miguel to Claud. “You know Professor Ivanov’s trial – well – he’s the one who sued him.”

“You’re fucking joking,” Miguel gasped. “That fucking bitch.”

“No way,” Claud whispered.

Everyone fell silent, staring either at the ground or at their own hands. Ray looked at his Prosecutions text, reading the title over and over again until he got bored enough to look away and at the ball of fluff stuck to his left sock. He prodded at it with a finger.

“Well, I’m going to go get a few things for the party,” Max said, standing up after a long time. “Anyone wanna come along?”

“I’ve love to, but I need to go talk to Professor Vector about my essay,” Miguel said, also standing up. “I’ll be back at six, alright.”

“Alright.”

Miguel leaned down and kissed Max gently before leaving. The golden haired man turned to the others and rolled his eyes. Ray looked over and saw that Claud and Tyson had redeemed their makeout session, their lips suctioned together. Not wanting to be in the dorm when they decided to have sex on the couch they were sitting on, Ray stood up.

“I’ll come,” he said.

“Alright. Okay, were leaving now... BY GUYS,” he yelled, staring at them and laughing.

Ray laughed as well and the pair of them made their way out of the room, leaving Tyson and Claud to their own. They walked down the stairs and out into the grass where people were running around, screaming about the party, tossing beach balls and hanging banners in the trees.

Max stopped at a jeep and pulled out a set of keys. Ray looked at it for a moment and then at Max. The golden haired blonde didn’t seem like the type to drive a jeep. Especially when it was a hot white blue colour and sported golden flames flickering up the sides and... Ray snorted as he held back his laughter.

“This is yours,” he said, quivering with silent laughs.

“No, it’s Miguel’s,” Max said, glaring at the dashboard. “Dammit, I told him to get rid of this thing.”

Ray got in on the passenger side and stared at the dashboard where a plastic penis sat bobbing on a spring. Max eyed in angrily and started the jeep, the engine roaring explosively to life. The dashboard-dick bounced with the rumbling engine, making Ray laugh at it.

“Who gave it to him? Ray asked with innocent curiosity.

Max gave him a not-to-convincing glare and muttered, “me.”

Ray burst into even more hysteric laughter.

“I WAS DRUNK,” Max defended loudly, glaring at the bobbing penis as they pulled out of the parking lot.

“Yea, yea, okay,” Ray giggled, staring at the dashboard. “If you say so.”

*~*~*(Lemon Scene)*~*~*

Tyson looked up toward the door, smirking to himself and then looked back down at Claud. He smiled mischievously and slid onto the floor between his boyfriends legs, slowly unbuttoning the front clasps of his jeans. Claud watched with half-lidded eyes, his right hand tangling with the navy strands of his boyfriends hair.

Slowly, Tyson slid Claud’s erection from the confines of his pants (having felt it digging vigorously into his inner thigh) and began licking the tip like a lollipop. He looked up, looking in Claud’s eyes as he lapped at the sensitive head. While still watching his boyfriend, Tyson wrapped his mouth around the entire head and sucked it, bobbing his head feverishly at the top, his tongue swirling across the slid and under the rim.

Claud gasped, leaning forward and gripping tightly into Tyson’s hair, allowing his boyfriend the pleasure of teasing him. He gripped the couch with his other hand, his face flushed as Tyson stroked lower, taking in more than half of him until finally he was fully submerged into his boyfriends hot caverns.

Tyson stayed near the base of Claud’s erection, his nose pressed deeply into the soft curls at the bottom, his hands pressed against his boyfriends inner thighs gently. He lapped at the bottom, nuzzling the soft creamy skin and slid slowly back tot he surface. His tongue danced roughly over the tip, gliding across the more sensitive slit and down under the rim of the mushroom-shaped head.

Claud groaned, his fingers scratching against Tyson’s scalp as he arched above his lover, thrusting himself farther into the warmth. He hated the thought that Michael had touched his boyfriend and wanted to erase those marks with marks of his own. His eyes fluttered closed as Tyson descended on him again, taking him deeply, thrusting downward and back up again quickly.

Tyson moaned deeply, his throat vibrating against Claud’s erection, making the elongated appendage twitch and tremble for release. He closed his eyes and slid back down into the soft warmth of curls, his nose touching the cold metal of Claud’s pants zipper. He bobbed back upward again, removing his mouth from the erect shaft and blowing on it. He gripped the base his both hands and licked the tip gently, running his tongue all along the outside.

“T-Tyson,” Claud gasped, tossing back his head. “S-s-stop or I w-wont last.”

Tyson pulled away, looking up at his panting boyfriend. He smiled and leaned forward, crawling up Claud’s body and bringing their faces mere inches from one another. His eyes fluttered as he leaned forward, pressing their lips together softly. Claud pushed Tyson to the couch, his body gliding over top of the smaller mans, his erection digging against Tyson’s blue jeans.

“Claud,” Tyson said huskily.

“I love you so much, Ty,” Claud whispered, brushing a navy blue strand of hair from his face. “I’ll never let him touch you again, I promise.”

Tyson wrapped his arms around Claud’s shoulders, pulling him down against him. He kissed his neck, brushing his hands through his long icy blue hair, pulling the elastic from holding it back and letting the long tresses cascade around them. Claud lifted his head from Tyson’s shoulder and looked deeply at him. They leant together and kissed, soft and warm; tenderly and sweet.

“Let me feel you,” Tyson moaned.

Claud nodded, stripping the rest of his clothes away and pulling Tyson’s clean. He piled them on the coffee table and splayed his body over his boyfriends once again, their naked erections digging intimately together, making them both moan wantonly. Tyson thrust his hips forward, pressing their needs even closer. Claud moaned, his arms trembling as his hips automatically thrust downward to meet Tyson’s thrust.

“I love you, Claud,” Tyson whispered.

Claud pulled Tyson off the couch and leaned him over the edge. He stepped up behind him and positioned himself, leaning his body down over his boyfriends and licking his neck. He latched his lips onto the pulse point and sucked, thrusting his hips forward. Tyson gasped, his arms giving way and collapsed onto the back of the couch. He groaned, pushing his hips backward into Claud’s thrust, meeting him halfway.

“I’m ready,” Tyson panted.

Claud leaned down, stroking Tyson’s outer thigh with one hand whole the other rested splayed across his boyfriends abdomen. He pulled out slowly and rocked back inward, groaning and grunting with every thrust. Tyson whimpered below him, his mouth open slightly, panting and pleading. He rocked back and forth with every thrust, eyes fluttering and cheeks hued a delicate shade of rose pink.

“C-Claud – I – huh – nnnhn – I’m g-going to – nnnhn – uhhhuh – come,” Tyson moaned.

Tyson gasped, arching backward as Claud’s hand squeezed against his erection, the pad of his thumb stroking across the round bulb of his tip. He panted heavily, quivering on the back of the soft as Claud rocked forward again, thrusting deep within his. Their bodies were slick with sweat, beads rolling down their arms and legs.

“CLAUD!”

Tyson arched backward again, his muscles tightening everywhere as he came, his seed spilling into his boyfriend’s waiting palm. Claud grunted, the heat in Tyson’s passage unbearable and thrust forward quickly, his essence spilling into his boyfriend trembling body. He pulled out and they collapsed together on the couch in a tangle of arms and legs. Claud pulled Tyson close, kissing his sweaty forehead and sighed.

“I love you, Tyson. I love you so much,” he whispered.

“Hmm, same to you big guy,” Tyson said smirking, squeezing Claud’s limping erection and making the other gasp. “We should get cleaned up and dressed before the others get back.”

“How right you are,” Claud grumbled. “Shall we shower together?”

“Oh, yes,” Tyson said seductively, getting to his feet and swaying toward the bathroom. “I think we shall shower together and do other things.”

“Such a naughty little mind you have, Mr Granger,” Claud whispered huskily, following his boyfriend into the confines of the bath.

*~*~*

Ray scanned the contents of different alcohols behind the freezer doors, reading off each label, the amount of alcohol in them and their flavour. He found one he knew he’d particularly like and placed it in his basket. Max was not far away, scanning kegs of beer just another row along, deep in concentration. He hummed softly and looked at one label, shook his head, and moved on to the next.

“How many kegs do you plan on getting?” Ray asked after placing a bottle of Bacardi Ice in his basket and moving over to Max.

“Just two,” Max said, looking at a particular brand with interest. “That’s all we need. I think four others in our dorm is brining some as well, so we don’t want to much that we’ll have extra the next day.”

“Understandable,” Ray said serenely. “I’m getting shots. What do you want?”

“Hmm, get me a double shooter and some Vodka, will you?” Max said.

“Sure.”

Ray wandered away, pulling open another door and grabbing two bottles of Vodka and twelve shooters of double shot. He turned back to Max who was now talking with the clerk about the two kegs. He dropped his basket on the counter beside the blonde just as Max finished filling out his order and the time it needed to be delivered.

“Thanks, Ray,” Max said, pulling out what he was buying.

“Total comes to $145.70,” the clerk said in a bored voice.

“I’ll pay for half,” Ray said quickly as Max pulled out the money. “After all, half this is mine anyways.”

“Thank’s, Ray, you’re the best,” Max said cheerfully as they each paid and grabbed their bags.

The pair sat down in Miguel’s jeep, placing their alcohol in the back and sitting down in their respected seats. Ray stared out of the corner of his eye as Max scowled at the bobbing dashboard penis. He couldn’t help but smile at how cute Max looked even when he was looking disgruntled, and it made his smirk.

“Stupid cock,” Max hissed as he pulled out of the parking lot.

“If gives the jeep character,” Ray said mockingly.

“Ha ha,” Max muttered.

“Aw, come on, Max,” Ray laughed, crossing his arms. “Haven’t you maybe taken it to account that Miguel might like it because it – um – ” he cleared his throat “ – reminds him of yours...”

Max swerved the vehicle after that sentence, completely caught off guard. He swerved back as a truck honked loudly at him, the man in the drivers seat brandishing a finger at him and yelling through his closed window. Max turned to Ray as they stopped at a red light, gaping at him. Ray returned his gape with an innocent smile.

“You’ve got to be shitting me,” Max said blankly.

“Um, no,” Ray said, laughing heartily on the inside.

Max looked back at the bobbing penis on the dashboard as a car of girls drove up beside them. Ray and Max both turned to the girls, looking at them as they pointed and laughed at the bobbing plastic cock, each giving them looks of stern yet laughing proclamation. Ray blushed furiously while Max scowled and slammed on the gas, speeding ahead of the group of ogling females.

“See why I don’t like it now,” Max mumbled.

Ray turned to him and laughed, noticing how bright red Max was, making his freckles stand out against his heated skin. Ray smirked all the way back to the University. It was already five-fifty by the time they parked and got out. The ground were darkening swiftly in the coming of October and the leaves were already becoming orange and deep purple.

“How long were we in that Liquor Store?” Ray asked, staring at how dark the ground were and the many lanterns and group of people were already scattered around.

“A couple hours,” Max said, picking out two bags from the back. “We left at three thirty, right?”

“Yea?”

“Yea, I’d say we were there a good two hours and forty minutes,” Max said as Ray picked up the two other bags.

“Wonder if Tyson and Claud got the living room cleaned up?” Max thought laughing.

“Let’s hope so,” Ray said. ‘I don’t want to sit in Tyson come.”

The pair laughed as they walked up the stairs to their dorm room, kicking it with their feet. They were reluctantly greeted by a fully clothed Tyson. He was already dressed the for the party, his long navy hair no longer tied back but stylishly placed around his face. He beamed at them and pulled a bag from Max’s arm, allowing the pair in.

Ray dropped his load onto the table and sat down beside Claud. He actually had to make a double take of the icy haired man beside him. Claud’s hair was always pulled back into a ponytail, no matter the day, but this time, it was down and tossed messily – but very sexily – around his face, brining out his high cheekbones and the prominent definition of his wide dark eyes.

“What’d you get?” He asked, digging into Ray’s two bags.

The two bottle of Vodka, the dozen shots, and the Bacardi’s were placed on the counter. Claud looked through them as the door opened, Miguel walking in, looking slightly disgruntled and flushed from the chilly air outside. He closed the door and Max went to greet him. The pair disappeared into Max’s room as Claud picked up the shots of double shot and looked them over.

“Good choices on the shooters,” he said, placing them back down. “And I love Ice.”

“Max wanted the shooters, so I got enough for the five of us, and I actually – um – drank the other bottle of Ice Vodka a few days ago – so – um – bought another one to cover the damages,” he said, looking over at Tyson.

“Dude, you didn’t have to,” Tyson said, sitting down on the other side of Claud. “It’s not like it was the end of the world.”

“Well, I’d rather repay the favour now than later,” Ray said, pulling out the bottles Max bought and also placing them down. “So when are we opening out door?”

“In two hours,” Tyson said, consoling his watch.

“Right, I’m going to get ready,” Ray said, standing up. “Do we still have enough hot water?”

“Yep,” Tyson said, leaning back in his chair. “Claud and I will get out the glasses for the party.”

Ray escaped into his bedroom, pulling out his clothes he was going to wear (which was practically everything since the didn’t like anything he chose) and finally made his way to the bathroom. He pulled the binding from his hair, allowing the long ebony tresses to flow down his back like in a flourish of dark strands. He stepped under the heated spray, the water draining across his tanned skin and through his silky hair.

After a half hour of shampooing; rinsing, Conditioner; rinsing and shining, he stepped out and wrapped a towel in his hair and around his waist. He made his way to his bedroom, Miguel having joined them but Max’s bedroom door still closed. He unwrapped the towel from his waist and tossed it to the side along with the one in his hair. He crossed the room and picked up his outfit, examining it thoroughly before dressing. He dried and bound his hair in a red ribbon and put on his shoes just a half hour before party time.

Well, I’m as ready as I’ll ever be, Ray thought, giving himself a once over in the body length mirror in his room.

He opened the door just as Max exited his own. They looked at each other and both gaped, staring fixedly on the others outfit. Max look – HOT!

He wore a tight leather pair of pants that flared ever-so-slightly at the bottom an a black tank. A dog choker was around his neck, his nails black and many bangles and cuffs around his wrists and on his upper arms. His hair was tossed wildly almost like Claud’s but shorter and more like he just came out of a strong wind.

Max, on the other hand, was staring at how handsome Ray was looking. He was wearing a traditional Chinese red velvet vest that was tight to his body, giving off many defined muscles and left nothing to the imagination of his well-built arms. His pants were black satin and were light and breeze, his shoes the same traditional wear and black. His hair was bound back in a low tail, wrapped in the usual fashion but in red instead of white. His bangs were parted more to the side and fell across one eyes.

“You look ... hot,” they said in unison.

The other three in the kitchen peered around the corner at the pair. Tyson whistled at them, clapping hard. Claud smirked at Max and Ray, pulling his boyfriend back to get a better look at them. Miguel was smiling seductively at his boyfriend and Ray couldn’t help but notice how he licked his lips wantonly.

Miguel himself, looked way to goo to be true. His light blue outfit and sandy blonde and white blonde hair was styled in it’s usual way, but more tossed and wild, like he was. His sky blue eyes sparkled and his face glowed with brilliance. Ray looked at Max, and Max at Ray. They smiled at one another and walked to the centre of the room together, turning to the other three and bowing to them.

Tyson, Claud and Miguel all whistled at jeered at them, giving out haughty cat calls and growling at them. Ray laughed at leaned over to max to whisper in his ear.

“Do they usually act like this at parties?” he asked.

“No, but they’ve never seen you dressed like you are now and I’ve never worn all black to a party before,” Max whispered back. “Thought I’d try out a different approach.”

“You look good, Max,” Ray said sincerely.

“You too, Ray,” Max said, and they smiled at one another.

“LET THE PARTY – BEGIN,” Tyson yelled.

Outside, fireworks shot into the air and doors slammed open, followed by music from different rooms, over thirsty different songs blaring out at once. The popping and hissing of bottle caps and corks shot into the air as another firework was shot into the air and exploded in a flurry of brilliant colours and sparks.

**~**~**~**~**~**

A/N: Sorry folks, but I had to break this chapter into two parts. It was way... WAY... to long for a single chapter and would have taken hours to read. Hope you don’t mind, but both chapters will be posted the same day. I promise.