Beyblade Fan Fiction ❯ Guilt ❯ Kindness of a stranger ( Chapter 3 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Chapter 3

It took her a few days, for the ride that was arranged for her could only take her so far. When she turned out in France, she decided to stay there for a while. She remembered that her brother always wanted to go to France, to see the famous Eiffel tower, the louvre and all those other tourist attractions. The boy had been smart for his age, and already had the heart of an explorer inside of him. After training, when the control of their emotions was not so heavy, she had laughed at her little brothers facial expressions when he spoke of the distant lands he loved to visit.

She noticed that the police was looking at her disapprovingly and that the local tourists were avoiding her. Her last transport had been a truck full of chickens, and she didn't have the money to buy herself a decent hotel room. She barely had enough to buy some food.

-fuck them; they don't know what I've been through. I just want to enjoy the scenery.-

She was so caught up in her own thoughts that she ran straight into someone.

The police was with them in an instant. They had obviously been watching her like a hawk. They pushed her roughly aside and help the other person up.

“Mister Oliver, are you alright? We're sorry for what happened; we'll take care of this infidel as soon as possible.”

“Of course I'm alright; I have just as much fault as the other person. I was thinking about my new recipe and I wasn't watching where I was going.”

The stranger gave Faith a hand and helped her up.

“Thanks. And I'm sorry for bumping into you like that. Are you ok?”

“Yes yes, I'm fine, just as I said to these policemen. But are you ok miss? You look like you have been through some rough times.”

She smiled a little sheepishly.

“I've been hitch hiking here since Asia. And I've been having some bad luck with my rides. The last one I was in happened to be a chicken truck. Not really what I'd like to call fun transportation.”

“From Asia? Mon dieu that is a long way to travel, even by car.”

She came face to face with the boy. From the looks of it, he wasn't living in poverty and he had an angelic looking face. His hair was green and very well taken care off. In comparison with her, they were like day and night at the moment. There was a slight grumbling of her stomach and she smiled sheepishly for the second time that day.

“Hehe, sorry bout that. I haven't really eaten today.”

“Really? Then come with me, I was just about to go to my favourite restaurant. You are now officially invited as my guest. But…”

He looked at her from head to toe.

“…we might have to get you some fresh clothes first. Come with me.”

And without further notice he took her by the hand and dragged her to one of the famous shopping streets in the whole of Paris. And one of the most expensive. She was looking at him like he was from outer space.

“But, eum… Oliver, I don't have any money, how am I going to pay for any of this?”

“Ne t'inquiÃ¨tes pas, don't worry, this one is on me, for being my dinner guest. A life of fame is often a lonely life.”

Faith was baffled. This guy that she had knocked over a few minutes ago had gotten her away from the police, and now he was treating her like she was a long lost friend. And yet it didn't look like he had anything else in mind. He had too much of a fashion sense to be one of those macho types that wanted to have as many girls as possible in the shortest amount of time.

“Thank you”

“Excuse me?”

“I said thank you, I'm not used to people being this nice to me. My mom always taught me to say thank you when you were grateful, so thank you.”

Oliver smiled. And then he turned back to the clothes rack he was ruffling through in search for some clothing that would compliment the girl to the fullest. He had to admit, they would all look good on her, but it had to be a dress that made heads turn. This shop had a lot of wonderful designs, not one dress looking the same. The chair behind him already piled with clothes for her to fit he let out a satisfied sigh as he finally found what he was looking for.

The dress he showed was a beautiful green with a black pattern around the hem of it continuing to her back and covering most of the material with it. The silky material went down in a crooked line and green jade was stitched with it making it look like one of those old ballroom dresses, but without the heavy volume. The shoulders were a simple band of silk and small linen straps continuing until her elbow, and there it turned into a glove again. It was a special dress, and only few people would look good in it. But then again, he had sensed that this girl was special too. Perhaps they would complement the girl, or the other way around.

“Voila, try these on. I think they're about your size.”

She eyed the pile of clothes warily and already decided that she should just run out the door now before something else happened.

“May I ask you why you would spend a fortune on a perfect stranger?”

“Because you feel like a kind person. When you crashed into me I sensed that there was something more about you than a bum. And I want to get to know you better. Now will you try these things on or are we going to stand here for a few more hours?”

Again she eyed the pile of clothes and the hopeful look in Oliver's eyes. The feeling of trust that he seemed to radiate was making her suspicious. He seemed to sense this.

“Do not worry, I will only be sitting outside and if you would need any help Marianne will gladly help you. And may I inform you that I have a very healthy relationship with my boyfriend?”

Before she even started fitting she spent about 15 minutes hanging back more than 90% of the clothing. When she wanted to hang back the remaining 10 percent he finally protested.

“Non, non, non, put those things down right now. I know what you are going to say, but what is the advantage of being rich if you can't spend it? You need clothes, and I have the money to buy them for you. Let me? Think of it as an early birthday gift”

After a lot of disputing she finally agreed on trying on the clothes that were left. No matter how much she had argued he always had a better answer. She couldn't believe she was accepting this. They spent a lot of time arguing because whenever Faith caught a glimpse of the price tag she got into yet another fit about Oliver being crazy. When she tried on the green dress she found that no price tag was on it. That could only mean one thing: it was really expensive. She got out of the thing quickly and stepped out of the booth seeing the face of the green haired man drop.

“What is the matter? Is it too small?”

“No, I just can't let you do this.”

“Mais Faith, how many times must I tell you that I wish to do this for you?”

“The price of this dress is probably enough to feed a small country. I'm not going to put it on.”

“Yes you will. You don't know the price and I assure you this shop is not that expensive. Try it on, and if you still feel that I cannot do this we'll hang it back. D'accord?”

That moment she realised how tricky Oliver was. The minute she had the dress on she revelled in the feel of it. But she shook those ideas out of her head. No, she couldn't this had to go back on the racks. She came out of the booth, face determined to get it back in the shop. When she got out there could be gasps heard all around her. Necks turned and people were gaping at her. A blush was forming on her cheeks. She didn't like attention. Oliver was approaching her with a massive smile on his face.

“I knew it would suit you. It was made for you; no one else could wear it as good as you. You know, if I wasn't into boys I'd be on you in a second, and I think a lot of boys will agree with me when I say that you look absolutely ravishing. C'mon, let's dance.”

And before she could say another word he was twirling around the room with her. She felt something she hadn't felt in a while. She was happy. Not the kind of happy you get from doing something fun. But the kind of happy that accompanies you when you wake up and only leaves you when you go to bed. She felt like the sun was shining right after rain had passed and rainbows appeared on the horizon.

“So, do you still think it should be hung back on the racks?”

It took her a while to realise that he was talking about. A mischievous glint appeared in Oliver's eyes, but at the moment it was still too small for Faith to notice.

“Yes, Oliver, it's marvellous, but you can't do this. Even if I'd known you all my life I would never let you spend this much. In fact, I won't let you spend anything”

“Oh no, I will hang the dress back, but you are going to go out of this shop with a fresh batch of clothes. I have too much of a heart to keep you looking like a bunch of rags.”

She sighed as he disappeared in the racks again and called for her to pick out a dress herself then. Honestly, the boy just wouldn't take a no for an answer. After long disputing she settled on a very simple black dress, the cheapest of the whole shop if I might add. And before Oliver could try and get her more clothes she left the shop.

Once out she saw a black limo waiting. The driver got out.

“Miss Faith I presume? Mister Oliver told me to come get you and the young master here. But I expected you to have eum, more luggage then that thing on your back. He told me he had taken you … shopping.”

The driver was looking at her backpack with disgust. All right, maybe it did need a wash or two and some patching up, but the way he looked at it, it was like it was nuclear waste. Seeing the girl getting angry he quickly opened the passenger door.

“I suppose mister Oliver will come soon, get inside you miss, a lot warmer inside.”

Oliver got in the car about 10 minutes later, with a very big smile on his face.

“I just had the best idea of my life. What if we don't go the restaurant but just have diner at my home? Since you are so concerned about money it would be a lot cheaper if I just cooked. It will give you a chance to freshen up as well.”

She was suddenly looking at him with a rather pensive look on her face.

“Oliver, how exactly did you get rich? Rich dad? Robbed a bank or two?”

He laughed at the comment. There was something special about this girl indeed. The reason he had offered to go shopping with her was because he had the tiny inkling that she would be around much longer than she let out.

“Well, the fact that my father left me quite a bundle of money has indeed helped me, but the most comes from my beyblading with the Majestics. Those will be the friends you meet by the way; we share the house, a matter of easily locating each other if there is training in order.”

“And your boyfriend is he part of that team too?”

“Helas, he is touring with another team. I only rarely see him when there are tournaments.”

When she noticed the downcast look on Oliver's face she felt a pang of sorrow. It just didn't feel right seeing this boy sad. She was suddenly reminded of the friends she left behind in the convent. But she immediately stopped that train of thought. Thinking about them just hurt too much.

“I heard distance only improves the relationship, at least that's what Mariah kept telling me.”

“Mariah of the White tigers? Do you beyblade too?”

“I used to, but not for the white tigers, I was there for a few years before I left for home.”

“What was your old team then, and where is your homeland?”

“I used to live in Belgium, even though it has been years since I last been there. And my old team was, well, the Demolition Boys.”

She averted her gaze. Her old team didn't really have the reputation of being a bunch of friendly chaps; in fact they were one of the most hated teams in the competition. They were known for playing dirty. A short ah could be heard from where Oliver was sitting. It was obvious that Faith was ashamed of that part of her past, and Oliver would ask no further. After a while he started telling her about his team again. She had heard of them during her first finals. But she never actually met them. They lived in a small country house on the outskirts of Paris. As soon as they both got out of the car, Faiths jaw dropped to the floor.

“So this is what you consider small? You could fit a whole neighbourhood in there.”

She didn't know what was making her so normal; it was nearly as if the green haireds cheeriness was rubbing off on her.

“Hehe, well, this will be your place for as long as you wish to stay here.”

“Huh, but, who what how?”

“No arguing, you are my guest, and I will not let you sleep somewhere out on the streets. Now wait here while I go tell the good news to the rest of them. Enrique's going to be so happy.”

And that's when it struck her. The Majestics had left the Russian tournaments after a rather hefty argument. They had sworn to get back at the whole demolition boys for their dishonourable behaviour. Somehow it seemed that her welcome would not be as warm as she would hope.

As the four of them came out again, Faith tried her best to look determined. But when the red-haired scowled at her, and seeing the purple haired frown at her, her insecurity showed.

“This is the surprise guest you brought? You idiot, don't you know who she is? She is one of those stupid Russians.”

“JHONNY, BE NICE!!! And yes, I know who she is. She's a very smart Belgian. Anyhow, Faith, these are the boys: Robert is the big guy and also our leader, Enrique's the blonde and the Don Juan of the team, or at least, that's what he thinks, and the redhead is Johnny also known as the thickhead.”

A nod, a small kiss on the hand and another scowl was given to her as a greeting.

“When was the last time you took a bath?”

Faith sent Johnny a double hiwatari death glare, she had learned to glare from the best, after all, but it didn't even seem to reach him. Maybe she was doing something wrong.

“Johnny…” Robert gave him a small warning “if you had listened to Oliver you knew that she was here to take one. But tell me how did you get here exactly? The demolition boys didn't seem like the kind of team that was allowed to do anything without punishment.”

“I r… I quit the demolition boys nearly 4 years ago. Let's just say I got tired of people disappearing.”

“Wow, she has a brain, go figure.”

That was it for Faith. She launched herself at Johnny and gave him a hard punch, leaving him with a swollen cheek for the rest of the day. Oliver cried out in shock

“Faith, m'amie, that is not how girls are supposed to behave, and defiantly not guests. But he deserved it so I will let it pass this time. Don't let it happen again, d'accord?”

“Alright, sorry Oliver, but he just got on my nerves.”

Her hand hurt like hell, but she wouldn't let it show. She had learned to hide weakness.

“Don't worry, he gets on everyone's nerves once and a while, it's one of his gifts.”

She looked at Enrique who gave her a warm smile. But much more time to chat she didn't have, because Oliver was already dragging her up the stairs to one of the many rooms in the house.

After she had her very welcome and very comforting bath, Oliver knocked on the bathroom door.

“We'll be expecting you in half an hour Faith; don't show up like a wrinkled prune ok? I've put your dress on the bed. Now I don't wish to hear anything else about it ok? And besides I can't get a refund anyway. And then he left with a chuckle

Faith was out of the bathroom in less than a second, towel half wrapped around her body, but Oliver had already left. Refunds???? What did he mean by that? But when she looked at the bed she saw what it was that he didn't want to hear anything about.

On the bed was the green dress they had argued so long about in the shop. And the walls around her heart melted a little.

A cough was heard near her. Crimson flashed over her cheeks when she realised there was someone else in the room. The girl flashed a smile.

“Hello, I'm Nicole, Oliver sent me here to do your hair, and from what he told me you've been through I think it could use a good fix. But maybe you should get dried and into a bathrobe first.”

When Nicole started working on her hair, Faith realised in what a bad shape it had been. After 4 years it nearly reached her bottom and the one braid she always kept in her hair had gotten tangled. When the hairdresser wanted to cut it all of she just agreed, it was like saying goodbye to your past. When she looked at the result in the mirror she was pleased. Her golden strands of hair were shining again and her blue were back in their full glory. It was now at shoulder length and the braid was back in her hair, untangled this time. The rest of her hair was being put up by Nicole. She seemed to be using at least a thousand pins. When that was finished her mouth hung open again.

“Wow, you are amazing Nicole. You really know your stuff.”

And then the dreading moment came. She had to go downstairs to face the Majestics. That was not what she feared, well, not really feared, hated was more the word she was looking for. What would Johnny remark now?