Title: The International Boys School for Excellence

Beta: Mabel Stanley

Rating: T-M

Fandom: Beyblade

Warnings: Slash.

On with the action!

I think life has taken a cruel and unusual turn for the worst. I would ask what made god hate me so much but I more of a Buddhist so that doesn't really work. But nothing else could explain the absolute slip in the divine balance of things. Nothing I could have possible done in a past life deserves this kind of punishment. I could have seriously murdered hundreds of people in really gross ways and still been able to apply for compensation. The punishment's too harsh god, I demand you compensate the absolute torture you dispensed upon me unduly. I'd probably just get a bolt of lightning in the backside for my efforts, but the claim is there.

You may be wondering what could possibly be so bad, well I'll tell you. Jack Davenport. I have to share not only a bathroom with him, but a carpet, floor and 4 out of 4 walls. Yes a room. Turns out, that despite IBSE being the richest school in the Southern Hemisphere, they're too cheap to erect a couple more walls and thus we all have to share a room. The room is honestly big enough to make two separate rooms, but no. I bet you they have some weird reason for making us room: 'It's to build character,' I'll tell you what needs building! A wall! In between me and Jack. Preferably several.

As it is, he's locked himself in the bathroom and is straightening his hair. As it is, it's ten o'clock at night and he'll just have to redo it in the morning, but whatever. I'm reading Romeo and Juliet because it's on the English curriculum this year. Why they want to study Romeo and Juliet at an all boy's school I'll never know. But Jack's been in the bathroom for ages and I want a shower so, maybe it's time I tried to get him out.

'Going emo now are we, Jack?' I call out, eyes never straying from my book. Honestly Romeo and Juliet were not in love. They were in lust no matter how you look at it. I can hear the straightener being slammed down on the vanity and Jack makes a high-pitched cross between a whine and a snort.

'Hoh! Never! They just have cool hairstyles,' my ass

'Emo, admit it,'

'You sound hot when you say emo. Say it again,' I choose not to dignify that with an answer. In any case, Jack finished up quickly after that. I think he took insult to the emo thing. It's really funny that emo has become an adjective. It's just such a big trend and people get so insulted when you call them emo sometimes. Makes me laugh.

I have to be extra careful to lock the door after me when I get ready to shower. And I make double sure to have all the clothes I'll need. My aunt decorates anything she can get her hands on and when I lived in Hong Kong I got into the habit of sleeping shirtless. But that's going to have to change quick smart now that I'm rooming with Jack. Luckily my aunt snuck in nice long-sleeved pair of pj's. Only because she particularly liked the design she'd stitched onto the sleeves. That and it's a size or two too big and she insists I'm adorable in it. This worries me, because I have to wear it front of Jack.

I suddenly get the feeling I'm being watched just as I go to pull my shirt off. Deciding that being overcautious was better than letting Jack have a peek I stuff a towel under the door so you can't see underneath and throw another over the door knob, so he can't see through the keyhole. I can hear curses and then retreating footsteps. Feeling satisfied, I continue undressing.

So, Mr. Tate explained the boarding system when we got in last night. It's really bizarre to say the least. Turns out things are getting stolen around the school and they've figured it's someone from inside (don't ask me how). So the rooms have a lock-down system which made sleeping in the same room as Jack last night really disconcerting. At 9:30 sharp the rooms all lock themselves and if you're not in, the boarding staff hunts you down and you get a week's detention or something. Scary, huh? Anyway, this got me a little panicked. I mean who wants to be locked into a room until the lock lifts at 6. There are a million things that could go wrong Mr. Tate insists that the lock lifts in any case of emergency, but what about the dangers within huh? What are they going to do about that? So it has now become a life and death situation. I have to get out of this room by tonight. My virginity is at stake!

Its 5:59 now so I just have to get changed and then get the hell outta here. School doesn't actually start until Monday and it's Friday today, so I have a couple of days to get a uniform and head into the city to get my stationary stuff. How I'm going to do that is the question though. I need to make friends with someone and con the poor sucker into taking my direction retarded self. Luckily Mr. Tate gave us an information packet last night which has a map of the school. And let me tell you it's the most bizarre map I have ever seen, and I travel a lot.

Even home-schooled little old me has seen the movie Mean Girls. Mainly because my aunt rented out all these teen high school movies, which all turned out to be chick-flicks, to 'prepare me for real high school'. I don't think they did somehow. It seems 'The Leonardo Da Vinci Fan Club' has seen the movie to because they've made the map of the school based around the one in the movie. The map is littered with all the little haunts for the different clicks and the dining hall is a mess of artistically etched tables with names splashed across in a really cool gothic calligraphy. I lied when I said I didn't know why I was here. I'm here on a creative arts scholarship, the second one they've ever given out at this school. And I'm pretty damn proud of myself to. That and Mr. Dickenson said that I was originally lined up for a sporting scholarship. This meant I would have had to have been on at least one team or sport every term. This would have sucked.

As it is, judging from the look of this map, as a relative newbie I want to be sitting at the table proclaimed: miscellaneous. What a cool click. I can only guess but according to the side notes the miscellaneous are just the people's everyone likes. But they don't dress in a particular way, which kind of describes me. I'm just wearing a pair of black jeans and a black bonds top and some thongs. I love thongs. If you walk down the dorm hall there is at least two pairs of thongs outside every room. I think it's an Australian thing. Who knows?

The dining hall is like nothing I have seen in my life. It is huge and according to the Leonardo Fan Club's map informal assembly is held here on Monday mornings as well. There are twelve massive, long oak tables with high backed oak chairs to match. It's cool in the room, because it's already starting to get hot outside. 6:00 in the morning and its already hot. I'm going to melt by 12:00. What's really nice though is that the serving ladies aren't slimy, greasy, old or toothless in anyway. There all pleasant young ladies which surprises me. These women must get hit on hundreds of times a day working at an all boys high school. Seeing as the eggs look like jelly to me, I think I'm going to have fruit this morning and watch anyone who eats those eggs intently for food poisoning. Then I might try some.

Add to that, my tummy's doing little flip-flops of nervousness, I think fruit is all I'm going to manage this morning. The dining hall is completely empty bar the serving ladies so I'm left to my depressing thoughts and the shreddage of my rock melon slice until a blonde boy around my age stumbles into the room. Did you know you can peel rock melon away layer by layer? I thought that was really interesting.

'Hey! You must be new. My name's Max!' you know how I blink when I'm confused. I'm blinking. Do people usually just randomly start talking to new people? I have no idea.

'Um, yeah. Hey. I'm Rei Kon,' we shake hands and he grins at me. For lack of better words, he's so cute! Like those little golden puppy's in the pet shop.

'So that makes you Chinese right? It's really hard to pick cause you look like an exotic Caucasian. It's cool,' Max grins at me. Such a puppy. I want to pat him

'My dad's Russian and my mom's from a village in China so she looks a little different again. I take mostly after dad except my coloring and height,' actually there's this really interesting story behind that. My dad was a doctor who was traveling through China picking up herbal techniques when he met mom and wham! They fell in love, got married, had me…and died tragically. It gives me a perverse sort of kick when I'm feeling in a bitter mood.

Max is suddenly smiling at me funnily. I wonder what that means. I need to get a dictionary for body language and expressions I think. I'm not used to other teenagers. Guh.

'You'll fit in just fine Rei,' huh? Weird much? But then maybe he's trying to reassure me.

'Sure Max' I'll indulge him. He's just trying to be nice right.

'I'm serious. Sometimes it takes people ages to find a place to fit in. But you'll probably find it easy,' I raise an eyebrow at him.

'And why is that?' Max smirks at me and it's really scary. Bad puppy.

'Because you're pretty!' The dining hall is beginning to fill by now, and I try to ignore the curious looks I'm getting.

'I'm what?' Max sighs grabbing my shoulder and directing me to the table over from ours, pointing towards the other end.

'See the red head,' Rei nodded. He was pale and slim with bright red hair and startling pale blue-green eyes. Rather pretty.

'His name is Tala Ivanov. He's friends with everyone. Has been since he started here in grade seven. And there's Brooklyn, he's prefect this year and he's got this really creepy stare but everyone adores him. And Miguel who is also a prefect. What do they have in common?' Okay I can see them both on the same table as Tala. Brooklyn has red hair same as Tala only his is more orange. He has green eyes and was clothed completely in white. Quite pretty. And then there's Miguel who has dirty blonde hair, a lean tan and is of medium height, like Brooklyn. Also relatively pretty. I stop a moment to ponder.

'They're all…pretty?' I think I need to point out at this point that I don't see how them being pretty has any relevance.

'Yes, they're all pretty. And popular. We go to an exclusive boys school Rei. Think about it,' I feel really stupid 'cause I don't get. Max sighs. 'Don't worry about it Rei. You've got 2 years to figure it out,' I think I should be insulted.

'Oh, by the way. Is there anyway of swapping dorms with someone or something?' I really really hope that there is an easy simple solution to this.

'No,' Well bugger, 'Well actually there is one way. You know Tala? Well he used to room with Bryan Kuznetsov, who's the deputy head. But they started dating beginning of last year. Anyway, they hid it for ages but the headmaster caught them behind the old drama cottage and they had to change rooms. One of the policies, couples can't room together,' Interesting but that doesn't really help me.

People were calling out greetings to Max left and right and by now I am receiving more than enough looks. Apparently new students are some sort of oddity because everyone is staring. The doors to the dining hall swing open just as I glance over and I am thoroughly bemused to find Jack standing there in all his swishy-haired glory. I resist the urge to role my eyes and then smother the urge to crawl under the table as Jack spots me. It takes all my self control to stop myself from running in the opposite direction when Jack starts striding towards us.

'Here we go,' I mutter to Max, turning my attention to my watermelon and hoping Jack will walk straight past.

'Rei, my love!' no such luck, and can could he have said it any louder. I try to pass through my seat and ignore his presence, but he obviously hadn't learnt to mind read yet because he's still staring at me expectantly. Deciding that the sarcastic approach is best I turn and smile reluctantly.

'You look really nice today Jack. Is that...lip-gloss?' Jack licks his lips exaggeratedly.

'Mmm, strawberry. Want a taste?'

'Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former,' Max quoted, eyeing Jack disdainfully. Jack blustered.

'Well, remember what you said because in a day or two, I will have a witty and blistering retort. You'll be devastated then, I promise!' I feel like laughing, but I know that'd be mean. Jack turns to me, 'Can I talk to you Rei,' Talk away buddy. You already were, 'Alone?' damn 'outside?' oh boy. I sigh.

'Sure Jack,' I stand sending a smile to Max.

'I'm not sure that's such a good idea Rei,' Max looks worried. I feel loved.

'It'll be fine. Thanks anyway,' Max shoots a glare at Jack but nods and turns back to his breakfast. There are only so many things Jack could want to talk about and none of the possible scenarios flashing through my mind sound likely. We stop around the corner of the dining hall and I can see Max watching through the window. He pulls a face and I have to resist the urge to laugh. This, as it turns out, would have been quite disastrous as Jack is falling to one knee before me and taking my hand into his. Let's say it together: What the?

'Rei,' Jack paused a slipped a piece or lined exercise paper out of his pocket. Clearing his throat he read from it earnestly 'I feel the only way to say what I want to say is by quoting my favorite song. I did my best, it wasn't much, I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch,' …I'm blinking again, was that supposed to be romantic? 'What I'm trying to say is: it would make me so happy if you would be my boyfriend. Please?' Now how to answer this…: NO!

'That would be nice Jack,' wait what? Was that my mouth? Did I just say that? But alas, it is for the best.

'There will be a lunch on Sunday afternoon. It's tradition for the prefects to welcome the new students to the New Year and for each of them to become a guide for one of the new students. You can ask your assigned prefect any question you like and he will be the one to introduce you to anything new going on around you. Now, I think that should be all. Any questions from either of you?' Mr. Dickenson, the principal, is a surprisingly nice guy. Considering he practically forced me to come and all. To reiterate me and Jack are having a meet and greet with the principal. And I have suffered the last 3 hours holding hands with Jack. Because he thinks I'm the love of his life. Oh, the irony. But this is where my plans all come to fruition.

'I heard there was a rule concerning couples and dormitories, but I didn't exactly get the details? Could you clear that up for me Mr. Dickenson?' I feel horrible using a person in this way, I really do, but I value my virginity above most things. Mr. Dickenson smiles accommodatingly.

'It would be my pleasure, young Rei. Couples are, of course, not allowed to share a dormitory as that would give the impression that we were sanctioning certain acts and that wouldn't be agreeable at all. Why does this somehow concern you?' Mr. Dickenson's eyes sparkle and I am suddenly of the impression that he knows something he shouldn't. He'll have to be murdered…sorry, got a little carried away. Focus Rei!

'Oh, it's just Jack asked me out this morning. I hope it's not a hassle or anything, but I really don't want to be breaking any rules on my fast day here,' I smile charmingly, pretending that Jack doesn't look like he's about to cry.

'Oh no trouble at all, my boy. Well Tala is still partner less after last year, so why don't you just shift your stuff into his room. I'm sure you haven't unpacked too much yet. Tala would be happy to help out as well,'

Rei: 1

Jack: 0

'Thank you so much Mr. Dickenson. Anything you wanted to ask Jack?' Jack sobs into his hankie, 'Nope? Okay, we'll see ya Mr. Dickenson,' I open the door for Jack who lopes blindly down the hall, sobbing hysterically by now.

'Oh and, Rei?' I turn back, smiling 'Next time, just ask for a room swap. You might have been surprised?' curses, foiled. Well when in doubt, deny, deny, deny.

'What are you talking about Mr. D?'

Now all I have to do is move my stuff out and break up with Jack.

A/N: Rei is such a bitch, in' he?

And I'm sorry Kai's still not in this chapter. Blame Mabel. She axed his scene ::points at Mabel:: heh heh. And she can't defend herself either. Regardless I promise we'll see Kai next chapter. And quite a bit of Tala and maybe just a little of Bryan.

I have to say, we had a lot of trouble pulling this chapter together. I kind of lost Rei's character along the way so Mabel's been threatening me with readings of 'Saving Francesca' and the like to get back Rei's edge. Credit for Jacks little speech when he asks Rei out goes to her also; who suggested it in complete jest I'm sure. :grin:

And as for Leondardo Da Vinci's Fan Club. They're bigger in the fic later. And Art club sounded so boring.