Burst Finish My Heart: Free de la Hoya x OC | A Beyblade Fanfiction

Chapter 18: Regret

Free offered a sly smile and said, "I thought you hated me."

Ferox was amazed how Free was simultaneously melancholic and shy yet self-assured and smug. Now that she had reciprocated his interest, the golden-haired boy was playing with her, and it left her weak at the knees.

"No, I always admired you," Ferox admitted, resisting the urge to smack Free for teasing her instead of providing an explicit answer. Free's eyes went as large as saucers, and Ferox continued, "The undefeated prodigy. It must become boring when you are that talented, so it is easy to look down your nose at others. Because there is no fun without a challenge."

Free had heard many bladers tell him that they admired him, but it sounded more personal and meaningful when it came from Ferox. It was from human to human, not from fan to celebrity. So Free smiled softly and quipped, "Took you long enough, miss psychologist."

Ferox blushed and said, "Shush, you red-streaked, rubber duck. You have some audacity not immediately accepting the proposition to be my boyfriend after the stunt you just pulled."

Free said, tilting his head to the side, "Boyfriend at your service."

"Finally," Ferox sighed wistfully, and she asked awkwardly, wanting to learn more about him, "Have you ever had experience with a romantic relationship?"

"Never. I've never had my first kiss either," he replied. "Is that a problem?"

Ferox was not surprised by his inexperience, since Free said that she was the only girl he had ever been interested in. "It doesn't bother me," she said.

"Have you had experience?" Free asked quietly.

"Not seriously, but I have had my first kiss," said Ferox, deciding that it was best to be honest.

"Oh," Free said, slightly disappointed. He had liked the idea of being the "first kiss," but he was fine with being the "first boyfriend" and maybe even the only one. "Who was it with?"

"Lui Shirosagi."

Maybe it was the flurry of emotions tonight, but Free failed to remain composed. He thought back to all the times that he had taken down Lui and left the White Dragon Tyrant in a fervent rage. He gazed at Ferox and said, eyes wide, "Lui?"

"I thought it was a joke at the time, but he took it differently. My friendship with him eventually fell apart because he was interested in me, and I was not into him. Without contest, a boy in yellow is my number one," Ferox explained, and she grinned toward the end.

Free nodded, smirked, and said, "I like the sound of 'number one.'"

She nudged him in the side and said, "Free!"

"Say that ten times louder," Free said flatly, "so the whole forest can hear."

Ferox huffed, understanding the sexual undertones of his comment. She was not used to being caught off guard by boys, but Free kept intriguing her. Hoping to fluster him back, Ferox moved her face close to his, and she murmured, "How about we try kissing instead?"

That got Free.

Free's palms started to sweat, his stomach cramped, and his heart pounded as Ferox batted her eyelashes at him. She totally knew what she was doing to him, and Free was all for it. "You want to kiss me?" Free said, stunned yet eager. He felt like such a winner.

"Yeah," Ferox said with a smile. "It's okay if you don't feel comfortable with that right now."

"I want to try," said Free bluntly.

"Tilt your head to the side like this," Ferox said. She chuckled, touching his face with her hand and turning it to the side. Free watched cluelessly as Ferox tilted her head to the other side, closed her eyes, and folded her arms around his neck. Ferox took her time to slip onto his lap and loosely fold her legs around his waist.