Strings Attached (Sequel)

Close to Me

January 21st

Faye Calinao

"Give it back," I said nervously as I tried to reach for the personal note. Doaming Si chuckled as he waited for Geng to finish reading my important words on that piece of paper I once had.

I was packing my violin to meet Ximen when Geng and Doaming Si came into the rehearsal room. Today they were both here to bother me, meaning they weren't feeling generous today.

"Awe," Geng said after reading the letter and handed the paper to Doaming Si. "I knew you had a thing for him. I never thought you'd confess to him." Si chuckled before glaring at me and I nervously averted my eyes to the ground.

"This is pathetic Faye," Si said coldly. "You should be thankful I let you hang around Ximen."

"I knew she was lying to me when Ximen rejected me."

"He's not into you," I said without thinking and I covered my mouth mentally hitting myself for not keeping my thoughts to myself.

I'm screaming as I felt the sudden pulling at my hair and my body was jerked to the side. I quickly reached forward trying to push whoever was yanking my hair. Geng stumbled back and she looked towards me in anger. She was fuming with my response.

Doaming Si made his way over to me and I backed away in fear knowing what he was capable of. My back hit the wall and I shivered as his hand blocked any way from escaping. He stood in front of me with his usual look of annoyance at my presence.

"If I were you, I'd keep your mouth shut from Ximen if you want to keep your friendship. In just a few words I can take Ximen away from you, do you want that?" Doaming Si spoke with authority and I felt my body tremble from fear if I didn't respond quick enough for him.

"I-I w-won't tell h-him. Please don't say anything to him,"I pleaded. Worry and stress washed over me everytime he threatened to somehow end my friendship with Ximen. I heard objects dropping on the floor and I peak past Si's arm blocking my escape to see Geng with my bag. She had the bag inverted and saw a few of my school things falling to the ground.

"Make sure Ximen never finds out or I'll make sure you two are no longer friends." I averted my eyes to the ground as I watched my inhaler hit the floor. "Is that clear to Faye Calinao?" He gripped my uniform and I shut my eyes, beginning to feel panicked. The words he said didn't make any sense to me after coming to realization, I needed my inhaler.

My constricted chest was telling me I needed to relax or I could end up fainting from hyperventilating. Doaming Si smirked down at me with his cold demeanor knowing I was suffering. I felt my legs wobbling under me.

All at once Doaming Si loosened his grip on me and backed away, making me fall forward onto my knees. I let out a small yelp from the sudden fall of catching myself. I heard laughter from Doaming Si and Geng.

"I don't know how Ximen had put up with her on a daily basis," Geng spoke towards Daoming Si and he agreed with her.

"I'm surprised Ximen still wants to be around her," he scoffed and turned towards me and frowned.

"I can't wait until the day he realizes he doesn't need her around." I coughed attempting to recieve air in my lungs feeling panicked.

"Please..." I gasped and tried to point to my inhaler. Geng smirked and dropped my backback and began walking out of the room. "Daoming Si," I pleaded. He scruffed as Geng left the room. He walked over to my inhaler and picked it up to take a look at it.