Charles had a plan. A plan that would solve all the problems he and Fayth had.
"I can kidnap you and run away. Who the hell does arranged marriages these days anyway? Where is the freedom in love?"
Fayth sighed. "You should listen to what you're saying."
"It makes sense to me."
It's okay. He'd always been a dimwit.
"When are you leaving the Academy?" Fayth asked, blowing away the bangs that were falling in her eyes.
"If I race you and I win, will you let me marry you?"
"One, you know very well I'd win. Two, forcing someone to marry you is even worse than an arranged marriage. Get your head straight."
A group of girls passed them. They said hello to Charles and threw Fayth a dirty look.
"Massage my back." Charles demanded, laying on his stomach.
Fayth growled and massaged his shoulders for him.
Someone ruffled Fayth's hair, and a happy Jessie dropped down and sat next to her. "Hey Rihanna, I haven't seen you in awhile."
Her heart froze.
Her breath hitched in her throat.
Her body became stiff.
And her brain was an empty container filled with fog.
"H–Hi Jessie. How are you?" Why so formal?! Why?!
"How were you yesterday? I didn't get the chance to really see you ever since..."
She smiled, her face heating up at how close they sat, at how he was staring into her eyes, giving her his upmost and definite attention. "Wet." She answered.
"That's an understatement. Lexis was out of line yesterday and I apologize on his behalf."
She shrugged and looked down shyly.
"Where did you go?"
"Just walked around."
"I'm sorry that I couldn't do anything. When it comes to him, I–"
"It's okay. Well, kind of. You defend him a lot more than he deserves."
He was about to argue, but decided that it would be rude and changed his mind.
Charles stood up, staring at Fayth with a confused irritated glare. Then, he silently left.
She did it. Fayth Armstrong actually fell in love.
Fayth looked over at Jessie. "Hey Jessie?"
"Yeah?"
He's not going to eat you. He's not going beat you. Just say it. Say it. "I heard you aren't allowed to date because you're grade president. Doesn't that ever get annoying?"
It was now or never.
He stared into the distance, a deep sigh leaving his lips. He was lost in thought, and after a long dreadful moment, he looked back at Fayth and said, "Being grade president gives me a lot of things I need. The most important thing right now to me is my education, following a consistent path and my character as a leader. Relationships come and go, but I don't really have to take them seriously right now, not until I get my future settled."
A string of sadness wrapped itself around Fayth's heart and squeezed it till it was numb. "Oh."
She looked away, trying her best to hide how much the words hurt her.
His eyes were soft. He looked at her with a smile and punched her lightly in the arm. "Why?"
She looked back into his eyes; lights twinkled inside of them as he smiled at her warmly.
Why? Why indeed. How do I tell you what I feel when I'm around you without the risk of you feeling awkward and us loosing the comfort we have in-between us now? Its been months, and even though I barely had the guts to speak to you regularly, even though I barely make it out breathing every morning when I have to open the curtain that exposes your side of the room, I still feel like I'm the best me with you. I still feel like you are the greatest influence that I could ever possibly have. That you'd be the one thing that I could replace my candy with. Because you? You care. And its effortless care that I've never seen before.
She shrugged. "I was just wondering. I never see you socially active with anyone other than Lexis."
He ruffled her hair again. "If you know my mom, you'd understand why I can never really be romantically involved with anyone. Let's just say I'd rather be dead than actually try and get into a relationship."
It was like two boards with long nails were at once pressed against her heart, sandwiching it into a painful suffocating trap.
No.
She smiled sweetly and looked over at him. "Your mom must really want you to succeed."
Depression.
"It's okay though, she probably wants the best for you."
Suffocated.
"Hopefully it'll get better. And then you'll be able to do whatever you want."
Self-hate.
I must be nuts. Why on earth would he ever consider me?
What if you tell him you're Fayth Armstrong?
Then what, he'll love me back for my family name? For the money? What good would that do?
He stood up, getting ready to leave. "Thanks. Its not happening anytime soon, but a good omen never hurts."
I hate myself. I'm such an idiot. I'm worthless. There are hundreds of better looking girls who are so much more compatible with him than me.
She smiled again and nodded.
He left, waving goodbye and responding to a text.
Her smile dropped. She looked after him, looked after the person that could possibly be the one thing she can easily drop everything in exchange for.
I'm so worthless.
She made her way into the door closest to the kitchen. She knew Anthony would be occupying the piano room, Mandy or Kurt might be in the F.A.I.T.H. wing, the rooftop might have Lexis, and Jessie is the last person she wanted to see right now, so her dorm was out of the question.
It was lunch period. The only most liable vacant room right now would be the kitchen. She needed time alone with herself – to straighten out her thoughts, her sanity, her hollow hole.
What a worthless piece of shit you are.
She made her way to it, having no idea that someone was following closely behind.
YOU ARE READING
F.A.I.T.H.
Romance"I was broken. Nothing, no one could fix me. Until you came into my life again. I wish I had gone with you that day instead of him. Because, now I can't imagine how I spent the previous years of my life without you by my side. You are my savior. You...
