Attached Strings √

Chapter 19

A/N: That's Chloe and Amber over there.

Chloe's POV

Weeks had passed and I had yet to hear from Amber. She called me on the day after her episode and told me that she was going away. Apparently, she and her parents decided to leave because Amber could not handle the shame and the embarrassment. I tried to talk her out of it but she had clearly made up her mind. Call me a bad friend but a part of me was glad that she decided to leave. I mean, what kind of best friend would actually hit on her own best friend's boyfriend?

Chloe, you don't have a boyfriend.

Did I just say 'boyfriend'? No, what I meant to say was boy friend. You know, a friend that is a boy. Yes, that's what I meant. I definitely don't have a boyfriend.

So why did you feel threatened by her?

If I knew how to shut that tiny voice inside my head, now would be the perfect time to put that knowledge into good use.

I was currently sitting under a tree at school, thinking about my whole life. I was thinking of how I kept losing the ones close to me. First it was my father, then my mother and now it was Amber. I felt like God had turned His back on me. Although she was not dead and there might be a chance for us to meet again, it still felt like I had lost her. Was I destined to be alone? Why would God take away the only people I felt safe around? I started to think of how I would always vent to my mother about anything and everything. My parents would really support me right now.

"Hey," I heard a voice say before I was engulfed into a warm hug. The person had tiny arms and hair that smelt like lemon. "It's okay, Chloe." I knew who that voice belonged to. It was Tina's.

Ever since Amber left, Tina had been sitting with me in class and the best thing was that we did the same subjects. That had helped us to develop a solid friendship and she was always so kind. I knew Tina could never replace Amber and I didn't want her to but she was a really good person and I was happy with that.

So I guess God still had my back afterall.

I hadn't realised I was crying before Tina wiped a tear from my cheek. She was standing beside me when she said: "You're not alone, Chloe. I'm your friend, okay." I stood up and gave her a hug with my right arm. I lay my head on her shoulder and smiled.

"So tell me, what are your plans for the holidays?" Tina asked a few moments later. The summer break was approaching and I was clueless as to how I would spend it. "I don't know yet," I confessed. "Chloe, are you serious? Today is Thursday and tomorrow is our last day here at school before the break starts and you still don't know what you're going to do over the holidays?" she asked and I replied with "Yeah?" She gave me an are-you-shitting-me look.

"Tina, I have no family left, no one," I explained, "I only have you and Paul." I ignored the smile that crept on my face at the thought of Paul and I could only hope that Tina hadn't seen it because if she had, I would never hear the end of it. "Oh. Well, I don't have any plans made either so I guess I'll be staying here with you." I thanked my lucky stars that Tina hadn't noticed the small smi-

"Or maybe Paul has something planned for you guys," she said with a huge grin.

Shit.

"Don't be ridiculous, Tina. Paul would never make plans for us. I'm sure he'll be spending the summer break with his family. Why would he even make plans for us? It's not like I'm his girlfriend or anything."

"But you want to be," she said while wriggling her eyebrows. My cheeks turned crimson. I was blushing. I shook my head no. I didn't trust my mouth at that point. We stayed under the tree for about fifteen more minutes and decided to go. Tina offered me a ride home and I gladly accepted. I texted Paul to tell him that I would be leaving with Tina.

Later that day, I was lying on the couch when I heard the doorbell. Very slowly, I stood up and I was greeted by a tall man who, I assumed, was in his late thirties. "Delivery for a Miss Chloe Jones," he said as he handed me an envelope. I took it and he gave me a paper to sign on. "Thank you," I told him and he walked away. Closing the door and sitting down on the couch, I decided to open the 'Delivery for a Miss Chloe Jones' and find out what it entailed.

It was a letter and it read:

Dear Ms. Jones,

I am writing this letter in response to the application letter that you had sent me to apply for the program and use its benefits to cover your educational expenses.

We have considered your request for scholarship and we are very sorry to inform you that we award a scholarship to only 30 candidates each year for which there is an eligibility test in which 250 candidates can apply. Unfortunately, all the exam forms have already been filled and we regret to tell you that there is nothing we can do now to award you the scholarship this year.

The best advice we can give you is to apply next year for the program and fill the exam form on time.

Thanking you
Sincerely
Lillian B. Weston

I could not believe it but there it was, in black and white. I didn't get the scholarship.

It's official, I thought, I am never going to further my education and my dream of becoming a charted accountant will forever be... a dream.

Once the reality of the matter had settled in, I cried my eyes out. I was no nerd but I worked really hard when it came to my academics. I knew what was at stake and that was what drove me to study hard. Knowing that all the hard work that I had put in and the devotion to my studies was for nothing broke my heart. I applied for that program because I was certain that I would get the scholarship. I met all the requirements and that was why I relaxed and didn't apply in other companies. I hadn't filled the exam form on time and it takes no Einstein to know that I couldn't apply at any other place now because it was too late.

Paul's POV

I walked in and found Chloe sitting on the couch. Her knees were under her chin, her arms wrapped tightly around her legs and she stared distantly at the wall. Tears were streaming down her cheeks but no sound came out of her mouth.

I sat next to her and asked: "Wanna talk about it?" My voice sounded foreign to me. It was so low and... caring. She gave me a letter and, after reading it, I didn't know what to say. I got tongue-tied. I was just about to tell her that it was okay but then I realised that being rejected by a scholarship program - one that you really needed - was not okay and I swallowed my words.

Almost immediately, a brilliant idea attacked my mind and I knew just how to end her sorrow. All she had to do was agree and everything would go smoothly for the both of us. I was scared of how she would take it and I thought of procrastinating but I decided against it.

It was now or never.

Remember when I said I would come up with a plan to help Chloe financially after eavesdropping on her conversation with Amber? Well I did come up with it and now was the perfect opportunity to put it into action.

"Chloe," I began, "I think there's still a chance for you to go to college." She looked up at me and her eyes held so many negative emotions. She was angry, disappointed, sad and broken but, fortunately, my words managed to bring one more thing to her eyes and that was hope. "What? What is it?" she asked and her voice was so hoarse from crying.

"Chloe, I want to make you an offer."

A/N: The offer - finally! What do you think Paul has in mind?
About the 2 people I promised you - no, it was not Tina and the delivery guy.
Stay tuned to see the contents of the offer.

-Nikita