Paired

Paired: Chapter 18

Chapter 18

"When were you assigned the mission?" I asked the blonde boy in front of me.

"Right before my senior year," Ryan answered.

"When did you start the observation of the lab?" I questioned him once again.

"When I took Chayna Parks out."

I swallowed hard. "Where did you take her?"

"Out to eat."

I looked down at my question sheet. It said "ask any other necessary questions."

My hands started to tremble.

"Ryan?" I finally asked him.

"Yes, Chayna?" He said my name so softly.

I knew then I couldn't actually ask Ryan what happened back at the cave. I was afraid to question whether he loved me or not. If it was made up, if it wasn't.

I figured I wouldn't ever see Ryan again after this, so why wait?

"Why did you say you loved me?" I started out, the simpler questions.

"Because it was true," he said without flinching. I paused.

"This isn't the time for lies. Answer truthfully," I demanded of him.

"That is the truth. I wish you could see that." Ryan put his head in between his legs.

"I don't believe you," I told him firmly.

"You did then. What happened?" he asked me, bringing his head up with sad eyes.

"Life happened," I said to him in a harsh tone.

"Really? That's what happened? Not the truth? Not the fact that I used you, played you, and you loved me?"

That really broke me inside.

"People do things in life, Ryan," I started out to him. "They all aren't smart. They all aren't nice, mean or helpful. People get used in this world. Not everyone deserves it, but it happens. I was just one of the unlucky ones."

"You seriously don't get it?" he asked in an annoyed tone.

"Ryan, I could care less. You don't mean that much to me anymore."

A flash of hurt crossed his face, but he hid it quickly.

"Chayna, I am in love with you. I don't see why you don't get that!" he yelled quietly.

"You insult me," I simply stated.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Luckily I can understand what it's like getting your heart broken." he looked at me sympathetically.

"Let's talk about it then," I said. And I was serious. I needed to tell Ryan these things, and I'm sure Ryan had a few things he needed to get off his chest as well.

"You first," Ryan insisted.

"Fine," I said, cracking my knuckles. "You tell me you love me, right? Then I find out your a gang member or whatever. Honestly, that was kind of stupid to me at first." I took a deep breath.

"I then went to go find you some berries after you hurt your leg, and by the way, what ever happened to that? Sorry, off topic," I muttered nervously.

"Anyway, then I get kidnapped. I get brought back here...blah, blah, blah you know the rest. Then I realize you never loved me." another deep breath.

"And that's were we're left," I finished.

Ryan started. "I didn't want to tell you about me. I actually love you, Chayna. This may be my interrogation, but I want you to know I really like you. I love you."

Those three little words can be very sneaky sometimes.

Ryan started up again. "I didn't want you knowing about my past. Every year I was friends with you I feared I would lose you. Anything anyone has ever told you about my pair, was wrong. I had one, I really did. I was scared she'd find out my secret.

"I ran away from her, Chayna. That poor, beautiful girl I ran away from. And the worst part is, it was Cleo."

"What?" I exclaimed, now furious.

"Cleo has a different Pair now, Chayna."

"No, she would've told me."

"It was me. I wasn't ready for her. I still loved you. I thought it would fade, but it didn't. I've always loved you."

"Didn't you try to change your mission?" I asked him, weary.

"Yea, they told me I was dead meat if I backed out."

"Oh," was simply all that I said.

Ryan James was a completely different story.