Riley and the Boxers | ✔️

Thirty-One

T H I R T Y – O N E

"You're so stupid."

I gasped, blinking due to the unexpected statement. "I'm sorry, what?"

Chance scoffed. "I said you're so stup—"

Wow, he is truly a jerk! "Seriously?!" I waved my hands frantically in the air. "What did I do?!"

He stood up, looking down at me with a stubborn facial expression. "Um, because you told me this now! If you had told me earlier, we could've made an epic plan to keep you here by now."

"Well for your information," I snapped back through gritted teeth, fiddling with the grass as I stared right back into his soul. "I only found out three days ago!"

The grim look on his face immediately dropped. "Oh."

"Yeah." I sighed/whispered.

Slowly, he sat back down, this time with a sad look. "Crap."

"I know."

Suddenly he twisted towards me with a smirk. "Wanna run away with me?"

I considered the question. If I ran away with Chance, where would we go? I had no money and Chance had all his money and possessions taken away from him. It wouldn't do us both good in the long run and we were still school students. Besides, Chance had a throne to retrieve and the future of becoming the no. 1 boxing enterprise's CEO! Why would I want to jeopardise that?

Although running away with Chance sounded so inducing, reality is that doing so will be much harder than we'd anticipate. This isn't some sappy romantic love story where running away will be the happily ever after. Nope, it will actually be the happily never-after!

Not wanting to hear Chance's protest in fright that he might've made me change my mind, I shook my head firmly and lied. "Sorry Chance, but I think I want to live with my grandparents."

He furrowed his brows in confusion. "Even though they abandoned your parents?"

My eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed when realisation sunk in. I cursed under my breath, murmuring to myself, "Wow, I really do blabber in my sleep..."

Chance chuckled, "Yup."

I shook my head. "Still. I'm sure they had a good reason anyway..."

Lies. They didn't, and I'm never going to forgive them about it either. There is nothing good about abandoning and disowning your daughter (my mum) just because she wanted to marry the man she loves. It's just messed up.

However, I have to pretend that I did forgive them so that Chance wouldn't want to run away with me. Like I said, he had a bright and brilliant future ahead of him, so why would I want to ruin that?

He furrowed his eyebrows. "Do you want to leave?"

I scoffed. "Heck no!" A moment after I realised what I just blurted out, I laughed nervously. "I mean, I'm going to miss you all, a heck of a lot! But I think it's best that I leave. I mean, I'm not even supposed to be here, on an illegal level! This is a male's boxing institute and the fact that I have to dress up as a boy just to live here doesn't feel very good."

That one was half true, half false. True that it didn't feel very good fooling everyone to think that I'm a boy, but I really didn't want to leave. Like I had said before, Elva's mansion felt like home, and if I had the choice I would honestly stay there for the rest of my life.

"Riley." Chance sternly said in a low tone, causing my eyes to immediately lift up to his. "Whether you're a boy or not doesn't matter, you belong in our home. You're like family to us — well, obviously not me, but everyone else. Sure, they'd be mad when they find out but I know they won't be mad for long. Trust me, they love you too much."

Awww, I guess he's not 100% jerk after all.

I smiled slightly, biting my lip as I slowly and temptingly ask the following question. "And what about you?"

He leaned towards me with a sweet and charming smile before declaring in his deep-whisper voice, "I hate your guts."

"Awww that's so—Huh?"

I take that back. He's a pure jerk, made by the finest and jerkiest ingredients!

He roared with mischievous laughter, clutching his stomach and wiping his tears and all. I, in return, just stared back with my not-so-amused face and my broken heart.

"Whatever, let's go home now." I muttered angrily, getting up and stomping up the hill. He didn't even say he was kidding!

"Wait! I'm just kidding!" He exclaimed—well, tried to exclaim through his undying laughter. Okay now he did, but still! Though I don't what exactly is still, but still!

I rolled my eyes and continued to walk ahead, not even bothering to look back. My cheeks were also burning hot red, due to the fact that I actually thought he was going to say that he loved me a few moments ago.

Once again and forevermore, I want to face-palm myself ever so badly. Really Riley? You guys have hardly even been together for a week!

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It was night time when we finally arrived back home, which was good for me because that meant that the whole house was asleep and Chance and I could peacefully tip-toe into our room.

... Or so I thought.

But halfway passing through the wide, doorless entrance of the living room, the living room lights flicked open and everyone jumped out, screaming "SURPRISE!"

My mouth formed an 'O' shape as we stared back at everyone with big eyes, completely frozen in place.

All six boys, Elva and John stood there with big grins and various party adornments in her hands. The couches had been removed and replaced with tables filled with food, glorious food!

But the thing that stood out the most was the huge banner on the wall that said, "GOODBYE CHANCE! 'Congrats & we're going to miss you man!'"

Goodbye... CHANCE?!

"WHAT?!" I shouted with a heart that was about to leap out of my chest.

Unfortunately for me, that was a very bad move.

The next thing I knew, all eyes were on me as if they all just noticed me and simultaneously, all six boys' jaws dropped.

Oh snap.

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Heyyooo my lovely readers!!

So sorry for the three-week wait! I'm sure everyone who have been reading for a long time isn't new to my random disappearances and excuses, so I'll save that for another day hahahaha how about that? Lets just say, IM BACK BABY!!

And hopefully I'll be more quicker with my updates too. I really want to finish this book and the end is near as well, so I'll be sure to be more chop-chop from now on! ((:

Thank you all for the endless support! It means the universe to me & it is so overwhelming to see not a single negative comment! Have I ever said that I love you guys? Cus I really do!! :3 <3333

LOVE,
-    YUMNA xx