RED

Stay

Chapter Four - Stay

T

he interview went well, something so unexpected but I was glad Ryan did not interrupt me about us. I didn’t want to dwell onto those things from now. I revved the engine to life while Ryan took deep breaths, the sound of it so audible it started making my blood boil. Why was he so obnoxious towards me? I never wanted his attention. He should give it to someone else or to his girlfriend perhaps.

          “Hannah,” Ryan spoke, “can you do me a favour?”

          I grimaced. Another favour? I wouldn’t take a favour from him. He was completely wasting my time. Why couldn’t he understand that? Or was he too slow to pick up the connection? I rubbed my temples slowly before I would explode like a bomb. I was keeping my temper at bay.

          “What is it?” I replied in an irritated tone, looking directly at his eyes. He seemed to be looking at me with his melting gaze. I almost looked away but I trained them on him. He gave me a sheepish smile, fiddling with his fingers, contemplating on what to say next. “Well?” I asked impatiently, the minutes ticking, screaming at me I should get going because I was wasting my time.

          “Can you drive me to my girlfriend?” he asked shyly and I couldn’t help but glare at him. A vein popped out in my neck all of a sudden.

          “Am I your personal chauffeur?” I asked sarcastically, a frown painting on my lips. Driving him to the coffee shop was okay but driving him to his girlfriend was another story. He was Hollywood’s biggest star. Why couldn’t he ask his drivers to take him to his girlfriend? He was getting through my nerves, little by little.

          “No,” he answered, “but my girlfriend wants to meet you so badly! She’s actually the biggest fan of your books.” He seemed to be completely honest when he talked about his girlfriend. As much as I wanted to meet his girlfriend, I had other things to do like write the new chapter before I would get a writer’s block.

          “I’m sorry,” I said.

          “What? Why?” he asked pleadingly as if it was the end of the world.

          “I’m busy. Interviewing you was part of the schedule but meeting a fan wasn’t, so I’m sorry if I can’t go.” I started roaring the engine to life. “You should call one of your drivers to come pick you up and meet with your girlfriend.”

          “You don’t understand,” he begged, “She’s really dying to meet you.” I shot him an angry look but he did not recoil. Instead, he took my hand in his. Shots of electricity suddenly ran into my veins. I wanted to smack him there and then but he had a greater power than I did to get my hand away from him. “Please Hannah. She just wants to see you.” He pleaded once more with his puppy look and I looked away, staring at the façade of the café.

          “Ryan, I can’t.” My voice broke at the end. Was it because I was busy? Or was it because I was afraid to see her? Maybe the former was the answer but the latter somewhat made me convinced. I didn’t have any feelings for Ryan but hurt was still splurging inside my chest. I wasn’t ready to face any emotion or anything yet.

          “If that’s your wish, Hannah but I’ll stay here.”

          My eyes widened. What does he mean by staying here? “What?” I asked incredulously.

          “I’ll stay here. I’m not going to my girlfriend until you go,” he replied, a determined look set on his face. He sure was as stubborn as a mule.

          “You’ve got to be kidding me,” I commented, running a hand on my hair frustratingly. Why couldn’t he just let this go, for once? I was getting more pissed as time flew by. “You’re simply wasting my time, Ryan.”

          “And you’re wasting mine, too,” he retorted coolly. Now he had the audacity to tell me I was wasting his time? How dare he?

          “Then stay away from me!” I shouted and he looked at me while I searched for my breath, panting. Having a pointless argument with him was just making me waste my time more. “Whatever, Ryan. I’ll go back to my house whether you like it or not. I sure as hell am not wasting your time. You are.” I hustled my way, droning out Ryan’s annoying voice.

          “Hannah,” dad called, opening the door of my bedroom. He sat at the edge of the bed, his presence ringing me. He cleared his throat to gain my attention and I turned around, raising an eyebrow at him.

          “What is it?” I asked, shutting down my laptop after writing two chapters without any breaks. My mind had been too creative today. He looked at my laptop.

          “You had bags under your eyes,” he remarked and I gave him a questioning glance.

          “Thanks for pointing that out,” I answered, feeling tired after all the words that had flowed out of my brain. “So what brings you here?”

          He straightened himself and said, “It’s about Ryan.”

          “I don’t want to do anything about him,” I immediately replied, my voice going cold. I had an enough dosage of Ryan today. I didn’t want to add it most especially he was ruining my time. He wasn’t worth it.

          “Give him a chance, will you? The guy’s practically begging me to let you meet his girlfriend.” Not that again. My schedule was full and I wasn’t planning to fill in his girlfriend on it. I knew I was being a horrible person but I had things to do and I wanted it to end effectively. Or earlier than the intended submission from the publishing company.

          “No,” I flat out responded, turning on my laptop and started typing another chapter for I didn’t want to lose the idea that had been running inside my head.

          “Hannah, you have to.” It was starting to make me irritated. Why was dad trying so hard to let my and Ryan’s relationship win back? For the past twelve years, he was being contradictory about it.

          “I don’t owe him anything!” I screamed again, anger rushing inside me. Dad shrank a little feeling intimidated a bit by the answer I had just given him. Why couldn’t he understand? I never wanted to do anything with him. I had already done him a great favour and now he wanted me to go to his girlfriend’s house? I was busy and he kept on pushing me.

          “Hannah, please try to think about it,” dad said instead, standing up and leaving the room, closing the door shut.

          “Whatever,” I replied.