Paired

Paired : Chapter 21

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Chapter 21

"Shh...it's okay, Chayna. It's okay," Fintan said to me.

And did I even consider listening?

No.

I didn't care.

I sobbed even louder. Purposely making myself higher in volume.

"Chayna, are you....okay?" Ryan's voice rang in my ears.

I stopped crying, sobbing, bawling, or whatever the heck I was doing then, and focused on Ryan's voice.

"Chayna? You okay?" Fintan asked me.

I think...I was mad at everything. I walked away and locked myself in the bathroom for a couple of minutes to calm down.

"Breathe in, breathe out," I kept telling myself, but it just wasn't working.

So then, I started to count.

"1...2...3...4...5...6...7...8..9...10.."

I mentally slapped myself. Who counts to their self when they're frustrated?

The one and only Chayna Parker.

I took a couple more useless deep breaths and walked out of the bathroom, facing everyone.

"So, uh. Sorry."

They looked at me, looked back at Fintan and Ryan, then back and me.

"What?" I asked, now getting annoyed.

Fintan cleared his throat. "We were just kind of...worried because you've been having a hard time lately."

I stared back at him.

"I'm fine!" I screamed. "Really! I AM FINE."

"Okay, calm down. We were just asking," Ryan sarcastically said to me.

"Whatever," I huffed, exiting the room.

Walking into my dad's office, I sat down in his comfy chair, thinking.

"You didn't have to leave, you know," Ryan said, walking in the room.

"Actually, I did."

"No, you didn't, Chayna."

"Did you want me to explode in front of everyone out there? Do you even care?" I yelled at him.

"Of course I do," he said, turning around and looking me in the eye.

"No, you don't," I choked out.

"Really?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

I laughed. He couldn't even go one second being serious.

"Ryan," I said.

"Chayna."

His green eyes bore into mine and I swear he was even more handsome then before. Even though he badly needed a haircut and he wore the clothes he had the day before, he never looked better.

"I'm sorry."

And then he walked away. Again.

I, personally, had enough of this.

"RYAN!" I screamed, tackling him.

"Wha-AH!"

I pinned him down at started to rant about how terrible he was.

"You always walk away! You always give up! You never cared, did you?! If you leave one more time, don't come ba-"

At that point, I was ready to tell him to never come back. Instead, I didn't get that far. I didn't get that far, because Ryan kissed me.

I kissed him back, leaned up, and smacked him straight across the face.

He looked at me with a surprised look on his face.

I looked down and smiled at him. Then, I got up and walked away.

The look on his face! I laughed walking back into the room. I stopped short when I realized who was missing.

My dad, Ryan, Fintan, Lauren and Cleo were here. But where was Chimala?

"Dad?" I asked in a shaky voice.

"Yes, sweetheart?" He looked at me with an concerned expression.

"Where's Chimala?" I questioned, tears brimming my eyes.

He looked at me, then left the room.

I was sick and tired of people walking out on me.

"What happened to her?!"

He turned around and glanced at me, then the floor.

"She didn't make it, Chayna."

Four words. She didn't make it.

Four words, so much pain behind those words.

"How?" I managed to gasp out.

He took a deep breath. "Some publishers were out in public bad-mouthing you, and she stepped in. It got a little rough and a gun was fired to calm some people down. The gun was pointed up, but somehow got knocked down. She was shot. She died in the hospital minutes later. She told me to give you something."

I swallowed the lump in my throat unsuccessfully and asked my dad:

"What was that something?"

He pointed his finger towards a hallway and started to walk down it with me trailing behind him.

We came to a room and there was nothing inside it except a desk.

He reached underneath and pulled a key out, bringing it up to the lock on the drawer and unlocking it.

I walked over and looked in the drawer. There was a white envelope inside. I grabbed it and opened it.

Dear Chayna,

I know that when you read this, I may not be there. I miss and love you so much. I don't understand why you left, but I'm sure you have a good reason for leaving your family.

A pain quickly darted through my chest. I finished reading the note.

I'm prepared to stand up for you, even if it means giving up my own life. I am way too young to know about true love, but I've seen it. You and Ryan.

Do me a favor, marry him? I never really liked that Fintan guy. I love you, be strong for me.

Lots of love and hugs,

Chimala

I wiped the now spilt tears and sprinted out of the room.

I missed her, and I didn't know what to do.

She asked me to pick Ryan, but why not Fintan?

Most of all, do I go with my Pair, or Ryan?

I'm Paired.