-BOOK 4/4 IN SERIES- So This Is It (YouTube FanFic)

[Chapter 9] Trying to Convince Them

-Anthony's POV-

I stood in the middle of the hallway, watching as Rachael disappeared into the elevator. I dropped my head and covered my face with my hands. I've lost almost everyone today. I went to the airport before going to Rachael's in an attempt to convince Kalel to stay.

I rushed through the airport, looking for Kalel. I asked countless stranger after stranger if they saw her - some said they think they might've seen her near inspection, some totally disregarded what I asked them and instead asked me for an autograph, and some completely ignored me. I went to where the people who gave me an answer directed me and found Kalel waiting in line. I ran up to her and turned her so she was facing me.

"Anthony?" She croaked. She leaned in and whispered, "What are you doing here? I told you not to come for me!"

"I can't let you do this, Kalel," I told her, "We have a family. You can't just leave everything for some stupid job in for Fashion Week, all the way in Italy!"

"Watch me," She remarked coldly as she walked through the metal-detecting doorway, obtaining her luggage and walking away. She was getting away and I knew I had to stop her, so I jumped over the ropes and ran through. Guards were running after me as I dodged person after person in hopes of catching up to Kalel.

"STOP!" The guards called.

"KALEL!" I screamed. She ignored me and kept making her way to the boarding terminal.

"SIR! PLEASE STOP NOW!" The people running after me shouted.

I never caught up to her, but when I was close, she walked through the terminal doors, looking back at me one last time before disappearing. I stopped in my tracks and murmured, "Kalel..."

The guards caught up to me and put me in handcuffs. I was directed back to the little airport jail and told them I didn't know what I was thinking and that I was sorry if I caused any trouble. It took a little more convincing before they told me I could go. And that if I do that again, there would be some actual consequences next time.

So after being released, I drove to Rachael's. Andrew was moving today, thanks to Ian, and I didn't think I could handle losing two people I really care about in one day. I bolted through the apartment building and up to hers, passing Andrew along the way.

"Hey!" He called to me, "Where are you going?"

I ignored him and kicked open the doors to the stairs. I ran up the three flights of steps and found Rachael standing in her empty apartment. I tried to convince her to stay too, but she told me she couldn't keep doing "this", whatever "this" was... And with that she left.

So here I was, standing in the middle of the hallway, not knowing what to do next.

-Natalie's POV-

I drove to Toby's place and pulled in his driveway. I slammed my car door shut and walked up to his door, ringing the doorbell. From inside, I could hear Gryphon starting to bark. I put a smile on my face when the door swung open to reveal Toby. "Hey!" I greeted.

"Hey," He replied, "Come on in." He stepped to the side and invited me in. I stepped through the threshold and he closed the door behind me. "Sorry I didn't respond sooner, I didn't see your text until about an hour ago."

"It's okay."

"So...what do you need to talk about?" Toby asked me as he directed me into the living room, sitting down on the couch. I sat down beside him.

I sighed, "I don't know...it's just...I need someone to talk to."

"What about your sister?"

"Rach and I already talked, but it was more about her and the whole moving situation," I told him, "She said she was going to talk to Andrew about it when she got back home. So, I don't know how that went down. But...yeah...I just really need someone to talk to about...Ian."

His brow furrowed at the saying of Ian's name. I knew he and Ian don't really get along, but Toby is one of my best friends and if Rachael wasn't going to be there for me to talk to, I knew he was.

Toby took in a deep breath before turning to face me and saying with a fake smile, "What about...Ian...do you need to talk about?"

I bit my lip before responding, "I feel that he's lying to me about the whole him getting Kalel pregnant thing. I know Rachael wouldn't lie to me about something like that. And if he just told me that he did it, I...I wouldn't be as upset as I am now because he's lying to me. I mean...he's constantly telling me he doesn't remember. But how can you not remember getting someone pregnant?"

The two of us sat in silence for a little before he tried to convince me that maybe Ian really didn't remember.

"But how!?!" I yelled at him.

"I don't know! Maybe he was really really drunk and blacked out," Toby suggested.

"Drunk? Blacked out? He doesn't even like to drink heavily!" I argued.

He shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know what to tell you, Natalie. This is something you have to discuss with Ian. Or since you're not getting any results with him, maybe talk to Kalel."

-Andrew's POV-

I sat in the driver's seat as Rachael and I drove down the thruway, towards New York state, though we were far far away. I glanced over at her and saw her resting her head in her hand, watching as we passed car after car.

I returned my attention the road and sighed, "You had nothing left there, Rach."

"No, you had nothing left there," She spat back at me, slowly looking over at me, "I had friends. I had family. And not just my sister, all of us were a family. But you had nothing. And that's why you ripped me away from them!"

"You were sad, Rach!" I tried to convince her.

"Okay, yeah, I might've been a little sad that everyone had better lives than me, and a little desperate to get things back to the way they were, but moving far away isn't the solution!" She yelled, her eyes glistening with tears that had yet to fall.

I kept my mouth shut, because what would come out of it if I opened my mouth would not be good.

She shook her head and looked back out the window, saying nothing. I heaved a sigh and pushed down on the gas pedal a little more, propelling us forward, down the thruway.