Beaufort Academy | EDITING

Chapter Sixty-One: Partly

"So what did you tell them?" Alexis asked.

Four days had passed since Alexis was rushed to the hospital after her debut and because she was almost kidnapped. Chandria and Elizabeth were with her in her room that afternoon. She was still grounded. And she hadn't been going to school too since she was already excused from school because of their supposed Japan trip, her father told her to stay at home and got her home schooled in the meantime instead.

It was actually kept a secret that Alexis was still in the Philippines. Everyone thought that she was in Japan since Wolf asked those who knew what really happened to keep it that way. He hadn't been going to school too and was instead using the free time to look for clues.

That afternoon, Chandria and Elizabeth visited her and Chandria just told them what happened to her with John and Chris that night.

John led Chandria straight to Chris' room. Chris was asleep then and while Chandria looked at him in shock, John told her how Chris had dilated cardiomyopathy and that if he didn't get a transplant, it might lead to his sudden death. He also told her how Chris resolved to wait until Chandria loved him enough to be willing to go with him to the States and stay with him there.

"Yeah, what did you tell them?" Elizabeth repeated.

"I... Chris was asleep the whole time and John... He didn't ask anything, he just... Calmly explained the situation to me," Chandria answered.

"Ria, obviously John told you all these and is giving you a choice between him and Chris!" Alexis said.

"In short, it's either John or Chris," Elizabeth added.

"As if it's that easy to choose!" Chandria scoffed.

"Okay, let's say John's the one who's sick and Chris was the one in John's position," Alexis said. "Who will you choose?"

"I- I don't know," Chandria stammered.

"You don't know or are you scared because you know who your answer is?" Elizabeth said.

Chandria closed her eyes, and when she did, only one face flashed in her mind. She knew that it was him she would choose – it was him she wanted to choose.

"John," Chandria opened her eyes. "If John was sick and he asked me to go with him, I will go with him in a heartbeat."

"And that's the problem isn't it?" Alexis said. "You're caught in between the person you love and the person who needs you to stay alive."

"Between the person who unselfishly loves you," Elizabeth said. "And the person who, although he doesn't mean to, is hurting you with his selfish love."

Chandria burst into tears because her bestfriends spoke the truth. She loved John. She now knew she loved him. But how would she admit to him that she loved him when an important person in her life needed her to be with him right now?

"Don't cry, Ria," Alexis gently patted Chandria's back.

"Ria," Elizabeth hugged her. "We know it's hard. But it looks like you have to make a decision soon."

"Yeah, Chris is in the hospital again, right?" Alexis added. "We don't want to pressure you but his sickness is... it's really unpredictable if he doesn't undergo surgery soon..."

"I... I understand," Chandria nodded in between sobs. She knew that she had to make a decision soon before Chris' condition get any worse. Besides, he would be better taken care of in the States.

"Ria," Elizabeth said. "Whatever your decision is, we will support you. Just make sure it's what will make you truly happy."

"Yeah," Alexis held Chandria's hand. "We're here for you. You know that, right? "