Chapter 16

403K 10.6K 3.1K
                                    

CHAPTER 16 (DONE EDITING)

He stared at me blankly but I saw confusion in his eyes as he grasped the newspaper.

My anger flared.

"Damn it Xavier, what is going on?!" I cried. "You weren't there in Miami last Friday night! You were with me!"

The confusion left his eyes but a foreign cold look replaced it.

"Just leave it Annabelle."

Annabelle. Not Annie nor Belle. Just Annabelle.

My hands clenched into fists, "How can I just leave it?! People think you are some pothead player who carries STD's!"

"Annabelle," he warned.

"Don't you care, Xavier?!"

"No, now stop it." He was getting angry but I didn't care.

"Everything you have could be gone if you carry on like this. What about your friends?"

He cuts in, "I have no real friends."

Well that was a low blow. I faltered for a second, feeling sick to the stomach as his harsh words repeated themselves in my head.

"What about your dad?" I managed to choke out.

His tough boy illusion seemed to break as he took in my words and I knew, I knew that the boy I cared about was there somewhere, but a cold expression took over his features once again.

"Annabelle, just go."

My will to stay wavered but I just needed to know.

Needed to know the truth, who he really was.

"All of our talks, our songs and sleepovers... They meant nothing to you? So little in fact that instead you go find your satisfaction and fulfilment in strip clubs?"

He nodded his head, stiffly, while looking out the floor with his hands clenched into fists.

I felt so close to crying.

Within all that time, I had grown so close to Xavier that I didn't want to let him go.

But I sighed, "I got a letter from your management. I was told to stay away from you."

He didn't say anything. His hands stayed clenched while he looked up at me with sad, exhausted eyes.

"Maybe it's for the best. For my benefit," I said. He didn't respond, he just stared at me.

"I hope you'll be happy Xavier, doing whatever you do now with your life."

Say something. Please. Just say something.

He didn't.

So I left.

My eyes were filling with tears as I reached the door and as I opened it I heard a groan behind me. I turned, I shouldn't have, but I turned and saw Xavier bury his face into his hands.

Say something.

I waited. I shouldn't have but he looked up and caught my gaze. His eyes were tired and regretful, he looked pale and most of all looked sad.

Say something.

I could see he wanted to speak. To say something. I knew he did. But whatever secret he kept held him back.

"Belle..." He trailed off and sighed.

I didn't say anything but waited.

He sighed and groaned again, in frustration, rubbing his face with his hands.

The Search for CinderellaWhere stories live. Discover now