The Chosen

chapter thirty-three

✏ edited

Leila ♕

     After Ira left, Leila didn’t see her again. That wouldn’t have worried her so much, but none of the guards had caught a glimpse of her after she ran out of Leila’s room. Leila heard a nock on the door, hoping it was Ira but her hope was dissolved when D.J walked through the doors. She rolled her eyes.

     “What do you want?” She asked him. His arms lifted in surrender and Leia sighed. “I’m sorry it’s just..” Leila rubbed her temples. “I told Ira about me helping you and she ran off. I haven’t seen her since.”

     He looked worried. “I’ll still help you, though. If I can forgive you I’m sure Ira can, too.” He looked relieved, and then confused. “You forgive me?” Leila actually wasn’t sure if she had forgiven him. But she didn’t feel anger toward him anymore. She understood. If she were in his position, she wouldn’t think it was fair that certain people were chosen to rule the way we were. She would have done something about it, too. Maybe not as drastic as kidnapping someone, but still.

     “Yes, I do.” Leila said at last. He smiled, and so did she.

The Man In White

     The Man In White had been waiting outside Leila’s room for a good hour. He had even made D.J promise not to tell Leila he was out there. Noah and him had thought of a way to win her back, and he really didn’t want to screw up. D.J finally walked out and shut the door. He looked at me awkwardly before nodding and walking away.

     He breathed in, and closed my eyes. ‘You can do this.’  He thought to himself, though he clearly knew he couldn’t. With a burst of confidence, The Man In White walked through the doors to Leila’s bedroom.

     Before she could protest, he got his guitar and started to sing.

     “When your legs don’t work like they used to before, and I can’t sweep you off of your feet..”

     She was going to protest, but she clamped her mouth the second he started singing. So he kept going. “Will your mouth still remember the taste of my love? Will your eyes still smile from your cheeks?”

     She started to smile, he knows it, but the instant he began to smile back she frowned. Either way he kept singing. The lyrics weren’t just about his feelings towards her. They were about everything. The Man In White knew everything. Leila still thought that she’d grow old, and die. He knows that’s not true. But he want for her to still have at least a little shred of hope left inside her. Because he was afraid that if she didn’t, she’d break for good.

     “And, darling, I will be loving you ‘till we’re seventy. And, baby, my heart could still fall as hard at twenty–three..”

     She did nothing. She didn’t smile or frown or raise her hand to stop me. So he continued.

     “And I’m thinking ‘bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways. Maybe just the touch of a hand. Well, me – I fall in love with you every single day..”

     She got up from her bed without a single word, and The Man In White wasn’t sure weather it was to kick him out, or start singing along. Either way, his heart was beating wildly in his chest. He wouldn’t be surprised if he had a heart attack.

     His heart broke into a million pieces when she slapped her hand over the guitar strings, stopping his background music. “I’m sorry, but you’re going to have to do better then sing an Ed Sheeran song to get me to forgive you for lying to me about your age. I want you to leave.”