(Please bear with me because this chapter was written after a massive writers block)

QOTD

Chapter |33|

"Am I finished with the signing?" I asked, looking up at Mr. Henderson as we sat in a coffee shop.

"Just one more document and you're good to go," he said, producing another file from his black briefcase.

I nodded and sipped on my coffee.

Mr. Henderson had called me to finalise everything. Since I wasn't very experienced as a business woman, I was handing the company back to Gramp so that he could take good care of it.

I was going to take business as my major in college and once I'm confident enough, I'd take the company back into my hands.

It had been a few days since the fiasco and my life was going smoothly. Andrew and Daniel had patched up since their misunderstanding had cleared up.

Daniel was showing new sides to him which I never imagined I'd see. He was a lot more caring towards his family, Andrew and me. He didn't miss his family meals and spent quite a lot of time with Chloe as well.

I didn't see the Carter family around too much and now, it didn't even matter if I did see them. They had nothing left to say to me.

I glanced around the small shop that had the fragrance of lovely desserts wafting around. Frames with photos of different artists hung on one side of the wall where a jukebox played soft melodies.

My eyes looked through the window, giving a view of the outside where everyone I had started caring for, stood waiting for me.

Emma and Chloe sat at the back while Daniel sat in the driver's seat and Andrew in the shot gun. Both the guys were squabbling about something and I could see Chloe giggling adorably at the back.

A small smile crept up my face as I watched them. They all looked so content. It was as if there weren't any problems to begin with.

Sudden clearing of throat snapped my attention back to the person in front of me.

"Did you tell them?" He asked and I immediately knew what he was referring to.

I shook my head. "I don't seem to have the guts to say anything to them," I replied, thinking about the only good-bad thing troubling me.

"You'll have to tell them by day after otherwise they'll not feel too good when you suddenly have to disappear," he said.

I knew he was right but I didn't want him to be. These past few days had been the best ones. Everything was going in the right direction but obviously there were some issues to be resolved.

"I'll tell them soon," I replied curtly.

"You know, you do have another option. An option of staying longer because the way you're frowning, anyone can see that you aren't happy with your decision either," he pushed.

"I'm afraid if I do stay longer, I won't be able to leave. And that's not going to help me let go and start afresh," I said, not giving him any chance to question my decision any further.

He got the message. "Okay, if that's what you want. Sign here and I'll send all your documents to your university. They'll be expecting you there within four days otherwise you'll be left behind,"he said and as much as it hurt to imagine leaving Drew and the Richards, I had to go.

I nodded with a sad smile on my face, glancing out once before scribbling my signature on the sheet of paper, sealing my decision.
****

"So what's today's event?" I asked as I reached Drew and Daniel who stood there debating about something.

Their attention snapped to me and within seconds, I was being pulled by both of them like the rope of tug of war.

"She is gonna be my partner," Andrew said, pulling me to his side.

"No, she is my partner already so go find your own," Daniel said pulling me towards his side.

I groaned when this continued for another five minutes. My arms were already aching now.

"Guys? GUYS!" I yelled, making them pause.

I turned to Andrew, then to Daniel. "What is happening here?"

"Uh- Actually this event is an 'any-partner' event so I was wondering if you could be my pa-" Andrew started but was cut off by Daniel.

"Forget it bro, she's participating with me," he said.

They started bantering again and I crossed my arms. I watched them banter back and forth for some time before clearing my throat.

Of course they didn't listen. So I used the next thing that I knew would stop them.

"I already have a partner," I announced and both of them immediately stopped speaking and looked at me.

"What?"

"Who?"

I rolled my eyes at them. Tyler had asked me to be his partner when I'd crashed into him and I didn't refuse.

"My partner is Tyler," I simply stated.

"Who?"

"What?"

I rolled my eyes again. Weren't they so full of words today?

"Never mind. What's the activity anyway?" I asked, ignoring their weirdly curious expressions.

"It's something like an IQ test," Andrew mumbled after a moment.

I grinned. "Awesome!"

"Yeah yeah," Andrew muttered.

"Scared you'll get eliminated without me?" I taunted, enjoying both Daniel and Andrew's change in expressions.

"Psshhh what? Daniel is a brainiac," Andrew boasted.

I raised my eyebrow at him. "And how does him being a brainiac help you?"

"We're gonna be partners of course!" He said flatly making me narrow my eyes and Daniel raise his eyebrows.

"But isn't it supposed to be one girl and one boy in one pair?"

"Nope," Andrew smirked. "Get ready to get your ass kicked because this pair of hottalicious male specimen are going to make you wish you never entered."

I grinned, happily taking up the challenge. "Bring it on."

*********

"I can't believe they won," I said, my eyes wide in horror when I glanced at the score board.

Team Hot Dogs - 157 points

Team Rhyming Stars- 145 points

Team Frog Muppets- 121 points

My jaw hung open when I saw that Daniel and Andrew (Team Hot Dogs) were 12 points ahead of us (Team Rhyming Stars).

Yeah, we were Rhyming Stars. I know our name was very lame. (No pun intended) but it was the only thing came to our mind since Tyler and Skylar rhymed.

"Boo Yaa suckers! Get ready to lick the dust off our feet cause we won you mofos!" I could very well hear Andrew yelling into the mic while Daniel stood beside him, chuckling at his best friend in amusement.

The anchor was fighting Drew for the mic which he wasn't ready to let go.

After quite some struggle, finally the mic left Andrew's hands and he grumpily got off the stage.

I laughed as he stomped his way towards us. Emma stood with me, holding Chloe in her arms who was whooping for Daniel and Andrew.

Another ache settled in my chest when I thought of leaving Chloe. She had been the sunshine poking through the gloomy clouds, in my life and I had grown attached to her.

It was going to be very hard to let them all go but I had to. I needed a place away from anything that could break me again. I wanted to escape and I had to stay strong until I started a new life.

I jolted out of my thoughts when Emma started to leave with Chloe. I took a step to follow her when I was blocked by Andrew and Daniel.

I raised my eyebrow at them.

"You're coming with us," Andrew stated and I raised both my eyebrows.

"And why is that?"

"We are taking you dress shopping," Daniel replied.

"Dress shopping? What for?" I asked, confused.

Andrew rolled his eyes. "While you were lost in your La La land, it was announced that the final ball was being organized this weekend. Therefore, you need a dress," he explained.

My eyes widened and my heartbeat increased it's pace. "T-This weekend?"

"Uh huh."

"But why did they pre-pone the date?" I asked, dread pooling in my stomach.

Andrew furrowed his eyebrows at my question," Because there are only fifteen pairs left after the elimination. And you and Daniel are one of them so they've decided that they're going to hold two balls. One now and the next two weeks later, as the final ball."

"Oh."

I forced out a smile even though my mind was in a havoc. I was supposed to fly out the day the ball was and I wanted it to be a silent escape.

"You okay?" Daniel asked, raising his eyebrow and I quickly nodded.

It wasn't convincing and I could read it on his face that he didn't believe me either big he didn't ask any questions.

If Andrew noticed anything, he didn't say it. He simply asked me to follow him and so I did. Andrew kept a light chatter throughout the way but my mind was elsewhere, weighing the burden of mixed emotions that was proving hard to bear.
***

"Andrew, I can't let you buy me this," I told h when I looked at myself in the mirror. A beautiful midnight blue gown accentuated my body. It was fitted around my waist after which it flowed into deep blue rivers of cloth that ended by my feet.

The bust area till my waist was splattered with crystals, making light in the deep darkness of the blues. The gown was utterly unexplainably gorgeous.

Even though it was incredibly hard to convince myself to utter the words, I knew I couldn't let Andrew buy me something that would go waste. Especially because that thing was beautiful and equally expensive.

"I don't like this gown so I don't think you should buy it," I swallowed hard, keeping my mouth shut so that I didn't contradict my own words.

Andrew studied my face for a moment before snorting. "Liar. You love the gown."

I looked away. I searched everywhere for something to divert this topic but it was of no use because we were the only ones here. Even Daniel was in the next shop, looking for a gown for Chloe.

"Andrew. Please. Don't force me. I can't let you buy me this," I nearly pleaded.

"Tell me why, first," he stated.

"Please, can we talk about it later?" I asked, wishing that he'd listen.

"No."

I ran a hand through my hair in frustration. "Why aren't you listening to me? Why are you trying to force it out of me?" I almost yelled, feeling the frustration turn into something more like desperation.

"Because I've been noticing your distress since the past few days! And what I can't understand is that why you aren't ready to share it with me! What am I supposed to do when you won't co-operate at all?! Tell me? What are you hi-"

He continued, making my distress grow. I ran a hand through my hair again, trying to calm myself. My breathing was growing rapid and I felt moisture gather around my eyes.

"- can't you take my help in what's troubling you? I don't feel like your brother of you keep hiding things even after we promised that there were going to be no more secrets. I-"

"I'm leaving!" I shouted, interrupting him. A sob broke out when he didn't say anything.

I didn't look at him, rather stared down at the floor. Once I managed to find my voice again, I spoke.

"I'm leaving in two days. I'm going to London for my college," I said, barely choking it out.

Silence engulfed us as we stood there. He seemed to be taking it all in as I heaved up and down, trying to manage my emotions.

"You're lying," Andrew said after a while. "You're lying and playing a joke on all of us."

"I'm not," I answered in a small voice, my heartbeat increasing.

Andrew paused, as if waiting for me to tell him that I was kidding. We stood there for some moments, not uttering a single word. Once my prolonged silence gave him his answers, he spoke-

"When were you going to tell us?" Andrew asked, hurt and betrayal  written on his face.

"I-" I couldn't say anything else because I didn't know that myself.

"You were going to go without telling us, right?" He asked, looking right at me.

"N-No, I-" I tried to defend myself but even I knew deep inside that that was exactly what would've happened.

"You promised! You promised that you'd stay with us until the ball ended," he yelled and I stood there, not uttering a word.

A sharp ache poked my chest as heard and felt his pain through the echo of his words. But I stood there like a motionless statue, unable to say anything because I knew it was my fault.

Silent tears streamed down my face as I recalled my promise to him. The one I'd made after my revelation to everyone around.

My lack of response made him shake his head. My eyes widened as he turned around to leave.

"Andrew, p-please-" I spoke when he took a step away.

He shot me a look of deep hurt, that made my insides crumble in despair, and stormed out.

I let my silent tears flow as I stared at the door through which he had disappeared.

After a while, I changed out of the dress I was wearing, each movement feeling heavy. I took the dress to the counter lady, to return it.

Instead of taking it back, she neatly folded the dress and packed it. "It's already been paid for."

Thats when I couldn't take it anymore. That's when I broke into sobs. I crouched down on the floor, the woman casting me worried glances but I hugged my knees.

Why did it hurt so much even when I'd anticipated the worse?
*****************

Hey guys! I hope you enjoyed.

I'm sorry if it was a crappy chapter. This one was really hard to write since I had a strong writer's block. But I hope it came out well.

I'll edit it out for anything missing, later.

Anyways, I'd like to thank you all for your sweet messages and creative title ideas! I'll decide the fate of the title later on.

I lost my phone :( so I won't be able to post the covers in this chapter since I'd saved all of them in it.

Thank you for being so patient and sweet!

I love you all❤️❤️