Chasing Hearts

Sixteen

I was a bag of nerves on Monday. I walked to school and didn't see Reign, which almost made me hope he wasn't at school today, although I also knew a part of me hoped he was. It had only been a day since I last saw him, but a part of me was missing him already.

Oh, man. One kiss and I was already a silly school girl with a crush. How did it come to this? I had no idea of these feelings until they crept up on me all at once. Now, there I was, anticipating seeing some guy when what I wanted most was to give myself a good future.

But I also have that. I got my scholarship, and I was getting the money I needed for the rest. Why couldn't I relax a little bit?

Because I knew deep down that I didn't know what the future held for Reign, and me. Would we still see each other after high school? Or would he go to a far-away college?

I had never spoken to him about his college plans, but he knew all about mine. If I wanted to pursue something with him, I had to get him to open up a little more and ask more questions, regardless of whether he answered them all or not.

I did text Xiuying to meet me at the front gates of the school before class began because I wanted to tell her about my weekend and what I should do before I had to face Reign.

"Maia, over here!" she called out to me from a park bench on the side.

I walked over and took a seat next to her, then took a deep breath.

"Is everything alright?" she asked.

"I just had a weird experience this weekend, and I need your advice on it."

She nodded and sat up like she was giving me her full attention. I proceeded to tell her about my weekend with Reign, and the kiss we shared after. She gasped and had to cover her mouth from how loud it was.

"He really didn't say anything after that?" she asked, and I shook my head. "Wow, he has some serious issues when it comes to girls."

"How am I supposed to face him today?"

She frowned. "You don't have to worry about that, he isn't going to be here for a few days."

"What, how come?"

"It might not be my place to say, but once every month Reign has to go back and visit his parents. That's why he sometimes disappears like this without saying anything, he doesn't want anyone to know."

That was interesting. "Why doesn't he want anyone to know, and can you at least tell me where he goes?"

She bit her lip. "Just promise you won't rat me out. If he finds out on his own, that's fine but don't tell him you know anything. He's going to kill me."

"What is the big secret, Ying?"

She groaned. "His parents still live in Italy, so he goes there for a few days and then comes back."

I could feel my eyes bulge out. "And he does this every month?"

She nodded.

"How the hell can someone afford that? There's no way he makes that much at the shop, I work there now, and I see the monthly revenue."

"Look, that's all I'm willing to say," she started to say, then was cut off by the warning bell. "Come on, we should get to class."

~*~

I couldn't stop thinking about what Xiuying said after our talk. It was odd that Reign acted like he didn't have any family and lived alone at the art store, but now I find out he was going back home every month and wasn't saying a thing to anyone but his cousin.

Why did he want to hide his family so badly, and what kind of family had the money to fly their son to and from Italy and the United States every month for just a few days? If his family was so wealthy, why did he work in the art store?

There were so many questions I wanted to ask, but if I did then it would give away that Xiuying said something to me. I had to wait until he told me himself, which I knew already was going to be impossible.

The last time he left, it was almost for an entire week. Was he going to be gone for the same amount of time? I didn't want to have to wait a whole week to find out what was going on between us, but it seemed I had no other choice.

I walked to class feeling a little more defeated than before and sat at the empty pair of desks. I stared at the empty seat next to me and wondered what he was doing while he was there. Was he having fun? Did he enjoy going down there? Or was he miserable and counting the days until he could come back?

The question I wondered most of all was if he missed me as much as I was missing him.

I chuckled to myself. He probably wasn't. There were probably tons of things to see and do in Italy, he wasn't thinking about me at all.

I continued to doodle on my page as the class went on, I barely heard when the teacher started to call my name.

"Maia Beaufort!"

"Oh, what? Uh, yes sir?" I scrambled to stand up.

"There is someone here to see you at the main office," he said.

The class erupted into disappointing sounds and hollers like I was getting called to the office by the principal and not just visiting whoever was there. A part of me hoped it was Reign, but that wouldn't make sense for him to call me from the main office.

Which meant there was only one other person: my father.

This filled my chest with dread, and I could only imagine what he wanted to speak to me about, that he was willing to pull me out of school. I tried to brace myself on the walk there, but I crumbled as soon as I walked in the door.

It wasn't my father – it was my mother.

"Mom, what are you doing here?"

She turned and smiled with perfect pearly white teeth. She was dressed to the nines in expensive clothing and wreaked of strong perfume. Adorned on her fingers and neck were what looked like gold rings and a diamond necklace.

"What happened to you?" I asked.

"It's about time you showed up, I've waited long enough. Come now, let's go to your locker and collect your things." She tried to lead me out of the office, but I ripped my hand back.

"What are you talking about?"

"You're coming back with me. If I had known what was going on here, I never would have let your father have custody of you."

"I'm already 18, no one has any say over my custody!"

She grabbed my arm roughly. "Keep your voice down, and let's go." She continued to drag me out and into the hallway. "Now, where is your locker?"

"Mom, I can't just leave, I'm right in the middle of school and we have exams in a couple of weeks."

"Nonsense, you left your last school in the middle of the semester, you can do it again."

I groaned. "That's my point! You can't keep doing this to me, I need a proper education, isn't that why you sent me here?"

"Originally, yes. I also needed you out of the way while I tried to hook up with a wealthy CEO. He has already proposed to me, so we don't need to worry about money or a good education after this. We're going to be so set, Ma Ri!"

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. She couldn't be serious. What would her soon-to-be betrothed think of the way she was speaking?

"Mom, I'm not leaving. You can't make me leave."

She sighed. "How much time do you need?"

"What?"

"I'll give you a day or two at most, but then you better be ready to leave." She turned around and walked away without another word or room for argument.