Take Me Away novel Chapter 42

Each of the two teams readied to their positions as Spencer and Sam went to the center to represent their teams.

"Is he one of your classmates? Why isn't he participating in the game?" Spencer asked, glowering at Ryan.

Sam glanced at Ryan's direction and said with a smile, "Well, he did not come here for sportsmanship, I'm well enough to occupy you. He came here to impress a lady."

'A lady? Is he referring to Fiona?' Spencer narrowed his eyes at the thought. He turned his attention to the game as he crouched down to the starting position, Sam mirroring his actions.

"Ready!" The referee looked over them with a whistle pressed between his lips. He blew his whistle and tossed the ball into the air, starting the game.

With the ball in the air, Spencer and Sam jumped high in the air in an attempt to possess the ball, but Spencer was faster in obtaining the ball, dribbling it to the opposite side of the court.

"You can do it, Mr. Cheng!"

"Go! Go! Go! You can do it, Sam!"

Cheers erupted from the bleachers as onlookers encouraged their respective teams. It was the start of what would be a very intense match.

Fiona was seated on the rest area, her moods fluctuating in every turn of the game. She sighed with relief as Spencer had the ball in his possession, dribbling it across the court. She sneered at the knowledge that he had the tendency to rile people in and out of the court.

"You can do it, M. Cheng! Go! Go! Go!" Sophia cheered, her voice overpowering the rest of the crowd.

Spencer slipped easily past the opponents' defenses, striding towards the net, and jumped. The ball went inside the net, gaining two points for his team.

The crowd stood as their cheers erupted from the bleachers, getting louder and louder every second.

Spencer preened at the attention, his face smug as he arrogantly turned to face Sam.

"What?" Spencer asked as he raised his eyebrows in mock question, baiting Sam and the rest of his team. Sam dismissed Spencer's arrogance with a sigh as he patted his teammate's back reassuringly as he encouraged them, "Don't mind."

Ryan's mind was distracted as he sat on the bench. His mind wandered from the game towards Fiona, who was sitting on the bench of the opposite team.

Fiona tried to focus her attention to the game, but her mind was elsewhere. She was only jerked from her musings as Sophia continued to cheer loudly for the team.

'There's no way she fell for another man. What has caused her to flee that night? Did something happen to her?'

Multiple questions sprung in Ryan's thoughts. He was dying to have the answers to his questions, but at the same time, he dreaded them. Ryan was no fool. He called her that night. She was not alone when she answered his call—there was a man with her.

Ryan's hands tightened around the bottle in his hand at the mere thought of it. His eyes wandered towards Fiona once more, loosening his grip on the bottle. Regret colored his features as he thought, 'If I were in the court, would Fiona cheer for me?'

"I need to use the restroom for a bit," Fiona told Sophia as she stood to her feet. Sophia looked over to her friend and replied,

"I'll stay here and watch the game. Come back quickly."

"I will," Fiona answered as she bobbed her head with a nod.

When Ryan saw her leave her seat, he left his own to follow her. Diagonally opposite the locker room stood the restroom.

When Fiona finished her business in the restroom, she started to make her way towards the stadium. She just went out the door when she saw Ryan casually leaning on the door of the locker room. She felt dread seeping in her skin, nervous sweat starting to form on her hands. She didn't expect to run into him so soon and with so little preparation.

Ryan was tense with anticipation. He slightly lowered his head as he casually hid his hands inside his pockets. Noticing that Fiona might bolt out of him, he carefully blocked her path, aligning his body to make a wall.

"Can you spare me a moment of your time, Fiona? Just please hear me out." Ryan's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed nervously. "Look, I'm not trying to harass you into forming a relationship with me. Just, give me the proper reason why you're rejecting me. The truth, please. Otherwise, I'll never be able to move on with my life."

Fiona stared at Ryan. Now knowing his family background, she could only feel pity for him.

She bit her lip as she fought the trembling in voice and said, "We can't be together, not in the way you want us to. Friendship is the only thing I could offer you."

"But why?" Ryan's body shook as he tried to contain himself, his hands fisted to his sides. "I thought I made myself clear that I don't desire to be just your friend."

"You deserve only the best."

"You are the best that has ever happened to me."

The shrill sound of a whistle blown echoed through the place, startling the both of them.

At that moment Fiona knew that she must leave right away. That whistle signaled the end of the first half of the game, and with the break that would follow, a certain someone might notice her absence. She looked apologetically to Ryan and said, "I'm afraid I can't reveal more than what I just told you. You're better off with someone else, Ryan. I'm only sorry that I couldn't fill that role." She slipped past Ryan to return to her seat.

Before she could even create some distance between them, he gently grasped her arm and said, "If I enter the court to play, will you watch me and cheer for me? Will you give me your utmost attention? You choose to hide from me, and it saddens me."

"Ryan, I..."

His words felt like knives stabbing her heart. She felt being dragged to the bottom of the sea and she was drowning. She was drowning in pain as she dragged him down with her. It saddened him, she made him feel like that. She didn't want him to feel like that, she never had intended to hurt him.

"Hey, hurry up! I need to use the restroom!" A couple of voices announced the arrival of others as they approached their direction.

"Good job, guys!"

"Let's keep the momentum going all through the second half!"

The voices sounded nearer now; they were about to turn from the corner. Ryan chose that moment to release his hold on Fiona's arm. He looked at her sadly and said, "I'll get changed and I'll join the second half of the match."

Spencer rounded up the corner and quietly observed their interactions Ryan turned his back from her and went inside the locker room. Fiona heard her heart break and shatter, knowing that no matter what happened next, she would never be able to put it back together again.

If Spencer felt buzzed from their victory few moments ago, he certainly felt the opposite right now. He felt most utterly lost and broken at the moment. Displeasure and disappointment warred inside Spencer's mind, When Ryan left, Spencer slowly approached Fiona.

His colleagues gave them a wide berth, choosing either to retreat inside the locker room or use the restroom.

Fiona didn't feel Spencer approach her. By the time she did, she was too late. "Mr. Cheng..." she greeted as she pursed he lips and gazed to his ashen eyes, shuddering.

"Fiona." Spencer encased her in his arms. Her body flushed against his chest as he rested his head on her shoulder, his breath hot on her neck.

Fiona was assaulted by Spencer's scent. He reeked of sweat and pure male masculinity all over. A blush colored her cheeks as she was pressed tightly to his chest.

Feeling anger and embarrassment, Fiona shoved against his chest. Pushing and kicking him, she demanded, "Release me at once! Someone might see us! Let go!"

"Didn't I teach you how to address me?" Spencer asked deviously.

"Unhand me! Unhand me, Spencer! I said, unhand me, you fiend!"

Spencer's lips quirked in amusement at her attempts. "Meet me at the Four Seasons Scenery this evening."

'The Four Seasons Scenery? But why should I return there?' Fiona wondered but quickly dismissed the thought.

"Will you be there or not?" Spencer pressed his question again, tightening his grip on her.

"I'll be there! I'll meet with you there!" Fiona promised, knowing that Spencer would never take no for an answer.

Spencer loosened his embrace. Hearing voices going around the corner, he left nonchalantly and sauntered towards the restroom.

Fiona breaths were shallow as she leaned the wall. Before panic could settle in, she turned around her heels and fled.

"Did you get lost on your way, Fiona? You've been gone for quite a while," Sophia exclaimed upon seeing her.

Fiona forced down her rapidly beating heart and smiled. She really was feeling a little distracted from all that had happened.

Sophia craned her neck towards Leona and said, "Care to share your thoughts about the game? It was a very intense match for the first half. Am I right?"