Chasing Hearts

Ten

Today was the first day of track and field, but I hadn't decided on whether I wanted to transfer or not. For one semester, it didn't seem worth it, but with the integrity of the school, even just one semester might actually be good to have on a college application.

"Maia, hey, wait up!" I heard Ying call out behind me.

"Hey, what's the hurry?"

She caught her breath before she spoke. "I just heard the best news, the school is opening up a scholarship to Florida University, and I overheard that you were one of the names being considered for it!"

I stopped dead in my tracks. "You're joking, right? You aren't pulling my leg?"

She shook her head. "Go and speak with Mr. Briere, he was who I heard it from."

I took off running before she could finish speaking and raced to the front office to find Mr. Briere. Thankfully, he was still in the office.

"Hello, sir. I overheard that there was a scholarship being offered?"

He chuckled. "Getting straight to the point, I see. Yes, Ms. Beaufort, we are offering a scholarship this year and we have two students we are recommending but there is only one spot."

"What are the qualifications for this scholarship?"

Mr. Briere gave me a pamphlet and said all the information was in there. It was in fact an art scholarship, but there were a lot of other qualifications one needed, like top grades in every other class.

I could do that. But I wondered who the other student was. I didn't bother asking because I knew they would never tell me; I just hoped it wasn't someone who needed the scholarship as much as I did.

If I could get this scholarship, I wouldn't need to consider transferring and I would have that part of my future secured. It was what I had worked so hard until now to get, and here it was, falling right into my lap.

With this in mind, I rushed out of the office and into the library to get any books I needed to brush up on my schoolwork. I was already top of the class already, and if there was a chance I could get some tutoring in with other students, it would look great for the scholarship application.

As I signed out the books I chose, I saw a familiar figure walk into the library. I wondered if he would walk right past me, but I was happily surprised when Reign stopped in front of me with his usual bored expression.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

I proceeded to tell him about the scholarship and what my plans were while I checked out the books and shoved them into my locker.

I'm going to make some flyers tonight and put them up around the school. If I can get even one student who needs help, that should be good enough for the application, right?" I asked him.

He nodded and looked over the pamphlet.

"Does this mean you aren't considering transferring?"

I shrugged. "If I can get this scholarship, I wouldn't need to go anywhere else technically. The only problem is, there is one other student that is being recommended and I don't know who it is or how good their grades are compared to mine."

"What if they didn't care about the scholarship?" he asked.

I gave him a dumbfounded look. "Please, there is no way anyone with high grades would give up this opportunity."

"Well, you never know. Some people already have their futures planned out, and just because another opportunity comes up, doesn't mean they can take it."

I had a feeling there was a deeper meaning to what he said as if he was talking about himself. I decided now might be a good time to try and find out more about him.

"You've never really talked about your parents or family. Do you still live with them?"

His face instantly fell, and I knew I struck a nerve.

"I don't like talking about my family. To me, Xiuying is all the family I need."

Well, that was useless. How was I supposed to learn anything about this guy if he never wanted to open up?

"You already know so much about me, yet I know nothing about you. Why is that fair?" I asked.

He just shrugged. "There isn't much to know about me other than what you've seen and know already."

"Which, other than the store, is nothing." I rolled my eyes.

He winked. "That's all you need to know."

~*~

I was excited when I got home to get started on a tutor plan and to get flyers printed. As soon as I got in the door, I gave a quick hello to everyone in the living room and rushed into my room.

I stopped dead in the doorway and screamed.

The beautiful, traditional Chinese oil painting that Reign had made me was in tatters on the ground. Everything right down to the frame was broken.

Without thinking, in a blind rage, I stormed over to Bianca's room and pushed open the door. She was on her phone on her bed and she shrieked when I walked in.

"What are you doing, Maia?"

I walked over to her and slapped her across the face. "How could you? That was a priceless piece of art, why would you destroy it?" I screamed at her.

She started to weep on the ground and called out for my father, who rushed into the room seconds after like she was dying.

"What in the world is happening?" he asked, then saw the scene in front of him with Bianca crying on the ground holding her cheek, and me standing above her.

"Maia, what did you do to your sister?" he screamed at me.

"It's Ma Ri! Han. Ma. Ri! You always take her side, as if she is your true daughter. If that's really how you feel, why did you ever welcome me here?" I cried at him, tears streaming down my face now.

He gave me a harsh slap across the face and the room fell into silence. Never had my father hit me, but there was always a first for everything. The slap seemed to echo in the dead room.

"You will apologize to your sister and get to your room!"

"She is not my sister," I muttered.

"What was that?" my father asked.

I got into his face. "She is not my sister!" I screamed and ran out of the room.

I had no idea where I was going when I ran out of the apartment, but minutes later I ended up at the front of Reign's store, and just my luck it had started to rain.