Chapter One Hundred and Sixty Seven

The intensity of the stage deepened when the final competition was done. Fiona had no idea what Ahn had done to Gifted Hands to make her come in today.

But she was glad she did because her presence made the difference. Trisha Black’s Piano level may be topnotch but the girl is a bit on the arrogant side even with her playing.

It sounded beautiful to the ears but it became tiring.

And the simple sheer of her winning against Roxane wasn’t because she was good but because she had experiences that outmatched her.

No wonder she was bested that year by GIfted Hands, Fiona thought.

I bet Matt just found himself in a loop with her right now, the lady is good Cassie who had come to sit beside her commented.’

Don’t rub it off him just because you are ecstatic. I will have Lillian at your door soo.

Lilliana and Matt? Cassie was shocked. It is high time I visit the gym more often than I used to. I bet the kids missed me too,

They missed everyone and I am sure they missed Maxwell more. He drops by every now and then to say hello to them in the past and I am sure he has always been Crystal’s first crush,

Cassie looked in the direction of the blonde girl with crystal blue eyes. I bet she got her name from the eyes of hers. Right! Fiona interjected, I got mine from my skin too.

Commonly, her eyes are so clear just like her name. Fiona shook her head at the remark and then focused on the competition.

When the competition came to an end Matt won her by a little margin which was something to look out for.

The children won in ballet, painting and also local dances while the students won in drama and the improvs.

The overall winning was given to the children and all other competitors were given prizes. The students of the school who were picked to be outstanding amongst all got opportunities like none before just like Fiona did with her kids.

Making everyone happy. The event was rounded up by marketing. The students and children were all stationed at vendors to sell their products to the judges and other people who came over.

They created a scene like they were in a fair. Fiona who had this arranged just wanted them to have some fun. There was food, drinks, music, jewels, clothes, shoes, computer games and every mini-product from each of her sponsors to be sold.

There are also fun games and lollies to go around in the fair at the end.

Fiona moved from one store to another inspecting and buying too alongside her sister while the men hung around each other for fun.

Even Jamie Black who hardly mingled had joined them.

But as the day drew to a close and the fair rounded up, children were taken away by their parents or guardians with happy smiles on their faces.

Those who were helping packed the stalls around, just little dancers and music players around.

Fiona who stood in the middle of them all heard a gunshot suddenly and she saw as everyone scattered from the impact.

She wanted to go to safety but she couldn’t, she saw Cassie scream, why was she screaming she thought.

Turner's horrid face, Maxwell's frozen face and Thompson's with a tear in his eyes. Why were they all rushing to her frantically too?

There she heard the voices faintly as she went down on her knees and blood oozed out of her shoulder.

Help her, she’s losing a lot of blood. She heard Max’s voice from afar, the siren. She saw it all but she couldn’t blink.

Cassie was crying, Ahn, Maxwell and Turner all held her each with so much love in their eyes she wanted to cry herself but she couldn’t.

Why couldn’t she move, she thought. She heard the ERs coming and felt as they moved her from one place to another.

She saw Matt and Lillian run to them but still couldn’t figure out what happened.

She wanted to rest, she wasn’t that exhausted she thought. How could she rest but she wanted to.

Max, she tried reaching out for him as she felt his tears on her but she couldn’t. So she fought to keep her eyes open but couldn’t and finally, she closed those eyes of hers and she was gone.

****

Wake her up, Maxwell yelled at his friend and Doctor Mark in agony. She was brought to the hospital where she worked as an ER nurse but she wouldn’t do so much breathing even after the bullet was removed from her body.

Please wake her up Mark, he pleaded softly, tears streaming down his eyes. He felt his world crumble.

As she lay there lifelessly on the slab in ICU, she stopped breathing, but she didn’t seem dead because her heart was still beating.

Which was strange. Maxwell fell on the floor beside her, his hands on his face and his knees folded to make it seem like he was a ball.

Please wake up for me, he whispered but nothing.

He faintly heard Cassie’s shriek outside the door but he wouldn’t budge from where he lay beside her on the floor.

Please wake up and be mad at me, he keeps saying. I can handle that not your silence is what I can’t handle.

He held the rush outside and the footsteps of some people outside but he could barely form a word.

Mr Harold, you are arrested for the murder of the Governor’s son seven years ago please proceed to the police station for further investigation.

Max felt them pry his hands away from him and a cold metal placed on his wrist.

Tears won’t fall from his eyes. And he wouldn’t stand up either.

So they carried him into the van and placed him like that and placed him on the back seat.

But all he was whispering was “Please wake up and yell at me, I can handle your yellings, not your silence”. “Please talk to me just once”.