Better Than Revenge [Unedited - 2012 Version]

Chapter Twenty-Four

I didn't know if I'd be able to finish it in time, so I didn't mention Christmas Present Part 2. But I did, so here it is! What you've all been waiting so long for, so patiently. (Well, most of you have been patient. xD)

Enjoy ;)

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Better Than Revenge

Chapter 24

If it were possible for mouths to drop all the way to the floor, mine definitely would have. This was just so surreal. I couldn't believe it was even happening. I had basically accepted the fact that for some odd reason, Christian Ryder was jealous over me, but I hadn't expected this. His words still caught me off guard.

I just stood there, at a loss for words. I didn't know what to do or say. I didn't think I could have said or done anything even if I wanted to.

Christian looked pained, to be honest. The suspense was clearly killing him. "Say something," he finally exclaimed, a nervous look on his face.

I closed my eyes and shook my head, trying to find some sort of clarity. I failed miserably. There was no way to find clarity in a situation like this.

"Please," he continued desperately.

This was so weird. I had seen Christian Ryder at work with the ladies, and this definitely wasn't how he worked. Was he on something? What was this? He never pleaded with a girl to answer him. True, girls never failed to answer him positively within the first ten seconds of his declarations, I was sure, but still. I knew perfectly well that this wasn't in his nature. This wasn't normal. Christian Ryder didn't do this.

I finally opened my eyes and saw that Christian was staring at me with a weird look on his face. I still couldn't quite decipher it, but I kind of had an idea of what it meant now. At least, I got the gist of what it meant.

"Soph," he said, taking a step closer.

Finally, after a while of a silence on my part, I managed to reply. "Do you think this joke is funny? Because I sure as hell don't. This is just plain weird... I don't find it funny at all."

Christian looked confused. "What? It isn't a joke, Soph. I'm being serious. Honestly. I've never been this serious in my life. I'm not joking around."

Looking into his deep, emerald green eyes, I wanted to run, I wanted to scream, and I wanted to hurt him as much as he had hurt me.

"Ugh, don't call me that," I snapped, shaking my head quickly, stopping myself from getting entranced by his eyes. "And stop lying! Just... just stop it!"

"I'm not lying," he insisted, his voice breaking slightly.

What is happening to this world? I shrieked at myself internally. Why is his voice cracking? Why is he nervous? What is wrong with him?

And then, I remembered. And oh, did it make me feel stupid. How could I forget? He was an actor. Acting things like this out was probably what he lived for. None of this was true.

Unfortunately for Christian, I wasn't some naive little girl who would fall for his charming words. Not anymore, at least.

"Stop it!" I cried, glaring at him intensely. "Give it up, Christian. I don't believe a word you're saying to me. Lying is what you do best."

"I know I have a reputation for lying," Christian began slowly, "but I swear, Sophia, I'm not lying at this moment. I wish I was, but I'm not. I don't know what happened—"

"Stop it!" I shrieked in frustration. Thank God there was no one around. This was going to get ugly and fast. "Stop lying!"

"But I'm not lying," he cried desperately. "You have to believe me!"