Like I Hoped ♥
“There appears to have been a brawl between two girls here in the parking lot of local hot spot, Rejavanate. A passerby reports that he was walking his dog by the coffee shop when he noticed the two girls having a heated argument before suddenly, one girl was on the ground and the other was going ballistic. Police have arrived on the scene to break up the catfight, but-oh! Here comes the victor now-”
The news camera panned to show a grinning girl of small stature with long, dark brown hair streaming out behind her as she ran past, smiling valiantly into the lens, blowing on her fist as cops sprinted behind her, yelling at her to stop.
“Ma’am! Excuse me, what is your name?” the reporter called, running after the girl with her microphone outstretched towards her.
“The name’s Christina the Avenger!” the girl replied, still blazing at top speed away from the cops and reporter in hot pursuit at her heels.
“Why have you done this horrible act?” the reporter asked, beginning to pant.
“Mess with my friends, you’re gonna tangle with me! I won’t stand for injustice! I travel the world at supersonic speed protecting those I love, with my trusty sidekick, Walker! He’s at home watching, cheering me on! Right, Walker? Jade the Dragon is no more!”
Christina turned, winked, and smirked into the camera once more before “Eye of the Tiger” began to play as she sped off into the sunset.
…..
Chase sat up in bed, panting and wide-eyed. He looked around, taking in his bedroom, and realizing he was in a tangled mess of his bedsheets.
Oh, thank God…just a dream, he thought with a sigh of relief.
He had seriously hoped that Christina wouldn’t pick a literal fight with Jade.
He fumbled for his phone, which was blasting the triumphant song. He had a playlist of different songs he used to get him awake in the morning, making sure it shuffled so he wouldn’t grow too used to the same song and sleep through it. He tapped the alarm off and sighed deeply, still shaking off the stupor of sleepiness that clung to his brain.
A small weight settled on his chest as his brain began to warm up into processing the previous day, as well as what laid ahead for the current day: Tuesday, April 1st.
Today he would need to show up for work and talk to Jade about her rage-filled blowup at Avery. He imagined her a fire-breathing jade-green dragon, glowering down at him with stormy blue eyes, ready to snap her jaws around him and swallow him whole.
The shock of his wild dream wore off as he shook himself off and crawled out of bed, his usual eagerness to start the day wearing thin. He gathered his shower caddy, towel, and change of clothes before he stepped out of his bedroom, ready to head to the bathroom. He exited his door to find Elliot coming out of the bathroom, looking miserable and holding his nose.
“Jackson, can’t you at least spray after you unleash hell upon the toilet?” Elliot complained, still pinching his nose and glaring at Jackson, who had popped his head around the corner from the kitchen to look down the hallway at Elliot.
“I’m sorry, I have a sensitive tummy, and we’re out of air freshener,” Jackson replied with puppy-dog eyes, trying to look innocent.
“You’re twenty-four years old, why are you talking like you’re five?” Elliot countered, retreating to his bedroom. “Good luck in there, Chase,” he said, slipping behind his door and closing it, escaping the manly stench.
Chase turned and glanced at Jackson, who looked at Chase apologetically with a shrug before disappearing back around the corner.
Sighing, Chase walked into the warzone and quickly went about his routine, showering and brushing his teeth while trying to breathe in through his nose as little as possible. He changed and flew from the bathroom and back into his room to put away his things and collect his bookbag and car keys. He double-checked his Converse to make sure the laces were secure, and then stepped out into the hallway, heading towards the kitchen and common room.
Jackson stood behind the kitchen counter, sipping away at a chocolate protein shake and looking embarrassed over his room-mates’ suffering at the hands of his bowels.
“It’s not a problem, Jackson, it happens,” Chase said with a smile, patting Jackson’s meaty arm as he stepped towards the door to leave.
“I’ll be sure to grab some more air freshener on my way back from work,” Jackson replied sheepishly. “You have any preferences?”
“Anything that masks that unholy aroma!” Elliot called out from his room.
“So….flowers? Or are you more of a pine guy?” Jackson shouted back. “Maybe lavender to soothe your sensitive soul?”
“Once again, up yours, Jackson!” Elliot yelled, his tone revealing exasperation.
Jackson grinned toothily before finishing his shake, rinsing his bottle out, grabbing his own car keys from the counter, and exiting the apartment with Chase.
“Have a good day at work, dude,” Jackson said to Chase before heading around the street corner to his silver car.
“You too!” Chase called after him before unlocking his Jeep and swinging up into the driver’s seat. He had been lucky to snag a spot right outside of the apartment.
He drove the ten minutes to Rejavanate and pulled into a spot in the middle of the lot, noticing there were already about fifteen cars scattered about the spaces. Spring break had ended a few weeks ago so more students were on campus, which is why Christina and Chase had been so surprised that the previous day had not been busy. Today seemed like a different story, however, as he noticed it was mostly students waiting in their cars for Rejavanate to open as he walked to the doors and slipped inside. Christina was behind the counter, wiping it down with vigor as the yellow glow of the lights above her shone down, making the counter almost appear to sparkle as Christina worked it to a pristine level of clean.
The chairs were already out, with the pillows plumped and Avery’s corner, which was underneath the huge logo painted on the back wall, was stocked with its usual blue cushions.
“Good morning, Walker! You actually kept your promise!” Christina said with a grin as Chase entered the employees-only door and slipped into the back.
“Of course I did,” he replied, discarding his bookbag on the counter and slipping his apron on.
“No late-night gallivanting?” she asked with a small smirk on her face, adjusting her glasses on her nose.
“Not this time,” Chase replied, smiling as he joined her at the front behind the register.
“So…you’re gonna talk with Jade?” she inquired, her face growing slightly stormy.
“Um…yeah, I am. I need to clear the air with her and apologize-”
“Hold up, why do you need to apologize?” Christina interrupted, looking frustrated. “What the hell do you have to apologize for?”
Chase sighed and rubbed the back of his head, glancing down.
“I want to apologize if I hurt her feelings or made it look like I was careless with Avery’s privacy. I obviously struck a nerve with what I said, and she mentioned me in her rant. That I’m hiding feelings for Avery and that I view her as a burden in that she needs me all the time.”
“I don’t really think you need to apologize for hurting her feelings, but that’s how you are, Walker,” Christina replied, setting out the tip jar and making sure the register was ready to go.
“I don’t know when I’ll get a chance to talk to her since it looks like there’s a lot of people here already,” Chase said, glancing out the doors at all of the students waiting in their cars to come in.
“Well, here she comes now,” Christina said lowly, nodding her head towards the door.
Chase looked back up to see Jade walking towards the coffee shop, her eyes downcast. She looked smaller than usual, her shoulders drooped as if she was carrying the weight of the world. She looked exhausted, and she trudged into the shop, keeping her eyes downward.
“Hey, Jade,” Chase said, trying to break the ice. “How are you doing this morning?”
Christina stood, tracking Jade’s movement as she moved to the back of the shop like a hawk eyeing a mouse, ready to swoop down and snatch it up in its talons.
“Hi, guys,” Jade replied, trying to talk at a normal volume. She sounded a million miles away. “I’m okay.”
She slipped into the back kitchen and dropped her black backpack on the counter before grabbing her own apron and joining them all in the front.
“What’s the routine for today?” she asked, still avoiding eye contact.
“I want you to man the register first while I do inventory,” Christina replied, her eyes stony. “I’m going to be making drinks along with Chase. That okay?”
“Yeah, that sounds good,” Jade replied.
“Well, you better perk up, because here they come,” Christina said, moving to exit out into the main area of the shop to flip the sign to OPEN. The students began leaving their cars and gathering their items, moving eagerly towards Rejavanate to receive their morning goodies and engage in relaxed studying and conversation.
Jade straightened up and rolled her shoulders back, practicing a smile as the first few customers entered the shop.
From there on out, the morning was very busy, and the shop’s couches, chairs, and tables grew crowded. The pastries from that morning’s delivery flew from the display case and Chase and Christina worked away at crafting americanos, lattes, cold brews, and other caffeinated concoctions. Jade took orders with a warm smile and made small talk with the patrons, her blue eyes hiding the fact she felt absolutely on edge with Chase being so close, the unresolved issue hanging between them. She knew he had to know what she had said to Avery, and she felt ashamed, embarrassed, and nervous. And if Chase knew, she could only assume Christina did, too.
Chase was feeling antsy himself, sneaking glances at Jade as he steamed milk, poured coffee, and decorated the tops of lattes with hearts, flowers, and whatever else he felt like. His mind was racing as he tried to formulate a script in his mind of what he could say to Jade, and he wondered if she would blow up at him, too. She seemed really quiet and tired – she had faint shadows under her eyes, her lips barely quirked into a smile, and her azure eyes were void of their usual sapphire shine. Chase was good at reading people, despite their best attempts to hide their feelings. He could tell she wasn’t okay, which made him only pray more that their conversation, if they had one, would go well and that he would be gentle.
Christina had a slightly sour look on her face as she manned the cold brew tap and dished pastries onto plates. She knew Chase wanted to handle the situation himself, but she couldn’t help feeling like clocking Jade in the face with some harsh words. Christina wasn’t a violent person, nor would she lay a hand on anyone, though she often thought of sinking her fists into the faces of people who cut her off on the road, who were overly rude to her, or who attacked her friends and loved ones. She had a good session the previous night taking out her frustration on the punching bag hanging in her garage, sending kicks and blows into the bag, secretly imagining it was Jade. She knew this wasn’t exactly the healthiest or kindest thing to do, but she did have to admit she felt worlds better after having done so. Her older brother, Kyrie, had entered the garage to lift weights when he had paused in the doorway, taking in the sight of his sister savagely attacking the punching bag. He had then backed into the house and quietly closed the door, allowing her privacy as she grunted and sweated her anger out. Now, she adjusted her glasses on her nose, and continued about her business, trying to get the leftovers of her irritation out by brutally shoving the metal scooper in her hand into the ice machine, viciously cutting the cubes apart and scooping them into cups.
The trio worked like a well-oiled machine well into the afternoon, the flow of students streaming steadily, making the time pass quickly. Finally, the crowd died down around 1, and now there were only a few customers coming and going sporadically. The shop still felt cozy even though nearly all of the space was taken up by students quietly sipping away at their drinks and tapping away at their computers. Christina noticed the lull in the busyness and decided it was time to take over the register from Jade.
“Hey, you’re relieved now,” Christina said evenly, wiping up any stray spills on the counter. “You can take your break.”
“Okay thanks, Christina,” Jade replied, sighing a little with relief. She was happy she had made it through.
Christina took her position behind the register as Jade walked towards the back to collect her lunch from her bag. She pushed through the swinging double doors and was greeted by the sight of Chase scrubbing dishes at the sink. She felt a sense of dread settle on her again and she quietly scooted past him to grab her bag.
“Um, Jade,” Chase spoke up, turning slightly to look at her, keeping his soapy hands over the sink. “I wanted to ask if I could talk to you later.”
The dread sharpened as Jade broke out in a light sweat.
“Um, yeah, absolutely,” Jade replied, trying to force a smile. “When were you thinking?”
“Today after work, if that’s okay with you?” Chase said, cocking his head to the side in tune with his question.
“Yeah, that’s good,” Jade affirmed, trying to hide the tremble in her voice.
“Awesome, I just wanted to make sure,” Chase nodded, a smile on his face. “Enjoy your break!”
He turned back to the sink, and Jade slipped out of the door, her stomach now turning and her appetite gone. She found an empty seat in a corner and sat down, not even bothering to pull out her lunch. She instead pulled out a black sketchbook and a shiny pink pencil case, her hands shaking with her anxiety. She opened the book to an empty page, pulled a sharpened pencil from the bag, and took a breath. She began to doodle absent-mindedly, trying to process the previous day: her shift, her feelings toward Chase, her explosion at Avery, and the appointment she had attended after she had left Rejavanate. Her heart began to ache, and she pushed the thoughts away and instead try to focus on what she might say to Chase in their upcoming conversation, and what he might have to say. She finally took out her bento box and began to nibble away at its contents as she continued to draw, each pencil stroke soothing a small part of her soul as she sketched out a portrait of Chase, shading in his wavy brown-black hair and fine-tuning the curves of his eyes. Soon her thirty minutes were up, and she rejoined Christina behind the counter to help restock the napkins, cups, and straws and make her own drink.
Chase stocked the shelves with the dishes he had finished cleaning and then took his break. He stepped outside to get some fresh air and took out his phone, noticing with a small pang of anxiety that there were no messages from Avery. The fact she had yet to show up at Rejavanate as she said she would had begun to gnaw at him. He figured she should have had the conversation with her mom by now, especially since her mom had Tuesdays off from the salon, unless she had decided to go in today. He tapped out a quick text to her, asking if she was okay and if she had yet talked to Marie.
He spent the next thirty minutes of his break waiting for her to reply, but she never did.
…..
Soon 5 PM rolled around, and Rejavanate was clear of all customers, leaving only the three employees to close up shop for the day. They went about the routine: cleaning the counters, checking the bathrooms, putting the chairs up, and closing the register. They split the tips between themselves and hung up their aprons, collecting their stuff and heading towards the doors. Chase flipped the sign to CLOSED and held the door open as Christina and Jade slipped out, and Christina shot him a quick look as she moved past him.
“Alright guys, I’ll see you later,” Christina said as she locked the doors and slipped the key into her purse. “Bright and early, Walker!”
She cast a look at Chase before striding away to her car, leaving him and Jade standing by one another awkwardly.
There was a brief silence as they both worked up the courage to break the ice and begin the conversation that both had been worried about all day.
“So, uh…where do you wanna talk?” Jade asked, looking up at Chase, fiddling with the straps of her backpack.
“Um…we can go sit on the lawn, if that works,” Chase replied, pointing to the vast grassy space in the distance.
“Sure, that sounds good,” Jade said, beginning the trek from the doors of Rejavanate towards the campus.
The two walked in silence, each in their own minds, still mulling over their potential scripts of what to say, unsure of what each other’s reactions would be. They reached the lawn and Jade tossed her backpack onto the grass before slumping down onto the earth, bringing her knees to her chest and resting her arms on them. Chase lowered himself down a little ways away from her, dropping his bookbag onto the ground, facing her with his legs crossed and leaning back on his hands.
Again, a brief silence filled the air between them. The time had finally come.
“Okay, let me cut to the chase,” Chase finally said, halting his words when he realized what he had just said.
Jade let out a laugh as he looked puzzled at his accidental pun. Chase sighed and shook his head lightly, chuckling himself.
“Let me get to the point,” he began again, sitting up straight and resting his hands in his lap. “I wanted to apologize if anything I said yesterday gave you the wrong impression of what happened between Avery and me, and I wanted to apologize for even saying anything that betrayed Avery’s privacy and made her look bad in your eyes. Avery is my best friend, and I know our relationship often appears more boyfriend-girlfriend to others, but in all truth, we view each other as brother and sister,” he said earnestly.
He paused, considering his next words. Jade watched him, waiting for him to continue.
“We grew up together and are extremely close, and Avery is currently going through a lot. I know you are aware of that, which is why I don’t have a problem saying that, but I had no right to even hint that we were together that night. I know Christina made a similar comment first, but I shouldn’t have escalated that, and she meant no harm by it either. I want to make it clear that I trust you, Jade, and that I think you’re a fantastic employee and you’re overall a great person,” Chase said gently, smiling at Jade. “However, as you might have guessed, Avery did end up telling both Christina and me what you said to her yesterday. I’ll be very clear that she actually begged us to not say anything to you because she didn’t want to cause any drama or come off like a snitch. She actually said she understood something must be going on in your life for you to come off so strongly towards her. I love Avery, but not in a romantic way. Whenever she needs me, I always try to be there, and I make the choice to do so.”
Chase paused once more in his flow, watching Jade’s face, giving her an opportunity to respond if she wanted.
Jade sat quietly, analyzing all that Chase had just told her, her mind hooking onto the words that he trusted her, and saw her as a good person. She shifted, sitting up herself, putting her hands on her knees and taking a deep breath.
“Thank you for saying that about me, Chase. I’m glad you still think that about me, despite yesterday. I want to first say I deeply apologize for blowing up at Avery – she didn’t deserve it by any means. I plan on apologizing to her myself, but she didn’t come in today, and I’ll be sure to do so when I next see her. I’m sorry for hurting your best friend and your feelings, too, if I did. I didn’t have the guts to do it today because I felt like she might have ripped my head off, but I want to clear the air with Christina, too, since I know how much she cares for Avery and because I don’t want her to think badly of me.”
Jade paused as the words she was about to speak caught on her tongue, words that she had been nervous to admit.
“And…I have a bit of a confession. I’ve always felt pretty jealous of Avery because of all of the love and support she gets, not just from you, but everyone at Rejavanate. She seems to be at the center of attention nearly all of the time, and it began to skew my view of her. I don’t think I’m ready to say it just yet, but I’m going through a lot at home right now, and it, unfortunately, has gotten a bit worse lately, and that’s part of what caused me to lose it yesterday. I mean it when I say that I’m beyond ashamed of myself, and incredibly embarrassed. I really didn’t mean to go crazy, and I regret everything I said. I hope you know that’s not who I normally am, even though I had those feelings of envy. To be honest, Chase, I’ve always…admired you, and I got jealous of how patient and kind you are towards Avery, and nearly everyone you come across. I wish I was like you. It would probably help me a ton with everything going on right now.”
Jade began to toy with her long black ponytail, shrinking in a bit on herself. She had almost screwed up and admitted she liked Chase, but had caught herself.
“And…I think in time I might open up,” she continued, her tone soft. “But for now, I’m not ready. I love working with you and Christina, even if I seem distant and obviously now I seem rude and catty. I promise you I’ll do better, and I want more than anything for us to be on good terms at all times, helping one another when we need it. That’s why I didn’t mind covering for you yesterday. I love helping out, and I love working at Rejavanate. I was honestly really scared you would be super mad, and maybe even fire me, and I didn’t sleep last night because I was so anxious and I just-”
Jade suddenly broke off and burst into tears, her shoulders trembling as she hid her face in her hands and cried.
Chase immediately leaned forward towards her, reaching out to place a comforting hand on her shoulder, but stopping himself. He didn’t want to cross boundaries.
“Hey, Jade, it’s okay,” he said soothingly. “I wouldn’t just fire you over this one incident. Like I said, you’re a fantastic employee and a wonderful person. I could tell that you weren’t okay today, and yet you pushed through and were so kind to every customer and handled the rush with no issue. That takes a lot of strength, and I’m really proud of you for that.”
Jade’s heart momentarily skipped a beat when she heard him say that he was proud of her. She slowly unmasked her face and looked up at him, her eyes shimmering with tears, only making them appear even bluer, like a swelling ocean wave.
“You…you could tell I wasn’t okay?”
If he could tell that, does that mean he knows how I feel about him already? she wondered to herself.
Chase smiled warmly at her.
“Yeah, I could. I am really good at reading people, at least, that’s what I’ve been told. Even despite that, you really were doing a great job at hiding it, in the sense you were trying to not let it affect your work. And like I said, that truly does take strength, and from what I could tell, I knew you were sorry and regretted yesterday. If you didn’t, you would feel no need to apologize or even talk to me, and you would have been hostile to Christina and me this morning. Instead, you came in quietly, and we both could tell you weren’t okay and were nervous to be around us. That speaks volumes of how you felt, and I knew you would have apologized to Avery if she came in today,” he said gently, his voice full of honest admiration.
“Speaking of that, did you hear from her? I was surprised she didn’t come,” Jade said, wiping away stray tears that were streaming down to drip off her cheeks. His words were soothing over the anxiety that had been eating away at her heart.
“I…I actually didn’t,” Chase replied, his brow slightly furrowing.
“You’re worried, aren’t you?” she asked gently, looking at him with sad eyes.
“Yeah, I am. Especially considering what she’s been going through lately. And now I’m worried about you, too. I won’t pry, but if there’s anything I can do for you, please tell me, okay? Whatever you’re comfortable with,” Chase replied, smiling at her once more.
“You really are a good guy, Chase,” Jade said, his smile making her feel a comforting warmth wash over her. “I…I really can’t thank you enough. I really thought you would hate me because of this, and I can’t believe Avery didn’t even want you to talk to me…she’s not mad at me either, then?”
“She was definitely hurt, but she’s also a master of empathy. She knew that wasn’t like you, too, and she didn’t hold it against you. She likes you, Jade. Honestly, I think you’re one of the most well-liked employees at Rejavanate, and people enjoy your presence. And I don’t hate people, so don’t you worry about that,” he said gently. “I actually have a question for you.”
“Sure, what is it?” she asked quietly, still soaking in his words.
“Can I give you a hug?”
Jade’s eyes widened a little, and she felt her heart buck up.
“Y-yes,” she said faintly, nodding her head.
Chase got to his feet and she followed suit, and he stepped forward, gently wrapping his arms around her and giving her a light squeeze. He had to bend down slightly in order to hug her properly, and yet he still towered over her a bit.
Jade couldn’t help but be amazed at his touch. It felt safe, secure, and she felt her fear melt away in that moment. She wished she could hug him for an eternity, but the embrace lasted only a brief moment.
Chase stepped back, smiling at her, and she felt the glow of his hug cling to her clothes and skin. She felt like someone had just waved a magic wand of sunshine and healing over her, and her aching heart, and she felt a small smile creep to her lips.
“You feel better?” Chase asked, cocking his head a bit.
“I do. I really do. Thank you, Chase. I finally feel relaxed,” she replied, her tense shoulders loosening.
“I’ll walk you back,” he said, slinging his bookbag onto his shoulder and picking up her backpack as well.
“Oh, you don’t have to carry it,” she said in protest, reaching out to stop him.
“But I would like to, if that’s okay,” Chase replied with a smile. “I think you’ve already been walking around with too much weight on your shoulders. You could use a bit of a break.”
Despite her best efforts, Jade blushed. Her eyes filled with tears once more, and she let out a deep sigh, the tension further leaking out of her soul.
They walked side by side back to the lot, up to Jade’s car. She reached out for her backpack, which Chase handed to her, and she dug her keys out from the front pocket. She unlocked her car, reached in and put her backpack on the passenger’s seat, and then turned back to Chase.
“Thank you so much, Chase,” she whispered. “I feel…amazing. I really hope I can make it up to Avery, and I really hope you still trust me. Christina, too.”
“Oh, I know Christina,” Chase replied breezily. “She’ll get over it. It’s just how she is. Her maternal instincts have been ticked off, but she’ll be back to her good ol’ self by tomorrow. And Avery? Don’t you worry about her. Knowing her, she’s already forgiven you.”
Jade smiled, her eyes back to their gemstone shine. Chase couldn’t help but take note of how beautiful they were, her tiny nose crinkling slightly with her genuine grin.
“Thank goodness. That makes me feel eons better. I really need to get going now, but I’ll see you tomorrow, for sure,” she said. “And please let me know if Avery is okay.”
“I will,” Chase affirmed, waving as she got into her driver’s seat. “Bye, Jade. Drive safe!”
“You got it,” she replied, smiling once more before closing her door and starting her car, her heart dancing in her chest. She drove off and out of the lot, still feeling the security of his hug wrapped around her.
She had never felt better.
…..
Chase clambered up the stairs to the apartment door, feeling a bit exhausted. His own body had been full of tension that was now releasing since his conversation with Jade. He was thrilled with how well it had gone, and he kept rewinding it in his mind, going over her words, facial expressions, mannerisms, and the radiance of her deep blue eyes. He slowly got lost in thought as he unlocked the door and stepped inside. Elliot was curled up on the couch, his nose in a book, and Jackson was in the kitchen, heating up some leftover pizza.
“Hey, Chase!” Jackson said, alerted to the sound of the door opening. “You’re back later than usual.”
“Hey, dude,” Chase replied, smiling. “Yeah, I had to talk with Jade, but it’s all good.”
“Ooo, Jadey-Jade,” Jackson said in a singsong tone. “How do you always get all of the girls?”
Chase lightly rolled his eyes, before he laughed.
“Because he’s a respectable person who has the kind of looks that most girls fall for,” Elliot said matter-of-factly, still reading his book. “He’s not a gym rat who is constantly smudged with car grease and looks like your typical high school jock. He’s got that mysterious allure that girls find charming and unique.”
Jackson and Chase looked at Elliot with raised eyebrows, who looked unbothered as he turned the page.
“How are you an expert on what girls like?” Jackson asked. “And I’m not constantly dirty. And I like working out – I take good care of myself.”
“It’s just human nature,” Elliot replied with a deadpan expression, not even turning to look at his room-mates. “And yes, you leave black streaks in the shower because you don’t bother wiping off all of the oil.”
“Sorry,” Jackson mumbled, taking his pizza out of the microwave. He looked a little hurt.
“But,” Elliot continued, turning the page once more. “There are plenty of girls who would fall for someone like you. They like a ruddy guy with a toned body and crewcut, so you have a chance.”
Jackson’s expression turned a bit hopeful, though he still couldn’t tell if he was being insulted.
“Er, thanks, Elliot,” he said, chewing on a slice.
“You are most welcome,” Elliot replied, adjusting his glasses and continuing his reading venture.
Chase sighed and walked off towards his bedroom, still feeling a bit mentally and physically worn out. He unlaced his shoes, kicked them off, and dropped his bookbag on his desk chair. Once more, he pulled out his cell phone to check for any messages. There was one from Avery. He quickly unlocked the phone and opened the message.
His heart dropped like a stone.
…..
My mom didn’t react like I hoped.
Are you okay?
I’m home alone right now.
Where’s Marie?
She left. I don’t know where she went.
What happened, Ave?
She tried to put me in a hospital.
What???
A mental hospital. She drove me over and
tried to make them take me, but they wouldn’t.
They said I didn’t need to be there.
I’m sorry, Ave…do you want me
to come over?
Yes.
I’m on my way.
…..
Chase threw his shoes back on, grabbed his keys and bag, and exited his room, nearly cantering down the hallway and back to the front door.
“Whoa, where are you going?” Jackson asked, washing his plate in the sink, a piece of pizza crust poking out of his mouth.
“Avery needs me,” Chase said a bit breathlessly as he grabbed the door handle.
“Is she okay? Is something wrong?” Jackson looked worried, swallowing the crust and coming out from behind the counter.
“I hadn’t heard from her all day, and now she finally texted me. She needed to talk to her mom about something, and I guess it didn’t go well. Can I fill you in later?” Chase pleaded, his eyes begging to be let go.
“Yeah, of course, do what you gotta do,” Jackson said, nodding, his doe-brown eyes full of concern.
“Drive carefully,” Elliot commanded, now sitting up on the couch with his book in his lap. “You’re all worked up. You need to calm down.”
Chase froze at Elliot’s tone, and he looked over at him. Elliot was sitting stick-straight, his green eyes severe and fixed on Chase.
Chase nodded and composed himself, his hand still on the doorknob as he took a breath.
“Good,” Elliot said, nodding primly. “Drive safely, do not look at your phone, and relax. She’ll be okay.”
“Okay,” Chase replied, knowing Elliot deeply cared about his well-being, as well as Avery’s. He didn’t take offense to Elliot talking to him like an unruly teenager.
He turned, opened the door, and was gone.
Jackson looked over at Elliot, who continued to sit stone-still, his face betraying his own worry.
“You know, you’re a good guy, Elliot,” Jackson said. “A little over the top and kind of a snob, but you’re also the Team Dad around here.”
“I am no such thing,” Elliot replied, looking mildly horrified.
“Yeah you are,” Jackson grinned as Elliot quickly got to his feet and grabbed his book, making his way to his room. “Team Dad, Team Dad, Team Dad!” Jackson chanted after, pumping his fist in the air while pretending to chase Elliot down.
“Stop, you oaf!” Elliot yelled, slipping behind his bedroom door and shutting it behind him.
“Love you, too, dad!” Jackson hooted, laughing out loud before he went off to the bathroom to remove the black stains he had carried home from the mechanic shop out of the shower.
Chase drove to Avery’s, his grip on the steering wheel firm and his mind racing.
A hospital? Why would Marie put her in a hospital? What the hell happened between them? he wondered, feeling a bit upset towards Marie.
He groaned as he pulled up to another red light, beginning to tap the wheel with his thumbs in impatience.
I really thought it would go well…I thought Marie would be happy Avery opened up to her…she must have really not taken it well.
The light turned green and Chase tapped the gas pedal, driving as carefully as he could despite his nerves. Fifteen minutes later, he parked in front of Avery’s house and jumped from the Jeep as quickly as he could, running up to her door and knocking.
Only a few seconds later, the door opened to reveal a distraught-looking Avery, her blue-green eyes red with tears and her hair looking disheveled. She threw herself at Chase, who caught her in his arms and hugged her tight as she let out a whimper.
“You’re here, oh my God, you’re here,” she choked, her voice watery.
“What happened? Tell me,” he demanded, gently pulling her back and looking into her eyes.
“She…she just flipped,” she whispered, a little scared of Chase’s hardened face. “She was so angry when I told her everything, and she made me pack a bag and drove me to the hospital. She demanded they take me in, but I met this doctor and she talked to me alone and she said I didn't need to stay there. She said I was fine, and that she believed I was well enough to go home, and that I would get better. So we left. We got home and she was silent until I tried to talk to her and she...it was awful, Chase. Then she said she needed to be alone. I…I don’t know where she went.”
Avery collapsed back onto Chase’s chest in exhaustion.
“I was so scared. She was so angry. She said horrible things,” she whispered, trembling.
“Like what?” Chase asked, hugging Avery close as she shook.
“She...she said she's furious with you, that you put me in danger,” Avery sobbed. “She said how much she had to fight to keep me safe, and she felt like you jeopardized that, and she brought up my dad, and it hurt, Chase, it hurt so much.” Avery buried her face in his chest and wept harder.
Chase's heart nearly stopped when Avery told him that Marie thought he had put Avery in danger. He felt sick. He pushed down the feelings and focused on the girl in his arms, crying her eyes out.
"It's okay, I'm here,” Chase murmured into her hair, squeezing her once more before letting go. “Let’s go inside. I’ll call her.”
Avery looked at him with fear, like a deer frozen in headlights.
“Why?”
“Because she needs to hear my side. You did your part, and now she needs to know what I do so she believes what you told her. That you’re okay,” Chase said firmly, turning her around by her shoulders and nudging her into the house.
He stepped in behind her and closed the door, gently taking her hand and leading her to the couch. She sat down, curling in on herself as she hugged a pillow to his chest. He dialed Marie’s number, and stood rigidly, waiting to see if she would answer.
She did.
“Hello?” Marie answered a bit harshly, her voice shaking.
“Marie? Where are you?” Chase inquired, a little taken aback by Marie's tone.
“Why?” Marie asked gruffly.
“I’m here with Avery, and I just wanted to talk with you,” Chase said, trying to sound calm.
“I’m clearing my head,” Marie snapped. “I’m a bit in shock, and I can’t believe you knew all of this and didn’t tell me immediately.”
“I was going to, remember? I told you yesterday when I called you, that I wanted to tell you. But Avery asked me to let her tell you herself.”
“Well, she did. And I can’t believe it.”
“Where are you? Can you come back so we can talk?” Chase pleaded.
“Chase James, I am furious with you. You knew my daughter was thinking of killing herself and kept your mouth shut for over a day? You better believe I have some things to say to you. I’m coming back now,” she growled.
Chase gulped, but kept his voice steady.
“I’ll see you when you get here,” he said.
The phone call ended, and Chase turned to look at Avery, who looked horrified.
“She’s coming now,” he said, sitting down beside her and pulling her to his chest. “It’s gonna be okay. I promise.”
“You promise?” she whispered faintly.
He nodded, his blue-gray eyes fixed and his heart beating steadily.
“I do. I got you, Ave.”
You’re safe.
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