Camila

On Sunday I had long forgotten about the almost kiss. I had, however, not forgotten about my confusion for my feelings for Chase. I'd known him for so long, we'd been through so much together... I couldn't just ruin our friendship my developing a crush on him. But it was difficult with his perfect black hair, his deep blue eyes, his body... Sorry. What I meant was, I wasn't about to go around ruining things with feelings that probably weren't even there. So I instead concentrated on my aching heart, the most likely reason for my mixed up emotions.

As soon as Chase and his mom left Taylor and I started talking. We sat on one of the couches at the lobby while we drank coffee, though maybe giving two hyper teenage girls coffee wasn't such a great idea.

To me, coffee is like alcohol. For some odd reason I tend to say things I shouldn't and do dumb things. That's just the way my body works. I remember when I was young my dad would never let me drink coffee because, as he put it the last time I was home, I was kind of like "a monkey on drugs".

While I was in my coffee-drunk state I said something very stupid. Honestly, I don't remember saying it, but legend says that I told Taylor a not-so-much secret that would guarantee me a full half a day silent treatment from my best friend.

"I think Chase likes you." I blurted. Taylor nearly spit her coffee out. Her eyes were wide and I was no longer sure whether I was looking at my new friend or a tomato.

"What?"

I nodded.

"I'm kind of breaking the best friend code by this, but yeah. He even asked someone for your number. I think you two would be really cute together."

She frowned and shook her head.

"No way. I think you're crazy. There's no way Chase Harding likes me. He's in love with you! His perfect best friend."

I took a nervous bite from the cookie I'd bought. It was hard.

"Chase doesn't like me, we're like siblings. And okay, maybe he doesn't like you, but he feels something for you. Seriously, I haven't seen him like this ever since Kathy Marcov in tenth grade."

Or at least I thought he didn't. I mean, I'd had my suspicions. The long stares, the more touching than needed, the never liking another girl, his need for me to not hang out with a few guys... But I always thought it was just him being a good friend and looking out for me. Maybe it was just him being a boy.

"Do you really think so?"

I took a sip from my coffee, suddenly a little bit uncomfortable.

"Yeah. And if you, I don't know, like him too then I would with no problem play cupid. "

Her eyes lit up excitingly. Is this seriously what is needed to make friends? To tell them I'll set them up with my best friend? Call me Cupid, then.

Then suddenly I remembered Valery. I'd told her I'd help her with Chase and now here I was, helping her dorm mate with him as well. In my defense, she had her chance and blew it up by making out with the guy I liked. The bad thing was I would have to endure the band practices where she was. Awesome, I had to stand the annoying girl as she made gooey eyes at my best friend who deserved a much better girl than her.

In the very few days I'd known Valery I thought we would become very good friends, but I was wrong. It's amazing how such small things can destroy things that could have been great.

"You would seriously help me with him? Because I don't want you to think that the only reason I became your friend is because I like Chase. I'm not like Valery."

I frowned and suddenly something clicked inside of me. The bump in the hall wasn't an accident, she wanted us to crash into each other. Valery knew I'd help her with him. Is this what I get for being a nice person?

"What do you mean by that?" I asked, even though I knew the answer very well.

"Are you good at keeping secrets?" I nodded quickly. I had been told various times that I lock like a vault.

"A few weeks ago Valery wouldn't stop rambling about how much she likes Chase and a bunch of other crap I don't mind remembering. But she said something about how there was always this girl with him and she didn't know what to do. Then Melissa suggested that she became friends with you and saw how it went. And well she did. Valery's not very good at making friends, she says she's not an approachable person. So she made this plan to get close to Chase using you and well... I don't think she meant any harm which didn't turn out as planned. Are you mad?"

I stared at her with my mouth wide open. I tried to close it, but I couldn't.

What Valery did wasn't with bad intentions. Yeah, she used me to get to Chase and then made out with Leo the night she had her chance. But we all make mistakes. I knew I had to forgive her, I just didn't know how.

"I'm not mad, just a little confused. You know what? Let's forget this. I'm going to get you Chase and Valery can go suck my crush's face while she looks at you living happily ever after with hers."

She smiled and put her hand up for a high five. We high fived like a couple of three year olds, but we didn't care.

For the third time in my life I had made a friend and I had no intention of losing her soon.

•°•°•°•°•

Taylor and I stayed in the lobby until eight thirty studying and doing homework. The whole time we were talking about the most random of things in the world.

First we talked about how Mr. Doyle hated Chase and me because we were always laughing in class. Also about how when Mr. Doyle got mad his face became red and his eyes looked like they were going to pop. I had never actually seen him that mad, but according to Taylor that was something very common in her Biology class. I guess that's what happens when you put an eighth of the school's singers in the same class with an impatient teacher.

After our long (and very educational if I may add) conversation we walked back to our dorms. By eight thirty everyone had to be in their dorms, or at least in the doorm building. Technically we were allowed to stay awake until ten. If the lights in any room were on at that hour every person from that dorm had detention. That was something I had to unfortunately learn the hard way.

I was getting ready to go to bed when one of my roommates, Karla, said, "Um, Cami? Your phone is buzzing like crazy. It says it's Leo." She handed me my phone when my one of my other dorm mates, Kathy, put her head out of the bathroom, toothpaste dripping everywhere.

"Leo as in Leonardo Jensen? The hottest guy on campus besides Patrick and Chase?"

I laughed. Chase was in the top three?

The top three was a term invented ten years ago when a group of girls got bored at lunch and made a list of the top three hottest guys in school. Afterwards, the guys did the same. Every year there was a secret voting in the third week of school. The next week both lists were all over social media announcing the winners.

"Wait, is that your opinion or are the lists out?"

Kathy, Karla and Annie, the third roommate, froze. "Quick, phones out. Check every account you have. The lists must be out already."

Annie frowned and said, "But the voting was last week, are the lists really out so fast?"

The three of us nodded in unison. Poor freshman and her poor knowledge in high school life.

Karla shook her head as she locked her phone. "Nope. Lorenzo and Janice's Instagram accounts say that the results will be out tomorrow in after school."

I sighed and Kathy went into the bathroom to finish washing her teeth. I pulled out my phone again and checked out Leonardo's text message. It read, "Are you awake? Can we please talk tomorrow?" I groaned. If there is something I hate, it's talking in person.

"Sure. Lunch at the cafeteria?" I chuckled, little did he know that I had no intention of showing up.

"Awesome! See you there;)"

Yeah right. 

Not my best chapter, I'm sorry. I'm half asleep but still wanted to write.

The next few chapters I still have to see how I will arrange them because what I have in mind I think is too soon so I'm not really sure.

But what did you think of this chapter? I'd love to hear your thoughts!