Chase

"So just to be clear, because I want to make sure I'm hearing this right, she invited you over to her house at two in the morning last weekend, slept on top of you, and now you've been avoiding the topic all week?" Asher asked me with his eyebrows almost disappearing into his hairline.

"I'm not avoiding the topic. It just hasn't come up." Lie. I've been totally avoiding the topic.

"Are you for fucking real?" Asher was looking at me like I'd grown two heads. "You've been pining over Indie for years, Chase. Years. Ever since you took that stupid picture. Every single boyfriend she's had, you've droned on and on to me me that you would do better if you just had the chance to talk to her. Now, you have the chance and you're blowing it. I know you better than this, since when do you pussy out?"

"I didn't pussy out." I muttered, surprised that Asher was ranting at me like this.

"Oh really?" He gave me a dumbstruck look. "If this was any other girl, and they grabbed your hand and said 'let's go back to sleep,' and then cuddled up on you, what would you do?"

"Indie isn't any other girl, Asher. You know that."

"Yeah, bro, I know that, but I'm just telling you now. If you don't put your big boy pants on, your chance with Indie is going to be gone." Asher shook his head at me.

"You don't think I know that? Why do you think I'm so fucking hesitant in the first place?" I said as I banged my fist against my desk. "Because if I do even one thing wrong, it's gone." I rested my head on my hands as Asher sighed. "You know what else, bro? Even if everything went right, and Indie actually gave me a chance, how long until she realizes that she's slumming it? When she realizes that she can do better? I can't fucking do that. I can't have a taste of Indie and then let her get away. It would be worse than not having her at all."

"Do really think it would? I think it would be worse to know you had the opportunity to be with the girl you've wanted for six years, and look back and realize you didn't take it because you were scared of rejection." Asher's tone had turned softer, but I still flinched at his words.

"I'm not good enough for her." I couldn't do the things that she needed. I couldn't take her out to fancy dinners, or buy her presents. I couldn't even take her out on a date because I don't have a fucking car.

"Why are you putting herself down like that, bro?" Asher asked as he sat beside me.

"You know I waited outside English for her the other day, and I overheard her talking to Brock Hanson. He was literally begging her to go out with him, like he actually said the words, 'consider me.' Brock fucking Hanson has to beg her to even think about him and I think I can just say ignore him and every other guy like him and think about me instead." I practically spat at Asher.

"Yet she left Brock's house, and called you instead on Saturday night. You know it's funny, you're thinking about all the possibilities, all the things that could go wrong, yet you're not thinking about the most important thing." Asher gave me a knowing look.

I groaned. "What?"

"You're not thinking about what Indie wants. Not what you think she wants and what you think she should want, what Indie actually wants."

I hadn't thought about it like that.

"And do you know what Indie needs?" Asher continued. I raised my brow at him, urging him to continue. "Indie needs information. Now I'm not saying to go over and tell you've been, ya know, just shy of watching her every move for a long while, but you can start with telling her who the girl you like really is."

I knew Asher was right, but there was still a big part of me that was screaming, 'NO'. It was telling me that there was no way Indie would could possibly be into me. It was telling me that Indie was just being nice, and that she just wanted to be friends. It was telling me that I was reading into her behaviour because I've wished for so long that she would show interest in me, that I'm seeing what I want to see. That's what happened on Saturday night, the reason why I didn't sleep. After she dozed off, I was about to close my eyes when I felt her lean into me. I didn't move a muscle as she cuddled into my body, it was like I was stuck in time. It was simultaneously like a dream come true and a nightmare. A dream come true, because I had given up hope that Indie would ever even acknowledge me, let alone be cuddling me in her bed. It was a nightmare, because it was like a tease of everything I wished I had, but didn't.

"You don't have anything to be scared of, man." Asher's voice snapped me back to reality. "What's the worst that can happen?"

"I tell her I like her and she laughs in my face." I cringed at the thought.

"You and I both know Indie wouldn't do that, even if she didn't feel the same way. What's the best that could happen?" Asher asked.

I sighed. "She feels the same."

Asher nodded and slapped my shoulder. "So which one is worth the risk? Call her."

"What? Call her now?" I planning to take the slow approach.

"Yeah. While I'm here so I can make sure you don't back out." Asher walked over and sank down on my bed, before throwing me my phone.

I caught it and stared at it, willing my fingers to move. "What am I supposed to do? Just blurt it out on the phone."

"I mean, I'd probably tell her in person, but you do you bro." Asher shrugged.

"Nah." I threw my phone back at him. "Not today."

Asher cocked his head and narrowed his eyes, before standing up and walking over to the door. He leaned his back against the door, and pulled out his own phone. He tapped on the screen and held it out, the phone was ringing on speaker. I know he didn't have Indie's number, so I looked at him in confusion.

"Hey, babes." Bella's voice answered.

"Bella, beautiful. I need you to put Indie on the phone. Chase wants to talk to her." Asher purred into the phone. I violently shook my head and threw my pillow at him.

"Sure thing. Indie? It's for you."

Asher just smirked at me, as I glared back at him.

"Hello?" Indie's voice rang out.

I didn't answer, raising my hands up to Asher and urging him to talk. Asher just shook his head and thrust the phone to me.

"Anyone there?" Indie continued.

Asher and I were both gesturing at each other, both of us pointing towards the phone to try and make the other one speak.

"Indie." I finally croaked out, accepting defeat.

"Mr. Sutton." Indie said, sounding like she was smiling. Her greeting caused me to smile too, I have no idea why she calls me that, but I fucking love it. "Why are you calling me from Asher's phone?"

"I uh- my phones dead." I lied.

"Okay. So what's up?"

Fuck, here goes nothing. "Do you want to hangout?"

"Right now?" Indie asked.

"Uh, yeah." I could hear the nervousness in my voice.

"Like for the project?"

"No, actually. Just to hang out." I cleared my throat.

"Oh. You know, I actually can't tonight. I'm watching movies with the girls and Isla has a surf competition tomorrow, so we're probably going to turn in soon." Indie said.

I felt my heart fall into my stomach. "Oh. Uh- that's..."

Indie cut me off. "How about tomorrow night?"

I was going to do it, no matter what happened. I wouldn't let myself chicken out again. I was going to tell Indie how I felt, and pray to every god I knew of that she wouldn't run away.