C h a p t e r   4 0

"So, Chase... What's on your mind?" Hailey mishieviously smiled, while she craned her neck closer to us on the front seat.

For some reason, Chase decided to take his black Jeep on this date. Oh, hold on! I guess I know the reason why, I think that's because he knew that Hailey will hop in! And, there's more! He will invite his friends! Yay!

I groaned, deeply annoyed at the moment while I sunk on my seat. Chase, on the contrary, chuckled at my behavior before he decided to place his right hand on top of mine. The butterfly effect he gives me with just a simple touch was overwhelming. I blinked my eyes and glanced down on our hands together, before lifting my head up to see his lips quirked up a smile.

"Aww, you guys are so cute!" Hailey squealed with joy, owning the car with her voice. "You know what, you two can make a beautiful baby!"

My legs instinctually jerked to sit right up as my eyes widened when Hailey dropped a disturbing topic, while Chase glanced multiple times on her in surprise.

I face palmed myself and inwardly grunted before facing her. "Hailey, one more word, and I swear I wouldn't hesitate breaking my promise."

Her face suddenly froze just before she hastily zips her mouth and raised her hand, not giving me a word. Closing my eyes in relief, I reclined back on my seat and breathed. At least for a moment the ride became peaceful, however, it just made my heart shout louder with excitement and nervousness. I peeped a little to cast a glimpse at Chase who looked so good with his hair in a quiff. Sadly, I hadn't even got to scan his attire because of Hailey.

A few minutes later, Chase pulled over in front of a café. The store was filled with people, even occupying the tables and chairs on the outside.

"We're here." Chase said, as he removed his hands from the steering wheel.

"Hailey, you said Stephan will be here to pick you up, but where is he?" I asked her, while scanning the area through my window.

Chase unbuckled his seatbelt and lifted himself closer on my side to take a peek and look for Stephan. "Wait, what does he looks like again?"

"You haven't seen Stephan, and yet there you are searching for him?" I asked while chuckling.

He sat back on his seat and let out a laugh, "I can make a guess."

I playfully shook my head and looked back on the window. I knew I asked Hailey earlier, but I don't recall hearing her answer back.

"Hailey?" I called her attention once again, and looked at her who just raised her eyebrows. "Where is Stephan?"

At the same time, a car pulled over in front of us. My eyes insisted to look at it and after recognizing the color and model, it was then I knew that the person who owns it was Stephan. I mean, it hardly would ever be a mistake because a sticker with his name on it was adhered at the lower back of the car.

Yes! I inwardly jumped for joy.

"I think I found him already... Bye, Hailey!" I chanted, while reaching for her door to push it open.

She groaned as she threw her hands in the air, and lets them fall on their own. "Why do you like it so much, knowing I will be leaving?"

Chase chuckles, and faced Hailey as he shifted on his seat to respond for me. "She wants to spend some time alone with me."

Although, what he said was right, saying it aloud and hearing it from him turned out wrong.

"Well, what Chase was trying to say is that..." I tried to expound Chase's statement on Hailey, until she cuts me off.

"Oh, come on Nikki! It's not like I don't know what he meant!" Hailey contained a laugh, while staring me down with a meaningful look.

I let my eyes roll and heavily breathes out an air. "Whatever. Just go."

"Okay, okay... Arrivederci, love birds!" She sent us two flying kisses and a wave of her hand before hopping out of the car.

The door shuts, and I followed a bubbly Hailey with my eyes as she made her way towards the car in front of us. I let out a heavy sigh, and rested my back on the clothed seat, after seeing her vanish on sight.

"Are you good to go?" Chase asked while fastening his seatbelt back.

I nodded with a smile, and answered a simple yes, before he sets his foot on the accelerator pedal. Chase said, it would still take us fifteen to twenty minutes before reaching our destination. I just hoped we get there soon, because my butt already got numb on being on the same position for a couple of minutes now.

As I hummed a music and repeatedly glanced at the time, Chase finally drove in the thoroughfare after entering different streets, multiple times.

"Eleven minutes..." I teased him, by counting down a minute to twenty.

He shook his head with incredulity, and chuckled. "Oh God... Are you being serious?"

"Just keep driving, sweetie. No pressure." I motioned my hand to him while flashing a playful grin.

I expected Chase to say something or even laugh, but instead I got nothing. Curiosity filled his eyes as he glimpsed on the road ahead, and to the rearview mirror.

"What is it?"

He bobbed his head up to the back through the mirror. "The car has been tailing us around since we drove a few seconds away from the café."

I crimped my eyebrows and moved on my seat to look at the car behind us. Scanning the white compact car with two silhouettes up-front really didn't get much clue on who could those be. Not until they passed by the light from a lamp post, creating a much clearer view to see their faces even with just a milliseconds.

Hailey?! Is this girl even serious?

I tugged Chase's shirt and asked him to pull over at a nearest fast food restaurant, or any other place that has tons of people.

"Why?"

"Just do it." I whispered as if Hailey would hear me say it.

"Okay, okay..."

Our vehicle slowed down as we were  approaching a dining establishment, I peeked at the back to see if the car behind us would do the same if we ever made a stop. To our surprise, they did, and even parked two cars away from us.

"Come on! Faster! We have to get rid of her!" I pulled Chase when he was just hopping out.

"Hey, slow down! I haven't locked the car yet." He chuckled, while I impatiently tapped my foot, waiting for him.

When I heard a car door shuts, Hailey's faint voice followed. I wasn't exactly sure what she said, but for me it just meant that Chase and I had to make a run. I bit my lower lip, and abruptly pulled Chase with me inside the restaurant, not caring if he hasn't done locking the door for almost ten seconds when it could had been done with just a blink of an eye.

Entering, a security guard greeted us while a suited man leads us on an empty seat which we politely rejected and asked for an excuse to the toilet instead.

"Do you see her?" I asked Chase while he peeked behind the wall were we hid.

He leaned his back straight on the thick masonry structure with his chest rising up and down while I held his hand and stayed beside him. I honestly didn't like this, people coming in and out of the washrooms looked at us as if we were a bunch of idiots.

"She just went in." Chase said while looking at me.

I bit my lower lip once again and stared at the only door planted a couple of steps away ahead of us.

"She at least have to go upstairs so we could leave, but how?-- She'll probably look for us here first before there."

Sometimes, Hailey's craziness was an out of this world type of thing, but she once said that she wouldn't be Hailey if it weren't because of her crazy attitude. One skin-deep reason of this insanity was all because she thinks Chase and I were hollywood-like couples. But this just pushed me on the edge, she wanted to play papparazi, but that kind you wished to cage awhile.

Suddenly, a kid stepped on my foot which slammed me back to reality. I wasn't sure if she did that by accident or not, but one thing crossed my mind.

"Hey, kid. Do want a dollar?" I asked with a smile, despite her face sunk in annoyance.

I wanted her to get to Hailey and distract her for one moment while Chase and I gets our way out.

"You're so cheap. I want ten dollars."

Unbelievable. I snorted out a laugh and crossed my hand to my chest. "Never mind. Get out of my sight."

Chase chuckled after the kid sticks her tongue out, and ran off. "Is that how you talk to kids?"

"That's not a kid. That's a brat."

My eyes soon landed on the man who escorted us earlier who, luckily was loitering around and was just about to walk in front of us.

"Sir!-- Sir!--" I repeatedly called for his attention, while I fanned my hand in the air.

"Nikki, what are you doing?" Chase tried to keep my hands low while he traps them with his.

"Calling our only ticket way out." I whispered to him, before I resumed capturing the man's attention.

Finally, just after he leaves our sight, he heard my cries like hawks.

"Yes, ma'am? How may I help you?" His european accent rang through my ears like some fresh lemonade on summer time. Or, maybe that was just me feeling thirsty.

"Hi, uhm... I'm sorry, but out friend there..." I paused, and pointed at Hailey who has her back while talking to the security guard.

"She's actually trying to... uhm, chase us?-- Could you, well if it's okay, lead her upstairs so we could make our way out? And don't worry, uhh..." I trailed off as I skimmed my eyes for his name through his tag. "Fred... We assure you that by the time we come back, we'll dine in."

He gingerly examined us with his eyes trailing up and down. "Well, are you sure you guys didn't steal anything from that lady?"

"What? No. She's trying to ruin our date, well, to be precise."

Fred put up a smile across his face while he held his hands together in front of him in a very professional way, before responding. "Well okay, but what if she rejects my offer just like what you guys did?"

Oh.

"Uhh... I don't think she will, just tell her we're upstairs. She'll definitely ask for us, you know..." I grinned while hoping things would work as how I envisioned it would be.

He reluctantly let out a nod, and cleared his throat while pulling his suit down to a fix. "I'll see you guys soon, then?"

"Absolutely, thank you so much!"

"Always." Fred smiled and passed me a wink while Chase remained watchful on his actions.

Fred turned his back on us and walked towards Hailey in which she stood with the tip of her reinforced toes, trying to look for us in an expanded view.

Chase made a faint sound of scorn with a huff. "We're definitely not coming back here."

On a successful note, Hailey was now following Fred through the second floor.

"Come on." Chase grabbed my hand as we ran through the door and head straight inside the car.

Finally...

A/N: Hey cupcakes!! So, unfortunately I couldn't add Chase and Nikki's date on this chapter because I had fun doing a little tease on them with Hailey 'spying' around. Also! If you feel like this day --which I'm writing for three chapters-- has been toooooo slow for you. Remember, we only have a few chapters left and a few days before fall season ends! So, I'm making each last counted days as memorable and meaningful as I can for our characters to make a tight connection with each other! :)

Now, what do you think of Hailey? Is she being too overreacting?

Let me know what you think!

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