C h a p t e r   3 6

"Did you ask him why?" Hailey asked, sitted on the passenger's seat while applying a mascara.

I released the hand brake, and drove off. We made a quick stop at the gas station to fill the car's fuel tank. If somehow you were wondering where Chase was, probably in his room kissing his butt.

"I didn't, but he told me why." I intoned, scanning the road to my left if clear before entering in.

"Why?"

"...Well, he said he just woke up." I shrugged, picking my speed to reach school in time.

The road wasn't busy, so that somehow saved Chase a couple of sharp pinches on his nose. He got me waiting for his shadow at the house for almost twenty minutes after seven.

Hailey shook her head in disbelief, "What a lame excuse."

"...No, I think he's not lying though. Last night he mentioned his friend, asking him to join them for a drink. I guess he went straight there after he left."

"He left? -- You're saying Chase was with you last night?!" She exclaimed, her eyes popping out of their sockets. "You guys already made a huge jump when you are just about to get to know each other?" Hailey inquired, putting her make-up kit back in her bag.

"Ew, no." I cringed. What is she thinking?

"Then what? What is it that you really didn't bother telling me?"

I glimpsed at her and faked a grin.  "Look, I'm sorry I forgot."

"What a lame excuse..." She repeated her line for the day.

"Will you stop saying that?"

"What? I mean, seriously, I don't get why people say I forgot as an excuse. You know, it just made it sound unexcusable. Plus, it's just one of the many excuses people try to make."

"Really? And, did you know that you're insulting me on my condition of having an alzheimer's disease?"

Hailey froze and face me as if she just saw a dog driving a car. "Are you joking?"

Yes.

"No." I ignored her gaze while I focuses my eyes on the road ahead.

"You have a disease?!"

No.

"Yes." I breathed out before faking a cough.

"And you're coughing?-- Ugh, I hate you." Hailey rolled her eyes, while I huffed an air.

Truth will out.

"So, you're not really gonna tell me?"

"I was gonna.." I sighed, and began telling her the tale.

With just a few minutes, we reached the school and I parked my car. I was telling Hailey about what happened, but it doesn't seem like she was listening to me as she annoyingly taps on her phone, and then just lets out a nod every ten seconds.

But almost halfway to the end, she interrupted. "Hold on. So, you're telling me that you guys spent the whole day in your room?"

I turned the engine off and replied before hopping out, "Yes, glad to know you're paying attention."

"I am!"

"Sure." I rolled my eyes and continued the story as we walked towards the hallway.

The flow of students coming inside the building went normal but bumping shoulder to shoulder for a couple of times wasn't very normal. Especially, if the hallway hasn't even filled with students.

"Jeez, what's up with these people..." I held my shoulder while avoiding other sharp shoulders crossing forward on us. "Well yeah so, we basically just spent the day in my bed, watching movies, making small talks, and eating..."

Hailey fake a cough, "Eating, what?"

"Snacks, Hailey. Snacks..." I emphasized the word, while I shook my head.

"I'm just asking." She whispered, and turned to me, as if expecting something for me to tell.

But then she stopped on her tracks which made me do the same while on the middle of the hallway.

"And then?" Hailey asked, as she impatiently waited for me to speak.

"That's it." I ended.

"That's it?!" She puts in question.

"Yes?" I stated more of a question, while we strode towards our lockers to pick up our books.

"Okay." She sang, as we continued walking.

"...Speaking of red days, I haven't gotten mine yet."

"What? For how long?" I asked as we made our way inside our first class.

A scent of human sweats intermixed with redolent perfumes slapped my face side to side. Everyone in the room was on riot, with a group of boys huddled on one corner snickering a laugh in unison. Something that reminded me of small boys watching porn discreetly from their parents' eyes.

"One month." Hailey shrugged as she waved me out of my thoughts.

My eyes widen but then crimped my brows, "You're not pregnant, are you?"

We both sat down, as Hailey shook her head in response.

"Nikki, are you out of your mind? I'm a virgin!" Her last word caught attention from students near us. "Virgin.. coconut oil, is uhh, is best for your hair, Nikki! I mean look at it, it's frizzy and lifeless!" Hailey held my hair and lets out a fake grin, before the students looked away from her.

I shook my head in disagreement, swatting her hand from my hair. "That's so stupid. We both know how much you like my straight hair, and how much you've been wishing to have the same for you."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." She waves her hand in the air.

"So, what is it that you are saying?" I intoned.

Hailey leaned forward to my ear with her hand blocking us, "I still have my V-card."

"Okay then," I shrugged, "But have you considered taking your irregularity issue to the doctor?"

She shook her head, "Can you help me?"

"Of course." I smiled.

Just then, Mr. Stone walked in, and the class started.

Hours passed by, Chase was nowhere in sight, not even a trace of him through calls or texts. He was being a ghost at this moment. A ghost that would be dead again, once I saw him.

"Uhm, no pineapples please... Thank you." I politely asked the kitchen staff as she puts back the haiwaiian pizza she first took and gave me a combo pizza, instead.

Hailey and I were in a queue, getting our lunch. The cafeteria was in utter chaos which hasn't led me much in suprise since it was the only place students could really say they were alive.

"So, if the football match will be held on the second week. When is our examinations?" Hailey asked while taking a step and scanning a lunch on the counter.

"I don't know." I answered, before pointing another dish.

"Chicken salad, please."

Hailey shrugged as she made her turn to pick a dish. I stepped out of the line and waited for Hailey afterwards.

"Are you gonna watch the match?" She probed, as she walked with me to our table.

I bobbed my head, and spotted Torry with Sandra. "Won't you?"

"I will, it's Wellington, right? That means I get to see Chris."

"Chris?" I monotonously asked with my eyes laying purposely on her gaeity look.

She nodded with agreement, "Yhup."

"You mean, Chris Woods?" I pin-pointed.

"Exactly."

Her answer made me glanced at her for a moment, before asking another question.

"That waterboy who gave you flowers that were from our school yard, last two years ago?!" I exclaimed, as I contained my laugh.

She nodded again as we both took our seats, "What's the matter? He's hot. I mean he's the only hot water guy... Get it? Hot-water guy?"

There was a moment of silence until I cackled, almost dying from chasing my breath, "You don't mean..." Tears began to roll as I clutched my stomach, "Oh, I can't... I can't hold it! I don't know which is the joke. Is it the fact that you like to see this guy, or the hot-water guy thing." I continued laughing out loud.

"Ha... ha. Yeah, they sure are worth a laugh." She rolled her eyes, as she began eating.

"What's wrong with her?" Sandra asked Hailey.

"Oh, don't mind her. She didn't laugh for a month." Hailey answered, with a shrug.

I stopped laughing, wiping a few escaped tears. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry."

"Are you done?" Hailey questioned.

I tried stifled a laugh but pulled it back, "Yeah, but... I mean, Hailey he has bulking built and a ton of tattoos. He's too rocky. I don't know how he came out as hot to you."

"We have different opinions, Nikki." She pushed.

"Judgements." I corrected, "But yeah, whatever... So, I suppose it's a bye-bye Nathan and hello Mr. Rocky?"

"It's Woods, and no. Definitely not a goodbye to my babe."

I shook my head, "I really don't get how your mind works when talking about boys. I mean, one minute you're into someone, but then I mention Nathan, and so you're Mrs. Andrews, again."

"I don't know, maybe because I'm single?" She questioned which only made me shrugged.

We all ate our lunch and got a few more minutes before the next class. So, we all decided to stay at the field and wait over the bleachers. I swiped my phone and hoped for a text from Chase, but got nothing. Sighing, I stood up from the bleachers and scanned the field for him, but saw no one.

I'm not liking this.

I tapped on my phone and left him a message.

Chase, something wrong?

But ended up with no response after a minute. I went on to my contacts and called him. It rang for a while until the service operator directed me to voice mail which I rejected after. Pissed off, I threw my phone straight inside my bag.

"Nice! Now, move a little closer!" Torry instructed, while Hailey obliged.

Torry was asked by Hailey to take pictures of her on her outfit of the day and for her profile icon, while Sandra and I watched them.

"Okay, show me the lion!" Torry growled, as Hailey poses at the camera with her fierce face and both hands on hips.

"Too pretty. Show us the alien!" I yelled while throwing my head back with a laugh.

Hailey's face became rigid for a second, while looking behind my back as Torry took a picture of her.

"Ooo, spooky." Torry angled the camera, and repeatedly tapped the capture button.

Hailey was saying something with her eyes, like she saw an alien or U.F.O who just landed.

I crimped my eyebrows, and tilted my head but only to yelp and jump. "Alien!" I shouted but quickly covered my mouth with my hand.

Both Sandra and Torry, looked at my direction that were quite shocked.

"I thought, it really was an alien." Torry breathes heavily while placing her hand to her chest.

"Chase, what happened to you?!" I furiously asked while I lifted my hand about to trace the bruise on his left cheek bone.

"Don't. It hurts." He jerked away.

I crossed my hands to my chest instead, "Okay, tell me what happened mister."

Chase opened his mouth but before he could let out a voice, Sandra cleared her throat.

"Well, I guess it's time to leave." She picked her things up and then pulled Torry and Hailey with her.

I let out a sigh and looked back at Chase. "So?"

"Yeah, well.." He started while he itches the back his neck, looking down. Then, lifted his head to see me still staring at him. "Uhh, I was drunk and I went on a fight."

I raised my eyebrow. "And, you pick now to tell me?-- Seriously??"

He bit his lower lip and averted his gaze. Chase just kept it real cool but I won't play it cool.

"With who?" I inquired, not minding if ever I missed class.

He looked back at me with nothing but expressing a polite regret, "Jack's friends."

"Friends?" I snapped.

"Yes, and I'm sorry." He reached out his hands, which I ignored as he tried to hold mine.

Groaning, I rested my hands to my face and slumped my butt on the bleachers. "So, what? You're too drunk to control and watch over your actions?"

"I'm sorry, I..."

I cut him off, "Will you stop saying sorry? You kept on saying it again and again you're making it meaningless."

"Look, I'm sor..." He grunts, running his hand through his hair, while I kept my eyes away from him. "Nikki, please. Listen to me." He quickly slid to my side and held my hand.

I tapped on my ear to let him know I would listen. It was a cuddly weather but I don't think that suits the circumstances we were into right now.

"Okay, so. The reason why I didn't let you know about this earlier is because, I don't want you to worry about me."

"Really?-- What makes you think that?" I spoke in narrow tone.

It went silent for a second, I tried to catch Chase's eyes with mine but he kept avoiding them.

"I just thought..." He paused, breathing out.

"I care about you, at least keep that in mind." I stood up and left him alone.

A/N: Aww ;( Well everyone learns from their mistakes, right? :)

****VOTE & COMMENT****