A/N: Write. Delete. Rewrite. Delete. Re-rewrite. Delete. Re-re-rewrite. Delete. Re-re-re-rewrite. Roll eyes. Publish. You know what?-- Poop on this chapter, idc... 💩💣

C h a p t e r   4 2

The stars remained on one place, like Chase stayed on the same position, laying on his back, while I had my rump slapped otherwise with him on the blanket. His left hand pillowed his head, and the other stayed free.

"...and, I think that's the twenty sixth star." Chase pointed above the sky before he continued counting again for the third time.

"Twenty seven."

"Twenty eight, twenty, wait..." He stopped.

After Chase answered my question with an 'always' I let him do it. I told him I was serious, and he should as well. Although, it was just to test and tease him a bit, but then here we are.

I held a laugh and glimpsed at the stars above before answering. "That's the star you counted over and over."

"Really? How did you know that was the same star?" He faced me, grinning with his eyes.

"I didn't." I pulled out a half smile.

Chase chuckled, enticing me with his deep voice, and tone being played with the lump in his throat that bobs up and down. "You're kidding on me aren't you?"

"If the stars says so, then yes." The laugh I held for seconds, escaped from my lips.

He hardened his abdominal muscle to sit down with me, and said. "Alright, enough with the counting stars. I'd rather count the time I spend with you."

"Really?--" I trailed off, but had been instantly cut off.

"Yes, but please, let's stop there." He stretched his arms out and made that move to sling his one hand across my shoulder. "So, what do you think, we take this place?"

I looked at him, puzzled. "What's with the weird and random question?"

"Nothing, I just admire the tranquility of the area." He skimmed his eyes at the picture before us, with our ears welcoming the serene sound of the river, flowing.

The melted candles in glass dimmed the whole surrounding, as the cool wind approached us. I hugged my knees to bury the warmth of my body to myself. Chase noticed how I shivered, he retreated his hand from my shoulders and took off his sweatshirt, leaving him alone in a white shirt with a button-down collar.

"Here." He placed it on my back, and hung its sleeves over my shoulder down to my chest.

I tilted my head to look at him, and smiled with gratitude. "Thanks."

Chase smiled back. That smile who brought back the innocent kid to life. It was sweet, loving, and caring. "Other than the place itself, I also admire the person in front of me."

"Cut it out, Chase. You're making me blush." I kept a smile, which slowly turned into a grin.

The cold atmosphere somehow faded away with my cheeks filling a heat.

"So, you like that?" He grew a smirk on his face.

I avoided his question by rolling my eyes, and threw back the topic we had a few seconds ago. "Whatever... You know what? No matter how fairish your reason was, we can't just own a place that simple."

He shook his head, and explained further. "No, I didn't mean it like that. At least let people know we were here."

"Okay?-- I didn't get how you connected, we take the place, to let others know we were here though..." I shifted on my position, and reached for my bag, that had been on the edge of the blanket the entire time.

"I didn't know what I first said."

I slipped out a short sound of approval, and glimpsed at him. "Turns out your right."

My hand rummaged inside my purse, as Chase craned his neck curiously. "Lost something?"

"No. I'm only looking for the..." I trailed off,

"Marker?" Chase asked with his brows raised in a notch, seeing me lift up a black permanent marker from inside the bag.

"Yhup." I simply responded, and gave him a smile, after I removed the cap and looked around.

My eyes scanned the area in search for something fine I could write into, and luckily saw a rock located close to the river. After a close minute, I found my legs making their way to it. I sat with my knees down, and wrote a sentence in humongous and bold letters, in which I assured could be read even with a few feet away.

"Chase and Nikki were here." Chase read the words that were put together aloud.

I glimpsed at him and asked, "Anything?"

"What do you have in mind?" He asked back.

I let out a groan before standing up on my feet, "I asked you first."

"I've got nothing in my mind, but you." He proudly smiled to himself after dropping a clever answer, while I got rid of the dirt on my jeans.

"Why am I having a hard time believing that?" I furrowed my brows, and straightened.

"Oh, believe me when I said so. You know this tongue?--" He stuck it out, and pointed on it while I stared at him with amusement.

"It never lied."

I playfully snorted a laugh, "Okay then. Just know that, I'll cut that tongue short if you ever lied."

"And I'll bet my soul, that this will stay with me as long as I live." He winked, and allowed his lips to form in a wicked smirk.

"Deal." We both spoke in unison.

"By the way, did you somehow... I don't know, expect this to happen?" He asked with curiosity.

"Expect what, exactly?"

He shrugged, and pointed on the pen, "You brought a marker with you, which means you'll use it on something?"

"Oh, it wasn't me. Hailey, did it. I don't know what that girl thinks, and just decided to throw it in my purse for an unknown reason. But who would have thought it will come in handy?" I shrugged while focusing my eyes and pen on my hand to my purse, targeting a throw straight back inside.

"Here we go again." Chase's voice came out monotonic but laced a hint of taunt in it, blowing me away on my concentration, as he folded his arms to his chest and smirked.

"Shush! If this pen made it in my bag we'll see who'll be the one to talk."

"Please, I would like you to be my guest." He zipped his mouth thereafter, before I resumed to acquire the target with my eyes on focus.

I swayed my hand once and released the marker from my fingers. My lips fell down, after I failed with it landing a foot afore my purse.

Chase produced a low whistle from his puckered lips, and annoyed me with his devilish smirk. "Don't worry. I'm not going to say anything."

"Oh yeah, thank you so much for carefully considering your actions. It helps a lot." I smiled, before my eyes spun in circle.

His laughter filled the air, while I grunted in return, walking forward to pick up the marker who rolled a half step away from where it dropped.

Chase suddenly died down his laugh, and picked the pen first before me. "Okay, let me have it."

He sloped towards my bag and put it inside, at that same time, I received a call from someone. My phone vibrated in my purse, as it made a weird sound along with an ear-piercing ringtone.

"Chase, can you please?" I nicely asked him to grab the phone for me.

He gradually hooked it inside, and glimpsed at the caller I.D "It's your aunt. Why didn't you tell me you have curfew?"

What? Why is she calling?

"...because I don't have one?" I reached out for my phone and swiped the screen to answer.

"Nikki!" A shrill scream darted through my ears, as I instinctively jerked my head in a distant.

Aunt Crissa somehow sounded like a horse giving birth, or did she break my speakers with that sharp neigh? However, Chase's face crumpled up, after hearing the aged baby cried in horror.

"Hey, voice down." I grumbled.

Giggles danced out from my speakers, "Sorry!"

Wait.

Hold on.

Hold the f**k on.

"Hailey?--" I asked, in bewilderment.

"At your service!"

She's in our house?!

"No! Hailey, why are you there?" I was beyond confounded.

"Oh, you know, I just swung by to stay for the night!" She exclaimed with pure gaiety, and full of spirit.

I released a heavy sigh while I gazed upward, and mumbled. "Who even swings by and stay?--"

"I just said I did, Nikki. Anyways I decided, without your consent of course, to be up with you tonight and talk about stuffs that happened, you know? Girl talks!"

My mind suddenly traveled back earlier when she tried to spy on us.

"Oh, right... I can't wait to hear what you have to share."

She forced out a laugh, "You're funny. I mean, Stephan, and I just ate at some restaurant. Nothing fancy."

"Really? I wonder which restaurant it is?" I asked, while I tried to capture her with her little white lies.

"Uhh... Fred's Restaurant?" She stammered, with a nervous chuckle.

Fred? So, the attendant was the owner of the restaurant? Wow...

"Why haven't I heard of that before?"

"Well, it just opened... and, will be closing right away." She shut her lie-infested mouth thereafter.

"Okay?" I questioned.

"You know what, let's forget about that. But hear this, I found four huge paper bags full of snacks in your room! Perfect for the sleepover, eh?"

She's in my room? Hailey, you son of a crazy horse! I inwardly cried a river.

I forced out a grin, and glanced at Chase. "Wow, would you look at that? Santa sent my presents too early, huh?"

"Santa? Well, isn't he sweet?"

Chase looked at me the whole time while eavesdropping. I sighed, before responding. "Call Stephan, Hailey. Let's just meet tomorrow.

"What? Nikki, I let out blood tears asking my brother to bring me here from home! He wouldn't want to do it, until I gave him money to fill his fuel tank that got emptied, after an hour or two driving around town! I've been through a lot, and all I wanted is to spend the whole night with my best friend! And, you're just gonna shoo me away?" Hailey entreated earnestly, while obliviously spilling out words that says they did something bad, lately.

"But we have classes tomorrow. We can't stay up all night." I looked for an excuse to defer, and hopefully, forget the said sleepover with our date being the center of it all.

"Don't worry about that. We're best friends, we can sleep together on our math class, and ask the two dudes before, for a replacement seat for another day!" She squealed, as if it was the most exciting thing to do.

I kept my mouth in a line, and thought of how to end the conversation. Chase had been quiet the entire time I was talking to Hailey, which was... fine. I mean, I wouldn't want to see him talk alone by himself.

"I also have blueberries in here!" Hailey sang, making my ears dance to what I heard from her.

She has a bait. Oh, no.

My eyes enlarged with the vision of the night with my mouth filled with blueberries. I almost had them earlier, if it weren't because of Chase deciding to waste the precious fruits. Now, I'm craving for them.

"Nikki? Hello?"

I snapped out from my thoughts and asked her a question, "You have whipped cream?"

"All ready!" I could clearly see her face lit up with joy and excitement.

I got no more excuses to make, which left me nodding. "I'm in."

In a few more minutes, Chase and I were making our way home. Everglow by Coldplay, played through the speakers.

[Play this song, now! ⬇️]

The song was one of my favourites. It connected me on my past. My family. And, since it was on the list, I surely would be singing along. Even so, Chase's presence kept me from doing it. I knew how bad my vocal cords were when I tried to tune them on to sing.

...

And when I should but I can't let you go

But when I'm cold, I'm cold

Yeah, when I'm cold

Cold

There's a light that you give me when I'm in a shadow

There's a feeling within me, an everglow

I chewed on my lips, as I repeatedly glanced from the music player, and to Chase, whose eyes were focused on the road. He wasn't singing nor humming, however, he played with the beat by tapping his fingers while on the steering wheel. The lyrics tears me inwardly, and with the reason as to why I wasn't singing along with the band, when I should be.

"Something wrong?" Chase suddenly spoke, and glimpsed on my side.

"Huh?" I blinked my eyes, and gazed at him.

He quietly let out a short laugh with fine lines forming on the edge of his lips. "Go ahead. I wouldn't mind if you sing like Miranda."

My ears heard the bell rang from Chase's lips, and when the second chorus came, I sang my heart out. Actually, I sang my lungs out.

The whole ride, went crazy afterwards. It felt like I was playing in a circus, where I stood on the stage as a clown. But, Chase being my microphone. Yes, he sang with me. And so, we made a jolly yet horrible singing band to ourselves.

It was eleven o'clock and eleven minutes, when Chase pulled over in front of our house. We both bid goodbye's, and kissed good night's after he left.

And, there I stared at the house in front of me with a heavy sigh.

Just think about the blueberries, Nikki.

A/N: Please, don't hate me on giving you long chapters. 😣😟

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