A/N: Hey lovely potssssss!!!! We're close to 7k!! OMG!! I can't thank you enough for all your support!!! You don't know how much this means to me! *crying a river emoji* You guys are the reason behind all the chapters I update/d!! I love you all!! ❤❤

Another announcement!! We have a new lovely cover [shown on the media box above] !! Made by MissRosa01 all credits to her!

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You can now proceed. X)

C h a p t e r   3 1

I woke up hearing a bubble message tone. I didn't notice I slept. Have I even had my dinner? I thought, rubbing my eyes with my palm.

My TV was off but my DVD player was still on. I bethinked what happened and saw myself falling asleep as the next hundredth movie credit rolls. At least I had lunch. I sighed, then remembered I had a text message. Slipping my arm under my pillow, I reached for my phone and read the message coming from an unnamed contact.

Unknown: Good morning. Be ready at seven, I'll pick you up. 😉

"Chase." I grinned, feeling the butterfiles in my stomach as I reread the text message thrice, or more.

After a few minutes of silence hearing only a hawk squawking nearby, I realized hadn't replied yet. The time ran as I steadily read back the message, absorbing it in my brain.

Be ready at seven.

"Seven." I muttered, casting a glance at the clock which tics at six hour and twenty minutes.

Good morning! 😊 <

I'll go get ready! <

Placing my phone on my night stand, I quickly flipped my covers off, letting it fall on the other side of the bed before opening the closet wide, searching for a clothes to wear. Sliding the hangers on the metal rod, I scanned every multicoloured clothes and took a loose maroon sweater, after grabbing a stone washed ripped jeans, and pairing it with a sneakers.

I hurriedly walked through the bathroom and took a shower as the time tic tocs for approximately twenty eight minutes. Donning my clothes in, I skimmed the time which reads, six fourthy five.

"I still have time." I muttered, pulling my jeans up as it got stuck on my heel.

Drat! Hurry up!

After the decent struggle, I wore my shoes, and gleaned my stuffs before darting my way downstairs.

"Aunt Crissa!" I called as soon as I reached the empty kitchen.

Where could she be? I thought as I spotted a neon green coloured note, sticked on the door of the refrigerator.

I got your 'cold' breakfast ready on the table. Leave early, and don't be late for school. I just had to sort out some things. :)

-Crissa

"Some things? What could it be?" I muttered, then shrugged as I made my way to the table.

Staring at the two plates in front of me, I sniffed the intoxicating smell of bacon and egg. My stomach grumbled as the acid rose up from my inside with the reason of skipping a meal last night. Pulling the glossed chair, I sat down flipping my plate up then grabbing a fork and knife to start my breakfast.

The heavenly flavour of the bacon travelled through my taste buds as an instinctually moan escaped my lips. I sliced a slight portion of the sunny side up, courtly thrusting it in my mouth with a fork. Nevertheless, an unpleasant sound startled me as I unconsciously lunged the fork straight to my mouth, choking me.

Without thinking, I precipitously bolted my way to the kitchen, holding my breath to grab a drink from the fridge and swigged from it.

"Uncool." I coughed, after getting drowned on a bottle of water.

I scrunched my eyebrows when another honk infiltrated through the thick walls surrounding the house as the wallclock dings at seven.

"Already?" I whined, hastily making my way outside after casting a glimpsed on the mirror, leaving the half eaten food on the table.

Chase's chiselled body frame met my eyes as I opened the door. He was standing on the passenger seat side of the open roofed car, casing his muscular body with a gray jacket and a simple white V neck line shirt on the inside, together with a black jeans and his entoiling smirk.

"What a suave way to say good morning with a smirk, Chase." I smirked back.

"You had your breakfast?" Chase asked as I took a step towards him in a gradual way.

Not really. I paused, quickly glancing on the denuded tree on the neighborhood before answering aloud.

I smiled. "Yeah."

"Let's go then." He answered, opening the door for me, until he placed his foot inside sitting on the passenger's seat.

What was that about? I asked myself as I started wondering.

No way. I shook my head.

"No no no no no. Chase, I can't drive that. It's..." I mumbled.

Chase cuts me off, "Still a car."

"But..."

"We're gonna be late." He intoned as I grunted, hesitantly hopping inside. "You don't think I'll just let you drive without my guidance, do you?" He stated, lesser than a question as he stared at me with his hazel orbs, completely zoning me out on reality.

He smiled with his right hand slowly slithering its way to my left shoulder, then across my chest, down to my waist without feeling the touch of his hand.

I'm numb. Oh my gosh! I can't feel his touch!! I screamed inwardly but showed a calm face as my eyes locked in his.

A sudden click constantly zoomed me back to the car as realization hits me like a wrecking ball. I quickly looked down to myself seeing the seatbelt already fastened.

"Oh." I sighed, facing the road ahead of me along with gripping the leather covered steering wheel.

Chase chuckled as heat crawled up my face in embarrassment. "Okay, let's start. Turn the engine on." He instructed.

"Chase, I know the basics." I reminded, starting the car as it began growling.

"Okay, slowly step on the gas. Try to catch up the right pressure of your speed."

I nodded as I gradually set my foot on the accelerator pedal with the beating drums on my heart.

The sensation I felt when I climbed on this part of the car was unbelievable, the deep bucket seat just made me nervous as hell. I actually didn't mind sitting on the passenger's seat since I wasn't the one driving. The limited rear visibility, and the understanding of all the power you had at your disposal, wasn't cool.

After about a nanosecond of contemplation and driving a glass, I resigned myself to embrace the persona. I didn't even know I was driving the sheetmetal car. Something that indicated, no matter what happens, someone trusted me with this very expensive piece of machinery. Chase.

Reaching the massive gates of Riverside High School, all eyes turned into us from my sudden public exposure with Chase.

"Oh dear." I faintly uttered, lowering my head wanting to peel my face off.

Chase noticed as he pushed a button on the control panel of the dashboard, summoning the roof to cover us from the heat of the sun, but in this case, were judgmental eyes.

He released a low whistle, after I successfully parked his car on his space, then remarked, "From this day forth, you, Nikki Rose White will be my personal driver."

"Dream on, Chase. I'm not gonna drive your hot wheels, again." I rolled my eyes playfully as I unbuckled my seatbelt, before Chase does it again out of my consciousness.

"Sure you do." He chuckled as he clicked his seatbelt off, letting it roll up back on its place. "Come on." He added opening his door.

Envy, jealousy, and hatred flaunts through the eyes of girls as Chase and I went out from the car. While boys threw a questioning look, but quickly dismissing the thought as how they didn't mind at all.

Chase cooly made his way over to me and slung his other hand across my shoulder.

"Don't mind them, Nikki." He whispered as his deep voice travelled through my ear, making me flushed in his words.

I did a light nod while my insides uneasily trembled on my situation.

Murmurs and chatters, whispered through the thick air as we walked through the hallway towards the direction of our lockers to grab our books.

"Hey, are you okay?" Chase asked worriedly while I grabbed my math textbook, feeling the cold steel on my pale skin as it brushed passed the door on my locker.

I wasn't paying attention that much as I wanted to avoid words coming from sharp tongues. Besides, RHS never knew me since freshman, and I never liked being the center of attention in any cases.

Going back, as Chase spoke his words lit up on my hollow mind. He rested his hand on both of my shoulders as I faced him, "So, this is what I have to deal with at school starting now then?" I motioned my hand on our surrounding.

Chase ran his fingers through his hair and sighed "Look, if..."

"I'm not blaming you. I'm only asking, since it's gonna be you and me." I cut him off.

He nodded in agreement before responding, "Don't worry, you won't be alone facing them. Like you said, it's gonna be you and me."

He gently lifted my chin with his index finger slightly curved and I smiled with my flaming cheeks. Until someone hollered breaking the moment along with the bell ringing.

"Dude! Let's go! Mr. D will pull our ears off if we came late in his class again!" Scott called for Chase from behind me while I jerked my head to see him with his sobered look.

Chase groaned, moving a bit on one side to glare at Scott from my shoulder.

"Oh, okay! I'll see you later!" Scott then, quickly waved off after reading Chase's expression.

Chase focused his eyes back on me, smiling and offered, "Come on, I'll walk you to class."

"No, I'm fine. You better catch up on yours." I reassuringly spoke, smiling back at him while clutching my books on my chest.

"I'll pass by your classroom before mine, remember?"

"Oh, right. Let's go then." I answered as we silently walked over to our first subject.

A different silence floated around Chase and I. It wasn't awkward, not even that much comfortable. But one thing's for sure was it's cool. I stopped on my tracks, reaching the front door on my math class.

Mr. Stone's voice rang but I just let it passed by me.

"I'll see you at lunch." He winked as I gazed at him walking the empty hallway to his class.

"Ms. White?" Mr. Stone called, looking on the same direction where my eyes laid a seconds ago.

"Uhm... Yes sir, good morning!" I smiled, entering the room as I took a seat beside Hailey with her creepy grin plastered on her face.

The whole class awkwardly stared at me along with Mr. Stone.

What's happening? What happened? I asked myself as I pondered before clearing my throat, making everyone to look away.

"Okay, class! Let's continue..." Mr. Stone announced, gluing his eyes on his book as he scribbled on the board not caring if formulas he wrote swam down from the sky.

"Nikki!" Hailey lightly squealed while poking my arm.

"Tell me." I whispered as I moved closer to her, silently dragging my seat with me.

"You don't know?" She asked in astonishment as her grin grew a lot bigger and creepier.

She seriously should stop doing that. I mouthed a no while abruptly shaking my head.

Hailey hastily ripped a paper on her notepad and wrote, before passing it to me while Mr. Stone was on his back.

The message read:

CHASE PECKED A KISS ON YOUR CHEEK!!! <3 EVERYONE IN CLASS SAW!!

He did?

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(Republished)