NEVER BEFORE HAVE I been this excited to loiter the halls of Weston High, whose academic streets consisted of cliques abusing the middle of the marble flooring while stragglers maneuvered as stealthily as they could through the cracks of the ongoing student body. My tiny frame is hidden beneath the heights of those around me, and for once I am grateful as it makes wading through the crowd easier for both myself and others. I clutch the USB in my fist, with only the chain dangling loosely below it. The murmurs of the students are loud in my ears, but the only thing I hear is the sound of Chase's voice in the distance -- the rumble of his baritone voice prominent above the tinkling of the crowd.

I am pushed to the side by a rather unruly senior boy, colliding with the locker to my right. I scrunch my nose as pain shoots through my arm and I blow out a breath before checking to make sure if I am bleeding or not. Fortunately, the latter seems to be the case.

"Hey," his voice causes me to glance up from the growing bruise making its scheduled appearance onto my arm, and immediately the pain is forgotten. "You okay?"

I give a nod, a tiny shake of my head that is comforting to both me and him. I peer over his shoulder, finding that his usual lackeys seem to be nowhere in sight; the halls quieter by a decibel without the arrogant laughter of the revered sporting team. Chase seems to notice, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I ditched," he said in the most nonchalant tone I have ever heard, and the little shrug of his wide shoulders proves he honestly does not care. I smile.

Without further ado, I open the palm of my hand to reveal the device carrying thirteen songs, playing time seventy-two minutes total and which were already downloaded onto my laptop, ready to be listened to over and over again upon returning home.

"Did you like them?" he grins, placing his own hand underneath my own to catch the USB as it fell.

Like them? I mouth incredulously.

"Oh, sorry," he rolls his eyes. "I meant love them."

As if to answer his question, I give two thumbs up -- the ultimate appraisal to any question ever uttered by humanity. The triumphant laugh that spews from his lips in reply is enough to send warm sensations down my stomach.

"Lucky for you," Chase tucks the device into the crevice that is his pocket before taking out another USB device that is exactly the same as the previous. "I made one more because I knew you would like it."

He seems to see the excitement that lights up my eyes, and he takes it upon himself to take both my hands in his, holding them for a moment longer than necessary to place the USB into my hands. His were warm and soft, minus the callouses that littered across the tips of his fingers. They scratched against the surface of my fingertips, and just a single touch had me releasing a rather heavy sigh.

He quirks an eyebrow and I shrug a single shoulder, offering a smile I hope looks mischevious rather than a grimace.

"You coming to practice today? The usual time?" I nod.

I wouldn't miss it for the world.

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CAN SOMEBODY YELL HALLELUJAH? GUESS WHO UPDATED? YES THIS CHICK. SHORT CHAPTER IS SHORT BUT I SWEAR UPDATES WON'T BE AS SPORADIC ANYMORE. I'M GOING TO TRY AND MAKE IT AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK. <3 SHUTTER IS BACK, BABE.

COMMENT, VOTE, PROMOTE.

-ISABELLE