Brooke and Chase by Amicia Bianchi (good book recommendations .txt) 📕

have caught me but I must assure you that I mean no harm," he'd said. That was only the catalyst he needed and he began to again tell me about his plan. This time he'd been more careful in picking his words so I would accept. As soon as I agreed he pounced on me, that is how I ended up on a Saturday, when I would normally be with my friends, on a double date with Amanda, Chase, and Eric.

 

I sighed for what felt like the millionth time today as I got out my car and approached the three of them. None of them had spotted me yet and I started to wonder if it was too late to head back home. As I was contemplating the excuse I would give them for my absence Chase turned around around at that moment and noticed me. With an inviting smile he started walking my way.

 

"Come on, it won't be that bad," he teased as he came to stand in front of me.

 

"I never particularly said that it would be," I argued.

 

"But you look like you're going to the slaughter," he pointed out. "It's only a little hiking and some bird watching," he added when I didn't say anything.

 

"Well I'm already here and it's not like I can escape now," I mumbled averting my eyes.

 

"That's the spirit! Let's be off then," he led me to Eric and Amanda. I passed him a look when the two weren't looking and he grinned conspiratorially letting me know that he didn't want to be on this double date either. Conversation was somewhat boring and the atmosphere was rather awkward so I was glad when we took a break. Sometime later Amanda nearly chewed my head off for 'looking like' I was about to pull my phone when someone texted me. Chase helped me up when she angrily decided our time was up even though we'd only spent two minutes out of what was supposed to be a five minute break.

 

"Pay her no mind she just gets really into stuff like this," Chase whispered in my ear when she had stomped off in a huff still bothered.

 

"Whose idea was this hers or Eric's?" I asked. "Because it clearly wasn't mine. I didn't even know what we were doing until today. And who put her in charge?"

 

"I'm not sure I originally thought Eric planned it but the whole outdoors-physical exercise thing is right up her alley and by the way she's acting I think it was Amanda," he answered.

 

"I bet the two of them put this together to make us suffer," I accused. He threw his head back laughing.

 

"We don't want to assume the worst here so let's try to get into it and have fun," he finally answered diplomatically.

 

"You don't want to because they're your friends but I'm free to assume whatever I want to," I retorted walking passed him to catch up with the other two and he just followed chuckling. Later on I found myself standing in the woods sighing, again, while I asked myself why I was here. I wasn't sure how it'd happened but I'd gotten separated from the group and was now lost.

Chapter 10

"Although we're supposed to be hiking trails and bird watching the main point of a date is to get to know someone better but you can't do that if the person you're trying to get closer to disappears," I heard Chase's voice approaching me from behind.

 

"Sorry, I wasn't trying to escape I just got lost," I replied turning around to face him.

 

"Ah, a lost maiden, then I'll be your guide," he smile his eyes twinkling teasingly.

 

"Do you know where you're going?" I inquired as he started walking.

 

"I know enough," he responded vaguely, "we've already veered off the trail and gotten away from Amanda and Eric so they wouldn't know if we really completed the trail or not. Since they don't know where we are, now would be the perfect opportunity you've been waiting on to leave and going this way I can get us back to the park where our cars are without going back on the trail," he explained when I gave him a questioning look. Satisfied I didn't say anything more as a comfortable silence lulled between us.

 

"I want to apologize," I suddenly confessed breaking the silence.

 

"Oh? What for?" he asked surprised but interested.

 

"For bothering you since school started and, in general, for being crazy," I explained.

 

"You don't have to apologize, I quite like your crazy," he laughed. Suddenly Chase grabbed my waist and pulled me closer, caught off guard I held onto him. When I was steady I looked down at the hole I'd been stepping into. "You okay now?"

 

"Yes, thanks," realizing that I still had my arms around him I let him go. "Sorry."

 

"It's alright, I'll keep a hold of you so you won't fall," he said.

 

"But if you trip we're both going down together," I joked. I knew we probably shouldn't be doing this out of respect to our "partners" but I couldn't help enjoying his arm being around my waist. If we were in serious relationships this would've been a no-no and even though we actually weren't we should at least be faithful, right?

 

"You'll just have to trust me and take a chance then," he replied smiling down at me.

 

"Okay," I answered. The mischief in his eyes spoke of more than just our current position. I got the feeling that he wanted to kiss me and if he did I knew I'd let him.

 

"So what prompted your change of heart? Eric giving you trouble?" he asked with a knowing smile. I laughed at his spot on recognition.

 

"After the first day I felt so bad about what I did to you," I confided. "He really annoys me sometimes because he just goes on and on. I couldn't help thinking that you probably wanted to lay hands on me."

 

"Well for the record I always want to lay my hands on you," he commented suggestively checking me out in an obvious manner to further his point.

 

"I can't believe you twisted my words like that," shaking my head.

 

"You left yourself wide open," he stated unapologetically with a shrug.

 

"At least you don't have it as bad, you've got your best friend, so of course you can laugh at me," I accused.

 

"We might be friends but I never said I wanted to date her," he countered, "I would say it has the potential to be as bad as your situation just in a different way, if not worse. I can't have her expecting something after this, you know?"

 

"Yeah, you have a point," I agreed. I shouldn't be expecting anything after this either.

 

"You can get away from Eric when this is over but I still have to deal with Amanda after this and it would be a problem if she took this whole thing the wrong way. If she's still thinking that we should be together it'd cause trouble when I'm really trying to woo someone else," he cleared his throat. I eyed him suspiciously. And just who was he talking about?

 

"Somehow I don't see you ever having to "woo" a girl, they're typically already falling over themselves for you," I commented.

 

"Well I think I'm going to have to work a bit to get this girl back in my corner after the month is over. She didn't really seem to take it well and she might not talk to me anymore after this-"

 

"Then why did you do it?" I asked.

 

"I was trying to make her jealous," he confided sheepishly, "but now I'm pretty sure without some ingenuity I'll be friend-zoned."

 

"You just need to come clean and be honest with her next time," I admonished as we'd stopped walking. For a moment he didn't say anything or move he simply watched me with such an intense look my heartbeat sped up.

 

"The problem is that I always want to tell her now rather than later. The only thing that's stopped me thus far is I don't want to "cheat", at least for the sake of appearances, but I can't help feeling like everyday that I don't say anything and I act as I did before she's slipping that much further away," he took a step closer, unnerved I involuntarily stepped back.

 

"Just get closer to her- oh!" Since we'd stopped walking he was only holding me loosely so when I found myself losing my footing again my arm immediately reached out for Chase for help. Unprepared for my suddenly yanking him forward we both stumbled, as I hoped he wouldn't fall on me, until my back hit a tree bringing us even closer than before. We both exhaled at the same time, I looked up at Chase expecting some smart retort only to realize that his face was less than an inch away from mine.

 

"You okay?" I nodded slightly, very aware of one his hands at my waist and the other next to my head. I was trapped and he didn't seem like he planned on moving away anytime soon but I wasn't in a rush to get away either. "And here you were worried about me yet it was you who tried to pull me down with you," he smiled and I had to laughed, "plus-"

 

"I know what you're about to say, okay, so stop it," I cut him off because I knew his smart aleck comeback was on it's way, I could feel it.

 

"Well I have to know: is this close enough? Or..." he trailed off as he pressed his body closer.

 

"You just couldn't help yourself could you?" I accused.

 

"With you? Never. Why should I hold back? You said get closer didn't you? Now that you've said that I definitely can't hold back anymore."

 

"You... What am I going to do with you?"

 

"Anything you want. If you don't know I have some ideas we can try," he offered.

 

He had that I-want-to-kiss-you look in his eye again and just as I opened my mouth to question him I heard Eric and Amanda yelling in our direction.

 

"There you guys are, you're okay right?," called one.

 

"Come on we should start heading back," said the other when we moved apart and began toward them.

 

I kept my head down to hide my red face and I was careful with my steps so Chase didn't have to reach out for me again. Neither Amanda or Eric inquired into what we'd been doing so Chase and I kept silent for the rest of the walk to our cars. They were all getting into their cars and leaving when I realized that I'd locked my keys inside my car.

 

"You okay? I thought you'd be the first one to run off," Chase joked from somewhere behind me, making me turn around.

 

"I actually locked my keys in my car," I admitted with a sigh.

 

"Do you need to call a locksmith or do you have a spare?" he asked with concern.

 

"Yes, I have a spare but it's at my house could you drive me home so I can get it?"

 

"Sure but let's stop somewhere to get something to eat too," he suggested.

 

"Why not," I agreed.

 

Even though it had started on a dreary note the day turned out well. As we laughed and talked it felt like