Linda's POV Peace was a thing I could only dream of. It felt like a distant dream. I had a hunch things were falling apart piece by piece, the constant calls Mark was on, and visits from the police only solidified my suspicions. I thought Mike's case was done with. It was a clear case of suicide. “Chase, please.” I begged on call. “I don't see why I have to do all this pleading to know what's going on, under my own roof!” I exclaimed, I was so fucking stressed. “Today's prom, Linda. I just wanna attend and be happy like every other normal young adult.” He replied. His voice was hoarse, and heavy. “You and I know you're going nowhere near that school, Chase.” I said, discrediting his excuse. “Your ex just died, it's okay to take some time off.” I added. “Not when I have a relationship to fix.” He said, obstinately. “Emma's not going to prom, we both know that. She's been down, refuses to come out of her room. Besides, I think it's time you let go. We've both gotten wha
Chase's POV After speaking to Emma's mom, every tinge of sleep in my eye fled. I had suddenly become the center of everyone's attention. I kept things away from her, not because of how my dad would feel, but how scared she would get. I watched it happen once, I was gonna watch it happen again. It was around eleven am when I called my guy, Gray. I hadn't spoken with him in almost twelve hours. I wanted to know how he got home, and most importantly, how he was feeling. “Hey, what's up?” He picked up the phone. “How are you?” I asked him. I was feeling like a harbinger of bad news. He was still going through Lily's demise, and I was still making my mind up on telling him how stuff was going with the investigation into Mike's death. It was fast becoming a state issue, and one paper already published the story.I hated the popularity it was gaining. It's not what I had in mind when I asked Gray to go on, and even funded it. All sorts of thoughts were keeping my tired eyes wid
Grayson's POV I was so surprised to see Chase. I didn't know what to make of it. I wasn't expecting him. I had spoken to him only a few hours ago. I didn't think any of us still had the strength to be running about like he was. Especially not for that case. It was well underway and I didn't see any reason I should stress myself about it. Uncle Mike was a bit of a criminal himself anyways. Plus we'd done the whole confession thing, and Emma, whose implication I had foremost in mind, being the main reason I decided to look into the case, was someone I had made peace with. Lily wouldn't want me to continue, so I was dropping it in her honor. “Chase, man I have no business with that shit anymore.” I said truthfully. “You can't say that.” He replied. “And since when did you start to tell me what I can and cannot say?” I asked. “That's not what I meant.” He corrected himself. “I'm only saying that it's not right.” “So you now tell me what's right and what isn't?”
Chase's POV Mrs McKinsey had more composure than I'd have given her credit for. She didn't even shake where she was seated on Gray's bed. His previously nonchalant facade he had on had cleared, leaving the Gray I truly knew. I hated to do that, but it was equally a very important task. “Why?” She asked. “That's what I want to find out.” I replied. Gray was shook, but that was no opportunity to disrespect his mom, so I stayed as respectful as I could be. “Can I ask how you got your information?” She asked. “He’d been picked up by the police, three times in the past week, with his new wife, Emma's mom.” I said, even though Mrs McKinsey probably didn't know who I was referring to. “Alright.” She said, following the story. “He was picked up this morning too by the way.” I added. “I had a conversation with him last night,” I started the story, “it actually started with me eavesdropping on him and I heard things I shouldn't have.” “What are those?” She asked, cautiou
Linda's POVSometimes, Emma made me wish I never had any more children. She could be so much trouble herself. Lily's death was really hard on her. She'd barely eaten anything for three days, and while Mark said to let her cool off I was still deeply worried about her. I loved Mark, but he's not exactly one I'd take parenting advice from. “What if she never wants to talk to me anymore?” I cried on his shoulders one day. “You know that cannot be true,” He assured me,”not in a million years. Emma would always need you, just like me, and everyone else in fact.” He added. She wasn't acting like it anymore. The few things I knew about her these days were from Chase.And he too was getting tired of me. “I don't know, I don't know anymore.” I cried. “I don't like seeing you like this.” Mark said, wiping the tears off my eyes. “Do I talk to her?” He asked me. I would literally take any help or assistance I could get. There was no refusing. We both went to her room, but I stoo
Chase's POV Time went by so fast. School was a blur, so was life. Emma, Jessica and I just went through the motions. Gray and Lily were a huge chunk of our relationship that had been ripped out. Jessica was moving on fast too. Surprisingly, she got her deals back ten fold. She was way more reticent, dropped a lot of our old friends, and dealt with Emma and I with a long spoon. Emma, on the other hand, was a ghost of herself. We were always so far apart from each other, and she made sure of that. I hadn't been to the house in forever, but it's been almost a month since Lily's death, and I knew that things were falling apart. My dad, and Linda had been summoned countless times by CCPD, and the only reason they still let them return home was because of my father's connections, connections that were fast failing. I once tried reaching out to Emma, but she was far too slippery, and kept eluding me. The principal made an announcement, stating that since the school prom went ah
Chase's POV “How long have you been trying to fight this?” I asked her, overwhelmed at her sudden brazenness. “Please don't embarrass me further.” She said, acting like she didn't know what to do. I laughed, because it was hella amusing. “You shouldn't be, Emma.” I reassured her. “I'm yours.” “Can't help it.” She said quietly. “I can.” I laughed. “You look so beautiful, I don't think I've said that.” “Not with your mouth, no.” Emma said. I liked when she was witty. It came off really sexy. “Well, I'm saying it now.” I said. No one was around, but I didn't know how she'd have felt about going beyond the kiss. I didn't want to seem like a sex crazed ex, so I kept playing it cool. “I think we should start going back to the ceremony.” She said, looking away. I'd spent too much time thinking of what I was gonna say, and so it kept looking like I was blacking out and coming back. On her instruction, we went back. I sat through it all, half anxious to see Gray.
Chase's POV It seems like my heart had developed a permanent space for Emma. A gaping hole that couldn't be filled with anything else. It was grad day, but I sure didn't feel like it. Barely two hours past noon, and I was wasted, sprawled across the living room. “Who the fuck is it this time?” I groaned. “Hey,” I heard her beautiful, unsteady voice across the line. “Uhm, Emma?” I asked. I was too drunk to check the caller ID. “You're drunk, aren't you?” She asked in a very judgemental manner. “I don't have to reply to that.” I replied to her. “Actually, don't.” She said, I immediately regretted saying what I did.I was beginning to think of excuses to offer, but none was coming to my foggy brain. “Must've called for a reason.” I said, reminding her. “I'm here.” It felt like I had been shot up to cloud nine, but I doubted what I heard cause my head was hella foggy. “Where?” I asked, just for confirmation. It felt too good to be true. “Open up, Chase
Chase's POV “What other bad ideas have you got?” I asked Kayla, and she gave me a playful lunch on the chest. “If that's what you see it as , I promise you they're quite a lot.” Kayla replied, laughing. She'd just suggested we joined a club or a team on campus. And I'm not gonna deny that it made perfect sense, seeing that I had so much spare time on my hands. “How was your weekend by the way?” She asked. I couldn't exactly tell what she was expecting to hear, but it wasn't fun, at all. I spent almost all of it considering reaching out to Emma. It'd been an awfully long period of time. “Just a text.” I said to myself repeatedly. Taking walks, cooking, and actively trying to get my moms off the thought only served to keep my mind on it. and hunting for a pet couldn't take my mind off Emma. I wondered how she'd be blending into one of the biggest schools in the USA. We were supposed to be navigating the intimidating world of college side by side. Side by side did not mean
Emma's POV “Bold of you to drop by.” I said as I let him in. “I know you must be mad at me.” He apologized. Kevin had some anti blue ray glasses on that made him look the role of some tech wizard who hardly ever saw sun or the outside world, and had their face buried in their laptops and monitors and cellphones He had a coat on too, for fashion sake, cause it wasn't too practical as the weather was quite warm. He looked handsome as ever, and his pink lips looked a little too lickable. Just his skin was quite pale. It was our first interaction since the date. I'd over-thought the whole thing so badly, I already had about five hundred things in my head I must've done wrong to make him not wanna hit me back. It's been about three days since we went out, and we hadn't spoken since then. “Emma, I've been in a bit of a crunch, and I realize now that the least I could've done was text, but if my word is anything you go by, I've been counting down till this minute.” He looked tir
Emma's POV Time out with Kevin was something I needed. The week had gradually come to an end and I no longer had the excuse of school. Casey was out of town for some reason, and Kevin didn't reach out after that night. I began to wonder if I said or did something wrong He really did sound committed and accepted the fact that I wasn't ready to hop from one relationship straight into another. “Let's do this.” I whispered to myself as I poured a glass of wine. Alcohol was gonna be my first bad habit proudly sponsored by Chase, that is asides reading of course. I just didn’t have the mental coherence to read a book at that point. I took a sip, and sat by my window. Everyone seemed so busy, so occupied, which was in stark contrast with me. I was a rich baby, made rich by my mom's marriage to some underground businessman “Hey mom.” I decided to call her since I was alone with my thoughts anyway. And nothing good ever came from it. “Hey baby.” She replied. “How are you tre
Chase's POV “Don't do it.” Kayla said in a singsong voice, coming up from behind me. “Can't remember giving you that power over me.” I replied to her. Her mission was achieved,, I'd been distracted at least, and the swing was safe. “It's what friends are for.” She said proudly. I didn't like the fact that each time I looked at her, I had to be initially arrested by her boobs. “We aren't that yet.” I clarified. “Do you have a problem with me?” Kayla asked. “Please don't even try to make this about yourself.” I dismissed “Forgive me,” she said, “I kinda have to, seeing that you are not interested in whatever this is.” “What is ‘this’?” I asked, looking at her. These girls were all the same thing… “Chase, it'd be inhumane to say you don't see me as anything more than you see every other person.” She explained. I admired her resilience, and her courage. I actually wanted to make her chicken out. I didn't want to hear it, but since she said it, I guess we were
Emma's POV “I'm sorry I'm behind on time.” Kevin said as he let himself in. I totally forgot to bolt my door, hopefully I don't get a lesson in that someday. “It's fine.” I replied to him. He didn't look as stressed as he sounded over the phone. “How was your day?” I asked, and stood up to get him a glass of water. *Who'd have thought?” He said as I got the water. “Thought what?” I asked him, surprised. “That we would be here, just under a year.” He completed, flashing his pretty white teeth at me. “Kevin, you don't have to be nice about what he did to you.” I finally broached the topic. “ “I'm not being nice.” He explained, “it's just unnecessary.” “No it isn't.” I objected. “I've gotta know what happened. I mean, I don't really want to, but it happened because of me.” I stuttered. “The world doesn't revolve around you, Emma.” He smiled and put a hand on mine on the counter top. “And even if it does, let it. Don't meddle.” “Kevin, things could've gone
Chase's POV “What did you do that for?” I asked Kayla as she retreated from me. I hated that my dick was responding to her against its own better judgment. “Really, Chase, what's the worst that could happen?” She asked again. “I don't know, maybe that?” I asked sarcastically. “Yes, and it has happened already. So please stop letting everything seem weird for the both of us.” Kayla left me to face my erring dick and went on her way. I hoped she wasn't gonna tell the sleazy monkeys with her why I stayed back. The girl was a dare-devil, one who clearly didn't understand the concept of boundaries. “Booze helps.” Kayla heavily lashed eye reconnected with mine as I took a seat at their table. “Why's he cold?” A girl to her right asked her. I wondered if she wanted me to hear or she just didnt know how to go lower. Kayla looked away and snubbed her. She looked at me a couple more times and I saw that I had almost begun to make her feel uneasy and uncomfortable, cause
Emma's POV “That was a really dumb move you pulled yesterday.” I said to Casey, as she dropped into the seat next to me, late as usual. “I admit.” She concurred. “Kevin and I talked about it yesterday, and he said he was half scared you were gonna bring the wrong person.” I laughed at the memory of it. “I was extra careful.” Casey bragged, “plus your friend said she was gonna be bothering you with video calls. All I had to do was look for a new girl, holding her phone up in a certain way, I even got screenshots” She laughed. “Really?!” I asked, shocked. I haven't talked to Lily since then. She said she was gonna call me, but I guess the time difference and her schedule was messing her up. “I really be making the worst choices in picking friends.” I murmured to myself. “That means I'm staying?” She asked, excited. “Just don't pull stupid shit on me like that, ever, again.” I warned. “It's the last of the last.” Casey said solemnly, offering me her pinky. We cross
Chase's POV “Doughnuts do not always fix stuff.”Kayla said after sinking her pretty white teeth into a fat chocolate glazed ball. “They help you feel better.” I replied to her. “I got them on my way back yesterday, felt bad I left you out there like that, figured it was the best thing to apologize with.” I rapped. I've ever really been too expressive with my emotions, being with Emma taught me that. Seeing Emma in every girl was holding me back from wanting to be with, or even talk to one. “You've gotta realize that not every girl is that way.” Kayla said, looking into the box of three untouched doughnuts, and about six that she'd bitten into, “There's no point to anything if you think me to be her.” “That's not it.” I denied, I didn't believe it, and I knew she didn't either, “I'm sorry.” I've had to apologize to many fucking times over the past few weeks,, I didn't even know if I could do any right. “You don't have to be.” Kayla said, really looking at me for the f
Chase’s POV “How are you today?” Kayla asked me. We were gonna be taking the same classes for a semester. “Good, thank you.” I answered “You're really still gonna be the cold, standoffish bug I met a week ago?” She asked, hands on her hips. Kayla's fashion sense is what I'd consider lazy, but she was a really pretty lady. “Just maybe because you're a nasty person?” I retorted. “Come on, that was over three months ago.” I said. “And you're revolutionized since then?” I asked her, sarcastically. “Yeah, actually. Kevin is no more the miserable cunt he was then, mission accomplished.” She was beginning to irritate the fuck outta me. I was emotionally finished, exhausted. “The fact that we both major in biochemistry doesn't mean you have to talk to me.” I replied. “I dont care about you, seriously, and I cannot be bother to give half a fuck about your brother. I seriously do not hold anything against you two, I just wanna be left the fuck alone.” I said. “Its h