Lost Without You

Safe Place

We sit in the driveway between our houses and I fidget with the bottom of my shirt nervously. I don't want to go back home yet, because I know for a fact that my mom is waiting up for me to come back so she can continue our conversation.
"Why don't you stay with me?" Chase suggests. "At least for tonight, but you know you can stay for as long as you want."
"That's what got me in trouble in the first place," I smile sadly.
"What's a little more trouble?" He smirks.
"You don't have to twist my arm," I laugh.
"Great, because I planned a mini date when I heard the start of the conversation between you and your mom," a sly smile takes over his features.
"Oh, so you knew I'd agree to spending the night with you?" I ask coyly.
"What can I say? You're predictable," he jokes.
I stick my tongue out at him, knowing it'll do no good to argue that I'm not. Let's be honest, if he didn't suggest it, I was going to ask if I could. I wanted to avoid my parents for as long as possible.
I lean my head back on the car seat and let my eyelids drift shut, the exhaustion hitting me again. I feel the seatbelt loosen it's hold on me, and then the car door opens next to me.
"Let's go," I open my eyes to see Chase leaning into the car and lifting me into his arms.
He carefully turns and pulls me out of the car, careful to not bump my head on the metal car doorframe.
I wrap my arms around his neck and burrow me head into the crook between his neck and shoulder. He backs up and pushes the door shut with his back before carrying me bridal style up his front porch steps.
I listen to him fiddle with his keys, trying to find the right key to unlock the door, and laugh to myself.
"Oh, ha ha," he mutters sarcastically but chuckles to show he's only joking.
Finally after what feels like forever, he unlocks the door and proceeds to carefully carry me into the house. He kicks the door shut behind us as he continues his path up the stairs and to his bedroom.
He sets me down in front of his door, but I refuse to let go, keeping my arms wrapped around his neck.
"I'm too tired," I groan, smiling against his neck.
"I'm sure you can make it the ten steps to my bed," he laughs.
I throw my head back in a mock groan, "fine."
I turn to face his bedroom door and open it to reveal his bed made into a fort with a bunch of pillows, blankets, fairy lights, and his laptop in the far corner.

I hesitate in the doorway and take in all the work that must have went into this.
"You did all this for me?" I ask in a small voice.
He wraps his arms around my waist and rests his chin on my shoulder, "of course I did."
I turn in his embrace and press my lips to his in a sweet, tender kiss.
"I love you," I say after I pull away, resting my forehead on his.
"I love you too," he whispers back.
I go to lay down on his bed but he stops me, "first things first." He guides me to a sitting position before going to dig something out of his desk.
He walks back holding up a container of makeup wipes.
"I'm going to help you take off your makeup," he says matter-of-factly as he sits down next to me.
"Um, okayy," I laugh nervously. "Are you sure you know how to?"
He gives me a hurt look, "I'll have you know, I've spent extensive hours doing research. And I have two sisters."
"So you've helped your sisters take off their makeup?" I ask dubiously.
"No," he laughs, "but I did do the research and it doesn't seem that hard."
"Okay," I sigh. "I'll be your Guinea pig," I say with a laugh.
As if it's possible, his moves are even more calculated with the makeup wipes than they were with the concealer. He brushes the wipes gently against my skin, carefully taking off the makeup layer by layer.
I let my eyelids flutter closed as I say, "I kinda wish we could've stayed in Disney."
"Me too," he says barely above a whisper.
"I just," I sigh, "I don't know what my mom's problem is."
As if on cue, my phone starts ringing, but I can't open my eyes because Chase has just started taking off my eyeliner.
He hesitates for a second before saying, "it's your mom. Do you want me to answer it and put it on speaker?"
"No," I fight the urge to shake my head, the pressure of the wipe still at my left eye.
Once the phone stops ringing, it dings with multiple texts that I can only assume are from my mother.
I groan as Chase moves to my right eye, "she really can't take the hint, can she?"
"Doesn't sound like it," he says as it dings yet again. "Okay, all done," he says, finally moving the makeup wipe away from me.
I finally open my eyes and quickly peck him on the lips, "thank you."
He leaves to put the makeup wipes back and I check my phone to read the texts from my mom:

Mom
You're not allowed to leave like that. You know that.

Mom
And you left with him, after I told you to break up with him.

Mom
You need to come back home right this second, young lady!

Mom
You are not allowed to spend the night there tonight. We need to have a serious talk about what you agreed to do before you left.

I scoff and roll my eyes at her texts. She really is delusional, isn't she? I reply:

Me
I didn't agree to anything. And last time I checked, I'm an adult and can date who I want. I'm spending the night here and I'll be back tomorrow after school.

Immediately, she replies:

Mom
Do not take that tone with me. I'm the parent here. You live under my roof, you live by my rules.

It takes everything in me not to tell her, then I guess I'm moving out.