Finding My Way

Fans & Lack of Jealousy

Chase's POV

"What's wrong?" Y/N finally asks me after searching my face for an answer I can't give her.
I stay silent for a few seconds as I try to figure out how much to tell her. I finally settle on, "uh, nothing."
I know my response does nothing to reassure her when she says, "you can tell me anything, ya know."
I fight a defeated sigh as I try to come up with some answer that'll make her drop the subject. Finally, I concede with telling a half truth, "just fans. It's no big deal, really. Don't worry about it."
She raises an eyebrow, not completely satisfied with my answer. "I don't understand... did you meet some on the beach or?"
"Don't worry about it," I say for the second time as I squeeze her hand and force what I hope is a reassuring smile, "let's go home."
I don't give her a chance to question me further as I open the passenger door of my car for her and usher her in before getting into the driver's seat. There was no way I could tell her what's been on my mind since a half hour after she started her shift. I just had to keep her off of social media until I figure out what to do, which should be easy enough. I just have to keep her distracted.
As I turn onto the street she takes the scrunchie out of her hair and lets it fall down around her shoulders. She leans back and rests her head on the headrest, her eyelids fluttering closed with an exhausted sigh.
"How was it?" I ask, keeping my eyes on the road.
"Huh?" She turns her head towards me.
"How was your first day?"
A small smile plays on her lips as she thinks back to it and I can't help but smile at how cute she is. "It was good," she finally says. "Fun, even. Who knew a job could be fun?"
I think about watching her leave the ice cream shop, her talking with Jaden, laughing even. It should make me jealous that the fans are probably right, but it's almost as if my brain isn't fully understanding what they're saying. I can read it a hundred times over, but that doesn't mean I believe it.
"You seem to like Jaden," I don't mean to say it, but it comes out anyway and there's no way to take it back.
When I don't get a response, I glance over to see her eyes closed and the slow rise and fall of her chest with every breath she takes. I'm left with my thoughts for the rest of the drive home.