The connection - New beginnings

Chapter seven - Our place

Alex

I waited for Nate to leave before getting back in the car. I pulled out my phone and shot off a text to Natalie asking if it was okay for me to borrow the car this morning and hoping they could maybe catch a ride with one of the others back home from the party. 

My phone rang out and I answered without checking who was calling expecting it to be Natalie. 

"Hey sorry to be a flake, if you need the car it's fine I can come by and pick you guys up"

Silence...that's weird. I pulled the phone away from my ear to check the number. It was the same number from last night.

"Who is this?"

Silence.

I wasn't in the mood for these games. I ended the call and throw the phone down on the passenger seat. It began to ring again and I glanced at the screen. It was Natalie.

" Nat hi" 

"Is everything okay? You sound a little weird?"

" I'm fine, just had a prank call, caught me off guard"

"Okay. So you sure you don't want to come hang out with us here? Think a few of us are just going to have a chill day and watch some movies and binge eat pizza? Jules said to invite you, I promise she'll be on her best behaviour" she asked hopefully 

"Sorry Nat I've actually got a few things I need to do today, Zac is arriving tomorrow morning and I have a few errands to run that's why I wanted to borrow the car"

"No worries, the cars yours for the day Hun. Check in with me later, maybe you could stop by once you're finished with your errands"

"Yeah maybe.I'll catch you later, bye Nat"

I ended the call and let out a sigh. I'd just lied to my best friend. How could I feel so disconnected from everything. I started up the engine and headed to my destination. I glanced over to the jacket on the seat next to me. This was either going to be a really bad idea or the best decision I'd made in a long time.

*******

I pulled up into the same spot I'd parked in last night, grabbed the jacket off the seat and got out the car. As I reached the clearing to the creek I once again found it empty. I walked up the small cliff where I'd watched Chase jump into the water the first time he brought me here and I couldn't help but smile to myself at the memory. I pulled his jacket on and sat on the edge and just let the peace and quiet take over my thoughts. I'd been daydreaming for a while before a noise from the trees behind caught my attention. I turned and glanced at the clearing I'd walked through and found I was alone. The breeze picked up and I felt tingles prick my skin. He was here, I could feel it. Just like last night I had the same feeling that he was out there somewhere. Feeling bold I stood up and took a step away from the water. 

"I know you're out there. Stop hiding. Instead of skulking around in the bushes why don't you actually have the balls to come and talk to me" I shouted towards the trees.

I was met with silence. I ran closer to the opening in the trees and shouted again

"Really! A year has passed and you're just going to pretend I no longer exist. Stop hiding for goodness sake"

There was a rustle in the trees and then he was there, like a figment of my imagination only he was very real. The piercing stare of Chase Matthews locked onto me as he stood a few feet away.

"I'm pretty sure you're the one who left town and pretended that I didn't exist" he snapped back at me, his eyes full of hurt and anger.

Chase 

"What are you doing here Lex?" He bit back cutting off my thoughts

"I'm back for summer" I stammered feeling stung by his harsh tone

"I know that. I mean what are you doing here" he gestured around him at the creek.

"I....I....I don't know" I admitted feeling embarrassed. Deep down I know I'd come here hoping to see him but I couldn't admit that although now that I've thought it he probably heard me.

"So once again we find a question you can't answer to my face" he let out a chuckle which annoyed me. He was mocking me.

"What's that supposed to mean" I shot back feeling hurt 

"It means you couldn't  pick me or Nate and now you're here at our place and you apparently don't know why, or at least you're not willing to admit it out loud. Guess that time away really helped you sort your head out" 

His smug smile was getting to me and he knew it "and why are you here" I snapped back unable to think of anything else to say.

"Why am I here? Because unlike you I can't just pretend like you don't exist, like you never happened. I can't pretend that I'm not in love with you, that this place is the only way I can feel close to you. Is that what you want to hear Alex or would you rather me say I'm here because it's a convenient place to hook up with girls. You choose Alex, which do you prefer" 

"Fuck you Chase" I turned to hide the tears that pricked my eyes. He was angry and I couldn't blame him. I realised I hadn't heard him in my head. Clearly he was blocking me out...or maybe whatever connection we had was gone.

There was silence for a few minutes and if it wasn't for the tension I still felt in the air I would have thought he had left. I let out a shaky sigh as I controlled my tears.

"We both know I came here hoping to see you" I pulled his jacket tighter around my chest as if hugging myself "sorry I shouldn't have come" I sobbed as the tears filled my eyes once again. I turned towards him and started to walk back towards the car whilst keeping my head down so I couldn't see his gaze on me.

"Please don't go" his voice croaked from behind me "I guess I've just got some built up anger, I didn't mean to upset you"

I turned and looked at him. His eyes shone with emotion as we held each other's gaze.

"Yeah you did. I deserved it" I admitted knowing how we'd left things, how I'd left things had been harder on him than I ever imagined. 

"Let's sit and talk for a bit" he glanced back up to the cliff edge I'd just been sat on and i offered him a small nod. 

We're we really going to do this, could we even hold a normal conversation.