I Never Thought

Chapter 20

Chase's POV

I was feeling the most relaxed that I'd felt in a long time. I wasn't sure if it was Chloe's peaceful presence or the warm water shooting onto my back, but I sure knew that I was loving every second of it.

"Chase," her voice was soft and sounded like a suggestion in contrast with the sounds of nature around us.

"Yeah?"

"I'm thinking of getting a job this summer," she told me.

Why would she get a job? It wasn't like her bank account wasn't already loaded with her parent's money.

"Why?" I sat up so that I could see her.

"I need to do things. I need to figure out what I need to do with my life."

"You're still in high school Clo, you have so much time."

"It doesn't feel like it. Honestly, I feel like I'm running out of time."

"You're not. Half of the world's population is just winging it, believe me."

"How do you know that?"

"I just do, life's not a competition. Go at it at your own pace."

She covered her eyes with her hand. "That's easy for you to say, mister clinical lab scientist."

Of course, the conversation at lunch. I should have known that it was her parents who caused her to be feeling like this. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You have a plan. And I'm going to be stuck with dinosaur fossils."

"What?" I laughed and she groaned.

"Maybe I can get a job that'll give me ideas."

"You mean like at like a clothes store?"

"No, a big girl job. Like in an office or something."

"Hmm..." I played with the stubble under my chin. "Okay let me help you out a bit."

She began biting her fingernails, a bad habit that she had when she felt stressed out. I kept telling her to stop and about how nasty it was since there are hundreds of bacteria under people's nails. She always just called me a nerd and went back to biting.

I grabbed her hand and brought it below the water, making her sigh.

"Do you have any idea of what you'd want to do?"

She shook her head.

"For example, you like animals. Maybe you could go into veterinary medicine?" Her eyes lit up briefly before she frowned.

"What?" I asked.

"No, because then I would have to see animals in pain."

"You're right. Okay."

I went back to thinking and she looked off into space.

"You're great at the sciences. Are you completely against going into medicine or is it just veterinary?"

She thought for a moment. "I mean, I could see myself considering being a nurse or a doctor but I'm not sure yet."

"Maybe you could get a job in a doctor's office," I suggested. "My aunt is actually a doctor, I could see if her office has any job openings for like a medical assistant or something."

She grinned. "You would do that for me?"

"Of course." I would do anything for you.

She crossed the water and flung her arms around my neck and hugged me tightly. I laughed as her wet hair brushed against my face. I wrapped my arms around her waist and hugged her back. She was on her knees between my legs. Her body was warm in my arms, and she smelled so good, I could never get tired of her alluring vanilla scent.