When New York and London Collide

Chapter 45

Chase Kennedy

"Since when did you become a swiftie?" I heard Ella say from the top of the stairs.

Fucking sound system.

Celine's parents convinced me to go home when Celine finally fell asleep. I was adamant about staying by her side until she woke up, but then I remembered that Ella was staying with me today. Knowing that Celine was with her parents provided some comfort, so I took their advice and went home for the night.

I was about to grab a bottle of alcohol, which is what I'd usually do when I'm feeling lost or confused, but then I remembered what Celine had told me once.

Flashback

Celine told me of her predicament in the hotel, how she got bored. So, her solution? Visiting me. Was I upset about it, absolutely fucking not. I wasn't a chef, but I could manage dinner. I plated her favourite pasta, which I managed to cook courtesy of google and a few unfortunate mishaps.

"Looks good," she smiled down at the plate of messy pasta. I grabbed two forks from the drawer and handed one to her. As I twirled some pasta onto my fork, Celine used hers to stop me.

"You could have made yourself a plate Chase," she whined when I pushed her fork away and took a huge bite. She had already complained about being famished, and knowing Celine, she doesn't like to share. Still, I provoked her and took another bite.

"It's easier to share one," I shrugged and pointed my fork in her direction. She looked at me and at the food and opened her mouth in anticipation when I pulled it away laughing. She glared at me and reached out for it again. This time, I obliged.

"Good?" I asked. She nodded, mouth full of food.

When we finally finished dinner, Celine convinced me to watch legally blonde with her. I groaned. I didn't enjoy romcoms at all. But, she begged me with adorable puppy eyes I just couldn't say no.

Curse her adorable green eyes and pouty lips.

I played the movie while she snuggled up in a blanket on the couch. Knowing it isn't a movie without some snacks to go with it, I walked to the kitchen and microwaved some popcorn.

"Thanks," she held onto the bowl, mindlessly eating while her eyes were glued to the screen.

"Isn't it amazing?" Throughout the course of the movie, she had moved closer and closer to me, until her head was leaned onto my shoulder. The bowl of popcorn completely devoured, and the end credits started to play.

"I just love blondes. Cher from clueless, Elle from legally blonde, Taylor Swift. They're all amazing women, and what do they have in common? Blonde." I stared down at her, smirking. I couldn't end of the night without poking at her a little.

"I don't know. Cher and Elle seem like great women for sure, but I'm more of a Chase Atlantic kind of guy," I teased, knowing Taylor Swift was her biggest idol. She even made me a playlist of all her favourite Taylor swift songs combined.

"Hey!" She slapped my chest hard, and I chuckled.

"You're literally insulting my entire life's purpose and motto." I raised my brow. That was a bit of a reach, wasn't it? To base one's life purpose and motto on your favourite singer.

"See, I live by the saying, When life throws you lemons, throw them back and listen to Taylor Swift." I threw my head back and laughed, her twist on the idiom was so... her. It made my heart glow, and somehow I loved her a little more, if possible.

Propping the blanket up onto her shoulders, she told me, "You should try it some time. If you're having a bad day, listen to her songs. That's why I made you the playlist." Her eyes started getting droopy as she droned on and on about her favourite album, her favourite song, why it was her favourite song, how her biggest dream was to go to one of her concerts.

"Ok, that's enough trouble. Go to sleep," I whispered, pulling her closer. She snuggled further into my arms and whispered, "Hey Chase?" Pushing back her stray strands of her blocking my gorgeous view, I bummed in response.

"I think I love you. Even if I may act like I don't. I didn't know I loved you back then, but that didn't matter. Because my heart knew. It always has known."

She was probably talking in her sleep, a delirious state of mind. But even so, those words meant the absolute fucking world to me.

"Same here, trouble."

When I finally heard her light snores and soft breaths, I picked her up as gently as possible and carried her upstairs. I stood outside the guest room, contemplating if I should let her sleep there. But when I looked down, I decided. Fuck the guest room, she's sleeping with me.

End of flashback

"Since now," I argued. Celine didn't know, but the playlist she had made me was now one of my most frequently listened too. Hence the reason why Taylor Swift's False God is reverberating across my entire goddamn house.

She giggled at the sight, her brother. Listening to Taylor swift. She walked back up, chanting "Chase is a Swiftie" with small laughs in between.

I leaned back into the couch, arms spread out, replaying every moment with Celine in my head. Whether it was on this couch, in my bed, in the kitchen, in the library, I could feel the ghost of her presence. Her smell always found it's way into my system from the blankets she used. I'd always picture her in every corner of the house where she stood. Fuck, she was consuming every inch of my thoughts.

You don't love her Chase. You don't even know what love is.

Liam's words echoed in the back of my mind where I had tossed it. He wasn't entirely wrong, I didn't know a thing about love. How was I so sure that I felt it?

But whenever she was around, I never wanted her to leave. Whenever she wasn't around, I counted the seconds till I saw her again. I remembered every single thing about her even though I struggled to even remember my friend's birthdays. I knew almost everything about her, her favourite food, favourite desert, how she liked her bread without the crust, her sleep schedule. I was like a walking Celine encyclopaedia.

If that isn't love, then what is?