Forever And Always

Chapter Four

Chase's POV

I didn't sleep well last night. I kept thinking about what Raven had said. Maybe I could write a song. Maybe I could even write it about her. I don't really know. I'll work on it today, but first things first.

~Good morning, Raven! I had a lot of fun yesterday! I hope you have a great day today.

I hope she wakes up later to that and she smiles. I mean it's like 5 in the morning so I hope she isn't up this early. Five in the morning is a bad time for me to be awake. As if right on cue, I heard them. My parents. Every day they wake up at 5 and within about 10 minutes of being awake they are screaming at each other.

My sister, Rachel, sneaks into my room when they start yelling. She is turning 5 in about two months. It scares her to hear them yelling. She quietly shuts my door and jumps on to my bed, snuggling into my side. I wrap my arms around her and kiss her hair.

"It will be okay, Rach. They will stop soon. I promise. It's okay, I'm right here." I try soothing her. I give her my headphones and put her songs on. We do this a lot so I have a playlist on my phone just for her. It relaxes her, she doesn't have to hear them, and she sleeps. I wish things weren't like this for her. Mom and Dad are staying together for us, I guess, but I wish they would just get it over with. If not for me, for Rachel. She doesn't need to see or hear any of this.

Another ten minutes of it and they went silent. I want to move out. I could, but who would be there for Rachel? Rachel needs me. I wish I could take her with me. I could do a better job than my parents.

They had cleaned up their act a little bit when Rachel was a baby. They tried not to yell in front of her or cuss when she was around. That lasted a few months. Dad used to be worse than this, and I'm glad he dropped some of his bad habits when she was born. He doesn't get drunk anymore, and he doesn't have too bad of a temper with me.

I remembered the day he decided to try and be a better dad. He had screwed up big time first. His mistake had led him to work to be better. That awful day was burned into my memory, sometimes I even have nightmares about it. We don't mention it around here.

Mom hadn't changed at all. She still sat on her bed and smoked, everywhere she went, she smoked. We didn't have friends over because the nauseating smell of nicotine made everyone sick.

Rachel deserves so much better. The little four year old wouldn't hurt a fly. She's so innocent and tiny and I just wished I could shelter her from the chaos of our dysfunctional family. She loved when it was school time because she could get out of here. I didn't blame her.

She was the reason I picked up guitar in the first place. I played on the street corners to try and make some money. I wanted to spoil her because no one else did. No one else cared.

Now I looked down at her little face. Her eyelids were closed over her shiny blue eyes. She was always kind even though her life was a living hell. Her little lips came together and formed a small hint of a smile as the music had drifted her to sleep.

Her long black hair fell down her back and I gently ran my fingers through it. I looked at her tiny little freckles splattered all over her face. She was one of the few things in my life that kept me going and one day I'd get her out of here. I have to.

I took her to the babysitters house and then went to work. I work at Panera, where I had suggested Raven and I eat. I almost have enough saved for a month worth of rent. All the places I see have two bedrooms which is perfect if I can get Rachel here with me.

Raven's POV

Why did I wake up so early? What time is it anyway? I picked my phone up. It was 6:47 in the morning. Wait, Chase texted me! I sat up automatically. I put my password in and the light blinds me momentarily.

Hottie ~ Good morning, Raven! I had a lot of fun yesterday! I hope you have a great day today.

Yes, I have him in my phone under hottie. I'm smiling like an idiot! What is the matter with me? I wish I could see him today, but Mom says I can't go see him even though she doesn't know that he is a boy. I just said friend, and she assumed it was a female and I didn't acknowledge it. Plus, I have to go to work.

I work at Starbucks. I have to be there at 8 this morning and I get off at 2. It's not a bad job. I feel like I'm the only one who knows how to spell names. The requests are kinda picky, but that's anywhere you go. I love going into work. Plus, I work a lot and make some good money! I have enough saved now for about two months rent. My friend's parents own an apartment complex that they have saved just for me. The only problem is that it is a two bedroom, and I'm one person. I don't need a second bedroom.

Maybe I will see if someone will move in with me and go half on everything. I don't know who I would want to live with. They also aren't asking for as much as they usually ask, because they know me. It's also very nice of them to save that room for me for as long as they have.

I get up and go into the bathroom to shower. Luckily for me it's right in front of my bedroom. I got in and within the next minute, there was someone banging on the door. My brothers, Jacob and Ethan, love waiting to pee until I'm in the bathroom. Jacob is 5 and Ethan is 16 and they love bothering me. It's cute when Jake does it cause he feels bad about doing it sometimes.

I finish up quickly and head into work. "Hey Lily." I smile at one of my coworkers. She stares blankly at me. Lily wasn't the most friendly person in the world.

I tie on my apron and head to work the cash register. I love watching as people turn from grumpy to happy with the first sip of caffeine. Coffee is a life saver.

The door opens and I see a familiar face. My eyes lit up as Chase walks into Starbucks. "Wow Raven, what a surprise to see you here!" He teases. I told him where I worked on our first date, but I had no clue he would be here.

"Hello sir, what can I get you today?" I smiled slightly. "And may I add that you look very adorable." He chuckled.

He looked up at the menu to see what he wanted. "I'd like a cappuccino with an extra shot of espresso and an apartment."

I hollered the coffee order to the barista and turned to talk with Chase. "Looking for an apartment?" I asked. He shrugged his shoulders.

"Ideally, yes. Know anyone renting?" I immediately thought of the apartment I was planning on renting. I was looking for someone to share the apartment with.

I grabbed a pen and wrote down the renters number on Chase's hand. "A friend of mine's parents own an apartment. they were saving it for me but you need it more than I do. It has two rooms and I only need one, or someone who will split the cost."

He examined the number. "You need a roommate?" I nodded my head. "Wouldn't it be crazy if we were roommates?" He exclaimed.

I laughed. "That would be freaking awesome." I said as I thought about the idea of living with Chase.

"Yeah," he said. "We'd have the craziest time together. We could stay up and watch chick flicks and have dance parties and nerf war fights."

The barista finished his coffee and I handed it to him. "Thanks for the number, Raven. I'll call them right away and mention that you told me to." He stood there awkwardly for a moment before taking a brief sip of his coffee. "Too bad you aren't moving in with me." He mumbled.

"Yeah." I agreed. "Well, bye!" He said the same and headed out the door.

A/N So, what did you all think of seeing what Chase's life is like? Did you enjoy this chapter? Make sure to vote and comment what you think! :)
-Adeline