EXCHANGED

Chapter 21 - Owned

(Lou's POV)

"How'd it go?", he asked, eyes on the road. A smile crept on my face as his enlightened, as well.

"It was great.", I answered, grinning. "Well? Tell me 'bout it."

"At first Jesse was furious. She yelled and nearly shut the door at my face. But I sacrificed my foot. And I squeezed myself in and here's how it went", I retorted as he nodded his head, thrilled to hear the lucky news. "After her yells, I felt hurt... down inside. But I knew I should do it, so I whole-heartedly explained. I was barely holding my cries back but... with good fortune... she understood."

Chase smiled, evidently waiting to hear more. So I spoke. "We were chatting and all that... but then Jesse told me something." He trembled and the color escaped his appearance. "W-what did she tell you?", he stammered.

"She said she thought Max made the whole I was drunk thing up to... you know... with me. She also said she tried to have Max talk about it but he calls her a stubborn paranoid. And that's shit talking. So she needed my help... and I thought of my scheme."

His face brightened once again as I opened my mouth, knowing that I had to tell him. "When Max is alone... I'll find him and pretend to flirt with him." Chase's nostrils flared. "And I'll see what he would do. To actually figure out. So I could help Jesse know that he's not worthy to be her boyfriend."

His hands hardened around the steering wheel. And silence fell before I talked. "Chase." "Hm?", he replied with an ignorant tune. "Stop acting like a dick now. You're annoying me, really. I said pretend. I actually never wanted to do this. But this is for my sister."

"Fine."

• • •

Chase pulled over as he seemed to have slammed the car door shut. "Look Chase, don't slam the door like that. I said-" His lips unanticipatedly smashed with mine as he pulled me impossibly closer to him.

Butterflies fluttered violently inside me as we smiled through the kiss. There I knew he had so much passion for me. And I'm his. So is he mine.

We pulled out as I breathed, embracing him. He chuckled and planted a soft kiss on my forehead. "Well, let's get in..."

I entered the room before he carried me and sat on the couch, turned the television on and threw blankets over us. He held me close to him. "I change my mind." I was taken aback by his sudden idea. "It's not movie time... it's cuddle time!", he cheered as I giggled and embraced him. He switched the TV off afterwards as we cuddled to an afternoon nap.

• • •

"Lou, you are as filthy as chicken's dump and you don't deserve anything but to be thrown away.", Jesse evilly chuckled, a smirking Max by her side.

Abruptly, she pushed me and I fell in an anonymous hole, I looked back at them and they were in fits of guffaws. "That's what you get for hurting my boyfriend!", she yelled furiously but beamed afterwards.

My heart was pumping rapidly and I couldn't convince myself that I wasn't screaming... at all. "Poor Lou!", Jesse chanted and her voice slightly faltered. She began to sing Poor Lou until I could barely hear her saying 'Poor'.

"Lou, Lou, Lou..."

"Lou... Lou... Lou!"

I snapped awake.

My eyes fluttered open to see a baffled Chase. "God... are you okay?", he sighed and I noticed I was coated in sweat and my chest pounded furiously.
"Y-yeah... I was just nervous about the whole plan...", I retorted blankly. "Well... you've slept for four hours so... your tummy should be craving.", he simpered, tapping my now grumbling stomach.

He pulled me up as my mind tried to slacken after the horrifying, random dream. Chase led me down the stairs as I trudged, heavily. I plopped down on the dining chair as he thrusted a plate full of food towards me.

In just a few minutes, I already had one fourth of the meal remaining. I surprised myself but I'm starving anyways.

• • •

Jesse called... and she was breaking down. Here was how it went.

( M for Me and J for Jesse )

M: Uh, Jesse, hello?

J: I-it's Max...

M: What happened?!

J: I tried to t-talk to him... He i-ignored me... after c-calling me d-dumb multiple times...

M: Well, shit... he's a fuckboy. We have to work on the plan ASAP.

J: *whimpers* whydoeshehavetotreatmethiswayitssounfair?!

M: Jesse, Jesse... listen. You deserve more than him and we're going to help you, alright? We're here for you.

J: *sniffs* okay...

M: Atta, girl. Now just relax and get some rest or something... we'll sort these stuff out. Bye

Beep.

My first impression of Max was sweet, gentle and loyal. But all this bullshit talk he's saying, it's about time to kick some ass.

It was nearly evening and the faint dazzling moonlight tiptoed where everyone could see it. I knew we had to work the plan out immediately. Chase still seemed stiff about the whole thing but I needed to do it for Jesse and besides... it's just a pretend I'm flirting with Max kind of plan, anyway.

My phone buzzed as I took it out to see a message from Jesse.

' He's alone in our apartment. '

I replied.

' Be there in half an hour. '

Instantly after replying, I scuttled to change my clothes and refresh myself. After twenty minutes, I was ready but Chase seemed hesitant.

"What's the matter?", I folded my arms. "Nothing. Just don't... you know what I mean.", he returned. "Of course...", I muttered, pecking his cheek. We then hopped in his ride and zoomed away.

• • •

I gently opened the door, stepping in. Max's head turned and a light, shy grin coated his face. "Er... how could I help you, Lou?", he mumbled. "Nothing actually... I just wanted to hang out a bit...", I said, settling beside him. He shifted a bit and looked around. "How are you and Jesse doin'?", I asked. "Good, yeah.", he retorted.

Lies. Yeah, everything's going good after calling her dumb a lot of times, mate. Good indeed.

My jaw clenched but I tried to conceal it. "That's great.", I said, lying. I moved closer to him, just to go with the plan. "How about you and Chase?", he inquired, looking at me. Now that his eyes were on me, I finger-brushed my hair. "We're great... he's just not that of my type.", I pretended to giggle wherein instead, I felt like smacking myself. "Then what's your type then?"

"I like cute, confused and party guys.", I replied, trying my best to describe him. He bit his lip, smiling. "I can be like that.", he chuckled. "Well, prove it, then.", I smirked as he pulled me annoyingly closer to him. His face drew closer to mine. "I always wanted to do... this!", I yelled, punching his stomach hard. I ran away, in fits of laughter and I looked back, seeing him coughing, hands on his abdomen.