Of Hotshots and High School

Chapter 12

Rory's POV

I was trying to figure out where I'd seen the blonde girl before when Chase walked back into the room.

"Sorry about that," he said as he slid into his seat. I'm sure he could read the question on my face. "That was Daisy, Adelaide's best friend. Not sure what she was so upset about though." He shrugged it off. "She's pretty dramatic. Probably just saw a spider or something."

"She didn't tell you?" I was more than a bit confused. Not even Adelaide would act that freaked out over a stupid little spider.

"I don't know. She was pretty traumatized and just kept saying that she needed to talk to Adelaide."

"Well I don't think she'd need to talk to Adelaide about a spider," I retorted.

"Okay class, time to start!" The bell had rung and Mrs. Clemshaw was standing in front of the class in a ridiculous ensemble. Today everything was lilac from her glasses to her 1960's retro dress down to her pointy-toed heels. Chase's reaction to it when she turned around was priceless. He saw her for less than a second before he turned back to face me and gag. I swallowed a giggle. He leaned in toward me as I leaned forward.

"It's like brain poison," he whispered, the husky tone of his voice making me shiver. I leaned in even closer.

"Maybe that's her goal," I joked. "Her clothes are so distracting that you can't help but focus on her." Chase smiled and mumbled something so quiet I couldn't hear despite how close we were. "What?"

With our faces almost touching I couldn't help but notice Chase; his golden hair that shone like the sun, his deep blue eyes that a girl could find herself happily drowning in with no thoughts of coming up for air... And he smelled good. Like soap and sandalwood, just like at the theatre. The theatre... Wow. He'd been completely perfect. In absolutely every way possible. I'd almost even wanted him to actually kiss me. Wait. Kiss me. Of course!

"Oh no." I breathed. Chase and I had been talking right before Daisy barged in.

"What?" Chase was cute when he was confused. We'd been trying to be quiet and our faces had been pretty close... But really? Did Daisy honestly think that Chase had been about to kiss me? Chase  was way too good of a guy to do that to his girlfriend. At least, I was pretty sure. Sure, he was flirty, but he wouldn't go that far.

"Rory!"

"Huh?" I snapped out of my thoughts. Chase was looking at me, concerned.

"Is everything okay?" His eyes scanned my face. I really didn't want to tell him. He looked so innocent and I knew if I told him it would make things between us awkward. I really didn't want that. But he'd find out from Adelaide soon enough and I didn't want him going into that completely clueless. I sighed.

"Chase," I started hesitantly, "I'm not sure about this, but I think I know why Daisy was so upset.." I trailed off, dreading what I was about to tell him. "I think... well.. I mean, there's a good chance-"

"Aw Rory, you're blushing!" He smiled at me and I knew my face was in flames.

"Promise you won't hate me." I was completely serious. I was worried he wouldn't believe me or he'd think I was completely mistaken and infatuated with him or something. Chase just laughed.

"I could never hate you, Rory," he replied, a twinkle in his eye, "unless of course you decided to become a serial killer or I found out that you hated soccer," he raised an eyebrow at me, his lopsided grin taking up his whole face. It was infectious. I couldn't help but laugh.

"No," I teased back, "I do not hate soccer. I actually love it and am thinking about practicing with the team," A look of pleasant surprise light up his face. "But I make no promises about the serial killer part. I mean, who knows all the trouble I could get into in the next few years." Chase laughed and put a hand over his heart in a mock-pledge.

"I promise not to let you turn into a serial killer." He said, the light in his eyes undermining his serious tone.

"I am eternally in your debt," I played, trying to be 'all serious' but failing miserably.

"But only so long as you stop changing the subject and tell me what it was Daisy was upset about," he raised an eyebrow in challenge. I sighed, but I knew that it would be fine. Chase was a pretty mellow guy. It was nice; I hadn't known many men who seemed as lighthearted as Chase.

Go big or go home. That was my new mantra. I liked it. It made me a braver, bolder version of myself than the Rory I'd been before this move.

"I think Daisy thought you were about to kiss me." I said it plainly, no sugar coating or skirting around.

Chase's face was so priceless I wish that I'd had my camera to capture his look of complete shock. For once his confident facade crumbled and he was fumbling around for a response.

"But.. wha... What on earth would give you that idea?" he sputtered. I loved seeing this side of him -- his complete and utter lack of composure.

"Well we were about this close..." I teased, leaning in to him so that our faces were only about an inch apart. Chase's already blushing face turned an even fiercer color of scarlet. I smiled to myself. At least I could affect him a little, though he could render me completely useless. Chase took a deep breath, regaining his composure before he pulled away, running a hand through his already tousled hair.

"But really, why would she just jump to that conclusion? I'm dating Adelaide; there's no way that I'd kiss you." Chase was staring off into space so he couldn't see me wince. Ouch. I knew that he didn't mean it how it sounded, but still. I'd make him pay for that, at least a little.

"Ouch." I deadpanned. Chase looked a little sheepish.

"Not that I wouldn't want to kiss you," he backpedaled, and then blushed so much his face looked like it was on fire. I had to fight hard to keep myself from beaming. Even if he was just saying it to be nice, it still felt good to think I was desirable. "I mean, anyone with even half a brain would want to kiss you..." he trailed off, looking at my face. I was trying so hard not to laugh. Chase was as cute as a brand-new puppy when he was flustered.

"You do realize that you're just digging yourself a bigger hole now, right?"

Chase groaned and ran his hands through his hair, effectively removing any last bit of order it had been hastily shaped into when he'd gotten ready this morning.

"It's just that, I mean, I'm dating Adelaide. I wouldn't cheat on her like that," Chase continued. I couldn't help the grin that broke out on my face. He considered me with half-lidded eyes and sighed.

"Still digging?"

"Just a little," and even though I was teasing him, it was nice to know that he wasn't the type to cheat. At least on his girlfriend. I got the impression that he would totally be the kind to cheat at card games, but somehow that thought just made Chase even more endearing.

"Well, I guess straightening this whole situation out is gonna be fun," Chase said with mock-brightness as he stretched out in his desk. "You're gonna help me, right doll-face?" I nearly choked on my own spit.

"Not if you call me 'doll-face' again, I won't." I crossed my arms in annoyance. "Honestly, you have got to be able to come up with something better than that."

Instead of backing down, Chase took that as a challenge. I don't think I've heard as many terrible nick-names in my whole life as I did in the rest of class. Between all the "Schnookums," "Pudding-Pop"s, "Honey-Bun"s and "Pumpkin"s that Chase whispered in my ear and breathed down my neck, it's a miracle that I even got 2 paragraphs finished of the 3 page essay we were supposed to be writing. But I consoled myself with the fact that Chase only got the title of his done.

And the fact that Chase kept me smiling the whole period -- even if it was with utter nonsense -- didn't seem to hurt my mood either. Not at all.