Love at Last Sight

Chapter Eleven

My fist connected with the Oak door of Chace’s house in rapid successions, hoping the incessant pounding would motivate Chace to open it quickly. The cold rain was falling down steadily on my shoulders, seeping through my clothing, and chilling me to the bone. Shivers wracked my body as I waited, my fist turning white from how tightly I was clenching it. After a few more moments of fruitless knocking, I decided to test the doorknob. To my surprise, it was unlocked. Hesitating only a split-second, I pushed the door open and slipped inside.

            “Chace?” I called, brushing my damp bangs out of my face. “Where are you?”

            No answer came.

Frowning, I moved over to the living room, peering inside it.

            No one was there.

            “Chace?” I tried again, my heart quickening. “Where are you?”

            The silence in the house was deafening. My mind went to the worst-case scenario. Could my words have caused him to inflict self-harm? With panic sneaking up my throat, I started jogging through the house; my eyes peeled for the brunet. Where was he?

            After a thorough search of the first floor, I stomped up the steps to the second, my nerves on end. With each second that passed, my anxiety grew. My stomach was clenching and unclenching uncomfortably and the urge to vomit kept appearing, but I forced it back. Maybe Chace was just in his room playing videogames. Unfortunately for me, I hadn’t gotten the full tour of his house earlier, so I had to try every closed door to figure out what room was what.

            The first door led to a small broom closet, where clean towels and extra blankets were placed. There was a surprising amount of both for a house with solely two people… but then again, the house itself was rather large for Chace and his dad. Moving on, the second door I opened seemed to be a bedroom. Whose, I didn’t know, but it didn’t matter. No one was in it. Frustrated, I nearly slammed it shut. Had Chace gone out? I swore I saw his car in the driveway!

            Coming to the third door, I heard an odd noise. However, I couldn’t place it. “Please let him be in here,” I breathed, pushing open the third door in the hallway.

            A wave of humid air met my face and I blinked, my eyes quickly adjusting to the brightly lit room. As they adjusted, I realized it was a bathroom. An occupied bathroom.

            Chace was lying in the bathtub, completely motionless. The faucet was still running, explaining the mysterious noise I’d heard, and the water was overflowing onto the floor. Bubbles covered the top layer of water, covering most of his body and whatever else lay beneath the water.

            My heart jumped into my throat and a feeling of horror washed over me. “No way,” I croaked. Nearly losing my balance on the slippery floor as I struggled to make my way over to him. “Chace!”

            Immediately his eyes shot open. Not expecting it, a startled scream escaped my throat. “Rosie!” he cried, pushing himself up in the bathtub. A fine blush spread across his cheeks. “W-what the hell are you doing in here?”

            My eyes travelled to his now exposed bare chest and stayed glued there. “I… I…”

            “Do you always walk in on people in the bathtub?” he demanded, but I could now hear a tone of amusement in his voice.

            Blushing, I managed to pull my gaze away from his body. “I thought maybe you’d…”

            “Tried to kill myself?” he finished for me dryly. “Please.”