alone.

chapter thirty-four

I looked up at him. "I'll write to you, but it can only be a one-way writing."

"Which means?"

"You won't be able to write back."

"Oh. It's okay, I guess," I smiled. He hugged me once more.

"I have to leave by tomorrow."

"Okay," I looked at him. He saw his old ring on my necklace.

"You still have it."

"I never parted with it," I smiled.

"I have an idea." He removed the ring from my necklace and put it back on his finger, that he had it on, like before. "Now, it will remind me of both important women in my life," he smiled. "My mom would love you." I just smiled and kissed him. He smiled, and we pulled apart. "Let go home. The running made my side sore."

"Okay," I smiled. We took a different way home. Once we arrived, he packed his things. He gave me one last hug and kiss. I tried my hardest not to cry, but I just couldn't hold it all in.

"I'll be back. I promise," he smiled and held me close.

"I know you will," I smiled in returned. He left and that was the last time I saw him.

- six months later

Six months have past and no sign of Chase. I guess the few days he was here put him behind track. I got ready for college. I wore my black skirt, black boots, black stockings, black button up collar shirt, and Chase's black hoodie that I found in his house. I let my hair down. I arrived and looked at the building.

I'm not ready, but here I go.

I looked around and saw everyone looking at me strange. Once I got to my locker, I put my stuff and began heading to my first class. As I sat down, I noticed Connor walked in. I looked at him relieved. He smiled and came to me.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm coming to college here," I smiled. "Where's everyone else?" He sat down with a straight face.

"We all went our separate ways. Carrie went to government. Ricky went to be a surgeon. Piper couldn't make it into a good college so she works at a night club. My friends all went into the college that wanted them for their football teams."

"Why are you here?"

"I want to pursue my music career."

"You....music?"

"Yeah," he lightly laughed. "Is that wrong?"

"No, no. I just didn't think you were into music."

"Well, believe it." We stood there in silence for a bit.

"So, what did Carrie think about it?"

"We had to...um..." he began to get choked up.

"I'm sorry," I rubbed his back.

"It's all good," he swallowed and smiled. "Chase?"

Don't tell him. He can't know that he's been coming without them knowing.

"It's been a while."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

The teacher came in and began to teach. Connor and I stuck together throughout the whole day. We got into studio, and he got the guitar. When I turned around, I swear I thought I saw Chase. I rubbed my eyes, and it turned out to be Connor. I sat the piano sort of worried.

"Ready?" he smiled.

"Yeah," I smiled back. He began to strum his guitar. His every move reminded me of Chase. He began to sing a song (a/n: song above. Once again let's pretend he wrote. Even thought no one can compare to TØP. Cuz they're amazing but it's fiction. Let's pretend.) Once he was done, he smiled at me.

"You're turn." I smiled and began to sing the first song Chase wrote for me. Once I finished, Connor smiled and lightly clapped for me. He came and sat next to me. "I have an idea. Follow my note."

"Okay." He began to strum his guitar, and I followed with the piano. He brought the lyrics out, and we began to harmonize perfectly. Once we finished, we stared at each other. I wish it was Chase I was looking at. He began to slowly lean in.

Quick do something.

"I think that sounded great."

"Yeah," he went back a bit. He stood up and went back to his seat a little down.

I feel horrible, but I can't cheat on Chase. I'm his fiancé. It will be worse than before.

"So, shall we continue?"

"Yeah," he looked up. After a while of singing, we went to our next class. Sincerely, if I have ever seen anyone so down, it was Connor. He is a jolly cowboy so for him to be down is unusual.

"Coconuts are the only thing that should have water, not your eyes." He looked at me and slightly smiled. When Chase didn't come around that one year, Connor would always say that to me. I grabbed his hand in a friendly way, and he knew it was a friendly way. "Let's go out tonight."

"What?"

"Yeah, you know friends can hang out too."

"Yeah," he smiled. "Sounds good." Once school was finished, I went home and changed into a baby blue jean skirt, a black flannel and black undershirt, black stockings, and my black boots. I left my hair down and carried Chase's sweater in my hand. I walked to the country club and met up with Connor.