Gypsy - Book 3 of The Academy Kids Series

Enter McHottie

~Amanda~

I blew the steam off my large hot chocolate as I joined Chase at one of the outdoor tables of our favorite, all natural café near downtown. I adored their hot chocolate. They used actual bars of chocolate, shaved and melted into real milk, then topped with freshly made whipped cream, all of it organic of course. It was pure indulgence in a cup. Honestly the only thing better was the spaghetti and meatballs at Bob's Diner, or the tacos. God, I loved tacos but if we're talking hot, steamy goodness then yes, this hot chocolate takes the cake.

Chase glanced up from his phone, lifting an eyebrow. I was seriously completely jealous of this ability.If I try to lift my eyebrow I just look like someone twisted my face around. His assessing gaze raked over my outfit and he frowned, setting his phone down on the table near his mug.

"Manda, Aren't you cold?" I grinned at him and he groaned, "No. Whatever you have in mind, No." He moved to pick up his phone, patting my hand on the way. Chase was gonna hate my idea. I knew it but I also knew he'd do it anyway, after he made me beg or suffer. He may have had a point about my outfit though. It was December and temps were cooling off. In my thin, sheer, gauzy red skirt, even with the matching leggings underneath, my legs were a bit a cold. Plus the barely there sandals I was, even now, slipping off my feet didn't help. I didn't dare take off the thin, long flowy sleeved white shirt I was wearing. The beaded red, bra style top I wore wouldn't keep me warm either. Not to mention it would give away the plan.

"Come on Chase," I cajoled, my eyes wide and my lips pouty. Chase's green gaze glared at me. Yes! That meant it was working already! "Your gonna love this, I promise. Plus it's for charity."

Chase blew out a breath, "What charity?" There was a hint of resignation in his voice that I knew meant he was folding. I bounced in my seat, the hot chocolate sloshing dangerously in my mug. Oops. I took a few sips while looking at Chase. Some people think Chase is my long time boyfriend. Really though, he was my best friend and confidant and partner in all my crazy plans. After growing up together from the time we were in diapers, I absolutely couldn't think of Chase romantically. Don't get me wrong, With those blazing green eyes and the shock of red hair, not to mention the leanly muscled physique, Chase was a stunner. Maybe I might have thought romantically about him if he hadn't told me he was gay when we were thirteen. Not many people knew that. My dad and brother and his mom, one or two people around that it had come up with, but that was it. Chase wasn't closeted, he was just private.

A pair of fingers snapping in my face brought me back, "Manda! Manda!" Chase was leaning over the table, inches from my face. I blinked a few times and he rolled his eyes. "God I hate when you do that," He muttered. I pecked his nearby cheek as an apology. "You drifted off again. What Charity?" He sank back into his seat, grabbing his mug.

Picking up my own mug, I took a couple sips before answering, "I thought we would take whatever we earn today and get some toys for Toys For Tots." I tried to do a charity thing every Christmas but a lot of them hadn't turned out the way I'd hoped. This year I decided to go with a charity I knew worked. Besides, wasn't Christmas for the children anyway? Chase shook his head.

"That's why you made me bring this, isn't it?" He gestured to the guitar case at his feet, "Your gonna do what I think your gonna do, aren't you?" I bit my lip and gave him sheepish look. "How do you talk me into these things?" He leaned back in his chair, looking up at the sky as though asking the heavens what he'd done to deserve me. He did that a lot.

We chatted for a minutes while finishing our hot chocolate, the conversation inevitably turning to our favorite subject, Anime. "It's too bad there aren't any all-male clubs at school I could infiltrate." I sighed.