The Chase

Chapter 3

"Did you do it?"

"Yes."

A fist makes contact with my mouth and I can feel the warmth of blood where my lip must have split open. I stumble back a bit but don't fight back.

"You can have any girl you want, any fucking girl and you screw my sister." Caleb is shouting at me as he lands another punch.

"Caleb, calm down, please." It's Jewel speaking this time and before she finishes her sentence he lands another punch. "He's not even fighting back, Caleb please."

"It's my sister Jewel, my sister."

I can barely make out his words through the ringing in my ears.

"Nut up Chase and fight back," Caleb taunts me.

I spit out the blood that's pooled in my mouth and I have no clue how to explain myself to my friend.

"Caleb stop." A soft but clear voice speaks from behind me then Char steps in front of me.

"Caleb I never meant..."

"Can you stop as well. Caleb this was all me. I asked Chase to do it because I'm tired of being the poor virgin. When he refused I promised to get a random to do it. Most likely Jason McCall over at Monmouth Prep. You can only imagine how quickly he agreed after that. So please get over yourself and your assumed role of Protector of Virginities."

I watch in awe as she effortlessly lies to her brother, her only tell being her fingers gripping onto the bottom of her t-shirt. She knows mentioning Jason, who is the quarter back on the team of our rival school, will push Caleb over the edge. I can't let her take the fall for this alone.

"Char you don't..."

"I figured what better way than to ask a guy who totally represents his name, right Chase."

She leaves no room for argument and I ignore the dig at my name.

"Are you guys done now?" She turns to Caleb who nods then to me and I can't stop staring into her eyes. When she grabs hold of my hand a sort of spark shoots from my stomach and I'm convinced it's from the adrenalin of everything that's just happened.

"C'mon, let me clean you up."

She only releases my hand once we reach the stairs and I'm a bit reluctant to let go, it felt good holding her hand.

I sit on the edge of the bath and flinch a bit as she cleans up the cut beneath my eye.

"You didn't have to do that you know."

"Do what, stop my brother from punching you in the face while all you did was stand there. Why didn't you fight back, we all know it's one of your favourite pastimes?"

"Because he was right to punch me, I shouldn't have done it."

"Wow Collins, way to make a girl feel good about losing her virginity." She packs up the supplies she's used and before she turns to leave I grab her wrist.

"I'm really sorry Char."

She steps closer to me and I hold my breath thinking she might kiss me.

Her lips brush past my cheek and to my ear.

"You've just lost a girl who would have given you everything."