He's a Keeper

Chapter 22

           

So it's one in the morning, and we're all at the mall. I'm wearing a black knit sweater, a beanie, jeans, and heeled boots.

We're all shopping for Black Friday. The crowds are insane.

I'm buying so much furniture. I ended up going out and getting a damn Uhaul.

None of our parents came, just me, Shane, Tori, Lauren, Jake, Chase, Cole, Seth, Devin, and Blake.

We're at the food court, standing in a group to decide what to get. We've been shopping a while. We're hungry.

As we talk, a girl in light blue ripped skinny jeans and a white sweater with boots passes us.

She's on her phone, not paying attention, and Chase steps back at the wrong time, causing her to walk into him. She's got a light pink purse, and she's really pretty, with dark wavy hair and green eyes.

Her phone falls from her hand.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Chase says, picking her phone up, he hands it to her.

And then he looks at her face.

His eyes lock with hers.

She's frozen for a second, her eyes searching his.

Shane is on his phone. I start hitting his arm, excited.

He looks up.

"What?" he asks. I nod at Chase.

He looks at his brother.

We're all silent, watching them.

He's completely lost in her eyes.

His mouth opens and closes three times.

He blinks, clearing his throat.

"I...uh..." he's blushing. His cheeks and neck are red, and he starts rubbing the back of his neck. "Here. I'm sorry."

She swallows, taking her phone from his hand.

"Thank you." she whispers.

She hesitates, and then she steps around him and walks away.

He turns around, watching her go.

"Go after her!" Shane gasps.

"I can't!" he says, panicked. "Did you see her? Holy shit! Somebody else get her!"

Nobody moves.

She's almost gone now.

This girl could take Chase off my back.

I sprint after her. I grab her wrist.

"Hey." I say.

She turns.

"Hi." She looks confused.

"You like him." I say.

"Who?" she asks.

"That guy."

"I uh...don't date, so..."

"I didn't date either." I say. "And then I met his brother."

"You're dating his brother?" she asks.

I nod.

"Best thing I ever did." I say. "His name is Chase."

"Your boyfriend?"

"No. His brother."

She looks at my group, cringing.