Chasing Summer

Chapter 5.

Chapter 5.

Once again I was lying awake in my bed, everything was silent, the waves weren’t crashing and the only sound was my clock on my bedside table. I had been wide awake for hours, Violet and Livvie had returned and I pretended to be asleep, I wasn’t in the mood for talking to them or explaining tonight’s events as to why I never met them. I tapped my finger on the mattress bored out of my mind, all I could think of was Chase. I hadn’t expected him to be angry, Chase was never angry, he was always so calm, I knew he definitely annoyed me and we fought a lot but it was always me doing the screaming. And now I was so irritated I couldn’t sleep. Thank you Chase, I am so grateful.

Finally morning arrived, I stood up out of bed and walked over to the bathroom, I looked in the mirror to see my hair in a tangled mess and my eyes puffed up. I groaned loudly and walked back over to my bed flopping down face first

“Everything ok?” I sat up to see Violet smiling at me, I nodded then sighed, she raised her eyebrows at me and came to sit next to me on my bed

“You look like you didn’t get too much sleep” she said pointing to my eyes

“No I didn’t, not really” I replied thinking back to my restless night

“Well you were fast asleep when we came in last night” Violet continued “speaking of last night, where did you get to? You must stop this disappearing act of yours I can’t keep up!” I laughed a little then lay back once more

“Sorry, I got to the pier late and couldn’t find you guys so just decided to come home” I chose to leave the Chase part out so as not to destroy Violet’s of dreams of me and him living happily ever after. Violet nodded and then got back up, walking towards the door

“I think you should just take it easy today, try and get some sleep” she said starting to walk out of my room “call me if you need anything ok?” I nodded and heard her go downstairs. There was no way I could stay in all day, I already knew Lily was out with her family today and Chase wasn’t really a possibility due to last night’s argument, I wasn’t in the mood for putting up with him today anyway, he had already annoyed me enough to stop me sleeping.

I opened the windows wide then climbed back under the sheets hoping the sound of the waves would help me fall asleep.

*******

I woke up and my room was dark, I glanced out the windows and saw the sky in darkness, how long did I fall asleep for? I checked the clock next to my bed, it was nearly ten. I sighed relieved I had got some sleep, but then all too quickly I remembered Chase. What a jerk.

I climbed out of bed for the second time today and pulled myself in to the shower. I was actually starting to feel better now, it was only an argument, it’s Chase you fight with him all the time I told myself, forcing a smile. I dried my hair and changed in to a loose white summer dress. I would have changed in to my pyjamas but I didn’t feel like going to sleep again just yet. I looked in and saw Livvie in her room so went downstairs to find Violet, I was about to enter the kitchen and heard her talking to someone, if she was talking to herself again like the other day I was going to get slightly worried. I heard a familiar voice and decided to go in

“Hello Summer” greeted the Reverend, I smiled glad to see him again. I had wanted to apologise for the time he had found me in the church, I was about to smash the window after all.

“He just came round to see how you are, you know after...” Violet left the sentence lingering and I began to feel embarrassed

“I-I’m really sorry” I struggled, Reverend James held his hands up to stop me

“Summer there’s no need, I know you’re a good girl, I’ve known you since you were a small child and that wasn’t you, it’s understandable after everything” I smiled gratefully, I always liked him.

“Do you want anything to eat or drink?” Violet asked two coffee mugs in her hands

“Oh no I better be going” the Reverend replied standing and walking towards the door “thank you Violet, Summer”

“Such a nice man” Violet said turning back to make her coffee, I stood staring at the door, there was something I needed to ask him but... I quickly left the kitchen and hurried along the porch on to the beach

“Reverend!” I called at his retrieving back, he turned around and stopped waiting for me to catch up

“Sorry” I said trying to catch my breath “I needed to ask you something” he smiled and let out a little laugh

“go ahead” he said, I didn’t really know where to start

“um, well, ok. So what if you wanted to apologise to someone but then you didn’t because really it’s not you who should apologise but then you really want to see them because you didn’t realise you would miss them even after one day of not being with them and you never really liked them that much to begin with but then what they say starts to make sense and-” I stopped realising I was talking at high speed and wasn’t making much sense at all, and amused look appeared on to his face but then he smiled at me

“Summer if you want to apologise to this person, just apologise the worst thing you can do is to leave it because of your pride.” I knew he made sense, I was stressing over nothing. Me and chase, this is what we do, and it had only been a day, but then I remembered my other question

“am I a coward?” I asked frowning , he looked at me strangely and sighed

“you’re a brave girl, don’t forget that”

“So I don’t runaway?”

“If you runaway remember one thing, you can always run back” he smiled and patted my shoulder then started walking once again. I slowly turned back to the front porch and sat on the steps. Why did I even care about Chase so much? I asked myself, “stupid, stupid, stupid” I said out loud lightly banging my head on the wooden railing

“completely agree” I stopped banging my head and closed my eyes, he had great timing. I looked up to see a tired looking Chase staring at me, he sat down on the step next to me

“hi” I said avoiding eye contact at all costs

“you can look at me you know, I won’t kill you” I looked up to see bags under his dark blue eyes

“you look tired” I said thinking out loud

“yeah, I um didn’t get too much sleep”

“me neither” I replied thinking back to last night, I was too busy thinking about you I felt like saying though I managed to keep my mouth shut

“I wish you wouldn’t just walk off” he said, his voice laced with anger

“I’m sorry” I replied simply not knowing what to say

“sorry? Is that it? Summer this isn’t just about Sarah is it? Because if I’m honest I don’t find that a big deal. It’s about what you always do, you run!” he yelled, I stood up so I could see his face, he stood up as well towering over me

“What else is there to do? Sit and listen to you explain that Sarah is just another girl you’re stringing along?”

“No!” he said still yelling “I know that’s not what this is about, you’re putting up a front, it’s about you not being able to talk about well...anything remotely emotional!”

“So what are you saying, I’m a cold hearted little girl with no feelings?” I asked clenching my fists

“I’m saying why is it so hard for you to talk to people?” Chase continued to yell

“I don’t know!” I said a tear falling down my face, he was right. I had no idea why, I never talked to people about what was on my mind, it wasn’t me. I kept things to myself, that’s how it’s always been.

“look” he said stepping closer and wiping my tears “I know you don’t like talking about things but you don’t have to deal with this alone, I know I sound like some weird therapist but I’m serious, stop running away from me” I wrapped my arms around his waist and he pulled me in tightly, I took in his warm smell and smiled. I would try I really would.

Hope you like it!