My First Bet

Chapter 4: Serene Silence

When four o'clock rolled around on Saturday, I started to get myself ready to go. Remembering the black lights at the roller arena, I wanted to put on as much white as possible so I would glow like a flashlight at a spotlight at a rock concert. I decided on my black skinny jeans, just so I had freedom to move around, with a lacy, spaghetti strap tank top that flows gracefully around the right curves. With this I add socks and a pair of bunny slippers since we're going to change into skates anyways.

Walking into the bathroom, I let loose the two braids I had done the day before and run my fingers through them softly to reveal luscious wavy locks. I smile to myself as I think 'Chase wont know what hit him'. With this, I add the simple necessities like mascara and blush along with the skin toner. At a last glance, I decide on my pink, strawberry flavored lip gloss and pucker up.

After eating a quick meal and brushing my teeth, I head back to my room to pick out some bling. What to choose? Diamond stud earrings or my white feathers? I quickly decide on the feathers and slide them through my ears. Finally ready and about to grab my purse, I hear a horn and look outside to find Chase walking up to our front door. He looked gorgeous with jeans that hugged his hips and a tight, white T-shirt that showed his abs and biceps off. Looking closer, I see that the T-shirt has a cross and scripture. I smile as I glide my eyes back up to his face when I realize he's looking right at me through the window! Quickly closing the curtain in my room, I walk to the door horrified. I open it slowly and peer into his face while waiting for him to make fun of me for staring.

"You look beautiful Z" Chase said, staring directly into my eyes with a strange look.

"Thanks you" I responded shyly. After all, it caught me completely off guard. "You look good yourself."

"Oh, I know. Couldn't keep your eyes away?"

And there it was. The typical Chase with his smirk and raised eyebrows. With this I blush and turn my head, wishing I was anywhere else in the world rather than standing in front of him. When I turn back around, he's holding out a pink flower for me to take. After I take the flower and say thank you once more, I go back inside to place it in a smaller vase on the table.

"Ready to go?" He asks.

I nod my head and loop my arm through his outstretched one. His body is warm against mine and I can feel the heat radiating from his arm. Looking up, I can see his jaw muscle slightly tense and wonder what that could be about.

"Have you eaten?" He asks, still as pleasant as ever.

"Yes" I reply. Still slightly confused about his strange behavior, I decide to not worry about it and just enjoy the night.

"Okay, good. But then we'll have to go out to ice cream afterwards."

A smile takes form on my face as he leads me to his car. I love ice cream! But how could he have known that? It seems so strange that he should know my favorite sandwich and that I love ice cream...

The whole time I was lost in my thoughts, Chase had directed me down the driveway silently until we reached his car. I looked up from my daze and gasped in shock when I realize he has a black mustang with two white racing stripes that reach down the top of his hood. MY DREAM CAR!

"What in the heck Chase? How do you have this car?! You're a high schooler!" I exclaim rather loudly.

"You like it?" He asks as he chuckles to himself.

"Oh my goodness, YES!!! I love it so much! This is my dream car!"

I wanted to cry with joy at being able to ride in this majestic vehicle. I'm definitely not a car person but I knew when this car revved it's engine my heart was going to beat twice as fast.

Chase just smiles as he helps me get into the passenger seat while he holds the door open. Almost immediately, we're blasted with bass as the words shout through the speaker.

"She's up all night 'til the sun, we're up all night to get some. We're up all ni-"

I quickly reached over and changed the station before the song could continue to get worse. My cheeks flamed red as I felt very conscious of Chase sitting mere inches to my left. Remembering the bet, I reach to turn it to a different song but it only made it worse. Once again, the words fell through the speaker as a different song popped on the radio.

"Take my hand, take my whole life too. For I can't help falling in lov-"

Blushing even more, I frantically hit the buttons until the music was changed to a classic rock station. Finally able to relax, I recognized the song as something my father would listen to in his car and I began mouthing the words as Chase laughed and began to pull out of the driveway. Just as I had presumed, the engine growled every time he stepped on the gas and the car vibrated with the horsepower. I sat quietly, admiring the sound and feel, staring out the window. It didn't take long before we got to the bridge and as we passed over, I leaned my head back on the leather seats and watched the waves of the Columbia river glide back and forth. The sun was about two hours from beginning to set yet the barest hint of pinks and purples began to lace the sky amidst the vibrant blue. I sighed and imagined exactly where I would stand to capture the magnificent scene before me. Thinking of which angle I would use and how I would wait all night to see the soft orange turn into the pitch black sky when the stars finally came out.

Suddenly, I felt something warm touch my arm. Looking down, I watch as Chase reaches over and brushes his fingers over mine before he slides his hand inside my palm and entwine our fingers. For the short while we are on the bridge and he can hold my hand, I slowly turn my head back to the amazing view and think to myself about how strange things had turned out. How right now, I was sitting in Chase's car, MY dream car, holding his hand like we were a couple on our way to a date night out. How months ago I would never have even been in this situation and yet now, he seems so sweet and nice and-

Wait a second. NO! No, no, no, no no!

I was NOT about to start caring about Chase. This was just about the bet, he's just trying to win and get me to like him. I shouldn't be letting myself fall so easily under his influence. No, I am going to finish this month without feelings for him and I am going to show him what it's like to have real responsibilities and hard work! At least, I think I can make it through the month....

Looking at Chase through the side of my eye, I see his eyes directed to the road ahead as he rubs circles on my hand with his thumb. He seemed completely at ease as his left hand rested on the steering wheel and his car purred beneath him. How was I going to get through this month?