Bad Boys Make Good Boyfriends

IHSC Losers

XII
+Chase Harrison+

My alarm clock's shrill tone deafens me until I slam my hand down on any button I can find. It shuts up and I'm left in peace...until Mandy knocks rapidly on the door.

Maybe if I pretend I'm not here, she'll leave me alone. I stay as still as a statue for the longest of times while she keeps knocking. It would've worked to some extent until my alarm clocks turns back on, beeping every second. I mentally curse life and unplug the whole unit.

"Chase! Chase! I know you're in there!" Mandy shouts through the door. In only sweatpants, I answer the door.

It's not just Mandy standing in the doorway. Devon leans against the wall behind her in a simple white tee and black jeans. He looks the same, practically; same deceiving features and same betraying mind.

"C - Harris." He calls me by his old nickname and I lose it.

"Don't you call me that. Don't you even talk to me. You lost that when you abandoned me back when we pulled that scheme!"

"Chase." He steps into the room and grabs me roughly by the shoulders, pushing me back "Calm down."

I break free of his hold and punch him in the gut. He bends over, grasping his stomach.

"That's for leaving me all that time ago." There's still too much rage inside me. I kick him where the sun doesn't shine and he collapses into the fetal position "That's for never thanking me for taking the blame...I'm done with you."

It seems a bit childish and immature, but that felt so good. It was exactly what I need.

I put on my number four soccer uniform and lace up my cleats.

"Mom! I'm leaving." I shout from the door way. I sling my bag over my shoulder and wait for my mom to say 'goodbye'.

She comes up and hugs me "Bye sweetie, good luck. I'm sorry I can't make it. Mandy has her recital and..."

"Yeah, I get it. Tell her good luck." I say and walk out the door. I get on my motorcycle and ride to the soccer fields. The sun shines bright over me and the air seems light.

I park in the front of the lot and walk onto the field. I immediately see Emma sitting on the bleachers staring at me. I see innocence and guilt in her eyes. Why would she be guilty? Oh right, making me lose the championships.

The referees come onto the field and flip a coin to determine who wants what. We won, so we chose possession of the ball.

The whistle blows and I pass it to John, who plays left wing offense. He dribbles it up to the goal, but gets called for obstruction. They opposing team dribbles it and I purposely trip the guy who has possession of ball and I get called for a penalty. They dribble the ball again and score against our goalie, Mason.

"C'mon guys!" Coach yells. I look over at the coach and then to the stands where Emma sits before getting my head back in the game.

I pass it to John again, but this time, he passes it to Ashton who kicks it hard towards the goal. Of course it hits the pole and it comes towards me. I side step it and let it roll to the other team.

Number eleven has possession and he tries to score, but Mason falls and blocks it. Another player from the opposing team shoots and this time, he scores. Two to zero.

Coach calls a time-out and we retreat to the bench. We all circle around while the coach talks softly as if the team can hear us over the loud music in the stands.

"Harrison, your out. You've been screwing up too much." Coach says.

I nod in recognition that I did my part in our losing the tournament and take a seat on the bleacher. Max takes my places and my team, the Falcons, score. Two to One.

I look up at the bleachers where Emma was, but I don't see her.

"You can't lose for me." A voice pleads making me jump.

"Jesus! You scared the living crap out of me!" I exclaim.

"You can't lose for me. I saw scouts for college here." She says.

"Sorry, but I have to prove to a girl that I love her because she's too stubborn to believe me." I retort.

"Chase. I believe you. Cam explained that you broke up with her because she was crazy and I get that. What made me believe you was that he told me you were the only one that stayed at the hospital day and night until I was released when I lost my memory. You cared when no one else did. Thank you." She says.

"I love you Emma." I say.

"I love you too Chase." She says. I pull her in and we kiss. The whole crowd cheers, but I hardly tell. Sparks fly and all I know is that I am Chase Harrison and I love Emma Griffon and she loves me back.

EPILOGUE
+Emma Griffon+

The Falcons won the IHSC, but I won something even better than a trophy and ribbon or whatever. I won the best boyfriend ever. Chase ended up getting a ninety-seven with my help in math. We dated for the rest of high school and college even though we went to separate colleges, we saw each other almost every day either going to cafés or fancy restaurants or walks in parks.

Liv broke up with her boyfriend claiming that he was a butt head. I agree. Besides, he said that she was clingy. That didn't go over well.

But in the end, Chase was a bad boy and I was a good girl. I learned two things over my experience with my senior year love life. One, don't ever believe Tiffany Brookes. And two, bad boys make good boyfriends.