Chasing Ella

IV. Mayhem in the Cave

Chapter 4
The Cave, 24/7 Diner
3:21 pm | Ella

I went straight home after school and unpacked as much as possible so that dad could let me go meet the others at the Cave. It took a lot of convincing and a foot massage until he agreed. Good thing we didn't have homework the first day back, and all we needed were our signed syllabuses.

I thought about what Chance said about his brother. Maybe I was too quick to judge him. Maybe I should actually give him a chance and put in effort to get to know him better. So I made up my mind. I'll go to the Cave, then try to be more understanding.

When I walked into the Cave, everyone was already sitting down in a booth. Grace raised her hand and signaled for me to sit down.

"Finally! I thought you ditched us!" Grace said, popping a handful of fries in her mouth.

I slid in the booth, sitting next to Grace and Ricky. Across from us was just Chase and Chance, their friend Evan was missing. As if reading my expression, Chance spoke and said, "He can't make it. He has a date."

"I didn't know he had a girlfriend." I said.

"He doesn't. He asked her out during 5th period." Ricky said, obviously pissed.

"Aw, you're mad that he didn't ask you out huh?" I teased.

"Obviously, I'm so much hotter than her." He said, rolling his eyes and aggressively biting into his burger.

We all laughed, except for Chase who sat across from me. He had his eyes close and his head was down on the table. Does this guy do anything else other than sleep?  I asked myself, as I grabbed a fry from Grace's tray. She gave me an icy glare so I dropped it back in.

"Do you want something to eat?" Chance asked me.

"No, it's okay." Liar, you hungry as hell.

Chance was about to say something when the faint sound of a stomach grumbling echoed through our small booth. They all looked at me but I looked at the person who sat across from me.

| Chase

Not lifting my head off the table, I placed one hand on my stomach. Crap, did they hear that? I slightly lifted my head up and immediately saw that dork looking at me. Our eyes met. I put my head back down on the table, but I accidentally slammed it against the table way too hard.

I felt a hand pressed against my shoulder.

"Are you okay?" A voice asked.

I lifted my head up and placed a hand on my forehead. When I looked up, our eyes met once again. But this time her face was inches away from mine as she bent over, hand on my shoulder, asking if I were alright.

I shrugged off her hand.

"Don't touch me." I said sternly.

She looked taken back, and sat back down as she slowly pulled her hand away from me. Her friends looked at me with a hint of irritation.

"Uh do you want something to eat? It seems like you're--"

I suddenly felt a sudden feeling of irritation myself.