Chasing Tides

Chapter 12

One thing I do know, is that I know nothing about Chase.

Days spent alone, thinking, wondering, wandering.

A change was much needed, and just as faith would have it, as I say in a small coffee shop, the door chimed and there stood Phillip. In an instant my heart dropped to my feet, maybe in fear, maybe in hatred, maybe even out of curiosity. Either way, when our eyes met, I knew that today was the day I would get answers.

I stood up quickly, approaching him before I could second guess myself. He held my stare the entire walk to him. Only when I was standing face to face with him did I realize that I had no idea what to say to him. I wasn't sure whether to speak to him like an old friend or a hated enemy, and did I dive straight into the Chase stuff or reminisce or...

"Taylor." I looked back up at him, breaking out of my thoughts. His face held no emotion, not nostalgia, not hatred, just nothing.

"Phillip, I-uh-"

"Next in line please!" saved by the bell- or the barista. As Phillip ordered his highly caffeinated drink, I just watched, unsure whether to retreat back to my table or stay. He was very built, with short wispy carrot-blondish hair, he towered over me, maybe 6'3. His face was perfectly proportional, and he had glowing green eyes. As a child Phillip had always been lean and gawky, but not anymore. If I hadn't taken a recent disliking to this boy, I might think he was stunningly attractive. Glancing around the shop, I justified these thoughts with the mobs of girls staring and giggling. He finished up his order with a muffin, and swiped his credit card, then turned back to me and began walking away. He sat down at the booth I had been sitting at earlier, which weirded me out slightly, but I sat down anyways. After a brief silence, Phillip spoke up.

"Taylor. I figured we'd be speaking soon. How are you?"

"I'm alright Phillip, but I think we both know this isn't about catching up." I knew I wasn't afraid of him, but I still felt small and weak in his presence.

Utterly ignoring my comment he said " So what brought you out here?"

Before replying I let out an exasperated sigh, just to let him know that I could clearly see his avoidance of the question. “Just to getting away from home a bit.” I said with gritted teeth. 

“Oh T, looks like all these years have made you sour.”

“I could say the same for you, and don’t call me that.” I snapped back.

With a care-free smirk on his face he said “So, what do you want to know?”

This question took me a moment to reply to. “I want to know...” when you started hanging around a bunch of douche bags “...how you ended up in Hawaii?” Ok so maybe I had chickened out a bit, but this was still on topic. 

He smirked again, and raised his eyebrows. “I thought we weren’t here to ‘catch up’.” I just gave him a look, and he continued “I moved here at the beginning  my junior year. I had been contacted, asking if I wanted to attend an all boys reformitive school that focused on getting kids with ruined potential into college sports. I had been getting seriously into soccer, and wanted to make a career out of it, but got in some trouble during the summer, so I was an ideal candidate.” when I didn’t ask another question he kept going “I excelled my junior year, became a poster-child for the school, and continued my legacy for half of my senior. Then I dropped out, bought a car, and started working for Simon. Rest is history.” His once joking expression, was now serious. 

“Wow.. lots happened since I last saw you.” he just nodded, looking anxious to leave. “So, uh-” I was treading dangerous territory “What do you do for Simon?” 

“Run errands” his answer was clipped and final. “Just get to the point T”

In him, I could see the boy I once knew, the one that teased me constantly, and bantered with my brother over anything from TV to young boy’s perspectives on Politics.  As much as I tried to not feel bad for him, I couldn’t, he was obviously mildly disappointed in where his life had gone. 

“Ok tell me what you know about Chase?” 

He sighed again “Has he ever talked about his sister?”

“Um, no, he doesn’t talk much” 

As if not surprised, he kept going “Her name was Cecilia. She was tall, beautiful, the epitome of a beach babe” he stopped and chuckled. “She went to the local high school, by far the most popular girl in her school, if not the whole island. Everyone loved her; you’ve never met anyone as sweet, genuine, caring, funny, and intelligent as she was.   All the girls wanted to be her, all the guys wanted to be with her. She was kind to anyone and everyone no matter what.” he smiled a sad smile “We had been in the same grade. My school was right across from the high school, so we were all friends, and generally ate lunch together. I met her when I first came here, and she quickly welcomed my roommate Connor and I into her group.” he stopped again then looked up at me with a new light in his eyes “You are so much like her Taylo-” the door chimed and he whipped his head around. When a tall Hawaiian man walked in, Philip shot up “Taylor I have to go, it was good to see you” and just like that he was gone. 

I sat there taking in everything in. Chase had a sister named Cecilia, who Phillip was obviously very close with. She had hung with him and Connor, his roommate and the guy that had taunted Chase at the beach. What would Chase having a sister have to  with anything. The way Phillip spoke of her, meant she must be gone somewhere, or just gone. 

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That's a chapter! On the side is Cecilia. Hope you like it!