i - Love at First Glance [The Chaver Trilogy]

Chapter Four

A month had gone by and the seasons were changing from autumn to winter. Ever was now not attending any school for the time being, since it was too late to enroll anywhere. Chad was nice enough to teach her with the classes he was taking, until she could enroll in a different school, she just wasn't sure which one, "Why don't you enroll in our school?" Ithan suggested as the three of them studied in the guys dorm. He looked from Ever to Chad with interest.

"I don't know, Ithan. Maybe I'm not cut out for school? I don't want what happened at Adamsdale to happen again here...what if I get a roommate like Siira again? I don't think I could handle that twice," Ever said. She had become more confident and comfortable with Chad and Ithan over the month she had been staying with them, but she felt bad that she was mooching off of them.

"Ever, you are cut out for school. Adamsdale just wasn't the school for you. You don't have to join our school, but I don't think you should just give up on schooling all together," Chad reassured her. He could see the light fading in her eyes, the light that made her want to learn and do what she loved.

Ever shrugged and sank farther into the couch, "Can I think about it? I mean I do have like a month still before I have to enroll somewhere else. I have no idea what my parents are going to say when they find out I dropped out of Adamsdale...that school is where both my parents went..." she said, doodling on her astrology sheet.

"So they forced you to go there?" Ithan raised a brow.

"I wouldn't say forced, but they really did want me to go there. I took a tour and I liked it. I didn't think I'd get accepted though. You guys still have to give me the tour for this place too, I've been waiting on that one for a month now," she giggled and poked Chad who was back to his studies for a minute.

He looked up and smiled, "Why don't we stop for now, since it is around dinner time, and go get something to eat and take a walk downtown. Maybe go to the comic book store and relax for a bit," Chad suggested. Ithan agreed and Ever almost jumped out of the couch.

"YES PLEASE! I need a nice long break from studying," Ever said, closing her folder and putting down her pen.

"Alright then, it's settled. Dinner then downtown shopping," Ithan smirked. "Where to dinner?"

"I was thinking pizza. It's quick and simple," Chad suggested as he put his books back in his backpack.

"Sounds good to me. Ever, what about you?" Ithan asked. Ever was too busy on her phone to realize what was going on. "Ever, everything alright?"

Ever looked up distraught, "Um..." she stopped talking and turned her phone around to see a bunch of hater posts on her Portal wall.

Chad stood up, "This needs to stop," he hissed. "Delete your account, or just go ghost," Chad suggested. He didn't like Ever being upset all the time being of the hating. He knew none of it was true, but he couldn't stop the cyber bullying. She was the one that had to.

"I could just stand up for myself on here and not take all the shit they post," she said plainly. They boys looked at her stunned. "What? I am capable of standing up for myself, I just have never done it because I always felt weak...until I met you guys..." she grew softer on each word she spoke.

Ithan wrapped his arm around her neck and put her in a head lock gently, "I'm glad you can stand up for yourself now, Ever. I don't think Chad would be able to handle that," he teased.

Ever tried to get out of the head lock but couldn't, "Ithan, let me go! I'll write a long post about it after we go out!"

"Why not now?" Chad suggested. He put Ithan in a head lock and that made him release Ever. Chad and her exchanged glances and she shrugged, getting her phone again and beginning to type.

'I can't take this bullying any more. All of you that know me very well, know none of what was said rumor wise was true. What ever else is put on any social media site is not true too. Please stop posting on wall things that aren't true. I am starting to get sick of it and fed up.

'Those of you who have started rumors about me, and you know who you are, are nothing but scum. You hate on others to make yourself feel better when you feel poor and put your own self down. It isn't right, none if it is. So please, just stop it. You aren't making it any better for anyone, not even yourself. Thank you for reading and I hope you all have a lovely weekend.' Ever wrote quickly. Before she posted it, she read it over once or twice, making sure everything sounded right and the boys each got a notification ring on their own phones. They looked at her worried that she had tagged them in something. "Don't worry, no one was called out or mentioned in it. Now, let's go get some pizza. I'm starving," she was much more cheery and ready to have a good time with the guys.

Ithan got out of Chad's head lock and went to go get his keys and jacket, "I'll drive!" he gave a cheesy smile and waited for Chad and Ever to follow. Ever looked to Chad who seemed to be debating on something, "You okay, Chadster?"

Chad looked up from his phone, "Chadster? Since when have you started to call me that again?" He chuckled, turning his screen off and putting his phone in his jeans pocket. Standing up, he held his hand out for Ever to take and lifted her up gently. He leaned in to her ear and whispered something to her. Her cheeks flushed and he could tell she grew nervous again, but he also could tell it was a good nervous, like butterflies flapping in her stomach, and not a bad one, as if she was getting ready to be bullied again.

Ithan looked at the two confused, "I missed something, didn't I..." he said and threw Chad his jacket.

Ever nodded and quickly went to grab her jacket from Chad's bed. 'I can't believe he just said that...I mean, I could tell, but still...my nerves won't settle down, and it's going to drive me nuts if I don't tell him...' Chad's words raced through her head continually, but she didn't want to rush into anything. They had met a month ago and Thanksgiving was coming up in the next week. What would she tell her family if they ask? She felt her phone buzz and she quickly looked at it, seeing it was Chad. 'We don't have to rush into anything and if you don't feel the same, that's fine. Take your time with your thoughts, there is no rush, Ever. I'm sorry to spring that on you...' she read and she felt a bit better about it, but she did have feelings for him. He made her stronger and feel whole, she hadn't felt whole in a long time. "Ever, come on! We're going to be late!" Chad shouted.

"Coming!" She shouted back as she threw her jacket on and shoved her phone in back pocket. She skipped out to the living room and smiled, "Ready."

"Then let's go!" Ithan said, throwing his fist into the air with a grin. They all chuckled and left the dorm.

Ever, Chad and Ithan got downtown and to the pizza shoppe in a timely manner. They were sitting, waiting for their cheese, sausage, green pepper, black olive and pepperoni pizza to be brought out and Ithan just observed Chad and Ever be very awkward around one another. "What are you doing, Chad Wilson? You aren't supposed to be out with other girls," someone spat and Ithan hid his face, not wanting to deal with Kimberly.

Chad tried to hide, but his sandy blonde mop on his head was too easy to spot, "And why is that Kimberly?" he asked glaring at her. Ever just stayed quiet and went to her phone to distract herself.

"Because you are still with me? See? I am still wearing the promise ring you gave me," Kimberly remarked, pushing her hair out of her face and shoving her hand in Chad's face.

Chad rolled his eyes, "You broke up with me, Kim. Why should I take you back, when you called me a jerk and a douche? You called me so many damn names, why should I take you back?"

"B--because I'm broken without you. I'm sorry I said all those things, Chaddykins. I really am. I just can't stop thinking about you, my darling," words just came oozing out of Kimberly and Ever couldn't take it and neither could Chad. He started arguing with Kimberly and Ever left the booth. Ithan followed.