Is This for Real

Chapter 22: You Saw?

TORI'S POV

"Bye Tori. Have a nice night," Chaz said as he walked me to the front door of my house.

"I don't know how it could get any nicer than it's already been," I replied.

Chaz gave me a long kiss on the cheek. "Goodnight," he said. Then a grin spread across his lips.

"Goodnight." I smiled and he walked to his car.

I walked inside and Caitlin was standing there with the biggest smile on her face. Justin on the other hand, not so much. "What?" I asked confused as to what was going on.

"Chaz just kissed you on the cheek!" Caitlin squealed.

"Yeah..." I was still wondering why Justin looked angry. "What's wrong?" I asked, motioning the question towards Justin.

"Chaz kissed you," he said.

"On the cheek. What's so wrong with that?" I asked with a puzzled look.

"No, he kissed you on the lips." How the heck did he know about this?

"This." He unlocked his phone and showed me a picture. It was of Chaz and I. We were outside of school after the dance and he gave me another kiss on the lips. The picture was from a gossip website. I should've known paparazzi would've followed us.

Yeah. Um. About that..." I trailed off.

"Are you dating him?" Justin yelled the question angrily at me. This is the first time I've ever seen him mad. Well besides the time that paparazzi was bombarding us when I got home from the orphanage. But this was the first time he'd ever been mad at me.

"No." Chaz hadn't asked me to be his girlfriend so, therefore, we aren't dating.

"Then explain to me why you two were kissing on the lips." Jeez. He sounds like he's my dad.

"We, uh, we had a moment."

"How did it happen?"

"We looked into each other's eyes, leaned in, and kissed. It's exactly how you and Caitlin kiss. Calm down!"

"As long as you aren't dating him."

"What would be so wrong with me dating him, huh?"

"I don't want you to get hurt!"

"Justin, he's your one of your best friends! You know him well enough to know that he wouldn't do that!"

"He'll do that! You don't know him like I do!"

"Then you must not know me!" I shouted back and ran to my bedroom.

I laid on my bed and cried into my pillow. How could Justin say those things about Chaz? I thought he trusted him.

"Hey Tori? Can I come in?" Caitlin asked.

I sighed. But, it was Caitlin. "I guess."

She sat on my bed next to me and put an arm around my shoulder in a sisterly fashion. "You alright?" She asked.

"Not really. Caitlin, why would he say those things, especially about Chaz?"

"I think he's scared because he's 16 and you're only 13. He doesn't want you to get hurt by him."

"But, Chaz wouldn't hurt me."

"You never know. Boys are a complicated contraption."

"You're so right," I said and put emphasis on the so.

"Back onto homecoming. What exactly happened between you and Chaz tonight?"

"Well...um...he kind of told me he liked me. As more than a friend."

"Oooh! I need details!"

I told Caitlin what happened between Chaz and I at the dance. I also told her the exact words that he said to prove that he liked me. I also told her about the two kisses that we shared.

"If it means anything, I think that you two would make a great couple."

"Thanks Caitlin. You're the best," I said while side hugging her.

"So I've been told."

We laughed and then I said,"I'm going to go shower and go to sleep. Go spend time with your boyfriend."

"Alright. I'll see you later."

"See you."

I took a shower, went to bed, and dreamed of Chaz.

***

It's been a week since I've went to homecoming with Chaz. Chaz likes to run and so do I so, we planned to go running together today.

I changed into my running shorts, a tank top, and put on my socks and tennis shoes. I went outside and started stretching then I saw Chaz run up the driveway. Shirtless. And he has abs.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

"Yup," I said and stood up.

"Alright. 3...2...1...go!"

We started jogging and we were talking a bit. Basically he just told me to keep going because my breath kept hitching. It was really weird. I haven't had this in awhile. I started feeling a pain in my chest. This wasn't good. "Chaz. I can't- I can't breathe."

"Let's take a break."

I doubled over and felt like I was going to pass out. "Take this water," Chaz told me and he poured some into my mouth.

By now, I felt like I could barely breathe and it felt like someone was standing on my chest.

That's when I remembered: I'd left my inhaler at home. "I-inhaler," I croaked out.

"Inhaler?" I nodded. "You have asthma and you forgot to tell me?" I nodded vigorously. "Let's get you back."

He quickly picked me up bridal style and sprinted with me in his arms. We were about a mile from home and it took Chaz five minutes to back. By this time, I was seeing spots at the edge of my vision because I was about ready to pass out due to loss of oxygen.

I closed my eyes and heard the door slam. Next thing I knew he laid me on the couch and a few seconds later, I felt my inhaler in my mouth and I could breathe again. I pushed the top down a few more times just to make sure.

"What happened?" Pattie rushed in and asked.

"I had an asthma attack," I replied while sitting up. "I accidentally left my inhaler here and I couldn't breathe. Chaz sprinted back while carrying me because I was about to pass out. Then he grabbed my inhaler and I used it."

Then Justin walked in. "Why is it that almost whenever you guys are alone, Tori always ends up being carried somewhere by Chaz?"

"Because she's hurt," Chaz replied.

"I'm just glad you were there to get her back safely," Pattie told Chaz.

"It's what any decent person would do."

"Thank you Chaz," I said and then I hugged him.

"No problem." He kissed me on the forehead and I swear I melted in his arms.

"Can Chaz stay?" I asked Pattie.

"I don't see why not," she replied.

Justin went to get a movie while Chaz and I sat on the couch. He came back with Night at the Museum.

Half way through the movie, I started to doze off. I fell asleep and when I woke up, my head was resting on Chaz's shoulder and Chaz had his arm around me. How the heck did this happen? "Chaz?"

"Yeah?" he replied.

"Why is your arm around me?"

"You looked kind of cold."

"I'm fine." He started to move his arm. "I never said that you had to move your arm."

He wrapped his arm back around me and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek.