(Lab Rats) The Six Million Dollar Girl

Chapter 7: A Second Chance

When I go to look in the mirror this morning, my cut is still there and burning. It looks new, as if-

"GWEN!" Father yells. I run down the stairs to see what the problem is.

He's glaring at me, holding the phone. Through gritted teeth, he says:

"It's for you." Cautiously, I take the phone from him.

"Hello?" I ask.

"Hi, Gwen! I mean, hey. It's Chase." Laughing, I start to smile.

"So..." He says. "I know our study session didn't go as planned." I sigh.

"Your telling me." He pauses.

"Never mind. It was a dumb idea anyway-"

"NO!" I exclaim. "I-I mean, please. Continue." Did he just laugh? Wow! Is my face turning red? I hope not. Does dad look like he wants to kill me? Yep.

"Okay," He begins. "Well, come over again. Tonight. Please." I frown.

"You mean...another session?" I ask, halfheartedly.

"N-no! I mean, well, even better. Just come over at seven!" I laugh.

"Okay, why are you so excited?!"

"Because, this time...it's a real date." My smile and happiness fades and it's replaced by shyness.

"Uh, Gwen?" I can't speak. Why can't I speak? Say something!

"Y-yeah?"

"So, you coming?"

"U-uh-uh..." There's another pause.

"Look, if you don't want to, you know-"

"YES! I do! Bye!" I hang up the phone. Now my face is red, with embarrassment. How could I let this happen? I'm about to walk back upstairs, when father grabs my wrist, rather harshly.

"You! I forbid you from going to that boys house!" I glare at him, but that only makes him press harder.

"Why?" I ask, trying to shake free.

"The only place he'll be going is here. So that I may harness his power!" He's pressing almost impossibly hard.

"Ow! Father! Your hurting me!"

"Your not to have any communication!" It hurts so much, that I feel like I may pass out.

"Understand?"

"Y-yes!"

"Good!" He finally let's go and I examine my arm. Wherever his hand was, there's a deep bruise there. I look back at him, then back upstairs.

••••

I knock on the door, and his sister Bree answers this time.

"Um, hi." Bree smiles. "What's up, Gwen? Sorry, I was just on my way out the door." She invites me inside and I sit down on the couch and she joins me.

"Oh," I turn to her. "I came to see Chase." She frowns.

"Wait. You came over, to see my brother?" She sighs.

"I just don't understand people."

"Um...okay?" From the set of stairs leading up, Chase walks down.

"Hi Gwen!" He says, walking down the stairs.

"Hopefully my sister hasn't been killing you with her constant rambling." Bree rolls her eyes and starts to walk out the door.

"Well, Gwen, I hope Chase doesn't bore you to death with his useless and never ending knowledge." She smiles and closes the door.

Chase turns back to me.

"Sorry. Brother/sister rivalry." I nod, laughing.

"I know exactly what you mean."

He's about to say something, when everyone's favourite home security system makes a reappearance. Yay.

"Hey! Look! It's Bonnie and Clyde. But, wait, I forgot. Chase is incredibly boring and can't really do anything, so never mind." He laughs. "Well, what do you kids say these days? LOL!"

Chase rolls his eyes.

"Shut up, Eddy."

"Ooh, feisty!" I look back to Chase sadly.

"See, I told you it wouldn't work."

"N-no! That's what I wanted to tell you! Come on." He stands up and grabs my hand, although when we're both standing up, he stops.

"Okay, Gwen. Seriously, who hurt you?" I see that he noticed my bruise on my arm. I quickly shove it behind my back.

"No one." He gives me a sarcastic look. Ugh, he's not convinced. Can no one lie anymore?

"Really! I hurt myself. I accidentally kind of...Marcus dropped a table on my arm." He folds his arms.

"Really? So, if that happened, then how come the bruise goes all around your arm?"

"Because! I..." I shake my head. "Look, it's not important. You wanted to do something special, so let's go and do it!" He sighs.

"Fine. I won't pressure you." I take a sigh of relief. Thank-you. He leads me through a glass door onto a landing on the second floor. I can hear Eddy shouting at us, trying to get is back inside so that he can tease us further.

He closes the glass door.

"See? Sound proof." He says proudly. I smile. He sits down and I join him. The landing is sleek and railing less.

"So," He says, taking something out of his pocket.

"I bought you a present..." I'm about to respond, when a beeping sound goes off. It's my mission alert on my phone. I quickly take it out.

"What's going on?" Chase asks.

"Oh, nothing." But I know that if I don't answer it, then it will just keep ringing. I look at Chase, then back at my phone.

I know the choice I make is a little drastic, but I stand up and throw it over the landing as far as I can into the street.

"Um...wasn't that your phone?"

"Yep!" I sit back down. "Phones. Who needs 'em? Anyway..."

"Right. So as I was saying ." He passes me the small white box.

"Open it!" I look back at him.

"I'm just going to tell you right now, I can't be bribed."

"I'm not trying to." I nod, and open the lid.

Inside the box lies a golden charm bracelet.

"Aw Chase! It's so nice. How can you afford this? Don't take that in the wrong way."

He grins.

"Well, the realistic and sweet answer would be to say, "Oh, it's just the allowance I've saved from the past five years." But, since you want honesty, I used my dad's money." I smirk at him.

"Well, thanks rich boy."

"What can I say?" He grins. "I'm a player."

"Yep."

We laugh, but then I get a horrible headache. It's the backup alarm system, in case I don't have my phone.

I clutch my head.

"Are you...okay Gwen?" I stand up. I hate my father.

"I'm sorry. I really have to go." He frowns.

"Yeah. You do have a really bad headache."

"How can you tell?" I see that I've caught him by surprise.

"Um...I just know. Alright. I'll see you tomorrow."

It hurts so badly, that part of me wants to jump over the landing and run straight home.

But, I can't.

"Yeah, okay." I run back home.