Love Never Gives Up (Changed) 1

Chapter Eight

It's two days until my birthday. Chase and Veronica won't tell me anything about the party. So I spend my "alone" time with Dakota. Chase and I haven't had much alone time together since the argument between Chase and Veronica. Let's just say Veronica has hawk eyes on us. Now that I got my memory back, all I do is think and think. I keep reliving the night of the crash.

I would wake up in the middle of the night screaming and bawling my eyes out. Sometimes Veronica comes in my room and calms me down but Chase usually came in more than Veronica. But one I'm calm they put me back to sleep and then in the morning I'm fine. Dakota is almost a year now. She is losing her soft puppy fur. She loves to chase butterflies in the backyard. Chase, Veronica, and I watch her and we are laughing all the time. Can't believe in two days I'll be sixteen. Chase's birthday was a few months ago. When it was his birthday I found cake mix and frosting in the cupboard. So I made Chase a birthday cake with sixteen candles. I felt proud of myself that day.

Even at night when Veronica and Chase are still awake I try to see if they are talking about my birthday. Nothing, not one single word. I've stopped bugging them about it and soon I'll just forget about my birthday. Yeah I know it's in two days but I don't want to celebrate it anyways. It would be amazing for Chase and Veronica to do a party for me. But I just don't care. My mom isn't here and I have no clue if my dad is still alive or still cares about me.

I stop myself for a second. I never ever thought about my dad since I was seven. My mom told me she had no clue where he was and that she really didn't care about him. Ever since then I stopped myself from thinking about him. Ever since I cut myself. Chase and Veronica- Well mostly Veronica has been watching my every move. She barely ever lets me cook dinner now. She has to do it or show Chase what to do. My scars faded a little bit about a week ago. So I'm starting to wear t-shirts again. Veronica told us one night at dinner that we'd have to start school soon. I didn't wanna leave the house.

The house was my safe place. A place where I didn't have to keep looking out the window wondering when we'll be caught. Chase and I thought we'd just be homeschooled or don't go to school at all. Chase and I would be the new kids, new victims to be bullied. I was terrified. I would do everything in my power to not go to school.

"Lisa wake up!!" I sit straight up in my bed trying to figure out who yelled my name. Suddenly I feel something move next to me and I look over and Dakota is curled up into a ball right next to me. I smile and then get outta my cocoon of messy covers. I change outta my sports bra and shorts to a dark blue crop top, ripped jeans, my dark brown cowgirl boots, the bracelet Chase got me, and one of my favorite baseball caps. I put a touch of makeup on also. Just in case I need some. After plenty of begging Veronica bought us cell phones a few months back. I grab mine from my dresser and grab my duffel bag. Veronica said a normal backpack would work but I told her that I'd do better with a duffel bag.

Veronica and I got into another argument last night because I refuse to set my alarm and behave. She told me to act my age and suck it up because if I don't walk into that school myself she'd drag me in there herself. I walk out of my bedroom and smell food. Bacon. I smile and Dakota is right by my side and she figured out what that amazing smell was too. Veronica is cooking while I think Chase is taking a shower? It sounds like it. I make sure Veronica knows that I'm finally awake. She turns around and looks me over and nods. "Morning Lisa." I sit down at the island and reply, "Morning Veronica." I get up and feed Dakota and then I hear a door open. Chase walks out with just jeans on and I was right about him taking a shower because he didn't put his shirt on yet, and his chest was still a little wet but oh man his muscles were showing and I could feel myself blushing. I curse at myself mentally for blushing again. Chase comes up to me and I could feel the heat coming from his chest to mine. He whispers in my ear, "Like what you see babe?" He winks at me and puts his shirt on. I felt disappointment rise in me. I haven't seen Chase without a shirt in a long time.