Caught

Chapter 12

(Mia's POV)

I trudged through the darkness, trying to look absently for Ally. The wet sand squished under my feet, and my shoes hanged drowsily from my grasp. I breathed soundlessly, and looked ahead. Bomb fires, and lanterns were scattered aimlessly round the beach. In front, was a giant movie screen presenting Nemo. Shocker. Stumbling upwards, I crouched down along the pier. I heard familiar laughter , and frantically searched for Ally among the lines of couples. Couples?! Oh, was she gonna get it. She looked all cozy, lying on top of a red blanket, next to a very good looking boy. I couldn't make out his face, but I was sure it was Luke. My boyfriend Luke. Anger seethed through me, and of course Ally looked up. I gasped, and decided to pull a 007. Lurching my body into a head roll, I awkwardly rammed into the wooden post.

"Ow!" I couldn't hold in the outburst, and grabbed my head in pain. Okay, so maybe 'James Bond' moments should stay in the movies.

*~*

(Ally's POV)

I looked up, feeling a familiar presents. I heard, nor saw anything as I searched the darkness beyond the pier.

"Hey." Chase gently whispered, as he placed a thumb on my chin. I jumped back into reality, and snapped back. Looking into his eyes, he looked concerned.

"Are you okay?"

I searched for the right words. "Y-yeah. Just thought I saw. . . heard someone familiar. No big deal, just.." I snuggled in closer, desperate to believe that Mia was not lurking in the shadows, watching me with Chase.

He wavered, then hung his arm loosely around me. Placing a gentle kiss on my forehead, Chase turned back to Nemo meeting Dory. I took a deep breath, forcing my lungs to eliminate the suspicions and nerves that were strangely conjoined.

I swallowed, and continued."Tell me more about your family."

He looked at me, a slight smile off adorable suspicion curving into his lips. "I already told you. My mom died when I was ten, I have a thirteen year old sister who is incredibly, " he stopped with a similar smile. "Interesting. And a brother who is six. My family." He said, waving his arms in a 'behold' initiation.

"Your dad?"

"What about my dad?"

Multiple 'shh's!' came thorough the tangle of people on the beach, followed by irritated expressions.

I dropped my voice to an audible whisper. "You didn't tell me about your dad."

He looked utterly confused. "What's with the sudden suspicions? What, you don't think I'm the person you think I am?"

I remained silent, not sure of how to answer his question. But wait, this is Chase. He would never lie to me.

He got up, holding down a hand. I still haven't answered him, and the his face was expressionless.

Grasping his large, warm hand, I pulled myself up, combined with his strength. Have you ever noticed that when someone offers you their hand, it's often you who pulls yourself up? Uh oh, rambling complete nonsense. My tell tale sign of nerves.

His hand gently gripped my lower back, as he guided me out of the movie area, and onto the beach.

The further we went, the more we could talk.

He suddenly turned to me, and crossed his arms. His face was hard-cold.

"What's all this about?"

"All what about?" I tried to dodge the topic, unable to look into his angry eyes.

"Come on Al."

I swallowed, then released a breath I hadn't even realized I was holding in. "My friend Mia," I stopped. "Remember I told you about her?" He nodded, not saying anything at all.

"She's just been. . . Suspicious. She doesn't know where I'm going half the time, and I don't want to tell her about us."

He furrowed his brows. "Why don't you want to tell her?"

I thought about it. "I really don't know."

He blew out a breath, and reached up to touch his hair. "That still doesn't explain the sudden questions."

I looked at him. "Why won't you tell me about your dad?"

Chase looked down, and breathed a shaky breath. He sat down on the sand, and looped his arms around his legs. I sat down next to him, and laced my fingers through his.

He merely smiled. "I guess I should tell you."

I waited, not pressing him.

His eyes scanned back over the ocean. "When my mom died, he became different. Strange-different. One night, while I was sleeping, I had nightmare. As any other eleven year old, I wanted the comfort of a parent." He shook his head, suddenly looking angry.

"It a was a bad time. My sister was only five, and my brother was a year old. So he only remembers the thought of her, while she actually remembers her.

"Anyway, I went into my dad's room, and he was sitting on mom's chair, near the window. He was drinking."

I stayed quite , watching him for any signs of sadness.There were none.

"He was angry, naturally from the alcohol. But he got worse, and drank heavily every day. Eventually, years passed and he got better. I begged him to go to rehab, and he did."

He looked at me from under his lashes, and crookedly frowned. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. Yes, he's a recovering alcoholic. But somedays he's bad. That's why I live in a beach house with my friends during the summer. I take my siblings with me if it gets really bad though. " he added.

I nodded, and smiled. "I want to meet him."

His eyes widend. "What?"

"I want to meet your dad."

*~*

The walk back was.. happiness mixed with a certain emotion of nerves. I was nervous, partly because of my suspicions of Mia. Happy, because I had just spent an incredible night with my boyfriend. Even though Chase has insisted of walking me back, he was far from his house. It was night, and I wanted him to get home in a sensible time. Checking my phone, it was currently 12:45. I thought about it. I never really had a permanent curfew. It usually depended on the place I was going. Whether my parents suspected it would be safe, or in a way, dangerous. Like a party with drinking. Behold: their version of danger.

Walking up the steps to the porch, I spotted Mia. She was sitting on the table, eating pickles with peanut butter. Shit, this girl with her weird food combinations.

"Hey." I said curtly, glancing at her as I walked in.

She turned toward me. "I have to tell you something."

I raised my eyebrow. "Wh-?"

"Allyyy! Ally!"

Sophia's voice shot hough the hallways, and I held up a finger to Mia, signaling for her to tell me after I deal with sophia.

She came in, half her hair sticking up in static from the major culprit. Her pillow. Her slightly drooped eyes hinted to me that she had just woken up, along with the hair of course. I chuckled, and nodded toward her head.

"Just wake up?"

She sarcastically frowned. "Ha. Ha."

"Where's mom and dad?"

"In bed, like any other normal person at this hour."

Checking my phone for evidence, I held it up to her. "It's not that late."

She hmped. "Right. Well, just..." She finished her sentence with a wave of hand, as she backed up and climbed up the stairs.

I laughed, letting my shoulders shake up and down. "She is something else."

Mia stood up abruptly, and slapped her thighs. "She's right. It's late, I'm gonna go to bed."

I was confused. "What? Wait, didn't you want to tell me something?"

She nodded her head briskly, and followed the same path my sister had taken.