Caught

Chapter 14

"Ally! Please just tell me what's going on!" Chases voice hung in the air, like foul air-freshener. Oh no, not the smell. The feeling of his voice. We were on the beach, outside and away from the family.

"Like you don't know!" I yelled.

"I don't!"

I stood, stunned. "Just, please. Leave me alone. And my family. I never want to see you again. Got it?"

His cheeks were flushed, and his stance was fluidly ramrod. Chase stepped forward. "Please. Just tell me what I did. I can fix-do anything for you." He begged, but it only made me angrier.

"The fact that you can stand there, and lie to me like this. It's. . ." I struggled to find the right word to describe my feelings. Tears filled up in my eyes, and slowly dripped out. "It's a complete act of betrayal."

"I don't even know what I did wrong Al!"he sputtered.

"Don't call me that!"

"Then what do I call you!"

I thought. "Alice." I know, stupid. But what can I do?"

He looked at me like, what? "I am not going to call you a different name Ally."

Shoot.

"Fine. Just leave me alone okay?" I started to turn around, but Chase grabbed my arm and spun me around.

I shove him off. "Stop!"

"I am not going to give you up!"

I started crying, happy that it added more to how much I was really in pain. "Why not! You can have any girl, any one!"

"Why do you think that?" We were both yelling now.

"Because I trust my friends. Not low-life losers like you."

*~*

I quickly tip toed into the house, sobbing silently. I didn't want to wake everyone up. It was late.

Getting into my room, I sighed in relief. Something else too, but I couldn't put my finger on it. It was dark.

I heard movement of sheets. "Ally?" Mia whispered, and she sounded almost guilty of something.

"Yeah?"

Silence.

"Nothing. Good night."

*~*

The following week was a blur. It was Saturday, and I haven't heard anything from Chase. I have to say, I was secretly upset that he had not texted, or called to beg me back. With Alex, he had called everyday and blew up my phone messages every day. Yeah, they eventually stopped. But I felt... Important. Chase was now in the past.

Pancakes was for breakfast that morning. Cutting the whole thing up, my family watched me. Complete concern wafted heavily in the air. I concentrated on eating, staring eerily out the window, and trying to avoid my family's gaze.

Stab, eat, repeat.

The sound of my fork forcefully hitting the plate was somewhat depressing.

Stab, eat, repeat.

"Alright. That's it." Moms voice cut in suddenly, as she grabbed my plate and fork from me.

I didn't even care. The only feeling that existed within me was numbness.

My mom stood at the sink, her hands on her hips.

"You are going to tell us what's going on."

I glanced at Mia, and she had her head down, her hair hanging and inches from her plate.

"Nothing." I clipped. "I've told you, nothing is wrong."

My sister snorted. "Like that's believable."

I glared at her. "For the hundredth time, nothing is wrong. Maybe I'm just on my period!" I wasn't, but it was worth a shot. My dad swallowed uncomfortably.

"Were worried about you."

I stood up abruptly, my chair screeching as it slid back. Without saying anything, i walked swiftly to the porch door. Silence, at this point, was my best weapon. It always was.

(Chase's POV)

"I don't know man, you look really torn up." Parker's voice filled up the empty room. Everyone was at the beach, playing either volleyball or soccer. I wasn't in the mood.

"What happened with Ally?"

I sighed, feeling a million emotions. Pain, rejected, confusion, numbness. "That's the thing! I don't even know what I did!"

He sat down across from me. "Did you ask her?"

"Yes! And she acted as if I was lying and avoiding the problem."

He was quite. "I just hate seeing you like this. I've never seen you so.. Upset about a girl before."

I pictured Ally's perfect face. "She isn't just any other girl."

Parker took a deep breath. "Alright, well what do you know about her past that could've triggered something?"

I thought. "I-I'm not sure."

He sat silent.

Then it came, like a lightbulb switched on after a period of darkness. "She was cheated on by her last boyfriend..."

"That's it, man. Maybe someone told her that you were cheating..?"

I tapped my fingers on the couch. "I don't think so. She prabbly doesn't even care anymore. Maybe she forgot about me. Moved on."

Parker cocked his head. "No. I saw something with you guys. It was definitely something."

"I feel like my insides are being crushed." I moaned.

"Maybe you should call her. Let her know that you still care. Obviously," he said, and gestured toward me. "You still do. You've been sitting on the this couch for the past two weeks. Summers almost over. Figure your shit out." And with that, the ever- so sensitive Parker exited the room.

I don't think I should call. She asked me to never bother her again. And I don't want to push her away even farther. Parker was right, I need to figure out what to do.