Written. (JB//Complete)

Chapter 22.

      My grounding has finally been suspended. It wasn't all that bad to be honest, it helped me catch up with myself; my mind, my work, my activities, everything. I just got to have some time to myself. Well, except for the various times Justin stopped by to check up on me, or should I say, "make sure I'm not hurt."

Every time he came he had to come in through the window, and sometimes I wouldn't even let him in since I was afraid of my mother barging in, so at times he would just be watching me through my open window, his chin leaning on his hands in admiration. He's a little too overprotective, and even though I try to tell him every time that I know how to stick up for myself, he ignores it and does his own thing. It's utterly annoying.

But I have to learn to grow used to it, because you never know what could happen, how long this could last, anything. So I just need to deal with it for the meanwhile, for both mine and Justin's sakes.

Being that I'm allowed to go out of the house now, I decide to stop by the bookstore for another book and to, once again, apologize to Chaz for everything that's happened to him that shouldn't have. I pull out of Edison High's parking lot after another normal school day and cruise towards downtown to the bookstore.

Once I arrive, I park my vehicle out front and take a deep breath before entering. Why do I seem so nervous? It's only Chaz. And besides, I've apologized about situations like this before. Well, I guess the events worth apologizing over aren't exactly the easiest to speak of when unnecessary. I rebuild my needed courage and, as confidently as I can muster at the moment, walk into the quiet store.

There he is. There's Chaz at the register.

"Hey," I say to him while walking up to the counter.

Then he smiles, his beautiful breathtaking smile. "Hi. Already finished your book, huh?"

How is it that he acts like nothing ever happened? He's so remarkable. "Yeah, pretty much." I shift on my feet and lean my elbows onto the counter. "Listen, I know I sound like a broken record, but I'd just like to apologize, for everything. I feel like I've put you through so much nonsense that you shouldn't need to experience—" I'm interrupted by his laugh.

"What?"

He shakes his head. "You apologize too much."

I don't feel the least bit offended by his statement, his dorky grin makes up for it. I then smile also.

"I know, but I mean—" I shake my head and barely giggle. "Never mind, sorry."

He laughs again and I realize that I apologized for a second time. "Sorry."

"Go find another book," he shoos me off, chuckling at me. I do as told and go off searching for another book to buy, feeling a bit embarrassed. I'm glad Chaz doesn't seem to find me awkward... or does he? What matters?

I don't think he's the type of guy to think of me as weird. He's a great guy, and I feel a lot more comfortable around him than I do with Justin. It's ironic because I need to trust Justin a great deal more than Chaz as much I'm not too fond of the idea, since he's "protecting" me from what could go wrong in the situation we're in. God, it sounds so cheesy saying he's my "protector".

After a couple minutes of searching for another book to read, I can't come across one that catches my eye, so I walk back up to the register to see if Chaz has anything in mind. He turns around looking slightly nervous for some anonymous reason, and before I can ask him anything, he speaks up.

"You want to do something later? I get off work at six." He rubs his neck in what I believe is edginess, but then relaxes when he notices a smile grow on my lips. That wasn't what I was expecting to hear from him, but I like the idea. The awaiting book of mine can wait.