𝑼𝑵𝑬𝑿𝑷𝑬𝑪𝑻𝑬𝑫 | 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝑑𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡

𝑇𝐻𝐸 𝐻𝑂𝑀𝐸𝐶𝑂𝑀𝐼𝑁𝐺 𝐻𝑈𝑁𝑇

─────⊰ ✦.*🥀*.✦ ⊱─────

　　 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐖𝐄𝐈𝐑𝐃 between Chase and me. Weeks have passed since our fight, and it's like we're orbiting the same space without ever colliding. We don't talk, don't text, don't share a glance longer than necessary. I keep myself busy—schoolwork, the play, helping my grandfather—anything to avoid staring at the empty space where his presence used to fill every room. And yet, no matter how much I distract myself, the ache of missing him doesn't fade.

Chase shows no signs of missing me. He moves through his life with that same precise, confident stride, mingling with his siblings, attending missions, acing classes. It's infuriating. The biggest part of me just wants to crawl into a corner and cry.

I see Leo stepping out of the cafeteria, wrapped in a long, blue towel that does nothing to hide how ridiculous he looks. I can't help myself—I have to know what's going on. I stride toward him, brushing past the chaos of students and lockers.

'Nice dress, Leo,' I say, raising an eyebrow.

'It's not a dress,' he snaps, clearly annoyed. 'Someone stole my clothes while I was in the shower.'

I can't help the tiny smile tugging at my lips. 'Well, what helps for me when I lose something is asking yourself: "Where was it the last time I saw it?"'

'On my body,' Leo snaps, exasperation written all over his face.

Adam, looking as if he's computing five possible outcomes at once, chimes in. 'And you definitely checked there?'

'That's so mean. Who would do this to you?' Bree asks. Leo shrugs, muttering something under his breath.

I feel it before I see it—Chase's gaze burning into my back. I shift slightly to glance at him, and of course, he's staring past me at Leo. He doesn't even notice me. Normally, he would smile at me, pull me close, maybe kiss me, maybe say something quiet and ridiculous that makes my heart lurch. But now... nothing. It's like I don't exist.

I feel a familiar, hollow ache in my chest. The ache of longing, of being shut out by someone I love, of knowing he's perfectly happy in his life while I'm stuck on the sidelines. I swallow hard, pretending to care about Leo's towel drama, trying not to think about how much I want Chase to turn around and see me standing here, heart in hand.

As if on cue, Trent bursts into the hallway, wearing Leo's clothes over his own, moving like some ridiculous cartoon character. He dances, tearing Leo's pants in the process. 'Oh, oh. Looks like your mother has to buy you some new clothes at the "Not Big and Not Tall store."'

I roll my eyes. 'His mom probably buys his at the "Terrible Burns store,"' Bree chuckles beside me, and for a second, I almost feel normal.

'Why does Trent pick on me more than anyone else?' Leo mutters, looking defeated.

'Well, I outsmart him,' Chase says, without so much as glancing at me. 'I've studied his schedule and routine so we're never alone together.'

My stomach twists. Of course. Why wouldn't he spend his energy avoiding a bully instead of... me? Bree notices, obviously, and makes a snide comment. 'Because why wouldn't you just spend time with your girlfriend instead of avoiding Trent?'

Chase stammers. I look down, pretending not to notice, hiding the sting that twists my chest into knots. I can feel the hurt radiating from him even when he won't acknowledge it—like we're both walking on glass, careful not to cut ourselves, but unable to stop bleeding.

I walk over to Bree, ignoring him completely, because talking to him right now is like trying to catch smoke with my bare hands. The distance between us isn't just physical—it's a canyon carved from weeks of silence and stubborn pride.