Chase your fate

Chapter 24

She felt a couple of happy tears escape her eyes and fall down her cheeks as she looked from the scene before her, to his soft brown eyes.  He stood in front of her, grinning like an idiot, looking so nervous and unsure, but happy at her response.  "I... I told you .. it sounded like a good idea in my head." he said through his smile.  He took both of her hands, leading her over to the picnic blanket that he had spread out in the middle of the clearing.  They were surrounded by the woods, in an open area, the sun just about to fall.  There was a basket in the center, with several dandelions and a red rose laying beside of it.  He led her to sit, then took his place on the other side of the basket, laying on his side with his arm holding his head up, and his feet crossed, while she sat beside of him, her legs curled beneath her.

He opened up the basket, taking out the pb and j sandwiches he'd made, then cut each into 4 triangles, the jug of chocolate milk that had been wrapped in ice packs, and a bowl of cut fruit.  She smiled as she saw the spread "TRIANGLES!" she giggled as she took a couple of them.  "Of course... that's  the only way to have pb and j." he smiled back, handing her a plastic cup.  She looked at him thoughtfully for a minute, swallowing her first bite "Chase... this... this was really sweet.. I've never been on a picnic before." he grinned, looking down, then back up to her "yeah.. I mean.. nothing says romance like pb and j.".  She sat the sandwich down, looking back at him "Chase... anyone could think up going to a movie.. or out to the steak house.. or well... anything.. but... this... this is special.. so yeah..".  He smiled, taking a sip of his milk "I just... I hoped you would like it." "I do Chase.. I do.. more than you know.".

They finished their food, then she pushed the basket aside, and laid beside him, her elbow on the ground, keeping her head up in line with his, kicking off her shoes, softly rubbing his ankles with her toes.  "Hmmmm... tell me something Chase..." he looked into her eyes "Ask me anything you want... I'll be your book.".  She smiled "hmmm.. careful Chase.. I love to read... If your my book, I might just open you up and learn all of your secrets.".  He giggled a bit "If I were your book.. you'd set me down after the first chapter because it couldn't hold your interest.".  She reached up, pushing a little of his hair across his forehead "No.. baby.. you'd be my very favorite book.. and I'd read you over and over again.".  He smiled, a bit, playing with the ends of her hair that fell over her shoulder.  "Alright Dev.... what would you like to know?".  She looked at him thoughtfully "Why me Chase? ... Of all the girls at school... why settle for me?".  He stopped playing with her hair, and touched her soft cheek "Settle? .... Dev... there is no settling here.." "Why Chase.. just answer the question.".  He thought for a minute, trying to form the explanation for something he couldn't explain to himself.

"Well... I'll be honest.. my interest started out purely because I couldn't take my eyes off of you.  But then, I started listening to the things that you said, on the rare occasions that you spoke.. and just.. you fascinated me..." he said as his hand took hers, intertwining their fingers. "but.. the first time I saw you..  it's like my heart stopped.."  "Oh god no.. Chase.. I'm being serious." "so am I" he whispered.  "Chase.. I'm too tall, I'm fat, my face is just.. ew no.. my eyes are ugly... my hair is horrid.. what is there to ..." "hey" he interrupted "do you want to know what I see?".  She stopped talking for a second "Yea.. what do you see." "Well.. when I look at you.. it's like I'm seeing God's artwork.. put on display..." she looked at him in disbelief as he continued "It's like... like.. like god got tired of people not believing he still is around.. so he made you to prove that he could still make beautiful things.".  What the hell do you say to something like that? she thought as he kept talking "You don't see it Devyn.. because you've hated your body for so long that you don't realize how beautiful you look to a stranger.  You've spent so many years listening to someone lie to you that you've taken their lies and made them your truth.". 

He squeezed her hand a little tighter "You're perfect Dev... you just ... I can't explain it any better than that.".  "Listen to you..." she whispered "how am I even supposed to argue with words like that.".  He smiled as he brought her hand to his lips, softly kissing her knuckles "You can't argue with the truth... you'll lose every time.. that's why I don't lie.".  She laughed a little, softly running her thumb across the scar over his lip.  "One more question Chase... why... why haven't you ever kissed me?".  He thought about it for a second "I... I have.." "No.. Chase.. you've only returned my kiss... do you.. not want to kiss me?".  He felt his face blush deeply "I... yes Dev.. I do.. I.. I just.. didn't want to assume that ... that I... I'm just .. waiting for permission I guess.".  She smiled, laying back on the blanket, looking over at him and whispered "Chase...." "Yeah?".  She smiled "you're a dork.... but.. just so you know..." she closed her eyes, grinning "you have my permission to kiss me.. if you want to."

He felt his heart begin racing, felt the nervousness in his chest building.  He had kissed her once before, and had been completely taken off guard, but now, it was up to him, and he felt so unsure.  He moved himself against her side, seeing her soft full lips turned up in a smile, watching the rise and fall of her breasts with each breath that she took.  He softly brushed her cheek with his fingers, turning her head slightly towards him, letting his fingers run through her hair.  He closed his eyes, leaning in, feeling her breath against his lips as he hesitated for a moment hovering less than an inch from her lips, feeling the hair on his body standing with the gooseflesh rising on his skin.  He closed the gap between them, softly pressing his lips to hers.

Of all the romantic movies he'd ever watched, all of the love stories that he'd read, and all of the dreams that he'd had, he had never even imagined a kiss such as this.  More beautiful than Shakespeare could have designed, and better than a love song.  As their lips met, the softness of her lips, and the sweetness of her taste overwhelmed his mind.  It was like an explosion in his mind, causing him to lose track of time, space, the coolness of the air around them.  He felt her hand gripping the back of his head, just above his neck, her fingers in his short hair, as if she were trying to pull his kiss in deeper.  He felt her teeth against his bottom lip as their tongues met, softly drawing each other in.  He felt a small growl escape his throat as he softly tasted her, letting his hand move over her body, softly gripping her hip.  He broke the kiss, pulling back just a bit, looking into her eyes, trying to regain control of his senses.  She sighed a happy little sigh, looking back into his eyes.  He leaned in, kissing her tenderly, once more, before laying beside her.

She rolled onto her side, laying her head on his chest, wrapping her arm around his waist.  She whispered against his chest "Chase...".  He softly ran his fingers through her hair, letting his other hand softly stroke her forearm.  "yeah?" he whispered back.  She turned her head looking up to his face "this .... this is the best date I've ever been on... thank you.".  He smiled down into her beautiful eyes "You're welcome sweetheart.".  She felt her heart melting a little, each time he called her one of the names that he'd given her.  She closed her eyes, feeling frightened, nervous, and hopeful all at once.  She decided to take the leap, opened her eyes and looked back up at him.  "Chase.. I..." she stopped, afraid of sounding like an idiot, but needing to say it before she lost the nerve "Chase... I.. I think that I'm falling in love with you...".  He held her tighter, looking  softly back into her eyes, whispering back "Don't worry Devyn...  I'll catch you if you do....  but.. at least now.. I know that I'm not falling alone...."