Take a Chance on Me

Fifty-one

"He is a really good surfer," Gabby comments while we eat our ice cream cones on the beach, watching Alex shortboard in Laguna. "And he's really cute, and tall, and tan."

"Get it all out right now before he comes back," I say as my chocolate ice cream drips through the bottom of my cone and down my arm. "You cannot embarrass me in front of him, alright? That was the only condition when I invited you to tag along."

"Chill out, okay? You really think I would try to ruin this for you?"

No, I really don't think she would. I know the only person who can ruin this, again, is myself. It is becoming quite a habit and to be honest, I'm done going back in time over and over again. It's starting to give me whiplash. 

"Hey! Leah!" I hear in the distance, slowly getting louder in each passing second. 

Gabby brings her glasses down the bridge of her nose as he comes into view. She looks between me and the tall brunette running towards us multiple times, her eyes ablaze with satisfaction. "I won't ruin this, but there's no saying what this guy will do." She leans over to whisper in my ear as Chase sits on the other side of me. "This guy is super hot too."

I playfully push her away from me as she says, at a volume for anyone in earshot to hear, "What is in the water here, my god!" My face turns bright red, neon red if that were a real thing, and I start eating my ice cream as fast as I can to keep busy doing anything other than maliciously killing Gabby. 

I start to feel a numbing sensation and roll onto my back, pressing my thumb to the roof of my mouth to try to stop my brain freeze, caused by my genius plan to shovel ice cream in my mouth to stop any further conversation with Gabby. Big mistake. My whole body winces, causing concern from Chase. "Uh, Leah? Are you okay?"

I shoo him away by flapping my arms until my ability to converse returns. As the numbing sensation fades away, I inform him of my strange little mishap. "I'm fine, just a brain freeze. All good here." 

Good job, Leah. What a great impression to make on your future boyfriend's best friend. Really killing it today.

"Oh Chase, this is just normal Leah stuff. You'll get used to it eventually. Although I've known her my entire life and she still surprises me." She extends her arm across me to Chase. "I'm Gabby by the way."

"Chase."

In a matter of minutes of meeting Chase he already thinks that I am a complete psychopath. I usually wouldn't care, considering I'm seeing his best friend, but I can't help but focus part of my mind on him as well. My mind is a mess. 

A cold hand on my shoulder pulls me out of it. "All set!" Alex exclaims, his board in one hand and a pearly white smile spread across his face. I am immediately brought out of my state of confusion when my eyes meet his rock hard torso cut into six distinct, golden squares. His blonde, sea soaked hair drips water onto his chest and I swear I see steam rise. Through his long eyelashes, he smiles at me, offering a hand to help me up from the sand. 

"So glad you could make it, Leah. And this must be Gabby?"

For once Gabby is frozen in place, speechless. Her mouth hangs wide open like she has a response, but nothing comes out. I nudge her out of her state of oblivion until she speaks. "Oh yeah, sorry. I'm Gabby, Leah's lifelong best friend."

We all walk up the hill to our cars parked on the street and Alex gives me a peck that quickly turns into something a little more sensual. His hand wraps around my waist and he steps forward, pinning me to my car. I'm not usually one for PDA, but I doubt anyone being kissed by Alex's salty ocean lips would ever protest. When he pulls away he opens my car door as I climb in the driver's seat. "Dinner at my house tonight? I'll make you the best Italian meal you've ever had."

I blush, nodding in response. I can say with full confidence that this is the only guy on my mind. 

As I drive Gabby and I back home, I can read her expression. She has something to say. "Yes, Gabby?"

"What?"

"Gabby, I know you too well. Just tell me what's on your mind."

"Well the obvious, Alex is super fucking hot. Like he's really hot from a distance but he is like on fire up close. I'm afraid he is just going to spontaneously combust."

I laugh and shake my head. I know he's hot. That much is obvious. "But?"

"Chase is so into you."

My heart rate speeds up drastically and my hands are clammy on the steering wheel. "Um, excuse me? What are you talking about?"

"This isn't a bad thing, Leah. Chase is super hot in his own way too. Alex is hot like chiseled and sporty and is pretty much like, oh I don't know, a surfer version of Chris Evans. Let's just call him Captain America. But Chase is a different kind of hot. Like more to himself, more emotional, like a super tall Logan Lerman. Imagine having to choose between the two of them. I'm envious, but also very, very, extremely happy to not be in your position. I couldn't let either of them go. Maybe they will agree to being in a polyamorous relationship. That's not completely out of the question, right?"

I stop at a red light and my brain goes into overdrive. "Gabby, slow down. First of all, I'm not choosing between them. I'm already dating Alex. Second of all, I am not a polygamist. And third, Chase does not like me."

"Oh yeah he does. You should have seen his face when Alex was kissing you up against the car. His face was in such a deep scowl. I thought he might light Alex on fire from the lasers shooting out of his eyes. But that could also just be Alex's spontaneous human combustion at play. Because he is so hot!" 

Chase likes me? But I'm with Alex. And I really like Alex. And I feel nothing for Chase. Nothing at all. 

A car honking at me brings me out of my Captain America versus Logan Lerman daze. This cannot be good.