Chasing the Storm (Chasing the Storm, #1) - PUBLISHED

Chapter Twelve

"I just have to make one more stop," Mom says, slowing down in front of Winthrop Town Centre. "Is that all right?"

"Where?" I ask.

"Publix."

"Um... Can you... drop me home first?" I search my mind for an excuse. "I have a lot of homework to do."

Flatly, Mom replies, "It's summertime, Abigail."

"Self-imposed homework," I say, hoping my quick response won't cause suspicion.

"It'll be quick, Abby. I promise. Especially if I have your assistance."

I sigh, knowing I've been defeated, but then I find a spark of hope. "Can I stay in the car, please?" I'll beg if I must!

Mom scrunches her nose, and I can already guess what she's going to say. "You know I don't feel comfortable with that..."

"Mom, I'm sixteen - almost seventeen. Next year I'll be old enough to drive by myself."

"Yes. Soon, but not quite yet."

I give my mother the "dead goat eyes" but then remember how much she dislikes that. I replace it with a pleading look, and she finally agrees. As she hands me the keys, I say, "Thanks!" and lock myself in as she's always taught me.

To occupy myself, I turn on my phone and click on the Safari app. The first page that pops up is Facebook. After refreshing the page, I scroll through my friends' posts, which consist of events they're going to, new pages they've liked and more, but then one particular post catches my attention, so I stop scrolling. One friend (who is also one of the other volunteers), Grace Holcomb, has liked a video. I instantly recognize the side profile of the boy in it.

Chase.

My mouth agape, I stare at the picture of him sitting in front of a piano with his fingers on the keys and his mouth open as if he's singing! I bring the phone closer to my face and squint. Surely this can't be Chase.

My thumb hovers over the play button. Should I? Nothing good could come from it... but nor could anything bad. With that in mind, I press the 'play' arrow. The recording begins before he even touches the piano. It starts with an introduction; he explains that he posted the video because a friend of his "forced" him to, and then says the name of the song: But a Dream. I'm really intrigued now.

"Without further ado..." Chase appears as if he doesn't want to do this. "Here it is." But then he pauses. "By the way, this isn't a true story."

"Yes, it is," says a louder voice with a wide smile in it. It sounds as if it belongs to someone standing behind the camera.

Chase rolls his eyes. Rather than arguing, he places his fingers on the piano and begins to play. The beginning is sweet, yet sad... Bittersweet, and I can already imagine what the lyrics might be.

"If life were but a dream, I'd have a heart to give. You'd see right through my scheme: chasing the innocent. But I'm a shattered mess; therefore no good for you. But I can't stay away; I'm chasing after you, 'cause I'm a hopeless fool. How many times do I have to tell myself it'll never work? You're into someone else. I can't let go, no matter what I'm told... How many times until I finally see you'd never want somebody who's like me? I can't give up, no matter how I try. I should go ahead and say goodbye. If life were but a dream, you'd show me how to live. I'd let my walls fall down. Freely to you I'd give; I'd give my heart to you, but it has been in two. I'll stay the shattered mess no matter what I do."

As the music fades, so does the video, and I'm left staring at the screen of my phone in amazement. He can sing. Really sing. And play. Really play.