The Bad Boy And The Bucket List

◾ You Dummy Head ◾

"No, you listen up you ass. It was your fault." 

"My fault. You started it by super gluing my chair." He shouts back. 

"You know what Carter, just stay away from me. I don't wanna see your face." My chest rises and falls rapidly as I glare at him. 

"Gladly." he spins around and leaves for the gym, while I stomp out in the field to join Miles and Sabrina.

"What happened? Did Smithers get your ass." They both laugh at my misery. 

"Shut up." 

"You fought with Chase, didn't you." I don't reply to that and just sit in silence, staring ahead at nothing in particular. Past month has been so great. We had so much fun, going out to parties and random night outs. Rena and Miles joined us too, but today, he just flushed that all down the drain. 

Just like a normal day, I decided to play a prank on him. But this time, he got pretty angry and yelled at me mid class. So the teacher sent us to the principal's office. Mr. Smithers let us go this time because we are the 'bright students', with a last warning. He and I got into a fight after that. 

Chase's been acting a bit weird lately. For the past week, its like every one is walking on egg shells around him. He literally lashes out for no particular reason. At first I was mad, but now its worrying me. No matter how ugly the prank is, he never reacts like that. Its a different thing that he might burry me alive later.

Maybe I should talk to him.

Suddenly my phone dings. I pull it out from my back pocket to see a text from him. Weird. 

Be ready at 7. 

so now we on talking terms.

Just do as I say Clarke, Meet me at my place.

Fine. 🙄😒

What's the deal with him. I can never understand this boy. One minute he is yelling at me, the next one you know he's asking me to meet up. 

Around 6:55, I knock on the door to his house. Lily answers. "Ana. What a pleasant surprise. Come in." She flashes the brightest smiles and lets me in.

"Where's Chase, he said he wanted to meet me." I tell her.

"Oh, I just asked him to run to the store for me. He'll be back in 5. Why don't you go and wait in his room." I nod and head towards his room. His familiar scent fills my nostrils the moment I step in. For the past month, this room has been our prime hangout spot. Watching late night movies, playing video games or just chatting for hours. 

It feels like I've spent most of time here than at my place. I walk around, looking at the pictures, hanging on the light grey walls. For a boy with a reputation like his, he keeps his room really tidy. And...-What is that.

My eyes fall on a familiar sheet of paper, with a list of things written in my hand writing. That's- that's my bucket list. What is he doing with it. I pull it from under the books to get a better look. He's even stricken off some from the list. Like, Visiting a theme park, Getting drunk and walking home, Going for a night swim in the town lake.

And then, realization hits me like a bullet train. All along, he's been doing this for me. All those things, all those hangout sessions, they were for me. A tear slips down my cheek as I stare at the piece of paper. 

"What do you think you are doing?" His annoyed voice sounds from the threshold. His face instantly falls when he sees my teary eyes. "Ana... what happened?" He walks up to me and cups my face in his hands. Worry written all over his face, as his eyes search mine. 

Instead of  answering him, I hold up the bucket list in front of him. His blue eyes go wide, but he recovers quickly. "Umm..." He clears his throat nervously. "I was...-"

"You did all this for me?" I cut him off.

"What?" 

"I said... did you do all this for me?" I repeat, this time loud and clear.

"Of course I did this for you, you dummy head. And you weren't suppose to know." He rolls his eyes. Not knowing how to react, I cross the distance between us and pull him in a hug. At first he's taken aback, but wraps his arms around me either way. 

"You have no idea, how much this means to me." I sob into his neck, only to make him tighten his grip around me.

"Hey... don't cry." His hand strokes my head. I stay there wrapped up in his arms and warmth until my tears dry. I want to tell him. And I think, I'm ready now. I pull back and see him smiling at me. Wiping off the remaining tears with his thumb, he places a soft kiss on my forehead. Filling me with a fuzzy feeling. 

"All my life, I've never had anyone to look after my needs and wants. From a very young age, I've learned to... um... take care of myself on my own. My parents never really cared about what I wanted or wished for." Chase's finger lace with mine as he holds my hand in his, tightly.

"On every birthday, I just received a gift from them, that would be lying on the dining table or on my desk with the same note every year." My eyes make their life mission to avoid his. I know I'll be a crying mess if I look into those serene orbs. I won't be able to hold it together.

"You doing all this for me, just... It just overwhelmed me." A small smile makes its way on my lips as I remember all the time we were out there having the time of our life. Be it in the theme parks or the lake. Though I don't remember the walk back home, something tells me, I would have enjoyed it too.

"You have me now." My head instantly snap in his direction. A face splitting grin marries my lips at those words and I hug him ones again. 

"But I'm still mad, that you didn't tell me." I pull away with a chuckle. 

"Is there something I can do to make it up to you, baby girl." Smiling down at me, he smoothens my hair. Croaking an eyebrow at him, I say, "Actually, there is." An evil smirk takes over my lips. 

"What?" I walk past him and into his closet. Taking off my jacket, I grab one of his black hoodie and pull it over my head. It so huge, that its sleeves run way down my hands. But who cares, when its comfy as fuck and most importantly smells like him. 

He throws his head back and starts laughing, when I step back into the room. "Seems like we just completed another task." 

" I guess so." I smile, while Chase strikes the last point out. "So... where to now?" 

"You'll know." With that, he takes my hand and we head downstairs, to his car.