daddy issues▪chase stein (discontinued)

9

Marina had had a sixth sense for years, she knew when Chase needed her.

It would feel stronger the more urgent the situation, and strangely, that night, he didn't need her much.

Maybe her sense was broken, maybe the heartbreak of seeing him with Karolina had finally severed the bond, maybe she didn't care that much anymore.

That last one couldn't be true, or she wouldn't have the feeling at all.

She wouldn't be thinking of him.

That night, like a lot of nights recently, she stayed home.

Marina stretched tiredly, tucking the key of her bike lock into her pocket.

Chase had given her one too many rides lately, her body wasn't as used to her long commute to school.

She hadn't wanted to ask that morning, she was sure Chase had plenty of other things to worry about.

The air was dry, the sun was hot, she turned to go inside, when she spotted a few of her friends- could she really call them that?- standing out front of the campus.

Marina caught up to them at the same time as Molly, and Gert, the latter of which was apparently in a cranky mood.

"Isn't this adorbs! You kids planning a big double date? What do the kids do for fun these days? Is it a escape room? Karaoke? A knitting circle?"

Ah.

Molly must've told Gert what they'd seen on the roof that night.

Hell hath no fury like an overlooked Gert.

"No one is planning a date."

Nico groaned.

"Escape room does sound sick, though."

"If it means escaping from here."

Marina bit her tongue, stuffing down the feeling it gave her to see Chase and Karolina together.

"Whoa, zinger! Karolina, you should sign up for the school improv troupe."

"Guys, we're supposed to be taking on our parents, not each other."

Alex quipped, shooting Gert a look.

"How's it going decrypting those videos? Any progress?"

Marina asked, hugging herself uncomfortably.

"I'm still working on it. It's harder to unlock than I thought, and now my parents are on my ass."

Alex grumbled, kicking the pavement.

"Yeah, mine too."

Gert added.

Marina tensed up.

"Do they know? Did someone say something?"

She asked, her nails digging into her arms.

"I'm not sure how they could."

Molly sagged suddenly, what appeared to be a science project toppled from her hands to the ground, cracking to pieces.

"Oh! It's okay. We can put it back together."

Nico assured her, as the younger girl frustratedly stooped to retrieve the pieces.

"Who cares? Who cares about a double helix!"

She exclaimed suddenly, distress painting her features.

"Molly, is everything okay?"