Just Fake It

CH 7 : Not So Fun

 

Thankfully all I have to do is sit back and watch hell break loose around me for the duration of the study session. Luke sulks for the rest of the afternoon, Caroline's bitch face goes into full gear, her boyfriend is oblivious, Lucy keeps trying to do damage control, Chase won't stop sending me weird glances, and Matt is having the worst time with limits. Not like his own limits, more like mathematical limits. No one is very helpful, and by the time we finish, I doubt Matt knows if the limit exists or not.

I, on the other hand, got a lot of shit done. I managed to surprise Chase and piss off his ex-girlfriend. I don't really want to examine why I'm being so protective of Chase, but I think it has something to do with me being the only person who can give him shit. Once someone else does, well, that's just getting into my territory.

I finish my drink before standing up. Everyone is packing up, but Chase finishes first. He starts to say goodbye, so I follow his lead. It doesn't take long for us to leave the coffee shop and climb into his car.

Chase doesn't put the key in the ignition, just stares ahead. I do the same thing, but inside my head I'm working out our future argument. I'm not going to apologize for doing him a favor, that's for sure.

"Why did you tell them we were, you know, dating?" Chase's face scrunches up at the last word.

"Why do you say it like that?" I reply, instantly offended. He's acting as if dating me would be the worst thing in the world. I'm not that bad.

"Say what?" He's caught off guard. I repeat the word 'dating' to him with the same contempt he layered on. He makes a face at me, but says something else.

"It's just that now that you've said we're together..." He trails off. I can't stand the puppy eyes he gives me. I don't understand what I've done wrong, so I try to fight my case.

"Look, I know who Caroline is. She was being all high and mighty so I wanted to take her down a notch." I say her name with a slight growl. I don't think I've ever instantly disliked someone as much as Caroline.

"What do you know about Caroline?" Chase is looking super nervous now. I almost don't want to tell him, but he really doesn't need another lying whore in his life.

"I was looking for something to fan myself with and I was going to use this letter I found..." I don't finish my sentence because I don't really want to say that I read his breakup letter out loud. Chase sighs for the longest time, while running a hand through his face.

"Go ahead. Jacey, I'm waiting." He finally says. He still hasn't looked up at me since his hands covered his face.

"Waiting for what?"

"You're not going to give me shit about this?"

"I'm not heartless!" I yell in offense.

"Yes, you are! If you had a heart you wouldn't have told them we were dating." He looks at me like I'm dense.  Frankly, I am feeling kind of slow. I don't know what his problem is.