Extras🎬

Rory & Chase

A/N - they are in my top 3 couples 🥹

TW - mentions of suicidal thoughts this scene

~~~

Rory, aged 15

I slipped into the chair beside Chase and huffed; my teacher had let us out of class late today, and the last thing I wanted was for him to think I wasn't meeting him.

So I'd run to the library.

I knew I was one of the only friends Chase had, and while I spoke to a few people here and there, he was one of my only real friends too.

"We got let out late", I told him, watching him fold the corner of his tattered book and close it, "Peter Pan again?".

"You know it's my favourite", he lifted a shoulder, then adjusted his glasses with his index finger, "I like your hair like that". I hadn't changed it that much, only put it into two French braids on either side of my head, but his compliment made my cheeks feel hot either way.

"I like yours like that too", I smiled at him, he just fiddled with the corner of his book with shaky fingers.

"It's been like this for ages", he mumbled, not looking at me, "but thanks". I just smiled again, unzipping my bag and pulling out my 400-page book on ASL phrases, the one I'd begged my parents to buy me the second I got home from my first day of school last year, the first time I met Chase.

I'd bought five more books since then, and with having the best teacher, I'd say I was picking up on things pretty quickly. Having been learning sign for over a year now I mainly used the books for refreshing my memory, and when it came to practicing I just signed with Chase.

"Did you go to your art class?", I found myself asking him, wondering how he'd gotten here and started reading so quickly, "Chase?". He avoided my eyes, scratching the back of his head before adjusting his glasses briefly.

"I'm sorry", he breathed out, my face scrunching up straight after- I didn't know why he was apologising to me, he hadn't done anything.

"Why are you saying sorry?", I asked, fiddling with the corner of my own book now, "you didn't go?". I deflated a little when he nodded to confirm my guess, upset that he thought he had to apologise to me of all people for that.

"Panicked", he muttered, fixing his glasses again, "I've been here since".

"You're still here though", I smiled, "I'm proud of you". He looked at me as if I'd grown two heads, as if him and pride couldn't co-exist in the same sentence.. I believed otherwise.

"Why?", he frowned, pulling the sleeves of his grey hoodie over his hands. I'd known Chase for a little over a year now, and he never missed a beat to talk down on himself...I never missed a beat to make sure he knew how important he was.

He was probably my favourite person ever.

"I need a reason to be proud of you?", I raised an eyebrow, bringing one of my feet onto my chair and resting my head on my knee, "the Chase I met a year ago would've called one of his brothers to come pick him up".

"True", he shrugged, pushing his glasses up his nose with two fingers and focusing on the cover of his book.

"How do you feel...about skipping our next class and sitting on the bleachers?", I wiggled my eyebrows and watched him stiffen, "only if you want to, but I'm pretty sure the football team's out there-".

"You hate football", he cut me off and I grinned, he knew me so well, "you shouldn't skip class too".

"And leave you reading Peter Pan for the hundredth time?", I tutted, my grin widening when his lips lifted into a small smile, "come on, change of scenery, fresh air- that's all I've got". He let out a chuckle and I savoured the sound, triumph filling me when he opened his bag and tucked his book inside, rising to his feet and slinging it over his shoulder.