Scribbles (A Niall Horan fan fiction)

9) October 8: Bellybutton Plug

            “Bailey?” Chase asked cautiously.  I realize now that I must have looked crazed.  From the moment I spotted them, my jaw unhinged and my eyebrows disappeared into my hairline.  I can only imagine the look I had in my eyes. 

            Then I just exploded.

            “NO!”  I cried.  “This is not okay!  Do you know how old he is?  Ten!  Wait, I mean fourteen!  FOURTEEN!  I don’t know how things work in England, but you’d be considered a freaking child molester in America.  And you!  Yeah, you, Chase!  What the hell?  I can’t even…”

            I let out a loud cry of frustration and then stormed into the house. 

            So, okay, I know that was overdramatic.  I know that the age difference between Chase and Maggie really isn’t that extreme. I’m also aware that Maggie would definitely not be considered a child molester in the US of A, but it was the principle of the matter.  Do you know what I was doing when I was fourteen?  I was having sleepovers with my friends where we would swim and eat pizza and talk about all the guys we would totally allow to kiss us if a guy ever decided to kiss us.  (I know, I was living large). 

            It was just all too much.

            Camilla chased after me, still too smiley for my liking.  She talked some sense into me.  Then she told me that she would be upset if one of her friends “raped” her brother, if she had one, and I felt better.

            So Camilla beckoned Maggie who looked downright terrified as she entered my room.  In a weird way, I was pleased I was so feared.  There’s something about people fearing you that makes you feel powerful.

            She apologized profusely for a good couple of minutes.  And while I did love basking in it all, I finally cut her off and told her I was out of line, also.  She promised never to do anything with Chase ever again unless she had my permission, to which I gave her a look that said, “Don’t push it.”  We hugged and made up and we decided to call it a day.  After they left, I had the truly unpleasant task of finding Chase.

            He was in his room, helpful enough.

            “I don’t want a lecture,” he mumbled.

            “I’m not going to lecture you,” I said.

            He mumbled something else that I didn’t catch.

            “Look,” I said sternly.  “I know I called Maggie a child molester and all, but I know I was being stupid.  You’re not a child.  You’re not a kid anymore and that’s weird to me.  It’s weird to see you thriving in a new school in a new continent when I struggled so hard at first.”  Chase, who had been diligently avoiding eye contact, whipped his head around to look at me curiously.  I guess I did a better job at hiding the fact I struggled than I thought.  “It was hard for me.  I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m proud of you.  You’ve always been the perfect student and favorite kid.”  He rolled his eyes and cracked a grin.  “But you’re still only fourteen, Chase.  I know I socially developed slower than other people, but I don’t want you socially developing too fast.  I know there are going to be girls that are into you.  You got my good looks.”  He snorted.  “I’m just saying, try to keep it more around your own age.  I’m not going to try and tell you what you can and can’t do.  First of all, it would never work.  Second of all, I don’t want to do that.  Just…”

            “I get it,” he nodded.

            “Good.”

            “I should apologize, too.”