Having Him Gone ✗ Bree Davenport

Chapter 7

"What's her deal?" I asked as I rose from my chair, swiping the second milkshake from his hand and pushing the straw stubbornly into my mouth. He smiled smugly and shook his head before gently taking one of my hands off the milkshake, and interlocking our fingers.

"Her deal is, she's the girl I was tutoring. I have to be nice with her so her dad doesn't fire me or rat me out." He explained in a hushed tone. I frowned as he led me out of the diner, the air cooler than when we had walked in. It was almost eleven, anyways.

"So by flirting with her, you're being nice?" I asked, feeling a sort of anger burning inside of me that I hadn't had. Ever. He laughed and squeezed my hand a little tighter as he pulled me down the sidewalk. There were little restaurants all along Main Street with amazing lights hanging up. I had my eyes watching the lights pass by before I could feel Chase lean in.

"Is my good girl jealous?" He whispered flush against my ear, sending a shiver down my spine. I shook my head quickly, not wanting for him to get the wrong idea.

"No. You're just tutoring her." I laughed off before taking another sip of my milkshake. I usually preferred spoons with a shakes, they were too hard to suck through a straw, but this would do.

"As long as you get that, I'm," He left off as he pressed a kiss to my cheek, "With you." I felt a blush creep into my cheeks as my eyesight fell down to the ground, the butterflies rising in my stomach once again.

Chase smiled and walked along with me in a comfortable silence before my phone buzzed in my pocket. I huffed before stopping off to the side, setting my milkshake down on nearby table, and taking my phone quickly out of my pocket. I glanced it over to see it was none other than Leo Dooley himself.

You need to get over here by eleven thirty! How far away are you?
-Leo

I sent an apologetic smile to Chase before typing out a reply.

We're downtown. We can start walking and be there in twenty minutes.
-Bree

Okay, just hurry. We don't have much time.
-Leo

I let out a breath as I shoved my phone back into my pocket, looking up to see Chase watching me intently. "It was just my brothers." I shrugged off as I picked up my milkshake once again, mentally calculating where we would have to turn to get on the road home.

"They want you home?" Chase asked warily as we walked. I shook my head.

"No..." I left off as I thought of an excuse. "Actually, yeah. They wanted me home for dinner. Do you want to come home with me and eat there?" I suggested hopefully. I would be able to avoid lying to him, at least the old Chase was great at picking up on that. His face scrunched up in thought as he pieces together my offer.

"It's like eleven at night. Why would they want you home for dinner now?" Chase wondered aloud as we came to a stop at the street corner.

"Our mom and dad usually get home late from work so we're just used to eating then." I covered with a small smile. "What do you say?"

He narrowed his eyes to me before he got out his answer. "Will your parents be there?"

"No, of course not." I shook my head. "They're on vacation right now, mainly why Adam and I aren't enrolled in school yet. They'll be back tomorrow, but for tonight it could just be the four of us." I rambled, tugging on Chase's hand persistently as I tried to pull an answer out of him. He sighed and nodded, finally giving into my request.

"Fine." He huffed as he threw his head back. "But only if they don't ask us all these questions about... us. I'm not good at meeting families. At least I've never had to."