The Buddies Rule | ✓

Chapter 27

I knew what he wanted to say, even if he was too scared to say it.

"I can't see our lives without him, Chase," I whispered. I quickly shut my eyes, trying to ward off any more tears. I had already cried enough about this, and Lewis wasn't even leaving for another two weeks or so.

"I know," Chase huffed out a short breath. "We're losing one of our best friends. This stuff isn't even supposed to happen until we're done with college."

"And according to TV, we're all supposed to move in together right after college, anyways." I teased, gaining a laugh from Chase.

"Maybe that can still happen," Chase shook his head. "We don't know where we're all going to be in two years."

With that, I stayed quiet.

When I had pictured my time in college, I had always assumed that one day, Chase and I would be together. I knew it was a long shot, and the odds were firmly against us ever working out, but that's what I had been hoping for.

Now, even Chase was doubting that we'd ever work, and he had more hope that me sometimes.

"Rebecca told me everything," Chase started up again. "She told me what she said to you at the hospital."

I could feel my chest tighten up at the memory of it all. Yes, Chase had healed physically, but I knew we were both still mentally scared after what had happened.

I thought I was going to lose him that day. You can never heal from something like that.

"She was just being protective-"

"She was being vindictive," Chase interrupted. "I'm sorry I've been defending her all this time. There was no reason for her to treat you that way."

"Other than her undying love for you," I mocked. I kept my sight away from Chase, knowing I could never look him in the eye during a conversation like this. "Why did she really tell you she was going to Australia?"

Chase shook his head, silently deciding what to tell me. "She wanted me to go with her."

His words cut through me like a knife.

"What?"

"She said it would be the perfect getaway, especially after all that went on within our group." He explained, fidgeting with his hands as he did. "She thinks that you and I need some time apart."

"That's the last thing that we need," I mumbled under my breath.

"I know," Chase agreed. "That's why I turned her down. I haven't spoken to her since."

At least that was slightly reassuring. "I had no idea."

"How could you?" He chuckled lightly, pushing his hands deep into his pockets as we stepped up onto campus. "I was too scared to tell you that she wanted to take me away."

"Well I knew that already," I said. Just thinking about Rebecca and I's few encounters, or the time I had caught her with Chase at Alan and Lewis' party; she had been against me from the start.

It was almost surprising that Chase hadn't seen it earlier. He'd spent much more time with her than I had.

"Alan's outside," I noticed, motioning over to the front of Alan and Lewis' building. We had just barely stepped onto their side of campus, and already Alan was pouting outside.