Ripple | ✔ (Old Story)

Chapter 37

After three hours of pondering about Christian's words and how he's so adamant with me staying away from Chase, I decided to just get ready for the night.

As always, Julia isn't here, so I texted her instead that if she comes back for any reason, I would be out on campus.

After taking my second shower of the day, I decided to just eat a few snacks to fill me up seeing as I haven't really eaten today. When I finished brushing my teeth, I head to my drawers to find some clothes to wear.

I decided to just go with a black dress paired with black tights and a beige trench coat on top. It's gonna be cold tonight, so the layering of my outfit seems to fit. I put my hair up in a loose ponytail and put on some minimal makeup as I usually do. I'll be meeting possible fresh students and their parents, so I should be in my best wear and behaviour. I wonder how Chase will get ready for this kind of event.

When I have finished putting on some high-heeled boots, I grabbed my keys and phone and placed them in my pocket not really bothering to bring a purse since I know it's only gonna be a hassle.

When I arrive on site I was stunned by how nicely they set the main auditorium up. There was a different booth for each subject all throughout the room, and it's absolutely packed with staff. I'm sure I also heard them say that they put the rest of this in another auditorium.

I checked the time on my watch and I found that I was actually early — ten minutes early.

"Ah, Miss Parker!" I turned around and found my dad walking up to me. I smiled at him as I pushed back the guilty feeling that was arising.

"Hey...dad?" I hesitated, wondering if he was joking about the labels, but it proved me right when he laughed.

"Hey honey, how are you? I'm thrilled about everything I've been hearing about you from your teachers, " he gushes. The events of the last week seemed to have disappeared in his memory. I'm glad, but still guilty.

"That's a relief to hear, " I joked, and he laughed.

When he finally calmed down, I watched his eyes travel to somewhere behind me, probably through the front doors, and his face was in absolute shock.

"Well, well. You are most definitely the last person I expected here Mr Michaels, " my dad says walking around me towards the boy and I turned around following the two meets with eyes' wide eyes. I see my dad smiling at him and them shaking hands, then I feel my insides churn. Why isn't he rude to my dad than he is with the others? I mean it's nice but, why?

After their greetings, Chase's eyes land on me and his eyes travelled up and down my body and I prayed my dad wasn't watching.

"I'm guessing you two are related?" Chase points out, a knowing smirk playing on his lips as my dad chuckles.

"Ah, yes. Grace here is my daughter. I assume you know her?" My dad questions and I looked at Chase with begging eyes hoping that he doesn't give out anything to my dad but his smirk only grew making my heart stop for a moment.

"Yeah, we've met a few times in campus, " he said and I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. Then both their eyes flashed to me.

"You ok?" My dad questioned, and I nodded quickly at him. He smiles before saying his goodbyes to Chase and me, saying he'll be manning the biology booth.

Soon as he was out of sight, I gave Chase a 'what the hell was that' look and he only scoffed with a shrug. Again, every time I see him the surrounding mystery just gets bigger. Why is he a dig to every other teacher but nice to my dad? What affiliation could he possibly have with my father?

"Ms Parker and Mr Michaels, glad you're here now. Mr Weston will be responsible for the two booths we've got in halls one and two. I want both of you to be facilitating one of the music studios. You know? The big one with all the vinyl records and DJ booth? They haven't cleaned it for a while since no one really goes there, but we open it tonight to show off to the parents. Would you be ok with that? And if you are, there are some new things that need to be stacked, that could be what you do while you wait. " Mr Browne who wore an excited grin said as he came up to us.

Before I could even say anything, probably to ask him where this room must be in Chase answers for us,

"Yeah, sure, " I gape at him. He didn't even think twice. The thought of being with him in a room all alone until people enter makes me shiver already. I don't know what the hell this unpredictable boy could do or say.

"Great, well, off you go. I'll go check on you now and then." Mr Browne gives Chase some keys and walks away.

"Well, unless you wanna be a mannequin for everyone to see then let's go," Chase announces rather too enthusiastically for my one liking. But the sarcasm in it made it an actual thing for him to say.

After walking down the labyrinth of the campus taking so many lefts and rights, we arrive at an almost private hallway if it wasn't for the entrance through the front of the school. The hallway was clean and painted all white. This must be the new block that's built, I haven't been here before, but then again, I haven't really gone around campus that often.

On the walls are posters that said: "Exclusive Recording Studio 1" with and an arrow pointing to the end of the hall where Chase opens the door too.

He flicks the lights open and I can't help but marvel at the unique view. The place reeked of fresh wood, together with the stuffiness of the air. The air was thick and absolutely sucked, but that was less of my worries.

The corners of my lips tug to a smile at how this place looked. There were shelves, tall and long shelves of different CD's, vinyl and sheet music. They were all organised neatly, as though it hasn't been touched.

In the middle of the sizeable room was a metal staircase that led to a loft where the DJ radio booth was, below was the recording studio. The place was huge and spacious with its concrete floors and brick walls, the industrial look made the place like even more beautiful than it already was. I've only seen this design in the apartment of my dreams.

I walked around practically forgetting that I was with someone else in the room.

I walk over to the three tall shelves of music and grazed my finger over some most interesting records of all times. Whitney Houston, Madonna, John Lennon, The Beatles. It was like music from heaven.

"Wow, you must be a real nerd about music, huh?" Chase's amused voice rings out through the reverb filled room. I turn to see him picking up some boxes filled with records, the smile on my face never disappearing.

"These are classics? How can you not be a nerd about this!" I say rather too excitedly as I waved the Abbey Roads record on his face. I let the record down and behind it, Chase faced me with an adoring look on his face that quickly disappeared soon as it appeared. My smile falters at the gesture but felt my cheeks warm.

"Well, let's get to work?" He suggested while handing me a few records, running his hand over his messy locks. He looked nice tonight. He wore a tight long sleeve that showed off his muscles but covered his tattoos. I don't really know if he did that for the night, or was just a coincidence. His brown skinny jeans made him look professional and well made. I've never seen him look this modest but, it suits him. Though he's usual style already had made their staple on me.

"So, do you usually zone out like that? Cause we won't get shit done if that's the case."

Instead of being in front of me, I turn around to find him already stacking. I frowned at him, thinking he'd be the one doing less work, but I am once again proven wrong.

"What order?" I asked, looking through the unique records in my hand.

"Chronological as far as I can tell." He replies, his voice still the same careless one.

I sift through my pile and found the records that fit on the 80s timeline, which was right where I was looking before, then started putting the records in place.