Chase didn't like parties.
He never did and he probably never would. There were always too many people for him. Too many intoxicated teenagers, to be specific. And the music usually sucked. Actually, it always sucked. He preferred staying home and eating a box of pepperoni pizza while watching old MMA fights.
Sadly, he wouldn't be doing any of that tonight. He was going to be too busy attending the big Forest Bash—dubbed that by the pretentious students of his new high school, River Hill High: Go Sentinels! Now that he was thinking about it, the school's mascot was pretty much the only thing he liked about the place.
When Theodore Holland, his only real friend, told him about the party, he had no intentions of going. If the guy asked him to, Chase could've drafted up a list of a hundred things he'd rather do. Besides, who in their right mind throws a party in the forest? Especially at night. Had it not been for Theo's incessant pestering, he wouldn't have even considered it.
Eventually, his friend made a point that made him change his mind.
When Chase continued expressing his disinterest in going, Theo pulled out his final card and revealed a certain someone would also be going. That someone went by the name of Stella James. Even though he'd only been at River Hill for a few weeks, as the school year only started in September, he knew who she was. Everyone did. In fact, it was kind of hard not to.
She was their school's senior class president, valedictorian, and the school's reigning state gymnast champion. Upon first hearing about her, courtesy of Theo, he wrote her off as some uptight, preppy, rich kid from the suburbs. So far, he'd been right.
But there was something about her that piqued his interest.
The first time they met hadn't gone the way he anticipated. He'd just decked River Hill's golden boy, Bryson Baker—who happened to be Stella's boyfriend—in the nose after he witnessed the guy steal Theo's inhaler. Even though he got a week's worth of detention for it, he wouldn't have changed a thing given the chance. After all, he would've never met Theo had he not stepped in. Plus, his father always told him to stick up for the little guy, especially when no one else did.
Stella had immediately come to her boyfriend's rescue after he dropped to the hallway floor like a sack of coins, his nose dripping red.
He remembered how his heart fluttered when he met the gaze of the hazel-eyed, bronze-skinned beauty. If he thought he had any semblance of a chance with her before, it was gone after that day. That didn't mean his crush went away. He decided to push his feelings aside, though, as he knew they'd never amount to anything.
While Bryson was a douchebag, Chase wasn't in the homewrecking business.
Besides, she was literally the most popular girl in school. He was just the new kid with a penchant for getting into fights on his first week.
He shook the thought from his mind and exited his beat-up pickup truck—a hand-me-down from his father. While his old man was rarely around due to his military commitments, he figured the truck was enough to make up for it. It wasn't, really, but he wasn't one to complain—what his dad did for a living was important work and he knew that.
Looking around, he moved away from the impromptu parking lot.
Had it not been for Stella and his annoying friend, he would've been back home snuggled up with the leftovers his mom left in the fridge while catching up on his favorite shows. A wistful sigh left his lips at the mere thought of it.
It wasn't too late for him to turn back.
''Chase! You made it.''
Okay, now it was too late.
Faking a smile, he strolled up to Theo. ''What, you thought I'd miss this?'' He sarcastically gestured at the festivities in front of them.
Multi-colored lights hung from the branches of the trees, illuminating the small portion of the woodlands the party occupied. Other decorations had been set up as well, including streamers, a few tables for snacks and drinks, and a makeshift DJ station. Obnoxious house music blared from the speakers stationed around the venue. But people didn't go to parties for the tunes; they went to have fun and get drunk with their friends. By the look of things, the students of River Hill High were doing just that.
''Isn't this great?'' Theo asked.
Chase could tell the guy was excited. The crazy smile and animated expression weren't what tipped him off, though; Theo always seemed to have those. No, it was the fact that his stutter and constant fidgeting was becoming more noticeable by the second—key indicators that quickly Chase picked up on.
''It's alright, I guess,'' he answered. ''The beach parties back in Malibu are better.''
''You west coasters wouldn't know a good party if it crashed into you at light speed.'' Tilting his head slightly, Theo smirked at his friend. ''Have I ever told you how much you look like the typical surfer dude? You know, with the whole tall, blue-eyed, blond-haired thing you've got going on.''
''Thanks?''
''Wasn't a compliment,'' Theo joked. The two of them laughed.
Chase jammed his hands into pockets of his ripped jeans. ''Have you seen Stella?"
Theo grinned. ''I was wondering when you'd ask about her.'' He gestured towards the snack and drink station. ''Saw her getting drinks not too long ago. You can look for her after we— ''
The blond cut his friend short by clapping him on the shoulder. ''Good looking out, Holland. I'll see you later, yeah?"
He didn't wait for Theo to reply, fearing that he'd miss Stella if he didn't get a move on. After breezing past the guy, he pushed his way into the crowd and made his way towards the refreshments.
The music reverberated through his bones as he navigated through the horde of dancing teenagers. The strobing lights and the tacky smoke machine hidden somewhere in the trees made it a little difficult to see. His nose crinkled as the scent of cheap beer and sweat invaded his nostrils. After a few more seconds of sidestepping and bumping into people, he arrived at his destination.
He suppressed a grin when he saw her standing there.
She wore a yellow, long-sleeved dress that accentuated her curves perfectly. The bright color paired well with her golden complexion. Her mahogany-colored hair wasn't in its usual ponytail; instead, it flowed down her back like a silky cape.
She looked like a model straight off a runway.
Glancing down at his own clothes, he instantly regretted not picking a better outfit. A retro hockey jersey and some old jeans weren't the best of choices, he had to admit.
He stood at the edge of the crowd trying to build up enough confidence to go talk to her. It wasn't like he was trying to steal her away from Bryson or anything. Though, he couldn't pretend like the prick didn't deserve it. In all honesty, he just wanted to get to know her. Maybe even be friends. Something about her seemed intriguing and he wanted to figure out what exactly that something was.
Giving himself a few internal words of encouragement, he made his way over to her.
She had his back to him as she spoke with a few of her friends. Not trying to seem like a creep who was spying on her, he grabbed a solo cup, took a regretful sip, and focused his attention elsewhere. A new song came through the speakers. Judging by how she and her friends reacted, he assumed they were fans.
He took it as his chance to start a conversation.
''This is a pretty cool song,'' he said, elevating his voice over the loud noise around them.
Stella turned to look at him. Her expression immediately soured. ''Oh. It's you.''
''I come in peace.'' He put his hands up innocently and offered her a smile. ''Also, sorry about what I did to Bryson. That wasn't cool.''
He only half-meant it.
''Wasn't expecting that.'' Stella's face softened. ''It's fine. He can be a bit of a dick sometimes. He needed his ego bruised anyways.'' She raised an eyebrow at him. ''Do you normally punch people in the face?''
''I was just looking out for Theo.''
She nodded. Her bright stare narrowed, amplifying his nervousness. The intense glimmer in her eyes made him want to jump out of his skin. They reminded him of miniature stars.
''So, what's your deal?''
He cleared his throat, his cheeks reddening. ''Uh, what do you mean?"
''You know, your story. I know you're a transfer student but that's all I know. I don't even know your name. It's Cade, right? Or maybe Caleb....''
''It's Chase. Chase Masteron.''
''And where are you from?''
''Well, I'm technically from nowhere.'' The perplexed look on her face prompted him to explain further. Laughing, he said, ''I was born on a Navy vessel just off the coast of Germany. Dad's in the navy and my mom's a nurse. Plus, I've never lived anywhere longer than four years. But I moved here from California.''
''You're an army brat?''
He knit his eyebrows together.
''Yeah...something like that.''
''Well, it's nice to meet you, Mr. California,'' she told him. ''You know, officially. I'm Stella, as you already know.''
The two of them shook hands. Her noted how soft and small hers felt in his own.
''Nice to meet you too.''
Someone behind him coughed. Gently releasing Stella's hand, he turned around to face the perpetrator. He sighed and swept his hand through his wavy hair. It was just an excuse to make his hands do something other than strangle the person in front of him.
''What're you doing with this prick?'' Bryson interrogated. A few of his goons from the football team stood at his side like brutish bodyguards. Chase wasn't impressed.
Shaking his head, he resisted the urge to laugh. ''We were just talking,'' he replied with an air of nonchalance.
''You don't get to just talk to my girl.''
''Well, I don't know about you, but I'm my own person. And I'm pretty sure she is too. You don't really have the authority to tell me what I can and can't do, Baker.''
The flustered look on Bryson's slab of a face brought a grin to Chase's lips.
''You got lucky with that cheap shot,'' Bryson said. ''How about you try it again with me looking this time. Bet you won't get lucky again.'' His pack of Neanderthals egged him on, jeering and spouting nonsense in hopes to unsettle their new adversary.
Luckily, he wasn't one to be intimidated by empty threats. Lifting his chin, he squinted at the guy. ''You sure you wanna do that?''
Years of combat training with his father and his military buddies when he still lived on-base prepared him for almost any situation—especially one like this. On top of that, his old man taught him to never take disrespect from anyone. And Bryson was getting on his last nerve.
If he didn't back off, he was going to get his nose broken. Again.
Before the star football captain could retort, Stella intervened. Pressing her hand on her boyfriend's chest, she separated the boys while shooting Chase scathing look that made him want to squirm. Frankly, she scared him more than Bryson did.
''He's not worth it, Bry.''
That stung a little.
Okay, it stung a lot.
''C'mon, let's go,'' she suggested.
Her boyfriend nodded and snaked his arm around the girl's waist. A hint of discomfort flashed across her face. The two of them made their way into the crowd of people dancing. Chase watched them disappear from his view. With another sigh, he downed the rest of his terrible beer and walked off in the other direction.
#
Why'd I even come to this thing?
The party got old quickly and Chase found himself lingering around the outskirts of the event. He burrowed his foot into the loose dirt as he enviously watched everyone enjoying themselves. They had the luxury of having stable lives and friends. He never had any of that. Due to his father's profession, uprooting his life at the drop of a dime wasn't a foreign concept to him. Eventually, he grew tired of explaining to people that would be leaving them and stopped making friends entirely.
He learned how to cope by himself. Before starting school, he would spend most of his time doing homework, boxing at the gym, and hunting with his old man. It made being alone just a little bit more bearable.
Then he befriended Theo—or, rather, Theo befriended him. Had it not been for him, Chase probably would've still been the loner he'd been for most his life.
Pulling out his phone, he checked the time. It was nearing midnight and he was running out of reasons to stay. Just as he was about to head to his truck, he heard two familiar voices arguing nearby. His curiosity peaked, he slunk into the woods to investigate.
''You always do this! Why can't we just have a good time?''
Realization struck across his face like a baseball bat. It was Stella and Bryson.
''A good time? Is that what you call that?''
Normally he wouldn't get involved in drama, but he couldn't exactly run away without tipping them off. Unsure of what to do, he ultimately found himself hiding behind a tree listening to their heated argument.
''Oh my god, it was just a kiss. It meant nothing. Besides, I'm drunk! It wasn't even my fault. She came onto me.''
''You know what, Bryson? I'm done.'' She corrected herself. ''We're done.''
''Seriously?''
Seriously?
Chase's face lit up.
Stella didn't respond. Seemingly frustrated by her silence, Bryson hurled a slew of curses and slurs her way before stomping off towards Chase. He must've been right about being drunk because he didn't even notice his blond nemesis as he retreated into the party.
His ears caught wind of Stella's muffled crying. He stiffened. Part of him wanted to walk over to the girl and comfort her but he wasn't sure if that was appropriate. After all, he'd only know her for a few hours. And he was practically her boyfriend's—or ex-boyfriend now—arch enemy.
It was a little too convenient, even for him.
But at the same time, he knew he couldn't just leave her there. Not only was she crying, but she was also alone in a forest. He'd seen too many horror movies to know that never ended well.
He let out a quiet breath and watched it form in the brisk, night air.
''Screw it.'' Clearing his throat, he stepped out from behind the tree. Stella's head immediately shot up and she wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her dress.
''Were you spying on me?'' she asked him. Her voice was raw and she sniffled after she asked the question.
''Not on purpose. I just happened to be nearby when...you know.''
She huffed, unconvinced. ''Right.''
The two of them stood across from each other for a few awkward moments. Stella wrapped her arms around her slim frame, rocking herself in place. Chase could still see the wet streaks on her rosy cheeks; the pale moonlight illuminated her face like a spotlight.
''You...uh...you alright? I can go if you want.''
''I'll be fine. And you don't have to do that,'' she replied. ''Like I said, he was a dick. I'll be better off without him. I think.''
Chase offered her a smile. ''I would say I told you so but....''
''Don't you dare say it.''
He held his hands up, keeping his mouth shut. She wiped her tears once more before meeting his comforting gaze.
''Thanks.''
''No problem.''
''You know, you're not as scary as everyone thinks you are.''
He raised an eyebrow at her comment. ''People think I'm scary?''
Giggling, she nodded.
Chase realized the two of them had been moving closer towards each other with each word they spoke. He felt like a magnet was pulling them together. Normally anything that sappy would've made him want to gag but he was too into the moment to care.
He matched Stella's eyes, his ocean-colored irises meeting her copper ones. She looked up at him, a hint of a smile on her full lips. He wanting nothing more than to lean down and kiss them. Deep down, he knew that would've been too out of line.
But that didn't stop him from considering it.
She didn't seem to be opposed to the idea, though, because he noticed her eyelids fluttering closed. He even swore she started leaning in towards him. With his mind in a frenzy, he attempted to calm him nerves while also trying to figure out what to do next.
Every possible scenario ran through his head, which only caused his anxiety to flare up even more. He opted to shut his brain off for the next few minutes. After all, he found out he did his best thinking when he wasn't thinking at all.
Leaning down towards her, he slowly closed his eyes.
A certain someone arrived on the scene just in time to ruin the moment.
''Chase? Is that you? You dirty dog!''
The two of them jumped, immediately moving away from each other. He knew for a fact his face was a burning shade of crimson. Not even daring to look at Stella, he directed his glare to the person standing a few feet away from them.
It was Theo.
''You two lovebirds can make kissy faces at each other later,'' the boy continued. ''But for now, come with me. There's something in the quarry that you've gotta see.''
''Isn't the quarry off-limits?'' Stella asked, a blush on her cheeks. ''We can get arrested, you know.''
''I don't really want to get arrested tonight, Holland,'' Chase added.
''We won't, trust me. C'mon, it'll be fun.''
That sounded a lot like peer pressure to him.
Before Theo could give them the chance to respond, he sprinted off into the woods, presumably towards the quarry he mentioned. For an asthmatic, the guy could move pretty fast.
Chase hesitantly watched him go. He debated whether or not to follow. While he did want to go, sort of, he felt like what happened—or almost happened—between himself and Stella needed to be discussed.
Decisions, decisions.
''So, about earlier— ''
''We should probably catch up with him,'' she said abruptly, cutting him off. Turning her back to him, she jogged down the trail Theo bolted down.
''Yeah...I guess you're right.''
He frowned as he watched her retreating figure. Shaking his head and mumbling curses intended for his friend, he threw caution to the wind and dove into the woods after them.