CHAPTER 16 - The Talk
Luckily the yacht was docked, Chase escaped and evaded the people quickly and duck out of the reunion. Chase heads to Bradley's bar, and hung out with him for a while. They drank but Bradley respected Chase enough not to get him drunk. "Isn't it your high school reunion or something?" Bradley yelled. "Fuck that!" He said, feeling all tipsy.
Bradley knew something was up, but as a good friend of Chase he decided to stop and take Chase out for a breath of fresh air. "Buddy, take it easy." Bradley said. "It's the weekend, let's party and have some fun because I fucking need it tonight!" He said slurred. Bradley laughs and puts an arm around Chase.
The club was raging, it was filled with celebrated people and Chase and Bradley were wild as fuck. Bradley brought some girls with him in the VIP section where some of them danced with Chase, but nothing happened until, Sophie shows up.
"Oh my god! You came!" Bradley shouted into Sophie's ears. "Of course I came, I had nothing better to do." She shouted back and he grabs her hand and brings her to the table where Chase was drinking a lot of shots of tequila with some girls.
Chase looks up, "Well, if it isn't the home-wrecker!" Chase greeted Sophie. "What the fuck is he doing here?!" Sophie whispered into Bradley's ear. "Let him be, he just had a bad night at his high school reunion." Bradley said. They look at Chase who kept on drinking and drinking until he broke a glass. "Chase, I think it's time to go, man!" Bradley shouts.
Chase looks at Sophie deviantly and stands to go near her, "It's all your fault. We could've been great together, but now I look at you and see a desperate celebrity who wants to ruin people's lives! Thanks for telling me about Riley, thanks for ruining my relationship with Allie, and fuck you you lousy kisser." He shouted.
Sophie tore up and slapped Chase, "You asshole! No matter what you say or do I still fucking love you!" She retorted and walked out. Bradley steps in, "Chase, I think you've had enough bro. It's time to go." He said and Chase just nods and doesn't say anything. He was drunk.
Bradley, who wasn't drunk, drives to Central Park which was nearby. They go into Central Park and they walk silently seeing their breaths because of how cold it was. Then they sit on a bench overlooking the city.
"Do you wanna talk about what happened at the club earlier today or just go straight to the one with Allie?" Bradley asks. "Fuck Sophie, man. She ruined my fucking life." Chase replied. Then there was silence.
"Bradley, am I that boring to you?" He asked breaking the silence. "No, you just work hard." Bradley replies. Chase then brings out a flask from the inside pocket of his blazer and drinks it. "Ahhh I see." Chase said. Bradley grabs the flask and drinks it too. "What's the problem, Chase?" Bradley asked.
"I-I don't know, am I that stupid thinking that Allie would change?" Chase asked. "Why? What happened?" Bradley asked. "I don't know, it's just that, before I got together with Allie, she was this type of girl that slept with every guy on the first date." Chase said, and then he slowly sniffs his nose, tearing up.
Chase went on, "She's difficult, she's stubborn, and she's really a pain in the ass you know?" Chase waited for his response, but there was none. He continued, "I saw her talk to Riley earlier tonight." He finally said. "Who's Riley?" Bradley asked. "He's her ex fiancé." Chase replied. "Maybe they were just catching up or something?" Bradley said. "Maybe. I don't know." Chase said shaking his head. "Maybe you're just over thinking and overreacting about this situation, they just talked!" Bradley said.
"Not just talk. They laugh, he brushes his hand on her back, he tucks her hair behind her ear and they tickle each other." Chase said. "Maybe they're just being friendly towards each other." Bradley said. "Too friendly." Chase added. "You should just talk to her and sort things out." Bradley said.
Chase shook his head, "And it's not just the guys, man." He said. Bradley was confused, "What else?" He asked. "Allie is drowning with 560,000 dollars in debt." He said and Bradley's eyes opened wide. "A couple of days ago, I paid it." He said. "Every cent?!" Bradley asked and Chase nodded. "Why? Did she make you do it?" Bradley asked. "She didn't make me do it. I did it because I love her." Chase replied.
Bradley shook his head, "C'mon man, I think you need t rest." He said. "I don't know, can I just crash at your place tonight?" Chase asked. He looked at Chase sob and he could really see that he's hurt. "Alright, buddy." Bradley says and puts a hand on his shoulder patting it.
Chase passes out in Bradley's limo and he brings Chase back to his apartment. When Bradley enters Chase's apartment he sees Allie sitting on the couch looking so worried. When she heard him enter, she stood up and looked at Bradley carrying Chase. "Thanks" She said to Bradley while her eyes are becoming watery. Bradley ignores her, and heads straight to Chase's room and puts him to sleep.
When he goes out of his room, Allie stops him. "Bradley, tha..." She was cut off by Bradley. "Save it, Allie." Bradley raised his voice and he walks going to the door. "What does that mean?" Allie asked.
Bradley looked back at Allie and snapped. "You know what? Chase has been good to you. He was nice enough to let a stranger live in his gorgeous home, he let you have your freedom when you just started living here by letting guys you barely know sleep with you, he even offered to help you start up your own business, he even helped your brother get a job for Christ's sake! And worse of all he paid your debt, all 560,000 dollars, every fucking cent!" Bradley yelled.
Allie didn't say anything even though the words pierced through her heart. "He sacrificed a lot of things for you and what do you do? You flirt around with your exes. Don't think for one second we're all on your side. Don't think for one minute that we liked you. Stop using Chase and his hard earned money! Yeah, he told me that you don't pay rent because you don't have enough money because you're spending it on your brother. Newsflash for you, Allie, you can't live off of Chase all your life! Get your mind right and do the essential things you need to do in a person's life!" Bradley yelled.
"I'm just doing my job as his friend to protect him from leeches like you. Good bye, Allie and I hope karma finds you as fast as I could slam this door." He yelled again and then slammed the door. Allie felt embarrassed, she stood there crying and sobbing and breaking down.
Chase heard the whole thing, so he went out of his room. He sees Allie, on the couch crying and sobbing. He went near her and sat beside her. "Allie?" He asked softly. Allie didn't reply and continued crying. Chase put his arms around her and pulled her closer to him. "I'm sorry." He whispered. "I-I'm sorry for the way I acted, tonight." He added.
"How the hell did you know I was drowning in 560,000 dollars in debt?!" She raised her voice. Chase fell silent and let go of Allie. "Why the fuck did you pay off my debt?!" She yelled. "I was going to tell you." He said. "Fuck you, Chase!" She said out of anger.
Allie pulled away from him and stood up, "How could you just sit there and not notice that this situation is not about apology but a matter of concern!" She yelled. "I know you heard the whole thing, and I can't believe you told Bradley everything! I'm so embarrassed!" She continued to yell at him. Chase stood up and faced her, "Hey! Don't make me the enemy here! He's one of my closest friends and I can tell him anything I want to!" Chase shouted. "That was private, Chase! That was supposed to be between us! Don't you get it?" She debated.
"And I can't believe you ditched me in your high school reunion without even talking to me or asking me why I was talking to Riley. I can't believe you're that immature to think that I was even flirting with him, he's getting married to Monica, you idiot! He asked if I could cater on his wedding reception." Allie shouted.
Chase didn't answer, he was stunned. "If you had a problem with me talking to other guys, you could've told me that you were uncomfortable with it, and then I would've avoided them. Don't you trust me?" She shouted. "I trust you, Allie! It's them I don't trust." Chase said. "That's all you could say?" Allie shouted. "What do you want me to say? I already apologized but that's not what you want. What the fuck is there to say to you?!" Chase yelled.
"First, I didn't ask, if you could give my brother a job, you offered to let him meet with Bradley. Second, I told you don't pay for my rent because I'll make it on time, but you like paying ahead! Third, didn't I tell you I don't need you to build me my own restaurant because I will do it through time? Fourth, you get mad at me if I talk to other guys and if you hang out or go on dinner dates with Sophie, I'm supposed to just believe what you say?! Lastly, you had a private eye do a fucking background check on me and my finances?! That's what you call invasion of my fucking privacy! Why the hell are you telling them lies? Why the hell are you doing something I never asked you to fucking do?!" Allie yelled.
Chase fell silent; he didn't know what to say. "You know what? That's the last straw! I'm out of here, I'm moving out tomorrow. I told you, I don't fit in this world of yours. I'll pay you back the 560,000 dollars, even if it costs me my life!" She yelled and walked away, Chase grabbed her hand. "Don't say that!" He screamed as he gripped her hands. "You're throwing all of this? Fuck it! Don't pay me back, I did it so you won't have any more problems to worry about! I don't have a world if it's not with YOU!" He yelled.
"Stop underestimating yourself! That's not you! You do that every chance you get, and I'm sick and tired of hearing you underestimate yourself saying, 'you're poor' saying that 'you don't fit in my world' I don't get it! What more do you want from me? Are you finding reasons not to be with me? Do you even want to be with me? Do you want me to break up with you so that you'll get the easy way out? What is it?!" He paused. "Didn't I tell you, I love you? Didn't I tell you, I choose you? Didn't I tell you, I'll always be here for you?" He shouted.
"We're just too different to be together, Chase." Allie said. "I love you so much." She added. "I don't know what to do. You're such a good guy, Chase and I don't want to hurt you. And I sure as hell don't wanna use you for your money." She said softly breaking into tears. "Then we'll work it out." Chase said as he pulls her in and hugs her. "Please. I want to work this out. I want you." Chase whispered. "I love you so much that it hurts." Allie said as she cried on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry." Chase said. "Please forgive me, Allie." He added. "Forgive me for everything I have done wrong." He said. Allie didn't say anything, instead she just continued crying in his arms. "It's so hard not to forgive you, I hate you, Chase." She said and looked at him in his eyes. "I love you." Chase said and then kissed her but she pulled away and started walking towards the door. "Where are you going?" He asked. "To clear my head." Allie said and then walked out the door.
Chase was dismayed and had the urge to go after her but she looked too sad and he thought that it was best to let her be and be alone. She had some thinking to do and so did he. What has he done? He thought. This wasn't supposed to be this way.
Do you think Bradley was being too harsh? Do you think Chase should shut his mouth if he doesn't know the other side of the story? Do you think Chase was overreacting? Will these two go the distance? Find out more in the next chapter of "The Decision" | Sound Off, Comment, and Tell me what you think! ;)