The holidays had been uneventful for the most part, which is just how I like it. I've had so much fun just being lazy for once and not having anything to worry about. Vitaly is great company and when he isn't at training, he's on my lap watching a movie with Chase and me.
Faye has been out and about, busy as usual because nothing can keep her inside all day, not even a puppy. Vitaly is already the gift that keeps giving, and I completely adore him. He is already so well behaved and we just got him. I don't know if he is naturally like this or if it's his training paying off, but either way, I'm not complaining.
"So you know that it's New Years' Eve today right?" Chase asks from beside me. Currently, I'm leaning against the armrest of the couch with Vitaly on my lap and my legs draped over Chase's lap.
I roll my eyes. "Yes dear, I'm not quite senile yet," I say, turning my head to face him instead of the tv.
"There will be a party at the house tonight, but before you say anything, I would never ask you or expect you to go back there anytime soon, or at all, so I'm just letting you know that there is going to be one." He says cautiously. Where did I find this man? He is so sweet and protective of me and I couldn't ask for anything better.
"Chase, I'll be okay. Thank you for telling me, because we'll be there." I say with finality, leaving no room for discussion. I can tell he's surprised and honestly, so am I, but I realized that I don't want to hide forever, and I know that all of our friends will be there, and we should go spend time with them at least.
With the encouragement from everyone, especially Chase, I've been going to see a therapist weekly to talk about what occurred on Halloween. I haven't spent any nights without Chase or Vitaly, but I feel like I'm making progress and closing myself off less. Especially with no more secrets between us.
He looks wary and I can tell he's about to say something but I interrupt. "I'm ready. We're going." I say again and get up off the couch, forcing Vitaly to sit on Chase instead while he whines and looks up at me as if I've abandoned him.
I shower and leave my hair down to air dry, as we still have a few hours before we'll have to leave. Putting lotion on all over my body, I get up and play some music while doing my makeup. I jump when I notice Chase, leaning in the doorway, taking in the sight before him.
Laughing, I realize that I must look ridiculous in my towel, wiggling around on the chair trying to dance while humming along to the song playing, and trying to do my makeup.
This time, I go for a darker, more elaborate look than usual as it is New Years' Eve and because I feel like it. I apply concealer and bronzer, then I apply a smokey grey eyeshadow to my eyes and line them with eyeliner. Finishing off the look with mascara and leaving my eyebrows how they are, I turn to Chase with my thumb pointing towards the ceiling then the floor, asking if it looks good or bad.
He nods. "Stunning, but I was going to say that before you put all that on." He says, waving his hand around my face, referring to the makeup. I blush, still not able to take his frequent compliments, but I smile nonetheless.
I stand up and give him a slow, sweet kiss and he pulls back and claps his hands. "Alright, you finish up and we'll go. I want to get there early to help." He says and sits on the bed to watch me get ready. I run some product through my now dry waves and fluff it up to give it some volume.
Standing up, I smirk at Chase before dropping my towel cheekily. His lips part and his green eyes travel all over my body. I turn away from him and face my wardrobe, laughing quietly when I hear a fake sob come from behind me.
I slip on a short and tight, light blue satin dress that hugs my figure perfectly and doesn't allow me to wear underwear, adding to Chase's discomfort and to my satisfaction. I refuse to allow one bad experience to dictate what I can wear, so despite my slight reservations, knowing that Chase will be by my side allows me to calm my nerves.
Turning around to gauge his reaction, I see that his face is red and he's shifting uncomfortably on the bed. He shakes his head as though he can refuse for me to wear this dress, only adding onto my desire to wear it. I sit beside him and pull on a pair of silver, strappy heels and stand up, waiting for him to collect himself so that we can leave.
"You're killing me, babe." He whines like a child and I roll my eyes, secretly revelling in the looks he's giving me with my arms crossed.
"Come on you big baby, can't handle a little dress?" I raise a challenging eyebrow.
"No, I can't. This dress has defeated me." I let out a little snort while I laugh. Defeated?
"You're such a dork, I love you," I say and pinch his cheek as if he is a child. He grumbles something like "I'll show you a dork." but gets up and brushes past me, leading us both out of the door and to his truck. Surprisingly, I'm not very nervous to go back to the soccer house. All this time I've thought that it would bring back haunting memories, but I have more good memories in that house that overpower the one bad one.
I refuse to let my one bad experience hang over my head like an omnipresent force any longer, so I straighten my back, breathe in deeply, and hold my head up with confidence when we pull up the driveway. The beautiful stone house greets me and I'm excited for the night ahead. The sun is rapidly lowering at this point and Chase walks around the truck to open my door for me, lifting me out of it by my hips, I smile at him as he gently sets me on the ground and gives me a light peck on the cheek.
"Ready?" He asks, looking nervous as if he's about to whisk me away and hide me in my apartment.
"Are you?" I ask and walk past him to the doors of the house, not bothering to wait. I open the door and let myself in, being greeted by some of the guys who tell me that they're "glad to see me back" and "not letting me leave again".
I laugh and wave to them as I walk to the kitchen with Chase trailing behind me, an amused smile painted on his face. I take a box from the counter and start sorting through it, taking out decorations and picture props, laying them all out on a table near the door. Chase is just looking at me with a baffled expression.
"I see you're taking this well," I say sarcastically to Chase and he snaps out of it, smiling at me but going to help the guys load the booze in. They must have some sort of deal with the liquor companies because there is no way they buy all of it for full price so often. Not to mention the fact that most of them are underage.
Some more girls show up and they come to help out seeing as there isn't really anything else to do with so little people. Faye arrives and I introduce her to them. The girls are nice and nothing like the kind of girls that I usually see at these parties.
More and more people start to show up and crowd the place as I expected they would and we all claim a couch in the games room before they get taken. The group continues to talk and it's nice to hang out with some new people.
The girls introduce us to their friends and connection to the party, a guy on the team who lives here named Theo and his friend Robert who is practically attached to one of them, hanging on every word she says. Chase and the boys find us after a while and we break off into teams to play beer pong. Chase and I are on a team this time which Faye and Reece complain about.
Dream team.
Chase and I end up winning in no time and we play Maddox and one of the girls, while two other teams play at the other table; loser gives up the table, that way new people can play. Time passes by quickly because we're having so much fun and before I know it, the volume of the tv is turned up to announce the countdown until midnight. In just a few minutes, it will be a new year, a new start with my new friends.
Everyone stops playing while we wait, the chatter of the house becoming almost deafening to hear but all I can focus on is Chase. He looks down at me with a genuine smile and his eyes light up, pulling me into a hug.
10
Chase squeezes me tighter and runs his hands up and down my back.
9
I nuzzle my face into his solid chest, snuggling into his familiar warmth.
8
Chase pulls back and gazes into my eyes with what I can only assume is love.
7
I admire the color of Chase's gorgeous green eyes, full of light.
6
Chase brings a hand up to brush his knuckles against my cheek.
5
I lean into his hand, closing my eyes.
4
Chase pulls me in closer, my body heating up with the lack of space between us.
3
I feel the familiar shocks of electricity and a rush of warmth travels through me.
2
Chase leans in, eyes now focused on my waiting lips and my eyes close in anticipation.
1
Our lips meet and the feeling can only be described as magical. As I do every time I kiss Chase, I feel weightless and powerful, pulling his face impossibly closer to my own and kissing him with so much passion I fear that if he were to let go, I would topple over.
Happy New Year!