Sage's POV
"So are you going to invite me in or..." Chase trails off.
I feel my cheeks go red as I realise I'm only wearing a pair of PJ shorts and a jumper as well as my hair tied up in a messy bun. I feel his eyes scan me over from head to toe.
My embarrassment is short lived as I take in his face. His face that had only just recovered from bruising is once again a shade of purple, this time on his opposite cheekbone. This wound, however, looks worse than the previous. He looks tired with dark circles developing under his eyes.
"Oh my gosh, you're face!" I exclaim, opening the door wider, letting him in.
He gives me a thankful smile that makes my heart beat quicken. I don't fail to notice how he winces when he moves as if each step is more painful than the last.
"Sage we've already been over this. I can't help that I was blessed with these god-like looks. Surely you should be used to it by now," He says giving me a wink.
I roll my eyes, "Glad to see your ego isn't as damaged as your face." He just chuckles. I close the door behind him, thanking the heavens my dad isn't home to witness Chase stepping foot in this house.
He looks around at the corridor enveloped in darkness. I flick on a light, ushering him into the nearby bathroom where first aid supplies are likely to be. Only in the light do I take in the extremity of the bruise spread across his cheek.
I feel his eyes on me, watching me assess his face. "Well we need to clean this up," I state, avoiding eye contact due to the proximity in which we are standing.
"Aren't you going to ask me how this happened?" He asks sounding confused. I lift my gaze to meet his. His dark hair is a mess as per usual and his green eyes focusing solely on my blue ones.
"First I'm going to clean up your face and then you're going to tell me what happened," I say dragging him over to the vanity where I begin rummaging through drawers.
He positions himself so he is leaning on the vanity, he winces as he adjusts his weight. "What? Where else are you hurt?" I ask, not being able to hide the worry in my tone.
"Don't worry about it, you've already done enough," He says, his green eyes still watching my every move.
"Don't be stupid Chase! You're hurt," I say standing to meet his gaze. I cross my arms, letting him know there is no way in which he won't tell me.
He watches me for a few seconds before taking his jacket and off and lifting his black t-shirt up to reveal his tan skin. A long bruise runs up his left side as if he had been kicked in the ribs. His skin had broken and even though the injury is recent it is already the shades of blues and greens. I find my eyes scanning the rest of his bare skin and my cheeks immediately redden as I take in his sculpted abs. I quickly look back to his wound.
"Enjoy the view sweetheart?" He asks with a smirk on his lips.
"What the fuck happened to you, Chase?" I ask ignoring his comment.
"Well it's a long story," he sighs.
"Well, then you better get explaining," I say as I take out the first aid kit to begin attending to his wounds.
I try to prevent my already red face from turning an even darker shade as he removes his shirt so I can start with that injury.
"Just promise you won't tell your dad or like anyone," He asks sternly absorbing my reaction to his words closely. I look into his eyes, now full of seriousness and I find myself nodding.
He rubs a hand over his face as if he can't believe he is actually telling me this.
"My family obviously isn't the wealthiest and money has always been a problem, even when my dad was still around. A few years ago I decided I wanted to help. I had been approached by an older kid at school who had watched me fight with another dude at lunch once. Don't ask me why we were fighting because I honestly don't remember. Anyways this guy said he knew a place where I could go to improve my fighting and fight others for money. I didn't even consider it to begin with. I didn't want to make getting into fights a frequent occurrence but one night my mum and dad had this huge fight about money. I just remember sitting in my bedroom and thinking how can I put an end to this?" His green eyes flicker with pain as he reminisces on the fight, but he is quick to cover it up.
"So I approached the guy at school the next day and he gave me all the details. He hooked me up with a manager who organised some fights for me. I was shit, to begin with. I didn't begin winning until weeks later, but I was determined and never gave up. Mum found out though and was furious. So was Brett. Luckily, she never told dad or I would have been in deep shit. When we found out about Dad's affair, she begged me to stop. I didn't want to, not because I was addicted but because we needed the money then more than ever. But I stopped anyway because mum felt like she was losing both of us simultaneously." He winces as I run a cotton pad over his wound, trying to clean it.
I can't believe Chase started illegal fighting at such a young age to earn money for his family. I couldn't imagine what he had had to endure.
"I hated fighting with a passion. Still do," He sighs running a hand through his hair. He gazes off into the distance as if he is stuck in another world. "But mum has been unemployed for months, seems like nobody wants to employ the suspect's mother. Money was at a new time low and I didn't know what to do so I went back. Even though I'd been away for over a year as soon as I stepped into the ring everything came back to me. Since going back I haven't lost a fight. Well, that is until tonight," He says painfully.
"What happened?" I ask. My voice seems to bring him back to reality, snapping him out of his trance.
"Brett was there," He says eyes blazing with anger.
"What?" I choke out.
"He was there, watching the fight. It threw me completely off guard and I just couldn't do it," He says sighing helplessly.
What? Why was Brett watching Chase's fight? Well, at least it means he is still alive.
"Did you talk to him?" I ask, my voice coming out strained.
"Yeah, I ran out and confronted him. I don't even remember what was said. It's all a blur. But I definitely got mad at him. I remember he said he was sorry and he was trying to fix it but he couldn't go back. Couldn't go back to his family," He sighs rubbing the back of his neck.
"What do you mean he couldn't go back to his family?" I ask, looking up at Chase.
"His parents were obsessed with image Sage. Still are. They always wanted him to be the perfect kid, no mistakes allowed, perfect grades only. His mum was nice but his dad was terrible. After the affair, it only increased in severity. Brett's dad feared his life was falling apart. He went out of his way to ensure the three of them appeared the same happy family they had always been to the public eye. The affair broke Brett and I's friendship but the need for perfection that that family had is what really destroyed it, shattering it at the core. His dad never liked me because I brought out the real Brett," he shrugs. His face is blank, trying to hide any sign of emotions but I can feel deep down that he is still sad, hurt and mad.
I reach out to him, placing my hand on his arm and giving it a squeeze.
He turns his head to me but before either of us can do anything I hear a familiar sound. The sound of my father's keys in the front door. My eyes widen with alarm. He said he wouldn't be home until later the next day. I guess it technically is the next day but 1 am isn't my idea of late.
I grab Chase's arm, pulling him out of the bathroom, making sure to turn the light off as I go. I drag him into my room just as I hear the front door swing open. I quickly and quietly close my door. I look at Chase's face. For once the boy looks slightly worried, probably at the thought of getting caught.
"Hide in there," I whisper. "Don't make a sound and don't come out until I tell you to."
I don't even wait for a response before shoving him into my wardrobe and diving into my bed. Not daring to make a sound as I hear my dad shuffle around in the kitchen.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
✰ Please vote and comment ✰