The breakfast with Chase and my mom is agonizingly slow. My mother continues to bring up my "wild night" last night and finds every opportunity to ask me if I am tired or hungover. Granted, my actions last night were very out of character but I don't want to hear about it over and over. Has she always been this way? I know she just wants the best for me but she seems to be worse now that I am in college, or maybe being away from her for a week has given me a new found outlook on her.
"Where should we shop?" Chase asks and I shrug. I wish he would have just come alone. I would love to spend time with him but not with my mom here. I need to have a talk with him anyway about telling my mom every detail of my life, especially the bad.
"Maybe we should go to the mall around the block, it would be easier. I am not familiar with the area yet." I tell them, cutting the last few bites of my french toast into pieces.
"Have you thought about where you want to work yet?" Chase asks.
"I'm not sure yet, I am going to find a bookstore I think. I wish I could find an internship or something with a publishing house" I tell them and my mother gives me her award-winning proud smile.
"That would be great, then you could work there until you finish college and go right into working" she smiles again.
"Yea, that would be ideal" I try to hide my sarcasm. Chase grabs my hand and gives it a little squeeze under the table. As I put my fork into my mouth, the metal reminds me of Max lip ring. I need to stop thinking about her. Now. I smile at Chase and pull his hand up to kiss it.
After breakfast my mom drives to the mall. The Vancouver Mall is huge and crowded. "I am going to go into Nordstroms, I will meet you guys after. I will call you when I am ready" My mother tells us and I am relieved. Chase takes my hand again and we browse through multiple stores. He tells me about his soccer game on Friday and how he shot the winning goal, I listen intently and offer him a few comments and praises.
"You look nice today" I tell him and he smiles. His perfect, white smile is adorable. He is wearing a maroon cardigan, khakis and dress shoes. He really does wear loafers. They are cute though and somehow fit his personality.
"You do too Charli" he compliments and I cringe. I know I look like hell but he is too kind to tell me that. Unlike Max, who would tell me in a heart beat. Ugh Max. Desperately wanting to get my mind off of Max, I stop walking and pull Chase by his cardigan into me. I lean in to kiss him and he smiles, but pulls away.
"What are you doing Charli? Everyone will be staring at us" He laughs and I shrug.
"So?" I really don't care, usually I would but I need him to kiss me. "Just kiss me please" I practically beg him. He must see the desperation in my eyes because he tilts my chin up and kisses me. His kiss is gentle and slow, no urgency behind it. His tongue barely touches mine but it's nice. It is familiar and warm. I wait for the fire to ignite but it doesn't. I can't compare Chase to Max. Chase is my boyfriend who I love and Max is jerk who hooks up with a different girl every weekend.
"What's gotten into you?" Chase teases as I try to push his body against mine. I flush and shake my head.
"Nothing, I just missed you, that's all" I tell him. Oh.. and I cheated on you last night. My subconscious adds. "Could you please stop telling my mom when I do things. It makes me really uncomfortable. I love that you are close to her but I really need you to stop telling on me, i feel like a child when you do that" It feels good to get that off my chest.
"I am sorry Charli, I was just worried about you. I promise I won't do it again. Honestly" he says and I believe him. He wraps his arm around my shoulder and kisses my forehead.
The rest of the day is better than the morning, my mom takes me to a salon and I get my hair trimmed and some layers added into it. It still hangs down my back but with my new cut it has more volume and looks much better. Chase showers me with compliments the entire drive back to my dorm. I say goodbye to my mom and Chase, once again promising them to stay away from anyone with a tattoo within a hundred mile radius. I feel a tinge of disappointed when I find my dorm room empty, I am not sure if i was hoping to see Addison or someone else. I don't even bother taking my shoes off before i lay in my bed, I am too exhausted and in need of sleep.
I sleep the entire day and when I wake up Addison is asleep in her bed. We will have to catch up on where she went Saturday and most of Sunday. I stop by the coffee house and grab my usual before heading to my first class. Liam is waiting for me with a smile. We are interrupted by a girl asking for directions and we don't get the chance to catch up until we are walking to our last class of the day. The class that I have been dreading but anticipating all day.
"How was your weekend?" He asks and I groan.
"Terrible actually. I went to another party with Addison " I tell him and he makes a sour face and laughs. "I am sure yours was much better, how is Danielle?"
His smile grows at the mention of her name and I realize that I didn't mention seeing Chase yesterday. Liam tells me about Danielle applying to a ballet company in New York and how happy he is for her. I wonder if Chase's eyes light up when he talks of me like Liam's do as he talks about his girlfriend. he tells me how his father and stepmother were so thrilled to see him and that he did miss him mom while he was gone. His mother must live here or close to here.
"Won't it be hard if she lives so far?" I ask him as we take our seats. Max's usual seat is empty.
"Well we are already far from each other now and it works. Besides, I want the best for her and if New York is the best thing for her, that's where I want her to be." he says and the professor walks in, silencing us. Where is Max? She wouldn't skip class just to avoid me would she? We dive into Pride and Prejudice and the class ends too soon.
"You've cut your hair Charli" I turn around to see Max behind me. Her and Liam exchange awkward stares and I try to think of what to say to Max. I hope she won't mention the kiss in front of Liam, she wouldn't would she? Yes, yes she would.
"Hey Maxxy" I say and she smiles, her dimples deeper than ever.
"How was your weekend?" Her expression is so smug. I pull Liam by the arm.
"Good, I will see you around" I yell nervously and Max laughs.
"What was that about?" Liam asks, obviously catching on to my strange behavior.
"Nothing, I just don't like Max"
"At least you don't have to see him often." there is something behind his voice. Does he know about the kiss?
"Uhm.. yea. Thank god"
"I wasn't going to say anything because I don't want you to associate me with her, but Max's dad is sort of dating my mom" he smiles nervously. What?
"What? Max's dad lives here? Why is Max here, where is her accent from? If her dad lives here why doesn't she live with him? " I flood him with questions before I can stop myself. He looks confused but less nervous than a moment ago.
"She's from London, her dad and my mom live close to the campus but Max and her dad don't have a good relationship. Don't mention any of this to her, please. We already don't like each other." he says and a thousand more questions come to my mind but I stay quiet as he goes back to talking about Danielle.