My Forever

Chapter 7

I got ready, taking my time and decided I was also going to buy myself some clothes and makeup. I got to the mall and found Chase in the food court with another guy and a girl.

“Hey Harper, you look amazing.” Chase said as he kissed my cheek.

“Thank you.” I responded, blushing.

“This is Caleb and his girlfriend Lisa.”

We all said hi and we started walking through the mall. The guys stopped at a*****e with nothing but ball hats. But right next door was a girl's dream when it came to makeup.

“Chase, I am going to go next door while you get a hat.”

“Ok babe.”

“I will come with you.” Lisa said, grabbing my hand and pulling me to the other store.

I felt like a little kid looking at all the different kinds of makeup.

“Here, this is your color.” Lisa said, handing me a pallet of eye shadow.

“Thanks….is it that obvious?”

“Nah, I’m just really good at this stuff. I really love Halloween makeup but they sort of go hand in hand. I want to be a makeup artist.”

“Maybe you could show me some tips.”

“I would love that…I don’t really have any friends that are girls.”

“Me either. How long have you been with Caleb?”

“I only moved her a month ago and Caleb and I started dating almost right away. I think he is why I can’t seem to make friends. His ex is like the queen B of the school.”

“I just don’t really talk to anybody. Chase actually found me in the library…hiding during lunch.”

She smiled softly and continued to chat as she helped me buy makeup. My first pay as Declan’s assistant was almost 3 times what I was making as a hostess but I didn’t want to blow it all on makeup.

We were standing in line when I felt a pair of strong arms wrap around my waist.

“You are beautiful without makeup.” Chase said in my ear, making me giggle.

The four of us went from store to store. A few times, the guys sat outside the really girly stores and waited.

After a few hours, I was tired. I stopped playing sports when my father died and since, I have not been very physical. Declan had a gym in his house. Maybe I need to start using it. My thoughts ran back to Declan. I wondered where he was and if he was Sophia.

“Are you hungry?” Chase asked, smiling down at me and snapping me back to reality.

“Yes.”

We decided to have dinner outside of the mall. As we waited to be seated, I noticed Declan. He was sitting at a table with Sophia. The two of them laughing and smiling. Pain surged through me.

“Hey, are you OK?” Chase asked, taking my hand in his.

“Oh yeah, I am just really hungry.”

I decided I would focus completely on Chase. That stupid crush was only hurting me.

“So what are you doing for Thanksgiving?”

“Same thing I do every year. I help at a local soup kitchen. It was something my parents used to do before my Dad died and after, I kept doing it without my mom.”

“Wow, that is amazing,” Lisa added.

I found Lisa, Caleb, and Chase would be spending time with family. As I listened to the holiday plans I couldn’t help but feel like I was being watch but I chalked it up to me wanting to be watched by Declan.

But I am sure Sophia has his complete attention.

After dinner, we decided on a movie. I checked my phone one last time hoping for a message of some sort from Declan, but nothing. I slid the phone into my purse and waited for Chase to return with the popcorn and soda.

Shortly into the movie, Chase raised the arm rest between us and wrapped his arm around my shoulder.

I couldn’t help but feel nervous and excited at the same time. Chase is handsome and I know he has dated before me, so a part of me was afraid of making an i***t of myself.

I had stopped focusing on the movie and focused on his thumb that was rubbing the upper part of my arm. The desire for him to kiss me was almost overwhelming.

I turned to look at him, only to find him looking back at me.

In a blink, his lips were on mine. This time it wasn’t like our first kiss. This one was harder and he ran his tongue across my bottom lip. I eagerly opened my mouth to his tongue.

His hand slid down my arm to my upper thigh as the other softly held my face. He squeezed my thigh, making me wish we were not in public.

He pulled away and rested his forehead on mine. We sat like that for a few minutes before I turned my attention back to the movie. I wanted nothing but to spend time alone with Chase.

After the movie, I had gathered the courage to ask Chase if he wanted to come back to mine. I knew from Declan’s comment and from seeing him with Sophia that I would have the house to myself.

Lisa and Caleb left, leaving me and Chase standing by my car.

“Do….Do you want to come over?” I asked, praying he couldn’t hear the trembling in my voice.

“Won’t your Mom be upset about me coming over so late?”

“I don’t live with my Mom.”

“Oh….who do you live with?”

“It’s a story I would rather not talk about, but I should have the house to myself,” I said as my face turned bright red.

“In that case. I would love to come over.” He said, kissing me lightly on the lips.

Chase followed me back to Declan’s house. I could feel the butterflies in my belly. I wasn’t sure what was about to happen but I knew I just wanted Chase to help me forget about Declan.

We climbed the stairs to my room and I watched Chase make his way to my bed and sat down after throwing his jacket on my desk chair.

I stood awkwardly by the door, not sure about what to do next.

“Do…would you…ummm like something to drink?” I said just above a whisper.

“No I’m good. But I would really like you to come over here with me.” Chase said, patting the spot on the bed next to him.

I steadily walked toward him. I sat down next to him but kept my gaze down.

He placed his hand under my chin and made me look at him. “We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to…OK?” He said, brushing his lips across mine.

All I could do was nod, afraid of my own voice.

He smiled before kissing me again. His tongue was dancing in my mouth as I tried to meet his urgency. As we continued to kiss, he slowly pushed me back until I was lying on the bed. His hand roaming my exposed belly.

“You are beautiful.” He said before pressing his mouth back on to mine.