Love Me (The Love Between Us Book 1)

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

After returning back to school two months ago we were faced with some obstacles, and just like Chase had told me we faced them together. The first day back we walked hand in hand together to face the gossip that waited for us. Megan had spread the rumor that the reason Chase and her weren’t back together yet was because of me. Which Chase corrected anyone who dared to ask him for the truth behind what Megan was saying.

Then we dealt with his friends accepting our relationship, but Chase made it known that no matter what they decided he would choose me over them. Brady and Logan had to no quarrels about us being together. Ford, on the other hand was still

adjusting and the fight between him and Chase that night as caused a drift in their friendship.

Even obstacles I needed to face on my own Chase was there to support me threw them. I was able to make a starting position on the varsity basketball team but it came with unwanted teammates. Chase encouraged me to keep playing like I always do and they would eventually except my place on their team. Which he was correct to the extent that we play great on the court, but there’s no true friendships off the court.

My love and accepting of this feeling grows each passing day for Chase to the point where I’m even looking at colleges closer to home. I’ve always dreamt of going to University of Tennessee to play basketball there, but the thought of being far away from him has me rethinking that part of my plans.

I find myself being with him has much has I can, but not forgetting about my friendship with Julia as well. Which is why I’m running late to first period this morning, I rode with Julia instead of with Chase and we ended up get a flat tire on our way to school.

I walk into speech class that was already in progress and give my apology and late slip to Mrs. Stiles.

“Hi” I say to Chase as I take my seat beside him.

“Should have rode with me. I would have made sure you got to school on time.” Chase says with a smile.

Mrs Stiles voice brings my attention to her has she explains the upcoming assignment on our next speech. “The topic is fear, I want you to write a speech about what you fear the most. You will give your speech in class and then we will discuss has a class ways to overcome those fears. Your speeches will be given the day before spring break starts.” She continues on with other topics and assignments we will work on after we return from break.

Once the bell rings ending first period I take Chase’s hand to head to our next class.

“You still leaving the day before spring break starts.” Chase ask as we walk the hall.

“Yeah, I need to see if Mrs. Stiles will let me give my speech when we come back.”

“Or you could just not go and spend the whole week with me.” Chase tells me with hope that I’ve changed my mind. My plans for spring break didn’t have Chase excited about me having to be gone the whole time. But my old basketball team is being awarded for our achievement at the Junior Olympics and I wanted to spend sometime with one of my teammates Kendra in Tennessee before coming home.

I pull him to a stop so I can wrap my arms around him. “It’s just for a week Chase and when I get back I’ll make it up to you.”

“I know, I’m going to miss you like hell you know that right. And you’ll have a lot of making up to do when you get back.” He adds a pout at the end with his lips.

“I’m going to miss you too.” I kiss away the pout.

“Break it up you two love birds.” Julia says, as she approaches us “So, what are you two talking about?”

“How you made my girl late for school.”

“Hey! That was not my fault, and it’s not like she missed much. Teachers are barely handing out work with less than three days to go until break.”

A frown forms on Chase faces causing Julia to laugh, “Oh, is someone still not happy about his girl leaving.”

Chase ignores her comment and gives me a quick kiss, “I’ll see you in class. Good-bye Julia.” I watch him walk off towards our next class as my best friend breaks out into laughter.

“I still can’t believe he still upset about you leaving, it’s not like your not coming back to him.” Julia says, as she tries to get her laugh under control.

“He just doesn’t like the fact this will be the first time we will be apart.” I try to explain to her.

“I get it, but what are y'all going to do when he goes off to college?”

“I don’t know, when I think about it I get scared he’ll find someone else.” I say with honesty. Because I’m not certain what will happen once he heads off to college, it’s a subject we haven’t dared bring up and I’m not sure why.

“Then don’t think about it, I’ve got to get to class. I’ll catch up with you later.” Julia says, leaving me by myself in the hall.

The rest of the school day goes by fast and true to Julia’s words the teachers barely give any school work to do but opting to watch videos instead. Even practice is simple with shooting drills and then we’re released early, with no games schedule this week the coach declares it a rest week.

I make my way to where Chase’s is waiting for me has his practice was cut short as well.

“You ready to head home?” he ask, has I get in his car.

“Yeah, I need a shower before we head over to yours.”

As soon as we arrive to my house I leave Chase in my bedroom and head for the bathroom to take a shower. When I enter twenty minutes later I find Chase near my desk holding a piece of paper in his hand.

“What this Bree?” He ask, while showing me the paper he’s holding, which I now notice is the application to Texas Tech.

“I just wanted to give myself options Chase.”

“Then tell me why only the colleges in Texas are filled out and the one you truly want to attend remains blank?”

I don’t understand why he is mad about me not filling the application out for Tennessee. I thought he would be happy that I would change my plans and stay closer to him.

“I was thinking about staying closer to home.”

“Are you doing it for yourself or for me?”

“I thought you would be happy that I decided to stay closer to home Chase. What’s the problem with me changing my decision on what school I play basketball at?”

“The problem is I never wanted you to give up your dreams. I wanted us to find away together to make this relationship work without you coming to regret anything. I don’t want you to ever tell me you made a mistake and I distracted you from choosing what you truly wanted.” Chase says, has he throws the application back on my desk. “You made a decision without even talking to me, who’s to say I wouldn’t have chosen to follow you to college Bree?”

“I’m sorry” Is all can get out.

“I’m sorry too Bree, I won’t let you change your plans for me. Maybe this time apart from each other you can decide what you want to do for yourself instead of thinking what would make me happy.”

“What are you saying Chase? Are you saying you want to take a break, end this?” I ask with a panic in my voice.

“I think we need a break, I don’t want you to ever come to me and tell me I held you back.” And with that said, Chase walks out of my room, out of my house. Leaving me feeling like I failed.

I skipped school the rest of the week claiming I’m sick, which in all honest I felt sick every time I replayed Chase’s words. The day of my departure for my trip comes and I made arrangements with Julia to take me to the airport in Amarillo.

“Hey, thanks for the ride.” I tell her, when she arrives at my house to pick me up.

“Your welcome, you got everything you need?”

“Yep, ready to go.”

When we pass Chase’s house and the urgency to see him one more time before I leave over takes me and I find myself asking Julia to make a detour to the school. I know when we arrive he’s still in speech for another twenty minutes. I enter the classroom just has a student finishes up their speech over fear.

Mrs. Stiles is the first to knowledge my presence, “Miss Porter I thought you weren’t going to be here today.

“I’m actually heading to the airport now, but I wanted to see if I could give my speech before I left.” I explain to her, which in returns she allows me to proceed to the front of the class.

I look to Chase before I begin and see that his eyes are cast down. The desire for him to look at me pushes me on to give my speech.

“I fear distractions, I created this plan for myself fearing that if I let the slightest distraction in, I would fail. What comes with fearing this is that I would never let anything in, I’ve come to learn that some distractions are also experiences and that some experiences you need to have in life. For instance, love, I recently allowed myself to experience this. At first I feared it was a distraction and fought against, but I was wrong. Love is one those distractions that can be great and you find yourself making adjustment so you don’t lose it.” I look right to Chase as I finish my speech so he knows that I’m trying to tell him to love me, because I need him more than basketball “And that what I was doing, I was finding a way not to lose you because I need you to keep pushing me so I don’t fail. I’m standing here telling you to love me.” The room is quite has I finish my speech, my eyes never leaving Chase as I wait for him to look up at me, but he never does. I thank the class and make way out to where Julia waits, tears I felt forming release down my face as I get into the truck.