by Nora Cobb
“Let’s go.” I tap his arm as I walk past him to the door.
Chase straightens up but doesn’t ask questions. He pulls the door open, and we head downstairs, stopping to get his guitar.
The students who live in this building have access to the recording studios. Our keycard unlocks the door. We walk through the door situated in the middle of the walkway under the arch. Inside, the recording studio has an iso booth for the musicians, partitioned off with glass from another room filled with soundboards.
“Do you have something like this in your town house?” I ask Chase.
“We have a screening room,” he replies. “You didn’t know?”
I shrugged my shoulders. “I’d heard, but I haven’t explored your building much or this one.”
He nods but doesn’t question it. I’m glad. I don’t really want to tell him that I’m timid about going around on my own. I don’t want to see Silas unless I’m mentally ready.
I look around, not sure what to do while Chase takes his guitar out of this case. It’s not the acoustic that he played at the ball. This is a legitimate electric guitar.
“Is that vintage?” I ask.
He nods. “It’s a Les Paul. You want to hold it?”
I shake my head. “What if I drop it?” My eyes widen. Even though I don’t know about music, I recognize the name.
Chase smiles and motions me to come closer. “That’s why it has a strap.”
The guitar is a lot heavier than I thought it would be, and I hold it in my hands as if I’m holding a rare sculpture. He steps behind me and positions my hands right on the neck and over the sound hole. “Just strum your finger down,” he says against my ear.
I do, but nothing happens. I hear only a tiny sound, but I do feel the thickness of the strings. The heavy metal bites my skin and oddly, I like it.
Chase plugs the guitar into the amp. “Okay, now let’s really play.”
He holds the chords while I strum. A wave of sound comes out, and I start to laugh.
“This is so fucking cool,” I giggle.
He frowns. “I’m surprised you don’t play.”
“Why is that?” I ask.
I feel him shrug against my shoulder. “Because you look like you would. You look like you would hang out at a club.”
“Do they even exist anymore?” I ask.
He shrugs. “Nowadays, you gotta find the bars off the beaten path if you want to hear anything original. I’ll take you some time.”
I turn my head and smile at Chase. I’m just awed by the moment.
“What songs do you know?” he asks.
“Not that many. I had to learn Stevie Nicks.”
“Let’s play one of those then.”
I grimace. “I’m not the best singer.”
He takes the guitar away and puts it around his neck. “You’ve got heart, and that means a lot more.”
Chase gazes at me as he plays a few chords and I feel a little strange. It’s not the same look as when he was checking out my chest. This time, he looks as if he’s checking out my soul. He flips on the mic, and I take it off the stand. He plays “Edge of Seventeen,” and it sounds completely different in electric. His acoustic was miked that night on stage, but right now, we have a whole different connection as we play.
By the time we finish the song, I’m hot, sweaty, and ready to sing another song.
“What else do you know?” he asks me.
“Don’t laugh, but I was really into Florence + The Machine.”
Chase immediately plays the opening to “Ship to Wreck.” I get really into it and completely forget all the shit that’s going on. This is what I thought Redwood would be like, me using my creativity instead of my creativity turning on me. The dream flashes into my mind, but I banish it as I scream out another note. The song ends, and I’m laughing as a sweaty Chase smiles. He wraps an arm around my waist, and I hold onto him.
“Is this place soundproof?” I ask.
He nods. “Sometimes you can feel the vibration if you’re standing by the door.”
Pulling away, I shake out my sweaty hair and I look over. Chase is holding out a joint, and I freeze. I stare at him as if he has a gun pointed at my heart.
“I don’t do that anymore,” I say quietly. “Sometimes, I slip up, but I can’t go back to rehab.”
My eyes widen. I can tell by his expression that he didn’t know. Chase turns and shoves the joint back into his guitar case.
“Sorry, I didn’t know you went to rehab.”
My voice shakes. “Then what did Silas find out about me?”
He shrugs. “Your dad is richer than we thought, and you sucked at school. A C-minus student, Ms. Saunders.”
I smile. “Just barely. I don’t want to spoil your fun. But I can’t smoke.”
He puts down his guitar. “You’re not spoiling my fun. In fact, I’m having a lot of fucking fun hanging out with you. My major is film, but I’m a frustrated musician.”
I sit down on the floor, and Chase sits cross-legged in front of me. “My parents created that agency,” he speaks softly, “and quite frankly, it’s too hard to walk away from. Sure, I could try to do my own thing, but the money we make is insane.”
“The silver spoon,” I reply.
“Dipped in gold,” he adds. “It’s hard to walk away from what you know even if it’s gone bad. I’m sure you know about my parents’ divorce.”
My cheeks heat even hotter, and he laughs. “You don’t have to be embarrassed. Everyone knows about my parents and their love lives with other people. They use sex to control. I never thought I would use it too.”
“With Marcy?” I ask.
His eyes flash, and instantly, I wish I hadn’t mentioned it. “Not the same thing, and we’re not talking about it,” he says. “By the way, I don’t do pills. Just weed.”
“It’s almost legal here.” I try to sound light.
Chase sighs and tilts his head as he stares at me. “You’re pretty, especially when you’re like this.”
“Like what?” I ask.
“Yourself. I always feel your guard going up. But not tonight.”
Chase leans forward, and I stare at his lips. I don’t mean to, but I lick mine. He reaches out and brushes the hair gently off my cheek. I sigh and lean closer, tempted by his touch. I part my lips, and he taps his gently against mine as the heat increases. I tilt my head to the side, and he taps my lips again, but he lingers a little longer.
“You could be my muse,” he whispers.
I lift my brow. “Or you could be mine.”
He places his hand under my chin and his finger trails alongside my neck. “We could write a song together. Sing our own music.”
Fuck, that was a hot line.
His mouth takes mine as I lean into his hard chest. The door is bolted, and no one is around. No one will come in and judge me. Dom won’t find out. Chase can keep a secret. I don’t want them to pick for me. I want to pick the one I want. And right now, I want Chase.
He grabs my waist and pulls me into his lap as my tongue swipes across his lips. I wiggle against him to get closer, as if I could be a part of him. I’m not holding back as I wrap my arms around his shoulders and push my fingers into his hair. Why shouldn’t we be together? He’s broken just like me.
“Vicki, you taste sweet,” he whispers against my hair as he lowers me down to the floor.
I cling to him, not wanting to let his mouth leave mine. My hands stroke his chest, and I moan as I wrap a leg around his hips. Why can’t this be my world, right here, right now? I don’t want to wait. His hand rests on my breast, and he rolls my hard nipple under my shirt between his fingers. I stop kissing his full lips and throw back my head back to moan. He tugs my shirt up, and I watch him pull the cup down. I pant as his tongue draws circles over my skin. He’s teasing me as my hips rise up off the floor.
This could be perfect. We could have this life. We don’t even have to finish school. Our parents are rich. I groan
as his teeth catch my bare nipple and I writhe on the floor underneath him. His hard erection presses into my thigh. I squirm, and he grabs my hips and holds me still as his mouth clamps down on my breast.
“Chase,” I whisper, tugging at his hair. “Too much. Too much. I can’t.”
He holds me tight and his breath covers me. His chest is rising and lowering against my body, and his guttural breaths warm my bare skin. It’s not the same as when he was with Marcy. He was in control, but his control is slipping, and I want him to stop. Marcy’s face is in my head and I can’t stop seeing that evil look. My desire is gone and I feel cold.
I push against him and turn my face. “Please, no.”
My words sound so small, but it’s enough to stop him.
I yank his head off me. His eyes are hazy as he pants over my naked breast. I slip my bra up and tug down my T-shirt. Chase closes his eyes as he slows his breath. Gradually, his grip loosens, and gently, I tumble out of his arms and onto the floor.
“I’m sorry.” My voice cracks. “It’s too soon.”
That damn dream is playing in my mind. I see him again on the couch with Marcy naked on his lap. He smirks at me as I’m being offered to Silas.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper.
Chase sits up with his back to me. He runs his hand through his hair. The back of his T-shirt is soaked, and he breathes heavily. He gets up and opens the door, so we can have fresh air. The cold air rushes in, and I feel calm again.
“I went too fast,” he mutters. “I’m sorry.”
He reaches into the case for the joint then pauses to look at me. “You mind if I smoke?”
I shake my head. “I’m going to go.”
Chase catches my hand. “I like you, Vicki. I don’t have to smoke.”
“It’s okay. I need to work on my project.” I stand up, fix my pants, and grab my purse. The smell of that joint is curling into my nose. I laugh at myself. I couldn’t even handle a cigarette.
I bend quickly and kiss Chase on the temple before I leave.
***
Luna is sitting on the living couch, watching something loud on her laptop when I walk in. She does a double take, and I wonder what I must look like. I reach up and pat down my hair as I toss my purse in the box.
“Did you have sex?” she asks.
I frown. “For a virgin, you seem to know a lot about sex.”
“It’s all over the place. I’d have to be unplugged not to know about it. Besides, my aunt has a boyfriend, and you have that glow all around you. You know, the sex halo.”
I look in the mirror over the junk box. I shudder when I notice how pink my cheeks are. I grab my sweat jacket out of the box and sit down next to Luna. She stiffens and looks at the air, then at me.
“Were you smoking, too?”
“No,” I stare at the screen. “I was around someone who was, and we didn’t have sex.”
Luna looks at me as intently as I continue to stare at the screen. She’s not going to stop until I explain.
“I was with Chase, and he had a joint.”
She collapses forward into her lap, pressing her forehead into her hands. “Vicki,” she moans. “Why are you hanging with him? I thought you wanted to make Dom jealous.” She grabs a pillow and smacks me in the head. “What is going on with you? Did you just discover boys yesterday?”
I take the pillow out of her hand and toss it down. “I don’t know how I feel. I thought about Dom while I was with Chase. But I wanted to be with Chase. And I really hate Silas.” I frown. “My emotions are all over the place. When I was on drugs, I didn’t have to deal with making decisions like this. The only thing I dealt with was how was I going to get it, and when I could use it without being caught.”
Luna places a hand on my shoulder. “Maybe they learned a lesson, and you can leave them alone. They pranked you a few times, and when it got ugly, they backed off. Maybe they grew up a little.”
“I don’t think so,” I whisper. I lick my lips and imagine I can still taste Chase.
Luna sighs. “It wouldn’t be a bad thing if you dated one of them.”
I look at her like she’s crazy, but I’m the one who’s crazy. I almost had sex with Chase because I want Dom.
“No,” I say firmly. “Silas is bad news. Luna, the looks he gives me.” I shudder. “He’s just biding his time. He’ll wait for the perfect opportunity, and then he’ll drag me down to hell with him. Kicking and fighting the entire way. I know one thing for sure. He hates me, and if I know what’s good for me, then I better keep on hating him.”
Chapter Eleven
We sit around the suite, watching Netflix and eating dill pickle potato chips. Just Luna, Talia, and me. Somehow, Theo has been replaced by Talia. We always check in with him, but the atmosphere in his dorm room is creepy. It makes my skin crawl until my shoulders tense up and I’ve got to get out of there. It feels as if we aren’t the only two in there, even when we are. But Theo refuses to hang out in our suite. I understand. I dread seeing Silas, and he hates seeing Rhys.
“This show is insipid,” declares Talia, after another episode ends. “I thought it was supposed to be funny.”
On the floor, Luna lies on her back dressed in sweats, staring at her phone. “It’s trying to be funny. They should’ve ended it after the sixth season.” Luna rolls over onto her tummy. “Let’s do something else.”
“We could walk over to the student center,” says Talia. “It’s probably deserted after the weekend exodus home.”
“Why don’t you go home on weekends?” I ask.
She shrugs her shoulders. “My family drama isn’t tragic, but I like having my space.” She jumps to her feet. “Come on. The campus is like a dystopia on a Sunday morning. We’ll have the place almost to ourselves.”
We wait for Luna by the door as she changes into jeans. I grab a communal lip gloss out of the box and touch up my lips. Talia smirks as she pulls on her jean jacket.
“You’re not going to see anybody,” she says.
I wince a little. “I just want to be prepared. I’m always on the lookout around this place.”
“Anything else happen since the last time?” she asks.
“Plenty,” answers Luna as she joins us by the door. Somehow, in five minutes, she has managed to put on a full face of makeup and a nice pair of jeans with kitten-heel boots. She looks ready for an Insta shoot, not bumming around.
Bright-eyed, Luna looks at me. “We’re sharing, aren’t we?”
I nod as we leave the apartment. “Let’s put some distance between here and us first.”
We walk in silence aimlessly across the campus toward the student center. The light rain has stopped, but the gray sky is overcast though it’s still warm. Today, Redwood has a lackluster feel, as if it’s waiting for anything to happen. It’s autumn without the warm colors of the changing leaves up north. There are a few stragglers inside the student center, but no one is around. At least, no one I don’t want to see.
After a short debate, we head to the food court and order a small pizza. It’s ironic that a high school has a food court that looks like a mall. We toss ourselves into chairs around a café table, and I take a deep breath.
“I made out with Chase,” I announce nonchalantly.
Talia and Luna stare at me like I’m daft. Talia speaks first. “That’s it? What else happened?”
“What do you mean?” I ask defensively, completely put off by their lack of reaction.
She rolls her eyes. “Seriously, we all saw that coming. The two of you have a couple vibe. Two good-looking people hooking up together? We all expect it.”
“We didn’t hook up,” I reply, turning away.
“Not yet,” mutters Talia.
“Well, I have some real news,” boasts Luna, sitting up straight. She’s bubbling over as her hands flap in the air. “I heard back from a modeling agency in LA. I have a meeting to show them my book.”
“That’s great,” I smile. “I guess I’ll be seeing l
ess of you.”
Luna shakes her head. “I won’t sign until the spring.”
“Why not now?” asks Talia, “Might as well get your career going. That’s the reason you’re here.”
“I turn eighteen in the spring,” she smiles, “so I’m going to wait.”
“Why do you need to be eighteen to start?” My dull tone brings the conversation down. “Why is that important?”
“If I start now, I’ll have to involve my parents and get their consent,” Luna explains, “And they’re overseas. Or my aunt will have to act as my guardian, and she’ll probably nitpick over the contract. It’s just easier if I wait.”
