Chapter 26
The dream came like a storm in the middle of the night.
It slipped in unexpected and blew her away. It forced her to see the differences between the version of Chase today and the boy he used to be.
The one who had known exactly how to find her.
Even when she tried to hide.
It was late.
Too late for anyone to be awake.
But the people in this house never really slept.
Not when her mother drank like that.
Aria sat on the edge of her bed, her knees pulled up to her chest, her fingers pressed tight against her ears.
It didn't help.
It never helped.
The shouting carried through the walls like they weren't even there.
"Aria!"
A fist slammed against her bedroom door.
Hard.
"Don't you ignore me!"
She flinched, her shoulders tightening as her breath caught in her throat.
"I know you're in there!" her mother yelled, her voice thick, slurred. "You think you can just sit in there and pretend like I am not talking to you?"
Another bang.
Louder this time.
"Open the door!"
Aria squeezed her eyes shut, her body curling in tighter on itself.
"I don't have it," she whispered to no one. "I don't have anything left to give you."
Her voice didn't carry past her own lips.
It never did.
The banging got worse.
Angrier.
"You owe me!" her mother screamed. "After everything I've done for you, now you can't even help me out?"
Aria's breath hitched as tears slipped down her face.
This was always how it went.
Always.
The guilt.
The pressure.
The fear that if she didn't open that door, it would come crashing down anyway.
Then...
A soft tap.
Not at the door.
At the window.
Aria froze.
Her head lifted slowly, her breath catching as she turned toward it.
Another tap.
Quieter.
Careful.
Hope flickered before she could stop it.
She slid off the bed quickly, wiping at her face as she crossed the room, her hands shaking as she reached for the latch.
The window creaked as she pushed it open.
And there he was.
Chase.
Half crouched on the narrow ledge, one hand gripping the frame, the other steadying himself against the siding.
"How the hell do you keep doing that?" she whispered, her voice breaking despite herself.
He huffed softly as he climbed inside, landing lightly on the floor.
"Practice," he said, like it was nothing.
Like he hadn't just scaled the side of her house in the middle of the night.
Then he looked at her.
Really looked at her.
And everything in his expression changed.
"Hey," he said, softer now.
She didn't make it two seconds before she broke.
Her hands came up to cover her face as the sob she had been holding back tore through her chest.
"I can't do this tonight," she cried. "I can't..."
He didn't let her finish.
He crossed the space between them in two steps and pulled her into him, his arms wrapping tight around her like he could hold her together.
"I've got you," he murmured against her hair. "I've got you. You're okay."
She clung to him.
Desperate.
Like he was the only thing keeping her from falling apart completely.
The banging on the door didn't stop.
If anything, it got worse.
"Aria!" her mother screamed. "I swear to God, if you don't open this door..."
Chase pulled back just enough to look at her.
"Did she touch you?" he asked, his voice low but sharp now.
She shook her head quickly.
"No."
His jaw tightened.
"Stay here."
Her fingers tightened on his shirt.
"Chase, don't..."
But he was already moving.
He crossed the room and yanked the door open before she could stop him.
Her mother stumbled slightly at the sudden movement, clearly not expecting it.
For a second, she just stared at him.
Then her expression twisted.
"And who the hell are you?" she snapped.
Chase didn't raise his voice.
Didn't need to.
He stepped forward just enough to put himself between her and the room.
"Doesn't matter," he said. "You need to leave her alone... now. Turn around and go sleep it off."
Her mother laughed, bitter and sharp.
"This is my house," she slurred. "I'll do whatever the hell I want."
Chase didn't move.
Didn't flinch.
"She won't be answering this door tonight... I'll see to that," he said. "So you can stop the screaming and banging at the door because you won't be bothering her with me here."
Her eyes narrowed.
"You think you can come in here and tell me what to do?"
"I think you're done banging on her door tonight," he replied.
Calm.
Firm.
Unshaken.
Something in his tone must have landed.
Because her mother hesitated.
Just for a second.
Then she scoffed, waving a dismissive hand.
"This isn't over," she muttered, stumbling slightly as she turned away. "You hear me? This isn't over. She owes me money."
Chase watched her go.
Didn't close the door until he heard her footsteps fade down the hall.
Then he shut it.
Locked it.
And turned back around.
Aria hadn't moved.
She stood exactly where he left her, her arms wrapped around herself, her eyes wide.
He softened immediately when he saw her.
"Hey," he said again, quieter now.
She blinked at him, her voice barely above a whisper.
"You didn't have to do that."
"Yeah," he said, walking back over to her. "I did."
He reached for her again, pulling her back into him, his hand coming up to cradle the back of her head.
"She's not going to keep doing that to you when I'm around," he murmured.
Her breath hitched.
"You can't always be here."
His arms tightened just slightly.
"Then I'll be here whenever I can."
That wasn't a promise he made lightly.
She knew that.
Later..
After the house had gone quiet.
After her breathing had steadied.
After the tears had finally stopped...
She sat on the edge of her bed, watching him as he spread out a blanket on the floor.
"You don't have to sleep down there," she said softly.
He glanced up at her, a small smirk tugging at his mouth.
"Yeah, I do."
"Why?"
He shrugged slightly, like it was obvious.
"So you can sleep."
Her chest tightened.
"You could just stay up here," she said, gesturing to the bed.
He shook his head.
"I'm not pushing my luck with your mom and my sanity in the same night."
That pulled the smallest smile from her.
He noticed.
Of course he did.
"Besides," he added, settling down onto the floor, "I've had worse places to sleep."
She watched him for a second longer before lying back, pulling the blanket up around herself.
The room felt different.
Safer.
Warmer.
Because he was there.
"Chase?" she whispered into the dark.
"Yeah?"
"Thank you."
A pause.
Then...
"Always."
I wanted to pause the present for just a moment and take you back here.