Shades of Chase (English Version)

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I badly wanted to run away as I watched him staring at me with his sharp and intense eyes. Our distance from each other was too little. I feel like any moment from now I will lose my consciousness because of how close we are.

I admit I'm feeling nervous. Nervous because he knew that I was the one who painted his face? Or, nervous because I know he would have a lot of questions to me about why I painted him?

Whatever the reason is, I'm still nervous.

"Have we already met before?" he asked seriously, arms folded across his chest.

I wasn't able to respond right back at him and just continued staring at him. Despite the sharpness of his stares, I can't help but be mesmerized upon seeing how beautiful his eyes were. Somewhere in me thought that I've already seen those caramel orbs in personal and then I realized that Azriel has that kind of eyes, too.

They have the same eyes.

He waved his hand which get me back to my reverie. I blinked several times because of that.

"You're staring too much at me. Maybe you should answer my question first?" He chuckled.

I had to look away from him as embarrassment filled me. I even scratched the side of my head and sighed.

"W-We... don't know each other yet..."

"Just as I thought. Haven't seen your face before," he replied. "But it seems to me that you already know me even if I don't know you?"

How will I explain to him that he is always present in my dreams without him laughing at me, thinking of me as a fool?

"Why did you paint my face, Allison?"

The way he mentioned my name stole my attention. It's like he's trying to taste every letter of it. Like singing his favorite lyrics.

I looked at him and his eyes already drilled into mine. He raised his thick bushy brow as if he's starting to get impatient to hear my answer.

"I-I'm always seeing you in my dreams." I stammered on my response.

I noticed how his brows furrow and his forehead frowned at what I said. He looks surprised but that emotion was immediately replaced by mockery. The corner of his lips rose as he seems to find what he heard unbelievable.

"I'm serious..." he chuckled.

"Me, too. I always dream of you." I breathed a sigh. "Every time"

When he noticed the stoic expression on my face, I saw him bite his lower lip. It's as if he's trying to suppress the laugh that's about to burst out of his throat.

"We met in your dreams, huh? So what are we in those dreams? Are we somehow..." He gestured in hands. "You know, connected to each other?"

I shook my head and looked down, "We are not talking. I always see you in my dreams but there have never been any interactions between us, none at all."

His teeth tugged a smaller part of his lips while eyeing me intensely.

"You're really serious about it, aren't you?"

I pouted. "Yes..."

"Is it possible? Dreaming of someone you haven't met before? Are you certain we have not met each other before? Or maybe you're just denying that we have met? We sure never became hook ups, yeah?"

I glared at him. He groaned, lifted his head and shut his eyes tight as if he all of a sudden became frustrated.

"You surely won't forget that kind of face, Chase..." he murmured.

He blew out a deep breath and unlocked his eyes. He shifted his gaze before looking down while I am still glaring at him from where I am.

"I'm sorry, Allison. Didn't mean to ask you that. It's just that I can't believe situation like that happened in reality—"

"It happened, I experienced it whether you believe it or not. I myself cannot believe I'm seeing you and that you're real."

He slowly nodded his head as if he suddenly fell in deep thoughts. Its nearly a minute when he glanced into my eyes again, all serious and dark.

"This is insane..."

I nodded. "I know. I'm sorry if you found your face hanging at an art exhibition without your knowledge and consent. I really did not know that you exist."

I feel like he is really not taking seriously whatever I'm telling him because he is just looking at me, face void of any reaction, and not even blinking.

He then exhaled and stood straight that made him even more tall. I noticed that I'm just up to his shoulder. He looked on his side for a moment. His jaw looks more define and as the sun illuminates his eyes, the caramel shade of his orbs appeared much vivid.

"I want you to remove that painting from the wall..." he uttered, voice deep and hard as a steel.

He stared at me and the intensity of his stare bought goosebumps all over me. I had to look down because his looks were like a magnet getting all the energy from me.

I nodded without saying anything. He probably hates the idea of his face hanging on a public place. He might be a private person and probably doesn't want attention. Honestly, I don't feel any guilt as it's not really my fault. I didn't know that the man in my dreams is really existing until I saw him a while ago.

Still, I have no choice but to follow what he wanted because that's his face after all. His face that I would also probably need to stop using as a subject unless he permits me to.

"I-I will remove it..." I said, head still hung low.

"And sell it to me after."

I immediately looked up to see his face. Our gazes met but I couldn't find any hint of mischief in his eyes.

Sell? Did I hear it right?

"W-Why...Why would I sell it to you?"

His brow raised in a snobbish look. "Because it's my face?"

That's not what I meant. Why does he want to buy it? Did he like it? Was he angry at me for making his face a subject of my painting? Wait, I'm confused!

"Chase!"

I was about to respond when we heard that voice from afar. I looked behind him as he did and saw his two friends. I looked up at him and caught him staring at me. He raised his eyebrows at me.

"They're calling for you," I said.

"We're not yet done talking..."

"I'll think about it."

Wow Tanya! And the audacity of you to say that?

I heard him sigh before he looked back. His friends finally right next to us.

"I'll go ahead. My wife is already looking for me." The man I remember as Cole butted in.

"I'll go ahead too—"

"Why? Is Trinity looking for you?" Cole asked Flavian while smirking. "Ooops, sorry, I forgot she's with her husband."

"Fuck you, asshat," Flavian answered back. "I hope Marga gets pissed at you."

Among the three, Flavian has the most intense and sharp eyes. His features are too hard and dangerous. Like he doesn't fool around, very ruthless.

"Why don't you two just go the fuck home? You can just text me, you know." Chase said, obviously irritated.

Cole and Flavian looked at each other before they smirked.

"Dude, are we interrupting something?" Cole teased him.

"We're having some business here—"

"Business my fucking ass. We'll go ahead," Flavian said and glanced at me. He didn't even smile at me. He just turned his back at me and walked away.

Cole tapped Chase's shoulder and then glanced at me. He smiled at me. Compared to Flavian, he looks approachable and easy to get along with.

"Nice to meet you, Tanya." He said.

I answered him with a small smile. He then turned his back and run after Flavian. Chase anchored his eyes back to me.

"Name your price..." he started again.

I shook my head. "You don't have to pay for it. I will give it to you because it's your face. I used your face as a subject without your consent so I'm giving it to you for free."

"That painting deserves cash, Allison."

"No need. You don't have to pay for it because I still have a lot of spare in my room—"

My eyes were wide upon realization of what I blurted out. I saw how Chase's expression turn from being serious to goofy. The edge of his lips raised in a taunting smirk.

"Makes me want to see your room and have a glimpse of your other paintings of me as well." his voice laced with mockery.

I can feel my cheeks beet as a red with embarrassment. I looked down, closed my eyes and bit my lower lip.

You did not just say that Tanya. You did not humiliate yourself in front of him.

"Feeling embarrassed now, huh?" he added.

When I unlocked my eyes, I took enough courage to lift my head and stared at him into the eyes.

"I can't think of any reason why I keep seeing you in my dreams. I'm sure that I haven't met you before. I don't have any idea as well, that of all the people I can ever dream of, it's you I'm always dreaming of. And I did not expect nor ever imagined I would have the chance to meet that man until now."

He nodded, gone the smirk and playfulness. His faced now back to having a stoic expression. He leaned the side of his shoulder back to the shed without removing his eyes from me. He crossed his arms above his chest that made me see some of his thick and greenish veins there.

"I'm also wondering, Allison..." he started in a husky voice. "What role am I possibly going to play in your life that you have to dream of me. For someone that you have not met before."

I averted my eyes from him. "I can't answer you on that, Chase."

The afternoon wind blew. My straight, waist -length hair is gently dancing in the wind. The sky is now starting to turn orange and the light of the setting sun is on us both.

I decided to avert my gaze back to Chase. And same as earlier, he's still looking immensely at me. And now that our eyes are locked with each other, I can't help but to feel uneasy and nervous at the same time.

"Let's find the answer together then." he said that made my heart skip a beat.