Chasing Charlie [REWRITE]

Chapter Seventeen

Charlie

It's become routine to walk to and from school together, in the past few weeks, officially now that Chase is back from being sick. I don't know if it's a comfort thing for the both of us, or if it's an anxiety thing but I like our walks. Not one's ever the same, sometimes we can't seem to shut up, other times we listen to our own music and don't talk at all. I can't seem to predict what kind of Chase I'm gonna get each day, although he's always so nice and patient and curious. 

I won't say it's been an easy few months, especially since I've started taking meds and especially from the news I received last week but I'm slowly feeling more like myself again. I know it hasn't all been me either and for the supports I have around me, I'm grateful.

It's strange how it's gone from him being a mystery to being considered a close friend. I wouldn't say it's been easy for him to befriend me and I'm not entirely sure what he sees in me apart from the depressive person I've become but I'm glad he's been persistent. I know that if I was in his shoes I wouldn't bother after a few conversations but regardless I'm thankful to have a friend after months of solitude within my head.

But I still feel so confused by him. He's so open yet so secretive all at once. I don't exactly know everything going on in his life and why he can't walk but he's been open about other things, it feels rude to ask. It doesn't exactly feel like a casual thing to ask about since it's so personal to him. But this is also Chase, the guy who doesn't seem to care about the questions you ask him, although thinking back to that conversation near the station, I'm not really sure. Maybe I should just keep the curiosity to myself.

Maybe it shouldn't matter and I'm nosy about something that shouldn't at all impact how I view him. For all I know, he might hate talking about it and I might trigger him. Plus, it's not like it'll change anything, he'll still be the same Chase, whether I know or not. 

"What are you thinking about?" His words break me away from my thoughts and I glance at him, realising that we're already at the Hume Highway set of lights and halfway through the walk.

I shake my head to get rid of the thoughts and mumble, "You don't wanna know."

I see the wide grin he seems to always have, brighten his face and he says, "Well you can't say that and expect me not to ask questions."

A couple other people come up to the set of lights we're waiting at, and I just shake my head at him. "It's rude, I don't want to say it."

He lifts an eyebrow at my words but doesn't say anything.

A moment later the man goes green and we're crossing the road. I'm mingled between people as Chase flies across to the other side, ahead of everyone else, like usual. He slows down to wait for me and we let everyone pass us by as we turn onto 'the footpath of hell', as Chase likes to call it.

"Alright, spit it out," he demands as he pops a wheelie over the first crack in the path.

I shake my head again. "It shouldn't matter. I'm just stupidly curious."

I hear him laugh as he's tackling a rough patch of missing concrete and bouncing through it as I walk behind him, the path not wide enough for the both of us, and I'm not about to twist my ankle on the uneven dirt on either side of the path. "It's about me, isn't it?"

I don't want to encourage his ego but I guess my prolonged silence is his answer and he stops in the middle of a unit driveway to spin around and face me. I stop too and stare at him.

He's grinning, probably delighted by my embarrassment. I don't know what's worse, the thing I'm thinking of or when I said he was bound all those months ago. "You know, honestly I'm not that scary. I can handle whatever you're thinking, so just ask. I'm not moving until you do."