Always (Afire Love #1)

32 - Say Anything Please

Channing Winstead

I seriously have to go back and forth the charity office for some errands that my father keeps asking me to do. It feels good to be busy at first but it gets tiring with the part time I do at the local library. My emotions fluctuate and Chace being clingy with the call doesn't help either.

"Channing Winstead, right?"

I look up from my phone when I hear a guy saying my name. He looks like around my age, a little bit older. "Excuse me, do I know you?"

He just smiles. "I know your father. And I've noticed you're helping here quite often." He extends a hand. "You can call me Ben. People know me here. I've been a member since I was in high school."

"Oh Ben. I used to be help here, only during my summer break. How could I not know you before?" I quickly add. "Sorry I don't mean to sound rude."

"You may take a seat, Channing." He gestures me with his hand and sits on the other chair close to where I sit. "I do the work outside the office a lot. This year I change position with the other member. It's a good decision so that I get to meet you here."

Ben keeps me accompany while I'm waiting for some reports and documents which my father need me to get. He's nice and kind. He tells me how he admires my father as a leader of the charity.

"Can I take you out sometimes?" he asks me. "For lunch or dinner."

I blink my eyes and don't know what to respond. "I, uh,"

He chuckles. "I just want to get to know with the people who volunteer here."

"I'm working part time at the local library if you want to come by." I stand back when he's standing up too close to me. "I should leave now."

He nods. "Okay, I'll see you later, Channing."

-----

Chace Alexander

The next day we invite Madeline again. Zoey seems to like having her on road. We drop by some more places in River Forest, before we go to Madeline's house in the evening to have barbeque time together with her siblings. Her family is very welcoming to us. Unfortunately her parents are away for the school summer tour for a week.

"Oh cool! So your parents are teachers at the same high school?"

She nods. "You could say that. English Literature for my father and Chemistry for my mother."

"Oh look! Maddie's here bringing a guy home." The young boy whom I know as her brother, Jace, welcomes us. "And a girl too. Seems like you cannot just bring a guy home without a girl along." Her brother is teasing her with no shame.

I do high five with Jace. "Good to see you again, Jace." Zoey laughs and shakes her head seeing us.

"Zoey, come sit." Jace gestures my sister to the benches which are flat benches and table across from the grill.

Afterwards, her sister comes. "Evening folks." She brings some other materials we need for the barbeque. I come to help her with the stuff.

"Thanks-"

I finish her sentence as I see she tries to remember my name. "Chace, it is." I give a decent smile to her.

She smiles back. "Oh yeah, Chace."

"Allison, I remember." I respond just when she opens her mouth which I assume to remind me her name.

There's a bit of staring for few seconds until Madeline startles us when she trips and almost falls between us. I catch Madeline with my free hand.