Ride away

Chapter 36

*Valery's pov*

"I have brought the drinks!" Carson shouts as the front door opens and then slams shut behind him.

"Finally I thought you'd never make it back." Nick groans as he walks up to Carson and grabs some of the bags out of his hand.

"I never disappoint." Carson smirks as they both put the packs of alcoholic drinks on the table.

"Where's everyone else?" Carson looks at Nate and I confused as we are sitting on the couch in Tom's huge lounge room.

"They are all outside. Tom and Scott are starting the BBQ while Jacob and the girls are in the pool." Nate answers as he slid an arm around my shoulders.

"Did someone get the music speakers going?" Carson asks as he opens a bottle.

"Yeah I did." Nick said as he grabs a few packs that Carson had brought and takes them outside.

Toms parents were on a trip this weekend so Tom invited as all over for lunch and a swim. It was another hot summers day and Nate and I decided to stay inside with the air conditioner for a while. More like have some privacy. I couldn't believe this was toms house when I saw it, it was literally so huge and it was right on the beach too. From the lounge room you could see the decking area where the boys were cooking the BBQ and you could also see the pool. In the distance you could see the ocean and the small sand track that leads you to the beach. Tom, Nate, nick and Jacob had grown up in this town there whole life, living right near the beach with big houses. It's a dream. They weren't far from campus either, I don't know why the boys stay in the dorms when they can just go home. It's a mystery to me.

"I think I'm gonna go for a swim" I smile as I slap Nate on the knee and then stand up.

"Yeah okay" Nate smiles as he stands up and intertwines our fingers.

As soon as we open the screen door the heat and sound of laughing, chatting and music blasts in my eardrums.

"Valery! Come join!" Sienna screams from the pool. I smile as I pull my hand out of Nate's and rush over to the girls.

"Is it cold?" I ask putting my toes in the pool to feel the temperature.

"Who cares? It's boiling out so it's refreshing in." Bella giggles as she takes a sip of her drink that she has in the pool.

"That's true" I smile as I start to take my T-shirt off, revealing my bikini. I start to take my shorts off when I hear my phone start to ring. I pulled it out of my back pocket and look at the caller ID.

Why would Chase be calling? Maybe he just wants to check how I am going, he does like to call to make sure I'm truely happy again.

"Chase hey how are you?" I say in a very cheery voice as I walk away from everyone to have some privacy.

"Hey Val, yeah I'm good. Sorry for the random call but I have to tell you something." Chase sounds unsure and nervous which made me curious.

"That's okay, I haven't spoken to you in agers anyways. What's up?" I chirp into the phone.

"Well um, I don't really want to kill your mood but Clay came home last night and he apologised to us all. It's very unlike clay which makes me wonder if he regrets everything he did. Maybe he's changing even." Chase said and for a second I forgot to breathe.

"I- Chase I don't want to talk about him. I'm finally moving on. I don't need reminders of him." I say my mood defiantly dying.

"I'm so sorry I just thought I should let you know. I don't know how long he'll be staying in town but he's crashing at my place. I just wanted to let you know that's all. He's so unhappy val." Chase sighs sounding unsure if he should of told me that last part or not.

"Look Chase I'm really happy that he's got the balls to fix the friendship between you all but I don't want anything to do with him anymore." I say, I was hurting deep down every time I talk about him.

"Alright Val. Well I'll speak to you later then." Chase was defiantly feeling as awkward as I did.

"Can I know one thing. Have you totally forgiven him?" I ask unsure of what I wanted the answer to be.

"No, but I will because it's just who clay is and I'm used to it. But your not and you don't need to be apart of this. I'm sorry for calling." Chase said and I had no idea what to say back.

"It's fine chase, well I have to go. I'll speak to you later." I say knowing my mood was dead.

"Yeah speak later." Chase said as he hung up the phone.

I sigh as I put my phone back into my pocket and walk back to the pool, sitting down in one of the chairs.

Great now I can't stop thinking about him. He was back and trying to fix things, what if he tries to contact me? I don't think I could handle it.

"Val what's up? You look like you just saw a ghost." Bella looks worried as she swims to the edge of the pool where I was sitting.

Yeah a ghost of the past.

"Nothing, I'm fine" I fake a smile which Bella picks up on straight away.

She lifts herself out of the pool and sits down next to me after grabbing herself a towel.

"Who was it on the phone? Was it your dad?" Bella asks and I shake my head.

"It was Chase" I say and her mood picks up from the sound of his name.

"Oh how is Chase? Wait you're sad, what did he say?" She turns stern again and I sigh.

"Clay is back in town and he's trying to fix things with everyone." I say and her jaw drops.

"If he tries to fucking contact you I'm going to shove-" I quickly put my hand over Bella's mouth before she could finish her sentence. I knew Bella would do anything to not let Clay hurt me again but I didn't need her telling me every time.

Before I knew it I felt something wet touch my hand and I quickly pull it away from her mouth looking at her in disgust as she smirks, poking her tongue out at me again.

"I'm serious though Val" she said getting back to the serious stuff.

"I know you are, I just don't want to deal with this at the moment. I finally have someone who loves me and I want to be able to love him back." I say putting my shirt back on not feeling in the mood for a swim.

"We are in this together alright?" Bell softly smiles at me making sure we had eye contact.

"Thanks bell" I smile as I push myself off the beach chair and walk back inside to the bathroom.

I need to clear my head for a second. My head is drowning with one person and that persons name was Clay.