Mr. Mendes | shawn mendes

twenty-three.

"Hot chocolate, yeah?" Chase smiled, setting the cup down in front of me before he sat down with his own.

"Yeah, thank you." I nodded, offering him a smile as I looked at the whipped cream on top of it.

"Do you wanna talk about it? You seemed pretty torn up." He spoke, taking a sip from his styrofoam cup.

"Just got a lot going on." I shrugged, looking back up at him.

"Are you sure?"

Chase's gaze was genuine; the look in his eyes sincere and full of worry, which made me feel comforted in an odd way.

I wasn't sure how this was the same guy that had pushed me around at one point and snuck into my house.

"Yeah." I nodded again, taking a small sip from my cup before looking at him. "Can I ask you something?"

I figured now was the right time to ask him; we were in public, meaning nothing bad could happen.

"Course, Jules."

"Why did you, um, break into my house?" I mumbled, my gaze falling down to my hands, which were in front of me on the table.

"I meant to um, bring that up." Chase nodded, rubbing his eyes for a moment before looking at me. "I kind of, like, was going through some stuff."

"Stuff?" I asked, tilting my head and raising an eyebrow at him.

"Yeah, but I went to a doctor, got some meds and all that." He assured me, a shy smile on his lips. "I had a drinking problem, too. I had convinced my mom that I'd get sober and stick to meds as long as she didn't send me to rehab."

"A drinking problem? Is that why you..." I trailed off, my cheeks flushing slightly as I watched him closely.

"Got rough with you? Yeah. That's why I had been trying so hard to talk to you."

"God, I feel like an ass now. I just kept pushing you away." I shook my head, covering my face slightly in embarrassment.

"Please don't feel bad, Jules." Chase shook his head quickly. "I don't blame you. I'm just glad you're hearing me out now."

I focused on his features; the look on his face sincere and looked completely honest. I felt bad; he wasn't himself when he was drinking or coming into my house.

"Well," I hummed, taking another sip from my drink before I let my gaze lock on his own. "I am, too. Friends?"

"Friends." Chase nodded, the smile on his face matching my own.

After about an hour of talking, doing a bit of studying for mid-terms, and discussing our Thanksgiving break plans, the two of us said goodbye and went our own ways.

I expected that to be awkward, but instead, I was relieved. We had both gotten closure and spoke of what we had wanted to speak of.

I quickly began to type out a text to the group chat we had to tell everyone what had just happened once I got into my car, before my stomach sank as I remembered that everything that has happened was Sasha and Caroline's fault.

Instead, I erased everything I had typed out, and went to my contacts instead. I found the number I was looking for, pushed 'call', and held the phone up to my ear.

"Hello?"

"Hey," I mumbled, buckling my seatbelt. "I'm sorry if this isn't a good time, but can I come over?"

"You know you don't have to ask. The door's open for you, babe. I'll be waiting."

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"Hello?" I called out, pushing the front door open and stepping into the familiar hallway.