Chase & Adrienne

40

ADRIENNE

SUNDAY NIGHT

After the movie ends--finished by a dramatic, destructive, and expensive final battle scene--Chase turns to me seriously. He has a very distinct look in his eye, one that means he's plotting something. I know this look all too well. 

"What are you planning this time?" I ask. 

"There's still one thing left to do," Chase declares, getting off the couch in a flash and bounding up to his room. I remain on the couch. 

"What?" I call, but there is no answer. There's a lot of rustling, drawers opening and closing, and I hear a faucet running more than a couple times. "Chase?"

Finally, he emerges, completely transformed. His hair is actually combed, and his lazy clothes have been replaced by a nice pair of jeans and a crisp, clean button-down shirt. Heck, he's even wearing a belt. It's a rare look for Chase, especially on a Sunday. I'm not complaining, though. Nice clothes SUIT him well. ;)

What's with the change?" I ask. Again, Chase says nothing. Instead, he takes my hand and leads me to the door. Before he opens it, he snaps his fingers like he's remembering something and disappears into the laundry room. He emerges with my dress that I wore last night, which is now completely wrinkled. I can't say that I mind. I was planning to burn the thing anyway. 

"Oh, thanks."

"Mhm!" he chirps, ushering me out the door. Before I know it, he's tucking me into my car. He slips into the passenger seat. 

"Where are we going?"

"To your house."

"What for?" I question, completely puzzled. Chase is bouncing both of his knees, which honestly looks kind of silly, given how long his legs are. He reaches over and starts the car for me. 

"Just go before I chicken out! Go, go go!!"

I zoom off as fast as I can. 

"Chase Elizabeth McCarthy, are you giving me permission to speed?"

"Well, I didn't say--"

"Nope!" I interrupt, totally energized. "No take-backs!"

The rest of the drive could be a YouTube video titled, "A Drive with Chase and Adrienne but Every Time Chase Won't Answer Adrienne's Question She Drives Faster." The thumbnail is me maniacally grinning like the speed demon that I am with Chase screaming like a girl on the side. Like and subscribe, people. 

As we're pulling up to my house, I swear Chase is sweating. What the heck are we here for?

"Are you okay?" I ask. 

"Is your dad home?"

"Yeah, it's Sunday," I explain, even though he should already know this. Chase has come over on plenty of Sundays. "Why?"

We approach the front door, and Chase wipes his hands on his pants. 

"I gotta do this right, Adrienne," he says, knocking on the door gingerly. "I'm here to get your dad's blessing."

I don't have time to respond before the door swings open. My dad's pleasantly surprised to see Chase standing with me, almost more happy to see him than me. Dad has always loved Chase. Something tells me he's going to love the conversation he's about to have. 

"Hey, Mr. La Londe! How's it going?" Chase shakes his hand, but this is totally for show. So is the whole "Mr. La Londe" business. He's been calling him Mark for years now. Dad picks up on the formality of it all immediately and raises a suspicious eyebrow.