Baton Rouge.

Chapter 9 - Beyond the Border.

Melissa drove to the local Applebee's, meeting Chase inside of the restaurant. When she came, she saw him in a nice suit. Since this isn't what he usually wore, this told her that he only got dressed like this for her.

"Chase! You look so....nice!" Melissa smiled as she looked at herself. "I wish I would've dressed a little better."

"Oh no! You beautiful already." Chase smiled.

Chase paused as Melissa looked up at him.

"I mean uh....you.......you pretty and all but you ain't like..." Chase stuttered. "You're uh-"

"Thanks, Chase." Melissa smiled. "You're pretty good looking yourself."

After the two got seated and took their orders, Melissa decided to ask Chase about himself. Something he also did for her was pulled out her chair and took off her jacket, which was a good indication that he was a gentlemen.

"So Chase, what do you like to do for fun?" Melissa asked.

"Well, we have something in common. I like to read sometimes even though I pretended that I didn't." Chase winked as he took a sip of his lemonade. "Did you see me on the bleachers at swim practice with my book?"

"Yeah!"

"I was reading 50 shades of gray." Chase continued. "It's a little too inappropriate for my taste but....it's still a great book."

But Melissa wasn't interested in that stuff. At least not at the moment. She wanted to hear what type of "daring" stuff that Chase did. First, she wanted to get it out of him without asking.

"Do you like to smoke, Chase?" Melissa asked. "Like, weed?"

"OOOH no. Hell no." Chase laughed. "I've never been one of those teenagers who showed much interest in that type of stuff."

Melissa twiddled with her straw, looking at her water.

"Do you like parties?" Melissa asked.

Chase squinted his eyes, looking up.

"I like college dorm parties, but not parties with a whole bunch of people there." Chase answered. "I'm kind of reserved so, I don't have much interest in that type of stuff either."

Melissa looked down at Chase looked back at her.

"What about you?" Chase asked. "Do you like parties?"

Melissa cracked a small grin, nodding her head.

"Yeah. Kinda." Melissa smiled. "They're.....exciting."

"They're overrated in my eyes. Not really my taste." Chase said, shaking his head. "I'm a type of person that can order a pizza and relax at the house all day."

The more Melissa talked to him, the more she started to realize how boring Chase's personality was. Something else, she was starting to realize how boring SHE was. Chase sounded just like her, which is probably why they clicked so quick. Melissa loved reading. Melissa loved being reserved. However, Melissa wanted to try something different. Things that her parents would never allow her to do in a million years. Things that gave her a rush.

"Hm..." Melissa wondered.

After the dinner, Melissa drove over to Jionni's area to see where he was. Before she left, she placed on her cap on and some of Louis's jogging pants along with one of his shirts from when he was 13 that she'd left in the car. While she drove on the Main Street, she saw a 4-Wheeler dirt bike racing in front of the car. Melissa gasped as she hit a hard right, driving into the grass. As Melissa's car rumbled onto the top of the curb, the car got stuck in the mud. Melissa let out a frustrated groan as she stormed out of her car.