Not Alone Any More {Chase Elliott || Sequel to Only the Lonely} ✔️

xvi.

"i can explain," chase choked out.

"can you?"alicia smirked. "it was fabulous to catch up with you, chase. too bad we were interrupted." she flicked her eyes towards kathryn claire. "wish we could've met in better circumstances, kathryn claire, i'm sure we would've been terrific friends." with one more smirk, she brushed past kathryn claire and let herself out.

"what is going on?" kathryn claire repeated.

chase stepped towards her, "it -- it's not what it looked like." he grimaced at his words, his heart pounding in his ears.

"that line?" kathryn claire shook her head. "you're actually going to use that line on me? you couldn't have come up with something better?"

"i --" chase paused, trying to figure out how to explain what had happened. "she was in here when i got here. i was trying to get her to leave. she kissed me --"

kathryn claire cut him off, glaring. "it didn't look like you were that upset with the kiss."

"i froze." chase tried to explain, his heart stuck in his throat. "you have to believe me, kathryn claire." he stepped toward her, "you know that i would never hurt you, kathryn claire. i love you."

"i'm surprised you didn't tell me it was all on impulse," kathryn claire backed away, "that's your usual excuse."

"what?" chase whispered, "no, kathryn claire, i swear. this is not an excuse, it's the truth. do you really think that i would do that to you?"

"i don't know." she murmured. "you've lied before, chase."

"this is different." he roared, unable to contain himself. "i should've told you that i was paying for the internship but i needed you here with me and i knew you wouldn't come otherwise."

"you were kissing her, chase. just like you were kissing me an hour ago." kathryn claire snapped back. "a lie is a lie no matter the intention."

"but i'm not lying." chase protested. "what i told you happened, is exactly what happened."

"but how do i know?" kathryn claire's voice rose. "how do i know that you're not just trying to cover up your impulsivity again?"

"don't you trust me?" chase choked out. "have i really fucked up so many times that you can't trust me when i say that she kissed me, not the other way around. alicia does this, she manipulates situations to get what she wants."

"and yet you were so quick to throw ryan under the bus. maybe she manipulated that situation too? or is she only manipulative when it's convenient for you?" her words struck chase. he had never considered that possibility but this was not the time or place.

chase swallowed hard. "maybe i was wrong to do that. but please, believe me."

"i don't know what to believe," she choked out. "i — i have to go."

"no, please," tears stung chase's eyes. "please don't leave me. you promised."

"what are you talking about?" she questioned, tears forming in her eyes too.

"in the beginning, when i was afraid that you'd take one look at me and walk away, you promised me you wouldn't leave, promised you wouldn't walk away. please." his words came out as a hoarse whisper, he was desperate. he didn't realize how much he needed her until it was all crumbling down around him.

she shook her head, "that was such a different promise, chase. i have to go." she turned, quickly stepping out of the motor coach before chase could try and stop her.

hot tears spilled down chase's cheeks. she was gone and this time chase wasn't sure that he was going to be able to talk his way out of this one.

it was his own doing, he knew that. if he hadn't mislead her about his identity or about the internship, maybe he would've had ground to stand on, maybe she would've had a reason to believe him. but still he hadn't realized that she had mistrusted him enough to not believe him when he said that he didn't kiss her willingly.

anger welled at himself for letting himself be in this position, at alicia for coming back and ruining the one good thing in his life.

chase slid his hand over the counter, a cereal bowl he had left out smashing on the floor. a million pieces shattered.

the floodgates opened and chase crumpled in a heap on the ground, alicia's words echoing in his mind.

you're going to ruin this all on your own.

and he had.