Just Me ✔

Chapter 25

"Hey, gumdrop," I heard Chase say as he popped his head into my room.

"Hi," I greet him.

"You feeling better?" Chase asked as he sat on my bed.

"I guess," I say as I sat up in my bed. 

"If it makes you feel any better, the security out there is still pretty tight. They almost didn't allow me in, and I was literally here yesterday" Chase said as he leaned against my wall behind the bed.

"Wow, that's actually reassuring."

"Yeah."

"Does Ethan know you're up here?" I ask, remembering the last time he found us together.

"Yes, actually. We're just watching movies downstairs. He's picking another, so I decided to come up." Chase said, with a smile.

"Well, thank you. I appreciate it." I smile back.

"You look good with a smile," Chase says randomly, causing me to blush.

"Thank you," I giggle.

"You don't have to thank me for telling the truth." He looks down at me with a serious expression. I just smile and shake my head.

"I have to go take a shower, I feel gross," I say as I lift myself off the bed.

"Well, you look beautiful," Chase says, gazing into my eyes. My stomach immediately fills with butterflies, and I blush. That's the first time anyone has ever called me beautiful.

"Chase," I groan. I hate blushing.

"Jayden," Chase says as he comes closer, "I'm not kidding." He takes me in his grip. I just sigh and stare at him. How could someone just be like him? He's so, I don't know, perfect?

"I need to take a shower," I say quickly. I break out of his grip and I go into my bathroom. I was actually kind of frightened I was going to have a heart attack with the speed of my heart, and that would have been very embarrassing.

I hop in the shower and can't stop my mind from wandering to Chase. He always makes me feel better, and he is a really sweet guy. I can't help but smile at our last interaction.

I like Chase. I really do.

And does he feel the same way? I mean, Ethan told me a bit ago that Chase was asking about me. Was it because we're friends, or. . .?

I don't know. Only time can tell.

~*~*~

After getting all cleaned up, I decide to head downstairs and watch a movie with Ethan and Chase.

"Do you guys mind if I watch with you?" I ask, as I sit down on an empty couch.

"Course not," Ethan said, "we're on an Adam Sandler binge."

"Ooh," I say as I focus on the TV.

"This one is Little Nicky," Chase says as he glances at me.

"I haven't seen this one in a few years," I say as I put my feet up.

"Well, today's your lucky day then," Ethan says sarcastically.

"Sure is," I reply, focusing on the TV.

~*~*~

"Now you remember how much of a great movie it is," Ethan says as he takes the DVD out.

"Oh yeah, phenomenal," I laugh as I feel a shiver come over me. I decided I needed a pair of socks and my bathrobe.

"I'll be right back, I just need to grab some socks and my robe," I say.

"Okay, we'll be waiting for you," Chase said as I left the TV room.

I quickly make my way up the stairs but as I walk to my room, I feel a cool breeze coming out of it.

What the hell?

I slowly wrap my hands around my button. I feel my heartbeat pick up pace, as I turn into my room. I immediately press my button when I notice my window was open, which was really odd because it was shut when I left.

Suddenly, two hands shove me hard, making me hit my head on the wall. I scream bloody murder as I see Mr. Nelson staring at me with scary eyes.

I slide to the ground as he jumps on top of me, causing me to cry out in pain.

"Shut up, you bitch," he says as I feel something stab me in the stomach causing my eyes to shut in pain.

"Stop!" I scream as I feel him take the knife out. Pounding footsteps come into my room and not even a second after I hear a gunshot ring. I feel a whole lot of weight fall onto my body. I open my eyes to be met with blurry vision.

"Jayden!" Ethan screamed.

"Are you okay, Jayden?" I hear officer Julian ask.

I lightly shake my head, feeling weaker by the second. I hear sirens in the distance.

The weight is soon off of me, as I hear a collective gasp.

"I'm going to die," I whisper, as my eyes get heavy.

"No you're not," Chase says, "stay with me." I see him get right above me, and he forces me to look at him. His eyes are glossy.

"I can't," I whisper out.

"Jayden, help will be here very soon," officer Julian says, as he begins doing something to my stomach. Everything slowly becomes numb as I feel dizzier by the second.

I feel someone grab my hand and squeeze it. "You got this," Chase said before saying, "Ethan?"

"What?" Ethan asked, his voice breaking.

"She'll be fine," Chase said to him in a confident voice before whispering, "please be fine."

"I don't think," I began saying before everything went dark.