Always (Afire Love #1)

02 - Playful Dare - Chace Alexander

I walk from one building to another. I have two classes today. I relax my back by stretching right and left. I still feel a little sore after hitting the ground so hard. That Winstead girl totally hit me like I was the perfect surface to land on.

I intentionally didn't move right away for two main reasons. The proper reason was I felt too stiff to move at once. I was shocked by the hard bump so moving right away with her body on mine wasn't easy. The second reason was that I did enjoy the warm feeling of her body and my hand being around her waist.

"Hey, Chace!" A girl with a smile that I know too well is running to me.

I stretch my arm to reach for her shoulder when she's close enough. "Hello, sweet Autumn! You miss me, huh?" I smile, showing off my best charming smile.

"Get your arm off me, Chace! Don't you have a girlfriend?" She holds my hand down and keeps it away from her.

I chuckle slightly, "You don't have one. A boyfriend I mean." I like teasing her. Autumn has been my best friend for a long time now. We went to the same school in our hometown.

She looks at me with that 'how dare you' look. It doesn't affect me a bit.

"I want to take you to the winter party, what do you think?" I'm not in the mood to take Lynda, my girlfriend. "The biggest party of the season, remember?"

She nods. "Oh Lynda can't come?" She asked with doubtful tone. She quickened her steps so I'm left behind. I do the same to catch up beside her.

"Oh please Autumn! I spend every day with her. I want to take another girl to the party."

She walks into a study room. I follow after her. Honestly, hanging out with Autumn sounds like a better idea than having Lynda follows me everywhere like a lost puppy. My class, which turns out to be Autumn's too, starts in 30 minutes. I take a seat on a couch right next to her.

"I don't want to be one of 'your girls'! Just so you know, someone already asked me." She says, not looking up from her book.

My best friend knows me well. She has known I've been with many girls since I was in college until I lost count. I'm sure she doesn't like it even though she barely talks about it.

I breathe in and out. I don't like being rejected, no matter what. "You don't say no to Chace Alexander."

"I just did." She looks at me expressionless then back to her book.

I touch her chin and make her face me. "Okay, Autumn Collins, who just said no to Chace Alexander, enlighten me!"

She slaps my hand off her chin. "Take Lynda, easy right?" She is back to her reading.

"Nah. Not a yes." I shake my head fast. "You know me, I don't like easy."

She's tapping her highlighter on her textbook. "What do you want me to suggest? Everything seems easy for you! Getting a girl is your expertise."

"Getting you as my date, so far, is clearly not easy." I wink. I know I should not, yet I can't help it.

She doesn't answer me and keeps focusing on her reading.

I mumble and annoy her by poking her hand. Suddenly she hits me with her thick book, until I stand up and snatch the book from her. I hold the book tight, saving it from her hands. "Damn, Autumn! That could be considered as violence."

Other students in the room glared at us with irritated looks. I smile innocently at them and pat Autumn's back softly.

"You just violated my study time." She whispers with stress on each word. "I have to go to class." She takes her book out of my hands.

I stand still while stroking my side where Autumn had hit me. Getting hit twice is enough for one day.

After few steps out of the study room, my eyes land on a girl wearing designer clothes. The fact that her mother owns a fashion line makes Lynda never cease to look appealing. Lynda turns and approaches me. I can't avoid her. Not after I've ignored her for the past two days. She grabs my arm without hesitation, like always.

"Have you prepared explanations for why you avoided me for two whole days?" She controls her voice to make it sound like she's not mad. She looks fine as if it's not a big deal to her, but she's just pretending. And I know it better.

I just keep walking, a little faster because I don't want to be late for class. Moreover, I don't want to give any explanations to her since there's no explanation. I just want to take some time and space free of her.

"Lynda, love." I bring my lips on hers and feel how soft her lips are. I look her in the eyes. I make sure I give my best innocent look to her. "I really am sorry. Let's just be happy with the fact that I'm not avoiding you now." I kiss her again, a short kiss before I have to go to my class. I think I have her under my charms again. "I have class to go to. I'll meet you later, okay."

She blinks her eyes. She cannot argue with me. "Well, fine. See you later."

I'm ten minutes late, but the professor comes in just about a minute after me. I scan the room to find the most comfortable seat. When my eyes meet Autumn's eyes, I smirk. She cringes and looks away in a flash. I decide to take a seat at the back row.

I want to sit beside Autumn but she's on the front row. I walk next to her seat. She's sitting at the edge of the row. I squeeze her upper arm hard as payback for what she did. She gasps then she holds her breath. I step back when she grabs me and hands me a piece of paper.

"Go take your seat please, Mr. Alexander!" The professor yells me. I recognize the voice as Professor Carlyle's. I'm always invited to the event for the founder and board members, so I know most of the professors who are part of it and he knows me quite well too.

I look at my hand and find Autumn still holding onto it. "You may tell Ms. Collins to let go of my hand, Professor Carlyle." I responded politely and convincingly, like I'm the victim here.

She shoves my hand away immediately. Her cheeks turn reddish in embarrassment with a hint of 'you are dead meat, Chace!'.

I sit on my seat on the back row, as comfortable as possible. I open the piece of paper from Autumn. I read her clean and neat hand writing on the paper. Her note literally makes me smile. She gives me an idea of who should be my date at the winter parade.

I like her idea. Autumn always has terrific ideas in her mind. 'You love challenge. Take the girl who least enjoys it. I'll hook you up.' After reading her short but brilliant note, I give my full attention to Professor Carlyle's lecture.

*****

A/N (March 27, 2017)
This chapter is edited and revised.  There is only a little change to fix a plot hole.  Thanks for the comments which help me to retouch.  If you find any grammatical mistake, feel free to point out.  If you have any suggestion to make the scenes work better, you are free to tell me what you don't like and needed to be revised.

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