Chase

 

In the middle of the song, Stefan grabbed my arm. “I need to talk. Privately.”

I glanced at Kira and as always, she was taking care of herself by dancing with a guy who was half her age. I bet by now she had forgotten that I was even there.

Stefan dragged me through the crowd once again and to the men’s room. It was the first time I saw his eyes. He was high. He stood by the sink and looked at himself in the mirror. “I look like shit!”

He was agitated. Then he took out a vial out of his pants pocket and used one finger to block one nostril while he sniffed coke through the other. When it burned, he started banging his fists against the sink. “Fuck!”

“Stefan!”

The vial was broken and there was coke everywhere. Stefan was trying to salvage some of it that was still on the sink, when I grabbed him from behind and physically restrained him with all my strength. “Stefan, stop it! You could get an overdose!”

“So, fucking what?!”

I let him go.

His eyes were teared up and bloodshot. It was like watching my own brother suffer and not being able to do anything about it. “There are better ways to deal with your problems, Stefan.”

“Oh yes?” he said, walking toward me. “There are better ways? Because you’re totally against extreme measures, right?”

He reached for my gun holster and I grabbed his hand before he even got close. “Why are you carrying a fucking gun, Chase?”

“That’s none of your business.”

He pushed me. “And this,” he gestured to his chest. “Is none of yours.”

“This gun is for protection only.”

Stefan laughed. “That gun is you running away from yet another situation.”

“Why did you bring me here, Stefan?” I screamed. “You know I don’t do drugs, so why? Was it a cry for help? Or you just need someone to watch you become a corpse!”

“I brought you here because…” he started to say but stopped. “Leave.”

“Stefan, let’s just talk about this…”

“Leave!!!” he was screaming so loud I was certain people could hear him despite the music.

“Listen to me carefully, Stefan. I watched my brother die from an overdose. I know the signs, and if you don’t get your act together, that’s where you’re headed. And, I’m not going to watch you die.”

I could hear him sobbing but he wasn’t going to let me in. “Go away, Chase.”

“Go away, Chase. You can’t help me.”

I came out angrily and ran into someone. At first, I wondered who it was because she looked different, and then I smelled her perfume and almost found myself losing it.

We stared at each other but then I started taking hurried steps toward the rooftop.

I opened the door and the air hit me and it was cold.

“Chase?” I heard her voice. I hadn’t expected Blayne to follow me. I wiped the tears from my eyes and turned to her.

“I’m sorry, you had to witness that.”

“Are you okay?” she sounded concerned.

“I’m fine,” I lied.

“Your friend will be okay. He has you.”

“Doesn’t feel that way.”

“Sometimes, people just need someone to believe in them.”

“You should go back to your friends.”

“Right now, this is where I’m needed.”

“Isn’t your date going to mind?”

“My date is my best friend, Chloe and I have a vague sense that she’s better off without me and meeting some guy.”

Why did I feel such a relief knowing there wasn’t a man involved? I was really starting to lose it. “How are you doing, Blayne?”

“Honestly, I’m not sure. But I’m managing. What about you?”

“Well, apart from the complete lack of a social life, I guess I’m okay. Can’t complain.”

“Why don’t you have a social life?” Because I can’t imagine being with another girl, and because you’ve been keeping me prisoner. “Just too many work engagements.”

She looked at me. “I missed you.”

Then why can’t we be together again?

Why won’t you stop running away?

Why won’t you let me in?

“I should probably go check on Stefan,” I said, and it took all my strength not to hug her and kiss her and take it her scent and lock her away in my heart where she would never escape.

I couldn’t look into her eyes anymore. I couldn’t face her with everything that was going on inside me, all the emotions and all the heartbreak.

“You didn’t miss me, Chase?”

I smiled at her to deflect the tears. “Not really,” I said, with a shrug. “But then, what did you expect from a Heartbreaker?” I winked just to get my point across.

I didn’t wait for her reply.