Highest rank on the hot list over the last two weeks - #443 in Chick Lit

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© 2016 Shay Spencer. All rights reserved.

The Buddies Rule

Chapter 13

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I was an introvert, in a sense. Of course when the time came to actually socialize with people, I would put on a good front. I had a way of making it seem as though I was fine, and in the end, I usually was.

There's just something that scares me about speaking with anyone outside of my immediate circle. If I was talking with Lewis, Alan, or Chase, I was okay. The problem only arose when I was attempting to make conversation with anyone else.

But factoring in my slightly introverted ways, you can imagine just how excited I was when Lewis invited me to their party.

I was one of those people that you could find holed up in their apartment every Friday night with a bag of popcorn. Which, perfectly explained why I almost never went to parties, and never drank. It was like a foreign world to me, if I had to put it into words.

But, I had made a promise to Lewis that I would at least make an appearance at this thing, and I was going to keep that promise.

"Hey cutie." One of the football players greeted as I entered the apartment building. I rolled my eyes and walked on past them. The football guys were way too beefed up around here.

The smell of alcohol hit my nose like a ton of bricks before I stalked up the stairs to the second floor. The party had spilled over into the hallways, leaving many students clumsily leaning against the walls outside of the apartment. This, was likely because Alan and Lewis didn't live in the most spacious of places.

Every 'guest' held a plastic cup in their hands with beer sloshing around inside of it. There was alcohol staining the wood floors, only making it harder for the intoxicated kids to walk.

Lewis and Alan had really gone all out with this one. There were at least three hundred people stuffed into the second floor of their apartment building; much to my dismay. I hated crowded areas.

"Bree!" Zac called from across the hallway. He and Zoey had stationed themselves just outside the door leading into Alan and Lewis' place.

I nodded to the brother and sister as I shoved my way past the many college students surrounding me. This place was a mess. There was no way they'd be able to clean it all up by the time their floor supervisor came around tomorrow morning.

"Hey," I sighed. I felt slightly at ease with Zac and Zoey standing next to me. Taking this party on alone scared me to death.

"I wasn't sure if you'd show." Zoey spoke up, raising her voice over the loud music.

"It's for Lewis," I brushed off. "He begged me to come."

"I figured," Zac laughed lightly. "I'm just happy you're here. I've missed you these last few days," Zac said with a small smile. I could feel a blush creep onto my face with his words.

"Then I guess we'll need to schedule that second date," I reminded him.

"I guess we will."

Zoey rolled her eyes," ugh! Get a room you two." I could feel myself laughing as Zac took ahold of my hand.

"Here, take my drink. I'll go get another one and meet you guys inside." Zac issued as he pressed a quick kiss to my cheek.

Before I knew it, Zac had left Zoey and I alone in the hallway. Well, we weren't entirely alone. There were about thirty other students standing just outside the door.

"Have you talked with Alan?" I asked awkwardly before I slummed back against the wall next to Zoey.

The girl shook her head as her sight fell to her feet. "I haven't wanted to, and he hasn't called."

"I'm sorry," I muttered.

"It's okay. I know you and Zac haven't talked much since he and Alan got into it, either. He said he texted you this morning," Zoey continued. I nodded before taking a sip of beer.

"He did, I was busy and forgot." I bit hard into my tongue to keep from saying anything further.

I had been looking for Chase all night and into the morning. I knew I had upset him yesterday by not instantly returning his feelings, but he'd practically disappeared because of it. I was still pissed to say the least. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined my second kiss with Chase would be the day after he'd kissed another girl.

At least the first time he'd had the decency to ask to be my first kiss. He had manners back in ninth grade.

"You seem distracted," Zoey pointed out. The girl leaned forward a bit to get a better look at me. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing," I answered. "I'm just not too keen on parties. I haven't been to one since I rushed a sorority my freshmen year." I laughed, feeling my face heat up at the memory.

"You rushed?!" Zoey exclaimed with a smile.

"It was some sorority that was shut down like three weeks after I rushed. I didn't get in, and Chase kept teasing me about it." I rambled, stopping myself at the mention of Chase. I could barely say his name without replaying the kiss over again in my head.

"That's insane. I didn't even rush, and I was in about fifteen clubs back in high school," Zoey said. I watched as she shook her head at me, the girl giving me a look feigning her disapproval.

"It was pretty stupid," I finished as I pushed off the wall. "Come on, your brother's probably waiting for us."

"Aw! But I want more of your freshmen stories." Zoey stomped her feet. I rolled my eyes and clasped my hand around her forearm.

"There's more where that came from."

The two of us weaved our way around the masses and made our way towards the kitchen. Much to my surprise, Alan was sitting up on the counter with a beer bong held high over his head. Lewis wasn't far behind him in the kitchen, cheering his best friend on.

Lewis had a weird look in his eye as he caught sight of me. He looked buzzed to say the least. "Bree! I've been waiting for you!" He called as he waved Zoey and I over. "Chase was looking for you," he went on.

I couldn't hold back an eye roll with Lewis' last sentence. Despite Chase being brought up, I pulled Zoey over to the kitchen. "Why would I want to talk with Chase?" I snapped.

Lewis jumped back with my tone. "Don't kill the messenger. He just told me to tell you that he was here. Beats me why your roommate and best friend would be asking me to get you to talk to him about whatever-"

"Okay, okay," I interrupted. "You're rambling, and you only do that when you're hammered." I could feel Zoey slipping her arm from my grasp as I spoke with Lewis. I glanced behind me, barely catching as Alan led Zoey back out into the hallway.

"Well that can't be good," Lewis announced.

"You got that right," I huffed angrily. It was one thing to have Chase coming after me, but it was another to keep having Alan playing with Zoey's emotions.

If he wasn't telling her how he really felt out there, right now, I was going to lose it.

"You know, Chase wants to talk with you," Lewis repeated snidely. "And I doubt Alan wants anything to do with you after that kiss."

"What kiss, Lewis!" I could feel myself cracking at the seems as he held up his hands in defense. I hadn't said a word to anyone.

"I met this girl, Rebecca? Chase introduced us and they were teasing about you two kissing? I wasn't sure if they were kidding-"

"You know, you're really annoying." I shook my head, storming past Lewis and towards the door. I didn't need him getting on my nerves, especially when he was drunk. The whole reason I was at this party, was for Lewis. So instead of arguing, I would just have to go find Chase.

It shouldn't be too hard. I knew exactly where Chase would be.

I made my way down the opposite end of the second floor hallway. The roof was up another two flights of stairs from the second floor. Chase and I ended up there one day after meeting up with Alan and Lewis. Ever since, we had made a point of going to the roof after every visit to our friends' apartment.

I could feel my stomach churning at the thought of talking with Chase after what had happened yesterday. It wasn't that I didn't like the kiss, don't get me wrong. But the fact that he had already started something with Rebecca the night before, irked me in a whole other way. Chase had probably felt the same way when I had agreed to go out with Zac on the first day of school.

The only difference in this situation, is Chase kissed me almost immediately after getting together with Rebecca.

I stopped just behind the door that led to the roof. Chase had left it cracked open for me. This was nice considering how rude we'd been to each other lately. I shook my head and gently pushed the door open inch by inch. I only paused my actions when seeing someone else standing next to Chase as he looked over the sunset.

"You still think I'm mad about this?" The girl scoffed as she placed her hands on her hips. "If you think I haven't done the same thing, then you're lying to yourself."

"Rebecca," Chase groaned. "I thought you wanted something more to happen between us."

"Trust me, I do. But you have to understand that maybe you're not the only guy for me. Not right now, anyways," Rebecca countered slyly. I could practically see the flirty look she was giving Chase in the moment, trying to make up for what she had just said.

"You're seeing other guys while you're seeing me?" Chase concluded as he shook his head.

"Well, it's not like we're exclusive." Rebecca laughed to herself. "We kissed once, Chase. That's nothing."

"Then I don't think this is going to work."

"Oh please. No need to be so dramatic" Rebecca scolded him with a slap to his upper arm. "You're the one that went and kissed your best friend yesterday."

"It's not like I planned for that to happen!" Chase's voice was raised as he whirled around to look at her.

Rebecca kept her calm demeanor as he stared her down. "Chase, I'm being honest when I say this, we work. You can't deny that. Just because you've had feelings for that girl since high school, doesn't mean that it'll end in happily ever after. I'm sure plenty of other hopeless guys have thought the same, but it never works. High school
sweethearts are a mockery in the making."

Chase let his gaze drift back towards the sunset as she spoke. "So what are you saying?"

"I'm saying, that girl's done a number on you. So drop her," Rebecca iterated for him. "If you do that, not only will your life finally fall back into place, but maybe we can see if there's more than chemistry to our relationship."

I could feel my heart plummeting down into my stomach. I could tell Chase was thinking about it, and that alone made up my mind about him. If Chase was willing to throw away everything we have, he's not worth it.

"If I was to cut Bree from my life, that would mean that you have to get rid of the other guys. I'm not half-assing this relationship, and neither are you."

Rebecca nodded slowly, "now that wasn't so hard, was it?"

I ripped myself away from the scene, not being able to hear another word from either of them. I knew where that conversation was going, and if I didn't leave now, I would regret staying.

The only thing I regretted more than having feelings for Chase at a time like this, was having wasted fifteen years of my life on him. Some friend he was.

My heel slipped on the spilled alcohol cascading across the stairs, making me squeal as I landed safely on the ground. I knew instantly that Chase had heard me. He knew my voice anywhere, just as I knew his.

"Bree?" He called after me. I could hear his feet moving across the concrete of the roof, but I didn't care. There was no way I could face him.

So instead of staying to work things out, I raced back down to the party and lost myself in the sea of students. There was no way the taste of beer and the smell of sweaty college students could be any worse than hashing things out with Chase.

If only I had known that he'd followed me to the keg.

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Bree and Chase are about to have it out! What do you think will happen???

Will Chase throw it all away for Rebecca? Will Zac or Alan walk in? Will Lewis ruin the moment? We'll have to wait and see...

Thank you to anyone voting and commenting! It means the world!

The next update should be on...
November 10th!

Is the next update after that on freaking Thanksgiving? How did I do that?

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