Page 71 of Chase

Halfway through the lesson, Rhys walks in and heads straight for me.

He holds out an apple and a jar full of red frogs.

“Arden says you need to eat this.” Rhys says by way of greeting.

“What?” I ask confused.

“Your app keeps going off. You’re starting to crash and need to eat.” He says forcing the apple into my open mouth. Rude much. I take the jar from him and turn it around to read the label. ‘Yasmin’s Emergency Stash’. I look at Rhys confused.

“Chase gave them to us, just in case you ever forgot yours again,” Rhys says, explaining the random jar.

“When you didn’t answer your phone, Arden sent out an SOS. He’s not here, Ally couldn’t leave her class, and obviously Chase isn’t here either. So, you get me,” he says by way of explanation.

I pull the apple from my mouth and look at him dumbfounded.

“My phone is in my bag. Sorry,” I say taking a bite of the apple. I’m a little woozy, nothing too bad though.

“It’s fine. Take a walk with me?” He asks, shocking the hell out of me.

“Why?” I ask dubiously. I’m not sure Rhys has good intentions. I trust him. But I also know he didn’t like me at the beginning.

“I want to talk to you, and Arden told me I had to stay with you for a bit. Two birds, one stone.” He responds. He looks completely out of place in the workshop. He’s wearing his school uniform and his signature tan boots.

Rhys doesn’t wait for me to answer.

“Mr Williams I’m taking Yasmin,” Rhys throws over his shoulder while he drags me from the room. Stopping by the door to pick up my bag. When your mum is the principal, teachers don’t bother telling you no it seems.

He doesn’t speak but lets me go. I eat the apple while following behind him. There’s no point in arguing with him. Especially if he’s following Arden’s orders.

We walk towards a table and chairs outside near the oval.

Rhys sits down and puts my bag on the table. I get my phone. 10 missed calls from Arden, 3 from Chase and 1 from Ally. There are messages from everyone telling me to eat.

“I’ve already told everyone you’re okay.” Rhys says.

I finish the apple, waiting for Rhys to talk.

He doesn’t.

“What did you want to talk to me about Rhys?” I ask prompting him.

He hesitates. “I wanted to tell you in person that you’re right.”

I don’t say anything, waiting for him to continue.

“I know that I need to stand up to my dad. I just can’t. I know you know what it’s like to have a parent you can’t talk to.” He looks off in the distance.

This isn’t the Rhys I’m use to seeing. This is Rhys being vulnerable.

“I’m holding out until next year. I’m hoping that we’ll be able to figure out a way around this. I just hope Ally can hold out for me.”

I already know how Ally feels.

“Rhys, you know how Ally feels about you, but you need to remember she’s human. She has needs. You can’t expect her to be celibate while you have a girlfriend. You know Ally well enough to know that the guys she chooses are just to scratch an itch. Don’t make a scene about it. Don’t be that guy,” I say. This is a conversation I’m happy to be having with him. I wanted to talk to him about this; I just didn’t know how to approach the subject.

“I know, I just get jealous and react,” he says openly, finally meeting my gaze with honesty in his.

“I know it’s hard. We all can see it, especially now we know the truth about yours and Ashley’s relationship. I’m not sure how Chase and Arden missed it.”

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