Page 88 of Chase

Now I have a group of friends who have become family. It’s hard to imagine what life was like without them in it.

“Are you coming to the party?” Ally asks Smalls.

“After what I heard about the last party Chuck threw, there’s no way I’m missing it,” Smalls replies.

“Chuck? Really? Not you too,” Arden says pretending to be annoyed.

“Yas was right. It suits you. You’re definitely a Chuck Bass.”

“And you know who Chuck Bass is?” Ally asks, the disbelief in her voice evident.

“Yep. Shorty and Mildred made me watch it with them from time to time. It’s hard not to know who he is when they were both team Chuck,” Smalls reveals to the group.

Rhys and Chase laugh as I smack Smalls in the shoulder.

“Should I be worried about you leaving me for Arden?” Chase asks me. His tone is serious but his eyes are gleaming with humour.

“I knew it was me she secretly loved. Speak now, Yasmin, and we can blow this popsicle stand,” Arden says, obviously stirring up his friend.

Chase looks at me waiting for me to answer.

I let him suffer a little. I look between him and Arden. Like I’m actually contemplating Arden’s offer.

“Put him out of his misery,” Rhys says.

“Okay. Come on Arden. Let’s go,” I say keeping a straight face.

Arden chokes on his drink. Rhys smacks him on the back and Chase just looks at me with disbelief.

“Really?” He asks me. His eyes meet mine and I can’t lie to him. I see the love he has for me. The promise in his eyes that I’m the only one for him. I let the last of my walls drop away.

Letting him in completely.

“Of course not. It’s only you. It will always be you,” I say.

“Seriously guys? If you keep staring like that, you’re going to get every girl in the room pregnant.” Ally jokes.

It breaks the moment. I look away from Chase, his arm resting around my shoulders.

He draws circles on my bare arm.

“You need some new material. You said that on the first day of term,” Chase says to Ally.

“It was true then. It’s true now,” Ally says brushing him off.

“Are we ready to blow this popsicle stand?” Arden asks. “Together,” he adds while winking at Chase.

“There’s no way I was stealing your girl.”

“I know,” Chase replies and the rest of the table fake gags.

“Leaving. Right. Now. I need a drink,” Ally says while giving dad an innocent smile.

“I’m not on duty tonight. Enjoy. But please be safe,” Dad says as we all stand.

We make our rounds and kiss everyone goodbye.

Julia is staying at Nat’s with Millie because Arden has planned the after party and she’d rather not be there.

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