Chasing Leah (Journey Series) (13 page)

It wasn’t his fault I had not so
subtly told him I wasn’t interested in a romantic relationship with him. He had
the right to date anyone he wanted and of course Ashley was gorgeous with long
tan legs, blonde hair, and boobs that every guy would drool over, I could see
why Chase was out with her. They looked like a perfect couple with Chases
athletic build mixed in with a bit of bad boy and his emerald green eyes that
sparkled.

I just needed to concentrate on
school and
work,
guys could and would be put on the
back burner until then. Maybe I could get put into the Guinness book of world
records for being the oldest virgin ever.

Chase

Of course Leah seemed pissed
about me showing up with another girl or maybe she was just pissed about that
dude Gage. It’s hard to read her sometimes and normally I understand girls
pretty well growing up with so many of them.

After Leah left I slowly made my
way back into the apartment to deal with Ashley. She insisted on coming back to
my apartment with me and after the cold shoulder from Leah at the party, I
figured why not. A quickie with Ash and then I’ll take her home. But after
seeing Leah in all her fierceness and how sexy she looked with her short skirt
and boobs nicely pushed up in that corset thing, I couldn’t think of anything
but her.

“Hey Ash, mind
if I take you home now?”
I ask after closing the door behind me and
hunting her down, which she just so happened to find her way to the middle of
my bed. Damn Leah must have some weird voodoo shit going on with me
cause
Ashley is looking fucking hot but my dick is not
interested.

A shocked look crosses her
perfect features and then quickly passes, “Oh you
wanna
go back to my place then, that’s fine.” She
scootches
off the bed and tries to wrap her arms around my neck but I lightly shove her
away. “No that’s not it Ash. There’s kind of this girl I’m interested in and I
just don’t think
this
should happen.” I motion between the two of us and
chew on my lip, waiting for one of the famous Ashley tantrums that I remember
all too well.

“That girl in
the hall right?
I knew
it,
I could totally feel
the tension between you guys. So what’s the problem, you don’t want to deal
with having a girlfriend that has a kid?”

Wow not the reaction I was
expecting at all. Her tone
is actually……understanding
?
Maybe Ash
has
changed since we broke up.

“No that’s not
it at all.
Calebs
awesome and you know I love
kids, I
kinda
have to.
Leahs
the problem.
I think
she wants to be with me but she says she doesn’t need to date, too much going
on. I don’t know if that’s her nice way of letting me down or what.”

She nods her head in reply,
scooping up her purse and heading back towards my front door. “
She’s totally into you Chase, believe
me I know that look in
her eyes, I had it for you too. So you either just pissed her off by being seen
with me or you made her so jealous she realizes she just needs to be with you
now no matter what.”

Well I guess taking Ashley out
did help me a little bit.
Gave me a woman’s perspective on
the whole situation.
Plus she’s being really cool about it.

“I’m ready to go home then
Chase. You can call me if you need any more help in the girl department. I
promise it won’t be awkward at all.”

I lean over and give her a quick
peck on her cheek. “Thanks Ash, I appreciate it.”

After taking Ashley home I head
back to the apartment and hope maybe I’ll run into Leah again but no such luck.
I’m sure she probably has Caleb tucked in bed now so I don’t want to bother and
I head home.

                                               
                                                                               
               
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So Leah is definitely avoiding
me since the party. I can totally tell
,
she’s so cute
in how she thinks she’s getting away with it too. That’s okay I’ll give her a
little bit of space. Maybe she just needs to figure things out in her head,
what she really feels.

Me
and
the guys were playing another gig at a bar a little on the outside of town. It
was nice that I was able to earn my money this way while in school but I was
definitely looking forward to graduation. I wouldn’t miss playing in some of
these bars.

I was setting up some equipment
when Mark came up to me, slinging an arm around my shoulder. The guy had a
permanent smile plastered on his face ever since he started dating Remy. She
was a pretty cool chic but she wasn’t Leah.
“So dude gotten
anywhere with Leah?”
I shake my head at him and pull out my guitar. The
guys have been hounding with me questions about Leah and how I’m
gonna
win her over ever  since I started talking about
her. Teddy thinks I need to just screw her to get her out of my system and then
I’ll be good.
The wisdom of Teddy.
Obviously with all
of the relationships he’s
not
had, I don’t think I’ll be taking his
advice anytime soon.

“Well Remy says
Leahs
been all depressing around work and she thinks it’s
all because of you. Of course she won’t say anything but
Remys
convinced. I think you need to make the first move buddy.”

“Since when did we start acting
like a bunch of girls Mark and gossiping about our love lives? I think I can
figure it out bud, thanks.” Mark backs up with his hands held out in front of
him in defense, a grin still plastered on that smug face.
“Alright,
alright.
Just trying to help.”

I was starting to wonder if my
judgment had been off on Ashley changing much since we broke up. She had given
me some good advice about Leah but she kept dropping by the apartment lately
for little things like she thought she lost an earring and she dropped off some
cookies thanking me for taking her to the party. I’m sure if Leah noticed her
it definitely wasn’t helping me out.

I pulled into the apartment
complex, tired after our performance and ready to drop into bed. I was really
looking forward to the upcoming holiday break, no school, no gigs and getting
spoiled by mom.
Nothing better than that.

“Hey Chase. Long time no see.” I
turn and see Ally and her boyfriend
Skylar
that I’ve
met a few times weaving through the parking lot. Doesn’t seem like we have much
in common, not the type of guy to go out and shoot hoops with or something.

“Yeah well I thought maybe you
were avoiding me too.” I shoot her a knowing smile which she returns. “Oh yeah
you caught onto that, huh? Leah thinks she’s so sly sometimes. But you’re
really not doing her any favors by playing along, if you’re really into her
your
gonna
have to push your way
in. She can be so stubborn sometimes.”

“Well I’ll see what I can do. I
just need to convince her that dating me is a good idea.”

“Oh it would definitely be a
good thing,” she replies with a wink. “You think you could do me a favor
though?”

“Of course Al
anything.”

“
Me
and
Skylar
are going to his families for Thanksgiving.
Leah is refusing to go to mine even though she’s always been welcomed as family
there, so her and Caleb are staying here.
Another example of
her stubbornness.
You think you could stop by and check in on them. I
know it will break you twos vow not to converse with each other but I’m just
worried about them being alone on the holiday. It’s so depressing.” I’m sure
with
Allys
bubbly
personality,
she’s never been depressed in her life.

“Not a problem. If I know it’ll
make you breathe a little easier, I guess I can do it.” Ally rolls her eyes at
my teasing tone. “Oh yeah I wouldn’t want to put you out or anything Chase. I’m
sure she’s probably
gonna
pop in a frozen dinner for
her and my little man when they could have a big home cooked meal with my
family. Thanks Chase it means a lot.” I wave at her as we both head into our
own apartments and I go to crash into bed with the usual girl running through
my dreams.

Leah

A few weeks went by and I
managed to avoid Chase even living right across the hall from him. I learned
his class schedule pretty quickly and Remy clued me in on all the band
performances through Mark since they were still seeing each other. So I worked
my laundry and coming and going around the times I knew he was sure to be gone.
I did catch glimpses of him from time to time and had seen Ashley on more than
one occasion. I couldn’t see myself being just friends with him and I didn’t
want to encourage him.

Classes were going by quickly in
the first semester and holiday break was coming up for Thanksgiving. Ally was
heading to
Skylars
parents house for the holidays to
meet his family for the first time. Ally was a little nervous about the
introductions but she always did well with meeting new people and anyone could
tell how madly in love they were with each other.

“You sure you don’t want to head
home to my parents house Leah?” Ally asks as she finishes up her packing for
the long weekend. Mrs. James had called to invite me to Thanksgiving dinner
with the family even though Ally wouldn’t be there but I was looking forward to
a peaceful weekend. Well as peaceful as you got with a three year old running
around. No school and
Ginos
would be closed for the
next three days since most of their customers were college students and the
campus was already pretty deserted.

“Nope I’m good Al. I have our
frozen turkey dinner all set. I just have to pop it in the microwave and I’m
good.”

Ally huffs out
and zips up her suitcase before plopping it on the ground and pulling up on the
handle.
“Are you trying to make me feel guilty, who wants to eat THAT
for dinner EVER?”

I laugh at the horrified
expression on her face and pat her arm. “We’ll be fine trust me. I might even
clean up the apartment a little.
Your room too if you’re
lucky.”
I look around her room, littered by strewn clothes and old food
wrappers and pop cans. Mine is twice as bad as hers and I’m sure that will take
me long enough.
“Maybe not.”

“’Kay well call me if you change
your mind. You know my brothers wouldn’t mind seeing you and my mom would spoil
Caleb like usual.”

Ally had been trying to set me
up with one of her brothers since the first day I met her. They weren’t bad
looking but they were older and had always treated me just like another sister.

“I’ll call your mom if I need
to. Now quit worrying about me and have fun with Sky. His family is going to
love you just as much as he does.”

Ally gives me a hug and rolls
away her leopard print suitcase away, “Kay. I did leave you something special in
the fridge though.
Me
and Sky made extra for you the
other night. Bye sweetie.” She waves to me as she heads out the door to meet
Sky.

My phone rings just as Ally
leaves and I answer after glancing at the name on the screen.
“Hey Remy.”

“Hey Leah.
Look I know this kind of last minute but I was wondering if you could cover my
shift for me. Mark and I wanted to head out a little early to my grandparents
house.”

“Oh yeah, you
AND Mark?”
I emphasize.

“Yes,” she giggles, “I know it’s
kind of soon but we seem to really click so…do you mind?”

Seems like every one finds time
for a relationship but me. The daycare the Caleb normally goes
to
had closed for the holidays already but Clarissa had told
me she would be around and to give her a call if I needed a sitter for Caleb at
all. “No not at all Rem. I need to be there at 6:00, right?”

“Thanks sweetie,” she squeals
back to me.”Yup I’m the only one scheduled, it should be pretty slow and then
the place is closed down for the weekend.”

“Not a problem. I’m definitely
looking forward to the break. I’ll see you when you get back.”

“Thanks again Leah. We’ll get
together when I get back. Bye.”

I hang up the phone and
immediately call Clarissa who says it will be no problem to watch the little
adorable Caleb and she’ll be right over.

I arrived at work with a minute
to spare and coasted through my shift. As Remy had predicted it was pretty slow
but with me being the only waitress working I was able to keep steady until the
end of my shift at 11. I wave at Gino the owner as I head towards the parking
lot. “See you Gino have a good holiday.”

“Thanks Leah,” he answers back.
“Take it easy kid, I think you work more than I do. Eat some extra turkey and
put some meat on those bones.”

“’Kay I’ll try.” I laugh back at
him and wave. I pull back into a pretty empty parking lot. Most of the tenants
at the complex were college aged students and seemed to have cleared out as
well. I trudge back up the stairs, thanking and paying Clarissa who said of
course Caleb was an angel. He must just save his little tantrums for me. I’m
worn out from running around on my feet all night and make my way to my bedroom
throwing on an old t-shirt before I double check Caleb who probably wouldn’t
wake up if a tornado literally tore its way through our apartment and I
collapse into bed.

                                                               
                                                                                               
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