Aggro - CoraLee June Page 0,71
idea struck me. “Hey, my mom was talking about having you over for dinner. Maybe we could invite Kai, and the two of you can talk?”
Chase’s face soured. “Fuck that dude. I’d rather get stung by a jellyfish on my dick.”
I rolled my eyes. “That’s pretty harsh. Look, he knows stuff about Violet you need to hear. I found her diary—”
“Yeah. I know. And you didn’t think to tell me about it? Is that what you’ve been doing, Nancy Drew? Working with fucking Kai to find out what happened? I thought you and I were doing this together, huh?”
I wanted to lash out but kept calm instead. “Chase. You haven’t exactly been answering my calls. You’ve been distant, and Kai…”
“Kai swooped in to save the day, huh? You fucking him, Breeze? You let him fuck you? Console you with his dick? I know how grief makes you horny.” I gasped at his painful words and thought back to our kiss at Violet’s funeral. Maybe I was lost and confused that day, but things had changed. How dare he! “I don’t need Kai. I don’t need anything from anyone. And you know what else, Breeze? I’m starting to think I don’t need you.”
Chase started to saunter off, but for the first time in my life, I didn’t crumble at the idea of confrontation. No. I refused to let him destroy himself like this. We had too much history, and I felt too protective of Violet’s legacy and her love for Chase to let him throw it all away. I also refused to be treated this way.
I reached out and grabbed his arm, yanking him back. Chase’s eyes widened in shock, and I took advantage of his confusion. “You know what, Chase Jones? I love you. We grew up together. I saw you in your awkward toothless phase. I watched my first scary movie with you in fourth grade and didn’t laugh when you had to sleep with a nightlight. Violet and I might have been best friends, but there’s a special place in my heart for you, too. We could be friends, if you’d let yourself be loved.”
Chase clenched his teeth. “Everyone I love leaves me.”
My heart broke for him at that moment. “Then don’t give me a reason to leave. Be my friend. Let’s get through this together.” My voice carried throughout the hallway. “You aren’t the only one hurting. And when you aren’t fucking around and confusing me, you’re hitting me with crude words. This push and pull is like a game to you—a game I don’t want to play. I get it. You’re hurting. I’m hurting too. I’m pissed off. I’m confused. I want to murder the bastard that killed Violet. But you don’t get to be cruel just because you feel pain differently than me. You don’t get to speak to me this way because you don’t know how to process things in a healthy way.”
Chase had the decency to look ashamed. “Breezy Baby,” he whispered.
“Don’t Breezy Baby me,” I sneered. “For the record? I hate that nickname. Just because it’s you saying it, doesn’t mean the negative connotation from my bullies suddenly disappears. Figure your shit out. Man up. Be sad. Feel your feels. But don’t you dare ever talk to me that way again. You’re better than this. If you want my loyalty, be my friend. Be the guy I know you are.”
And with those parting words, I spun on my heel and ran away.
I didn’t have to work at the surf shop after school, but instead of going home, I decided to pull up to a quiet piece of the beach and catch up on my severely neglected studies. I went to The Point. It’s a secluded beach with a picnic table, and the only people were specks off in the distance. The sounds of the ocean drowned out my earlier conversation with Chase. It had been playing in my mind on repeat all afternoon. Even though it was a difficult conversation to have, I was feeling really proud of myself for standing my ground and knew Violet would have been too.
Opening my planner, I saw what needed to be done in order to catch up and save my grades. I had already been accepted to my first choice university, but hearing stories of people blowing off their senior year and their acceptances being withdrawn was more than enough incentive for me to buckle down. This was just another step in the process of