She snorted, “No, I mean he's been way worse than usual. Literally since the day school let out for break he won't talk to anyone without snapping at them. And at Christmas, he'd barely stay long enough to even eat with us, just kept leaving. I swear that guy needs to get laid.”
Brandon and I left for Arizona the day school let out. Could that – I wanted to smack myself for even thinking me leaving would have anything to do with Chase being upset. I think way too highly of myself. “Yeah probably...holy crap is this all for their party?” Cars were lined up blocks from the house and people were walking towards it. Thankfully we could still get in the garage.
“I'm telling you, this is their big thing every year!”
We grabbed my bag and somehow squeezed through the mass of people and made it upstairs to her room so I could freshen up and change. Bree must have let them know we were on our way because Mom and Dad were already waiting in her room to engulf me in hugs.
“Oh sweetie we missed you!”
“How you doing baby girl?”
I laughed and hugged them back, “I missed you guys too. Why are you up here? You're missing your party.”
“Oh hush! We had to say hi, and plus we have some things for you.” Mom bounced over and sat on the bed where there were boxes of presents.
“Oh. My. Word. You guys…you really didn't have to get me anything.” Now I really felt awful for not getting them anything.
Bree grabbed my arm and pulled me over to the bed, “I already told you, we wanted to.”
I took a deep breath in and willed myself not to cry. God, I had never been an emotional person until I moved here. Mom and Dad showing me how parents should be had made the water works come frequently, and I still wasn’t used to it. Bree got me a new outfit she picked out specifically for tonight, and a Coach purse that I absolutely adored. Mom and Dad got me two pairs of UGGs, an extremely expensive jacket I'd been drooling over since Thanksgiving and a prepaid spa day for us girls. I just sat there with everything scattered across my lap and legs and stared at them through blurry eyes. I tried to speak through the lump in my throat but my thank yous were barely audible. Mom and Dad both kissed my cheek and walked out with Bree, who was going to save Konrad from all the older people downstairs he didn't know. I slowly put the things I wouldn't be using tonight back in boxes for when I took them back to the dorms or Brandon's room and was almost done when there was a soft knock and the door pushed open.
“Hey Princess.” Good God I missed hearing his voice.
“Chase,” I had to clear my throat to continue, “I didn't think you were going to be here.”
“I asked if you were coming to the house.” He replied hesitantly.
“Right, I just figured you meant your house.”
The room was thick with the tension that always followed us around. My heart started racing from his nearness and I silently cursed myself. I really didn’t want any kind of feelings for this guy, and here I was wishing he would try to kiss me again. We sat there watching each other for who knows how long before he walked over and sank down on the floor next to me, handing me a small wrapped box. “Merry Christmas Harper.”
I picked it up and just stared at it, all I could say was “Why?”
“Because you're my favorite, remember?” he huffed and his lips tilted up a little, “When I saw it, there was no way I couldn't get it for you. Please open it.”
So slowly I probably drove him crazy, I took off the wrapping and opened the little leather box. I gasped when I saw the ring inside there. It was a silver band that wrapped into the trinity symbol on top. I'd always wanted that symbol as a tattoo. I looked up at Chase and shook my head in wonder.
“How did you know?”
“You doodle it on everything put in front of you.”
He was right of course, if I had a pen and paper or napkin, it always ended up on there at some point. I just hadn't realized anyone other than Brandon noticed that, especially him.
“Chase…” I couldn't hold them back any longer, tears started falling down my cheeks and I quickly dropped my head hoping he wouldn't notice. He did.
“Don't cry Harper. If you don't like it, or you don't like that it's from me I'll take it back.”
My laugh sounded more like a sob than anything else. “I love it, please don't take it.”
“Then what's wrong?” He tilted my head up and brushed away a few tears with his thumbs. I had to force myself to not lean into his hands, it was the first time we'd had any type of physical contact in over a month. He was a whole new kind of Chase on Sundays, but I'd never seen him like this. So gentle and kind. It made my entire being crave him.
“I've never had this before. Not just the presents…the love that your family has for me. I've never had it until now, and it's so overwhelming. I don't know what I did to deserve it and I don't know if I show them that too.”