Drunk

"You and I knew strange corners of life." – F. Scott Fitzgerald

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"What are you doing after work?" Chase asked from behind me. Although it took some getting used to, I finally stopped jumping whenever he would just randomly stop and talk to me while my back was turned. I had busied myself with restocking the paper towels throughout the gym, oblivious to the fact that he was back already. He had a tendency to disappear without bothering to tell anyone where he went.

"Going home," I replied hesitantly, turning around to face him.

"I need a favor." He sighed, his gaze focused on the ground.

"Okay?" My eyebrows arched up in confusion as I waited for him to explain, "Care to elaborate?"

"Olivia's babysitter bailed last minute, and I need someone to watch her." His piercing green eyes came back up to meet mine. "I'll pay you, of course."

"I don't know," I replied, chewing on my bottom lip. Don't get me wrong, I liked Oliva and I enjoyed spending time with her – she reminded me a lot of myself when I was her age, only happier – but I felt like I would be crossing a line if I were to agree to this. Chase was my boss, I should be keeping my interactions with him to strictly outside of work. 

"Please?" He asked again, scratching the back of his neck. His eyes pleaded with mine, and he looked defeated – nothing like the usual cocky asshole I'm used to seeing on a daily basis.

"Fine." I sighed in defeat. He's lucky I like Olivia, I thought.

Chase continued to study my face for a moment longer before nodding, "Thank you." I expected him to give me more information – like until what time he expected me to babysit and what Olivia's schedule was like. But instead, he just turned on his heel and left – leaving me to stand there as I watched his back retreat.

............

"Are you ready, Olivia?" I asked, turning the lock on the front door and switching the sign from Open to Closed.

Olivia nodded and jumped off the stool she was sitting on, waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs. Grabbing my purse from where I kept it tucked under the reception desk, I extended my hand and Olivia placed her small hand in mine. "Lead the way."

Someone, left without so much as a goodbye around 7 PM, leaving me alone to man the gym with Scarlett and watch Olivia. What was so fucking important he had to leave like that, beat me.

"Can I tell you a secret?" Olivia asked, skipping up the stairs.

"Sure." I smiled down at her. There was something about being a child, perhaps it was the ability to be so carefree, that I envied.

"I'm glad Victoria couldn't come tonight." She flashed me a toothy grin before whispering, "I like you more."

"I'm sure Victoria is a very nice girl." I laughed, chewing on the inside of my cheek to suppress my amusement. This little girl was too smart for her own good.

Olivia scrunched up her face in response, shaking her head. "She's weird. All she does is sit on the couch and play on her phone. She never wants to do anything with me."

I frowned. "Did you tell your brother?"

"No, he'll just think I'm lying again."

"Now why would he think that?"

"Because I've done it before." Olivia mumbled, looking down at the floor as we came to the end of the stairway on the third floor.

"Olivia!" I gaped, shocked she had any bad bones in her body capable of something like that. But then again, she was also very smart for her age and I could definitely see her coming up with a ploy to get rid of her babysitter.

"I'm sorry!" She peered up at me through her eyelashes, and I swear even if I wanted to be mad at her, I couldn't.

Once we got to the front door, I stood there awkwardly staring at the set of keys Chase left me. Mr. I Have Somewhere to Be, left in such a rush he didn't even bother showing me which key is which. I swear, he can be such a fucking idiot sometimes. "Do you know which key it is?" I asked Olivia, holding the set in my outstretched hand.

She pointed towards a gold Schlage key, the only one with that shape on the entire set. Unlocking both bottom and top locks, I pulled the key out and jerked the front door open. Olivia skipped inside, turning on the lights as she went. Meanwhile, I hesitantly entered the apartment, closing the door behind me.

Scratch that, this wasn't an apartment – it was a loft. A very sleek and modern loft, not where I would have imagined Chase living.

"Come in, silly." Olivia laughed when she saw I was still standing in the same place. My eyes continued to scan the surrounding as I walked towards where Olivia was bouncing on the couch.

When you first walked through the front door, the living room was straight ahead and directly across from it was the kitchen. Not too far, a black metal staircase stood off to the side which led upstairs. Tall ceilings adorned the entire open space, and the large bay windows next to the couch showed the busy streets in a city bustling with life.

There was a navy blue couch in the middle of the living room with a glass coffee table and a dark gray rug tucked underneath it. A couple of house plants were scattered around, and the hardwood floors were a trendy medium brown – accentuated by the white walls and stoic nature of the place.

"Are you hungry?" I asked Olivia, still mesmerized. Then, something caught my eyes. A couple of picture frames were scattered around the entertainment center housing the large flat-screen TV. One in particular stood out. It was of an older man and woman in military service uniforms – staring lovingly into each other's eyes – and I couldn't help but see the resemblance between the man and Chase. Both had a strong built, sharp jawline, and kind green eyes.

"That's mommy and daddy." Olivia pulled me out of my daze.

"Are your mommy and daddy on deployment?" I asked, smiling down at her.

"No," She shook her head. "Chase said they went to heaven." My smile fell, and an overwhelmingly gutted feeling took over.

"I'm so sorry, Olivia." I continued to take in her reaction, but she didn't seem phased at all. She was still pretty young to understand what that meant, I thought.

"Why are you sorry?" Her brows furrowed together and she looked up at me questioningly.

"I – I.. I don't know." I forced a smile, swallowing the lump in my throat. Sometimes, I forget she hasn't experienced the harsh realities of the world – at least not that she's aware she has. "It's just something you say, I guess."

Olivia hummed in agreement before jumping off the couch. "I'm hungry." She declared, crossing her arms across her little body. With me sitting down, she was almost as tall as me.

"What do you want to eat?" I asked, following her into the kitchen. Similar to the rest of the loft, the kitchen was just as pristine. Classic gray cabinets outlined the entire space, with the exception of the stainless steel appliances. There was an overhead hanging shelf trimmed in black, paired with a glossy white island that stood directly in the middle and recessed lights scattered around the ceiling. And other than a set of knives and a coffee maker tucked away in the corner, there wasn't a single item out of place in the entire kitchen. No dirty dishes in the sink, no fruit bowls, nothing.

"Victoria usually orders pizza" Olivia grumbled, and I swear I could hear the eyeroll in her voice. "But I don't want pizza – I want pasta!"

"I can make you some if you want." I offered, sticking my head in the fridge to see what ingredients I had to work with. To my surprise, the fridge was fully stocked – you name it, and you could probably find it in there. Looking over my shoulder, I smiled sheepishly. "You just have to show me where everything is."

"Okay!" She nodded enthusiastically.

....................

An hour later, Olivia and I were both sitting on the couch eating. True to her word, she helped me find the ingredients I needed to make chicken Alfredo and even helped stir the sauce – with my supervision of course. Unfortunately, there was now the matter of the dirty kitchen. Stealing a glance behind me, the pots and pans I had used were still sitting on the counter where I left them. I don't mind cooking, in fact I actually enjoy it, however, it's the cleaning up part that I don't enjoy so much.

"This.. is so – good." Olivia looked up from the TV where she was engrossed in an episode of Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood.

Playfully rolling my eyes, I said, "Finish eating, and then talk."

"Sorry," She mumbled, a sheepish grin framing her face. Then once she swallowed her food, she spoke again. "This is even better than what Chase makes!"

"He cooks?" My eyes boggled out of their sockets, as I gaped at her. Olivia nodded, letting her attention drift back towards the TV. Looks like today was centered around learning about the mystery that was Chase Hernandez.

Olivia fell asleep on the couch around ten, and I had to wake her up so she could point me in the direction of her room. She sleepily guided me upstairs. As I carried her in my arms, she clung to my neck and buried her face in the crook of my neck. She was surprisingly light – either that or I had gotten stronger the past couple of months.

Olivia's room was every little girl's dream. There was a twin sized metal platform black bedframe in the middle with a pink throw blanket and a bunch of pillows. To the far left, there was a play area in the corner with heaps of toys neatly stacked together – some on the floor and others in the toy storage bins. A string of fairy went around the room, and the rainbow wallpaper really gave it a homey and comforting feel.

As I tucked her in, I noticed two more picture frames on the night stand. One was with Olivia's mom and her as a baby, but the other one is what caught my attention. It was a younger Chase – maybe eighteen, nineteen – holding a pink bundle in his arms. He had the cutest smile on his face as he looked down at the baby in his arms. He looked different than he did not, more carefree and less tattoos. 

Dragging my attention away from the pictures, I turned off the lights and whispered, "Goodnight, Olivia." She mumbled something incoherently in response, before turning on her side and cuddling a stuffed penguin.

Once downstairs, I picked up the remote and began flipping though movies. I glanced down at my phone for the time, shaking my head. Where the hell was he, I thought. I texted him around nine to ask how much longer he was going to be, but no response. 

It was getting late, and I was starting to feel my body shut down – sleeping slowly creeping in. Due to my lack of a social life, I was usually in bed by nine, ten the latest.

My apartment had seen zero improvements since I moved in, and it's not like I could just pay for Netflix or the dozens of other streaming services out there – that required a credit card, something I didn't have anymore.

Most of the time, I laid awake in bed staring up at the ceiling or I would read whatever book I allowed myself to splurge on until I fell asleep. Falling asleep was the easy part. The not so easy part was later on, when the peaceful slumber I had fallen into was replaced by the same reoccurring nightmare.

..........

I must have dosed off because when I woke up, it was from the noise of the front door opening. Startled, it took me a minute to remember where I was, but by then it was too late. My heart was hammering in my chest, and I was already on my feet. The light illuminating from the kitchen was enough for me to make out Chase's tall frame trying to quietly close the door behind him.

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" I found myself asking, my eyes narrowing in on him.

At the sound of my voice, he jumped and whipped his head towards me. "Jesus – what the fuck, Lexie?"

"What the fuck is right." I met his gaze with a glare. "You left without so much as letting me know when you were coming back. Not to mention, you gave me no instructions on how to take care of Oliva. Who the fuck does that? What if she was allergic to something, don't you think that's something I should have known?"

"She doesn't have any allergies." He rolled his eyes, kicking his shoes off and walking towards where I was standing on my feet.

"And – and, what about her bed time routine?" I was on a roll. I know it was almost three in the morning, but that's exactly why I was so upset. He left his sister alone – with a stranger might I add, because let's face it, that's exactly what I was – to do what? "I let her stay up until ten!"

By the time I had finished my rant, Chase was standing in front of me and I had to look up because he was so tall. "Well – what do you have to say for yourself?" I demanded, hands on my hips.

"You're pretty," He deadpanned, bringing his knuckles up and allowing them to brush against my cheek. As soon as his cold hand touched my skin, I froze. I couldn't tell you if it was out of fear or shock. I know I should be scared because here I was alone with Chase – this tall and scary dude that could probably crush me to death – but the thing is, I wasn't scared. I don't know what it was about him, but I didn't want to flinch and cower away from him every time he got too close. It was the opposite actually.

I continued to stare into his piercing green eyes before I finally snapped out of it. Side stepping him and putting a safe distance between us, I asked, "Are you drunk?"

"No." He snorted, the keys missing the coffee table and landing on the floor with a loud clank.

"You just gave me a compliment." 

"And?"

"I think it's safe to say you're highly intoxicated."

"Did I say something that wasn't true?" Chase challenged, peeling his shirt off. I had seen him without a shirt plenty of times when I was working, but this was different – more intimate.

I felt my cheeks heat up. "Just... go to bed. Olivia is already down."

"I don't want to." He pouted, taking another step towards me. My brain stopped processing what was happening, and I once again found myself frozen in place. I could feel myself growing hotter under his gaze as he tilted his head to the side, licking his lips.

"Oh my God, Chase!" I scowled, exasperated as I tried to push him away from me. He really needed to get a grip, I thought.

"My name slipping out of that pretty little mouth of yours," He slurred, leaning forward. I could smell the alcohol on his breath. Cheap beer mixed with some of the stronger stuff. Then, he whispered, "Sounds really sexy."

"I – I..." I continued to gape at the words coming out of his mouth. I felt my heartrate begin to speed up as I tried to find the right words to response. Get a grip Lexie – he's just drunk, I reminded myself. His lips pursed upwards in a smirk, and his eyes flickered with some internal debate.

"Do I intimidate you, Lexie?" He asked, his face as close as ever to mine. I could feel the tingle of his breath against my earlobe as he spoke again. "Is that why you're so flustered."

My eyebrows creased together, and I scowled. "No!"

Liar, liar pants on fire.

"You're lying." He said, a smug smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. He had finally taken a step back, putting a safe distance between us. "You do this thing where your voice gets higher than normal, and you cast your eyes to the ground."

"I do not!" I defended, wrapping my arms around myself. My eyes subconsciously flickered to the floor, an uneasy feeling twisting in my insides.

"You did it again." He tsked, plopping down on the couch.

Desperate to change the subject, I asked, "How did you get home?"

"What? Chase asked, taken aback.

"Oh my god – did you drive?"

"I'm not stupid." He snorted, falling back against the couch cushions and closing his eyes. My eyes inadvertently traveled up and down his toned torso. I bit the corner of my lip, my heart doing this weird thing where it wouldn't stop beating so fast. I was still in disbelief that we were here – like this. With me in his apartment, and him half naked.

"Could've fooled me," I finally mumbled under my breath, bending down to grab my bag off the floor. Peeking inside to make sure I had my keys and phone, I started to head towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Chase's voice rang out from behind me.

"Home?"

"Like hell you are," He growled, pushing himself off the couch. "Its four in the fucking morning."

"Good job, you can tell time." I mocked, continuing to hold his gaze from across the room.

"Don't be a smartass" He rolled his eyes. "I'm too drunk for that shit."

"It's not my fault you came home so fucking late." Honestly, I think he was starting to rub off on me. I've never cursed as much as when I was in his presence.

"Add it to the growing list of things you're currently mad at me for." Chase rolled his eyes. "There's a spare bedroom down the hall – straight ahead."

"I'm not sleeping here!" I looked at him like he was crazy.

"Yes," He gritted, gently tugging the bag from my shoulder. "You are."

"No," I reached for my bag, but he hid it behind him. What is this, a game of cat and mouse? "I am not."

"You either get your ass there willingly, or I throw you over my shoulder and carry you." Chase tilted his head to the side, voice low and serious. I pinned him with a glare, conning to hold his gaze for a moment longer. However, one look at his face and I knew he was dead serious. 

"I hate you," I grumbled, sighing in defeat as I let my feet carry me in the direction of the guest bedroom he pointed to. 

Crawling under the soft covers, I stared up at the pitch black ceiling. I didn't realize just how tired I was until I laid down. My body sank into the soft mattress and I snuggled into the warm blanket. After almost three months of sleeping on an air mattress, I almost forgot how comfortable a real bed was.

As I tossed and turned a couple of times until I found a comfortable position, I saw light was still shining under the door from the living room and I could still faintly hear Chase out there. What the fuck was he doing out there, I thought. It's four in the fucking morning. Fortunately I didn't spend too much time pondering that thought because sleep quickly took over.

However, regardless where I was and who I was around, the nightmares always found a way in. 

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