Chapter 24 - A Night To Remember

** COURTNEY's POV **

"You want me to come over?"

After I heard those words, I think I had a mini heart attack.

No, I think I died on the spot!

What to do? What should I do!

I was pacing back and forth. My nerves were in chaos. You know the feeling that your heart will explode any minute now because it's on a haywire? Yeah, that feeling.

What the hell is that all about!

I was having an internal battle with myself. A bigger part of me-no scratch that, all of me wants him to come over. But then I'm afraid of what will be my behavior when he's here. Look at me, I'm acting like a lunatic just by talking to him over the phone-over the freakin' phone! What more if he's here!

I had enough of Treyson in my body for a day. Too much will be the death of me!

Besides, I just broke up with Troy, if you even call that a break-up, but still! I wasn't the type who'll invite a guy over after a semi break-up!

Especially if that guy is the reason for the break-up.

Oh what the heck! Shut the hell up, will you?

"Hello? Collins? Are you still there?" Chad's voice interrupted my train of thoughts.

"Yeah, I'm still here. What did you say again? I think I didn't get that part." I lied.

"I'm pretty sure that you heard what I just said, Courtney." He insisted.

Busted!

"What I mean is, I wasn't sure if I heard you correctly." I told him. I was lying, of course, because I perfectly heard him. I heard what he just said, loud and clear. It's just that I wasn't sure why he said that. It's like it's not in his character to actually go over to a girl's house at night.

Especially if the girl is you?

The evil me strike again. I swear I'm going to find the switch button to turn that little witch off!

I mean, Chad is the type who'll spend his time reading a book or something.

"What? You never thought that I would say that?" He queried.

"Yeah." I answered without missing a beat.

"So, is that a... no?" He questioned with a hint of hesitation on his tone.

"What?" I asked, not sure about the answer to his question.

"You don't want me to come over?"

Oh Chad! You don't have any idea. You don't even know what you're talking about.

But what the heck.

"I do." I murmured, hoping that he didn't hear it. But he did.

"You... do what? Do not or do want?" He asked in a slow manner.

This was probably the most difficult question I'd encountered in my whole existence. Questions like these were nothing to me before. If I want something, I say it. If not, I will be frank about it.

But what is it with Chad that makes this question so darn hard to answer?

Damn it! It's just a yes or a no, Court! Make up your mind.

I closed my eyes and bit my lip. "I do... want." I answered. Then there was silence. I opened my eyes and it zeroed in to the clock, there I realized that it's already late. "But it's already late." I immediately said. "You know, something might happen to you on your way here or when you go home?"

"So, it's a no?" He clarified.

This guy is killing me!

How do I say that I badly want him to come over because aside from I want to hear his voice, I also want to see him now, so darn bad. But at the same time I'm worried that something might happen to him on the way. It's late and a lot of crimes and accidents happen when it's late.

Then say it! No one is stopping you from doing that.

It's not that easy! I sound so desperate if I say that.

But you are. Be true to yourself, honey. Pretending is definitely not your thing.

Geez, thanks for nothing.

"Yes, it is a no." I said, sounding so firm of my words. But then the inner me kicked in. "But it doesn't mean that I don't want you to come over. Believe me, I do. It's just that there are a lot of crimes and accidents happen during late nights like this." As soon as I voiced out those words, I snapped back to the old me and tried to redeem myself and undo the damages that I've done "And I might get worried. And I hate worrying." I added.

Seriously, I'm losing it! I'm losing this!

I heard Chad chuckle. "Courtney Collins is worried about me?"

"And why do you sound so surprise?"

"Oh nothing. It's just that... it's kind of very unusual to hear that you're worried about me." He said with yet another laugh.

"Why? Am I not entitled to worry about you?" I asked, now irritation is starting to get into me.

Chad laughed again. Seriously, didn't he hear the hint of irritation in my tone?

"Is this conversation will be about you laughing at me? Because if it is, better yet we should hang this up." I told him.

Now I'm completely irritated. If only I knew that being honest would be this cruel, I should have lied or pretended.

"Hey." Chad called me out. "I'm not laughing because it's funny or unusual. I laugh because I'm happy. I'm glad to hear that you might get worried about me." His tone sounded so sincere that it warmed my frozen and irritated heart. This guy is seriously giving me a heart attack! Where did that line and charm came from? Tell me, Treyson! What book taught you how to be so darn freakin' charming!

"Just so you know, I worry about a lot of stuff too. And people. Not just you, okay? So don't feel so special or something." Okay... I sounded so defensive!

"I know, I know. But at least I'm part of that list now, huh."

Damn freakin' charming geek.

"Whatever makes you sleep at night, Chad." I said with a goofy smile plastered on my face.

"But seriously, if you want me to come over, I'll be there in an instant. I just want to make sure that you're fine." Chad's voice was calm. Words came out of his mouth naturally as if it's the most common thing to say.

Why, Chad? Why do you have to act this way? I don't know anymore. You're the one who's making me feverish and not fine, okay?

"I'm perfectly fine, Chad. Why wouldn't I?"

"It's just that... there's something about your voice that makes me think that there's something troubling you."

Chad's statement shocked me. How? How did he know that?

I'd been talking to Chad not too long, but then he figured something was up. That something was troubling me. But then Troy didn't even recognize that. It was obvious in my face that I was feeling exhausted and out of my thoughts, but then he didn't even bother to hear me out.

But Chad did. Just over the phone.

"Oh it's nothing. It's just that... school stuff, you know. It's stressing me out." I admitted, but then I tried to divert the attention away from the fact that he's somehow part of something that's troubling me.

"Save your strength, okay? Just rest and go to sleep. We still have school tomorrow."

Funny how I wanted to rest a while ago when Troy was here, but now that I'm having a conversation with Chad, it's like I don't want to hang up and continue this talk with him till dawn.

"Are you sleepy?" I asked.

Okay, I know I'm making a big move here and it's very unlikely for me to do this, but I want to do this. Really bad.

"Not really, why did you ask?" He answered right away.

"Is it okay to... you know... continue this conversation while either of us is feeling sleepy. If that's okay, you know. Just... that."

That's totally a lame excuse to extend a conversation. I could have thought of something original and very Courtney Cordelia Collins. Not this Courtney Coward Collins.

"You can just say that you want to hear my voice more, you know." Chad humored. He was chuckling over the phone and goodness it's very contagious.

"Whatever, Chad. I just want someone who can bore me to death and you happen to be available." I said. I made sure that it came out as a joke to lighten up the mood.

"So? Are you dead now?" He replied playfully.

My heart is dying now for pete's sake!

"Not yet. But soon, I guess." I laughed. "So, what are you doing?"

"Talking to you." He answered humorously.

I rolled my eyes to his answer. "Fine. Before the talk and aside from talking to me. Like I mean right now."

"I was reading before I called you. And right now? Want to know what I'm doing?"

"That's why I asked you, right?"

"Right. Okay. You have a balcony or something? Go out." He told me.

"What? Why?" I semi-shrieked.

I was feeling find of nervous. He's not here, right? He's not actually outside my house, right? I'm so freaking out right now!

Oh dear heaven! Help me!

"Just go out. You'll see." He simply said. I could feel that he's grinning while he said that.

I looked at the mirror for a second, to check myself out of course, and then I walked out the balcony. I looked down and tried to search for him.

"Look up." He commanded.

This time I furrowed my brows in confusion. Why should I look up? So instead of questioning him, I just did what he told me to do. I looked up.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" He asked.

My frown just got deeper because I wasn't sure what he's talking about. I span around and I stopped. There I saw the moon so big and bright. "Wow." I breathed out.

"Yeah, wow. I'm staring at the moon while talking to you."

For some unknown reason, this made me let out a smile-a big goofy smile.

This is too cheesy. Too cliché. But let's face it, I never had this cheesiness and cliché moments before. Who would have thought that the things I hate the most-cheesy and cliché, felt this good.

"So... now we're both staring at the moon, huh." I said.

"Yeah, it's like I'm there." Chad said. And it really made my heart skip a beat.

"Yeah, it's like you're here." I smiled at the thought of Chad being here beside me.

The happiness inside me is unexplainable and too surreal. If this is just a dream, I will kill the person who'll try to wake me up. Seriously.

I was staring at the beautiful moon when all of a sudden I saw a shooting star.

"Did you see that?" Chad asked with excitement.

"Yeah!" I replied with the same enthusiasm.

"Did you make a wish?" He asked.

Yes.

Yes, Chad. Of course I made a wish.

The only wish that came into my mind.

I wish... I wish for you to like me.

Silly, right?

- END OF CHAPTER 24 -

Thank you for your patience guys. I know I said that I'll update early but then something came up. I'm so sorry. So now, expect a slow update because I'm currently on a vacation. I'm here in Dubai and I want to enjoy my time here. Thank you very much for understanding.

I hope you liked the update. <3

Check out my other stories.

The Playboy Series (Must Date, Hate, Love The Playboy)

Steal My Girl

Thank you! <3

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