Page 125 of Encounter

I was glad Chast suggested going here. It was a welcome change of scenery.

Darting my eyes across the many stairs below us, I finally responded, “I don’t want to sound like some brat complaining. I just—”

Chast’s hand reached my thigh and squeezed it lightly. “You won’t,” he said, and the softness of his voice drew my eyes to him.

“I’m just so damn angry. At myself, at him,” I growled, tapping my foot. “I’d always turn it to myself, like I was the one at fault, but now I see how fucking dumb that was. I’ve been suffering all this time because... he’s unhappy with his own damn life, and just pushes all of the pressure my grandparents put on him on me!”

Clenching my teeth—and the plastic under my grip—I closed my eyes briefly, then tried to calm down by focusing on the people around us. Besides the kids down below, there were some girls sitting on the opposite side of the stairs, chatting and giggling, and another group of athletes who seemed to be getting ready to do some exercise, too.

“I don't want to go back to that place,” I murmured, physically cringing over the mere thought of going home. “I don't care about the money, I'll... find a part-time job or something, so he can’t hold money over my head anymore.”

Chast’s eyes narrowed and studied my face for a moment.“Your pops ain’t really good for you, I agree, but... Maybe you should think it through before you nuke all the bridges, huh?” he said in a reasonable, calm tone I didn’t expect from him.

I thought Chast would’ve been glad I was determined, decisive.“Are you saying that because of your father?” I asked. The question was something I would’ve kept to myself even a few weeks ago. Now, I felt more comfortable to voice those thoughts, instead of keeping them to myself and overthinking. “My... My Dad is nowhere near as abusive as yours, I know that, but— I’m not talking about never seeing him again. More like... for a long while, or at least until he decides tobe an adultand mend things with me.”Starting with a long overdue apology...

Chast let out a sigh and moved closer to me, shifting his knees and body toward me so that our legs touched. “I know. I get it,” he said in a low, soft voice that sent shivers down my spine. “All I’m saying is you’re full of emotion right now. You should really think about things before doin’ something rushed, that’s all.”

Gulping, I hated he thought of him being right but couldn’t really argue with his point.“So, is it... okay for me to stay at yours until I calm down?” I asked, coyly blinking at him over my lashes.

Chast flashed his charming, crooked smile.

“Of course. You don’t have to ask. You’ve got the key, ‘member?”His lips inched closer to mine, puffing hot breaths into my sweaty face. Slowly, I intertwined my fingers with his on my thigh and leaned into the serenity and closeness his presence so graciously offered. I closed my eyes and pressed in for a kiss.

The voice in my head—the one that would have been overwhelming my mind with thoughts of other people watching and judging me, judging us—was overshadowed by the smell of Chast’s cologne and the tickling sensation of his beard brushing against my face.

For the first time in my life, I wanted everyone to know. To walk down the street hand in hand, to tell the world this was a person I loved. But doubt was something deeply rooted into my white matter, so I couldn’t help but leave the dreamy state of mind the moment our lips broke apart.

“What is it?” Chast whispered, eager to continue, but sensing my hesitation. His thumb brushed against my cheek gently while I lowered my gaze.

“Are we—Whatare we, Chast?” I asked, immediately regretting ever voicing that dumb concern. The plastic bottle cracked under my fingers as I squeezed it repetitively, nearly mimicking the beats of my heart.

“Is that what you’ve been worryin’ about? The morning after?”

God, why does he have to be so good at reading people?

“Sorry I didn’t tell you.” I hung my head further down in shame. “If... If this is too much—if you just want to have sex, have fun, like you said at the beginning—you should tell me,” I murmured.

Chast stayed quiet, so I was forced to look at him. Pulling away slightly, he looked at me with a strange emotion in his eyes. Surprised? Unsure?

After a deep sigh, he finally spoke. “I would’ve lied if I said that... this became more than I expected at the beginnin’, but it’s not that, Gale.” His voice softened again, and I knew that whatever he was about to say, I was completely powerless to his charm. “I don't worry about our future, I worry aboutyours.It—” Pausing, he ran his eyes anxiously around our surroundings, as if he was trying to find the right words. “If being around me brings you comfort, like it does me, maybe we can... leave it like it is for now. Without labellin’ or pushin’ it. But that doesn’t mean I don’t care for you. ‘Cuz I do.”

His hand caressed my cheek, completely erasing any worries I had. Leaning into his touch, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

It’s all the stress from home. I keep overthinking and freaking out about things that aren’t important.We only just putthistogether. It was foolish of me to expect it to move faster. And why? It was perfectly fine the way it was. “You’re right,” I whispered, nodding.

“You sure you’re not sayin’ that to get me off your back? You mean it, right?”

“I mean it,” I assured him with a smile.

As he kissed me abruptly, he sent a jolt of excitement which completely erased any of my remaining doubts. His hands moved to the back of my neck, and his tongue pushed further into my mouth—hot and wet. “As thrilling as the idea of making out in public is,” he quipped with an alluring chuckle, “how about we take this to mine?”

No reason for Dad’s bullshit to keep ruining my mood.

“Let’s do that,” I said, already getting excited by the proposition.

?

Before he even parked outside of his apartment building, Chast was already groping me and running his hand up and down my leg. He barely kept his eyes on the road, and as much as that worried me, I couldn’t help but relish in the burning lust he had for me.

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