Chase ~ Stephanie

                                    

                                          
Hastings stares over my shoulder. I follow his gaze. Meg and Kaden are standing near the water, down the beach. It looks like they're talking. I can't help but wonder why Kaden's so surly. Hastings won't tell me, but I'm sure Meg will find out soon enough. I can't wait for the late-night gossip session. I turn back to Hastings, who only glances at me before staring back down the beach again. "Jeez, you're distracted," I say.
Hastings shrugs and leans up against the porch railing. "Am I boring you?" It almost feels like I'm chasing him. He's completely different today, not like when we met on Wednesday at all. I never expected him to play hard to get. Looks like I chose the right twin after all.
"Not yet," I say. A smile lights up his face for a split second. His eyes draw me in. They're gray, bottomless and stabbing, the kind of eyes you can't lie to. I can't help it-I touch my lips to his. He's really warm, a little rough. I hang on the moment, hang on the thrill of not knowing what he's going to do. For a split second, nothing happens. Then he grabs my shoulders and pulls away.
I stare back into his eyes. For the first time in my life, I'm at a loss for words.
"Don't get me wrong." Hastings rubs my shoulders. "I like you. A lot, but..." He glances around the crowded deck. "I don't wanna make out with you like this."
"We can make out somewhere else," I say with a shy smile.
Hastings narrows his eyes and works his jaw. "You're drunk, aren't you?"
"So I had some drinks. What kind of question is that, anyway?"
Hastings lets me go. He's still staring over my shoulder.
"Hastings. Hey, snap out of it." I smack his shoulder. He raises his eyebrows at me. "See me. Here in front of you. Unignorable."
"I'm not ignoring you, I'm just-"
"Distracted." I tug on his shirt until we're almost close enough to kiss again.
His face is severe, calculating, and so very cute. "I'd rather get to know you than get with you," he says.
"Oh." I snort. "Does that line work on the sluts in Oregon?"
Hastings gawks at me, his mouth hanging open. "That wasn't a line." He shifts uncomfortably-I pull away from him. "In case you didn't notice, you kissed me."
"Whatever. There's no getting to know me," I say. "You get with me, or you get nothing."
"What if that's not good enough for me?" Hastings raises his eyebrow. The way he's leaning against the railing-all smooth and sure of himself-is driving me crazy. Even his eyebrow makes me want him. "Then what?"
"Then-"
Hastings' eyes wander again, and his face clouds over with concern. He straightens up and moves around me. I turn to see Meg coming back to the house. Kaden is still standing there, staring out at the ocean. Huh. She must have decided to listen to me. Hastings goes down the stairs to the beach and jogs over to Meg. I roll my eyes and hurry after him.
"What happened?" he asks her, slowing to a walk.
Meg opens her mouth, but she glances back at me, shrugs, and shakes her head. I think she's close to tears. What did Kaden do? That jerk!
Hastings turns away and jogs toward Kaden.
"Come on." I put my arm around Meg's shoulder and lead her away, down the beach. She doesn't say anything. Something must have happened. She gets lost in thought, and my imagination starts going.
Meg really liked Kaden. I guess she decided to go after him. Did he turn her down, then? That makes no sense. If Kaden didn't want her, then why did he come? What kind of jerk comes on a double date and then blows off the girl he came with? If that's what happened, then I'm going to humiliate him in front of everybody. I bite my tongue before I say anything. She'll tell me what happened when she's ready.
Poor Meg. She's such a softy, always taking things too hard. Sometimes I wish she could be more like me, for her own sake. So she could stop clamming up and actually take a risk with a guy that she likes. So she could chase after someone instead of giving up when he shows her the cold shoulder. And so she could get over it fast and move on, like me.
Meg pulls away from me and turns to look back. I can just barely make out Hastings and Kaden, standing together way down the beach. Meg's eyes are unfocused.
"What is it?" I ask, unable to wait anymore.
"I . . . I think I really blew it," she says.
"What happened?"
She glances over at me. "I don't even know." She throws her hands up. Her eyes are shiny with tears.
She went after him, and he rejected her. She's going to give up and let him get away. I can't let her do that, not when she likes him that much. "You need to go talk to him."
Meg shakes her head.
"Come on. Don't let him get away. Fight for him."
Meg bites her lip. Her eyes go unfocused again.
"You know he's worth it," I say.
"Yeah, he is." She smiles.
"Then go." I shoo her away. Meg raises her eyebrow at me and shakes her head. She's so amused with me that she's almost smiling. I move behind her and grab her shoulders, give her a little push. "You can't give up before the chase."