WHEN VERA FINALLY turned over, taking her arm and leg that were both wrapped around me with her, I take my chances and escape. But then me being me, I kick the hard wooden nightstand directly beside the bed and slap my good hand over my mouth, containing a very un-ladylike spew of curse words while I hopped around the dark bedroom. 

Once the pain had subsided I limp out of the bedroom, careful not to create any further sounds as I slowly make my way downstairs. Midnight cravings weren't an uncommon thing and having a mini fridge in the dorm is a damn blessing. I can't even count on both hands the amount of time Chase has woken up in the middle of the night, flicked on his lamp and seen me stuffing my cheeks with oreos like a damn squirrel. 

David had found a black, velcro splint from somewhere in his magical supply of medical items and I slipped it on over my hand after a few hours of icing it with a bag of peas. Mom used to hoard peas when I was little and it wasn't because I loved peas so damn much. It was because my clumsy ass always got hurt and they were used to cool down swelling. 

I finally reach the kitchen and haul open the huge freezer door, becoming temporarily blinded by the white, fluorescent light. After my eyes adjust, I spot exactly what I was craving and pull it into my chest; Chocolate fudge ice cream. I smiling to myself as I close the door with my hip while pulling off the plastic lid of the tub. As I slowly turn, my eyes catch sight of a dark figure standing across the kitchen. 

"Jesus Christ!" I curse out, hissing under my breath as the figure chuckles and walks towards the island block, placing both palms down onto the marble surface. "Are you a secret ninja or something? You always spawn in the worst possible places." 

Chase chuckles as the moonlight flooding in through the window covers his body which was shirtless; one of my favourite looks of his if I'm being honest. I pull open a draw, plucking two spoons from where they sat separated from the knives and forks. 

I hold the two forks up to him in question and he nods, "You always make me sound like I'm a demon from fucking hell." 

"You're not?" I gasp in shock, placing my hand to my chest as Chase smiles at me, "Colour me shocked!" 

 Chase slowly walks around the island block, coming to a stop beside me as I hand him his spoon and begin digging in. He places the spoon on the island, completely ignoring on of the most gorgeous thing in the world that was currently laying in my lap and instead gently grabs ahold of my hand; the injured one. 

"Fuck, Jones." He chuckles staring down at my hand. He then lifts it and places his lips against the skin of my exposed fingers. I almost swallow the damn spoon."I really need to teach you how to punch." 

It always fucks up my brain the way Chase can be so ruthless, punching some dude in an abandon boxing gym one second and the next be so soft, making my heart explode like a New Years Eve firework celebration. 

"Well it's not like I had anyone to teach me when I was little." I shrug as I drop my hand into my lap. Chase takes the spoon, scooping ice cream from the tub as he leans back against the island block towards me. "If you haven't noticed, my dad's not around that often." 

Chase hums, "You don't talk about him much." 

"Because there's not much to say. He's an asshole." I scoff, angrily shoving ice cream into my mouth, "He packs up and leaves the day my mother is diagnosed. Do you realise how utterly shitty that is? I don't hear from him for four years then we get the news that he's a millionaire, living it big in Vegas."

I glance up, my eyes locking with his intense gaze and my heart skips so many beats that I assumed I was close to having a heart attack. His eyes soften as he stares at me, so many emotions swirling around in those hazel depths. I scoff and avert my gaze. 

"Whatever, it's not like I give a shit." I laugh to myself because it's so much fucking better than crying over it, "He doesn't want me in his life, I don't want him in mine, who fucking cares." 

"Believe me, I know that fathers can be the worst fucking assholes possible." Chase smirks as he folds his arms across his chest and I use ever ounce of self control in my body not to stare at his bulging biceps, the cords of the muscles flexing underneath his smooth golden skin, "I never really knew him to be honest. I was four when he left." 

I remain silent and let him continue, careful not to fuck it up like my big ass  mouth has the tendency to do. 

"My mom remarried about three years later....to Luke's dad." Chase explains, his eyes flickering to mine at the end of his statement. Holy fucking fuck. It makes so much sense now. "And if you're thinking it couldn't get any worse, you're fucking wrong. He was more of an asshole than my father. And when he was drunk....fuck." 

I reach forward, placing a hand on his upper arm, "Chase—" 

"At least he had the human decency to leave my younger sister out of it." He glances down on the ground and I could hear the anger and pain in his voice despite the sadistic smile stretched across his face, "But the same can't go for his fucking prick of a son. Sophia fell  hard for that son of the bitch and he knew it. He damn well knew." 

Sophia. His younger sister. 

"He also knew that I wouldn't let him fucking lay a finger on her, which is why he convinced her to run away with him." Chase continues as i sit there, soaking all this in. It was a struggle but I was trying so damn hard. "We caught them before they left the state on a transit bus en route for  Idaho. Shit, Jones, he's so fucking manipulative which is why I was so worried he was going to do something to you." 

"Hey, Everett, I can handle myself you know." 

"I know, Jones, but you don't know Luke like I know him. And fuck, I had never been more worried about your adorable stubborn self before." Chase manages to crack a small smile—a real smile—as he glances up at me. My adorable stubborn self felt extremely stupid in that moment. "My mom was too drunk to care. She'd drink herself until she could barely open her eyes."

"Chase," I say softly as he turns to face me. It felt weird saying his name, his first name, but I liked it. "What...what did you do to get into Caldwell?" 

"You've probably heard bullshit around the school. That I'm apart of some gang, that I'm in the mafia, that I murdered someone, that I'm a serial killer. Oh, and my fucking favourite, that I robbed a retirement home and only took their metal  utensils." Chase smirks and I can't help but chuckle at his last one, "The reason why I fight—or—why I got into fighting was to protect my mother and my sister from Luke's dad, Victor."

Chase takes a gentle hold of my good hand, slipping his fingers into mine as the intertwined hands lay on the top of my right thigh. I squeeze his hand lightly, hoping he realises that he's not alone and he'll never be alone. 

"The memories from that night are a bit blurry but I remember I had just been at my friend's party and come home to see Victor standing of my mother with a broken beer bottle in his hand. There was glass and blood everywhere and my mom lying on the ground fucking unconscious." Chase explains and I hold my breath in anticipation. It was useless though. I had already connected the dots. "I'm not sure if it was the alcohol in my system or the four fucking years of mental and physical abuse, but I just...snapped." 

The possibility had run through my brain on multiple occasions, but everytime I pushed it away, believing the best of Chase Everett. 

"It was like a switch went off and when I came to, he was dead and I was covered in his blood." Chase continues and he glances down at our intertwined hands as if he was shocked that I was still holding on. His eyes flicker to mine, questioning if i was aware I was holding the hand of a murderer.

 I was well aware. And I wasn't letting go for anything. 

"The reports say he was unrecognisable. I had beaten him so savagely that he didn't even look human anymore." His voice cracks and I wanted nothing more than to hug him right then and there, "I was only twelve at the time and spent a year in juvenile detention before transferring to Caldwell thanks to my mother's father. But I mean, where the fuck was he before right?" 

I had heard about Chase's grandfather before. He owns a massive architecture company in Seattle and is worth a shit ton of money. 

"Mom is in some fucking million dollar rehabilitation centre up north and Sophia lives with our aunt in Florida. I haven't seen or spoken or fucking contacted both of them since coming to Caldwell." Chase reveals to me and my heart was honestly breaking for him. I never knew it could be this bad. "But like you said, who fucking cares. Everyone leaves because we're just the type of people to get left." 

"Come here." I tug at his hand and he doesn't move. I give him a more pointed look as he rolls his eyes and comes to a stand in front of me and between my legs hanging off the edge of the counter. I place the ice cream down to my side and reach up, cupping Chase's face with both hands, "I hope you realise that your past says fuck all about who you are right now. It doesn't define who you are." 

His hazels eyes avert my stare as he remains silent. 

"Look at me." I demand softly as his gaze slowly rises, "You fucked up. Congratulations. So did I. Maybe not as bad but it doesn't fucking matter. You have good friends who care about you. I mean, there is only a small list of the people Levi actually likes in this world and you're at the top. When Noah does something stupid, you're there straight away to help him. You protect Penn when she's bullied in class about her drinking problem. You make Vera laugh and feel included in everything. "

"Jones—" 

I shake my head as Chase reaches up to take my hands away. "No, don't go all Everett on me. Your mother was protected by her son when she needed it most. Your sister was saved by her big brother. And me, I like when I'm around you Chase." 

"You're good at that, Jones." Chase laughs to himself. 

"What?" 

"Making people feel more important than they actually are." Chase smiles softly at me and I think I could hear my heart cracking in two. 

"You're important to me, Everett." 

And with that, I pull him towards me and press my lips against his. His mouth moves against mine slowly as I slide my hands from his jaw and down his broad shoulders. His hand cups my jaw gently and he applies gentle pressure while tilting my face up. I feel his tongue against my bottom lip and I open my mouth, allowing our tongues to explore each other. 

Then the pace picks up. Excitement and adrenaline ripple through my body while my skin lights up like a 4th of July fireworks show. Our mouths clash together as do our bodies. Chase's hands slip under my shirt, wrapping around my waist and I could feel his long fingers against the skin of my back, sensually moving up and down. I pull him closer by the waist and my legs curl around his waist. 

Slowly and without breaking contact, he lowers me onto my back. I hear the ice cream and the spoons hit the hard wooden floorboards. It was a fucking phenomenon. I didn't care about the ice cream, nor did I care about anything else for that matter. All I did care about was Chase and our lips colliding together. What was to come tomorrow was a problem for future-Hayden. Sorry not sorry. 

The hem of my faded electric blue tank was pushing up against the underside of my boobs, my entire stomach on full display and if it were to rise any higher I would most definetly flash Chase. Not that he would mind. The heat of his skin against mine was mind blowing and I couldn't get enough. 

Chase's mouth moves from mine, down to my jaw and then he latches onto my neck. I wondered if he could feel my erratic pulse as he trailed light kisses up and down my throat. I throw my head back as I soft moan escapes from my lips.

Shit. I had never heard that kind of sound escape my mouth. Well, maybe when I'm enjoying a really good cheesecake but—so not the fucking time Hayden. 

Using my good hand, I bring his mouth back to mine and my eyes lock with his for a split second. Oh for fuck sakes. Why does he have to look at me like that? Why does he have to spark so many confusing emotions in me? Why? 

Luckily, our mouths were a little too preoccupied at the moment to be answering those questions. Instead, I throw myself into the blazing fire that is Chase Everett without a second fucking thought. I was happy. That's it. 

Then, the lights turn on. 

The sound the switch made when it was flicked echoed loudly through the kitchen, even over our heavy breathing. My eyes snap open as I instantly push Chase off me. He goes stumbling back into the refrigerator as I sit up so fast I almost topple off the kitchen bench. 

Noah stood across the room, his hand still on the light switch as he gawks at us with an open mouth. I was panting heavily as I glance at Chase out of the corner of my eye to see him wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. I frown slightly, confused as to why he was pressing his front against the counter beside me. 

"You guys have midnight cravings too?" Noah questions through the awkward silence, smiling away as he casually strolls towards us, "What a coincidence!" 

Noah walks past us and opens one of the bulky metallic doors of the refrigerator. Chase glances at me as well and smiles, amused by all of this while I was no doubt a fucking tomato. How is he always so calm in the worse and most anxiety-inducing scenarios? 

Noah turns around with one grape juice box in his hand and grins, before his blue eyes drop to the ground, "Look, I'm no scientist, but I'm pretty sure ice cream belongs in your mouth and not on the ground." 

Slowly, my gaze lowers to the ground where the tub of ice creams was on it's side and it's melted contents was leaking all over the floorboards. 

"Oh shit!" I exclaim quietly as I leap from the island block and crouch down, picking up the plastic container before placing it back on the countertop. I then silently walk over to the large white ceramic kitchen sink. 

"So, what are you two night owls doing here?" Noah questions lightly in an all-knowing smart ass tone as I wet a small cloth in the sink and ring it out. I glare at him as I walk back over to the mess splattered over the floor. 

"I was craving something sweet." 

Chase hums in agreement, "Me too." 

"Something sweet huh?" Noah muses as I stare up at him with the most unimpressed look and he wriggles his eyebrows. He then sighs, "Well, this is all I came down for so au revoir." 

He then slides out of the kitchen and pauses to turn around. He grins and winks. 

"Oh and I'll keep your little secret. You're welcome!" 

I roll my eyes as he dramatically spins on his heals and wipe up the last remnants of the ice cream before walking back towards the sink. I stare at Chase, noticing he was still standing against the counter top. 

"You should probably go up too." I inform him as he nods silently. I sigh and place my hand on my hip, "What's wrong?" 

"Nothing." 

I press, "Everett?" 

"Fine, you want to know?" Chase questions before stepping back and my eyes lower from his face. The large bulge in his sweatpants was unavoidable. "I hope you know this is your fault." 

"What? It just can't be help that I'm so sexy." I shrug, while flipping my hair over my shoulder. 

Chase rolls his eyes before clearing his throat, "I just need a little bit....to adjust." 

"Well then, good night." I smile at him before walking out of the kitchen. I then pause and glance over my shoulder. He was leaning against the island block, both palms pressed against the countertop and as if feeling my stare on him he glances up at me. I nod, "And thank you Everett." 

I didn't have to specify what I was thanking him for. We both knew. 

"Good night, Jones." 

so you guys finally get to know all about chase's back story? did you guess it? 

also, i feel like i'm dying. i have the worst fucking cold and am currently on the couch, wrapped in a million blankets and surrounded in used tissues while writing this. 

but i do it for you amazing, awesome people!!!