A/N: The lines from the summary will be used and explained in a later chapter.
This is my very first Takers fic and I feel that the beginning is terribly slow as it's only purpose, I'm afraid, is just to introduce the characters. Rest assured, though, that it will be picking up fairly quick and although it may not seem like it in this chapter, it will involve much more AJ.
If it's confusing at all, please feel free to let me know so I can clarify a few things in oncoming chapters. To be honest, I've never actually finished any of my multi-chapter stories, however, I've got a set storyline with this one (which means I'm dead set on getting it finished should the story get feedback to do so. Did that even make sense? Flaming and criticism is also welcome).
Anyway, I'll continue my ramblings in later chapters. Any and all errors are my own. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: Only the character of Chase is mine. If the boys were...
"John, I got it," Chase scolded as he attempted to grab the suitcase from her hands. "Stop treating me like I'm five."
"Then stop acting like you're five," he joked back playfully, earning him a shocked expression followed by a glimpse of Chase's tongue as she stuck it out to show her disapproval of his last statement. He let out a small laugh, pearly whites gleaming because she'd just proven his accusation to be true.
"Are you sure you don't mind me crashing here for a few weeks?" she asked him guiltily, stopping at his front door. She didn't want him to feel like he had to do her any favors and this certainly was a huge one.
Inserting the key into the lock, he told her, "I've known you since you were in diapers. You're practically the little sister I never wanted." His smirk at his own comment didn't go unnoticed by her. "You can stay as long as you like. It's really no inconvenience." He opened the door and stepped aside so she could walk in first.
And what she saw stunned her. "Oh, my God," she breathed. His house was of the kind that she'd imagined only existed in movies. Glass windows substituted a wall that should have been to the left of her. Beyond it was a deck that accompanied an in-ground pool and she made a mental note to try out the Jacuzzi at a later date. To her right, she noticed a steel staircase that led to the upper floor, where she assumed the bedrooms and possibly master bathroom would be. Taking a few more steps in, she became aware of the mini bar and a kitchen only a master chef should own. She had to stop herself there, the shock still setting it's way in.
It was definitely a step up from her shitty little dormroom.
"So I see you upgraded since the last time I saw you." She remembered the crappy old apartment he'd gotten when he was just barely legal and how, despite the dingy carpet and the loud neighbors, he'd been so proud. She was only 15 when he leased that apartment and by the time she was 18 and off to college, he still had it. "Looks like things have changed quite a bit in three years, huh? I'm a college dropout and you're…a friggin' multimillionaire. When did this happen?"
"I picked up a couple extra jobs over the years," he said casually, shrugging his shoulders. "No big deal."
She turned to face him, green eyes wild. "No big deal?" She scoffed. "John, have you seen your house?"
"I do, occasionally, wander around it. Yes," he stated sarcastically.
That just earned him a sneer from Chase. "Ha. Ha," she deadpanned. "Very funny."
Desperate to change the subject for fear of her finding out his little secret, he said, "I'll show you where the guest bedroom is and you can get ready. It's almost 9:00. We gotta get going."
"Wait, what?" Chase questioned. John took advantage of her confused state of mind and snatched her suitcase from her before she could react. "Get going where?"
Her gaze followed his movements towards the stairs and halted when he did, halfway up. He looked down at her from where he stood, one hand on the railing. "There's some people I want you to meet," he smirked.
"Like who?" She spoke cautiously. "John, all I want to do is take a shower and sleep."
John just laughed softly to himself as he continued to ascend to the staircase. "Come on," he told his friend. "While you're in the shower, I'll bring in the rest of your bags."
"But-," Chase protested, her feet finally working as she began to race up the stairs after him. The only thing she had been planning on doing tonight was getting intimate with the mattress. She wasn't necessarily in the mood to make small talk with people she didn't know. Imagining how awkward the rest of her night had the potential to be made her cringe. "John!" she whined.
Peeking his head out of what she supposed was her new room, he said, "Oh, and, uh, wear something nice."
Two hours later, they had successfully made it to their destination.
"Was it really necessary to spend that long on your hair?" John asked, slightly annoyed, as they walked through the double doors that introduced them to his friend's club.
Chase gave him an innocent look and responded with, "What? I told you I didn't want to go."
"Right, so you get back at me by stalling and making me wait forever for you?"
Her only reply was a bright smile, but Chase knew that even though she had been reluctant to show up, she'd still wanted to make a good first impression. After all, these were her best friend's best friends. So, she had taken her time twisting her hair into loose curls and picking out an outfit (which she changed four times before John busted in her room and dragged her to the car).
"John," Chase heard a sultry voice say behind them. As they pair turned around, they were greeted by a pretty face and Chase felt a tinge of jealousy over the woman's smooth mocha skin. "They were just asking about you upstairs." Noticing the newcomer, the woman asked with a polite smile, "And who might this be?"
John motioned towards Chase as he spoke. "Lily, this is Chase. Chase, Lily."
"Oh, I've heard your name mentioned by this one a few times. It's nice to meet you." Lily held out her hand which Chase gladly shook in return.
"You, too," Chase said, tensing up a bit as her nerves grew. Taking in Lily's appearance, she noticed that she was definitely underdressed in her darkwash skinny jeans, but she thanked whatever higher power watching over her that she'd decided to match them with a pair of black pumps, creating the illusion that she was classier than she knew she was.
"I'm needed behind the bar, but don't be strangers tonight."
"Alright," John told her, giving her a kiss on the cheek before she left. "They all up there?"
"Yes, sir," she said, before disappearing into the growing crowd.
"All?" Feeling the slight panic in her voice, Chase cleared her throat of whatever insecurities had been clogging it. "How many of them are there?"
"Care to find out?" And just like that, he was retreating away from her and into a swarm of people.
On the short walk it took to reach the stairs, Chase found herself picturing the different scenarios of how the next few moments could play out. She thought of all the stares that would be directed her way (or maybe they'd just ignore her completely), flinching inwardly at the idea of all the unwanted attention (or possibly lack there of). She thought of all the inside jokes that would go over her head and the awkward laughs she'd give as she tried to figure them out. She thought of made-up conversations and potential clever comebacks to what she imagined they'd say to her in these scenes she was creating in her head. She thought of-
No. Chase, stop it, she scolded herself. You're overthinking this way too much.
And before she knew it, she was at the top of the stairs with John's tall frame blocking her view.
"Johnny!," she heard from somewhere in front of her, slightly shocked at the English accent it donned. A chuckle from the same voice followed it's exclamation. "What's taken you so long? We were starting to get the impression that you had stood us up."
The scene hit her as John moved aside to greet whoever the voice belonged to and Chase smiled at the typical fashion of how all men seemed to hug each other. "Yeah, you're taking 'fashionably late' to a whole other level," a younger looking man said to her left, not looking up as he was busy shuffling cards.
"Sorry, boys. Something came up," he told them, referencing the phone call Chase had woken him up with at 7:00 in the morning telling him she'd be in town by nightfall. He looked at the girl as he spoke and suddenly Chase was all too aware of the five sets of eyes glued on her. She swore she could feel the burn marks starting to form on her skin from their intense gazes.
After a second of awkward silence, the same man on her left said, "Yeah, 'something came up' alright. Man, John, how many times do we gotta tell you to stop bringing your booty calls 'round here?"
Chase's jaw dropped and she gave her friend a look that screamed what the hell is he talking about?.
"Jesse," John laughed. "How many times do we gotta ask you when you're finally gonna hit puberty?" The retort earned a set of light laughs all around, even a mocking one from Jesse who followed it up with a serious expression afterwards.
"You're not funny."
"Anyway," John started, ignoring the last comment, "Guys, this is Chase. She's a good friend of mine from way too long ago and she's in town for a few weeks. Make her feel at home?"
"It's a pleasure." The man with the English accent took a step towards her and shook her hand. "I'm Gordon and these lovely 'gents are Jesse, Jake, AJ, and, of course, you know John." She took in their appearances, each one looking dapper as they all wore some semblance of a tuxedo. They were all sat in leather furniture about the loft, some sipping from fancy glasses while others (mainly Jake and Jesse) sat across from each other using a coffee table to play cards on. They all looked so...proper (and had a slight 1920's mobster look about them). This was not the crowd she had been expecting.
"Have a seat," Jake insisted, motioning to an empty spot next to AJ. She gladly did as she was told, feeling some of the pressure ease up as their attention went to back to a previous conversation they'd been having before her and John had arrived.
It was hard for Chase to keep her attention off of the man sitting next to her, but she didn't want him to get the wrong impression for why she was staring. Simple, menial things had always interested her most and she couldn't help but notice the bowtie around his neck (and how he was the only one wearing one), the black fedora perched on his head (and how thin black stripes decorated the white ribbon on it), and the tattoo peeking out from his suit collar near his neck (and how she swore she could see it vibrate when he talked).
When he leaned in to say something, for a brief moment she felt embarrassment flush her cheeks with a slight shade of pink at the thought of him catching her gaping at him. Instead of showing any sign that he'd noticed, he said, "You'll have to excuse Jesse. His conscience isn't quite as developed as most people's. The only thing smart about him is his mouth."
All she could think about at that moment was how his voice was deeper than she'd expected.
"Chase, was it?" he asked, taking her out her trance. "Short for something?"
"Yeah, actually. It's Chastity, but, for obvious reasons, I really hate being called that," she chuckled a little.
"Well, Chase," his eyes connected with hers, the brief moment almost intimate because of such a stare, and it took everything in her to suppress the shiver itching to shake it's way down her back. "I'm AJ. It's nice to meet you," he spoke with a soft smile.
