Chase

I love you, I love you, I love you. When can you say it and have it mean something? I'm not sure, and I don't know if I can say those words.

Kim should never suspect a thing, I was too good for climbing out of windows and sneaking around. You only did sh*t like that if you were desperate. Was I desperate?

Another turn of events as I woke up was that it just hit me that I was 16 now. And with being 16 came great responsibility...and I was going to procrastinate some more on that. Good things come to those who wait right? Good answer Chase, way to justify avoiding something you know your gonna have to figure out sooner or later. i choose later.

"Morning sleepyhead, Happy Birthday" I was taunted to as I came into the kitchen, patting down my blonde bee hive.

"Thanks, and whatever Kim, how'd you sleep?"

"Good, how did you sleep Chase? Did you get enough hours?" She raised a plucked black eyebrow and I started to bite my pink lip. Sometimes Kim was smarter then I gave her credit for.

"Yup, teen's only need like 7 hours anyways" I sat down at the counter next to her.

Kim smirked, "Well, you left your phone on the table and Jayson called."

I paled, "What did he say?"

Kim laughed, "Hmm something along the lines of," she changed, lowering her voice inna humorous guy impression, "Hey, um Chase, yeah its Jayce, I couldn't sleep last night thinking of you. I want to talk to you but I know you have a party and all and um yeah we can talk then. Oh and yeah happy birthday...bye"

I giggled, it was pretty cute. "Ok, well we need to finish getting set up and then we need to change!" I said excitedly. Tonight I was breaking the rules, in Erudite you must wear an article of blue but tonight, I had a pink dress and I was going to wear it.

"Yes I know, lucky for you while you sleep I finished, so we can just get dressed and ready, the food's already set to deliver.

I smiled hugging her, "Your the best Kim, really."

I was so lucky to have her. Sometimes I would just break down from stress and I just needed a friend to be there. Jayce was good, but sometimes it had to be a girl to get the message across. Kim was like my sister. Sometimes I wished as a girl that I would have a sister, but I thought about it and I had Kim.

My phone rung, it was Channing and I sighed still grinning.

"What?" I asked him, being harsh but only because it was him.

"Hmm grumpy on your birthday much sis?"

"What do you want Chan?"

He cleared his throat and I could tell he was smirking. I put it on speaker and he gave the funniest rendition of Happy Birthday I have ever heard. It wasn't like he was trying hard to sing, he was doing the opposite. It was so terribly toned-deaf and on purpose. I laughed so hard I started to cry. Maybe because it was my birthday, maybe it really was that funny.

"Ok love you Chase, and please drink responsibly at your party" he teased.

"Channing!"

He chuckled, "Bye birthday girl" he said before hanging up.

I sighed, "Ok I'm gonna shower and"

"Not so fast," She had a smug look on her face and I remembered she knew.

"What?" I played dumb, which was hard for me. I swore my facial muscles couldn't even do a super cute and stupid look.

"You went out to see Jay-son"

I shrugged, getting up. "What? No!" I denied, but I wasn't doing a good job, there was no use if she already figured it out.

Kim laughed, "I get it Chase, you snuck out to go see your "long time " boyfriend because I was sleeping and you knew that it would drive me insane if I knew you left."

Yup, she was smarter then I gave her credit for.

"Fine, but how did you know?" I asked, then I brought my voice down to a whisper, as if someone else could be listening, "I went through my window!"

Kim chuckled, "Easy Chase, you always wake up at 9:19 on the weekends and it's 10:13, your 54 minutes behind schedule. Then I wondered what kept you up, and I realized Jayson called your phone and mentioned last night, so it all clicked. Busted!" She crossed her arms with a smirk and I had to give her credit, even I didn't know that I was 54 minutes behind, but I guess she had a point, I always woke up the same time, I liked consistancy.

"Fine Kim, you win. I snuck out to spend time with Jayce, but it doesn't matter because I think he's mad at me anyways."

Kim looked to me,"What happend?"

"We started kissing, and then a little more then kissing and I told him we gotta take it easy and be careful because stuff happens and then he got kinda mad but he said he wasn't"

"Well, how did you know he was upset?"

"He told me he'd been waiting for me ever since we were kids, I think like 6 years old or something? And how he'd been for me the entire time and how now we're together he can't even kiss me without me getting upset and I don't know I feel really guilty." I did, the last thing I wanted to do was hurt Jayson's feelings.

Kim shrugged," I don't know he's probably over it, guys are weird and stuff."

I laughed, "Fine your right, he's probably over it. This is weird to me, like I don't know this is the first guy that I'm dating that I actually really like."

"What about Marcus last year?"

I shrugged, I dated him for a few weeks, but when your 14 how serious can you get?

"Didn't you and Jordan date?"

"Again, for like a month."

"I guess, your right."

I smirked, "I'm always right Kim my dear."

Kim rolled her eyes, "Whatever, go get ready birthday girl."

I laughed before heading back to my room to get ready for my party.

Jayson

I was waiting in her room when she came back in. I smiled and she turned around and jumped.

"Jayson!" Chase shrieked and I laughed, walking towards her and putting my arm around her.

"Hey Birthday Girl"

"You've got to stop scaring me like that! What if I came in and I wasnt wearing a shirt or something!"

I chuckled, "Then I would be very lucky" I said before leaning in and kissing her, replacing my arms on her waist. I felt her kiss me back and let my tounge hit the top of her lip, asking her to French Kiss me.

We kissed for a bit before she pulled away again, and I sighed. "What Chase?"

She shook her head, "Nothing, but I need to get ready look I'm not even dressed yet."

She looked pretty cute for being in her pajamas, she had on some cute white pajama shorts and a blue tank top. Her hair was in a messy bun on the top of her head and she wasn't even wearing makeup.

"Beautiful" I whispered, before going back over to sit on her bed. "So Birthday Girl what's it like being 16?"

"Hell" she said back with a smirk, going into her closet and grabbing a siliver brush as she unravled her pony tail.

I chuckled, "Aw come on you must have 1 positive of 16"

Chase shrugged, "I can drive? Happy?"

"Nope, you've had a permit anyways. You've been driving. Next!"

Chase laughed, "I dont know!"

I shook my head, "Nope, I won't leave until you come up with something."

Chase crossed her arms, her lips forming a very cute pout. "Fine, hmm I like being 16 because I can have a sweet 16 party...which I have to get ready for so can you please leave!" She asked laughing, and jokingly trying to push me out.

"Aw come on please? Let me stay just for a bit, then I'll go home and change into my sweatpants"

Chase gave me a look, "Jayson Marrick I swear if you show up to my party in sweatpants I will ring your neck"

I rubbed my neck, "Ouch violent much? Maybe you need some stress relief let me help"

I went over behind her massaging her back. "Feel that? Its your stress and anger flowing away"

Chase laughed, "I'm not stressed or angry Jayce, I just need to get dressed. If Kim came in right now this would look pretty sketchy.

I chuckled, "True, but your relaxing so I'm just being helpful. Like a bridesmaid with pre wedding jitters"

Chase flat out laughed at that one, "Pre wedding jitters? Its a birthday party Jayson not my wedding"

"I know its an analogy, I'm just showing you how helpful I am."

Chase laughed moving away from me and I smirked. "What?" I asked her.

Chase shrugged, "If you want me come get me" she probed, moving towards her window and I had to laugh. Of corse that wasn't my best move because by then Chase was already outside the apartment. I sighed, climbing out.

"Ok we're outside happy?"

Chase nodded, "mhm," she said before coming back and kissing me softly. I kissed her back, not wanting to kiss her hard.

"Ok what are you suggesting we do outside the apartment?"

Chase shrugged, "There's a little pond out back,"

"Swimming?"

Chase nodded, "Sorry I left my bikini inside but yes, I wanna get in the water. I felt like she was hinting towards something. Water was the sign for Erudite. I shrugged it off, I didn't want to bring up the subject yet.

"Fine lets go in"

Chase was already underwater by the time I got my shirt off. I jumped in, "Are we even aloud in here?"

Chase shrugged, "Doubt it" she responded with a smirk.

I chuckled, wrapping my arms around her, "Hmm Chase Matthew's breaking the rules. Sounds like something I would do."

Chase sighed, "Why does everyone think I'm so good and perfect?"

I wasn't sure the right answer here. I wanted to tell her she was perfect, but in turn I wanted to tell her that she wasn't. This is why having a girlfriend who was your best friend was so complicated.

Chase shrugged, "Forget it" I could tell she was sensing I didn't know what to say.

"No no Chase, it's just. Your not perfect, your just perfect to me." I said with a strange look.

Chase gave me a look back before grinning, "Im not perfect, yet you think I'm perfect?"

I scratched the back of my neck. "Well, you know?"

Chase laughed, "Jayson Marrick, the Erudite trouble maker is tongue tied?"

I chuckled again, "Fine you win, but I'm not a trouble maker, I have strategic mischief." I explained, but she wasn't listening, she was hugging me.

"What did I do to deserve hugdome?"

"Nothing, I just need a hug and your the only one here so..."

I laughed, "Oh so now I'm like your last choice of hugs?"

"Noo...Its just there are people above you on the latter of hugging"

I sighed, "Whatever Chase,"

Chase laughed before looking to me, "I really have to get ready now, I'll text you?"

I nodded, "After your dressed we can talk on the phone, or Skype or something."

She shook her head, "You can't see me until the party."

"Ha! Just like a wedding!"

She rolled her gorgeous blue eyes that could just make me melt. "Bye Jayce" she said before going underwater and swimming back to shore, getting out of the water. She waved and then went inside her window.

Chase was...I couldn't describe it.

Kim

I love birthdays. It's an excuse to have a party and dress up and everything. It's just hard, because it's not my party it's Chase's. Now I'm not like the type who's secretly jealous on birthdays, that was Chase. But it still stunk that the whole day I would be seen as a sidekick. i guess that's something I think about a lot. That I feel like sometimes I'm constrained and I can't make my own descions, because I'm always compared or I'm always trying to be good enough for Chase, or my mom, or even the guys at school. Which is stupid because I could have a boyfriend if I wanted one. The real reason I don't is that I don't want to have to constantly feel like I'm not good enough for him or whatever. I think that's what Chase thinks about her mom, if she found a way to step on everyone else then her mom would be proud. The problem is when she steps on her friends in the process. I...just vented didn't I? Sometimes it felt good to rant.

Anyways, I got ready for the party. It was a gray dress, with sparkles all on the bottom covering the gray pencil skirt. Then the top was this gray flowey fabric that was of the left shoulder. Then i paired it with silver heels and a blue necklace. I even kept my hair straight and put on makeup. I wanted to look pretty for the party. I decided that this party was going to be pretty important, I needed to find something. I figured that through it something big would happen.

I waited for Chase in the kitchen until she came out wearing an adorable hot pink dress that had beading in the front and then a pink sash in the middle with a flower in the center. The skirt that flowed out at the bottom. She curled her hair and was beaming. I was happy for her, you only get to have your sweet sixteen once.

"Hey Chase you look amazing"

"Seriously so do you"

I laughed, "Ok whatever, because it took us so long to be this amazing...we have exactly 20 minutes before I'm pretty sure everyone will come. "

"I said 8?"

"Yeah its 6 and I'm pretty sure no body cares about what time the invite says."

"Fine, I guess we have like no time to hang out before the party what took us so long?"

I knew something was up, there was no way that it took Chase like 6 hours to get ready. "Jayson."

Chase sighed,"Seriously, how did you even know this time i was quiet!"

I laughed, "Chase come on ever since you two decided to finally make it official you've been obsessing over him."

She sighed again, I knew I was right. "Ok fine, but what were you doing the whole time?"

I rocked back and forth. What I was doing was technically no better then her. I was talking to Shane.

"Um...TV?" I was never a good liar.

"Ha! You were with a boy too!" Another thing, as well as I knew Chase, She knew me too well too.

"Maybe..."

"Hm...Not Jordan, you guys are just friends. Not Spencer...Shane! You were with Shane Burke!"

I turned pink, "Fine you caught me! Shane and I were skyping."

Chase sat down next to me, "Good tell all."

It was actually a long story.

Before I started thinking about parties and being a third wheel and whatever, I was thinking about myself. More importantly initiation. Thats when Shane called my computer and I hit accept. I didn't know what i was in for.

"Hey Kimberly"

I sighed, and began to brush out my hair with my blue hairbrush. "Shane? What's up?"

"I called for some advice."

"I swear if it's girl advice I'm going to shoot you."

"It's not seriously, It's about initiation," That was something nobody had wanted to talk about. I still didn't know myself.

"Ok shoot" I looked at the screen now to see Shane in his room, door closed.

"I don't know what to do, I don't want to act on impulse and make a stupid descion."

I had a weird look on my face, I was surprised he confined in me, I needed advice myself. "I, well...think about how your life is going to be in a year after initiation is over. You want to be happy. Not somewhere you choose because someone else is there. It's not like you'll never see that person again." I grinned surprised at my advice, I should really consider using my own.

Shane nodded," I want to switch to Candor," he blurted

I nodded, a little surprised, "Why don't you?"

"My family, my friends, you?"

I paused, he really did care about me and it just hit me. "Why me Shane? I'm the sidekick remember?"

Shane shook his head, "Not to me, I think of you as Kim, not the sidekick."

I shook my head" No Shane, honestly I'm never gonna be good enough to not be a side kick. I just can't make up my mind about my own decisions. I want to switch too, but then I don't want to leave Chase and Katherine and my family. And I don't even know how to just switch because I feel like everyone wants me here in Erudite but I'm too stupid for Erudite and I really should be in Amity!"

That came out fast and instantly I felt bad for putting him on the spot and venting like that."I'm sorry I just..."

He shook his head, "If I were there I could kiss you right now."

I laughed, my face turned bright pink "Ok so what's my advice?"

"The same you gave me. In a year your not going to be happy here, you need to switch Kim. Your family will understand trust me." And I did, I actually trusted Shane.

"Thanks"

"Welcome. And now that we both decided we're switching, I guess now we can be a couple until we switch?"

I shrugged, why not." Sure Shane, we might as well."

So yes, that's what I was doing, spending time with my now boyfriend because I might as well. I didn't want to tell Chase that though, I wanted to surprise her at the party. So i shrugged. " I was talking to Shane about the party."

I was never a good liar. Chase knew that. "Liar!"

I shrugged,"Whatever, but I'm not telling you."

I was good at being stubborn.

Chase laughed, "Fine you will tell me soon though. It's my birthday I deserve everything I want!" she joked, but Chase wasn't the spoiled princess type.

"Fine, soon."

Good things come to those who wait, and some of us were just impatient.