Love to Burn Chapter 14: Temporary Insanity
Disclaimer: Quinn is my new hero. She lent me the Chase and Logan bots to help me get… inspired…
It seems that no matter how far I run, there will always be people plotting to hurt me. But no matter how many things stand in my way, there's always a glimmer of hope and a spark of joy. I found my glimmer of hope, and she helped me find my joy. I won't give up so easily. Even if it's only temporary, it's long enough for me, and my past won't ruin this. Not again…
The next morning I woke up feeling far less tired than the previous day. A lot of the pain I felt in my lower regions had dissipated, and it completely went away when I started to remember the events of last night.
I'd been really upset at Aiden. I knew he was out to get me, and he was out to hurt Chase… and Chase is so dumb he'll fall for anything, and I didn't know how to protect him, and… ahhh! It was all getting to me, so I decided to do something I hadn't in a long time. I took Chase's guitar and started singing. The last time I sang was back in the hospital. Back when Aiden had full control of everything. I sang the same song I wrote the day after it happened the first time. Then Quinn called with the details of what had been going on at PCA after we left. She warned me that something like this could happen, but I didn't listen. I guess I should have. Quinn was always looking out for me after the day I kinda saved her from Zoey.
The day before we left I'd told her everything, from Aiden dating Zoey, to my parent's wedding, to my crazy stepmother, and even the one thing I'd kept secret even from Chase: the hospital.
Quinn wanted to help in any way she could after that, and I wasn't opposed to the idea at all. She'd told me last night not to leave town, and knowing Quinn, she had something too complicated for its own good in mind. But that's what I loved about her and her plans. No matter how convoluted they were, they always came together in the end… sort of.
Anyway, if Quinn said not to move, I wasn't budging. But Aiden was going to be a challenge. I knew Chase wouldn't mind waiting a bit, but Aiden might get suspicious that something was going on. So how was I to stall our trip long enough for Quinn to get here?
I surveyed the room to see if there was anything I could use to my advantage, and it hit me. Chase's guitar. It was the reason Aiden had found us, but it could also be the tool to help me get rid of him.
I waited for Aiden and Chase to get up, letting them get ready and prepare for the trip. I think I kissed Chase without reason a dozen times, in Aiden's face, just to anger him. He totally deserved it after the crap he'd said to me yesterday. I could tell he was very bothered by it too. Every time my lips met Chase's, Aiden's eyes narrowed and darkened with such anger. It was funny to me though.
I had done my best to get ready for the cold, but I wasn't expecting it to be this windy. My ears were freezing, and I guess they were really red. Chase offered me his funny looking red cap to put on. Of course I refused saying that his ears would freeze if he gave me that. To this he replied, "My hair will keep my ears warm. And if I get too cold I could always just hold on to you."
At the train station, Chase wanted to buy the tickets again, but I told him that wasn't such a good idea. It was very early still, probably before 9 am. This meant the ticket box was closed. Aiden, being ever so clever, suggested we go to the ticket machines on the platforms. It was time to put my plan into action.
"Hey Chase?" I started, holding his hand to get him in the mood to agree.
"Yeah?" he responded.
"Remember when you wrote that song for me?"
"Which one? All my songs are about you."
I had to admit, I wasn't expecting that, and I wasn't expecting my face to turn the same color as the red benches on the platform. I turned to look at him and he was smiling, and then I turned to look at Aiden, and he was scowling.
"Well, I want you to play one for me…. Please?"
I tried giving him the most helpless look I could muster, and it seemed to be working since his face was doing the same.
"Really?!"
"Yeah. I love to hear you sing. It makes me happy."
I felt a little bad for not telling him the whole truth, but then again I wasn't exactly lying when I said his music made me happy.
He had this big goofy grin on his face afterwards and promptly took his guitar out of the case and sat on the bench. He looked up at me and smiled before starting to play a song I hadn't heard before. Now, I really wanted to go see what Aiden was up to, but Chase's songs always had more meaning than they let on. He usually tried to say something through them. His voice was too much for me, so I sat down and took my hat off; it was getting itchy.
"I can't think of a song… Hmmm…" he said, looking up at the gray winter sky. I could see Aiden having trouble with the ticket machine in the distance, and a lot of people were starting to gather. If Chase was gonna cause a distraction, now would be a perfect time to start. But he needed inspiration. So, I grabbed his cheeks and turned his head to face mine. I gave him a little kiss on the lips, until he leaned into it really hard, tongue and all. He then broke apart from me and said with a gleam in his eye, "I've got an idea!"
He strummed his guitar once, and then started vocalizing a bit.
What just happened?
Did you kiss me?
Cause that's a place we've never been until now
And I don't know how it's gonna be after this
Do we pretend these feelings don't exist at all
Or do we fall?
My confusion shows whenever you get so close
I stumble, I stutter, forget what to say
I'm nervous, I wonder why I'm acting this way
It's temporary insanity
What's going on with you and me?
Is it real or is it fantasy?
Forever or just temporary?
My plan was working perfectly. The large crowd of people waiting for the train started gathering around us, cheering Chase on. I saw that smile grow on his face, I was sure that when this was over, he was gonna start up with the "I'm the next Teddy Geiger" speeches he always gave me. Aiden came back, and he was just standing there, one face in the crowd, looking back in shock at how many people stopped to listen to Chase. The wind blew and my hat fell to the floor in front of Chase. I would have picked it up, but the people started dropping change in it, and hey, I wasn't about to complain. Chase just kept going and going.
Woah, oh, oh insanity
Woah, oh, oh
You made a move don't change your mind
Too much to lose, we've crossed the line between friends
And something more
Was it all a big mistake?
And if it was, it's much too late to undo
And I don't really want to
Let you go but I still don't know
How I feel about you
What this really means
It's crazy to want you
Is it meant to be?
It's temporary insanity
What's going on with you and me?
Is it real or is it fantasy?
Forever or just temporary?
I didn't notice when they announced our train was boarding until after it had left. Aiden had gone chasing after it as if it was gonna stop for him. I laughed.
Woah, oh, oh insanity
Woah, oh, oh
Oh, what you do to me?
What comes over me, oh?
If this is crazy there's nothing I'd rather be
Chase started vocalizing again before going into the chorus. I felt someone sit down next to me, but I was too busy looking at Aiden. He had a look of frustration and it was coming in my direction. I thought it was for me, but then I heard a familiar voice cheering for Chase when he finished his song. It was coming from right beside me, and I turned to face the culprit.
"Quinn! You're here?!"
She smiled at me, drawing us into a one armed hug.
"Of course I am! I told you I'd fix everything! How was I supposed to do that all the way from school?"
"Good point."
She smiled at me and then glanced nonchalantly at Aiden. He was looking over at us confused, but his look became unimportant when Chase sat down after the cheers subsided and the crowd went back to their own doings.
He grabbed the hat on the floor and looked over at me with that same goofy smile. Then he saw Quinn and gasped, kinda.
"Quinn!" he yelled while bending over me to hug her.
"Hey Chase! How've you been? Feels like I haven't seen you in years!"
"It's only been a few days though." Chase said, confused since he didn't get the exaggeration.
"Never mind. So, Chase, how much did you make?" She asked as Aiden sat down next to Chase.
"Let's see… there's like twenty singles here, and a bunch of change too."
"Not too bad for your second performance. Aren't you glad I made you play?" I said to him, glancing at Aiden right before I stepped in to attack Chase's lips with my own.
"Anyway," Quinn said directing her words at me, having a pretty good idea of what I was trying to do. "I brought a present for you two. It's outside, but it's kinda heavy. I'll need all of your help to bring it."
"But our train is about to come." Aiden responded to Quinn's comment in a very annoyed voice.
"It won't take that long. Come on!"
With that, Quinn stood up, grabbing Aiden by the wrist and whisking him down the stairs that led to the street.
Chase finished putting his guitar back in its case and came up to me, putting his hand around my waist. Then it happened again. That annoying flash of red in my mind resurfaced, causing me to jerk free of Chase's embrace. I didn't mean or want to, but there was something holding me back, keeping me away from him. He was hurt by this. I could see it in his eyes, but he just brushed it off and went down the stairs without me, giving me a half hearted smile as he passed in front of me.
I felt horrible. Chase never spoke up when something was bothering him, but it was always clearly painted on his face. And I hated being the one to hurt him. Lately, everything I was doing seemed to earn me that same look he just gave me; a combination of sorrow, disappointment and confusion hidden behind a vain attempt at a smile. His face then was all I could think of on my way outside. I looked around, but didn't see anyone there, so I started to walk a bit from the entrance to the station. When I reached the parking lot, I saw something that completely altered my train of thought. It was Quinn and Chase, putting an unconscious tied up Aiden in the trunk of Coco's car.
A/N: Now, I know I promised you the details of the hospital in this chapter, but what fun would it be if I spilled all the beans prematurely. j/k, I just wanted to post this up ASAP, so you'll just have to wait till next week to find out about what Aiden did to Logan. And what do you guys think is up with that last part? How did that happen?! Oh, and tell me if you thought there was too much music and not enough angst. I need to know these things. Ooo look! There's a button under this that says 'submit review'. I wonder what that does. Why not press it and tell me later?