Chapter 29: Graduation

"Chloe, it's time to head to school! We're going to be late if you don't hurry!" Patrick called out to his daughter. Today was graduation day for the Hartford High School Class of 2018. The ceremony started at noon, and all the seniors needed to be there an hour early.

"Okay, Dad! I heard you the first time! I'll be down in a second!" Chloe called back. The redhead looked at herself in the mirror one last time to make sure her appearance was satisfactory. Once she had done that, she went downstairs. "Alright, I'm ready to go."

"You look beautiful, sweetheart," Patrick said, smiling and handing Chloe her jacket. "I can't believe my baby girl is graduating from high school and going off to Juilliard in two and a half months."

"Thanks, Dad," Chloe said, taking her jacket and smiling back at him. "And I can't believe it either. It feels like the beginning of the school year was just yesterday."

"To me, it feels like you were starting kindergarten just yesterday," Patrick stated with a smile. "I'm so proud of you, sweetheart. You've already done so many amazing things with your life, and I know you'll continue to do that in New York," he said before giving his daughter a hug.

Chloe smiled and hugged her father back. "I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you and Mom. You both have been so supportive of me, and I can't tell you how much I appreciate that."

Cindy then walked in with her coat on and she smiled at her daughter. "You ready to go, high school graduate?" She asked, walking up and hugging her as well.

"I am, but I'm not a high school graduate just yet," Chloe said with a chuckle as she hugged her mom back.

"Well, you're about to be one," Cindy said before kissing her daughter's cheek. "Let's go. We don't want you to be late."

Next door, Beca and her parents were also about to head over to the graduation ceremony. "You're all grown up now, Beca, and I couldn't be more proud of the person you've become," Cala said, smiling at her daughter as tears of joy welled up in her eyes.

"Thank you, Mom," Beca said, smiling and giving her mother a hug. "I love you and am so grateful for everything you've done for me."

"You don't need to thank me, sweetie. I was just doing my job as your parent," Cala replied. "But you're welcome anyway," she added.

Jacob then walked in with Henry and Hailee, who were both holding something behind their backs. "This is a little something for you to take with you to LA," he said with a smile before the twins revealed what they were carrying. Hailee was holding a brand new pair of recording headphones, and Henry was holding a brand new laptop for recording music. "Congratulations on graduating, Beca."

Beca gasped and put her hand over her mouth. "Oh my gosh! Thank you!" She exclaimed, hugging her father and both of the twins before taking the gifts from them. "Wow, you guys. This is so sweet, but it's too much."

"You're gonna need to record your music while you're in LA, and this equipment will help you do that," Jacob said, smiling at his daughter. "You've earned this after paying for your own car, getting straight As, being captain of the basketball team, and running that band of yours. You've worked harder than just about anyone I've ever met," he said, giving her another hug. "This is just what you deserve."

"Thank you, Dad," Beca said, smiling as she embraced her father. "You have no idea how much this means to me. Thank you so much."

"No problem, kiddo," Jacob said, kissing the top of his daughter's head. "We do need to get going now, though. You can't be late to your own graduation." The five of them then piled into their family car and headed over to the school.

While they were in the car, Beca took her phone out of her pocket and sent a text message to Chloe.

Beca: Hey, babe. You nervous?

Chloe: I'm doing alright. Wbu?

Chloe smiled as she waited for Beca to text her back. They would officially be on summer break after the graduation ceremony, and Chloe couldn't wait to spend most of her summer with Beca. A few seconds later, her phone buzzed with a reply from her girlfriend.

Beca: Same here, surprisingly. I can't believe that our summer break is only a few hours away :)

Chloe: I know, babe! I can't wait to spend my summer with you ;)

Beca: I can't wait for our summer together either. It's gonna be a lot of fun ;)

Cala turned around to check on Beca and the twins, who were all sitting in the backseat together. A small smile crossed her face when she saw her daughter on her phone. "Who are you texting, Beca?"

"Chloe," Beca answered with a smile. The brunette turned off her phone after she replied to Chloe's text and put it back in her pocket, still smiling. "We're just talking about summer break, that's all," the brunette said, unable to stop smiling as she thought of the redhead.

"Ah, I see. Are you guys making any plans for summer break?" Cala asked curiously.

"Actually, we've made a ton already," Beca said, smiling. "I'm gonna take her to the Silverwood Theme Park in Idaho because she's never been there before. That's one of the many things we've decided to do."

"That should be fun for you two. What else have you decided to do?" Jacob asked, glancing at his daughter in the rearview mirror.

"Well, we're also going to a Tori Kelly concert in June. Chloe's parents got her two tickets for her birthday and she's taking me with her," Beca said, smiling even wider. "I'm really excited for that too."

"That's great to hear, sweetie. I'm glad that you two have been and are going to be spending so much time together," Cala replied with a smile. "When does she leave for Juilliard?" She asked.

"The twelfth of August," Beca said, biting her lip and looking down for a moment. "We're still talking about whether or not we can make long distance work."

"I think that you two could make long distance work," Jacob said. "Of course, the decision is up to you, but I do truly believe that you could make it work. I've seen how happy she makes you, and I know that you make her really happy as well."

"You really think I make her that happy?" Beca asked, a curious tone in her voice and a hopeful smile on her face.

Jacob nodded his head and smiled back at his daughter through the rearview mirror. "Of course I do, Beca. In fact, I don't just think you make her happy. I know you make her happy," he told her with a genuine voice.

These words made Beca's heart beat happily, and her smile grew even wider. "Maybe we can make it work. I mean, I hope we can."

"I am too. I'm pretty confident that you two will make it work. Of course, it's your decision, but I think I can speak for both myself and your mother when I say that we hope you two stay together," Jacob said.

"I hope we do too," Beca said, smiling. "I've never been in love with anyone like I am with Chloe," she stated confidently.

When they got to the school, they saw a stage set up on the football field with about four hundred and fifty chairs in front of it. Those chairs were for the graduating seniors, while parents and other family members were to sit in the bleachers for the ceremony. The Mitchell family parked their car in the parking lot and everyone got out. "So this is where we go our separate ways until later," Beca said, hugging her parents and the twins again. "Thank you guys for coming. Having you here means a lot."

"We wouldn't miss this for the world, sweetheart," Cala said, smiling. "Now you better go get to your seat. We'll see you after the ceremony."

Beca smiled and waved at her family before turning and walking towards the football stadium. While she was walking, she saw Jesse walking with Aubrey, so she decided to call out to them. "Hey Jesse, Aubrey! Over here!"

Both Jesse and Aubrey turned to see their friend waving at them. "Hey, Becaw! Happy graduation day!" Jesse said smiling widely.

Beca chuckled and shook her head. "You know how much I hate that nickname. I'll let it slide just for today since it's graduation day, but I don't want to hear it after today," she said.

"Sounds like a deal to me. So, how are you?" Jesse asked as the three of them walked towards where they were supposed to line up for the procession at the beginning of the ceremony.

"I'm doing pretty well. How about you guys?" Beca asked. "Can you believe we're finally graduating?"

"It's pretty crazy, isn't it?" Aubrey stated with a chuckle. "It seems like we were tiny little freshmen just yesterday."

"You can say that again," Jesse said, chuckling along with Aubrey and nodding his head in agreement.

"Have either of you seen Chloe?" Beca asked. As soon those words came out of her mouth, she saw a flash of red hair out of the corner of her eye. The brunette turned to see the redhead walking towards them. She was wearing a beautiful white sundress and some heels, her hair down in its natural waves. "Wow," Beca murmured to herself, whistling softly as well. I have the most beautiful girlfriend in the world, she thought. "Hey, baby."

"Hey, babe," Chloe said, smiling back at Beca and then giving her a quick peck on the lips. "You look hot today," she murmured when their lips parted.

"I can say the same thing about you, Chlo. You look absolutely gorgeous today, although it's not that unusual since you look absolutely gorgeous all the time," Beca replied.

This made Chloe blush a little before turning to talk to Jesse and Aubrey. "Stacie's our class valedictorian, so she's going to be giving the closing speech," the redhead told them.

"Really? That's awesome. I can't wait to hear her speech," Jesse said with a smile. "I especially can't wait until they award the diplomas. How many names do you think they'll mispronounce this year?" He asked, chuckling.

"My guess is that they'll mispronounce at least one third of the names," Chloe said with a chuckle as they waited in line.

"Yeah, that's probably what it'll end up being. I, for one, will be very disappointed if they don't call up 'Jesse Swansong,'" Beca said, chuckling along with Chloe. "I'll also be very disappointed if they don't call up 'Aubrey Poison."

"Ha, ha, ha. Very funny, Beca," Aubrey said sarcastically, playfully rolling her eyes at the brunette after she finished speaking.

"I still haven't heard your middle name, Beca," Chloe mentioned. "I hope I get to hear it today," she added, linking her hand with Beca's.

"You don't know what her middle name is? It's-" Jesse started, unable to finish his sentence before Beca slapped him on the shoulder to silence him.

"Jesse! Shut up!" Beca said, furrowing her eyebrows and then looking down so Chloe didn't see that she had started to blush.

"Why? She's gonna find out what it is anyways," Jesse said, chuckling at his friend.

"You know I won't make fun of you for it, right?" Chloe said, leaning over and kissing Beca's cheek.

"I know. It's just that my middle name is stupid and embarrassing," Beca said, still looking down at the ground as she crossed her arms.

Chloe smiled and then lifted Beca's chin so they were face to face. "I know that whatever your middle name is, I'll love it."

"I'm sure you will," Beca grumbled back, although she was no longer frowning and her arms were no longer crossed. In fact, the brunette was having trouble keeping a smile off of her face.

Soon, their principle came up and announced that they were ready to start. Everyone got into their places and started walking out onto the football field. Beca smiled when she saw her family up in the bleachers out of the corner of her eye, and she turned to wave at them before she reached her seat.

The ceremony started with speeches from both the principal and the vice principal. Next, a few of their fellow classmates gave speeches. Then came the moment of truth—the moment when everyone would walk across the stage and receive their diploma.

Cynthia Rose and Benji were the first of the friend group to be awarded their diplomas, as they both had last names beginning with A. Chloe was the next member of the friend group to walk across the stage since she was with the Bs. "Chloe Anne Beale," the announcer stated. Chloe smiled and walked across the stage once her name was called, her smile growing when she heard her parents and her friends cheering for her. The redhead shook hands with the principal and posed for a picture before exiting the stage and returning to her seat. Stacie was the next member of their friend group to go, since her last name was Conrad.

It was soon Beca's turn, and she cringed when her name was announced before she began to walk across the stage. "Rebeca Jade Mitchell," said the announcer. John, Cala, Henry and Hailee all stood up to cheer for her. The girl smiled when she heard her family cheering for her and shook hands with the principal before receiving her diploma. As she was walking towards the steps at the other end of the stage, Beca heard her friends cheering for her, causing her to let out a little laugh. The brunette then went down the stairs and returned to her seat, smiling at Chloe as she passed her row.

The rest of the ceremony went by rather quickly. To Beca's dismay, the announcer correctly pronounced both Aubrey's name and Jesse's name. Allison came right before the end of the stage walking. Soon, Chicago was the only person whose name hadn't been called yet. "Chicago Nathan Walp," the announcer said.

Everyone in their friend group cheered for Chicago as he walked across the stage to receive his diploma. Stacie looked at him and smiled as he walked across the stage and then bit her lip and blushed when he smiled at crowd of students. Why can't I just get him out of my head? Stacie thought to herself with a sigh. He's not going to fall for me anyways. Thinking about him is just a waste of time. As much as she tried convince herself of this, Stacie knew that it was hopeless trying to get the boy out of her head, so she took her mind off of it by cheering for Chicago as he walked off the stage. She took a few deep breaths to help pull herself together before heading up to the stage to give her speech.

Chicago was leaving the stage as Stacie was walking up to give her speech. When the two passed each other, he gave her a thumbs-up and whispered, "Good luck." He then continued back to his seat, high-fiving Beca when he walked by her row.

When she got to the podium, Stacie took a deep breath to calm herself and then cleared her throat before speaking. "Well, today's the day, seniors. Today's the day when we take the next step of leaving the nests and learning to fly. But instead of filling your heads with cheesy quotes, life lessons and memories, I figured I'd talk about the future. The future is a scary thing, but it's also kinda amazing. Regardless of whether or not we have our lives planned, whether we're going to college for our talents on the field or in the classroom, or if we're even going to college at all, we are all going to have amazing adventures ahead of us." The tall brunette paused for a moment and took a deep breath before continuing. "The friends we've made here and the memories we've shared are all things of the past now. While we'll still always have each other in our hearts, we all have separate paths. Some of us are staying here to become a Husky while others are headed all the way to Georgia, LA, or New York City. But no matter where we go or what we do with our lives, we're all going to have tales to tell. And that's what's so cool about the future. The future holds untold stories that are waiting to be written by us and the choices we make. And I know what you're thinking: 'Stacie, how can you be so unafraid of what's to come?' The truth is, I am afraid. But here's the thing: it's okay to be afraid, as long as you don't allow your fears to keep you from achieving your biggest dreams." She paused again and smiled when she got a round of applause after that part of her speech. Before she continued, Stacie looked Chicago's way and smiled."Yeah, there will be rough patches along the way. There will be moments when we are utterly terrified of what the future holds. But in the end, when we're old and gray with wrinkly skin and dentures instead of teeth, we'll look back at our lives to see if we were afraid or if we were fearless. Being fearless doesn't mean that you weren't afraid, it means that you took the risk despite being scared," Stacie said, smiling at Chicago as she said this. "So, my peers, as we leave this muddy football field and head towards the world outside of Hartford, I challenge you to be fearless even if the future is scary. Congratulations, Class of 2018!"

Stacie stood up at the podium for a few moments, smiling and waving to the crowd as they stood up and roared in approval. After the standing ovation, the tall brunette shook hands with the principal before leaving the stage and going back to her seat. As she was walking back, she saw Chicago waving at her, and her smile grew when he gave her a thumbs-up and mouthed "Good job" to her. Stacie and mouthed "Thank you" to him before looking down to hide the blush on her face.

Once the ceremony ended, everyone went to their respective families and took some pictures. After that, their friend group got some pizza and breadsticks to-go from Cal's Zone and went back to Beca's place. Chloe was sitting on the brunette's lap, and they took turns feeding each other. "You look hot in that dress, baby," Beca said as she fed the redhead a breadstick.

"Thank you, baby," Chloe said, smiling and then kissing Beca on the lips after she had finished the breadstick. "So, Jade, huh? I think that's a beautiful middle name. I don't know why you hate it so much."

"I just don't like the way my full name sounds put together. It's not that I hate the name Jade. I love it, actually. I just don't like the way my full name sounds. 'Rebeca Jade' sounds weird to me," Beca said, scratching the back of her head as she blushed.

"I don't think your full name sounds weird, but that's just my opinion," Chloe said, leaning in to give Beca another kiss on the lips.

"You, on the other hand, have the most beautiful name I've ever heard," Beca said with a chuckle and a smile. "Chloe Anne Beale? Come on, it's like your parents knew just how to create a perfect human being."

Chloe smiled and blushed a little. "I can say the same thing about your parents. After all, they did bring the Rebeca Jade Mitchell into the world," she replied with a chuckle.

"Well, I think they could've named me better. Your parents definitely did it right," Beca joked, getting a playful slap on the arm from Chloe.

Chicago was getting a drink of water from the kitchen when Stacie walked in. He waved at her and then got his drink before going over to congratulate her. "Hey, Stacie. Your speech was amazing. Great job!" The boy said with a smile. "There were a couple times where I thought I was gonna cry," he added with a chuckle.

"Really?" Stacie asked, biting her lip and trying not to blush. "And what were those times, if I may ask?"

"The parts that almost got me where when when you talked about not being afraid of the future and when you said that we shouldn't let our fears keep us from reaching our dreams. Those were my favorite parts of your speech," Chicago answered. "It was a beautiful speech, Stacie. Have you ever thought of becoming a motivational speaker?"

"No, I haven't," Stacie said, chuckling a little bit. She stopped chuckling when she saw the look on Chicago's face. "Wait, are you being serious? You actually think I could be a motivational speaker?" She asked, unable to hide the surprise in her voice.

"I mean, if that's something you'd want to do, then yeah," Chicago said, still smiling at her. "I know you're going into pre-med at Washington, but you could always do that as a side job. You've always been the most positive person in our friend group, and I think that's why you got valedictorian."

"Huh," Stacie said, running her fingers through her hair as she thought about what Chicago had said. A small smile crossed the tall brunette's face, and she made eye contact with him again. "Yeah, I'll think about it. Thanks for pointing that out. I never would've thought of it on my own."

"Well, sometimes we don't realize our own talents, even if they're obvious to everyone else," Chicago said, sipping his water before taking a deep breath. "I'm gonna miss you when I leave for Georgia, Stace," he said a few moments later.

"I'm gonna miss you too, Chic," Stacie replied, looking down at the floor and biting her lip. "You'll come back and visit, right?" She asked, looking back up at him.

"Are you kidding? Of course I'll come back to visit," Chicago said with a smile. "I'll be back for Christmas and for spring break," he stated confidently. "It is going to be weird not seeing your face everyday, though."

"Tell me about it," Stacie said, chuckling sadly for a few moments. The tall brunette looked down at the floor and bit her lip again. "You're gonna do big things at Georgia. I know you will," she said softly.

"I hope I will. It's my dream school," Chicago said, scratching the back of his head and chuckling nervously. "You're going to do amazing things as well. You'll be great at whatever you choose to do. I have no doubt in my mind about that."

"Thanks, Chic," Stacie said, smiling and blushing a little. She then looked out into the living room, where the rest of their friend group was. "Why don't we go join everyone else?" She suggested, turning back to Chicago.

"Uh, sure," Chicago said cheekily. "Yeah, we can do that." He refilled his drink again and then followed her into the living room where everyone else was.

"There you guys are! What took you so long? Were you making out or something?" Beca joked, causing both Stacie and Chicago to smile awkwardly and blush a little.

"Calm down, Beca. We were just talking about college plans," Chicago said as he sat down next to Benji on one of the couches.

"Mmhm. That was totally convincing," Beca said with a chuckle. "I'm just pulling your leg, Chic," she added a few moments later, chuckling some more.

Chicago chuckled along with his friend before glancing over at Stacie. When he did this, he saw that Stacie wasn't as amused by Beca's comments as everyone else was. He sent a small smile her way before focusing back on the conversation that the group was having.

"Why don't we go around and each of us says a favorite memory from high school?" Aubrey suggested, smiling at her friends. "Here, I'll start. My favorite memory from high school is when Jesse finally grew a pair and confessed his feelings for me," she said with a chuckle.

Everyone started laughing at Aubrey's comment, and Jesse blushed so hard that his cheeks were the color of Chloe's hair. Beca smiled and then shared her favorite memories. "One of my favorite memories is Trio's very first concert at the Valentine's Day dance. We played seven songs, and I'll never forget how the crowd cheered for us."

Chicago decided to go next. "My favorite memory is either when the football team won back-to-back state championships or when I got the offer from Georgia. I can't pick between the two; they're both such good memories," he said with a smile.

"You're gonna have so much fun in Georgia, dude," Jesse said.

"You're one to talk, Jesse. You're headed to the University of Evansville," Chicago said, smiling at his friend.

"That is true," Jesse said, smiling back at Chicago. "Well, I guess I'll go now. My favorite memory from high school is when, according to Bree, I 'finally grew a pair' and asked her out," he said, chuckling and making quotation marks in the air with his fingers as he spoke.

"Yeah, we were all hoping for that," Beca stated, chuckling along with Jesse. "It was kinda getting annoying. It got to the point where I was about ready to ask her out for you." That last sentence made everyone laugh, and Beca laughed along with them before turning to Chloe. "Why don't you share your favorite high school memory, babe?" The brunette said.

"I guess that my favorite memory is when you guys welcomed me into your friend group." Chloe said, smiling as she reminisced in her head. "I was the new girl that had no friends, but you guys welcomed me with open arms, and I couldn't be more thankful for that. I love you guys."

This made everyone smile widely. "That was so sweet, Chlo," Beca said, leaning over and kissing her girlfriend on the cheek. "And for the record, we all love you too. Especially me," she added, her smile growing even wider. Chloe blushed and then smiled before the rest of their friend group shared all of their favorite high school memories.

Once their little graduation after-party was over, Chicago gave Stacie a ride home since she'd gotten a ride to the party from her parents. "When do you move into the dorms at UDub?" Chicago asked as he pulled out of Beca's driveway.

"I'm moving in at the end of August, so I'll get to spend my summer here," Stacie replied. "What about you? I'm sure you'll be moving in a lot earlier than I am, since Georgia is so far away."

"I'm leaving in the middle of July for preseason training," Chicago told her, keeping his eyes on the road and his hands on the wheel as he drove. "You have no idea how excited I am. Our first game is against Alabama, the reigning national champion. Beating them would be so, so cool," he said with a smile. "I probably won't start this year since I'm a freshman, but I could get some playing time if I pull my weight."

"I think you'll definitely get some playing time. You were one of the top high school football recruits in the country this year. They'd be crazy to have you sit on the bench for the whole year," Stacie said. "And just so we're clear, I expect to get an autographed jersey from you," she added with a giggle.

"You'll be the first," Chicago said genuinely. The car was silent for a moment as Chicago pulled onto the freeway. "Just so we're clear, I expect you to send me a signed copy of your book if you decide to become a motivational speaker," he stated, chuckling softly.

"Okay, I will," Stacie said with a smile. There was another period of silence between the two. "I bet you're not looking forward to college just because of football. You're probably also looking forward to college because of the girls," the tall brunette said quietly.

"Well, that's definitely a plus, but every college has beautiful girls," Chicago replied, running his fingers through his hair. "I'm really excited because some of my family lives in Georgia, so they'll get to come visit me and watch me play. Plus, Georgia is a beautiful state. I can't wait to see what it has to offer."

Stacie nodded her head, smiling softly. "You're gonna have a great time there. Just don't forget that Washington is the best state there is," she said with a chuckle.

"I'll never forget that, and I'll never forget all the memories I made here with my family and friends," Chicago said, smiling and glancing over at Stacie. "I really hope that things go well in Georgia. If they do, I could possibly end up getting drafted by the Seahawks and getting to play here in Seattle."

"That would be awesome. If that happens, you can count on me going to as many games as possible," Stacie replied, smiling even wider. "I'll also try to make it to some of your college games. I'll definitely be there if you guys ever play the Huskies," she added.

"We may end up playing them in a bowl game, you never know." Chicago said before taking the exit towards both of their houses. "What are you most looking forward to for college?"

Stacie thought about Chicago's question for a few moments and then shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. Meeting new people, I guess. I'm the only one of our friend group who's going to UDub, so I'll get to make some new friends," she answered.

"Oh, you'll have no problem making friends. You might make so many friends that you completely forget about me," he chuckled. "You're a very likeable person, Stace, and people in college will take more notice of that than people in high school."

Stacie nodded and looked down for a moment. "It's gonna be kinda lonely, you know? I mean, I'll make new friends and everything, but I'm gonna miss my old friends," she said. "Especially you," she murmured to herself, her voice barely above a whisper.

Chicago could've sworn that he heard Stacie mumble something after that last sentence, so he furrowed his eyebrows for a second and then spoke up. "What were those last few words? I didn't hear you."

"N-nothing. I didn't say anything else," Stacie said, turning her head to look out the window so Chicago didn't see that she had started to blush.

"Oh, okay," Chicago said, deciding not to keep asking her about it. He was trying to think of something else to talk about and couldn't come up with any ideas, so he decided to say the first thing that came to his mind. "I think you look really beautiful today," he said. "I mean, you always look really pretty so it wasn't totally out-of-the-ordinary, but still. I think you look especially beautiful today, just like you did at prom."

These words made Stacie blush even harder. "T-thanks," she stuttered, closing her eyes and mentally facepalming herself. "I think you look really handsome today and that you looked really handsome at prom," the tall brunette said, biting her lip a little.

"Why thank you, Stacie," Chicago said, smiling shyly. "Hey, can I ask you something?" He continued when the girl nodded. "Why did you say no to me when I asked you to prom? I mean, I respect your decision and everything. I'm just curious, that's all. We went to homecoming together and I was surprised when you said no to going to prom with me. Was I a bad date at homecoming?"

All of a sudden, Stacie froze. Her heart was pounding, and her eyes were wide. She opened her mouth to say something, but the words wouldn't come out. "I…" She started, looking over at Chicago and then down at her feet. "I...I don't know."

"I just don't understand the whole situation, Stacie. I mean, did I do something wrong? I can't help but feel like I did something to make you upset," Chicago said as he turned onto Stacie's street. "You can tell me what's wrong. I won't be mad, I promise."

"You didn't do anything wrong, Chic. You didn't do anything that was even close to being wrong," Stacie said. She then hesitated for a split second, which didn't go unnoticed. "It's just that...Look, it's me, okay? It's not you, it's me."

"Well, can you tell me why? Because I'm not going to believe that I didn't do something until I know what's going on," Chicago stated in a calm but firm voice. "I've been wracking my brain because I feel like I did something to hurt you."

"It's because I like you, okay?" Stacie blurted out. As soon as those words came out, she put her hand over her mouth, surprised at what she had just said.

As his car rolled to a stop in front of Stacie's house, Chicago came to terms with what Stacie had just said. He was silent for a moment as he tried to figure out how to respond. A minute or so passed before he worked up the courage to speak. "I thought you said I wasn't your type," he stated simply. "You always said that I was too much of a good guy, and that you were into bad boys like Luke."

"That's what I thought too," Stacie said, sighing and running her fingers through her hair. "And believe me, if I could've prevented myself from falling for you, I would've. This has been torturing me for what feels like forever now."

Chicago took a deep breath before running his hands down his face, trying to process everything that was going on. His mind went back to what Stacie had just said. And believe me, if I could've prevented myself from falling for you, I would've. He then put the car in park and turned to look at her. "Are you in love with me?"

The tall brunette bit her lip and avoided eye contact with him for a few moments. "Would you hate me if I said I was?" Stacie asked nervously as she looked back up at Chicago.

"No, Stacie, of course not." Chicago stated genuinely. "I could never hate you," he said, reaching for her hand to try to offer her some comfort.

Stacie pulled her hand away when he reached for it, turning away from him as well. "You could never hate me, but you could never feel the same way about me either," she murmured, a few tears pricking at her eyes.

The girl's response made Chicago's heart ache as he struggled to find the right words to say. "Stacie, I…" he began, not wanting to say the wrong thing. "I care about you so, so much. And if I wasn't leaving for Georgia in a month, I'd give us a shot," he stated. "There will be so many guys at Washington that will see how amazing you are."

"Don't you get it, Chicago? I don't care about the guys at Washington. I care about you!" Stacie said, tears now streaming down her face. "But it doesn't matter anyways, right? You're leaving for Georgia in a month, and I'll probably never see you again. I might as well get a head start on getting over you," she before opening the door and getting out of the car, walking towards her front porch.

Chicago got out of his car and walked after Stacie. "Stacie, wait!" He called out, eventually catching up to her. "Stacie, you matter to me, okay? I care about you more than I care about most people, but I don't want you to be miserable because we can't be together. I don't want to be the reason that you're upset. Seeing you cry because of me makes me sick to my stomach. Please don't walk away and leave things like this. I'll be damned if I let you walk out of my life."

"If you'll be damned if I walk out of your life, then why aren't you stopping me?" Stacie asked. "Give me one good reason. Just give me one good reason, and I'll stay."

"I don't know if this will be good enough to keep you from erasing me from your life, but just hear me out." Chicago said, tucking her hair back and linking his hands with hers. "I was the first person you called when you and Luke broke up, and you were the first person I called after Chloe and I broke up. We've always been there for each other, Stacie. You're one of the closest people to my heart, and I'd lose my fucking mind if I lost you," he said, his eyes never leaving Stacie's. "I'd lose my mind, Stace," he repeated, wiping the tears from her cheek with his thumb.

The two of them stood there for awhile, neither one sure what to do next. Then, Stacie finally broke the silence. "So what am I supposed to do?" The tall brunette bit her lip and briefly glanced at Chicago's lips before looking back into his eyes. "Am I supposed to continue being miserable? What am I supposed to do?" She asked.

"You don't have to do anything, Stacie. You being miserable is the last thing I want," Chicago said before tapping his foot, trying to think of what to say. "I'm going to make you a promise. I'll make you a few promises, actually," he stated, taking a deep breath before continuing. "I promise that I will wait for you, that I won't date any girls while I'm at Georgia. I also promise that in four years when we've graduated and I'm hopefully on the Seahawks, I'll take you out on a date. And most of all, I promise you that I will give us the chance we deserve. Will that be enough to keep you from walking away?"

"How are you going to promise that, Chic? How do I know you'll keep your promise?" Stacie asked, keeping her eyes on him.

"I'll swear by this," Chicago said, cupping Stacie's cheeks and then closing the distance between them. He pressed a gentle, loving kiss to her lips, lingering there for a few seconds before pulling away. "Do you believe me now?" He whispered softly, looking deeply into her eyes.

Stacie didn't say anything in response. She just leaned in and connected their lips again, this kiss more passionate than the previous one. When the two pulled away, they both had smiles on their faces. "Yeah, I believe you," the tall brunette murmured, biting her lip as her smile grew even wider.

"Good, because I'd go crazy without you in my life," Chicago said, wiping away the last of Stacie's tears. "I'll wait for you Stacie. I promise I will," he said, a genuine tone in his voice. They then brought each other in for a hug, Chicago's arms wrapping around her lower back. He then felt a sudden urge inside him and started leaving soft, sensual kisses on Stacie's neck. "I don't have to leave just yet," he mumbled against her skin.

"No, you don't have to," Stacie mumbled back, closing her eyes and sighing with content. "You know, we should probably take this inside," she mentioned.

"Yes, we should take this inside," Chicago said, letting Stacie pull him towards the front door. They inside her house before heading downstairs to the bedroom in the basement. Chicago's lips were sucking on Stacie's neck and his hands were roaming her body. "Do you have condoms?" He asked once they got to her room, just wanting to be sure before they went any further.

Stacie nodded her head. "Yeah, I do," she said, closing her eyes and moaning as Chicago ran his tongue over a hickey he had just left on her skin.

Chicago smirked as he took off his tie, letting Stacie unbutton his dress shirt as they made their way over to her bed. "I want to make you scream my name," he whispered, moving his lips back to hers. He pulled her onto his lap, slipping his tongue inside her mouth at the same time. "I want to give you the best sex you've ever had in your life," he said, letting Stacie's teeth tug at his bottom lip as his shirt came off, revealing his ripped upper body.

"Shit," Stacie muttered under her breath as she looked at Chicago's abs. "Jeez, Chic. You must work out a hell of a lot."

"Sometimes three times a day," Chicago muttered back, kissing her lips once again. "I'm guessing you like seeing me shirtless?" He whispered, grabbing Stacie's ass and squeezing it multiple times as she began to grind on his lap.

"Mmhm. I love seeing you shirtless," Stacie mumbled against Chicago's lips. "Would you like to see me shirtless?" She asked, running her fingers through his hair as they kissed.

"Yeah, I would," Chicago replied, unzipping her dress and pulling it down so that her bra and cleavage was showing. "Holy fuck," he breathed out, unable to tear his eyes away from her. "Stacie, you're so damn hot," he said before attaching his lips to her cleavage, sucking on the top of her breasts roughly.

"Shit, Chic," Stacie groaned, pushing Chicago's head down closer to her chest. "Fuck, that feels good," she moaned, biting her lip and then tugging at the ends of his hair.

One of Chicago's hands traveled down between their bodies and snuck under her skirt. He began to finger her clit through her underwear, rubbing it in tight circles. "Mmm, I can feel how wet you are already."

"It's not my fault that you know how to get me worked up," Stacie murmured back, letting out a loud moan as Chicago began to toy around with her bundle of nerves.

Chicago smirked when Stacie moaned again. He pushed her underwear to the side and slid one finger inside her. "Ride my finger, Stacie. Ride it good," he whispered, nibbling on her earlobe.

Stacie did as Chicago instructed, her eyes rolling back into her head as she began to ride his finger. "Fuck, Chic!"

Chicago then pushed Stacie down on the bed so her head was towards the end of the bed. "I gonna make love to you so hard that you'll be moaning my name in your sleep for months," he whispered, using his thumb to rub Stacie's clit while he fingered her at the perfect pace. The tall brunette moaned as he did this, causing him to get hard in his pants.

Stacie felt her walls begin to clench up, and she knew that she would hit her climax any moment now. "I'm getting close, Chic," she whispered, her toes curling as he continued to finger her.

Chicago leaned in and kissed her softly before unclasping her bra with his free hand and letting it drop to the floor. "Hold it for a littl longer if you can," he whispered, slipping a second finger inside of her before he began to suck on her nipples. He started thrusting fast and hard, wanting to make her cum hard on his fingers. "Mmm, now you can cum for me, Stacie."

Stacie came as soon as Chicago said those words. "Fucking hell, Chicago!" She yelled out at the top of her lungs, not caring whether or not anyone heard her.

Chicago kissed her to drown out the moans coming from her lips. He then pulled his fingers out and sucked on them for a moment, tasting her. "Would you like to return the favor and blow me?" He asked, lust in his eyes as he gazed down at Stacie.

"Do you want me to?" Stacie said, looking back up at Chicago with a smirk on her face. She then looked down at the bulge in his pants, and her smirk grew. "Actually, I think I already know the answer to that question."

The brunette boy smiled at her before sitting up and laying down on one of the pillows before taking his pants off, now only in his boxer shorts. "I know you're going to be incredible at this." He said, letting her take of his boxers and have a look at his cock for the first time.

"Wow. You're bigger than I thought you would be," Stacie murmured. She stroked his cock a few times before taking the tip in her mouth, smirking when she heard Chicago moan and felt him push her head down.

"Mmm, Stacie," Chicago whimpered, running a hand through her hair as he watched her as she gave him head. His other hand rested behind his head, and he moaned softly with each motion Stacie made on his dick. "How big did you think I was going to be?" He asked, chuckling softly before letting out another moan.

"I thought you would be pretty big. I just didn't expect you to be this big," Stacie mumbled back, starting to bob her head up and down until she almost had his whole length in her mouth.

"Fucking hell, Stace," Chicago groaned, biting his lip and closing his eyes as she continued. "Fuck. You sure know what you're doing," he said, laying his head back on the pillow. "Where are your condoms?" He asked, letting out another moan.

"There's some in the second drawer of the bedside table over there," Stacie told him before she started to deepthroat him, knowing that would definitely send him over the edge.

Stacie's deepthroating did exactly what it was supposed to, and Chicago felt himself hit his climax. "Fuck, Stacie," he moaned when she swallowed his cum. "I've never had a girl swallow on me before," he mentioned. "And it's definitely the hottest thing I've ever seen."

"Really?" Stacie asked, raising an eyebrow. "Huh. Well there's a first for everything. How was that?"

"So damn good, Stacie," Chicago said, pulling her up into a kiss and slipping his tongue inside her mouth. He then pulled away and got up to go get a condom. He opened the drawer and grabbed a condom, rolling it on before throwing the wrapper in the small garbage can beside the bed. "Come sit on the edge of the bed," he instructed, smiling at the naked girl in front of him.

Stacie smiled back at Chicago and then did as he had instructed, crawling over to the edge of the bed and then sitting down. She bit her lip and blushed a little, trying to contain her excitement and anticipation.

The boy walked over to her and got down on his knees, kissing up and down her inner thighs multiple times. Chicago then surprised the girl by starting to go down on her, sucking softly on her clit while his tongue flicked against her wet folds. "Mmm, you taste so good, Stace," he mumbled, continuing his ministrations while spreading Stacie's legs apart to give himself full access to her core.

"Shit!" Stacie cursed under her breath, pushing Chicago's head closer to her core. She closed her eyes and moaned loudly. "Fucking hell, Chic! I need more!"

Chicago slipped his tongue inside of her, smirking as the girl grabbed and tugged at his hair. "Your pussy is so tasty, Stacie," he mumbled, thrusting his tongue in and out to get her started. He then pulled his tongue out of her and swirled it around her folds before sucking on her clit. After doing this for awhile, Chicago stood and lined their hips up, wrapping Stacie's legs around his waist before pushing into her slowly. "Oh fuck, you're so tight!"

Stacie just moaned when Chicago finally entered her, as she was unable to form words. She bit her lip and closed her eyes as she adjusted to his size, letting out another moan as he started to build up a pace with his thrusting.

As he thrusted and moaned at how tight Stacie was, Chicago brought his hand down to her clit and rubbed tight circles with his thumb. "You like that?" He asked, smirking when Stacie's eyes rolled into the back of her head and she kept moaning.

Stacie nodded her head and let out another moan. "Fuck me hard, Chic. Pound me, baby," she whispered.

Stacie's response turned Chicago on even more, and he did as she requested, thrusting hard to make sure he hit her g-spot with each thrust. He then pushed her further onto the bed and climbed on top of her before re-entering her, starting to fuck her in the missionary position. "Oh my god, Stacie. You feel so good on me," he moaned, leaning down to kiss her on the lips as he continued to thrust.

"Oh fuck!" Stacie cried out, gasping and then moaning each time Chicago hit her g-spot. "Fuck, Chic! Faster!"

Chicago's hands ran up and down Stacie's thighs as they continued to mold together. He thrusted faster for Stacie, loving the sensations he was feeling—being inside of her, feeling her legs wrapped around his waist and her nails digging into his back; every one of those sensations was driving him crazy.

"How close are you, Chic?" Stacie asked, struggling to catch her breath. Her chest was heaving, and there were a few beads of sweat on her forehead.

"I think you'll find I have a lot of stamina," Chicago said, leaning down to kiss her neck as he thrusted. "I can last a long time, baby," he whispered, sucking a hickey into her skin.

"Good, because so can I," Stacie said, cupping Chicago's face with her hands and smashing their lips together. "I want to ride you," she whispered when their lips parted.

This made Chicago smile, and he kissed her again before thrusting a couple more times. He then pulled out and lay down on the bed, allowing Stacie time to get on top of him. "Come over here, baby," he said, putting his hands on her hips.

Stacie smiled when Chicago's hands went to her hips and she kissed his lips softly before slowly lowering herself down onto him. They both let out a moan, Stacie taking a few moments to adjust to his length before starting to bounce up and down.

A smirk spread across Chic's face as Stacie started to ride him. "Fucking hell, Stacie," he groaned, admiring the view in front of him.

Stacie smirked at Chicago's reaction and started to bounce faster. She leaned down and kissed him, sliding her tongue across his bottom lip and then slipping it inside his mouth.

Chicago hummed with content as Stacie kissed him and reached his hands around to her bum, softly squeezing it as she rode him. "Shit. Don't stop, Stacie," he moaned, tugging at her bottom lip with his teeth.

"Don't worry, Chic. I won't," Stacie murmured back, smiling and bouncing even faster now. After a few more minutes, she got off of him and turned away from him before getting on her hands and knees. "Take me from behind, baby. Finish me."

"Shit," Chicago said, smiling at the sight in front of him. He crawled forward and then kissed down her back before he entered her. He then started thrusting at a steady pace, moaning loudly as well.

"Fuck," Stacie whimpered, closing her eyes and tilting her head back as Chicago took her from behind. "Fuck, baby. Faster!"

Chicago rested his hands on her ass and squeezed it slightly, moaning as he continued to thrust. He then sped up some more like Stacie had asked him to, smacking her ass a couple times as he did so. "Holy fucking shit," he groaned. "Lay down on your stomach," he said, gently pushing her down before entering her once more and thrusting at a fast pace.

"Oh god, Chic," Stacie moaned, arching her back a little as Chicago thrusted into her. She felt her walls start to clench up and knew that she was nearing her second orgasm. "I'm getting close, Chic."

Chic grabbed her hair and pulled it a little as he thrusted, moaning as well. He too felt himself getting closer and closer to his second orgasm. "Fuck. Me too, Stacie."

"Will you cum with me?" Stacie asked, turning her head to the side so she could look back at Chicago.

"Yes," he answered simply, his thrusts get a little sloppier as he neared his climax. Despite this, he still hit her g-spot every single time he thrusted. "Fuck, I'm so close, Stace," he groaned, thrusting into her as fast and hard as he could which caused the bed to shake.

"Me too, Chic. I'm so close," Stacie moaned, her toes curling and her back arching again. "I think I'm gonna-ah! Chicago!" The tall brunette screamed as she finally hit her climax.

Chicago watched as her back arched and her toes curled, continuing to thrust as she orgasmed. He too felt his climax was really close, so he continued to go as hard as he could. Sweat was drenching his forehead as he came inside the condom. "Ah, fuck! Stacie! Ah, fuck!" He moaned, falling on top of her as he finished.

The two lay there in silence for a few moments as they caught their breath. Stacie was the first one to speak afterwards. "Wow," she said, smiling softly. "Wow," she repeated.

Chicago lay down against the mattress and looked up at the ceiling, wiping some of the sweat from his face. A smile tugged at his lips when he saw Stacie come and lay down next to him. "That was-"

"Incredible," Stacie said, finishing his sentence for him. She then closed her eyes and sighed with content, taking one of Chicago's hands in hers and linking their fingers. "Thank you for that, Chic," she murmured.

Chicago turned his head to look at Stacie and he smiled at her, squeezing her hand gently. "No, thank you for that, Stacie." The boy then chuckled a little bit before speaking again. "You know, out of all the things I was expecting to happen today, this was not one of them. But boy am I glad it did," he said, finally catching his breath as he noticed the thing layer of sweat covering his body.

Stacie smiled, letting out another sigh of content before yawning. "I'm gonna fall asleep any minute now," she mumbled, chuckling softly. "Could you stay with me tonight, Chic?" She asked.

"Yeah, of course," Chicago said, tucking some of her hair behind her ear and then kissing her forehead. "Stacie?" He asked softly.

Stacie opened her eyes and turned her head to look at Chicago. "Yeah? What is it?"

"This wasn't just casual for me," Chicago said, looking firmly into her eyes. "I do care for you, more than you know. And I believe that one day, we'll have our chance," he stated, pressing another kiss to her forehead once he finished speaking.

Stacie's smile grew even wider, and she nodded her head in agreement. "This wasn't just casual for me either, and I know that we'll get to be together one day. I don't care how long I have to wait. Being with you is worth it."

Chicago smiled, happy that he was going to be leaving things with Stacie on a good note. "Goodnight, Stace," he said, kissing her cheek before reaching over to turn off the lamp on her bedside table.

We know this chapter was more of Chicago and Stacie, but we kind of wanted a chapter for them to set things up for the sequel. We hope that you enjoyed the chapter! Very exciting things are about to come!

Until Next Time!