Author's Note: Hey world! Here's a mid week outtake for you all. I wasn't planning on putting up another Chlick (Chloe & Nick) one for a bit, but it matches up with the chapter we posted a few days ago. Here's what Chloe was thinking throughout that night. Enjoy!
I was so relieved to have so much out and in the open. Nick had met my family... met Bryce... read my letter....
Everything that I had previously been too afraid to talk to him about, he now knew. Not details, but the major things, which was what mattered. It was difficult to get it all out, but... well, sometimes overcoming things made everything even greater, right?
Now lying on the bed, I stared at the ceiling of the hotel room where we were staying and tried to rest. Nick had gone out to find food at a store down the street. We were staying in a tourist-y area, so there would be plenty of places to find food. When I had suppressed my fourth yawn, he had asked me if I'd rather stay here and take a nap while he shopped. And though I wanted to spend time with him, I couldn't refuse.
Now that he was gone though, I couldn't stop thinking. I kept remembering things that had happened in the past. Things that I really didn't care to remember. Especially now.
My parents were out, and apparently, Bryce had found something new that he liked to do at Harvard.
Drinking.
He set the bottle of clear liquid on the counter and gave me a mischievous smirk. "I know you've never tried that stuff, have you, Chlo?"
I shook my head no, watching him carefully.
"Well, you're in for a treat tonight then...."
The click of the hotel door's lock made me sit up on the bed. I watched as the knob turned, my heart pounding as I waited.
Nick came in with a paper bag and a smile. "Hey you. How was your nap?" he asked casually, placing the bag on the little nearby table before coming over to greet me.
I shrugged, relaxing at the sound of his voice. "Didn't really sleep much," I replied honestly. "How was the store?"
He let out a breath and got up to go over to unpack his bag. "Exhausting. Who would've thought that so many people would be visiting California in November. Store was insane...."
I giggled and went over to help him and he gave me a look. "You really don't have to help me unload this stuff. You can rest...."
I shook my head. "I'm bored with resting."
"Okay... I was going to surprise you, though."
I grinned at him, knowing his surprises were always good ones. He always found a way to make me feel so... special. Cherished.
"I like surprises," I responded softly, kissing his cheek to thank him. "Can I see it?"
"Could I ever say no to you?" he answered, his eyes dancing. He nodded and then pulled a fancy looking bottle out of the bag. I suppressed a shudder and stared at it.
I forced down the second shot in two minutes, chased by some juice.
"Bryce, I don't think...." I started, still feeling the burning in my throat. I had never been drunk, but I thought I might be getting there.
"You're fine. Your parents don't care if we're drinking, Chlo. Kay?" he said, taking a third shot before filling two more shot glasses for us.
I wasn't sure.
"But alcohol's not good... especially when we're young. Something about your brain not being fully developed and the alcohol messing with it...." I tried to rationalize in a way that he'd understand.
He and my parents were both set on me achieving--becoming something worth it--if I was going to go to college next year. Five more months and I was heading out to Harvard with him....
He chuckled. "Your parents drink."
"They drink wine." Somehow, wine and shots of vodka seemed very different.
He shrugged and handed me what would be my third shot in five minutes. I stared at it and shook my head.
"I'll get sick."
"You won't get fucking sick, Chloe. Just take the damn shot."
I flinched, and then stared at him before staring down at the shot, biting my lip.
"Christ..." he mumbled, taking the shot from me. "You're such a child sometimes." He took my shot and then his as I watched, the effects of my two fast shots starting to make me feel a little dizzy.
"You'll probably wish you had just taken it," he mumbled, and my eyes shot up to look at him.
"Excuse me?" I whispered.
He grinned slowly and came closer. "Nothing, baby...."
His fingers trailed up my arms, and I let out a breath. "I should... put the bottle back in the fridge...." I said, using it as an excuse to step away from him.
He grabbed my arm and pulled me back. "Take one more shot with me, and then you'll put it back in the fridge."
I didn't want to be taking any shots, but... well, he told me to.... Maybe he'd calm down if I just listened....
If Nick wanted to drink, he could drink. It didn't mean I had to. Or that he'd ask me to.
But then why had he gotten us a bottle? And as a surprise for me? I didn't understand....
I trusted him, though.
I think.
No, I did. I trusted him. It was Nick. I had no reason to believe that he'd ever do something to hurt me....
"Sparkling grape juice?" he offered, holding up the bottle, and I blinked.
"Excuse me?"
He grinned and shrugged. "I mean, it's technically just fizzy grape juice, right? So it's a fruit... kind of healthy? The fizz makes it more fun...." he trailed off, trying to read my face.
I felt so relieved. He had seriously bought us a bottle of sparkling grape juice. Not champagne or wine or something. Not alcohol....
I smiled at how cute he was for thinking of it.
"If you're not thirsty we can save it for later?" he offered, but I shook my head.
"No, it's perfect," I told him, flashing him a real smile. I couldn't get over how well things had been going with him. And right when I thought he had went about 'surprising' me the wrong way, he proved me wrong again. Sparkling grape juice could not have been more perfect.
His smile widened and he pulled two glasses out of the bag. He poured us glasses of the sparkling grape juice and handed one to me.
I smiled shyly at him and he met my eyes and grabbed his glass, holding it up. "As corny as this sounds, this Thanksgiving, I'm... so thankful for you, Chloe. More than I could say with words."
His eyes locked on mine, expressing how true his words were, and we clinked glasses.
I nodded and he took out two more shot glasses, taller ones. Doubles.
He poured the vodka into the double shot glasses and clinked his glass with mine before swallowing it.
I tilted my head back, held my breath, and swallowed mine in one gulp.
Before I could chase it, Bryce's lips were on mine, his tongue forcing its way into my mouth. I almost choked at the feeling of the burning in the back of my throat from my shot. I felt too hot, like the heat was suffocating me. I struggled to breathe.
His hands first held my face in place, but as he realized I wasn't fighting him, he ran them down my sides, looping his fingers into my jeans and pulling me closer to him.
Now I just felt trapped.
"I'd have to say I agree with you, Nick," I told him quietly, but earnestly.
We sipped at our sparkling grape juice and I smiled as the fizz tickled my lips.
He smiled back and then said, "So I was thinking we could either make something in the microwave for dinner or we could go out...."
I shifted so that I was sitting up on the counter next to the microwave and mini fridge and thought about it for a moment. Did I know any recipes that I could cook in a microwave?
"Going out sounds nice," I mused. There were a lot of places close by that we could go to for dinner, and then we could maybe go for a walk on the beach after dinner. I suggested the idea to Nick and his eyes lit up.
"Sounds perfect," he said, coming to stand in between my legs to look up at me. I mentally tensed, but tried not to let it show. This was Nick.
"Plus we have all of these outfits with us that we need to put to good use," he said with a nod. I knew that Alice had taken him shopping before this trip and I grinned.
"Right. Wouldn't want Alice getting mad that you didn't wear them," I teased with a wink.
"Exactly," he said so seriously that I couldn't help but laugh. Alice and her fashion....
"Well, if you can give me twenty minutes, I can be ready to go...." I said, throwing the idea out there. I could probably be ready faster if he needed me to be....
"I'll race you," he challenged, raising his eyebrows.
I smiled at the idea, considered it, and then nodded, holding out my hand. "Kay. Ready...."
"Set--Go!" he shouted, shaking my hand and then racing off to get ready in the bathroom.
I jumped off of the counter and ran over to the closet. I quickly put on a summer dress with a tiny matching headband, and then touched up my make up.
"Bryce...." I whispered against his lips, half warning him.
I was glad for the attention... it meant I was doing something right. I was behaving how I should be... doing what my parents and Bryce wanted. But at the same time, this felt very wrong. Too fast. My thoughts were racing....
I shook my head to clear my thoughts and concentrated on Nick and Nick only.
I ran over to the bathroom door, sliding on my slightly fancier flip-flops as I ran, and got ready to knock. That had only taken me about twelve minutes. New record.
Just as my hand raised, though, he opened the door.
"I win!" We both said at the same time.
"Technically, I won because I was standing here all ready to go while you were still in there," I said matter of factly with a shy smile.
"Technically, I was ready too, just had to take time to open the door," he said, "so there," and he stuck out his tongue at me.
"You'd better be keeping that tongue in your mouth, Mister, or I'll bite it off," I warned him playfully.
He tilted his head to the side interestedly, his playfulness fading as an intrigued look came across his face. "Really?"
I giggled at his reaction and turned away from him to start walking to the door, shaking my head and not answering.
He caught up to me and slipped his arm through mine.
"Tie?" he suggested as we walked down the hall to the elevator, his lips turning into a smile that I couldn't resist kissing.
"Tie," I agreed against his soft lips.
We stepped into the elevator and pressed the button to go to the lobby.
"So tell me more about this tongue thing...." he said slowly.
I felt myself blush, and then decided to be daring because... well... it was Nick. He liked when I made the first move.
"Well...." I started, and then clasped my hands around his neck, causing him to lean closer to me. I caught his lips with mine and slowly ran my tongue along the outside of them, parting them softly as his tongue met mine. His hands settled at my lower back, holding me gently.
"Bryce, slow down...." I whispered as his fingers dipped deeper before sliding around so that both of his hands gripped the skin on my lower back, under my shirt.
As I spoke, his grip on me tightened. I gasped as his nails dug into the skin of my back. "You don't tell me what to fucking do, you understand?" he grumbled before kissing me harder, more desperately.
My heart was pounding as I kissed him back, hoping that's all he wanted. If I did what he wanted, he wouldn't get mad....
His lips seemed to get frustrated with mine and he tore himself from me, glaring at me, but I didn't know why. What had I done wrong?
We kissed each other sweetly, even though my heart was pounding as I hoped I was doing this right. His fingers softly traced circles into my back through the thin fabric of my dress, and I found that felt a lot better than having them clutching at me, like Bryce had done.
The elevator dinged as we reached the lobby and I took him by surprise by letting my teeth graze his tongue before I broke off the kiss.
"That was your warning," I said playfully, even though I was still nervous about his reaction.
"I like warnings," he said, taking my hand gently as we walked out of the lobby. I let out a sigh of relief. I'd done it right.
And I liked it....
Dinner was perfect. We found a cute little place that had both indoor and outdoor seating and ate outside under a very elegant looking umbrella.
After dinner, we walked along the beach. I took my flip flops off and held them in one of my hands as we walked, enjoying the soft sand between my toes. The sand was still warm from having the sun beating on it all day.
We walked until we couldn't see where we had started anymore, and then we stopped and just took in the setting sun.
Nick leaned down and brushed his fingers against my cheek so softly that I barely felt it.
I turned to meet his eyes and searched them, trying to decipher the intensity that shone in them.
"Chloe, tonight has been... so amazing," he started, and I smiled.
"I think so too," I agreed, meeting his smile.
He nodded, hesitating, as if he wasn't sure what to say now.
"What is it?" I whispered against the sound of the waves in the background. I couldn't help but notice how beautiful his face looked in the light of the setting sun.
He opened his mouth to speak, but then shook his head. "I-Can I kiss you?" he asked.
"Of course you can kiss me," I told him quietly, "You don't have to ask...."
"I... Okay, I only want to say this once."
I bit my lip and looked up at him, waiting. What could he possibly be wanting to say?
"So... I don't ever want to boss you around or make you do something that you don't want to do," he said quickly, swallowing hard. "And that's been bothering me lately because... I don't want to treat you like he did. And I think sometimes I might tell you to do something without thinking about it and I just... I want you to know that you don't ever have to do something you don't want to do around me."
His gaze was very serious as he stared into my eyes. I felt like tears were coming, but they weren't bad ones. I still held them back, though, just caught up in the emotion in his words. I could only nod.
"Okay," he said, nodding back, and then he leaned in to kiss me.
I kissed him back, craving more from him. I wanted to feel more of how those words had made me feel.
His mouth pecked my lips, then went to kiss my cheek tenderly. He then moved to softly kiss my neck and I froze.
Instead of saying anything, Bryce pulled me close against him and ravaged my neck, sucking and biting, hard, as goosebumps prickled my skin.
I squeezed my eyes shut and stood frozen, trying to block out the pain so that I wouldn't tell him to stop.
He growled against my neck and pulled back again, still glaring. "Don't just stand there," he instructed, his eyes flashing.
Nick froze too, his breath warm against my neck. "Are you okay?" he whispered. I could feel his lips moving and I nodded.
"Do you want me to stop?" he asked.
"N-no," I whispered, breathless. "Keep going."
His lips were warm against my neck, and I waited for the part where it would hurt, but... it never came.
His tongue kissed at my neck and trailed down to my collarbone while his hands rested lightly at my waist. The whole time he was sweet and warm and soft and it gave me goosebumps, but I liked them. I was spinning, but it was exhilarating.
I took a breath, trying to make my thoughts make sense. Too spinny. Alcohol sucked. Was 'spinny' a word?
"What do you want me to do?" I whispered, concentrating on saying the words.
He grinned, capturing my lips in his before taking my hands and wrapping them around him, placing my hands in his back pockets.
"Think you can figure it out from there, Chlo?" he asked, his hands creeping up the front of my shirt.
I swallowed hard and braced myself as his hands roughly found what they were looking for.
I gulped and put my hands on Nick's arms. He kissed his way back up to my lips before pulling back to look at me, searching my face, trying to figure out what I was feeling as his hands rested on my shoulders, occasionally trailing to the back of my neck.
"W-What do you want me to do?" I asked him quietly.
His eyes narrowed in confusion. "Whatever you want to do," he said with a shrug.
I wanted to be closer to him.
My knees felt weak, so I let them drop and sink into the sand. I grabbed Nick's hands lightly and pulled him down to sit with me. I ended up in his lap because I couldn't get close enough and I just hugged him around his neck.
He held me just as tight as I was holding onto him and I could feel every breath that he was taking, every pound of his heart. He seemed just as hesitant as I was with his touches.
I pulled back and just looked at him. I could never get enough of seeing the way he looked back at me.
"You're so..." he shook his head, "just... amazing, Chloe."
I wanted to show him that I felt the same about him. I didn't want to just say it. I wanted to show him how much I trusted him, and I knew he was saying it and not showing it because he was trying to take it slow with me.
Moving slowly was the right thing to do. I knew it. It was never good to rush things.
But with Nick, it was really hard to take it slow.
Before I could do anything to respond, the kitchen door opened loudly.
Bryce shoved me away from him and turned to greet my parents with a bright smile.
I let out the breath that I had been holding and again, swallowed the lump in my throat. Concentrating, I grabbed the bottle of alcohol with shaking hands, putting it in the fridge before my parents could see it, exchanging it for a bottle of water.
"What are the two of you up to tonight?" my mom asked politely as she took my father's coat from him.
Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry, I instructed myself, feeling the tears coming to my eyes. I didn't know if it was at the thought of where things could have gone, or because I had been drinking with Bryce, or because I was so relieved they were home....
I pulled my hair to cover my neck and shrugged. "I have some studying to do. I think I might do that, shower, and then go to bed early. School tomorrow...."
Bryce raised an eyebrow. "What are you studying?"
"Some Math, some Spanish, maybe getting ahead with some of my English...." I answered, knowing it'd be rude not to, and then my dad would probably say something about it.
I looked over at him. "May I be excused for the night, Dad?"
He tilted his head and looked at me disapprovingly. "You're not going to finish visiting with Bryce?"
"I could.... Maybe I'll just work on homework later...." I trailed off, looking down. I didn't know how much more of Bryce I could take tonight. My brain still felt fuzzy, but I knew that what had just happened wasn't right.
Bryce came over and hugged me. "Go do your homework. Call me later, though, kay?"
I was surprised he was letting me off so easily. I looked up suspiciously, trying to read his glassy eyes, but didn't question him further.
After saying goodnight to my parents, I went up to my room and shut the door. I leaned my back against it and then locked it before heading to my bathroom.
I stood in front of my mirror and turned to see the red finger marks where he had dug his nails into my back. Again, I held in tears and turned around to look at the purple bruises on my neck. I touched them daintily with my fingers, grateful that Bryce had suggested I grow my hair long. It was long enough to hide the hickeys.
I watched my eyes fill with tears, but I was already having trouble focusing. Alcohol. Why would anyone choose to drink it? Why would someone want to feel so jumbled?
"I lost you for a sec," Nick was saying.
I shook my head, clearing away the thoughts that just didn't want to stop coming.
"Sorry," I whispered.
He shook his head. "You don't have to be sorry. But... where do you go when I lose you like that?"
I breathed out through my nose and bit my lip thoughtfully. "Right then, just memories. But sometimes it's just... thoughts."
"What kind of memories?" he asked hesitantly, as if he wasn't sure if he should be.
I gave him a look and smiled sadly. "Past ones that like to creep up on me. But I'm trying not to let them do that so much anymore," I told him honestly.
"The past likes to creep," he said understandingly.
I ran my finger across his cheek. "Well, we don't have to let it do that from now on."
I stepped into the refreshing hot water of my shower and took a deep breath to relax. Closing my eyes, I let all thoughts of tonight drift away. Instead, I thought of things that had gone well, today. Things that I had liked, noticed.... Things that I might want to write about later.
I wouldn't let myself dwell on the fact that Bryce had just gotten me drunk with him and tried to get me to... whatever he was trying to do. I wouldn't think about it. Everything he did, he did for a reason. Maybe I deserved it. Maybe he thought he was rewarding me for drinking with him. I wasn't sure....
I hadn't wanted any of that to happen, though.
As I sunk into my bed later that night, I made a decision. It was assumed that I was going to Harvard to study and be with Bryce.
So tomorrow, I was responding to my acceptance letter to my dream school--NYU.
I was so glad that I had ran into him on some random street in one of the busiest cities in the world. Where would I be now, if it weren't for him?
"Let's go swimming," I said suddenly.
He gave me a confused look. "What?"
I looked over at the ocean. "Maybe not swimming, but... let's go play in it."
He made me feel so... free.
He looked at me with amusement and then a mischievous look spread across his face.
Without a word, he stood up, still holding me, and started to walk to the water.
Hold on... what was he doing?
"Nick...." I started, which only made him grin more.
"You are not.... You wouldn't...."
"What, sweetheart?" he asked as he brought me closer to the water.
"Throw me in," I answered, completing my thought. He would not throw me in.
"Throw you in? Well... okay, I mean, since you told me to...."
My eyes widened as I realized how he had tricked me, twisting my words around.
He had waded in to his knees and was about to just toss me gently into the water, but I had a new idea in mind.
If I was going swimming, I was not going alone.
As he let go of me, I surprised him by grabbing on to his neck and pulling him down, both of us landing in the water.
We came up laughing and then ducked under the water again as a wave went by us.
"I... cannot believe...." he stuttered out, surprised that I had moved so fast to take him with me.
I glided through the water and wrapped my arms around his neck. He held me close.
"Believe it. Biting tongues is not the worst that I'm capable of doing," I teased, shaking my wet bangs out of my eyes.
"Apparently," he said with a grin, and then softly leaned in to kiss me. "I love you," he whispered softly between kisses.
"I love you," I whispered back against his lips.
I swear, this was probably the most perfect moment of my entire life. We were playing together in the Pacific ocean, just Nick and me. The sun was setting, the water was freezing, and my heart was racing, more alive and warm than ever.
After a few more moments of playing, we walked back across the beach, dripping wet and shivering against the cool night breeze.
Nick held me close. He wrapped me in one of the soaking wet light sweaters he had been wearing, and then tried to provide some body warmth as well, which I definitely did not mind. I felt so safe in his arms....
As we got back to our hotel, ignoring the curious looks of the people around us, Nick turned to me suddenly.
"Chloe, you have to promise me something."
I was surprised, but I nodded, very unsure about where this was going.
"Okay... what is it?" I answered, holding on to his hands.
"Please don't tell Alice we went swimming in the ocean in our new clothes. 'Cause I'm pretty sure her look alone would kill us," he said seriously.
Through my laughter, I managed to gasp out, "Kay, I promise...."
I was pretty sure that I was falling for him. I was falling deep and hard and...
When I told him I loved him, it was nothing but truth.
Author's Note: Pretty crazy, right? This one was written by my Chloe expert, my beta, Lucy! She writes Chloe pretty freaking well, eh? III think so. That also gave you guys a better look on Bryce too. Prick... Leave a review!
Have a great day/night!