Chapter 5:

"Got the fireworks?" I asked Izzy after Shaun left for a friend's house.

"Yep. Check! Right here," she pointed to her black duffle bag that was full of illegal fireworks. Yes, illegal. I'm definitely excited.

"Okay! I called Chase, he should be here right about–" I looked at the clock on the kitchen counter, my heart sank when I saw the time "–twenty minutes ago. Maybe he just ran into holiday traffic. I mean, being the Fourth of July and all, there's probably plenty of tourists around."

"Trust me, he'll show! He's on his way," Izzy informed me.

"And how would you know this?" Why the fuck would Chase tell her and not tell me? I checked my phone, and my heart sank, yet another time, when I found that there are no new messages.

"'Cause he texted me. Plus, you guys have been dating for what, three months now. Why would he ditch you now if he's never ditched you before? Pure guy logic here!"

"Okay then." I thought for a moment and then got out my phone again. I clicked on the compose message button and sent a message to Chase;

Me: Hey babe. Where are you? Izzy and I are waiting.

It took a couple minutes for him to reply, but when he finally did, my heart skipped a beat. He was A-OK and I didn't have to worry.

Chase: On my way! Traffic is a bitch! I'll be there in like 5. Sorry to keep ya waitin!

Me: It's cool! See ya soon! ;)

"But still!" I said a little too loudly and I nearly made Izzy jump off the seat that she was sitting on. She gave me a wtf? look. "Why would he text you that he was on his way when he didn't even bother to text me, his girlfriend?"

"I dunno," was all Izzy said. So I just sat there, on a wooden chair, having a mini-thumb-war with myself to pass the time.

Sure enough, exactly five minutes and twenty-two seconds later, I heard Chase's red convertible pull into the drive way. As soon as I heard the door bell ring I jumped up out of my extremely uncomfortable chair and nearly sprinted to the door. I opened the door and nearly jumped into Chase's arms. He laughed. His strong hands that were caressing my waist moved up to my lower back and his lips met mine. I think I just died and went to heaven! I thought for about the millionth time! His lips were so soft, so nice. His tongue briefly brushing against the inside of my cheek. His kiss was fierce, but it was also so soft, as if he was worried that he might break me. That I was the most delicate thing in the world, and I could shatter into a million pieces at any second. I wanted to freeze right here, forever. In this perfect moment with my perfect guy having the most perfect kiss. Ahh, life was good!

"Get a room! Seriously!" I heard Izzy shriek. I reluctantly pulled away from Chase and I could feel him lean in for another kiss. I knew that would disgust Izzy, so I lightly kissed him on the lips. The kiss was short but sweet. I put my hands on his chest. His shirt was soft under my touch.

" I missed you," I said quietly, smiling at him.

"I missed you too," he said back, just as quiet as I had been. He flashed me one of his signature, genuine, and not to mention perfect, smiles.

"Ugh! Can we go?" Izzy whined.

"Uh, yeah. Got the fireworks?"

"Yeah," she sighed. "You already asked me this."

"Oh, uh, right. Then let's go!" I walked out of the house with my fingers entwined with Chase's. We walked into our huge backyard and shot fireworks off all night. Or at least until the Dreadful Demon Crew showed up to try to kill us.

Chase, happily playing with explosives in the middle of our extremely large yard, had just set off the most beautiful red-white-and-blue heart shaped firework, and Izzy and I watched with amazement as a missile-like sound filled our ears when the explosive was shot into the sky. As soon as it hit high altitude, it burst open, creating a perfectly shaped heart. I turned my head to glance at Izzy. She was looking up at the sky, an enormous grin spread on her face, as red, white, and blue light filled her face. I looked over to Chase; he was setting up another firecracker. Just then my gaze shifted to something moving around behind him, near a grove of palm-trees and shrubs. I couldn't see very well since it was dark, but the firework Chase had just shot off gave me just enough light to know what was lurking in the shadows; a demon.

"Go inside! And lock the door!" I demanded Izzy, and, without hearing her response, I sprinted off to rescue Chase, not that he was a damsel-in-distress, or was he? Nah. Definitely not. "RUN!" I yell as loud as I can to Chase, putting all of the breath and force I have left into that one word. I hoped, prayed even, that he would listen to me. I couldn't lose him – not now. Run! Run! Run! Run! Run! Run! My mind was reeling. I got to Chase just in time to push him out of the way of a charging demon.

This demon had long, white horns, which probably held a lot of power. His skin was blue, and some of it was even falling off his body, like melting plastic. Bit by bit came off as the demon ran, trying to get his short and stubby legs to move faster. I could tell that even though he was short, he was powerful, and not to mention buff. His biceps were huge! Talk about Juice Abuse! Lay off the steroids, will ya? He was barefoot, his feet were big, crunching the grass with every step. And, he was advancing on me, which meant I had to come up with a plan.

I decided to play it by ear, which was probably not the best idea.

I ran towards him, smacking him in the face with a jumping side kick. He flew backwards then started coming towards me again, as if nothing had ever happened.

"Lexi!" I heard Chase scream from behind me. Not now! Shut the fuck up! Trying to concentrate here!

"GO INSIDE!" I screamed at him without even looking at him. The demon came within kicking distance and I took full advantage of it. I gave a hard kick to the ribs, then quickly followed that up with a punch to the face, making his head fly back. That made him mad. He growled at me, then it was my turn to take a few blows. He punched to my head. I ducked, but didn't come up quick enough when his big-ass knee hit me right in the nose, causing my head to fly back. I struck out my leg, taking his legs out from under him. He landed on the ground with a thud.

He lay there for a couple seconds, but got right back up and wasn't even fazed. Here we go again! I thought.

Before I had time to think, he kicked me right in the gut, making my breath leave me in a whoosh. Come on Lexi, suck it up. You're not gonna let this guy kick your ass, are you? I quickly recovered, punching the ugly fuck in the face again, then I spun around and kicked him right in the head. He staggered, which gave me just enough time to grab his horns and pull my hands, and his horns, down with all my strength and kneeing him in the face, causing his horns to some off with a sickening rip. Yellow blood-like fluid spewed out of the sides of his head where his horns used to be. He cried out in pain, gripping his head. I staggered towards him, grabbed his head, and twisted it, breaking his neck with a loud crack. I dropped his limp body down to the ground. And, just like that, his carcass turned into nothing more than a pile of yellow fluid. Done. One down. A billion-gazillion more to go, I thought to myself.

I walked towards the house, thinking of how to explain this whole incident to Chase. All of my thoughts soon became forgotten though, because he never asked for an explanation of what happened.

"I absolutely, positively hate demons! Especially blue ones! Icky!" Izzy whispered into my ear.

"Tell me about it!" I whispered and sighed, disappointed that our fireworks had been stopped early.

"We didn't get to the finale! Damn! I was hoping I would get to show off a little!" Chase said. "Oh well, maybe next year." Chase winked at me. Next year? He wanted to be with me for more than a year? My heart nearly stopped with happiness. I smiled back at him.

"Yeah. Well, I'm beat! Ooh, I almost, almost forgot! I bought red-white-and-blue ice cream!" Chase and Izzy both looked at me with such confusion that they nearly had question marks painted on their faces.

"Red-white-and-blue–" Chase started

"–ice cream?" Izzy finished.

"Yeah, want some?"

"Okay. As long as it tastes good!" Izzy said.

After eating two bowls of ice cream each, which was actually pretty good despite the coloring that left my mouth a brownish color, Chase decided to spend the night. Izzy decided to 'hit the sack' early and Chase and I followed shortly after.

"That was fun!" Chase said as I walked in the room having taken a shower, changed into some comfy pajamas with sushi on them, and brushed me teeth. I pulled my long blonde hair into a bun and secured it with a pony-tail-holder.

"Yeah. I hope we can do it again some time."

"Yeah."

"So you really mean it? I mean, you really think that we will be together for another year, or more?" I ask.

"Well, I dunno about you, but I would love to spend another year, or more, hopefully more, with you. Don't you?"

"Oh, believe me, I do too. It just…surprised me. That's all." I turned off the light to my room and Chase and I snuggled into my bed and got comfy. It felt good, lying in his arms. He kissed me on the forehead and I snuggled closer to him. I was so close to him that it felt as if our bodies were fused together. We sat there in silence for what could have been hours. "I love you," I finally say.

"I love you too, Lexi Parker," he replied. I lifted my head and kissed him with such force I was surprised his head didn't roll off the bed. I felt his hand run through my hair and pull out the elastic holding my hair in a bun, letting my hair fall lose around my shoulders and fall on the bed. He pulled me into his arms tighter and I felt my body entwine with his, fitting together perfectly. After a long while of kissing, I pulled away unwillingly and put my head on his chest.

"Night," I whispered.

"Good night," I heard him whisper back. I fell asleep lying on his chest, in his arms, listening to the steady sound of his breath and the slowing beat of his heart. And I have to admit, it was peaceful.