Hey guys! Thanks for all the reviews for last chapter! I was worried people wouldnt like it, but obviously some do! Please review, even if its just to say what you dont like and think I should change! And if anyone wants me to read and review their own stories, please just ask! I'll read any TV show, book or movie FanFiction (if I know it), not just SWAC! Hope you like it!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the plot line! :D
Chapter Twenty-Two
I'd love to be able to say that it was perfect. But that would be a lie. In reality, it was awkward, and kind of embarrassing. I was shaking pretty bad, and it actually hurt quite a lot. But I didn't regret it. In fact, I had never felt as happy as I did afterwards. I lay there, Chad's arms wrapped tightly around me, and drifted off to sleep. I had the best dream ever that night. And the best part? Waking up and realising that it wasn't a dream; it was my reality.
I'd been asleep for a couple of hours when my phone went off. It was my mom, texting me to tell me she would be home in ten minutes. I was about to go back to sleep when it hit me; Chad was still there! In my bed! And we were still naked! Shooting upright, I jolted Chad awake. Rubbing his eyes, he sat up, smiling awkwardly at me.
"Good morning." He said.
"Good morning. Chad, my mom is on her way home! She'll be here in ten minutes!"
"And?"
"We have to get dressed!"
"Oh yeah. Sorry, I forgot." He smiled, standing up, giving me a full view of his entire body…
Blushing, I looked away. I reached down and grabbed my clothes from the floor, using them to cover myself as I jogged into my ensuite bathroom.
"Sonny? Don't tell me you're shy, not after…you know."
"Shut up and get dressed Chad. My mom will be home anytime now!"
"You said we had ten minutes!"
"Yeah, but she always says she'll be longer than she actually is."
"Okay. I'm done. You?"
I was just pulling my jeans back on, so I left the bathroom to see Chad stood there, still shirtless. Blushing again, I scowled at him.
"You said you were done!"
"Really, Sonny, really? You're upset about seeing me shirtless? After last night?"
"I'm a shy person! Gimme a break!"
"Fine."
"Fine."
"Good!"
"Good!"
"So, are we good?"
"Oh, we are so good." I said, walking towards him and kissing him softly.
"No regrets?" he murmured against my lips.
"None." I whispered back, smiling.
We went downstairs and I started to cook some pancakes while he sat at the dining table and flicked through a magazine. I jumped when the door opened, and my heart started beating madly, but Chad managed to stay calm. I was worried that she would figure it out, that somehow she would know.
"Hey honey. Chad." She smiled, looking confused when she noticed Chad.
"Hi Mrs Munroe."
" I don't mean to be rude, but why are you here?"
"Sonny called me last night, because she was scared. I stayed over, we fell asleep before the thunder stopped."
That wasn't technically a lie; we fell asleep before we realised the thunder had stopped. But we never actually noticed when it stopped. At least, I didn't.
"What happened to Lucy?" she asked me, trying to look normal but I could tell she was angry by the way she was gripping her bag like she would die if she let go.
"Her mom answered, and wouldn't let me speak to her. I don't really have any other girl-friends, so Chad was the only person I could call."
"Oh, okay." She visibly relaxed, but I could tell we'd be having a 'talk' later on.
"Oh, Sonny, I have to go in a bit. I'm meeting some old friends in the park."
"Oh. Well, can I come with?"
"Sure. We can go after breakfast. You need any help with that?" he said, pointing towards the pancake batter on the worktop.
"Excuse me? Sonny, were you planning to ask me if you could go?"
"Oh, sorry mom. Can I?" I really hoped she would say yes. I was not in the mood to answer questions.
"Sure, but be back for dinner. I'm making spaghetti. Actually, Chad, would you like to have dinner here tonight?"
"Sure, Mrs Munroe. I'd love to."
We ate the pancakes in silence, and when we were done I quickly kissed my mom on the cheek and we left.
"Wow. Awkward…" Chad whistled.
"How were you so calm? I was dying inside! I couldn't stop thinking that she was going to realise!"
"Why would she?"
"I don't know! I'm freaking out her, Chad! I'm supposed to be a good girl!"
"Hey, calm down," he smiled, pulling me into a hug, "I'm sorry if you regret it, but it doesn't make you a bad girl. You're legal, and most girls have lost their virginity a lot younger than seventeen."
"Oh, no, I don't regret it. At all. I'm just worried about what people will think!"
"Sonshine, no-one's going to find out. Contrary to popular belief, you don't look any different after your first time."
"I know that. I know I'm overreacting, but I can't help it!"
"I know, Sonny. C'mon, let's go."
"Who are we meeting?"
"Some old friends of mine. They're cool."
We drove in silence, him holding my hand with his free one, occasionally letting go to change gear. When we got to the park, I couldn't see anyone for miles, except for a group of scary-looking guys huddled together, smoking what didn't look like normal cigarettes. I was sure that they couldn't be the guys Chad was friends with, but when we got out he immediately started dragging me in their direction.
"Chad? They're your friends?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"They just look a little…scary."
"Well, I guess they do, but once you get to know them, they're good guys."
Somehow I found that hard to believe, but I nodded anyway. When we got close, one of them, a big scary guy with freaky tattoos in a leather jacket, turned and smiled at us. He high-fived Chad, then looked me over, his gaze lingering too long on my chest area for comfort.
"Y'aight, mate?" he said, looking at Chad. The others were silent, but they were all staring at me. I squirmed.
"I'm good, thanks, Teddy. You guys?"
"We're doing good. Man, you look more like your brother every time I see you, squirt." I froze, shocked. Could these be the guys Chad's brother got involved with? I saw Chad wince when they mentioned his brother, and I squeezed his hand supportively. He glanced at me, looking surprised, as if he'd forgotten I was there. Ouch.
"Yeah, I guess. So, you said you wanted me?"
"Yeah, our usual guy got nicked, and we need a temporary runner until we can find a new guy. You in?"
"Do I have a choice?" Chad asked dryly.
"Not really."
"Then sure. What do you need me to do?" they weren't talking about what I thought they were talking about, were they?
"I'll drop off a load at your place tomorrow, with a list of places."
"What time?"
"Whenever I get there." The guy grinned, but I could see the threat in his eyes.
"Okay. Well, I've got to get my friend here home, so I'll see you later." Friend? What?
"Friend, huh?"
"Yeah." He said, his grip on my hand tightening.
"So, you're not dating then?"
"No, just friends." Okay, now I was confused. Why was he saying this? Did he mean it?
"So, what, you wouldn't mind if she hung out with us for a while, then?" he said, wrapping his beefy hand around my wrist, making me squeal.
"No! I mean, yeah, I would mind. She's my friend. I'm not letting you touch her." Chad said angrily, glaring at the guy. I expected him to ignore it. Chad was, after all, half his size. But he dropped my wrist, stepping back and putting his hands up.
"Sorry! No harm done, eh mate?"
"Whatever. Just don't touch Son-her. Don't touch her."
"Calm down, man. We won't!" came a voice from behind Teddy. This guy was shorter, and where Teddy had muscle, he had fat, but he was equally as scary.
"Good. See you guys later." He said, turning sharply and pulling me towards the car roughly. I didn't talk until we were in the car and on the road.
"Chad?"
"Yeah?"
"Why do I get the feeling those guys aren't really your friends?"
"Because they're not. They're the guys I told you about, that my brother got involved with."
"Thought so. So, why are you still involved with them?"
"Because I killed my brother. I owe it to him to help out his friends."
"What? On what world does that make sense? And what was that you were talking about; when you said you'd be a 'temporary runner'? Does that mean what I think it means?" I asked, getting angry.
"Look, Sonny, I'm just doing a couple of jobs for them, 'kay? Nothing to worry about. I'm not actually doing drugs, just delivering them."
"So? Chad, that's just as bad! You don't owe these guys, or your brother, anything! How could you be so stupid?" I cried.
"I do owe them, okay? Look, when my brother died, the police did a little digging. They would have found out some stuff, but I didn't want my brother to be remembered as a druggie, or a dealer, or whatever else he was. So I asked the guys to cover his tracks. And they did. So now I owe them."
"I can't believe this, Chad! You need to tell the police about them! You can't deliver these drugs, Chad. If you get caught, you'll go to prison!"
"I have to, Sonny, okay? You don't get it. These guys, they have all the power. If I don't do what they say, they'll get mad. And then they'll go after the ones I love."
"Why did the big one, Teddy, back off when you told him to leave me alone, then, if they have all the power?"
"We have an agreement. They don't touch anyone I know unless I say they can. They're bad guys. They don't exactly 'date' girls."
"I know what you mean. So why did you say I was just your friend?"
"Because, if I ever upset them, they'll go after the ones I love. I don't want them to hurt you, Sonny. I couldn't stand it if they hurt you." He looked upset, so I let it go.
"I still think you should go to the police, Chad."
"I can't, Sonny. Look, they only make me do stuff from time to time, other than that they leave me alone. As long as I do what they say, I'll be fine. Plus, if I go to the police and they're not sent to prison, they'll be angry." I knew it was the wrong thing to do, but I just nodded and shut up.
"So, are we going to work?" I asked, trying to break the tension.
"Yeah. We don't start until midday, so we'll be early, but we can hang out in a dressing room for a bit, if you want?"
"Sounds good." I smiled, trying to hide the fear and worry on my voice. I knew that our problems were far from over.