Thank you to all who reviewed, liked, and followed, it means so much to me! & Thank you for checking out that trailer, like I said before, you are awesome! :)

Anyways, here's the next chapter! Hope you like it! Also, I just want to note that in the first chapter there is a grammar error. "loathing" should have been "loathsome," so I apologize for that!

I plan on updating every week, or to be more specific, every Thursday! Hopefully if I don't update it's because I was too excited & updated earlier rather than later. :)

Chase

Chase doesn't love Bree. He can't. He won't. Not now, not ever.

Then why does he find himself staring at her whenever he has the chance? Why does his heart pound erratically whenever she speaks to him? Or whenever he hears the mere sound of her voice? Ah, her voice, so sweet and innocent. The way it sounds when she tries to insult him with just the right amount of sarcasm and playfulness…

Why? Why does Chase become so agitated whenever he hears Owen's name come from her lovely lips?

Chase then finds his mind drifting, now thinking of her lips, her glowing, tanned skin, and her eyes, oh her chocolate brown eyes… Chase then shakes his head firmly after almost slamming into one of the many kids in the school hallway. He quickly apologizes to the guy who continues on his way with a grunt.

Chase sighs and nearly laughs. He couldn't believe it. Why does Bree have this effect on him? Out of all the years they've spent living together, training together, risking their lives on missions together, why does he feel this way now?

Chase comes to the conclusion that he is simply going through some weird phase. He'll probably be over whatever he feels toward Bree soon, he just needs a distraction. And yet, as he glances around at every girl within view, he only finds disappointment.

No one, not even the prettiest of girls, seem to catch his eye. Not until his eyes land on her, Bree, who stands at her locker chatting with Caitlyn. Chase doesn't even realize that his feet have moved three steps toward Bree, or four, five, or even six. No, he doesn't realize this until someone smacks Chase on the back in greeting. Chase jumps and winces, glancing up to see a beaming Adam, beside him stands an irritated Leo.

"Oh great, here comes the living nightmare," Leo grumbles as Adam and Chase turn to see Marcus making his way toward them. Marcus looks…different. Chase can't place why, though. It definitely wasn't a physical change. Just something had changed.

Marcus's eyes are bleak, and his once friendly and welcoming face is now desolate. Chase doesn't look too much into it, at least, not until Marcus's attention is placed elsewhere. On someone who Chase can't seem to get off his mind, lately.

Halfway near where they stand, Marcus's eyes landed on Bree, and determination hardens his once bleak eyes. Marcus switches paths, now making his way over to where Bree stands by her locker, no longer in the company of Caitlyn, or anyone. But that's about to change.

Chase does a double take and Adam calls out for Marcus, but Marcus ignores him, eyes zeroed in on his target, Bree. Chase scrunches his forehead together, eyes narrowing in thought.

"Well, that was rude." Adam mutters, fixing the straps of his backpack with a frown.

"I'm not surprised, you know why I'm not surprised, because I've been trying to tell you guys that something isn't right about that guy," Leo says matter-of-fact, gesturing with both hands toward Marcus. Adam nods his head, but not because he suddenly believes Leo.

"Wait," Leo says as he watches Marcus tap Bree on the shoulder. Marcus's face then twisted from determination to generosity. "What does that narcissistic maniac want with Bree?"

"What do you mean?" Chase asks, watching Bree's face light up at whatever Marcus just told her. Chase finds that his hands are in tight fists, which he releases before his brothers notice. "They share some of the same classes, maybe he just needs to ask her a homework question…" Chase states, trying to force himself to believe that that's the case, but he can't help but think something's up as well. Chase doesn't know why he's feeling this way. It's like a mix of desire and loathing when he looks at Bree talking to Marcus.

Chase lifts his right hand, readying to do something he hasn't done for a while.

"Chase, what are you doing?" Leo asks just as Adam's attention is lost and given to one of his buddies across the hall.

"Nothing," Chase says as his hand brushes his chestnut-brown hair behind his right ear.

"Oh! You're going to listen in on their conversation, good thinking!" Leo excitedly states, and Chase quickly shushes him.

Voices from every part of the hallway can be heard until Chase zeroes in to where Marcus and Bree stand. Their voices sound as if they're talking inside of a canister. Bree's voice is to be heard first, she's explaining to Marcus her schedule for the week as she grabs something from her locker.

"What are they saying?" Leo's voice drowns out all sounds, and Chase winces, putting a finger to his lip in an effort to quiet him. Leo mumbles an apology.

Chase then hurriedly tunes back in. "Cool, so I'll see you Friday?" Bree says, and Marcus smiles. As Bree continues talking, eyes looking through the contents in her locker once again, Marcus suddenly looks startled. He looks over Bree's shoulder, but she doesn't seem to notice. It's as if Marcus knows someone's listening, and that makes Chase both suspicious and tense.

Marcus freezes suddenly, standing incredibly still. It's obvious for both Chase and Leo that Marcus's jaw clenches and his fists tighten. His head gradually turns slightly to the left, away from Bree, his eyes now glued to the floor as if he's trying to see something behind him without being too obvious. Chase then realizes Marcus sees Chase and Leo watching him. Chase's eyes widen.

That's when Chase can no longer hear Marcus or Bree's voices.

In fact, Chase can't hear anything out of his right ear anymore, because static now screams at an intolerable volume there.

Chase cowers and slaps his hand over his ear, trying to stop the noise without screaming at the top of his lungs like he wishes he could.

It continues until he rushes out of the hallway and into an empty classroom, where the static then subsides. Leo follows him in and shuts the door.

"Chase, what happened out there? Did you hear what Marcus was saying to Bree—?"

"No," Chase interrupts, frustration raising his voice. "Well, sort of. I heard Bree's voice until something interfered with my chip. And after that, it was all static."

Leo's eyes widen as he quickly looks away. He knows something Chase doesn't. Leo saw that Marcus noticed them, too. Chase knows that for sure. "What is it Leo?" Chase asks, voice low and hostile. Chase needs to know Leo's theory, because Chase's current theory as to how his chip was blocked is difficult to believe. He needs to know that he's not crazy. He needs to know that it couldn't have possibly been Marcus who'd done it. But the way Leo's acting, he knows his suspicion isn't that far off.

But Chase is hesitant to believe such a theory so quickly. He knows he can't deny he had felt jealousy back there, especially when he knows Marcus asked Bree out. Jealousy can make anyone—even the smartest of people—believe the most impossible assumptions. If Marcus had blocked his chip than that means Marcus isn't exactly a normal, human kid. But then what does that make Marcus?

"I…can't…" Leo sighs, trying to find the words. "I can't tell you, Chase. I'm sorry." Chase's arms dart out, grabbing Leo by the shoulders, his grip tight.

"Leo, you need to tell me, right now, whatever it may be. Because Bree agreed to go on a date with Marcus this Friday," Leo's eyes widen with horror.

"What! No, no, no…" He continues saying this until Chase has had enough.

"Leo!"

"Okay! Okay!" Chase lets go of Leo, who backs away cautiously. He then sighs, again thinking of how to put it into words. "Marcus…isn't exactly…normal."

Chase scoffs, "Tell me something I don't know." Chase gestures for Leo to continue, and Leo continues all right.

"He's bionic!" Leo blurts, smacking both hands over his mouth as soon as he said it.