Chuck is at Marino High School, where Sasha Morales-Sanchez, the girl who he was chatting with on TikTok, who is a freshman and attends school, where he and Trish attended school. He waits for her in the courtyard and hits his vape pen. She has a Bluey backpack, and is wearing a Bluey t-shirt, ripped mom jeans, and Nike sneakers on.
Sasha smiles pleasantly and asks,
"Hi, are you Chuck from TikTok?"
He says,
"Yes, I am. You're even prettier in person."
She says,
"Thank you."
At Chuck's apartment, he makes her a hot beverage and tells her,
"Tell me about yourself, sweetheart."
She says,
"Well, my dad was murdered in a gang fight two years ago, and my mom was arrested for obtaining an abortion after she was raped in another gang fight. My parents are from Guatemala, by the way. I was in some very abusive foster homes, and so until my mom can get bail, I'm staying with my Tía Daniela, who moved out here to the United States like my parents did, and my cousins. I love my Tía and my cousins, but I miss my mom. I wish I could do something to help her."
Chuck says,
"I'm sorry, baby girl. I know how it feels to be abused in a foster home, I lost my parents when I was a kid too, and I was abused in a lot of foster homes."
Sasha says,
"I'm sorry."
Chuck says,
"You're Guatemalan, huh? I bet you're really good at speaking Spanish."
She says,
"Bueno, lo hablo con fluidez. My family speaks Spanish around the house."
Chuck says,
"I have some old movies, do you want to watch them?"
By old movies, Chuck is trying to trick Sasha into watching pornography with him. Sasha doesn't expect anything, and says quietly,
"Sure."
Chuck finds his porn DVDs and he watches them with her, with the teen girl not knowing how to process what she's seen. Chuck watching porn is normal.
Meanwhile, Ally is signing paperwork to get Chuck a restraining order, as Trish is terrified and having nightmares about him. He has been sending her threatening messages and blackmailing her as well, as well as sending pictures of him and Sasha. Trish is talking to Ally's therapist on Zoom and says,
"I can't sleep at night. I have nightmares about Chuck kidnapping me, raping me, holding me hostage, and tying me up. It mentally brings me back to that place. I hate it."
Dr. Brennick says,
"I'm so sorry, sweetheart. Nightmares are quite common with PTSD. You're not alone."
Trish says,
"I don't doubt it. Ally's letting me live with her and Austin, and they're both so supportive of me. I'm so appreciative of them. I just wish I felt safer."
Dr. Brennick says,
"Is there a reason you don't feel safe despite living with Austin and Ally?"
Trish says,
"Um, I think it's because Chuck has tried to message me, has sent me threats, and he's using a minor to get back at me."
Dr. Brennick says,
"What Chuck is doing, he's trying to project what he's done onto you. He's breaking the law by doing this to a child."
Trish starts to cry again.
"It reminds me of what happened to me. My ex-boyfriend's uncle had sex with me when I was a minor. It hurts that he's done it to me, but now dragging a child into it is disgusting. I don't know what I ever saw in Chuck. I'm sorry."
Dr. Brennick pipes in again.
"Don't be. There's nothing to apologize for. You're just feeling. Don't apologize for anything, everything you're feeling right now is normal. It's a process and it'll work itself out on its own."
Trish says,
"God bless you, Doctor. Thank you, I appreciate it."
Later, at Chuck's apartment, Ally appears with two police officers, Marcus Russell and Jesus Fernandez, both from the Miami Special Victims Unit, both police officers hold up their badges.
Officer Russell says,
"Charles McCoy, you're under arrest for domestic violence, criminal threats, endangering the welfare of a minor, indecent exposure, and distribution and possession of child pornography."
Officer Fernandez says,
"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say CAN and WILL be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney, if you cannot afford one, one will be appointed to you."
Chuck sees Ally standing before him watching stoically as he is being cuffed and he glares at her.
"You set me up,"
he mouths at her without any sound. He cries out,
"I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING."
Officer Russell says,
"Keep your mouth shut until you talk to an attorney."
Chuck is going to jail now.
A fitting punishment for him for everything he did to my best friend, Ally thinks to herself.
Austin and Ally decide to take Trish out for dinner and drinks at their favorite bar, The Intoxicated Iguana, to celebrate Chuck's arrest. Austin says,
"My friend Jace is the manager here. He's the best."
Trish smiles.
"I can't wait to meet him."
Ally says,
"You'll love him. He's very friendly and laidback."
Jace Dillon is one of Austin's close friends. They both met in college at the gym due to sharing a common interest for bodybuilding, video games, and music. Along with Dez, Austin's close friend since childhood, Jace is Austin's best friend. Jace is very laidback and friendly, and he has a very calm demeanor that could instantaneously calm a crying baby or a person having a panic attack. He has light brown hair that is short on the sides and very textured. Jace is clad in a gray Aeropostale shirt and is wearing baggy jeans and Christian jewelry and Converse, and he has a dish towel over his shoulder. He has piercing green eyes and a friendly smile. He immediately high-fives and fist-pounds with Austin and side hugs Ally and sees Trish and asks,
"Who's this girl here?"
Ally says,
"Jace, this is my best friend Trish."
Jace says,
"Hi, Trish. It's nice to meet you."
She smiles.
"Thank you, you too."
For fifteen seconds flat, Jace and Trish make eye contact with each other and she instantaneously remembers what it's like to be in love. Jace interrupts the moment by saying,
"Forgive me for staring, but your eyes…"
She asks him,
"What about my eyes?"
He says,
"They're… gorgeous."
Trish chuckles quietly and somewhat nervously.
"Stop it,"
she says, giggling softly.
Jace says,
"Anyway, here's a table right here. I don't know why, but I get the feeling y'all are celebrating something."
Trish says,
"We are. My deadbeat ex just got arrested."
Jace's face is sympathetic.
"I'm sorry you were in that situation."
She says,
"Me too. But I'm getting justice now, and that's worth celebrating."
Jace flashes her a sparkly smile.
"Hard to argue with that."
He says,
"I'll get this party started with ice water."
Later after paying the check, Jace smiles at Trish while watching her open and close her purse, and she catches him looking at her and he looks away. He crosses to their table, asking,
"Did you guys enjoy your meal?"
Austin says,
"We did. It was great. Thanks, buddy."
Jace says,
"It's cool. Great to see all of you."
He is subtly paying a little extra attention to Trish, and she can tell. Jace's smile is very attractive and his eyes are beautiful. He tells her,
"Trish, listen, I want to ask if you want to hang out sometime. I understand if you're not ready, given what you've just gone through."
She says,
"Actually, I would like that."
He asks her,
"Really?"
Some of her hair falls from her headband and Jace folds some of her hair behind her ear. She says,
"Yes."
He has a pen in his pocket and writes his phone number on a napkin. She says,
"Thank you,"
and stands on her tiptoes to plant a soft kiss on Jace's cheek. Ally is watching lovingly and momentarily looks at Austin, causing him to put his arm around her.
"I think she's rebounding already,"
Austin whispers in Ally's ear.
Ally says,
"Jace sounds like he likes her. She deserves someone who loves her."
Chapter 4 down! I think Jace likes Trish! Jace and Trish were my second favorite couple on A besides Auslly. I wish they were endgame and not Chuck and Trish. If you like the story, remember to favorite, follow, and review.