Chapter 6 Velyn
When I reach Chase’s bedroom, there’s a slight sniffle that comes from the other side of the door. Dylan’s such an ass. Why can’t he just let Chase be?
I knock lightly and when the sniffling stops, I call out, “Hey, Chase, it’s Velyn.”
There’s no hesitation. I hear a thud followed by a shuffle approaching the door. When it opens, Chase’s eyes are red from crying, but the smile on his face says it’s now going to be okay.
“How did you get past my brother?” he asks a little worried, but I don’t miss the hint of excitement hidden behind his words.
“We have Connie to thank for that. I swear she’s like the Dylan whisperer.”
Chase lets out a laugh. “Was she speaking to him in Spanish?”
“Yeah, why?”
He chuckles again. “Yep, gets him every time. When Connie pulls out the Spanish words of wisdom, Dylan knows it’s time to listen up because she’s not messing around anymore.”
“Well, it works. Remind me to thank her on my way out.”
Chase now realizing what he must look like, tries to hide his face. I walk over, taking hold of his hand. “Hey, it’s okay to let me see you cry. You were upset and there’s nothing wrong with letting it out.”
“Dylan always makes fun of me when I cry.”
I let out a sigh. “Yeah, well, Dylan’s an ass. I think it shows great character when a person’s not afraid to show their softer side. Those are the signs of a good and honest person.”
“Thanks, Velyn.”
“Anytime. So now that I can spring you from this prison of yours, what would you like to do?” I ask.
“Well, I wanted to go to the new gallery in town, but we would’ve had to be there like a half-hour ago,” he replies.
“That’s okay; we can always hit that another time. What else did you have in mind?”
He looks around but comes up short. “I’ve got nothing. At this time of night, there isn’t much left for the under twenty-ones to participate in.”
“Oh, yeah, I keep forgetting that. Well, I could use some more lessons in chess. I don’t have a board at home, and the one on the computer isn’t very forgiving,” I suggest.
“They’re designed to do that,” Chase says with a chuckle then shrugs. “Chess sounds good to me, but Dylan’s having a party here tonight.”
“Another one?”
“Yep, sometimes I think he’s about done with the weekly house parties, but then they just keep happening,” Chase replies.
“And let me guess, you’re to stay in your room and not bother him?” I question.
He shrugs. “He never used to let me leave my room, but since this past summer, he’s actually let me come to one or two.”
“Oh, how brotherly of him,” I let out with a slight growl.
Chase shrugs. “It doesn’t bother me; it’s not my scene anyway.”
I let out a breath. “I guess. Well, we could always go back to my place. The whole
thing’s about the size of your bedroom, but it’ll be quiet.”
Chase’s eyes light up. “An invitation to your place? That’s as coveted as knowing the location of the Batcave.”
I let out a laugh. “Yeah, okay, it’s not all that coveted, it’s merely a matter of logistics. My place is a good twenty minutes from the school and forty-five from your house, bringing friends back is more of a pain in the ass than anything else.”
“Well, I still think it’s an honor. You only ask people to come back and hang out if you’re true friends, right?”
I look into Chase’s eyes full of excitement and let out the words I think he’s been waiting for his whole life. “Only the best of friends.” He leaps from his bed, disappearing through the door to the walk-in closet, then pops back out with a smaller size suitcase in hand. “Um, Chase, we’re just going to hang out. I can’t have you move in; there’s just not enough room.”
A smile creeps across his face. “It speaks volumes that the reason you wouldn’t want me moving in is only that you don’t have enough room. No worries though, I have no intention of abandoning this ship quite yet. I just needed something bigger to carry my chessboard in because it won’t fit in my backpack.”
I let out a chuckle. “Phew, I thought I was going to have to convince my dad that he’d have to take up permanent residence on the couch, not that he hasn’t already.”
“Oh, your dad, will he be okay with me coming over?”
I nod. “Yeah, it’s no problem. He probably won’t even know you’re there.”
Chase shoots me a quick smile, then strategically maneuvers around the room to gather the chessboard and a couple of other things that look like action figures and some video games—apparently, it’s going to be a sleepover.
“Chase, I hate to burst your bubble, but I don’t have a video game player thingy.”
He stops dead in his tracks, slowly turning toward me. “A video game player thingy? Who are you? It’s called a console, and don’t tell me that you’ve never had one?”
I shrug. “Well, yeah, when I was younger. I wasn’t really into that stuff; books were more my thing. But I did really like that one game, you know, the one that goes, do-de-do-de-do-do-dododo.” He stands just staring at me with the blankest of looks on his face. “You know the one—there are mushrooms and little coins. Oh, and two little guys, Marco and Louie.”
He shakes his head. “You mean Mario and Luigi.”
“That’s it—Mario and Luigi,” I let out in my best Italian accent.
“Velyn, please don’t admit that to anyone ever again, it would be social suicide. I mean, have you been living under a rock for twenty years? Even Connie knows the game’s called
