36: Tagged: Chase Verlice

Chase

“Chase…” The sound of my name drifts through the fog of sleep, like a distant echo calling out from my subconscious. "Chase, wake up…" The voice rings again and I groan, rolling to my side, trying to escape the intrusion of whatever is pulling me out of rest. The haze lingers and I squint, only to find Lena's concerned eyes staring back at me. “Hey,” I whisper, offering a tired smile as I reach for her cheek, gently brushing my thumb along her pouty lips. The hypnotic feel of her touch is a brief distraction, as the sound of a relentless buzzing snaps me forcefully into the waking world. "Your phone is… going off. Someone keeps calling," she says as the moonlight shines through the window, illuminating the furrow of her brow… oh no, something is off. I rub my face trying to encourage myself to wake up, the pounding in my head only making it harder to focus. How long were we asleep? My hand reaches out instinctively for my phone lying in the palm of her hand. Sure enough, a string of missed calls and the name Amanda is flashing across the screen. I freeze for a second, irritation beginning to simmer in my chest. “Great, perfect timing.” I mutter under my breath as Lena’s eyes narrow at me.

"Chase… Who is that? Is she your sister?" she asks quietly, her normally timid tone sharper than usual. "She’s been calling nonstop for the past hour. Is everything okay? Do you think there's an emergency?" I glance at the phone again, Amanda’s name lighting up the screen like a ginormous red flag. My pulse picks up, and for a split second I hesitate, my thumb hovering over ‘answer’. It’s not that I don’t want to talk to her and address this once and for all… It’s that she doesn’t belong in this moment; not at 2 in the morning, not after the conversation we had earlier this week, and especially not in front of Lena. I’ve been trying to keep things calm and uncomplicated after everything that happened today, but Amanda’s unpredictable nature has a way of showing up at the worst times. With Lena sitting beside me, looking like she’s about to cry, I’m not sure what is the best way to handle this is. The last thing I need is for Amanda to destroy this fragile moment with Lena, or for Lena to overhear something that will increase the doubt she expressed before falling asleep. I take a deep breath, glancing at her out of the corner of my eye, only to find her fidgeting nervously.

“It’s my ex,” I snap while sitting up fully, my fatigue swiftly replaced by a surge of bitterness. “Before I explain anything Lena, I need you to understand… she and I are not together.” I let out a frustrated sigh as the phone dims, only to light up again almost immediately. “We broke up, months ago and it was mutual. However, she changed her mind and now, she calls non-stop… as you can see.” I show her the phone before setting it down, my fingers running briefly through my hair before I reach for her hand. “I need you to know that you can trust me,” I add, meeting her eyes with as much sincerity as I can muster. “I’m not going to leave when I answer the call but…” My words falter and trail off as I look at her with embarrassment. “I just… I apologize in advance for whatever you hear.” Her expression softens, the initial tension in her shoulders easing as she listens. Her eyes flicker to the phone before returning to me, her hand still lightly resting in mine. “It’s okay,” she says softly, squeezing my hand tightly. "We all have past relationships, and while some end on good terms, not all of them end as neatly or as cordially as we hope." I nod, tightening my grip around hers. I brace myself, knowing this isn’t going to be an easy conversation, but at least Lena will understand the truth. Just as I’m about to speak, my cell vibrates again, the harsh sound cutting through the moment. I hesitate, glancing at the screen for a moment before I reluctantly swipe to answer.

“Hello?” I say flatly, trying to suppress the extreme exasperation I feel. “CHASE!” Amanda’s voice bursts through the phone, so loud and frantic that I have to yank the device away from my ear. Lena jumps beside me, clearly startled by the sudden eruption. “Amanda,” I sigh, letting go of Lena to pinch the bridge of my nose. “It’s two in the morning. Why the hell are you calling me this late? You realize no answer is not a green light to call repeatedly, right?” The sound of her erratic breathing fills the line, like she’s struggling to control herself, but then, her voice comes back trembling with fury and disbelief. “WHO IS SHE, CHASE?!” The words snap at me venomously! “You said it was a business trip! A BUSINESS TRIP! YOU SAID UNLESS I SAW YOU IN HIS REELS THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO DISCUSS IT! WELL, I SAW YOU CHASE! WHO THE FUCK IS SHE?!” I swallow, trying to steady my pulse. “What are you talking about, Amanda?” There’s a pause, followed by a breath so ragged it’s almost like she’s choking on it. “Corey’s instagram! I saw you with a woman on Corey’s posts!” I wince as she begins to cry, my blood pressure spiking as I quickly lower my phone to pull up Corey’s social media.

‘Bonfire in Paradise.' Tagged: Chase Verlice. Location: Cancun, Mexico. A photo of the five of us, laughing around the flames, drinks in hand. Lena is right there, her face glowing from the firelight, her legs casually draped across mine as she smiles. I swipe down through a few more photos, each one telling its own story. There’s a shot of a card game, but no faces, just hands poised mid move. The next image is a night scene, dolphins leaping through dark waters under a sky dotted with stars. I scroll further and come across a vibrant shot of the reef, the sun’s rays piercing through the turquoise water, illuminating clusters of bright coral in every color. There’s a selfie of Corey and Katie, Jordan on a paddle boat next to them. Lena and I are in the background, facing each other as we tread water; this must have been just before we dove under. I swipe down to reveal more random shots, stopping when I see Lena and I sitting on the back of my boat, both of us gazing out at the cove with beers in hand. Fuck!

I click on Corey’s profile picture, switching to reels as her incoherent whines boom through the speaker. As I do, Lena’s confused face appears closer to me, her eyes squinting as she peers down at my phone. I sigh as the video opens with a cozy scene by the crackling bonfire. Corey, Katie, and Jordan are gathered around, enjoying each other's company. The camera zooms in and out on them as they roast marshmallows on sticks, their mouths full of gooey s'mores and ridiculous laughter. The second clip shifts to a more energetic vibe as Jordan dances goofily while she pours shots, passing glasses to Corey and Katie. As they throw back their drinks, the camera subtly zooms out, revealing a couple kissing in the background, their embrace adding a romantic flair to the scene. “Aww, look at MAH BOY falling in love out here in Mexico!” Corey’s voice rings out with a cheerful, teasing tone as Katie’s enthusiasm makes the clip worse, “I’m so happy they found each other! They are so perfect!” Ha, this just keeps getting better and better!

"Amanda, I see no problem with Corey’s posts. How many times do I have to remind you that we broke up? It's no longer okay for you to call me like this." I say, coming out a little harsher than I intend. “How… HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME, CHASE?” Amanda’s voice cracks, the rawness of her pain apparent on the other end of the line. “I know… I know I pressured you, pushed you to get married, to settle down when you weren’t ready,” her breath hitching as she continues. “I know that I could’ve been better, more understanding, more patient while you figured things out. I should’ve made more effort to share your interests and support your business, but... Did what we have mean nothing?” The desperation in her tone makes my chest tighten, and despite my annoyance, it’s difficult to hear her like this. “Like, we were together for years, Chase! YEARS! How could you just… just throw that away?” Her words come in an uneven rush, like a dam about to break, and I can’t stop the wince that contorts my face. I steal a quick peek at Lena, noticing how intently she’s been watching me. Her eyes are fixed on my face as I mouth “I’m sorry”, but there's something unspoken in her gaze. Is it concern? No, maybe it’s guilt? Fuck, I can’t let this escalate further. 

“Amanda, stop right there. What I do... no longer concerns you. Meaning who I’m with, who I date, where I go… none of it is any of your business anymore.” I pause, using every ounce of energy in me to maintain my composure, but before I can get another word in, she cuts me off. “No! Don’t you dare act as if I’m no longer going to be a part of your life! Chase... Chase... When are you coming home so we can properly discuss this? We need to talk about it face to face!” Her words pierce the air as her intense emotions radiate through the phone and bounce off the walls, demolishing whatever tranquility Lena and I created earlier in an instant. I sigh, fed up and overwhelmed with her blatantly ignoring the boundaries I continually attempt to set. “Amanda... I don’t owe you anything. It's over.” I say as I end the call, immediately powering off my phone and cutting off any possibility of further destruction.