Let Love Loose

“Noella, you need a ride?” yells Chase.

Just like Frank’s voice, I can pick out Chase’s amongst a million. Chase, the freckled, blonde haired, blue eyed sweet peach Georgia boy who was raised on a farm and prides himself on his golden legs and arms. Frank told me Chase was the first friend he made moving here, they actually met through Craigslist because when moving here Frank had nowhere to live so he searched the Roommates section of the website. Chase and Frank have been best friends for three years now. I think I can call Chase my friend now, there’s just him and Frank’s my best friend now.

That country twang of Chase’s is thick, he yells my name again over the loud patter of the rain that’s drenching me and everything else in the way.

I look over and peer through the haze of the rain and see Chase’s old Volkswagen pulled up to the curb at the bus stop. I’m thankful he’s come to my rescue, I brace myself and splash across the flooding sidewalks leaving my shoddy shelter of the tree branches, fling his car door open and hop in.

He has the heater blasting and the wipers are flying so fast it feels like the car’s shaking.

“Hey, El! Glad I caught you before you got too soaked, huh?”

“Yeah,” I shiver and hold my hands in front of the vent. “Thank you for the ride.”

He reaches into the backseat and brings forth a windbreaker.

“Here, put this on.”

I grab the jacket with a shivering hand and quickly go to pull my sticky wet pullover up over my head.

Chase goes to talking, “yeah, I tried calling Frank but I guess he’s still at practice.”

I mumble oh struggling with my jacket, almost over my head but my hair is tangling up making it difficult for me to pull it off.

Chase clears his throat, “um.”

“Hm?”

It’s almost off.

“Uh, Noella?” He asks nervously. “Your shirt’s up.”

I gasp and yank everything down. His eyes are bulging and his freckled face is pepperoni red. I hide my face behind my braids looking down wishing I could disappear. I should’ve checked! I always check because I’m terrified of this exact thing happening. The one time I forget to check and it happens. Why? Why me, and why with Frank's best friend?! He’s bound to say something and Frank will get weird and jealous!

I push a breath out and tuck braids behind my ear.

“I’ll just walk home.”

He’s stuck like a deer in headlights and only begins scrambling for a response when I grab my bag and open the door throwing one leg out instantly soaking back up.

“Wait, wait! Noella don’t be crazy, you don’t have to leave just because you flashed me.”

He laughs and I groan stomping my other foot onto the curb.

“Aw, I’m sorry don’t be embarrassed. Come on, get back in and lemme take you home.”

I sigh and groan again, I’m still wet, but I just got warm and being reminded of all this wetness deters me from storming off I also really don’t want to get sick before spring break. Instead I place my legs back in the car and slam the creaking door shut. Chase clears his throat again and begins fumbling with the gear shift, he’s said before that it has a hard time going into first gear. Once he’s able to jam it into place we head to my house.

“I wonder, how many other girls you think done did that exact same thing?”

Shut up! God! Chase can be really sweet but he can be very, very obnoxious as well and right now, he’s being pretty obnoxious.

“Chase, do you think I’m not embarrassed enough? Can you drop it please?”

I stuff my hands deep into my soaking pullover pocket not caring that my hands are now freezing again.

He sighs, mumbles a ‘sorry,’ and we’re silently and slowly going down the road stopping at the first stop sign which means, two more intersections to go.

Frank is usually cool about a lot of things. For instance, the first time we met. He wasn’t mad that I was trying to get away from him, that just invited him more. Or the time his fifteen-year old little brother spent the night at his apartment, stole his car in the middle of the night, crashed into a tree because he forgot his glasses in the rushed sneaking out, somehow managed to not attract the cops, and drives back home and tries sneaking back in at six in the morning to meet Frank coming through the foyer from the kitchen.

Dale definitely thought we was going to die right there in his place, and then he knew for a fact that Frank would kill him when he walked Frank out to the car. But he didn’t raise his voice once, in fact he laughed and pat his brother on the shoulder. Dale thinks he only got away because Frank was still coming out of his sleep and by the time he could process it later it was too late to yell at him.

But I think Frank wouldn’t have been angry even if he was fully awake. No, the only thing that makes Frank unbearable is his jealousy. Frank is a very, very jealous person. Once he thought one of his friend’s was getting a little too friendly with me and called him out in front of the whole group of fifteen people. I’m already not good in crowds, especially if I don’t know-know them, that was an extremely embarrassing night.

Finally, we pull through the last intersection of the last stop sign. Chase tries talking again.

“Seriously, if you really think about it. How many girls do you think have been in your exact same position. Rainy day- or even! Say you focus on this season, this year alone how many other girls you think accidentally pulled their shirt up, tryna take their jacket off?”

I scoff, he pulls up to the curb at my driveway of the house I rummage through my backpack searching for my house key.

“I don’t know Chase. Maybe you should do a study and do some polling.”

Another thing about Chase, no matter who’s pissed at him he will stay calm, cheesy and try to make light of the situation. I feel bad for any girl that falls for him, any argument will be straight shit.

“Okay, welp your number one on my list,” he cheeses. I roll my eyes and he laughs, “look don’t go blowin’ this up all in your head, it’s not that serious.”

Again, I roll my eyes he’s lucky that I’m accustomed to his personality.

He gets serious for a second, rare occasion. “Hey, you don’t have to worry about me telling Frank, I know how he gets.”

I look at Chase in the eyes for a tenth of a second then look away, “thank you.”

I can hear the smile in his voice without looking. I pull the door handle and the door creaks open.

“Thanks again for the ride,” I hop out and slam the door shut and run up to the house and inside.