CHAPTER 96

When we arrived at the bus station, Chase went ahead and paid for both of our tickets. We got onto the bus and found our seats, settling in as the vehicle slowly filled up with other passengers.

Just as I was getting comfortable, Chase pulled something out of his backpack—a sandwich. Without a word, he handed it to me.

"I know you haven’t eaten breakfast yet," he said casually.

I blinked, then chuckled as I took it from him. "Yeah. Thanks."

As I unwrapped the sandwich, I glanced at him and smirked. "You like sandwiches, huh. You always give me sandwiches," I pointed out.

Chase chuckled. "Yeah. It became my favorite, so I’m sharing it with you."

I looked at the sandwich in my hand, then back at him. There was something simple yet thoughtful about the gesture.

"Thanks," I said, offering him a small smile before taking a bite.

He just watched me with a satisfied expression, like he knew he did something right.

The bus started moving, the soft hum of the engine filling the space around us. I glanced out the window, watching the city slowly fade into the distance.

\-

"Why didn’t you just bring your grandmother to the city?" I asked, glancing at Chase as I took another bite of the sandwich.

He leaned back in his seat, looking out the window with a thoughtful expression.

"She loves it there," he said after a moment. "The quiet, the fresh air… She says the city feels too fast for her."

"Plus, she can't leave the house where my grandfather left so many memories."

"Oh, I see… But she must be lonely when you're not there."

Chase nodded, a soft smile playing on his lips. "Yeah. So, I try really hard to visit her when I'm free."

"I see," I said, nodding.

A thought suddenly crossed my mind. If we were going to visit his grandmother, it would be nice to bring her something.

"Can we stop over at the mall?" I asked.

Chase blinked at me, tilting his head. "The mall? Why?"

I shrugged. "I just want to buy something for your grandma."

His eyes widened slightly before a warm smile spread across his face. "You don’t have to, you know."

"I want to," I said simply. "Please?"

Chase chuckled, shaking his head. "You don’t have to, really. But if you insist… Okay."

"Thanks," I said, feeling a little excited now.

I wasn’t sure why, but the thought of getting something for his grandmother made me happy. Maybe because it was important to Chase, and by extension, it felt important to me too.

As the bus continued down the road, I leaned back in my seat, already thinking about what I should get her. I wanted it to be something meaningful—something that would make her smile.

\-

After a couple of minutes, Chase and I stopped at the mall. As soon as we stepped inside, I made my way toward the department store, scanning the aisles for groceries.

"You’re really going all out for this, huh?" Chase teased as he walked beside me, hands in his pockets.

"Well, I figured I’d get some things she might need," I shrugged, grabbing a few essentials. "It’s the least I can do."

"Well, thank you. She’d be happy," Chase said, his voice filled with warmth.

"You think so?" I asked, glancing at him as I placed a few more items in the basket.

He nodded. "Yeah. She loves thoughtful people. And you? You’re definitely that."

I felt my face heat up slightly, but I played it off with a smirk. "Well, I do have my charms."

Chase chuckled. "Yeah, yeah. I won't argue."

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help the small smile on my lips. It felt nice—this easy banter between us. It made everything feel light, even as my heart beat a little faster than usual.

I continued picking out food—fruits, vegetables, and a few kitchen essentials. I wanted to make sure Chase’s grandmother had everything she needed. Once I was done, I headed to the cashier and paid for everything.

Chase let out a small sigh beside me. "This is too much, Austin."

I turned to him with a raised eyebrow. "Too much? It’s just groceries."

He shook his head, crossing his arms. "Still… You didn’t have to do all this."

I smirked, grabbing the bags. "I wanted to. Plus, I figured you’d forget something important, so it’s better I handled it."

He chuckled, rolling his eyes. "Tss. So now you’re saying I’m irresponsible?"

"Not at all," I teased. "Just… less prepared than me."

Chase sighed dramatically before taking some of the bags from my hands. "Fine. But don’t blame me if she ends up liking you more than me."

I laughed. "Oh, I’m counting on it."

Chase just chuckled, shaking his head. Then, without hesitation, he reached for my hand, intertwining our fingers as we walked toward the exit door of the mall.

For a second, I let it happen. His hand felt warm against mine, comforting in a way I wasn’t sure I was ready to admit.

But then reality hit me.

I quickly pulled my hand away, glancing around to see if anyone I knew was nearby. My heart pounded at the thought of someone seeing us like that.

"Sorry," Chase apologized, his voice softer this time. "I forgot."

I glanced at him, seeing the slight guilt in his eyes. I didn’t want him to feel bad about it. It wasn’t like I didn’t want to hold his hand—I just couldn’t. We couldn'y in public

I forced a small smile. "It's fine." I said, trying to ease the tension. "Let's go."

Chase studied me for a moment before nodding. Without another word, we continued walking toward the bus station.

I hated this—having to pull away, having to act like there was nothing between us. But this was the only way… for now.

We were now on the bus, heading to Chase’s province. The ride was peaceful, the soft hum of the engine blending with the distant chatter of other passengers.

Chase sat beside me, staring out the window. He was quiet—quieter than usual. I could tell it had to do with what happened earlier. But when I looked at him, his face was calm, no trace of anger or frustration.

Still, something about his silence made my chest feel heavy.

I hesitated before nudging him lightly with my elbow. "Hey, you good?"

He turned to me, blinking as if snapping out of his thoughts. Then, he smiled—small, but genuine. "Yeah, I’m good. Just thinking."

"About what?"

He chuckled. "Stuff."

"That’s vague." I smirked, trying to lighten the mood.

"I know." He grinned, and just like that, the tension between us faded a little.

I leaned back in my seat, relieved. Whatever he was thinking, at least he wasn’t upset.

\-