[color=lightgray][right][b][u]TIMESTAMP:[/u][/b] [i]Flashback of Monday Evening || July 19th 2021[/i]
FOLLOWING [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5396676]Hypothetically Speaking[/url] & [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5395868]‘Life Is All Draw 4+'s’[/url][/right]
[center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/230303/71a9675c1f116a6719ecf6a65e6409c2.png[/img]
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[img]https://i.imgur.com/Ct6QrWO.png[/img]
[sub]Featuring [color=7fff00]Chase[/color] & [color=EA60A5]Tiffannie[/color][/sub]
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[url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/users/venus][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/230301/c679b33eaad63df95ce10ccdd8744a1b.png[/img][/url]  [img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/230301/d5cbeff29dada5a8104e72f6dfece1d8.png[/img] [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/users/lovelycomplex][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/230301/572901a417bcceb31a5ff31879b7e8d6.png[/img][/url][/center]
[indent][indent]The moment of truth was here. After Chase handed Baby Peach — his pretty little princess — to his brother, telling him to be gentle with her, and after setting up both the kitten’s feeding area and litter station, he was ready to do what Maya told him and [i][color=952DB6]`give it to her straight’[/color][/i] because [i][color=952DB6]‘she deserves to know`[/color][/i]. Whether it was girls in general or just Maya, his friend made it seem like talking about feelings and why you want to be with the person trumped all other grand gestures. Chase had to put all his cards on the table and just go for it, hoping that this was what Tiff wanted too. That she wanted him. 

Although he was terrified of being rejected, he wanted to take a step forward in a healthy direction. In order to do that, he had to not be afraid of opening his heart up. He had to not be afraid to give this girl he was [i]really[/i] into the key to all of him, just as much as he wanted the key to all of her. No matter how many times he might’ve gotten burnt in the past, he needed to live. It all started with this girl who was now such a prevalent part of his everyday life that he couldn’t imagine a life without her. This girl that was now in his dreams, whether he liked it or not. 

Tiffannie Taccone, someone out of his league and out of this world, was a missing puzzle piece for him and if she let him, he’d do what it takes to be there for her. To support her. To hold her. To love her. A friend. A protector. A boyfriend? Whatever she needed, so long as the guy she saw wasn’t what he could be nor was it who he was. The guy he hoped she saw was the one sitting in front of her… a mess of a man, damaged and in pain.

Chase didn’t say much of a word to Tiffannie when he came in, only giving her glances as he made Baby Peach comfortable and at home. For every second that passed, he could see the building worry inside her, although she did her best to patiently wait. When he was finally ready, the man with explosive tendencies grabbed onto Tiffannie’s hand and led her to his room giving his family a look to not disturb. He needed privacy. He needed time alone with his heart’s desire. He needed to know if he fucked up, really fucked up, all his chances with someone that was turning out to be everything to him. 

The sobbing Tiffannie had managed to stop crying and composed herself somewhat just mere seconds before Chase made his arrival to the house with a small pink pet carrier. She had watched curiously as he entered the room, opened the carrier and scooped out the most adorable snow white kitten the blonde had ever laid her eyes on. In regular circumstances, she would be leaping from her seat with a loud squeal and rushing up to hold, pet and snuggle the precious baby, all the while cooing cute, sweet things at it. Instead, Peach opted to remain seated in silence. As anxious as she was with each second that passed by of him exchanging glances without speaking, she didn’t want Chase to think she was rushing him: he would approach her whenever he was ready. Thankfully, she didn’t have to wait long. As soon as he finished preparing the basics for the lovely little kitten to settle in her new home, the young man took her hand in his, guided her to his bedroom and locked the door behind them.

As Chase released her hand, took a seat on his bed, and patted it for her to sit next to him, she was given an opportunity to have a look at him for the first time today. His lip was busted, his right eye was bruised, and his overall face looked like it took a good beating. It did, of course, because before TNT knocked the asshole from earlier unconscious he let the older man get some hits in. Once that guy felt like he had best the southie, that’s when TNT took out his wrench and went to town. It was only fair. That was beside the point though. Chase looked like shit and it didn’t help that he was anxiously cracking his knuckles. When she did take a seat next to him, worried and pouting, his gaze was toward the floor not her. 

When her blue eyes were finally able to focus closely on the fresh injuries on Chase’s face, a deep-seated concern made a hole in the pit of her stomach. [i]What had happened to him?[/i] When they had talked on the phone the night before and earlier that afternoon everything had seemed okay. There were no signs of the storm that wrecked havoc at Lyon Park, or any hints of something occurring the previous night to set him off. He hadn’t mentioned anything about being hurt to her, either-- probably because he knew she’d get as worried sick as she was now. Instead of just sitting there, Peach wanted to jump to nurse mode: take care of Chase’s injuries, hold him close to her and give him comfort. But the last thing she wanted was to make her friend uncomfortable, so she chose to let him be the one to determine how their interactions would proceed.

A silent moment came and went, as he struggled to grasp onto the right words to say. Inadvertently and subconsciously, he was back to his habit of bouncing his right leg, which did not help the mood of the room. The fact that she stood quiet this long was impressive which only made him wonder if he was overthinking all this or maybe, he was right and she didn’t like him. She just liked the protection he provided. [color=7fff00]“I want to first start off by saying…”[/color] he pulled his attention away from the carpet floor and caught her ocean-strong, radiantly blue eyes with his soil-filled, soulful stare; so rich and brown you could grow roots in them. [color=7fff00]“I’m fucking sorry, Tiff.”[/color] He grabbed hold of her with his gaze and his hands, trying to show he never intended to hurt her. He never wanted to hurt her. While dejected, his eyes were still bright enough to shine in the shadows and only softened when he saw her. [color=7fff00]“I really didn’t mean for today to go to shit and I’m so fucking sorry.”[/color]

The blonde was quick in vehemently shaking her head in disagreement. She wasn’t going to let Chase take all the blame for how their day had turned out when her tardiness was the catalyst for the rest of the unfortunate events that happened. [color=EA60A5]“It was all my fault,”[/color] Tiff admitted, her glossy lower lip sticking out in disapproval. [color=EA60A5]“If I hadn’t been late to the picnic, none of this would have happened. I should have double-checked that I set my alarm before going to sleep last night. I shouldn’t have made you worry or disappointed you and your family like that. I’m the one who should be sorry.”[/color]

[color=7fff00]“Tiff, that likely wouldn’t have changed the outcome. I was already nervous as hell. If anything, you would’ve seen something… and I bet after that, you wouldn’t have wanted to stay,”[/color] Chase let go of her hand and rubbed the back of his neck, knowing he was doing the exact opposite of what Maya told him to do, going into the bad habit of self loathing.

[color=EA60A5]"But I was nervous too! I was so nervous, I dropped the dessert tray I was bringing to the picnic when I tripped outside Uncle Tazzy's house after missing the step because I was freaking out about being late!"[/color] she interjected, still refusing to put all the blame on Chase when she knew he’d never do something like this on purpose. [color=EA60A5]"I really was looking forward to today. I don't know what 'something' I would have seen, but I really doubt it would have changed my mind about anything."[/color]

[color=7fff00]“I’m not… a good person…”[/color] he muttered as he looked away from her, interlocking his fingers together and resting his hands on his lap. He didn’t understand why she bothered with him. She deserved someone that wasn’t beaten, battered, and bruised. She needed someone that could make her happy. She needed someone that wasn’t him.  

The blonde shook her head and pouted her lips in disagreement. Watching Chase’s ashamed expression and how he seemed to be thoroughly convinced of the negative traits he was utilizing to describe himself made Tiffannie’s heart ache. Whatever had occurred during the hours in which they had been separated must have been serious enough to drastically change the demeanor and outlook on himself they’d worked so hard to lift up in their weeks of friendship. She didn't know what that trigger was, but she hoped he could trust her with the information so she could clarify, reassure or help him process his afflictions.

Unable to hold back her need to comfort him any longer, Peach slowly extended her hand towards the man’s face. After meeting no resistance or dismissal, she gently turned it to face her by his chin and began to caress his cheek with her thumb while still tenderly holding his face. [color=EA60A5]"Yes you are. You’re a wonderful person, Chasey. Why do you keep saying you're not?"[/color] she asked him in a soft voice, desperately wanting to know what weight he was carrying on his shoulders so she could take the load off of them.

Leaning into her hand, he watched her as she tried to soothe his restless soul. He didn’t know where to start. There were so many elements of his past that made him who he was today. How could he ease Tiff into knowing him without traumatizing her? Placing his hand on hers, holding her touch against his warm face, he asked, [color=7fff00]“Can I play something real quick?”[/color]

The young woman was quick to nod her approval. [color=EA60A5]"Yes, of course!"[/color] she consented with another soft smile. She would agree to anything that could ease Chase’s distraught spirit.

Chase would start with the most important thing to him. His brother. Shifting his body, he opened his nightstand drawer and took out a walkman. He gestured for the blonde to take the headphones and put them on, and watched her do what she was told. As ancient as mixtapes were, JP was able to memorialize recordings in one, which meant when Chase really needed to hear his brother all he had to do was press play. He couldn’t afford pressing Conan’s ashes in vinyl so for a year he, his father, and his brother kept him in a [url=https://imgur.com/dih1wMM]ceramic cookie jar[/url] that they turned into an urn and placed him on their dining room table as a centerpiece. The place they spent most of their time at. They could’ve put him in Zippo’s grave but Chase wasn’t ready to let go. That is until Danny Boaz died. That forced his hand because he knew that his brother would’ve wanted to be reunited with his best friend. As such, the families of the southside all chipped in to buy a plot and now Conan and Danny shared the same grave.   

[indent][color=ff8000]“You ready for this?”[/color] A young boy’s voice could be heard through a distorted, old recording. [color=ff8000]“You promised me we’d do a full Ozzy set! Right, JP? You heard him! He said it. No work, just jams. We gonna’ be rockstars one day, bro.”[/color]

[color=#a8d16a]“Come onnnnn, I just want to play some music, guys,”[/color] JP hit the snare of the drum, one of many instruments he could play, hoping to speed up this brofest. 

[color=7fff00]“Yeah, yeah, whatever. You sure you got the guitar solo this time? Don’t want to steal your thunder,”[/color] Chase teased. There was no false pretense in his voice. Neither him or the younger voice had their guard up. They were just enjoying themselves with the guy who worked at the music store. 

[color=ff8000]“Are you CHALLENGING me?”[/color] The younger voice roared. From there, there was a small pause before the intro to Crazy Train began, [color=ff8000]“ALL ABOARDDDDDD! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha…”[/color] the young boy yelled, with a punk rock tone. And with that the boys started playing the song that the younger voice was nicknamed after. A song that held so many memories. A song that meant so much and more to Chase. A song that embodied his brother.[/indent]
When he was listening to the music coming out of the headphones, Chase closed his eyes, bobbed his head, and tried to think of his voice of reason. His brother. TNT wasn’t the best at articulating his emotions. That’s what CT was good at. He was just good at saying what was on his heart and mind, especially when it came to what they were going through and had gone through. Instead of making her listen to the whole thing, he stopped it after Conan’s guitar solo. She could always listen to the rest of the tape later.

Clearing his throat, erratically going from depressed to semi-okay, Chase explained, [color=7fff00]“That’s my brother, Conan. Also went by CT, short for Crazy Train -- the song you were listening to just now.”[/color] Overexplaining. Get to the point. [color=7fff00]“I don’t think I’m a good person because I believe I failed him. There’s… too much to unravel with me, Tiff.”[/color] His eyes were back on her as his leg returned to bouncing. Stupid habit of his. He tried his best to let the sight of the mixtape and the sight of her ground him. [color=7fff00]“I have triggers I’m still learning. Like when I lose control it’s because something happens that really fucks me up. Something I have no control over and that kills me, does that make sense?”[/color] He didn’t know if he was making sense, all he could do was try and hope she saw the truth behind his poorly threaded words. 

[color=7fff00]“I never…”[/color] He absentmindedly reached for her hand, resting his and her hand on his leg to get it to relax a little, [color=7fff00]“Up until I was adopted, I didn’t have stability. My brother and I… our parents. They hurt him. They hurt me. They hurt a lot of,”[/color] he closed his eyes, deeply swallowing, [color=7fff00]“A lot of children.”[/color] In this moment, his grip around her hand tightened, his leg bounced more intensely, and he could feel the old memories wash over him. He needed to focus. He needed to tell her more but this was so fucking hard. Taking a deep breath in, he could hear his brother tell him to look at her and say what he meant. Don’t be a coward. Don’t live a life in fear. 

Exhaling out, his attention was brought back to her pretty blue eyes as he held onto her hands to show he was trying to connect with her. He was [i]trying[/i]. How could someone so soft be interested in a guy like him? That he would never understand. [color=7fff00]“I [i]don’t[/i] want to hurt you,”[/color] he admitted, knowing for a fact he couldn’t guarantee her safety, like he couldn’t guarantee his little brother’s, [color=7fff00]“I [i]don’t[/i] want to let you down. I [i]don’t[/i] want you to… die because of me, Tiff.”[/color] He didn’t want a lot of things but all of it wasn’t anything he could promise for certain. All of it was unknown. All of it was out of his control.

Tiffannie had listened to the recording and the man’s words carefully, trying to process the information as he was offering it. Though in the moment she had felt uncomfortable receiving knowledge about Chase’s tortured past from Mr. Francis, Molotov and even her Uncle Tazzy, she was now grateful that they had provided it. It meant that she had a deeper understanding of what he meant without potentially triggering him or ruining the conversation to ask him for details of things he didn't want to relive.

As much as Peach wanted to see things through Chase’s same lens, she knew that unfortunately all she would ever be able to do was imagine and sympathize. She grew up in a safe, stable home with two loving parents who not only met her every need, but who went above and beyond to provide her with the privileged life she had experienced. And as the only child, she didn’t know what it was like to be a sibling to anyone. The only times she’d been responsible for the care and well-being of another life were with pets she’d had in her childhood, and even then her parents had provided assistance. She didn’t know what it was like to be berated, struck, insulted, beaten, inappropriately touched or neglected by the people who were supposed to take care of you. She didn’t know what it felt like to go hungry, to be exposed to things you shouldn’t as a child, to dread coming home, to feel fear in a place meant to provide you with safety, to purposely put yourself in harm’s way to protect someone else from the brunt of abuse. She wished Chase didn’t know what any of this felt like either, and it killed her that he did. As much as she wanted to, she couldn’t erase that part of his life. The one thing she [i]could[/i] do, though, was reassure him of the irrefutable truth: [i]none of it was his fault[/i].

After mulling over what she wanted to say, trying to find the best way to put her feelings into words, the young woman finally spoke up. [color=EA60A5]“You haven’t failed anyone, Chasey,"[/color] Tiffannie began, sliding down from the mattress to the floor in order to kneel in front of the man, making sure to keep their hands together in the process and that her eyes stayed on his broken, handsome face. [color=EA60A5]"What happened to you and little Conan and the rest-- it was neither of your faults. You were just kids. No kid deserves to go through what you all went through, and it makes me feel so icky to think that there are people out there capable of such nasty, horrible things. And the way you are-- that's not your fault either. Your circumstances made you like that. You've been doing your best with the cards you've been dealt. And considering what happened to you, I'd even say it's understandable. But it's what you choose to become after what actually matters."[/color]

[color=EA60A5]"I know we've only known each other for so little time, and people call me naive for thinking the way I do. But I know, from the bottom of my heart, that you would [i]never, ever[/i] hurt me or let me down,"[/color] she confessed, gently cupping his face with her hands again. [color=EA60A5]"I know you say you're scared of harming me, and I can understand why. I'm not dumb enough to think that sometimes things happen and we might hurt people by accident or mistake. I also understand feeling like there's too much to unravel by someone else within us, and how scary it could be to put oneself in such a vulnerable position. I've been there too. All of those thoughts and feelings are completely valid. But, Chasey: [i]I trust you[/i]. I haven't felt this safe or trusted any guy like this with my thoughts and my feelings ever before in my life-- and I want to make you feel like that too."[/color]

Something about her eyes, when he looked into them, it made him feel like he wasn’t a freak. A monster. A nobody. She warmed his soul and in her gorgeous, blue eyes there was the sweetest hint of caramel. There weren't many people he was comfortable with, like truly comfortable with and he didn’t like being alone in a room with someone, just in case he snapped but the way she was looking at him? He could drop his defenses and be himself. He could tell her his insecurities rather than play make believe. He could trust her. 

Something told him she would work with him. No matter the obstacle, no matter the issue, and no matter the differences because that’s what she wanted. She wanted something [i]real[/i]. She wanted to understand. She wanted… him? 

As she watched him on her knees, cupping his face, he leaned forward to rest his forehead on hers and closed his eyes. Her gentle breaths tickled his face and in response, he smiled.

When Chase’s chocolate orbs met with Tiffannie’s own ocean-colored ones, the scenario around them faded into nothingness. The longer their eyes remained locked, the young woman could see her companion lowering his defenses for what was probably one of the first times in his life. Her Chasey was lifting the veil of protection he’d hidden himself behind for so long, and allowing her to see him as he truly was. The way he rested his forehead against hers, closing his eyes without worry or hesitation, spoke of how comfortable he was with expressing vulnerability to her. Knowing that she had reached such an intimate level of trust with Chase meant the world to her.

When he opened his eyes, up close and personal, Chase whispered, [color=7fff00]“You’re the first person…”[/color] [i]I’ve ever liked[/i]. His voice trailed off, not finishing his thought out loud. He leaned to his right side, into her hand, feeling her affectionate, loving, and tender touch. He loved this feeling.

The blonde nodded in understanding at the man’s words, feeling her heart give a small flutter inside her chest as she returned his smile with one of her own and sweetly caressed the cheek leaning against her hand. Chase didn’t need to finish his sentence for her to know exactly what he would have said next. [color=EA60A5]“Me too…”[/color] she admitted, her cheeks heating up with a hint of pink.

[color=7fff00]“Tiffannie?”[/color] he asked. 

[color=EA60A5]“Yes?”[/color] the young woman replied, visibly curious about what Chase would say next.

[color=7fff00]“Is it stupid to think you and me could be a thing?”[/color] Chase was subtly laying his feelings out, in a roundabout way, and focusing on the only person that mattered in this moment. Her. There was no point in lying to himself or being in denial. She was in his room, alone with him. He was letting her touch him and everything she was saying and doing made him even more enraptured by her. She was too good to be true and out of his league, but he wanted her. He wanted her bad. Clueless and in unknown territory, he released her, leaned back and looked away, embarrassed. [color=7fff00]“I mean we could keep doing what we’re already doing but maybe, maybe you and me, maybe we could be…”[/color] he laid back, dropping on his bed, while covering his tinted pink face with his hoodie covered arm. [color=7fff00]“...do you want to date me?”[/color] he asked. His voice, muffled and hardly audible, but with absolute conviction. 

Fuck, no. Not like that. She deserves better. 

[color=7fff00]“Sorry,”[/color] Chase sat up, slapping his head from not asking her properly. [color=7fff00]“I want to be with you,”[/color] he bluntly corrected, resting his hands on his lap. His face got more red as he spoke. He was doing his best. That’s all he could do was his best. He was doing his best for her. 

There was a moment of silence in which Tiffannie merely stared at Chase, her face displaying equal parts of shock and disbelief. Had she heard him right? Was he saying what she thought he was saying? Chase Warren was asking [i]her[/i] to be his girlfriend? He [i]wanted to be with her[/i] She needed to make sure her mind wasn’t playing games with her.

[color=EA60A5]“You want to date me?”[/color] the wide-eyed blonde heard herself blurting out, staring up at Chase with wonder and-- dare she say it?-- hope. 

[color=7fff00]“Yeah,”[/color] he answered, assuring her, even gently pulling her up off her knees, standing up in the process. His heart was racing, hardly able to think straight, as he wondered if he was stepping out of bounds with every touch. Even with his hesitation, he needed to trust his instincts. If she flinched he would profusely apologize and correct his behavior. Running his hand over her pretty blonde hair, he twirled a strand around his finger like a curling iron and complimented, [color=7fff00]“You’re completely out of my league and so goddamn beautiful.”[/color] He released her hair, his finger slipping down and the curl smoothly bouncing off. Chase took a few breaths in and out before grabbing her hands into his. All his moves were cautious, as if he didn’t know what was right and what was wrong in this situation but he wanted to feel her. He wanted her to know that he cared and that he wasn’t going to hurt her. 

Intimacy couldn’t be all that bad, right? Finn and Prof, Ransom and Duchess, Demo and Zippo… he had good examples where touch wasn’t hurtful. Touch made them smile and light up. Touch brought them comfort and safety. Touch filled their hearts with warmth and kindness. Touch made them want to come back home. Touch could be a form of love. Touch couldn’t be all that bad. Touch could be what she wanted. Touch could be what she needed. To follow their example in hopes this was exactly what Tiff hoped for, maybe he should follow through. Maybe he should show he cared by holding her close and never letting her go. He wanted that but did she want that too? [color=7fff00]“I can’t promise you I’ll be the ideal boyfriend but I’ll work on me, I’ll work fucking hard to make you happy. I want to be the man you deserve and I want you beside me while I try to become that. B-but,”[/color] he was starting to feel his nerves in his stomach again. [color=7fff00]“I-if that’s not what you want, I understand,”[/color] he finished.

[color=EA60A5]"But that's exactly what I want!"[/color] Tiffannie replied breathlessly, squeezing Chase's hands while her sparkling blue orbs gleamed with purpose and determination. She’d hated if he psyched himself out of asking her to be his girlfriend because of his insecurities. It was time to reassure him and make her intentions with him clear. [color=EA60A5]"I'm not perfect either. I've done things I'm not proud of. But I pinky promise you I'll do anything I can to make you happy. I'll give you kisses, and hugs, and cuddles, and snuggles… I'm going to do anything I can to make you feel nice and special and happy and safe  because--"[/color] Well, here goes nothing. [color=EA60A5]"Because I love you, Chasey. I love you very much. And you deserve to be happy."[/color]

[color=7fff00]“Are you sure?”[/color] Chase anxiously asked. He was unsure if this was how things should be. She was saying she cared about him without any hesitation. What made him think she put thought into this? She could be following a whim, a moment, and what they had in actuality was fleeting. He had no idea what he was doing or saying nor did he understand the emotions she was emitting from her petite and busty body. Her heart, with an overflowing amount of sugar and optimism, wasn’t something he could fathom containing. He didn’t want to. He wanted to see her flourish and bloom like the prettiest pink peony. He wanted to watch her smile and yet, underneath all these desires, he felt guilty. Guilty as hell. Peach was opening her vulnerable heart to him and he was wondering if this was true or not. If he was actually hearing her correctly, as if love cost more than he could ever afford. He couldn’t believe that Tiffannie could love a boy like him. Chase had nothing to give and she had everything to offer. Was he selfish for wanting this? For wanting her? Leaning his forehead against hers, he cupped her face, deeply looking into her eyes, [color=7fff00]“Do you really love me? The good, the bad, the ugly?”[/color]

[color=EA60A5]“Yes.”[/color] Tiffannie was quick to reply, nodding emphatically and wrapping her arms around him, pulling him as closely as she could. She could see and hear the uncertainty and anxiety in his voice and demeanor and wanted to reassure him without a doubt that she meant every word she said. [color=EA60A5]“I’m sure I do. I do love you. I love you and I want to be with you.”[/color]

[indent][i][color=ff8000]You promised, bro. We wouldn’t make our trauma our identity. This life? We’ll get out. One way or another. We’ll get out. Sure we don’t know what that looks like but what I do know is, our trauma, our parents, our pain? That isn’t a life sentence. Our environment isn’t the end all be all. You said so yourself, you want to lead by example. Do it, dude. Lead by example.[/color][/i][/indent]
His brother’s words from one of the last conversations they shared came rushing into his mind. For a moment Chase’s eyes went glossy almost as if he would cry. His forehead leaned against hers again, their noses pressed against one another. They inhaled and shared one breath at the same time. Passionately, he held her tight, closer than he ever allowed anyone. Sheepishly, he put his lips on her forehead. They shaked but the kiss was sweet, kind, and full of innocent attraction. [color=7fff00]“Then you’re my girl. And…”[/color] he cradled her head on his shoulder, his voice continued in a whisper, [color=7fff00]“And me? My heart? All yours. Carry it with care because… it beats for you, Tiffannie.”[/color]  

All of her life, Tiffannie had dreamed about finding her Prince Charming: someone who would sweep her off her feet and love her with the same blazing intensity as she would love them. As a young teen, she had searched for this love in the arms of schoolmates Brandon Murphy and Carlos Santiago, but had settled for ‘situationships’ with no official labels after being hit with the realization that the guys in question didn’t want to fully commit or develop anything beyond a superficial emotional connection with her. For the longest time, Peach had believed that this was all she would ever be able to get: entanglements with men who would clam up and cut things off the second feelings and emotions other than lust and desire began to appear. She’d later thrown herself into the world of hookups, partly to numb the pain of her deteriorating relationship with her father and partly still in desperate hope of finding the love that eluded her.

Then, without warning or searching for it, Chase had shown up in her life, and they had built that connection she’d dreamed of for so long. For the first time, here was a guy who didn’t see her as just someone he wanted to be fooling around with. He treated her with kindness and respect. He spent quality time with her, getting to know her as a person and what all of that entailed. He listened to her rambles, guarded her secrets, showed genuine interest when she showed him all of her favorite things, and even felt comfortable enough to share some of his own favorite things with her. They shared so many laughs together and had so much fun that the saddest part of the day was when he would drop her off at her uncle’s house and they’d be separated, and they’d spend every second apart counting down to when they’d be together again.

Tiffannie had known in her gut that Chase Warren was the person she had been waiting for, and she had wondered whether he felt the same way. Today, her question had been answered in the best of ways.

He loved her too… And she was now officially his.

No sooner had the words left Chase’s mouth and reached the girl’s ears that the tears previously pooled in her eyes began to roll down her pink cheeks. Overwhelmed with emotion, the blonde girl began to sob quietly on the man’s shoulder, hugging him as tightly as she could without hurting him. Eventually, she managed to compose herself enough to pull back just enough to face him with a blinding smile.

[color=EA60A5]“Just like mine does for you,”[/color] Tiffannie answered sweetly in between sniffles, cupping his face with both of her hands again and gently kissing his nose. Her eyes and face were red and puffy from the earlier tears, but there was no doubt of the happiness that had caused them. [color=EA60A5]“I can’t wait to make you happy. You’ll never, ever be lonely again.”[/color][/indent][/indent][/color]