Rival across the hall

[heartofcourage]

"Then act like one, Chase." Marissa said as he let it all spill out. "I don't need things like that in my life. If you want to be my friend, you need to treat me with respect."

She had never really thought of Chase in any other terms that just a friend. They had spent so much time together and knew so much about one another that he felt like her brother and not a potential love interest.

 

[Love2rp]

"Friend?" Chase said put off and hurt after just sharing his emotions with her "cool yeah, friends.....just.....friends" he said as he couldn't think of anything else to do so took off on his run again, doubling back and heading for home. Pissed that he let his guard down for once and got hurt

 

[heartofcourage]

When he ran off, Marissa was stunned. He wanted more than a friendship? How? And why? It made her head spin to think about the two men that suddenly wanted something so much more with her. Anthony was a man, a decade older than her, and ready to sweep her off her feet. Chase was like the annoying brother who could never take anything serious. Was that what she wanted?

She got a small iced coffee and took a seat in the outdoor bistro, thinking on how her life had so suddenly turned. Pulling out her phone, she text Chase back, knowing that he was extremely upset.

'I had no idea that you felt that way.' She ventured.

 

[Love2rp]

Chase looked at his phone "well it's clear you don't so that's fine, we'll just figure out how to move on" he sent back

 

[heartofcourage]

'Shower. Get dressed. We'll go to lunch and talk about this.' Marissa wrote back, knowing that he was incredibly stubborn when he wanted to be.

 

[Love2rp]

Not wanting to give her any kind of an edge up Chase responded "no I'm fine thanks. Already home and need to catch up on some stuff" he said putting his phone down, mad at her and himself

 

[heartofcourage]

'Chase, quit being such a stubborn, stupid ass.' Marissa text back, her anger slowly starting to rise again. 'I'm tired of playing this game. If you don't come back now, consider this friendship over.'

Did she really mean those words? She wasn't really sure, but she was tired. She was tired of things being so uncertain.

 

[Love2rp]

Chase had enough as well "no, I'm sick of always coming to rescue Marissa, if this friendship means anything to you well, you know where I live" he sent back, letting his emotion out for the first time in as long as he can remember

 

[heartofcourage]

Marissa was furious when he demanded that she go to his house to solve this. She wasn't the one that had caused the problem! She shoved her phone back into her purse, walking down the street to calm herself before she said something that she really regretted. She felt bad that he had suddenly been forced to reveal that he wanted something more with her, but she didn't understand why he was being such a jerk about things? What had happened to the Chase the day before who had sent her a bouquet of flowers when she had spilled her heart out to him over lunch? She wished that man would come back before the current Chase ruined their friendship.

 

[Love2rp]

Chase sat staring at his phone waiting for some response, any response really from her. First he opened up to her emotionally and got no response, then this and still no response. Clearly she wasn't that interested in him - that was his impression of the situation as he picked up his contract offer from the rival law firm and looked it over. This deal would make him an even richer young man but would he be happy? Clearly he wouldn't or couldn't be happy where he was as he picked up a pen to sign

 

[heartofcourage]

Marissa got a quick lunch, not even hungry as she sat down at the park to eat. She was still so upset with Chase over this entire situation. He never seemed to take her seriously in anything but he was always there to lend her a shoulder to cry on when she needed someone. He had done it so many times when they were younger. Now...he seemed like a different person all together.

'What have I done wrong?' Marissa finally text him, unsure of how everything had gone so wrong.

 

[Love2rp]

"Wrong? Nothing. Just two people with a difference of opinion" he sent back as he finished signing the document "maybe a new start is what I need" he thought to himself as he put the pen down and picked up his phone again "it's clear we are just on different paths, nothing 'wrong' in that" he sent

 

[heartofcourage]

'Are you really leaving then?' She text back, knowing that Chase wouldn't lie to her. 'You'll break my dad's heart if you do. He loves you like a son.'

 

[Love2rp]

"Not sure what you're talking about?" He sent back not knowing that Latino had let it all slip to her

 

[heartofcourage]

'I know about your other offer, Chase. It's up to you if you want to leave but you'll break my dad's heart...and mine too. You're an asshole most of the time, but I do trust your opinion. I wouldn't have anyone left to talk about cases.'

 

[Love2rp]

"There's plenty of competent lawyers at the firm for you to discuss cases with" chase sent back, avoiding the issue with her father all together. He knew that would be very difficult but her dad wouldn't be around forever and clearly he was just a sounding board to her

 

[heartofcourage]

Marissa felt something in her snap as he said that there were others at the firm for her to discuss cases with. So, it was true. He did have another offer or else he would have denied it. She had no idea what else to say. It seemed that he didn't care about her enough to want to stay.

'I wish you the best then.' It was all she could think of as she sat back in her seat and felt like the world was crumbling around her.

 

[Love2rp]

"I just can't believe how wrong I read this situation" chase wondered aloud but with phone in hand he unconsciously texted it to Marissa and as he heard confirmation go through he snapped back and thought "oh shit!"

 

[heartofcourage]

"What situation?" Marissa asked herself as he responded with his last message.

Us? There was no situation between them, she thought. They were friends and had been for years, but nothing had ever gone much further between them. Was she wrong? Did Chase really want something more from her?

'Maybe you weren't wrong and I'm just stubbornly stupid.' She text back.

 

[Love2rp]

"Maybe......" is what Chase sent back tired of the persuit. If she didn't feel the same he wasn't running this race anymore he thought as he laid back on his couch and turned on the tv

 

[heartofcourage]

That was how Marissa found herself in front of Chase's door a half hour later. She knocked, knowing that they needed to talk about this before things got too far out of hand. They had known each other too long to let things just end because of a stubborn disagreement.

 

[Love2rp]

Chase opened the door wearing his light grey Yale t shirt from undergrad with navy blue track pants "Marissa? Didn't expect to see you here" he said opening the door to his hi-rise condo as the sun shone bright over the city

 

[heartofcourage]

"Yeah, you did, or you wouldn't have told me to come over." Marissa said as she stepped past him into the condo, turning to look at him as he shut the door behind them. "I think we have some things that we need to talk about."

 

[Love2rp]

"So let's talk, seems to be working for us so far!" He said with a cocky smirk on his face as he walked passed her to the open kitchen

 

[heartofcourage]

"I want to know exactly what you've been talking about. What do you think you were so wrong about?" Marissa asked, following him into the kitchen. "And what do you think there is between us? You've always been so quiet or not serious about things between us."