Chasing Day Series: Chasing Day & Catching Day Read Free

the ends that fell in his eyes. His lips were unusually full for a boy, though what made her swoon the most was Chase also had the biggest, prettiest light brown eyes. When he’d helped her up off the floor of the bus, Daylen had noticed his long blond-tipped eyelashes and that his amber eyes had flecks of green in them. It wouldn’t be long before he took Jordan Knight’s place in her nine-year-old heart.
    As she approached the bus stop, Daylen sighed in relief when Chase looked up and waved happily at her. She smiled brightly at him as she stepped up to him.
    “Hey, Daylen!”
    “Hi, Chase,” she said softly.
    “So do you like it here?” Chase asked curiously.
    “I don’t know. I guess it’s alright.” Daylen shrugged.
    “Where did you move from?”
    “Indianapolis.”
    “Why did you move to Illinois?”
    “You ask a lot of questions.” Daylen blurted out.
    “Sorry. I was just wondering.” Chase said sheepishly.
    “My parents got a d-divorce.” Daylen whispered and stuttered out the last word like it was a dirty word.
    “Oh…” Chase replied awkwardly. He noted how embarrassed Daylen looked and decided to confess his thoughts to make her feel better. “I wish my parents would get divorced.”
    Daylen looked up in shock, always surprised by the honesty of the older boy. “Really?”
    “Yeah, my dad’s a jerk.” Chase grumbled and shoved his hands in his pockets.
    Daylen blinked at him in disbelief. She had never heard a kid badmouth their parents before.
    “Is your dad a jerk too and that’s why they got divorced?” Chase asked.
    Daylen shrugged her little round shoulders. “I dunno. I guess. They yelled a lot and my mom said my dad has a new girlfriend.” She confessed sadly.
    Chase nodded his head solemnly. “Yeah, my parents yell a lot too. Well, really only my dad.” He kicked a rock as the bus pulled up.
    Chase let Daylen step onto the bus first. Since they were one of the first stops, the seats were still relatively empty. Instead of going to the back where she knew those girls would sit, Daylen chose a middle seat. She plopped down and slid over to the window. Chase immediately sat next to her. She looked at him with wide eyes, still amazed that he had kept his word.
    The bus made its way around to all the nearby neighborhoods, filling up quickly. Daylen watched as Chase’s friend looked at her in the seat he normally sat in with his buddy. She prayed that he didn’t kick her out, but he just shrugged and sat across the aisle from Chase.
    “Hey, dude. This is Daylen. She’s gonna sit with me, so those stupid girls don’t mess with her anymore.” Chase informed his friend nonchalantly.
    “Sup, Daylen? I’m Miguel, the coolest kid at Dick son.” Miguel put emphasize on the word ‘dick’ and gave her a sly smile.
    Daylen slapped a hand over her mouth and giggled happily at him.
    “Don’t listen to him, Daylen. He only thinks he’s cool cause his brother teaches him nasty stuff to tell at school.” Chase playfully punched his friend.
    “Fine. You’ve got the face. But I’ve got the moves.” Miguel said as he pop-locked from one hand to the other, rolling his shoulders as he went.
    Daylen and Chase, both burst into fits of laughter at Miguel’s antics. The bus rolled to a stop and the pack of popular fifth-grade girls piled on. Daylen’s laughter died a quick death in her throat as Whitney shot daggers at her. It was obvious that the popular girl was furious at where and who Daylen was sitting with.
    Unable to keep her remarks to herself, even to impress Chase. Whitney stopped and scowled down at Daylen. Her gang of friends, right behind her.
    “What are you doing sitting there, Fatso? I said to sit with all the rejects in the front,” Whitney sneered.
    “Leave her alone, Whitney. She’s sitting with me now.” Chase defended her.
    “Yeah, she’s cool people.” Miguel chimed in.
    Whitney smacked her lips and rolled her eyes. “What- ever !” She exclaimed as