Page 52 of I Despise You

Chapter 18

WHEN CHASE TELLS MEI should pack some things because he has a surprise for me, I don’t know what to think. It turns out that we’re going on a trip, but he refuses to tell me anything about it.

“Okay, seriously. I need to know,” I say as we drive through the woods. “Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.” Chase only smiles, his eyes on the road.

“Any hints? I didn’t even know what to take with me.” I just grabbed some snacks, a bottle of water, and some spare clothes.

“No hints.”

“Fine. Then at least tell me how long we’ll be gone. And what about school?” I should’ve probably asked all this before I got in the car with him, but I assumed he’d sorted everything out because he’d be in trouble too otherwise.

“Two days,” he says. “We need half a day to get where we’re going, and another half to get back.”

“Is this something related to your family?” I ask, wondering if his father is throwing another party or something.

“Nope.”

“And no one at school will freak out that we’re gone?”

“We both have permission for our trip.” He glances at me.

“How’d you manage that?”

“I had help.” He winks, but I have no idea what that means. Whose help? Ah, yes, he’s a Campbell. He can do anything he wants, and now that I’m with him, it’s possible some of the privilege extends to me too since I’m officially his girlfriend.

We end up staying at a motel, and as I stare at the map on my phone to see where exactly Chase has taken me, I furrow my brow.

“Everything okay?” he asks as he opens a bottle of water.

“Um, yeah. I just... This place is really close to the graveyard where my dad—” I meet his gaze. “Wait, did you actually bring me here so I could visit my dad’s grave?”

I won’t be disappointed if he says no, but in that case, I may be able to find a way to get there if there’s time.

“Yeah.” A small smile curves his lips.

I gape at him. “Really?”

I can’t believe he’s done that for me.

He nods. “That’s how I got permission. I got your mom’s number from the administration and called her.”

“My mom knows about this?”

“Yeah. She’s sad she couldn’t make it to be with you, but she has some important business to do.”

My thoughts immediately fly to her boss, but I don’t want that to ruin my mood.

“Thank you,” I say, pocketing my phone and going over to him so I can wrap my arms around him. “No one has ever done something like this for me.”

“I just want to see you happy, and if this is what you need, then I’m going to make it happen.”

“Aww.” I tighten my arms around him.

“We can pick up some flowers on the way. Do you want me to go with you all the way? If you want to spend some time alone with your dad, I can wait at the gate.”

“No. I want you with me all the time.”