Chasing Mia

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I can't believe it's my last weekend at home. I'll officially be moving into my apartment with Jake and Russ on Monday. I'm more than excited and apparently, so is my mom and dad. Most parents would be sad to see their youngest child go off to college, but my parents are ready to have the house to themselves. I guess I can't blame them. They've spent the last twenty-one years raising children.

I'm completely packed and ready to go, and since Russ arrived yesterday, we've decided to spend the rest of the weekend at the beach. Once classes start, we won't have lots of free time, so we're spending what we have left wisely.

I'm waiting for Russ to get out of the shower so we can finally leave. Why he needs to shower before going to spend the day sweating it out on the beach, I don't know. He's always been so concerned with his looks, so it's not surprising.

The bathroom door opens and Russ walks out with a towel wrapped around his waist. His wet hair falls into his blue eyes and his bronze skin glistens. Any other girl would be swooning, but I want to karate chop his throat for taking so long.

"It's about time!"

"Hey, I'm trying to keep up my Armani good looks," he smirks.

"More like Liberachi."

He narrows his eyes at me. "Hey, I can't help it if both men and women find me attractive."

"Whatever, Fabio. Just hurry up. I'll be in the car."

I start down the stairs with Russ running after me. "Wait! My swimming trunks are-"

"Oh there you two are," mom says, stopping at the bottom of the staircase and preventing me from leaving. "Mia, I need a favor."

I roll my eyes.

"Don't roll your eyes at me. Don't you know they'll get-"

"Stuck that way. Yes, mother. I know," I interrupt. "What's the favor?"

"I need the two of you to go to the Libel-Masterson wedding today," she says, clasping her hands together as if she's ready to beg.

"Mom!" I whine, "we were going to the beach!"

"I know and I'm sorry! But something came up and I can't make it. I need you there just for the reception. It will only be a couple of hours, honey, I promise."

"Wait, why do I have to go?" Russ asks.

"Because if Mia's giving up her Saturday, so are you," mom replies.

I want to scream, cry and pitch a fit, but instead, I settle for stomping my foot like a five year old. "This is so unfair. Now I have to get dressed up and spend my day sneezing because I'm allergic to flowers!"

"Don't be so upset, Mia," Russ says, following me into my room. "Weddings aren't so bad. Maybe there will be some hot bridesmaids there."

I give Russ a bored look. "Why would I care about hot bridesmaids?"

"Oh, I'm sure you don't. But I do," he winks. "Look on the bright side. If a guy hits on you, Ryder won't be around to break his jaw."

He's got a point. This could be my first of many chances to talk to a guy without my brother breathing down my neck. I guess I'll have to make the best of it. My mom rarely asks me to break plans. She's always bent over backwards for me to have the best life, the least I can do is this one little favor for her.

I shower, do my make up and style my hair in large, loose curls. I have a beautiful light pink dress that I've been dying to wear, but I haven't had a reason to lately. I slide it on and check out my reflection in my full length mirror. It fits me perfectly, showing off my curves and making my boobs look fuller than they actually are.

Russ stands behind me and raises a brow. "That's what you're wearing?"

I catch his eyes in the mirror and smirk. "Yep."

"Your brother would freak."

"I know."

Even though it's a million degrees and the reception is outside, this isn't quite as bad as I thought it would be. The bride's mom told Russ and I to help ourselves to the food, so the afternoon wasn't a total waste.

After I greet everyone my mom told me to greet, I sit down at an empty table in the back and watch everyone dancing. I use a place card to fan myself, but I can feel my makeup melting off my face. I check my watch and sigh in frustration when I realize I still have an hour before I can leave.

From the corner of my eye I see someone pull the chair out beside me and sit down.

"Mia."

I look over and see the arrogant, yet beautiful guy that came into the bakery a while ago. He looks amazing in his suit, but I will never tell him that.

"Asshole."

"That's not very professional of you," he smirks.

I roll my eyes. "In exactly fifty-seven minutes, I will no longer be an employee of Buttercup's Bakery. I'm leaving for college in two days and I could care less how professional you think I am. Asshole."

His smirk turns into a grin. "What college?"

"UCF."

He nods in approval before looking over at Russ who's groping a bridesmaid on the dance floor. "Your boyfriend seems to be enjoying himself."

I laugh. "That loser is not my boyfriend."

"So you're single?" he asks, turning back to me.

"Don't you have someone else you can pester?"

He smirks. "Just you, sweetheart."

"Ugh, don't call me that."

"Don't like nicknames?" he asks.

"I hate them."

He chuckles. "You look a lot different than the last time I saw you. You clean up nice, sweetheart."

I completely ignore the fact that he called me sweetheart again because I'm too busy focusing on keeping the heat from rising to my cheeks. I can't let this i***t affect me. He's hot, but I already hate him. I compose myself before scowling at him, crossing my arms over my chest.

His eyes move between mine and I'm reminded of him calling my eyes weird. "What?" I snap.

He shrugs. "Your eyes..."

"They're weird, I know. You already said that."

"You remembered? Damn, sweetheart. I'm flattered."

I stand up and push my chair up to the table. "Don't be."

Monday finally rolls around and I get up out of bed dancing. I've been waiting for this day for years and it's finally here.

I shower, brush my teeth and pull my hair up in a messy bun after allowing it to air dry. I hurry down the stairs to be met with the smell of bacon.

My nose leads me to the kitchen where I see my mom and dad hard at work. "That smells great!"

Dad turns to me and grins. "We wanted to send our baby girl and grandson off to school with a good breakfast."

I kiss his cheek before giving my mom a hug and sitting down at the table. A few minutes later, Russ comes dragging into the kitchen and plops down in the chair next to me.

"My earliest class is at 2pm so I'll never be up this early again," he mumbles.

"Lucky you. My earliest class is at 9am. I'll be sure to make as much noise as possible while getting ready," I wink.

He flips me the bird before my mom slaps him on the back of the head. "Russell, your mom was a neurosurgeon for ten years. How can you be so lazy?"

"Funny you should ask that. I get my motivation from my dad."

She hits him again.

"Okay, that's enough abuse for one day. He needs to keep his few remaining brain cells, after all," dad chuckles.

Since it's moving day, I don't need to say that I look a mess. Russ, Jake and I have been working for the past six hours getting everything moved into our apartment and set up. I'm headed back towards the stairwell when someone carrying a large box nearly runs me over.

"Why don't you watch where you're going?!" I yell, jumping out of the way.

The guy puts his box down on the floor to reveal his perfect face. Daniel Crider. s**t. He's so gorgeous. His blue eyes are so intense and dreamy. I can see our future children every time I look into them.

He smirks when he realizes it's me. "Mia Rhodes. Looks like we're neighbors."

I smile bashfully. "Sorry about that, Daniel. I didn't realize it was you."

"It's fine. I'm sorry I almost plowed you over."

"So you're on this floor?" I ask.

"I am. 6B."

My eyes widen in surprise. "I'm 5B! We're right across the hall from each other!"

He smiles. "We'll have to hang out sometime. I hear Ryder's in Chicago."

I nod excitedly. "He is. So we can hang out...you know, in a place other than the hospital."

He chuckles. "Then I'll be seeing you around, neighbor," he winks.

I watch him as he walks away, smiling like an i***t. I'm snapped out of my thoughts when I hear someone making kissy sounds in my ear. I turn around to see Russ in a fit of laughter.

"Was that Daniel Crider? As in Bellevue baseball god? As in Mia's crush since the ninth grade? As in Mr. Dreamy Eyes, as your diary so descriptively put it?"

"Russ, you are a complete jackass," I say, thumping his forehead. "And yes, it was. He's right across the hall from us."

"And with no Ryder I guess you'll be getting it on," Russ says making suggestive bucking motions with his hips.

"I hope you can take it as well as you dish it out. Don't forget, I have the power to embarrass you as well. I've been saving some really good ones for a special occasion."

"You don't have anything on me, Mia. I'm not embarrassable," he says, crossing his arms over his chest and smirking victoriously.

"First of all, that's not even a word. Second, don't think I forgot about Dr. Chocolate," I smirk.

"That's a low blow. Dr. Chocolate was there for me after I had my appendix taken out."

"When you were thirteen," I deadpan.

"Fine. I'll play fair."

I ruffle his hair, which he hates, before walking away.

I walk into our apartment to see Jake hard at work assembling my bookshelf. I sit down on the floor next to him. "Boo!"

He yelps and drops the screwdriver to the floor. "Dammit, Mia! Don't do that to me! You know I'm-"

"The jumpiest person alive? Yeah, that's why I do it." I hand him his screwdriver and he continues working. "You'll never guess who's living right across the hall."

"Who?" he asks, barely interested.

"Daniel Crider."

He pauses for a couple of seconds, but continues on working without saying a word.

"Jake, be happy for me! This time Ryder isn't here to ruin it!" I whine.

"I'll never understand what you see in that guy," he mumbles.

"Other than the fact that he's gorgeous, I guess there's also he's humble, kind, athletic, smart, funny-"

"Okay, okay. I can't say I agree with you on most of that, but whatever floats your boat. I just think you could do better is all."

"Better? Jake, you know I've been crushing on Daniel for years. How exactly can I do better?"

His eyes meet mine and there's something there I've never seen before. He shakes his head. "I just think you deserve the best is all."

I'm suddenly reminded of what my dad said about Jake. I don't want to believe that he has feelings for me, but maybe he does. Maybe that's why he thinks I could do better than Daniel.

I'm living with my best friend who may or may not have a crush on me while the guy I'm crushing on is right across the hall. This should be an interesting start to college.