Chapter Text
The first time Shoshanna Weber had seen Chase Ambrose back in third grade, time had seemed to slow to a crawl. She’d been sitting at one of the round tables in the classroom on the first day of school with her twin brother Joel and some of their friends, all of them in an intense argument about which Yo Gabba Gabba character was the best, when their teacher then called for the attention of all the children so she could introduce a new student. She’d brought a sour-faced kid with curly brown hair to the front of the classroom and told them all that his name was Chase, and that his family had just moved to Hiawassee from Tennessee. All the kids had been instructed to say hi to the new kid, and as they did, Chase and Shoshanna’s eyes had met, and for a moment, they’d held each other’s gaze. It lasted long enough for her to notice that his eyes were brown, and held a mischievous glint in them. She remembered the way her cheeks had grown warm as he stared at her, and how her heart rate had picked up as a startling realization struck her. She hadn’t even known his name at the time, but just those few seconds of observing him were enough to assure her of one thing:
This boy would be the bane of her existence.
It would turn out that Shoshanna was a great judge of character. As time had gone by, Chase had become more and more unbearable. He’d mercilessly tormented anyone he saw as beneath him, which unfortunately included Joel. Joel had been an easy target for Chase and his goons, Aaron Hakimian and Bear Bratzky. The monsters had terrorized her brother so badly the poor thing had had to be sent away to boarding school just to escape them. That’d been one of the roughest times in the life of the Weber family. Shoshanna hadn’t realized how much she truly loved her brother until he was no longer within her reach, and Joel had been absolutely miserable at the snotty music school he’d been forced to attend.
And it’d all been thanks to Chase “Alpha Rat” Ambrose.
Shoshanna remembered the sense of twisted glee she’d felt after hearing the news of Chase falling off his roof. Anyone else and she would’ve been sympathetic, but not when the kid solely responsible for ruining her family’s lives had finally gotten what he’d deserved. Sadly, her joy had been short-lived. When she’d first seen Chase after his accident, the kid had had the audacity to pretend not to know who she was. Just when she’d thought she couldn’t hate him more, he’d gone and proved her wrong.
It would turn out he truly hadn’t known who she was, because conking his head after falling off his roof had given him a severe case of amnesia. He hadn’t even remembered his own name or his family or anything at all.
And somehow, it would end up being the best thing that had ever happened to him.
Shoshanna knocked on the Ambroses' front door, holding a box of microwavable popcorn under her arm. Just a moment later, Ms. Ambrose opened the door, a warm smile gracing her features when she saw who was standing on her porch.
“Hi, Shoshanna,” the older woman greeted her. "Chase is up in his room."
"Thanks, Ms. Ambrose." Shoshanna stepped inside, kicked off her shoes, and hung her purse on the coat rack by the front door before heading upstairs to Chase's room.
Chase was sitting at his computer desk with his headphones on, concentrating on the video he was editing. Once they'd moved up to high school, Shoshanna, Chase, Joel, and their friend Brendan Espinoza had tried to start a new video club like the one they’d had in middle school, but the school had rejected them, claiming there was a lack of room and funds for any new extracurricular activities. That didn’t stop Brendan. He decided to refocus on YouTube, and created a collaborative channel alongside his personal one to be run by the former video club kids interested in being involved. They made short films and funny sketches, mostly. Brendan had named the channel Village Vidiots in honor of the old club. At the moment, Chase was editing a video for a musical parody of a Taylor Swift song that he and Brendan had filmed together a few weeks ago.
Shoshanna took Chase's intense focus on his work as an opportunity to mess with him. Grinning wickedly, she crept up behind him, taking care not to make a sound. Once she was close enough, she removed one of the headphones from his ear and shouted, "BOO!"
Chase jumped in his seat with a shriek, which elicited a cackle from Shoshanna. After getting over his initial panic, Chase glared at her.
"You know I hate it when you sneak up on me like that," he snarled. Shoshanna just laughed.
"That's why I do it," she said with a smug expression, which only made Chase's glare harden.
"Oh come on, Chase, lighten up." Shoshanna gave him a light punch on the shoulder, expecting him to return to his typical sweet, goofy, Chase-y self in just a few seconds. But the few seconds passed, and instead of his glare turning into a smile, it dissolved into a look of sadness. Ignoring her teasing, Chase just turned back toward his computer and propped his chin on his fist, eyes distant and slightly glassy, like he wasn't really paying attention to the video anymore and was just editing on autopilot.
"Chase?" Shoshanna laid a hand on his shoulder, brows furrowed in concern. "What's wrong?"
A tense silence fell over the room after that. Shoshanna started to wonder if he'd even heard her, but then-
"Remembered something. Before you got here," Chase murmured.
Shoshanna frowned. Every so often, one of Chase's pre-accident memories would come back to him. Sometimes it was just a mundane memory of no real importance, like a trip to the dentist or spilling milk on the kitchen table. Occasionally it was a happy memory; his father telling him he was proud of him after a game; laughing over a movie with his older brother, Johnny.
But, more often than Chase cared for, the memory would be of something awful he'd done before losing his memory and completely resetting his personality. Whenever this happened, no matter how bad whatever Chase had done in the memory was, he'd become wracked with guilt, and it was hard to let that feeling go, even after he profusely apologized to the person he'd wronged, as he always did. Shoshanna always wanted to tell him that it was okay; that he shouldn't feel bad for anything he'd done in the past because he was different now. It felt like he hadn't actually done anything wrong because he couldn't even remember doing it. But as much as she hated to admit it, Chase should've been held accountable for the things he'd done in those memories. He should've apologized and he should've felt guilty, because he was guilty.
The problem was that Chase was convinced no matter how much he tried to move on and be a better person than he'd been before his accident, he'd always be the same old Chase. No matter how many times others forgave him, he never forgave himself. He just felt like a monster hiding beneath a sweet, innocent mask; like the boy he was now wasn't real, just a persona.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Shoshanna inquired.
"No," Chase replied, keeping his gaze on the screen. Shoshanna's frown deepened. She knew what that meant. Usually he talked to her about all the old memories, even the really bad ones.
Unless, of course, they involved her or Joel.
Shoshanna had revoked Chase’s apology rights in regard to her and her brother about two years ago, because almost every time he saw them he’d end up apologizing for the cherry-bombs-in-the-baby-grand incident, or for hitting him in the head with a fire extinguisher (which had been an accident, anyway), or some other thing he’d recently remembered, even if the conversation they’d been having had nothing to with any of that. It wasn’t that the twins didn’t appreciate the apologies- if anyone deserved a million apologies from Chase, it was Joel- but it had become quite excessive, especially since both of them had already told him many times that he was forgiven. Plus, it just caused unnecessary tension between them and Chase and brought about icky feelings all around that no one wanted to deal with. After Joel, not wanting to hurt Chase’s feelings (how ironic was that?), had confided in Shoshanna one night that he was starting to get a little annoyed by it, Shoshanna, never one to feel the need to sugarcoat things, told Chase straight-up that enough was enough.
“Look, we know you’re sorry, and we know you’ll never do that kind of stuff again. And while we appreciate the sentiment, we’d like to just leave all that stuff in the past, okay?’”
“Yeah, but-”
“No buts, Ambrose. You’re a different person now, and even if you feel like you have to confess your crimes to us or whatever, nothing you could say will be anything new to us. You and me and Joel are friends now, and we’ve moved on. Got it?”
Chase had reluctantly agreed, and Shoshanna had initially thought that was the end of it. A month later, however, Joel had found a box of M&M’s in the side pocket of his backpack with a sticky note that read,
“I promised your sister I wouldn’t apologize anymore, but I remembered something I did to you the other day and I had to do something, so here you go. Please don’t tell Shosh. -C.A.”
From then on, every time a box of candy or a snack cake mysteriously appeared in Shoshanna’s or Joel’s backpack or locker, they knew it was from Chase. Shoshanna’d figured she wouldn’t be able to stop him, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as constantly hearing “I’m sorry” over and over, so she’d allowed it. So now, as Chase sat staring at his screen with a look of dismay, it made sense that he wouldn’t bring up whatever he’d remembered earlier. If he couldn’t apologize, why get into the details?
Shoshanna just squeezed his shoulder in understanding. “You don’t have to, then.” Another moment of silence passed, then she broke it by asking, "You still up for a movie? I don't want you to feel like you have to watch one tonight when you're dealing with this."
Chase looked at her. "Shosh, do you really think I'd blow off our last movie night of the summer?"
Shoshanna cracked a half smile. "I didn't think you would. But I'd understand if you did."
Chase shook his head. "Never." He said it with such earnesty one would think they were discussing something much deeper than a weekly movie night. Shoshanna couldn't help smiling fondly at him. He took his friendships so seriously.
"Okay. I'll let you pick this time. And I brought popcorn since I saw you were running out last time." The corners of Chase's mouth quirked up just slightly at that, which satisfied Shoshanna's desire to pull him out of his self-loathing, so she grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet. The duo headed downstairs, where Shoshanna popped a bag of popcorn into the microwave as Chase grabbed blankets from inside the ottoman in the living room for them to use during the movie. Once all was prepared, they got comfy on the couch and switched on the TV.
"So, what're you thinking for tonight?" Shoshanna asked as Chase surfed through the movie options on the streaming service.
"Um…" Chase looked through the films a moment longer, then paused, a grin forming on his face. He turned to Shoshanna.
"High School Musical 3?" he suggested. Shoshanna cringed.
"What? Absolutely not!"
"C'mon, don't act like you don't like High School Musical!"
"It's not an act, Ambrose. Those movies are cheesy and stupid and just… so 2000s."
"So? Your favorite movie is Legally Blonde, which I'm pretty sure lines up with all of that."
"Legally Blonde is a hilarious cultural reset that changed the definition of feminism!" Shoshanna countered, glaring as Chase laughed at her.
"Shosh, High School Musical 3 is about senior year. We have to watch it. To prepare!"
"Right, because this is a totally realistic depiction of what senior year will be like."
"Exactly!" Chase replied, earning a smack to the face with a pillow they'd brought down from Chase's bed.
"Hey! You said I could pick the movie, remember?" Chase snatched the pillow from Shoshanna and lightly hit her back. Shoshanna stole it back and retaliated with one last whack to the arm before letting out a huff and conceding.
"Fine. But don't expect me not to make fun of it."
"Deal."
Chase started the movie, and Shoshanna snuggled deeper into the fluffy blanket she'd wrapped around herself as she mentally prepared for an hour and forty minutes of torture. She laughed at the overly dramatic acting and groaned at the characters' stupid decisions and suffered through every song, though she actually really enjoyed Sharpay and Ryan's "I Want It All" number and had a hard time pretending to hate it. Chase just grinned amusedly at her as she hurled insults at the screen, taking pleasure in her frustration.
"So, what did you think?" Chase asked when the movie was over. Shoshanna shot him an icy look.
"Hated every second of it."
"Really? I never would've guessed."
That response earned him another blow from the pillow.
"Alright, that's it!" Chase declared, snatching the pillow and tackling Shoshanna, who let out an ear-piercing shriek, onto the couch. He repeatedly wacked her in the head, though not nearly hard enough to actually harm her of course, until Shoshanna finally found the strength to push him off of her and grab the pillow back so she could attack him.
"You're such a butthead, Chase!" she jibed, which just made Chase laugh.
"I know you are, but what am I?"
"Oh, real mature!"
The pillow brawl continued on, and eventually Chase was finally able to get a laugh out of her, which had been his goal the whole time. It wasn't long before they were both in hysterics, and were too weak to fight any longer. They both collapsed onto the couch, sides aching.
After their laughter had finally died down, they talked for a long time. The conversation was light and casual; they jumped around from topic to topic, just enjoying each other’s company. Then, out of nowhere, Chase sat up and asked Shoshanna in a serious tone, "Shosh, do you think things will stay like this after we graduate?"
"What do you mean, 'like this'?"
"Y'know… hanging out and being bros… I mean, we're going to be adults, and we're going to have all these new responsibilities, and soon we'll be starting families and all that… I just don't want all that to stop us from being the way we are now. Like, I've heard my dad talk about his best friends from back in high school, and how even though they were really tight back then, he hasn't spoken to them in years because they all just got so busy after they graduated. I don't want us to become like them... I don't want things to change."
A silence fell over them as Shoshanna turned his words over in her mind. She honestly hadn't considered that before. Before his accident had led to his change of character, she'd despised Chase with every fiber of her being. Now, he was her closest friend; someone she could talk to about pretty much anything and could always rely on. Losing his friendship would be nothing short of tragic.
Shoshanna sat up to look him in the eyes, and her heart clenched at the sight of him. His mouth was pulled into a deep frown, and his eyes looked like those of a lost puppy. Seeing him so distraught made her realize that this thing must’ve been weighing down on him for a while now.
Shoshanna was determined to put a smile back on his face. She couldn’t stand looking at those puppy eyes. So, with a sharp exhale, she said, “First off, I’m not a ‘bro’. Do I look like a bro?"
Chase’s eyes widened slightly. That probably wasn’t the response he’d been expecting. He opened his mouth as though to reply, but Shoshanna cut him off, “Don’t answer that. Secondly, you couldn’t get rid of me if you tried. I’m always gonna be there for you, and I know you'll be there for me.”
She paused to let it that sink in. A ghost of a smile appeared on Chase’s face, but he still looked doubtful. That’s when Shoshanna got a bright idea.
“You know what? I have a proposal for you.”
Chase’s brows flew up for a split second before he gave her a slight smirk, though his eyes still held distress.
“Wow, moving a little fast, aren’t we, Shosh? You sure we’re ready for marriage?”
Shoshanna rolled her eyes, but couldn’t help smiling. “Not that kind of proposal, Ambrose. Listen: we're the ones in control of our future. If we decide not to let ourselves drift away from each other like your dad and his friends did, then we won't. So, I’m proposing that no matter what happens, we won’t let anything change between us or break us apart. We'll always stay best friends.”
With that, she extended her hand toward him.“Do we have a deal?”
Chase had gone from looking smug to looking completely astounded. He glanced down at her hand, then turned his eyes up to meet hers. His mouth opened and closed again and again like that of a fish, as though he were searching for the right words to say. This lead Shoshanna to say, “Well?” She leaned slightly forward to stretch her arm out further. “Do we have a deal or not? Arm’s getting tired, Chase.”
At last, Chase smiled warmly at her and took her hand in his, giving it a firm shake. “We have a deal.”
Shoshanna couldn’t help smiling back. “Thank goodness, for a second there I thought I was going to get rejected.”
“Never. I was just surprised. Nobody’s ever made a commitment to putting up with me forever. You’re stuck with me now, Shosh. There’s no going back.”
Shoshanna gasped dramatically. “Dang it! I’ve made a terrible mistake! Okay, deal’s off, see you later, Ambrose.” With that, she shot up from the couch and sprinted out of the living room and into the kitchen, but Chase rushed after her. Shoshanna let out a shriek as she felt his arms wrap around her from behind and lift her up off the floor
“Ah! Put me down, you idiot!” Shoshanna cried, kicking her legs and squirming in his arms in an attempt to escape. Why’d he have to have such a strong grip?
“Hm… no, I don’t think I will,” Chase teased. The next thing Shoshanna knew, his fingers were digging into her sides, and she found herself shrieking and laughing hysterically.
“Sta-ha-hap it!” she shouted. Chase just guffawed in response and continued to tickle her. Shoshanna then looked up and saw the time on the microwave clock.
“Oh shoot! Put me down! For real!”
Chase must’ve caught on to the urgency in her voice, because he immediately stopped and placed her back down on the floor. Shoshanna whipped around, eyes blown wide.
“How did I not notice how late it was getting? How long did we talk on the couch?”
Chase, who’d now also discovered the time, replied with a grimace, “A few hours, I guess?”
Shoshanna groaned. “I open tomorrow; I've gotta be up at four! Sorry Chase, I gotta go. The last time I stayed up this late before a morning shift, I was so groggy I forgot to put the lid on the blender and somebody's caramel frappe ended up all over the walls.”
“Hey, that place needed redecorating anyway. I'm sure the frappe added a nice pop of color. But nah, I'm sorry. I didn't pay any attention to the time, either."
“You don’t have anything to be sorry about,” Shoshanna replied as she moved into the living room to retrieve her shoes and purse. “Time flies when you’re having fun. I guess we were having a lot of fun.”
Chase smiled warmly at her. “I always have fun with you."
Shoshanna returned the smile. “Same here, Chase.”
After putting on her shoes and slinging her purse over her shoulder, she pulled her friend into a hug.
“I’ll see you Monday. Hope you’ll be feeling better about everything then.”
Chase hummed softly. “I already am, thanks to you.”
Shoshanna found herself feeling a little flustered at the earnest affection oozing from his voice, and lingered in the embrace a bit longer than usual just to let herself regain her composure before pulling away. Once she did, she quickly stepped back and walked toward the front door, turning around as she opened it to give Chase a wave.
“Bye, Chase. It was a great final movie night!”
“Agreed. Later, Shosh.”
On the way home, Shoshanna tried to ignore thoughts of how exhausted she'd be when she had to wake up for work in just four hours and instead focused on the deal she’d made with Chase. It was a huge promise, to stay best friends with someone forever, and to never let anything come between the two of them. And, if she was being completely honest with herself, it wasn’t a promise she was sure she’d be able to keep.
But she was determined to try her hardest.