Chapter 47 Anxious
A MONTH LATER...
Things have happened and things have changed in the last month. Steph can vividly remember how two weeks into senior year, Brooke had said it was boring and she had agreed. Well, these past two or three months have been anything but boring. And Senior year isn't even over. They're on winter break now and Steph can only imagine how crazy things would be when school's back on in the new year.
They had winter formal after their finals and it was quite something.
The thing is that both Luke and Chris asked her to go with them as 'friends.' Chris had asked first and she agreed. Then about two days later, Luke did. He kept emphasizing that they'll be going as friends and the look on his face was so pleading that she found herself saying yes, against her reasoning. It was only when Luke exhaled in relief that she realized she had already said yes to Chris; hence, finding herself in a sticky situation.
She wished she could have gone with both Luke and Chris without either of them knowing but that doesn't work in real life. It doesn't quite work out in movies either. She knew she had to do something about it. She contemplated not going to the formal but she knew her mother wouldn't have her do that. So one day after school, Chris drove her home and she turned him down.
"I can't go to the winter formal with you, Christopher." She had informed him from the passenger's seat.
"What? Why? We're just going as friends--"
"I know," Steph cut him off before he began to ramble. He had this terrifyingly sad look on his face that made Steph feel bad.
"It has nothing to do with you. You did absolutely nothing wrong," she asserted.
Chris had an incredulous look on his face that showed he didn't believe her, even for a second.
"And you expect me to believe that?"
"Yes. Honestly, you did nothing wrong. It's just that," she paused for a second before continuing. "Well, Luke asked that we go as friends and ---"
Chris cut in. "Seriously? It's because of Luke? This is unbelievable."
"Chris, chill. Let me finish, okay?"
Chris nodded.
"Luke asked me after you did but I just couldn't say no to him with the look he had on his face," Steph explained as if that was supposed to make Chris feel better.
Chris laughed humorlessly and looked out the window before facing her back.
"So if Luke has that look on his face as he asks you to murder someone. You'd agree, huh?" Chris asked and Steph was quick to reply.
"Of course not. Don't be ridiculous. I know what you're thinking and you're wrong. I don't like him like that anymore. Believe me." She says with a pleading look on her face.
"You're a tough guy, Chris. You'll be able to handle yourself better if I don't go with you; more than Luke would. Just understand please."
Chris sighed. "Fine. Go with Luke. I'll get some other girl to go with me."
Steph felt a twinge somewhere inside her when he said that. She knew she wasn't supposed to feel like that since she was the one that chose to go with Luke, but she did.
"Okay, that's great." She had forced herself to say that before thanking him for the ride and getting out of the car. Chris watched her enter her house before backing out of the driveway and driving home. He thought it was unfair that she chose Luke over him even though he asked first. He didn't mean to say what he did about finding some other girl to go with. He had just said it out of slight anger. He wouldn't be able to take another girl as his date. Damn, he wouldn't even be able to stand by and watch Luke dance with Steph. It would hurt too much. He'd prefer to stay back home which prompted him to decide at that moment that he wouldn't attend the formal. He'd just stay home and spend time with his mum and Emily. He also decided not to tell anyone about his decision. Whenever Jason and Max asked, he'd dismiss the topic; same with when his mum asked.
The night of the formal, he didn't go just as he had planned, though his mum tried to make him attend it. Some hours into the winter formal which was held in their transformed gym, everyone realized that Chris wasn't coming. They had initially thought that he was a little late or trying to be fashionably late, but later they realized that he wasn't coming at all. He disappointed a lot of girls. Steph found Jason and asked him about Chris. He replied that he had no idea that Chris wasn't gonna attend. He never told anyone.
Steph began to feel bad. She had a feeling that her deciding to go with Luke instead influenced Chris' absence that night. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't enjoy her night. When she told Brooke what happened, Brooke said, "Of course, it's your fault, you dummy."
After Brooke reprimanded Steph, she told her to come meet her at the snack table when she was ready to leave. Steph watched her best friend walk away and sighed.
Brooke hasn't been her usual self for about two weeks now. She even came to the formal with no date. You're wondering about Cole? Well, they broke up about two weeks earlier. To put it frankly, Cole was the one who called things off. And no, they didn't end things on the wrong note -- they ended it as amicably as they could.
Brooke had kinda seen it coming when they were assigned lab partners in their chemistry class. Cole got a cute timid girl with ginger hair as his partner while she had this guy that she still doesn't get along with. They were assigned a project and he had to spend more time with this girl. Somehow, he ended up having feelings for her and what she was afraid of, happened. He explained to her when he called things off and kept saying he didn't mean for any of it to happen. That Brooke kinda saw it coming doesn't mean it hurt any less. She honestly didn't blame Cole for what happened. It's life.
"Fate was just doing her job. I guess he and I weren't meant to be," she had told Steph after the breakup. "It's not the end of the world. It's not like I was in love with him or anything. I'm too young to fall in love. And I don't need a man to make me feel good about myself."
After saying all that, she burst into tears and Steph comforted her. After about a week of sulking, Brooke went back to her everyday routine, acting like it never happened. Steph hated seeing her best friend and wished she'd never get heartbroken again.
After staying for a little longer, Steph told Luke that she was tired and wanted to leave. He offered to drive her home but she declined and explained that she was going with Brooke. She got home, had a little chat with her parents, and got ready for bed. She got settled on her bed but instead of falling asleep, she picks up her phone and dials Chris' number. She knew there was a very high possibility that he was already asleep but she called him anyway. Chris answered on the second ring.
"Hey," Steph muttered.
"Hi."
Though his voice didn't sound groggy, she asked, "Did I wake up?"
"Nope. I wasn't sleeping. How was the formal?"
Steph felt a little guilty at his question so she sighed. Instead of answering the question, she stated softly, "You didn't come."
Normal Chris would reply with a 'duh' or tease her about pointing out the obvious but he wasn't in the mood for that.
"Yeah," he replied.
"Why?"
"I didn't feel like."
"And you decided not to tell me?"
"I didn't even tell my best friends so don't feel too hurt about that," he responded.
Steph let out a breath and hugged her pillow to herself. "I'm not hurt. I feel bad. I feel like it's my fault you weren't there and I'm so sorry, Chris."
"It wasn't your --"
"Don't lie to me. It's no use. You were looking forward to it. You only changed your mind after I turned you down, right?" Steph asked with a sense of guilt.
"Honestly, yes. But not entirely. Since you decided to go with Luke, I lost interest. And I realized there's no point in going so I stayed home with my family," Chris explained.
"I feel bad," Steph confessed.
"Don't be. Shit happens."
Silence ensured from both lines of the phone for a few seconds before Steph spoke into the phone again.
"I'm walking my neighbor's dog tomorrow. Let's meet at the park."
"Which one?"
"The one where we spoke to each other for the first time. Bring Emily."
"Okay, I'll see you then."
But instead of them hanging up after making plans for the next day, they kept talking. Mumbling into the phone on each other's bed, talking about anything until eventually Steph fell asleep.
When Chris realized this, he smiled then whispered goodnight and hung up the phone. That night he fell asleep feeling happier than he had been in some days.
Snow fell for the first time while they were in the park the next day and Emily was so happy. She had held both Chris' and Steph's hands and began to squeal. Chris and Steph couldn't help but share in her excitement so they laughed. Chris had watched Steph squeal with Emily with a longing loving look on his face. He was glad he got to see the first snowfall with the girl he likes and his sister. People say it means something.
Unconsciously, he said his thoughts, "There used to be a saying in Korea; that if you are out in the first snowfall of the season with someone you like, true love will blossom between you."
Steph froze for a second at that before commenting. "Well, that's interesting."
She didn't wanna read much into that fact. Was he trying to say that he loves her? Nope. That wasn't possible. Is it?
"How do you know that?"
Chris shrugged as he kept looking at the beauty of the snow falling.
After spending time with Chris and Emily at the park, Steph came home to find her big brother back for winter break. She almost tackled him to the ground in the name of a hug. Though he brother had only been away for about three or four months, she felt like he was gone for a very long time. Since he came, she had been spending time with him; to make up for the months he was away. The days Brody decides to meet up with old friends, she'd either go to Brooke's house or hang out with Chris. So yeah, that's all the juicy stuff that has happened in the last month.
Now, it's Monday, 22nd of December. Three days to Christmas and everyone is excited. The last time she hung out with Chris was on Thursday and she misses him already. It has been about a month since they talked and after much thinking, she has come to a conclusion: She likes Christopher Hayes. The very same Chris she initially wanted nothing to do with. The same Chris she called a man whore and said she could never have feelings for. She can remember how she thought she couldn't like someone like him in the next ten years but here she is, liking him some months later. Her subconscious is laughing at her right now.
Steph is beginning to get anxious though. They haven't talked like that again. She did tell him to give her some time to think about it but it has been a month. A month. Isn't that enough time to think and come to a decision? Isn't he supposed to have asked her about her decision by now or at least asked her if she needs more time?
Doesn't he like her anymore?
Has he moved on?
Has he friend-zoned her?
Has he come to a sudden realization that they'd be better off as friends?
If not, are guys always this patient when they ask a girl out and she says she wants to think about it?
No, she doesn't think so.
Those have been her train of thought for the past week. Every time they hang out, she'll be trying to find out if something is different -- if he's acting differently to her now. But nothing seems odd. They got a lot closer after that talk and that's how it has been since then. So why is she worried?
Steph sighs as she stares at her reflection in the mirror. She's dressed up cause she's leaving the house very soon to meet up with Chris. She picks up the beanie on her bed and wears it.
She stares at her reflection again and says to herself, "Stop fussing about it, Stephanie. Tomorrow is his birthday and the relationship between the two of you is going to change because you'll do something about it."
After nodding and taking one last look at her appearance, Steph exits her room.
She meets her dad and brother in the living room watching the TV.
"Where are you going to?" Brody asks the second he sets his eyes on her.
"I'm meeting up with a friend," Steph replies.
Her dad chuckles but says nothing.
"The same friend you've been hanging out with and have failed to mention their name?"
Steph smiles. "Yeah, that same friend."
"I told you, son. It might be that Luke guy," their dad comments.
Brody frowns on hearing that which only makes Steph grin.
"So when do we get to meet this friend of yours?"
"Very soon," Steph replies as she walks to the back of the couch they're on and ruffles Brody's hair.
"I'll be home soon. Don't miss me too much."
"What's your middle name?" Steph asks Chris before taking a sip from her mug of hot cocoa. They met some minutes ago and after some contemplation, decided to come to the cafe they are seated in right now. It's the same one he dragged her to after the Ivy fiasco. Luckily for Steph, the waitress who was undressing Chris with her eyes the last time isn't here. Steph has the feeling that if she was here and stared at Chris like that, she'd snap. It's a good thing she isn't. They're drinking hot cocoa and talking. Chris got himself a doughnut too since he loves it too much.
"Why do you wanna know?"
"I just want to. Now, tell me." Steph demands.
"It's Gregory."
"Christopher Gregory Hayes. It has a nice ring to it," she says with a thoughtful look on her face.
"What's yours?"
"Catania."
"Stephanie Catania Valentine. Sounds odd," Chris comments and she glares at him.
Chris laughs, "I'm messing with you. They're beautiful just like the owner. So I can call you Cat?"
Steph tries her best not to blush at him calling her beautiful. "Don't you dare."
Chris laughs. "I'll call you Cat if I want but I prefer Hazel. It's my nickname for you, Hazel."
Steph doesn't say anything to that.
"My mum is getting engaged on Christmas day," Chris announces after a moment of silence.
Steph raises her eyebrows. "Really? How do you know?"
"Jason's dad told Jason that he'll propose to her on Christmas day and Jason told me. I'm not supposed to tell my mum though."
Steph grins. "Wow. I'm so happy for her and you guys. So you and Jason are gonna become brothers."
"Yup," Chris smiles.
They talk some more before heading out of the cafe for a walk to the park. When it's time to go their separate ways, Steph finds it strange that Chris didn't once mention anything about his birthday tomorrow. She had thought he was one of those people that like announcing their birthdays. She just hopes he isn't one of those people that hate their birthdays. If he is, her plan would be ruined.
As they part, she hugs him tight and says, "I'll see you tomorrow, Greg."
"Don't call me that," Chris yells as she hurries away, laughing.