Chapter 42 I Like Her.
Two weeks later, Chris hasn't told Stephanie how he feels.
Nope.
He hasn't told her yet.
Jason and Max have been hounding and hounding him, persuading him, coaxing him, and cajoling him to tell her.
But he hasn't.
Jason even threatened to tell her himself if he doesn't man up.
"Man up, man up. Little boy won't you man up, " Jason sang to him in a mock tone.
But he still hasn't told her. Every time he comes close to doing so, thinking it's the right moment, something happens and he'll change his mind. He'd chicken out like the chicken he is. The two weeks though have been lovely. He got to drive her to school once and drove her home all the time she came over to babysit Emily.
Seeing as he enjoys spending time with her, it has been okay but at the same time dreadful. Sometimes, he'd feel so overwhelmed that he'd just want to grab her and kiss the life out of her or just hug her and inhale her lovely scent that is imbibed in his head.
But no, he doesn't or hasn't grown the balls to do so. If he kisses her out of the blue, she'll probably slap him or even worse -- kick him where the sun doesn't shine.
Even the thought alone makes him mentally wince.
Today's Monday and he doesn't have any class with her. He sees her before their first class and the next time he sees her is during lunch.
Chris and his friends sit at their usual table and as per usual, he occasionally glances at where Steph's seated with her clique.
She has been sitting with Luke and Cole for the past three weeks. Luke and his friend migrated from their usual table after Luke and Ivy's break up. Chris honestly isn't happy about that. He wishes he is the one sitting with Steph instead. He understands that Cole is there because of his girlfriend and he knows Luke tags along. Cole shouldn't even be sitting there. He was sitting with Luke before the break up so now that that's over, he suddenly remembers he has a girlfriend?
The fact that Stephanie seems to enjoy Luke's company unsettles him. Sometimes he feels like walking over and yelling at Luke to go get another bitch like Ivy to date so that he'll leave Steph alone.
He doesn't blame her for enjoying Luke's company though. He's a nice guy and not a player like him.
But Chris can swear that he isn't like that anymore. He hasn't kissed a girl for over a month and the last time he hooked up with one is way longer than that. He guesses he unconsciously stopped his Playboy ways because he just wants to be a better person for Steph and change the way she thinks about him.
He wants her to think of him and not think about the word player when she does.
If she was able to impact him like that as a friend, imagine what will happen if she becomes his girlfriend.
That's what he wants her to be -- his girlfriend. He'll give anything to be able to call her that. Anything to be able to hug her when he wants, kiss her whenever he likes and just cuddle with her. He doesn't even think about doing the did with her. If she's not ready, he'll wait for as long as she wants.
Dude, you sound like you're in love, his subconscious mocks him.
No, he's not in love. He just really really likes her. He's not going to jump headfirst into it and think he's in love with her.
No, he's not doing that again.
Hazel makes him wanna be a better guy and he'll be that for her.
He decided before leaving the house this morning that he'll tell her today. He told himself that since they have no classes together today, he'll spend the day working up the courage to tell her when school closes.
Since when do you have to work up the courage to talk to a girl? His subconscious asks him.
Even though he has never had trouble expressing himself to a girl, it's different now because this isn't just any girl -- it's Hazel.
So the answer to that question is 'Since now.'
Maybe it's because Chris believes that Steph is too good for him. Maybe that's the problem.
He doesn't like thinking that but somehow he always does.
With all the thinking, Chris finds himself changing his mind again. He doesn't think he'll be able to tell her today. Nope, he'll tell her another day.
It won't make a difference.
Maybe he should tell Brooke and ask her for help; that's if she won't tell her best friend though. Brooke could give him advice on how to go about it. This whole thing is frustrating him.
"Chris?" Jason calls after he and Max hear him sigh. They've been watching him since they began to eat lunch. Chris isn't much of a talkative but he always contributes to whatever he and Max talk about during Lunchtime. He's been silent this whole time and they both didn't fail to notice that he seems deep in thought.
Chris didn't hear his name being called due to the thoughts running in his head faster than the speed of light.
They watch him pick his food for a few seconds before Max calls him again, louder this time.
"Chris!"
Chris wakes from his reverie and stares at them in confusion.
"What is it?"
"Dude, you're picking your food," Max points out.
Chris stares at his lunch for a while as if he didn't realize he was doing that. Then he shrugs. "I guess I'm not hungry."
"It's Lasagna, Chris," Jason says incredulously. Then he turns to Max and says, "This is worst than we thought, Max. He's crazy about her."
Jason and Max look around the cafeteria and spot Steph smiling at Luke.
"This isn't about her," Chris lies. "I'm just not hungry. I'm okay."
"Are you jealous?" Jason asks.
"No, I'm not."
"Honestly, you'll feel like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders when you tell her how you feel," Max avers.
Chris snaps. "Can you guys just stop, huh? It's getting annoying. Just leave me alone for Christ's sake."
He stands and walks away causing Max and Jason to sigh. They look at each other, shake their heads and watch Chris walk out of the cafeteria.
When the bell rings to signify the end of the last period for the day, Chris gathers his things with a smile on his face. Just as he's about to leave the class, a blonde girl blocks his way.
"Hi Chris," she grins.
Chris internally groans but keeps a poker face. "Hey. Can I help you with something?" He raises an eyebrow.
"Uhm," she stutters before tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "I was wondering if you'd like to grab dinner with me sometime."
Oh God, Chris thinks as his lips form a thin line.
"Look....."
"Blair," she tells him.
"Look Blair, you seem like a nice girl but I'm sorry I'll have to turn you down 'cause I like someone else," Chris states.
Blair's eyes widen. "You do?"
Chris smiles. "Yeah, I do."
"I know there are a lot of guys that'll love to go out with you but I'm not that guy. You just need to find the right one. Best of luck," Chris says before walking around and heading for the door.
Where did that come from?
Chris walks through the hallways until he gets to the hallway that Steph's locker is in. He sights her with Brooke and he grins as he approaches them.
Steph seems excited about something while Brooke rolls her eyes at her with a smile on her face.
He finally reaches them and Steph chirps. "Hey, Chris."
"Hello, Hazel." He nods at Brooke. "Brooke."
"How was class?" Steph asks.
"Boring." Because you weren't there.
"As if that's new," Brooke scoffs.
Chris smirks at her.
Steph turns to her locker and brings out some notes. She puts it into her backpack and shuts her locker. She faces them with a smile still gracing her face.
She's really excited. She feels like she's on top of the world right now. She's elated, overjoyed, gleeful, delighted, and every other synonym for happy that you can think of.
What is making her happy is something she could never have thought would happen but it did.
"Why do you look like a kid opening presents on Christmas morning? What's going on?" Chris asks, shifting his gaze between both girls' faces in curiosity.
"Nothing." Steph answers. "Today's just a great day."
"And you expect me to believe that? It's not every day you're like this so tell me. What's making you as happy as a pig in mud?"
"I already told you it's nothing ---"
Brooke cuts her off and what she says is the last thing Chris would have thought was the reason for Stephanie's excitement.
"Luke asked her to go on a date with him." Brooke discloses and the amused smile on Chris' face slowly disappears.
What?
Steph looks down as she blushes while Brooke studies Chris' expression intensely.
If that's why she's so excited, it means she likes Luke. Oh my God! Hazel likes Luke, Chris muses.
No, don't jump to conclusions, Chris. Maybe this is the first time she's going on a date that's why she's so excited, Chris tells himself.
Say something, his subconscious chides him.
"Wow, that's great," he says monotonously and forces a smile. "Luke is such a nice guy."
That Chris wants to wring his neck so bad.
Brooke notices his fake smile and she can already imagine what he's thinking. She knows he's thinking something that neither Steph nor Luke would want to know.
"Well, wow him, and enjoy your date." Chris forces himself to say.
Brooke waits for him to look at her so that she can give him a look that says 'I know what you're thinking' but he doesn't look at her.
"Thanks," Steph smiles at his stoic face.
After some ago agonizing seconds of awkward silence, Chris breaks it.
He clears his throat. "I have to go."
Then he abruptly starts to walk away like someone that's pissed off.
Steph watch him in confusion before hearing Brooke say, "I think something's wrong. Chris looks mad. Maybe you should check up on him."
With that said, Steph goes after him, not only because Brooke said so but also because he's her friend and she's worried about him.
What if something happened to Emily or Kate? What if it has to do with his asshole of a father that he told her about a week ago?
She turns into a deserted hallway -- since school has closed -- and sees him.
"Chris," she calls after him. "Chris, Christopher."
He halts his steps but doesn't turn around, making Steph have to walk over to stand in front of him.
"What is it?" He asks after closing his eyes for a moment, wondering why she came after him.
"I should be asking you that. What's wrong? Is everything okay with you, Emily, and your mum? Is your dad back?" Steph inquires in a soft tone, with concern written all over her face.
Chris sighs. The look of absolute concern on her face is getting into his head.
"Emily's okay. My mum's okay. Everything is fine, Stephanie, and no, my dad isn't back."
Wait, why did he tell her about his dad again? He asks himself.
Because you're an idiot.
Steph notices that he called her by her actual name and that hasn't happened in a long time.
"You're acting strange and why do I suddenly feel like you're mad at me?" Steph says bemusedly.
"I'm not mad at you." Chris pauses. "I have to go pick Em up. She's waiting."
He tries to walk away but she doesn't let him.
"You're not going anywhere until you-" she pokes his chest, "-tell me what's going on. Why can't you tell me? I thought we were friends."
"That's the fucking problem!" Chris exclaims.
"What?"
I might as well say it now and get it out of my system, Chris thinks.
"You want to know what's going on?"
"Duh!" Steph gives him a deadpan tone and expression.
Chris takes a deep breath.
Here goes nothing.
"I like you. I like you, okay! I have feelings for you."
Stephanie's mouth drops open and her eyes widen like saucers.
Did she hear him correctly?
Chris expected the look on her face so it doesn't faze him. He continues, "Yes, I really like you. I don't know when I started liking you -- I just know that I do."
Steph stands frozen as her tongue refuses to go back to work.
"Perhaps it started the moment we first kissed during Spin the Bottle at Jason's party that I was so keen on finding out who you are. Or it might have been when I was trying to talk to you and you were giving me a hard time," he smiles at the memory.
Damn, they've come a long way. From her hating him to getting worried about him.
"When exactly it happened, I don't know. All I know is that I like you. I know that I'm the man whore you never wanted to associate yourself with in the first place but somehow we're friends and I have no idea if we can be more than that."
"From the look of things, it seems like you like Luke and all I'm doing is a waste of time. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to dump it all on you like this but I wanted you to at least know how I feel. If Luke makes you happy, go for him."
Steph continues to stare at him in surprise.
"In fact, let's forget this whole thing happened. I need to go pick Em up. See you around."
Chris begins to walk away and Steph doesn't stop him. She wants so badly to say something but she's tongue-tied.
Christopher Hayes likes me!!!
After a moment of standing there and trying to process what just happened, Brooke appears.
"Where's Chris? Did he tell you what's wrong?" Brooke questions.
"Y-Yes, he did." Steph answers as she blinks more than once.
"What did he say?"
"He likes me!" Steph gapes.
"I knew it!"
"How...how is that even possible? We're talking about Christopher here. He's a player." She's still trying to wrap her head around the whole thing.
"And what did you say to him?" Brooke asks in curiosity.
"Nothing. I just stood there, gaping like an idiot."
"Oh, Steph." Brooke shakes her head.