TEETH [chris sturniolo]

4.

"I need to ask." Matt gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white

"Don't." Chris groaned and turned to the window

"Ask what?" Nick's voice cut through the air

"I caught them kissing." Matt blurted out.

"Who? Chris and Bella? I mean it's disgusting, don't get me wrong, but theres nothing new about that."

Bella Atwood was Chris' on and off girlfriend. Or something like that. She was a strawberry blonde girl with blue eyes, which, now that he thought about it, there seemed to be a pattern between blondes and his latests... conquests.

"What? No." Matt snorted, like the idea was ridiculous, which, it was not. Bella had been blowing up his phone since yesterday. "Chris and Piper."

Matt turned on a street and their high school came in view.

"What does he mean?"

Chris stayed silent.

"What does he mean?"

"Nothing. It was nothing." He finally answered. "We kissed, whatever. It's not a big deal."

"Not a big deal?!" Nick was yelling. "Was she not like, your archenemy?!"

"So, are you guys like a thing now?" Matt asked as he parked.

"Nothing's changed, okay?" He grabbed his backpack. "I don't see her that way, or any way. So please, stop talking about this."

"You're being weird." Nick squinted his eyes at him.

"I'm not. Kissing her was a mistake, one I will never make again. And one you will never speak of. To anyone." He got out and walked inside without waiting for his brothers.

What was he thinking?

"Hey, man. What's up?" Jackson greeted him with a big smile. "Listen, do you, uh, know somewhere I could take Piper? Where do you take Bella when you want some... privacy? I was thinking about the fair, but that's my last resort."

Chris blinked in response.

"You think I can convince her to wear one of those little skirts she's taken up to wear?"

"I don't want to talk about Cruz." He said through gritted teeth.

"Oh my God. Look at Piper, Chris. She's perfect." Jackson put an arm around him.

Against his better judgment, his eyes found her. She was wearing dark low waisted cargo pants and a strapless top and her hair was in a tight, slicked back ponytail. Beside him, Jackson sighed.

"Why are you so suddenly into her?" Chris asked, genuinely confused

"She's hot now." Jackson shrugged