STORY OF THE CHUBBY

STORY OF THE CHUBBY 48

'Hey, Lee,' I greeted Leroy at lunch, Thursday afternoon.

He looked up from his phone and gave me a smile, 'Chubby. Just the person I wanted to see. Have you seen your boyfriend today?'

'I was going to ask you if you'd seen Chris, too...' I said, my eyebrows furrowed.

Lee's expression mirrored mine. 'No, I haven't seen him since yesterday in school.'

'Me too,' I said, frowning. 'But he said he was hanging out with you last night...'

'He was,' Lee said, frowning too. 'But he bailed and said he was hanging out...with you.'

Why would Chris lie to us?

He'd been distant since Monday and I figured it was all about his biological father. I gave him a little space and decided I'd just be there for him despite the silence that mostly came when we were together.

Yesterday I'd asked him if he wanted to go somewhere because I thought he needed to get his mind off things but he told me he had a thing with Lee that he couldn't cancel. I'd been a little disappointed but I decided that maybe Lee could cheer him up better.

'Looks like we were played,' I said, feeling a little hurt. 'Why would he lie? And all my calls are going straight to voicemail.'

Lee looked thoughtful for a second before he stood up, 'Let's go to his place.'

'Right now?' I asked in bewilderment.

He smiled, 'There's no time like the present. Come on.'

I stood up, following him out of the cafeteria as I typed a quick text to Sammy telling her I probably wouldn't be in for the period after lunch.

Chris Edwards better have a good reason for lying to me. If he had wanted space he should have just said so.

***

'What do you mean he wasn't with you last night?' Sophia asked Lee, shock evident in her face.

We were fortunate to find Sophia home and she was surprised to see us at her front door when we were supposed to be in school. She was more stunned when we asked if Chris was around.

'He'd told me he would be with Chub- I mean Cecilia and he told Cecilia that he would be hanging with me,' Lee explained, rubbing his neck nervously.

'Why would he lie?' Sophia asked herself. 'Let me ask Mrs Watson if he was there. Come in while I ring her.'

Lee and I looked at each other, not liking how this was looking.

'Where do you think he is?' Lee asked me when we'd sat in the living room. 'He didn't spend here, or at your place or at my place...'

'I don't know,' I sighed, rubbing a hand over my face.

'Mrs Watson said he wasn't there, too,' Sophia said, looking stressed suddenly. 'When was the last time you heard from him?'

'Last night,' I said. 'He texted me saying goodnight.'

Sophia sat on the arm of the couch, 'Did he seem troubled yesterday? Or the whole of this week? He seemed a little distant to me...'

Lee and I exchanged looks before I spoke up. 'Yeah. He was. After his aunt called him about his biological father on Sunday...'

'Wait, what?' Sophia cut me off. 'His aunt? His biological father?'

I cringed. She didn't know. Chris hadn't told them he'd been speaking to his aunt and that his father had reached out.

'He's been talking to his biological father? How? When?' Sophia asked, disbelief all over her face.

I hesitated before answering. 'His father's sister, Peggy...she reached out to him a few weeks ago...and um, she said that his father was really sick and wanted to see him...'

'Oh God,' Sophia looked distraught. 'So that's where his gone?'

Why hadn't I thought about that first? Sophia had connected the dots much faster and she'd just heard of it.

'Probably,' Lee said beside him. He sounded like it had also just occurred to him.

Why hadn't he told me he was going? Why the lies and secrecy? I couldn't understand this. I guess I understood why he hadn't told his parents...but still...they had a right to know.

'I should call Fred...and- I don't know...God. Why didn't he tell me? Did he think I would be mad? I would have taken him to see that man if he wanted...' Sophia said, her voice thick with unshed tears that were glistening in her eyes. 'Where is this man...'

I shook my head, 'We don't really know...'

The doorbell rang and Sophia rushed to get it, probably hoping it was Chris.

'Debby!'

My head snapped towards the front door to see Chris' ex standing there. What was she doing here?

'Can I come in?' Debby asked with a polite smile when she saw me and Lee. 'I have news that all of you might want to hear.'

Sophia gestured for her to come in before closing the door.

Debby stood in front of us, looking nervous and apologetic. 'I bet you're looking for Chris, right?'

She knew. She knew where he'd gone.

I felt a pang of jealousy rush through me. How come she knew?

Sophia clutched her arm, 'Where is he?'

Debby looked at Sophia sadly, 'He told me to tell all of you that he's going to see his father but he'll be back soon so you shouldn't look for him or worry.'

'Where did he go?' Sophia insisted.

'He didn't tell me,' Debby said ruefully. 'He just told me to tell you he'd be back soon.'

Sophia buried her hands in her face before trying to compose herself, holding back a sob. 'Thank you for telling us this, Debby.' She said before walking out of the room.

I stood up and walked out of the house, desperate to get some air. I heard someone follow me out.

'Cece, I'm sorry,' Debby said. I could hear the sincerity in her voice but I couldn't help but feel betrayed. Why hadn't he told me? Or Lee? Why had he told Debby?

'Did you try and stop him?' I asked after a while.

She shook her head, 'He was determined to go. He wouldn't hear anything else.'

I didn't need this. I had finals next week, I was constantly worried that Alex would be gone when I got home and now Chris does this...

Great. Just...great.

A/N:

This is shorter but it kinda had to be alone.

DOUBLE UPDATE because I love you.

Don't hate me. Please:( It has to happen.

Two more chapters and a somewhat epilogue.

Brace yourselves.

I don't know when I'll update next. But the ending is in my head as were these two chapters.

The President of America is in town so I had an extended weekend! Thank you Obama!

VOTE, COMMENT, FOLLOW, SHARE, ADD TO READING LISTS.

Thank you guys for 62.8k and 3.9k votes! *Screams*