INFATUATION ⇢ CHRIS CHAMBERS

nine

As Ace walked off, Gordie lowered the gun at Chris took hold of Nina's hand again. She looked at Gordie and raised an eyebrow. "Suck my fat one, really?"
"Who ever told you that you had a fat one, LaChance?"
Gordie turned to the couple and grinned. "Biggest one in four counties."
Chris and Nina laughed. "Yeah..."

Teddy and Vern then reappeared. "So," Teddy began, looking at Nina's and Chris' held hands before back up at them. "care to explain?"
"Care to explain why you chickened out?" Nina grinned. Chris snorted.
"Whatever," Teddy shrugged. "I'd rather you than some punk I hardly know and won't treat her right." Teddy looked from Chris to Nina. "Last thing we need is another heartbreaker, right?"
Nina smiled and nodded. "Thanks, Teddy."
Chris was a little curious to what he meant by another heartbreaker, but didn't ask just in case it was a sensitive subject. Instead, he smiled and squeezed Nina's hand.

"Are we gonna take him?" Vern asked.
"No." Gordie replied.
"But we came all this way." Teddy argued. "We're supposed to be heroes."
"Not this way, Teddy." Gordie picked up his blanket. "Chris, give me a hand." He nodded and helped his friend cover the body.

***

The group headed home, Chris' and Nina's hands happily held. Even though many thoughts raced through the teenagers' minds, they barely spoke.

Once they were back in Castle Rock after walking the night, the group stood in a small circle. "Well," Vern began. "see you in school."
"Yeah, I guess." Nina sighed.
"See you in Junior High." Teddy smiled.
Vern then walked off, leaving the four together. They watched him stop, bend down and spin back around with a huge grin on his face. "A penny!"
Nina chuckled.
"Well, guys, Nina and I better get home before our mom puts us on the ten most wanted list." Teddy joked.
"I'll catch you up soon," Nina called out to her brother, who had already started walking. She turned to Chris and smiled. "I just wanna spend a little more time with Chris before I go back."
Teddy turned around and gave them a quick nod and a wave before carrying on, singing.

***

"I'm never gonna get out of this town, am I?" Chris sighed.
Gordie looked at him. "You can do anything you want, man."
Nina smiled and squeezed his hand. "He's right, you know."
Chris grinned a little. "You know, I've always to go to New York, I don't know why though."
Nina chuckled and nodded. "New York seems like a nice place."

The three stood there in silence for a while before Chris turned to Gordie, a small smirk tugging at the end of his lips. "Give me some skin."
The two did their signature 'handshake' or 'peacemaker', 'guess either can describe it.
"I guess I'll see you two around." Gordie smiled at Chris and Nina.
"Not if I see you first." Chris grinned, before turning to Nina. "I'll walk you home."
She smiled and nodded. "Thanks, I'd love that."

Gordie watched the two walk away with their hands held and smiled when Chris kissed her on the forehead. "I always knew the two had something going on between them." He whispered to himself, before turning in the opposite direction and walking back home.