mona lisa , chris sturniolo

17 | i hate rules

♫  when the party's over / billie eilish  ♫
☆
don't you know i'm no good for you?
i've learned to lose, you can't afford to
but nothing ever stops you leaving

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| real life | social media |

real life

3.5 years ago

Throughout my childhood, I spent a significant amount of time at the Sturniolo's household. And despite the fact that junior year of high school was easily the hardest year in both mine and the triplet's lives, I still spent far too often at their house.

My dad had died three months ago. A month later, the Sturniolo's house caught fire. And now, we are in the middle of a pandemic. I am lucky that Marylou and Jimmy have continued to let me come to their home because if I was stuck at my house with my mom all the time, I would have resorted to very questionable coping mechanisms.

This particular day was no different from any other. I had shown up to the triplet's this morning to do school together (or at least, that's what we told our parents). However, so far all we have done is play video games and make a mess in the kitchen while attempting to make pancakes.

"I think we need rules," I announce, plopping down onto the couch beside Chris. Currently, Nick was out on a walk with Alahna, and Matt had retreated to his room after Chris and I got into a wrestling match and accidentally shattered a vase.

"I hate rules," he states blandly, not removing his gaze from the TV, his thumbs rapidly moving on the controller in his hands.

"Sometimes rules can be good," I mumble, my eyes flickering across the television screen as I watch Chris play Fortnite. "I'm serious, Chris. Everyone always thinks we're dating, so maybe we're doing something wrong."

Chris' thumb jerks on his controller and his eyes shoot to me. "What?"

"You just died," I point to the screen, but Chris ignores me.

"What are you talking about?" he repeats, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

I sigh, sinking down slightly in my seat. "I know that it's normal for people to jump to assumptions, but don't you feel like it happens to us way too often? And people are so doubtful when we tell them we're not together," I pause, my face morphing into a frown at the blank look on Chris' face. "Chris, you're my best friend, you know that, but what if the way we act is going to negatively affect us one day? When you get a girlfriend, I don't think she will be very pleased with how close we are."

"I don't give a fuck about what other people think," Chris' voice is low, a bite to his words. "And I don't want a girlfriend."

"Not right now, but you will one day," I shrug, my eyes staying locked on Chris'. "I just don't want either of us to get hurt."

Chris' Adam's apple bobs as he swallows, his eyes flickering away from mine. "Is there someone that you're hoping to start seeing?" His voice is thick with an emotion I don't recognize, but I brush it off as him being defensive.

"Absolutely not," I scoff. "You know I have absolutely no interest in dating. But I don't want to get in between you and some other girl."

"There is no other girl," Chris' voice is tight. "And even if there was, you would still be more important to me."

"Chris, I'm not trying to be a bitch, I just think a few general rules might help us," I keep my eyes trained on the side of his face, but his gaze remains turned towards the window. "If you really don't give a shit then whatever, but there is one boundary that I would like to set," I pause, hoping he is going to look at me, but when he doesn't, I continue on. "No more sleepovers in the same room without other people."