HAUNTED || chris sturniolo

𝟎𝟎𝟔. a great idea

CHAPTER 006 -
╰┈➤ ' a great idea ' ♡₊˚ 🦢・₊✧
「 real life 」

─ real life ᥫ᭡

CHRIS WATCHED ADRIANA FROM ACROSS THE HALL. she was scrambling for something inside of her locker, her fingers fumbling as she tried to grab whatever was buried at the bottom. chris's heart raced as he observed her, memories flashing through his mind like an old reel of film. just two years ago, her locker had been a shrine to their relationship, photos of them laughing at the beach, a note he had written her for valentine's day, and a ticket stub from that concert they went to together. he couldn't help but wonder if those remnants still lingered, or if she had torn them into shreds after their breakup, erasing the past as if it had never existed.

for his own peace of mind, he liked to think it was the first option, that somewhere in that chaotic mess of books and papers, she still kept a piece of him. he took a deep breath, leaning back against his locker, arms crossed tightly over his chest. the hallway buzzed with activity, but all he could focus on was adriana, lost in her world, oblivious to his scrutiny.

he noticed the way her hair fell in soft waves over her shoulders, the way she tucked it behind her ear when she was frustrated. there was a familiar comfort in watching her, a bittersweet ache that reminded him of the countless afternoons they had spent together, stealing kisses between classes and planning their futures with the naïveté of youth. he missed that version of her. the one who smiled at him as if he were the only person in the room.

but now, the air between them felt charged with unspoken words and unresolved feelings.

as adriana finally extracted a worn-out notebook from her locker, she glanced up, her eyes catching his for a brief moment.

he held her gaze, a mixture of longing and fear swelling within him. the bell rang, pulling them both from the moment, but chris felt the weight of the encounter linger in the air. what if he walked over? what if he said something? but the fear of rejection held him back.

instead, he pushed off from the locker, forcing himself to walk away, each step feeling heavier than the last. but as he turned the corner, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was left unresolved, a thread still connecting them.

chris's thoughts were interrupted as he rounded the corner and collided with someone. his shoulder hit another's, sending his phone flying to the ground.

"watch it, man!" zayn said with a smirk, rubbing his shoulder like he was about to start some friendly trash talk.

chris quickly bent down to grab his phone, still distracted. "sorry, zayn, wasn't paying attention." his mind was elsewhere, lost on adriana.

zayn raised an eyebrow, clearly catching on. "yeah, no kidding. what's got you all spaced out? you look like you're thinking about... oh wait, let me guess. adriana?"

chris glanced at him, feeling a bit exposed. "something like that."

zayn let out a half-laugh, shaking his head. "bro, she's got you in a chokehold, doesn't she?"

chris sighed, knowing zayn wasn't going to let it go. "it's complicated, man. we were together for a long time. you can't just flip a switch and move on, you know?"

zayn shrugged, the smirk still lingering. "i get it, i get it."

chris didn't reply, and zayn caught the silent acknowledgment. after a beat, zayn softened just a little. "look, man, i'm just saying, you've got options. you've got a whole lineup waiting for you if you just open your eyes."

chris shot him a sideways glance. "i know, but it's not that easy. we had something real."

zayn nodded, though the cockiness never left his voice. "yeah, well, maybe it's time you get back to being you. don't let her live rent-free in your head. let's ball after school, clear your mind. you've been missing out on some serious action lately."

chris smiled, feeling a bit lighter at the idea of playing ball. "i'll be there, and don't act like i'm not gonna cross you up like always."

zayn's grin widened. "keep dreaming."

as they continued walking, their conversation flowed from basketball matchups to weekend plans. chris's phone buzzed in his pocket, and he absentmindedly pulled it out, ready to swipe the notification away—until something stopped him.

it was a post from cecelia, adriana's best friend.

chris hesitated for a second. since adriana had blocked him, he hadn't seen anything about her life in months. but cecelia? she hadn't blocked him. he opened the post. there it was—adriana laughing with her friends, arms slung around cecelia's shoulder, her smile as bright as ever. the caption read: "girls' night out with my favorite people!"

chris stared at the photo for a moment, his chest tightening. even though it wasn't from adriana directly, seeing her in that moment, so carefree, did something to him. but the post lingered in his mind, sparking a sudden idea.

maybe he could create his own.

zayn noticed him staring at his phone and nudged him. "what's up? you look like you just saw something wild."

chris quickly pocketed the phone, his mind racing. "i just thought of something—maybe a way to get adriana's attention."

zayn groaned, rolling his eyes. "bro, don't tell me you're still on that. she blocked you for a reason, remember?"

chris smirked. "yeah, but this... this is different. trust me, i'm not going to do anything dumb."

zayn looked skeptical. "alright, man, but just don't make it messy. now, about that basketball game after school... i hope you're ready for a beatdown."

chris grinned, feeling the excitement of his idea starting to take root. "we'll see who's getting beat. i'll be there."

even as they continued talking about basketball, chris's mind was already elsewhere, focused on how he could use this new spark of inspiration to turn the tide in his favor and make adriana notice him again, even if it wasn't directly.

evie speaks
thought adriana and chris needed a little update!