HAUNTED || chris sturniolo

𝟎𝟏𝟗. a sense of loss

CHAPTER 019 -
╰┈➤ ' a sense of loss ' ♡₊˚ 🦢・₊✧
「 real life 」

─ real life ᰔᩚ

ADRIANA WOKE TO THE MUTED SOUND OF HER ALARM, its persistent hum blending with the distant patter of morning rain against her window. the light filtering through her blinds was gray and dull, casting her room in a gloomy haze. she lay there for a moment, staring at the ceiling, the blanket cocooned around her like armor against the day.

with a sigh, she turned off the alarm and reluctantly swung her legs out of bed. the cold floorboards sent a shiver up her spine. she rubbed her eyes, the weight of exhaustion clinging to her like a shadow. weekdays were beginning to blur together, the same routine repeating itself over and over. and yet, she couldn't shake the feeling that things were shifting beneath the surface, subtle, but there.

she pulled herself up, dragging her feet to the bathroom. the mirror reflected dark circles under her eyes, her hair a tangled mess. she ran the faucet, letting the cold water pool in her hands before splashing it on her face. the shock of it helped, but only just.

the hallways buzzed with the usual morning chaos, lockers slamming shut, shoes squeaking on linoleum, bursts of laughter ricocheting off the walls. adriana slipped into the flow of students, her shoulders hunched under her backpack. she spotted cecelia up ahead, leaning against her locker with an air of casual confidence. zayn was there too, standing a little too close, his head bent as he said something low enough that only she could hear.

cecelia laughed, and the sound cut through the noise around them. it wasn't the kind of laugh she gave freely to just anyone; it was softer, more genuine. adriana felt a pang of something she couldn't name. when did they get this close?

as she walked up, cecelia glanced over, her face lighting up. "hey, there you are. i was about to send a search party."

zayn smirked. "i offered to go myself, but cecelia thought i'd get distracted."

"distracted and lost," cecelia corrected, closing her locker. "i had to be realistic."

adriana smiled faintly, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "i'm here now. guess i saved you the trouble."

zayn leaned back against the lockers, his hands shoved in his pockets, eyes glinting with amusement. "you're always so considerate, adriana."

his teasing was harmless, but there was a lightness between him and cecelia that felt... different. they moved together effortlessly, their words weaving around each other in a way that felt natural. adriana wondered if anyone else noticed how quickly they'd become a unit.

"you good?" cecelia asked, her eyes narrowing slightly as she studied adriana's face.

"yeah," adriana lied, adjusting the strap of her bag. "just tired."

cecelia didn't look convinced, but she didn't push. instead, she looped her arm through adriana's. "come on, let's get to class before zayn gives another lecture about how hard his life is."

zayn feigned a wounded expression. "you make me sound so dramatic."

cecelia rolled her eyes. "because you are."

they started walking, and for a moment, adriana felt herself falling back into step with them. the ease of their conversation was something she used to feel too, but now she couldn't shake the sense of being on the outside looking in. zayn's jokes were directed at cecelia more than anyone else, and cecelia's smiles were just a little brighter when he was around.

adriana tried to ignore the hollow feeling in her chest. it doesn't matter.

the rain had stopped by lunchtime, but the sky was still overcast, heavy clouds hanging low like a weighted blanket. adriana picked at her sandwich, her appetite as dull as the weather. across the table, cecelia and zayn were deep in conversation. he was animated, his hands moving as he told some ridiculous story, and cecelia's eyes sparkled with amusement.

adriana caught snippets of their conversation, but the words blurred together. instead, she focused on the small details: the way cecelia leaned in slightly when zayn spoke, the way his smile widened just for her.

a familiar ache settled in her chest. not jealousy, exactly, more like a sense of loss, a reminder of how things used to be.

she felt a nudge against her shoulder. cecelia was watching her, a crease between her brows. "you okay? you're quiet today."

"yeah," adriana said quickly, forcing a smile. "just thinking about my english essay."

cecelia didn't look convinced, but she let it go. "well, if you want, we can work on it together later. i've got my notes."

zayn leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms behind his head. "or you can let cecelia do all the work and take credit. that's what i'd do."

cecelia shot him a glare. "and that's why your grades are trash."

adriana smiled, the banter breaking through her fog. for a moment, things felt normal again.

but then she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. chris was walking past their table, his expression unreadable, eyes fixed on something far away. the moment stretched uncomfortably, like a thread pulled too tight. he didn't look at her, didn't even seem to notice her.

the hollow ache returned, sharper this time. she looked away quickly, focusing on the table, on the half-eaten sandwich in front of her.

zayn's voice cut through the silence. "you want to get out of here for a bit? we can hit the library or something."

adriana hesitated, but before she could answer, cecelia stood up. "yeah, let's go. the cafeteria's way too loud today."

adriana nodded, grateful for the escape. she followed them out, the noise of the cafeteria fading behind her. the three of them walked down the hallway, but as she trailed slightly behind, she couldn't help but notice how naturally cecelia and zayn fell into step with each other.

and once again, she felt like she was on the outside of something she couldn't quite reach.

evie speaks
i know it seems like not much is happening between her and chris but just be patient please 🙏🙏