HAUNTED || chris sturniolo

𝟎𝟑𝟔. delusional, but not hopeless

CHAPTER 036 -
╰┈➤ ' delusional, but not hopeless ' ♡₊˚ 🦢・₊✧
「 real life 」

─ real life ᥫ᭡

CHRIS WASN'T EXACTLY THE TYPE TO SPEND HIS FREE TIME AT THE MALL, but zayn had dragged him here under the pretense of needing new sneakers, though, at this point, chris was convinced he just liked making things difficult.

zayn stood in front of a display, holding up two nearly identical pairs of shoes, as if he were making some life-altering decision. chris had already wandered off once, skimmed through a few racks of shirts, and come back. somehow, zayn was still debating.

"you do realize they all look the same, right?" chris called over his shoulder, flipping through a random rack of graphic tees.

zayn didn't even look at him. "one of these is objectively better. i just haven't decided which yet."

chris sighed dramatically. "you could just flip a coin and call it a day."

zayn shot him a glare. "or i could actually put thought into it like a normal person."

chris smirked, shaking his head. "yeah, because picking between two black sneakers requires so much thought."

zayn ignored him, turning the shoes over in his hands like he was a sneaker expert. chris rolled his eyes and leaned against the nearest display, deciding now was as good a time as any to share his latest revelation.

"you know," he started, voice casual, "i think things with adriana are going well."

zayn hummed, unimpressed. "that so?"

chris nodded, smirking. "yup."

zayn didn't even glance at him. "and why do you think that?"

chris shrugged. "because we've been around each other a few times now, and it's not horrible anymore."

zayn finally looked up, unimpressed. "that's your standard?"

chris grinned. "it's progress."

zayn sighed, setting one of the sneakers down. "go on."

chris leaned in slightly, lowering his voice like he was letting zayn in on some big secret. "she kept my hoodie."

zayn raised an eyebrow. "like... you left it, and she just never gave it back?"

chris shook his head. "no, i told her to keep it, and she actually did."

zayn studied him for a moment, then tilted his head. "and you think that means something?"

chris scoffed. "obviously."

zayn hummed, crossing his arms. "are we talking about a regular hoodie, or the hoodie?"

chris hesitated for half a second before muttering, "not the old hoodie."

zayn let out an exaggerated sigh. "well, there goes my theory that you two were about to magically make up."

chris rolled his eyes. "dude, come on."

zayn pointed at him. "listen, if she kept that hoodie, then yeah, i'd believe this was going somewhere. but a random one?" he shrugged. "it's neutral."

chris frowned. "it's not neutral."

zayn gave him a look. "bro. it's neutral."

chris huffed, running a hand through his hair. he knew zayn wasn't wrong, but he also wasn't right. adriana didn't have to keep the hoodie. she could've just handed it back, made some sarcastic remark, and moved on. but she hadn't. that had to mean something.

before he could argue, zayn smirked. "wait. so, you asked her if she still hates you, right?"

chris hesitated again. "...yes."

zayn's smirk widened. "and what did she say?"

chris exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "she didn't exactly answer."

zayn snorted. "you idiot."

chris shot him a glare. "zayn—"

"no, really," zayn said, shaking his head. "you think things are going great, but when you literally asked her if she still hates you, she didn't even give you an answer?"

chris ran a hand down his face. "she didn't say she hates me."

"which is basically the same thing."

chris groaned. he knew zayn was messing with him, but still, he wanted to believe things were getting better. and in a way, they were. it wasn't like before, when she couldn't stand to be around him. she still had her walls up, but sometimes, just sometimes, he caught glimpses of how things used to be.

like when she let him sit next to her without shifting away. or when she rolled her eyes at him but didn't seem as annoyed as she pretended to be. or when he caught her in moments where she almost looked at him the way she used to, like when he had given her his hoodie.

he had wanted to say something about it, to call her out for keeping it, but he hadn't. because some part of him was scared that if he pushed too hard, she would give it back, and then he'd lose whatever little progress he'd made.

zayn shook his head, amused. "you're delusional."

chris huffed. "wow. thanks for the support."

zayn smirked, nudging him. "you're delusional, but not hopeless."

chris blinked. "wait—what?"

zayn shrugged, finally settling on a pair of sneakers. "i mean, you've got your work cut out for you, but i don't think it's impossible."

chris frowned. "so, you don't think i'm insane for trying?"

"oh, you totally are," zayn said easily. "but i also think you might have a shot. maybe."

chris studied him for a second, then smirked. "so, you're saying i've got a chance?"

zayn sighed dramatically. "don't make me regret this."

chris grinned, feeling lighter than he had in months. "too late."

zayn grabbed the shoebox and started walking toward the register. "alright, let's get out of here before you start monologuing about adriana again."

chris followed, still grinning. sure, maybe he was delusional, but if there was even the smallest chance that he could get back with adriana, he was willing to take it.

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