HAUNTED || chris sturniolo

𝟎𝟒𝟏. casual

CHAPTER 041 -
╰┈➤ ' casual ' ♡₊˚ 🦢・₊✧
「 real life 」

─ real life ᥫ᭡

CHRIS WASN'T SURE WHAT WAS GOING ON.

for the past week, adriana had been talking to him more. not in a best friends catching up kind of way, but in a way that felt... normal. casual. like she'd decided he wasn't the worst person in the world, but she also wasn't rolling out a welcome mat for him either.

and honestly? it was messing with his head.

not that he was complaining.

right now, he was at his locker, half-listening to jayden from his basketball team rant about a brutal practice from the night before, when adriana just walked up like it was nothing.

chris almost dropped his phone.

she was wearing that gray zip-up hoodie she always stole from her dad's closet, the one that hung a little too loose on her frame. her hair was pulled back, but a few strands had slipped free, brushing against her cheek. she looked... soft. familiar in a way that made something tighten in his chest.

she had always been pretty, he knew that before they ever got together, but there was something about her now that hit different. maybe it was because he hadn't been this close to her in a while, hadn't been able to just look at her without all the walls between them.

or maybe it was because, for the first time in a long time, she didn't look at him like he was a stranger.

"hey," she said, leaning against the locker next to his, her bag slung over one shoulder.

chris blinked. he knew he was staring, but could anyone blame him? a few months ago, adriana wouldn't have even looked in his direction, let alone started a conversation.

"uh, hey?" he said, trying to sound casual, but it came out more like a question.

jayden stopped mid-sentence, looking between them like he'd just witnessed something groundbreaking. "what is this?" he asked, smirking.

chris ignored him, still trying to process what was happening. "what's up?"

adriana pulled a notebook from her bag. "did you do the english homework?"

chris raised an eyebrow. "did i do it? no. am i about to copy someone's answers? absolutely."

adriana smirked, and chris felt a ridiculous sense of accomplishment at the sight of it.

jayden let out a low whistle. "damn, adriana, you're talking to this guy by choice?"

chris shot him a look. "leave."

jayden held up his hands. "alright, alright. but this is crazy. a few months ago, she wouldn't even breathe near you."

chris clenched his jaw, but before he could say anything, adriana beat him to it.

"do you ever stop talking?" she asked flatly, arching a brow.

jayden let out a laugh, backing away. "damn, alright. don't come crying to me when you regret this, sturniolo."

chris rolled his eyes, muttering, "hate that guy."

adriana ignored him, holding out her notebook. "you can copy mine. just don't make it obvious."

chris looked at the notebook, then at her. "what's the catch?"

"no catch," she said simply.

chris narrowed his eyes. "you are letting me copy your homework?"

"take it before i change my mind."

chris grinned, snatching it from her hands. "wow. look at us. sharing schoolwork again. just like old times."

adriana sighed. "don't get sentimental about it."

chris watched her, studying the way she stood, arms crossed, one foot slightly tapping against the tile. he used to be able to read her without even trying, but now? he couldn't tell if this meant anything, or if she was just being nice.

but she didn't owe him nice.

so what was this?

"you finally decided i'm tolerable again?" he asked, flipping through her notes.

adriana raised an eyebrow. "you're on thin ice, sturniolo."

chris smirked. "oh, my bad. i meant charming and irresistible?"

adriana let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. "you're unbelievable."

chris grinned. "but you're talking to me again, so clearly, you missed me."

"let's not get carried away."

chris tilted his head, eyes dragging over her expression, subtle amusement, the slight curve of her lips like she was trying not to smile. it wasn't like before, when everything between them felt heavy, like every conversation might be their last.

this was different.

lighter.

but it wasn't nothing.

she was here, wasn't she? standing in front of him, talking to him, teasing him like she used to.

maybe she didn't hate him anymore. maybe she never really did.

chris hummed, pretending to think. "right, right. this is just, what? a pity friendship? you felt bad for me?"

adriana rolled her eyes. "you're so dramatic."

"that's not a no."

"chris."

he smirked, leaning slightly closer, just enough to watch her reaction.

she didn't pull away.

chris grinned. "okay, okay, i'll drop it. for now."

adriana sighed, but there was no real frustration behind it.

"see you later," she said, already walking off, her ponytail swinging behind her.

chris watched her go, something unspoken settling in his chest.

she still had this effect on him.

still made the air feel heavier in his lungs.

still made his pulse skip when she looked at him like that, like she almost forgot to keep her guard up.

he wasn't sure what this meant, if it meant anything at all.

but for the first time in a long time, it didn't feel like he was losing her.

evie speaks
hello no more slow burn bye