Chanthony - Losing You

Part Four

WEDNESDAY, 4:16 PM

Three uncomfortable days had passed with Chance and Tessa unsure how to interact with each other. They had each posted to the world that they were no longer together, making it official. Jake, with all his brilliance, incessantly questioned Chance and Tessa about their breakup, trying to figure out why they broke up, Tessa somehow always managing to push him off while Chance just wearing that false sense of confidence and bravado to distract him. And Jake was easily distracted. Tessa spent most of the days either out with Erika or locked up in her room with Erika, while Chance spent it wandering around with Tony. Despite the uncomfortableness in the air, it was a weight off his shoulders not to have to worry about Tessa bothering him or keeping up appearances for the cameras. Nobody ever noticed or commented on his relationship with Anthony, and therefore most of the pressure of keeping up a lie disappeared into a relaxed, joyful energy of their daily useless routine. Endless fun. For two months, Chance had so sorely missed this.

Even Anthony seemed to relax, spending time more easily with Chance as it had always been; Chanthony together at all times, unless stated otherwise. For three years, Chance and Anthony had been 'single', dating girls off and on, but even the girlfriends they did have were best friends. Tessa was the first real test of the Chanthony bond, and once the heaviness of Chessa slipped from his shoulders, Chance didn't bother to wonder whether or not the Chanthony bond was strong enough to manage a relationship from either of them. Back to old Chance, never worrying about the future; back to old Tony, never worrying about life; just the two of them, together, forever.

Tessa had left earlier that day, and the minute she walked out of the door Chance breathed relief.

"Bro, your girlfriend's gone," Jake said, shoving a camera into his face.

"Yeah," Chance said stupidly. "I mean, no, she's not my girlfriend."

"Are you sad?"

"Yeah, of course," Chance lied. "I mean, she's my friend."

"Uh-huh. ANYWAYS," Jake yelled at his camera. "Jake Paulers, I'm gonna switch in 3, 2, 1-" and then fell silent, switching off his camera, and then immediately turned to Chance. "What are you doing here? Get the tape."

Fucking piece of-

"Yeah," Chance said.

"Catch!" Anthony yelled from the kitchen, throwing him the blue tape, letting it fly over Erika and the 14 year old's heads. Chance caught it swiftly, prompting Anthony to bellow, "ChanthonYYYYYYYYYY!"

"ChanthonYYYYYYYYYYYY!" Chance bellowed in return, fist pumping in the air, then turned to Jake, who stood stock still, glowering at Chance, standing perfectly still.

"Tape me up," Jake said in his flat voice, the off-camera voice. It was growing creepy the way Jake could go from cocaine-abusing manchild on camera to angry-serial-killer off camera. Chance sat and marked the X on the floor for Jake to return to later so he could do his clothes-switching edit, and Jake towered over him, enjoying the brief feeling of power.

"Did you guys vlog?" he demanded.

"Yeah, a little."

"Y'all are gonna do a challenge or a prank or something?"

"What's up?" Anthony said.

"Challenge or prank today?"

"Oh. Don't know," Anthony said.