The Thirty Fifth Guy

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen - Plans & Robbery

Chris' Point Of View

It's been a long ten hours since I ran away in the morning, and let's just say I was tired of hiding out. I wanted to go back somewhere, for money and my phone, but I knew that I couldn't because Daisy would be there and I wasn't ready to forgive her just yet. After all, she hurt me deeply.

Macy came in to Read & Weep at around ten thirty, and found me. She gave me a huge lecture about how I was being irresponsible and shoudn't have run away because I was worrying everyone.

I told her to piss off and that I had a bigger reason, and she listened to me rant for a solid hour about all of my problems, excluding my dad and my commitment issues. She basically listened to me tell the story of Daisy abandoning Zach and I for college, and she sympathized with me, which was nice.

Her reaction was what I was worried about though, I thought she'd be angry at me for hanging up the phone on Zach and exploding on Callum, but she wasn't, and I appreciated that.

She wanted to tell Meleah, Salem, and Erika though, and I let her.

Which was why I was sitting in Read & Weep with the girls, retelling the story of my abandonment.

"So that's why you freaked out on Zach and Callum..." Erika mumbled under her breath.

"Yeah," I said, surprising her.

"I'm sorry," Meleah said, "I knew there was a bigger reason because you're not a very dramatic person...I'm sorry about calling the police too."

I looked at her guilty face and immediately forgave her, "I know."

She reached over and wrapped her scrawny arms around me, and I hugged her back.

"I just don't wanna go back, y'know?"

She shook her head 'yes' and Salem gave me a half-smile.

I groaned putting my hands in my head as I heard Meleah's phone play We Can't Stop by Miley Cyrus, Zach's ring tone.

She looked up at me apologetically and asked if she should answer it.

I waved my hand, a 'go-ahead' gesture and she swiped answer putting it on speaker so we could hear.

"Hey where are you guys? We decided to stop looking and not call the police because obviously Chris is being a stubborn asshole so we're not going to bother," Zach spoke.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "Stubborn asshole?" He was hurt by Daisy too, him of all people should understand!

"I thought you understood where she's coming from Zach," Meleah said, disbelief clear in her voice.

Yeah! You tell him Meleah!

"What a dick," Salem muttered shaking her head, and I let out a laugh, which I quickly covered by coughing.

"Shhh!" Erika said, swatting my arm.

"Shut the fuck up!" Salem cried.

"What's going on?" Zach said.

"Uh, nothing," Meleah replied.

"Bullshit, is Chris there?"

"Why would Chris be here?" Meleah asked shakily.

She was always a crappy liar.

"Is Chris there?" He asked, his voice raising.

"No!" She said a little too quickly, and Salem face-palmed, making me laugh again. This time it was quieter but still evident.