HELLO EVERYONE!!! I am excited for you all to read this story. The first version of this story was written about one year ago, however it is not my writing style right now and it was so unplanned... *shivers*
ANYWAYS! Enjoy!
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Tick tock, tick tock was all I heard as I looked at the finished script. It was nowhere near perfect in my eyes, but to my boss, who is a misogynistic dirtbag, it's complete gold. The whole package. Girl chases after the man again. How ridiculous is that?
"Carter, ready to rock and roll?" I lifted my head from the computer screen to see Harper peeking her head through the doorway of my office. "I'm starving, and Rosie's is calling my name. Mr. Josby didn't bother giving me a lunch break today."
I turn off my computer, thanking the heavens above that this shift was over and it was finally time for the weekend. Never in my life have I hated a job more, but I did waste four years of my life paying money for the degree. A job is a job right? "Probably because he wants us to get this stupid script done," I mumbled as I pack away all my belongings. "You know, I was expecting more from him."
"What, he didn't like your other ending?" Harper asked and I scoffed.
"Are you kidding? Do you really think he was up for the whole idea of the women leaving her boyfriend because she deserved better? You know Josby. He always thinks they should have ended up together." I shut off all my lights and placed my brown leather purse around my shoulder. "Okay, no more talking. It's time for Rosie's. I need it after this day I've had."
"Might as well go out to the bar as well." Harper commented.
"I would love to but Chris texted me earlier telling me to facetime him later. You know him now a days, it could be really important." Sometimes having a celebrity as your best friend is challenging, especially if you are underneath his shadow. You know how difficult it is to explain to people that Captain America and I have been best friends since I was in pull ups? Very hard.
I grew up right across the street from Chris. My mom and his mom are both drama teachers, and they worked together. Right after I was born, Lisa had suggested my family move to the house that was for sale right across the street. Joy and Lisa are inseparable, just like Chris and I.
Everyone expected Chris and Reed to become best friends due to the fact they were about the same age. But for some reason, Chris and I gravitated towards each other. Despite the two year age gap. I was glad I was lucky enough to still have the same best friend since I was three. I'm more shocked he's stuck around for so long.
While Reed was more into his other friends and playing football, Chris and I would be upstairs in his room, collecting Disney DVR's on his busted TV he got at goodwill for twenty dollars. That TV had definitely seen it's brighter days, but it brought us so many fond memories.. And you thought, maybe after all of these years and his stardom, we weren't in contact.
After he graduated, he started his acting career in Los Angeles while I finished up high school and went to college at NYU for four years. Despite all his fame with Cellular and Fantastic Four, he would always call or AIM message me every night. I'd go save up all my money and fly down there with Scott to visit him. And now, years later? We're in the same city, and we're still the best of friends.
Harper and I gathered in her car and pulled out of the parking lot. Despite Chris being my best friend, it was always nice to have a girl's best friend on the side. That's where Harper comes in. Despite her being younger than me, she's like the little sister I always wanted. We've been close for about four years and it's nice to know that someone at this workplace isn't idiotic and has some taste. We always have our Rosie's Thursdays, as we like to call them. Rosie's in a hot dog place where the waitresses come out in roller skates and deliver your food. It's quite awesome.. it's quite LA.
As Harper drives and rants about her day, I look out the window and completely zone out. Chris had texted me a few hours ago that I had to facetime him later on. Even though we see each other every Saturday and text almost every single day, it was quite strange that he wants to facetime me. He only does it when it is quite important. It's making me nervous, real nervous.
Chris never keeps secrets from me though. I never keep secrets from him. But I have a gut feeling that something bad is going to happen. Something that I am not going to like one bit. Shut it Reece, I think to myself. You are just overthinking everything again.
Harper pulls into the aesthetically pleasing diner and pulls into our normal slot we always used. Before we can even place in our order, Stevie is here to take our order. Stevie was the one that built up this place. It was her father's old restaurant before he passed away years ago, and now it's one of the most popular places in LA.
"Hi Stevie," Harper smiled at Stevie.
"Hey girls, just getting your usual dogs?" She asked in her thick country accent and we both nodded. "Hey Reece, quick question for you darlin."
"What's up Stevie?" I asked, unbuckling my seatbelt in the parked car so I could get more comfortable.
"Who's Chris's girlfriend? I saw her today in the magazine while I was getting my nails done and the girl has more plastic in her than the ocean." I scoffed softly. God, Sawyer.
"Sawyer Petrova, aka a money hunger leach." Harper told Stevie and I hit her arm softly. "Hey!"
"Listen, I am not the biggest fan of her either but I don't want you talking bad about her." I told them both. "She's a human like everyone else and she already gets enough hate as it is. Besides, she makes Chris happy."
The car fell silent as the background music only filled the car. Believe me, I hated Sawyer more than anything in this world. I knew my best friend Chris better than anybody else besides his own mother or brother. I know deep down, she's not his happy ending. I hope one day he can realize it to. "Alrighty then," Stevie interrupts my own thought, clicking her pen closed. "I'll be back in a bit."
Stevie had roller-skated away and Harper playfully slaps my shoulder. "What?!" I say defensively.
"Why are you defending her?"
"I am not defending her one bit!" I argued. "My reasoning is, she's my best friends girlfriend... or whatever you want to call her. As much as I would love to shit talk her, it just doesn't feel right. I mean, if Chris is somewhat happy. It's a happy medium, right?"
"Said literally nobody ever." She tells me, but I just roll my eyes.
As we moved past the subject of him and Sawyer, it rested in the back of my mind all night. Normally this stuff had never bothered me. Who was I kidding? It did bother me. I knew deep inside of me, there is a burning love for him. Not the platonic love, but the love you get in the movies. The fourth of July fireworks that exploded when you look at someone. The only person who knows about this secret love I have for my best friend was Scott, his brother. But we barely talk about it because I always want to avoid it. It's something I wouldn't want to ruin. He is happy with Sawyer. I cannot ruin that for him. He's my best friend.
We ate our food like we always do every Thursday, eating our hot dogs and talking shit about her boss. My life wasn't very exciting unlike my own best friend. With his stardom and his reputation of being an A-list celebrity, being his best friend was very intimidating. I live in a old firehouse, I work a 9-5 job and just like everyone in LA, I had dreams of becoming a writer. But I'm just one of the lost stars that rest in this restless town. Chris got lucky. I hope one day I become one of those lucky stars.
Harper eventually dropped me off at my doorstep. I said my goodbyes to Harper and grabbed all of my things before headed off to my front door. "Let me know how everything goes with Chris's phone call!" She shouts out.
"I will, I will." I reply back as I grabbed my keys, unlocking my door. I heard her black Jeep drive away as I entered my home. I like to call it my vintage paradise. Old fashioned pop bottles covered the shelves and my vintage looking fridge stood in front of the whole kitchen. As soon as I placed my purse down, my phone started to buzz.
It's Chris.
I ran upstairs to answer on my MacBook like I always did. I fixed up my hair as I clicked over to the answer button. A few moments went by until I saw his cheeky face on the screen. "Isn't it late over there?" I asked him and he let off a soft chuckle.
"3 am, that's nothing." He tells me. He was in New York City at the time. He didn't tell me the exact reason, which made me wonder... why did he magically just go to New York? It wasn't normal of him to just go to a place for no reason. The only places he truly enjoyed going was Boston. "How was work? And Rosie's?" He asked me.
"Don't even get me started on work-" I mentioned, before hearing a familiar giggle in the background. My eyebrows furrowed, looking at him. "Chris? Is that Sawyer-"
Suddenly, she stumbled her way into the camera. She was drunk, you could just tell. "Hi Reece," She giggled, waving towards me. The only time she was nice to me was when she was drunk in front of Chris. I wanted to smack the gimmick of her.
"Hi Sawyer," I say in a fake tone. I give Chris a long questionable look. "Um, Chris? What the heck is going on?"
"I uh," He stuttered softly. Before he could even reply, drunk Sawyer pitched in.
"Oh, c'mon! Let's tell her." Sawyer insisted.
"Tell me what?" I say slowly.
"Oh, okay well... I'll tell her." Sawyer says turning to Chris, and then back to the camera. She lifted up her left hand and my heart felt like it had sunk to the bottom of the ocean. This couldn't be happening. "We're getting married!"
They're getting married?!
My mouth hung open, no words being wanted to leave my mouth. It had felt like my life was being played on a huge television screen and we were on an infinite minute commercial break. I looked at Chris, whose head hung low. He didn't even look at me
"Wow, uh.. congrats." I said softly. Really Reece, congrats? Congrats is the last thing that they need. Your best friend is making stupid choices.
"Thank you!" Sawyer cheered as she looked at the shiny rock that rested on her finger. The ring was definitely not cheap. It's like he was wanting to do this. He had never mentioned it to me, he never mentioned it to Scott or Reed. I don't even think he had mentioned it to Lisa. "Oh Reece, it was so romantic. We've been in New York because of New York fashion week right? So we have been to a lot of after parties hence why we've been out so late. He took me to Central Park and next thing I know... he's asking me to marry me! And the ring is so beautiful, Tiffany too! Aw, isn't it pretty Reece?"
"Very pretty," I managed to get out. I felt like I was about to burst into tears. I don't even know why? I didn't even like relationships after what had happened between my ex and I. But this... this was my soulmate. Everyone always thought we would end up married. It was always supposed to me Reece and Chris. Since day one. "I actually have to start getting ready for bed, Harper wants me to go shopping with her." I say, making up a lie.
"I'll let you two say your goodbyes, I got to brush my teeth." She giggled, kissing him on the cheek. Once I heard the door had shut and I knew she was gone, Chris looks up at me. "Reece-"
"Save it." I muttered. "Are you fucking kidding me Christopher? Have you hit your head or something?!" I snapped quietly. "Out of all these people on planet Earth. You chose the blonde headed bimbo as your bride to be?"
"I knew you we're going to react like this..." He runs his hands through his hair and I scoff.
"Why, because I am right?" I tell him. "Chris. You guys haven't even been dating a year. I know you're an adult male and everything, and that you can make your own choices. But as your best friend, I want what is best for you and Sawyer is not that."
"I love her Reece," Chris tells me. "I'm getting older, and... I don't know. I feel Sawyer is what I need." I let out the biggest laugh.
"Fuck out of my face with that one," I say, letting the Boston come out of me. "Sawyer is what you need? Oh give me a break. You know what you need? A therapist because you are delusional."
I immediately hung up the call and got up from my chair, pissed at the world. What the hell is he thinking? It's his choice and I know I have no control on what he picks and chooses because I am not his mother, I am not his babysitter, but I am his best friend. I make my way to the bed and let out the ugliest cries into my pillow. Never in my life had I felt more betrayed in my life. A few moments later, my phone started to buzz .
"I swear if it's Chris, I will throw my phone against the wall." I mumbled to myself, turning my phone over. Just Scott, my favorite Evans at the moment. I swiped to answer and put the phone to my ear.
"You've already heard, haven't you?" He asked me and I nodded.
"Yup, yours truly got to hear it from Sawyer herself." I cried softly, wiping my tears away. I heard him let out a big sigh, not really knowing what to do in this situation. It was his older brother, who he had looked up to for many years. But then there was his best friend, who was me in this situation who had a undying love for his brother that he only knew about. "Fucker didn't look at me when she told me."
"He didn't want to tell you." He whispered.
"Did you know about this Scott?" I asked him. "Did you know about the engagement? Because I swear, if you did."
"No, I didn't." Scott tells me. "I wish I did."
I laughed the driest laugh I could get out of my body. He didn't even bother telling his family about this. This wasn't typical of Chris. This wasn't the Chris we knew. "I'm sorry Reece," Scott sincerely tells me.
"It's alright Scott, you didn't do anything." I tell him, and I hear a soft sigh on the other side of the phone.
"I just don't know what he's thinking." Scott tells me. "I mean, he's talked to me about how he doesn't think she's the one. It sounded like he had no desire to do such a thing."
"Well, he did." I mumbled, sitting myself up on my bed. "Look, I shouldn't be upset about this. It's his life after all. It's his choice."
"You're absolutely right," Scott tells me. "However, you also have every right to have the emotions you have. You care about him deeply. You're in love with him. We can't just turn off these feelings like a light switch."
"If only it was that easy."
"If only," He laughs. "But tell me Reece, what do you do when you're sad?"
"Scott, you know this." I giggled quietly.
"I know that I know this, but I want you to tell me what you do when you're sad. Sometimes speaking it out to be people makes the pain more bearable."
"I like to write," I smile to myself, thinking about my dream of one day publishing a story of my own and not being underneath Josby's control.
"Okay and what does Reece like to write about?" He asked me, even though he already knows the answer to this question. He's trying to play therapist on me.
"My feelings," I whispered. "I put everything that I am feeling in my heart into words."
"Then Reece, I have an idea." Scott says. "Write a book. I know it sounds crazy, but you don't even have to publish it. It can just be like a diary of some sorts."
"What would I even write about?" I asked him. "Dear diary, I woke up today and saw my best friend all over the news. He is actually engaged to someone who is not good for him. What help is that supposed to do?"
"Okay, it wouldn't be anything like that." He tells me. "Have you ever seen 10 Things I Hate About You?"
"Well aware of the movie."
"Write stuff you hate about Chris."
"I don't hate him!" I argue.
"Oh really? You don't hate anything about my older brother right now? So you love the fact that he's getting married to Sawyer?"
"No!"
"Okay, you just proved my point." Scott says. "Sure you may love a person, but you don't love everything that he does... right?"
I look over to my MacBook. The keys are untouched, and they are eying me, wanting to be typed on. The vibe of the room is full of sorrow which was once filled with pure joy just thinking about Chris.
"Fine, I'll give it a shot." I mumbled softly and I hear him cheer on the other side of the phone.
"You better let me read it while you're writing. I swear if this becomes the next Fault In Our Stars, I want some royalties." He joked and I rolled my eyes.
"Bye Scott," I laughed.
"Bye Reece, call me if you need anything. Love you."
"Love you too." I tell him before hanging up the phone. Suddenly I wasn't feeling as sad as I was a few moments ago. I had a pep in my step. I wasn't happy, but just a cluster full of emotions.
I get up from my bed, and sit at the exact same place I was talking to Chris. My hand hovered over the mouse and clicked on the empty word document. I sighed to myself before closing my eyes, c'mon Reece. You got this. My fingers touched the keys, and in big bold letters I typed.
Things I Hate About You. By Reece Carter.