~**~
continuation of one of my previous stories,
"Dandelions Are Better Than Roses"
Tw: angst, bullying, crying, depression
ONE SHOT OF ONLY NICK AND CHRIS
~**~
Nick was captain of the volleyball team, he really enjoyed it and didn't end up crying and quitting the first day he joined the team which was awfully shocking.
It was the triplets junior year of high school, Nick had been spending all his spare time at practice. It was practically his home.
Chris usually just stayed home waiting till Nick came home which was about 6:30 to 7:00 sometimes. He did basketball, but got kicked from the team when his coach deemed his grades weren't high enough to stay.
Usually, when Nick came home he would shower, have a quick meal and go to bed.
When he went to bed was the time where he and Chris would spend their time together. They would cuddle and eventually fall asleep, following the same routine each day.
Chris wanted to spend more time with Nick, but figured that it would be selfish to not let his brother pursue his dreams. It was great that he found something he loved. When he went to Nick's games it was his smile that meant more than the games, bright and warm enlightening the court.
When their team would win, Chris would get up and cheer for Nick. It was amazing.
Nick was.
~**~
These couple of weeks, Nick would sleepover at his team mates houses after practice. He decided it would be better for him and his team to work harder.
Chris would be left alone on his cold bedsheets, the eerie, icy wind flowing swiftly through the slightly open window next to his almost vacant bed. The soft aura of the moon's rays shined down on his bed, Chris even let some tears escape his ocean eyes. He hadn't been sleeping till 3 in the morning, Nick not there to help him.
He hadn't even gained the motivation to go to school or even get up, not brushing his teeth, taking showers or even eating.
He already had 30+ absences and it was only the beginning of the year. Chris also got bullied everyday at school, being called ugly, getting kicked until his legs were bruised.
He missed when he and Nick would spend all their time together. A cold tear fell slowly from his eye down his pale freckled face that was outlined from the moonlight.
He wiped his tears that kept on falling, a sigh escaping his slightly parted lips as he swallowed the lump in his throat.
He turned from the window bringing his thin fuzzy blanket to his shoulders as his eyes fell shut and the tears eventually stopped.
~**~
The next morning he got out of bed, the bright sun rays burning his eyes. He yawned, pulling his thin blanket off of his body.
Mary Lou was working morning shifts, gone in the early daylight. Jimmy was on a 2 week long business trip, In Florida. Chris walked to the bathroom, his eye bags dark, almost scary to even look at.
He took a look at his yellow teeth, ashamed of how he hadn't even brushed them in over 4 weeks. He put his tooth brush into his mouth, the cold toothpaste hitting his uncared for teeth. He brushed his teeth slowly, his swollen gums aching as the bristles passed by them.
He spit the toothpaste out, blood mixed with blue liquid. He coughed, blood still shooting out of his mouth and into the sink.
He got into the shower, warm water falling onto his bones that were almost transparent through his pale white skin.
The warm water soon turning cold, Chris's warm tears falling down his freckled face apparent to being the only heat source.
He finished washing himself and turned off the shower head, going into Nick's room. He always liked wearing his Nick's clothes instead of his, being warmer and more comforting.
He grabbed a black hoodie, inhaling the musky clean scent that radiated from the hoodie. He pulled put on his own old denim jeans, slightly dirty. He just picked out his dirty and beat up air forces, memories of being kicked and beaten coming back to his mind as he slung his backpack that hadn't been touched in over 2 months onto his tired shoulder.
He put on deodorant and sprayed Nick's cologne, loving the sweet smell that reminded him of his older brother. He walked out of his room running into Trevor, and petting his short beige fur.
"bye trev," he rasped out, his voice thick with tears.
He cleared his throat and slammed his old creaky door walking out, grey clouds filling the sky as slight drizzles fell onto the ground, getting heavier. He put in his AirPods, tears still streaming down his face and blending with the cold raindrops that fell upon Chris's hoodie as he trailed off to school.
~**~
When he arrived at the rusty building, he walked through the large metal doors and saw mobs of people walk through the cream colored walls of the long hallway.
He sighed, he was back into this hellhole.
To be honest, he almost forgot his schedule but he remembered most of it.
He walked towards his locker, which was next to Nick's so maybe he would have a chance to see him.
He saw Nick walk toward his locker, opening it and revealing photographs of him and his friends that was once of him and Chris. Had he forgotten that he had a brother or something? It's okay.
"Hey Nick.." Chris greeted him, trying to hide the photographs that was taped onto his locker of him and Nick so he didn't seem even more pathetic.
His brother had styled his hair differently, dying it a light blonde. It looked very good, but oddly reminded him of the haircut his bully had.
"Hi." Nick replied dryly, searching through his locker not even directing his gaze to Chris. Maybe he was just not in the mood to talk to anyone. Or maybe just Chris.
He at least expected Nick to ask him how he was, which by the way, he was doing terrible. If Nick would even look at him he would see Chris's enormous eye bags, or pale as milk skin that barely coated his bony face. Burning hot tears built up in his light blue eyes, as he tried to blink them back.
"Are you gonna come-" before Chris could finish his question, one of Nick's friends walked up to him tapping him on the shoulder.
"Hey Nick!" His teammate said, Chris expected Nick to respond back to him dryly like he did to Chris, but instead a big smile grew on his face as he turned around wrapping his friend into a huge hug. That was who was on Nick's locker,
Nick's new bestfriend. Chris's replacement.
His friend has blonde hair, the same shade as Nick's, and styled in the same way.
He looked awfully familiar, his facial features. Oh.. that was Chris's bully, the one that beat him till he was bleeding a puddle, the one that spread horrible rumors about him around the whole school. The one who dejected his ego, and self esteem. They walked away, Nick not even noticing Chris, not even saying goodbye.
"b-bye." Chris said, his hand lifting up in a tiny wave as his voice cracked letting his heavy tears go, streaming down his bony face.
It's sad when someone you love more than anything becomes someone you don't know.
Chris wiped his tears with the sleeve of his brothers hoodie, hiccuping as he tried to quiet his racking sobs. He slammed his blue metal locker door shut, as He kept his head down. He speed-walked to the bathroom, not running to seem weird. Still, he could see through the blurry tears that guarded his eye-sight, people giving him weird looks and whispering to their friends.
Sure, maybe he was being dramatic but Nick and Chris hadn't talked for almost 2 months! Not even texting or calling. They were inseparable, until everything changed.
He whimpered, still trembling slightly from the rough sobs that escaped his body.
He walked toward the mirror, turning on the faucet and waiting for the water to turn cold.
He splashed the water onto his face and he didn't even feel it, every part of his body numb. Just so numb.
he rubbed his eyes till they didn't look like he just sobbed his heart out.
He fluffed up his almond brown locks, walking out of the bathroom and heading to his next class. He dreaded it, to be honest.
He walked on the hard wood floor of the halls, the bright light flickering as Chris roamed the empty halls. He knocked on the door of the classroom, trailing in with his head down as everyone's eyes turned to him. He started walking towards his uncomfortable seat.
"And where do you think your going young man? Why are you late?" The elderly teacher that sat at his lectern asked him sternly, a globe on the edge of the desk.
Chris ignored him and followed to his chair, sliding down slightly and folding his arms. A girl next to him gave him a dirty look, acting as if he was some disease.
He looked at her as his icy blue eyes filled with darkness, she turned away once she saw the state he was in.
"Don't ignore me young man." The teacher spoke again, pointing a finger at Chris from across the room. "Christopher!"
He spat. Slamming his fist on the desk, his face turning a light shade of red as the students let out quiet giggles at the brunette boy.
The teacher sighed, closing his eyes as his hand unclenched, he brought his fingers up to his forehead to massage his temples, trying to calm his tense headache. "Detention." He said, quieter.
Great, just what he needed.
~**~
He sighed, as he made his way to the empty classroom that held detention.
He saw a bunch of kids that sat at the desks giggling and whispering, he also heard his name in a conversation. He slung his backpack off of his shoulder and sat at an empty desk located at the back of the room.
He kept his head down on his arms and closed his eyes, imagining that he and Nick were fine. That they were once again inseparable like they once were.
Fuck this.
Maybe he would go and sneak out of the noisy classroom that had crumbled paper in every corner of the baby blue colored room.
He got up, without the teacher noticing and walked on the squeaky white floor, he passed the gym seeing Nick and his friend, Jase, (also Chris's bully) practicing volleyball as they took turns bumping and serving the dirty white ball.
Nick dropped the ball by accident, messing up the hits that went on in a row.
Chris watched through the doors, as the blue eyed boy put his hand over his mouth when he dropped the ball.
"Nick!" Jase shouted at him, angrily.
Nick removed his hand from his mouth, "I'm sorry.. I-I" he went on apologetically.
Jase sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"We are never gonna win the tournament with your skills! Try harder Nick, I thought you were better then this. But maybe your just not as good as I thought you were.."
Jase said, manipulatively, trying to make him feel bad as he picked up the ball.
"I'm sorry! It won't happen again, I promise." Nick begged, walking up to the other boy and grabbing his hands.
"Okay. It better not." Jase replied, as he pulled him in for a fake hug and smirked evilly.
Chris's blood boiled, how dare he treat him like that.
Jase spotted Chris, spying through the doorway as he pulled away from Nick.
"Why don't you get more balls from the back of the gym?" He said,
"Okay." Nick obeyed, jogging up the stage to fetch the sport items.
Jase approached Chris, at a slow pace as he tried to intimidate Him. "If it isn't Chris!" He said, acting suprised as he yanked Chris inside the gym.
"Haven't seen you in so long! Are you still depressed? You probably haven't taken a shower in so long since this morning. Or brushed your teeth matter of fact, but I expected it. Your not any different." Jase laughed, taunting the brunette boy.
"Shut up Jase." Chris mumbled back, looking down at his shoes.
"What's that? You want another trip to the mental hospital because I can give you that." Jase said, circling the poor boy in an almost eerie way.
"Say it. Don't be scared." Jase said, pushing Chris roughly as he fell back.
"Don't be fucking scared. Oh you must be,
Menty." Jase laughed, his shoes making an irritating noise against the floor of the court.
"No wonder coach kicked you off the team, your so weak. Don't even fight back." Jase said in a fake sounding concerned voice, bending down to look at the boy at the floor who currently was on the verge of tears.
Jase let out a sigh, lending him an arm and roughly lifting him up slightly, "don't play with me Chrissy. I'll mess you up." He whispered in his ear, letting go of him so he lands back on the floor aggressively.
"Now get out of here. Before I actually do." Jase said threateningly, "go!" He shouted, as Chris got up and left. Slightly sniffling, maybe the things he said were true. Maybe he was just weak.
~**~
He walked into a dark alley, sobbing into his hands about his whole life falling apart. He slid down the dirty pavement walls as he threw his backpack against the wet ground, landing in a splash.
The heavy rain hit the ground like large pebbles, Chris hated the rain.
He screamed sobbed, his head throbbing as tears poured down his face enough to fill a bucket.
He heard footsteps in the distance, approaching him as little splashes of water outlined the person walking towards him.
He sniffled looking to see Nick coming through the alley,
"Chris? What's wrong?" He asked worriedly coming through the dark and wet tunnel.
"Nick- I- He isn't who you think he is" Chris said in between tears, his hands on his knees.
"Chris. What are you talking about? Who?" Nick asked, his voice slightly quiet due to the heavy and loud rain, Nick getting closer to Chris.
"Jase. Please he isn't, he's evil. He is the one who made me cry all those nights, he made me bleed so much, and he might use you.."
"No- I- it must be a different person. You don't know what you're talking about. Jase isn't like that." Nick stated incredulously, laughing in between his sentence, stepping his way closer to Chris.
"Nick please!" Chris begged, standing up and trying to grab his hand.
Nick yanked his hand back, stepping away. "Stop.. Chris-"
"Please!" Chris sobbed, "you left me! You left me for so long by myself and I suffered more the you think." Chris yelled, sobbing.
"No. You don't want me to be happy. I finally found something I liked and your just- just unbelievable! You're not happy for me at all Chris. I can't believe you. Don't talk to me." Nick screamed, his tone getting quieter throughout the sentence.
"Nick.. please.. I love you, and I'm so happy for you." Chris said, pulling Nick towards him desperately, feeling like his heart had been torn apart roughly. His eyes hurt from so much crying, feeling dizzy as the deep anguish strikes again.
"Get off of me. I hate you, why would you lie about Jase like that? Why Chris? Why you?" Nick agonized, pushing his brother back.
He ran out of the alley, his figure disappearing as he fades into the darkish fog. The rain in the background matching the brunette boy left in the alley disheveled, and alone.
Alone, again.
~**~
do you guys want another part? 😏
Maybe I'll post another part..
Vote = Hug for Chrissy 🥹🫶
XoXo - Jade 🤍