➶ ｡˚ CHAPTER FIVE !! ° ┊
[ real life ]
✧ ━━ ❛ you're in serious shit ❜
✧ °₊ ᴵᴿᴸ !
"SO SORRY I'M LATE, MARC," coraline apologizes while fastening her apron behind her back.
"it's okay," marc assures her, "we all have those days."
marc is the person who usually does the night shift, since oscar's is open 24/7. he's a grown man, about 40 years old. coraline has never understood why he still works the night shifts after all those years, because it's a really shitty job. come on, working at night... and it's not like it gets paid well or whatever.
marc takes off his apron and walks to the storage room, coraline frowns as she watches him do so. it seems like he's going home, but then he leaves her alone and the morning rush is about to start.
hold on, there's no fucking way she's going to do the morning rush all by herself! she almost falls asleep standing up, how the fuck will she manage to keep the diner under control at 6:30 in the morning?
"wait, are you leaving me here alone?"
"alone?" he asks surprised. he laughs, "of course not! there's a new kid assisting you, but he's..." he raises his wrist and pushes his shirt aside to look at his watch, "fifteen minutes late."
"oh."
"yeah," marc nods, "oscar told me he put him with you because he's ― what shall i say ― quite a case."
coraline raises her eye brows hearing marc's description, "and he put him with me?"
marc nods, opening the door. "you have character, coraline," he tells her, standing in the doorway, "and guessing from what oscar said to me, you're going to need that." he gives her one last nod and closes the door behind him, leaving her all alone behind the counter with the words he just spoke.
she's really confused and a little worried, pondering marc's cryptic comments about the new kid, but she decides to stop thinking about it ― she'll find out more about him soon enough ― and starts to prepare for the morning rush.
she checks the coffee machines and ensures that the pastry display is fully stocked, sometimes helping a customer in need. everytime the bell rings, meaning the door opens, she turns around, expecting to see "quite a case" like marc called him, but ten minutes later she's still alone behind the counter.
she clenches her jaw, getting a little frustrated because what the fuck? you can't just sleep twenty minutes longer and then come up with a lame excuse like "there was a lot of traffic" or something! whoever this kid is, he'll need to come up with a damn good reason for all of this.
she sighs as she pulls out her phone, leaning her elbows on the counter. she's scrolling through her socials in boredom, when a familiar face enters the diner. automatically, coraline whips her head up at the noice of the bell at the door ringing for the twentieth time this morning and her eyes quickly narrow at the sight of chris in the doorway.
she immediately shoots straight, shoving her phone back into her pocket.
she completely forgot about chris' mysterious fuss about the diner and his "hockey meeting", which he apparently doesn't have at all. now that's becoming even clearer, because he's standing there all alone, no belongings with him and no friends around.
coraline stares at him, in a kind of trance, trying to find an explanation of what he could possibly be looking for in a small, stupid diner, but she can't find a single one. a boy like chris has no single business in oscar's diner.
what's even more suspicious to her, is that he's all alone. coraline doesn't think she's ever seen chris alone, like ever. he's always accompanied by either his pack of weird hockey teammates or one of his two triplet brothers.
she's still staring at him as he looks around, before his eyes fall on the bowl of cupcakes and he walks over to take one. that's when coraline snaps out of her trance. she narrows her eyes, immediately approaching him.
"what the hell do you think you're doing?"
chris looks up and smirks when he sees coraline's face, taking a big bite right in front of her. coraline stares at him blankly, using every little bit of self control in her to not just attack him. he's not worth it, she kept repeating to herself, he's so not worth it. but oh, it would feel so good to punch him in the face just once.
chris remains nochalant as he blows some air off his lips, "well, hello there," he says casually, as if he isn't literally stealing a cupcake right in front of her, "lovely as always, huh evans?"
coraline lets a few seconds pass as she crosses her arms, "you know," she says, "for someone who prides himself on being a big shot, you sure have a petty way of showing it. stealing cupcakes? what's next, swiping napkins to prove you're the ultimate bad boy?"
"i'm not stealing," chris answers dryly as he swallows, "you're so paranoid."
"then what would you call it?" coraline challenges, "last time i checked, taking something without paying is called stealing."
chris, unbothered by her accusation, leisurely finishes his bite of the cupcake. "again," he says, his tone dripping with an ease that only serves to irritate her further, "i'm not stealing, i'm allowed to eat this cupcake."
"allowed?" she repeats, "only customers who pay and employees who are on their break are allowed to eat cupcakes, chris, and you're not one of them."
chris raises an eyebrow, a smirk still playing on his lips, "yes, i am," he simply says, then he takes another bite of his stupid cupcake.
coraline frowns, "what."
the joy is clearly visible in chris' eyes, "yeah, i'm a little late though, hope you don't mind."
she blinks at him twice, "you work here?"
"jesus, you're slow," he mumbles.
coraline's frustration brims over as chris's revelation sinks in.
there is no way he's working at the exact diner she works in now. all this time, she's been dealing with his arrogant attitude, and now he's not just some entitled customer, but a coworker? it's like a nightmare unfolding before her.
"are you fucking kidding me?" she mutters under her breath, shaking her head in disbelief, "you? since when?"
chris shrugs, "today," he casually replies.
"who the fuck was insane enough to hire you?" she demands, her voice sharp with irritation.
"oscar," chris answers simply, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.
coraline grits her teeth, trying to contain her anger. "this is ridiculous," she mutters, running a hand through her hair in frustration, "i can't believe i have to work with you."
"alright, alright," he says, "you can at least try to hide your disgust, it's not really motivating."
coraline's mind races with confusion and frustration as chris casually munches on the cupcake, declaring himself a new employee as if it were the most natural revelation in the world. his audacity leaves her flabbergasted, struggling to mesh this new reality with her preconceived notions of him.
"why?" she asks, ignoring chris' previous comment, "it's not like you need the money or something."
he flashes a cocky grin, seemingly unfazed by her skepticism, before launching into his explanation. "well, you know how it is, evans," he begins, his voice dripping with self-assurance, "when you're as charming as i am, opportunities tend to fall into your lap. my uncle practically begged me to join the team."
coraline's eyes widen, "your uncle?"
chris lets out a laugh, "you didn't know?" he exclaims, "you didn't even realize that the last name of your boss is the same as mine? auch, that's a little embarrassing."
"fuck off," coraline snaps, "you're literally doing all this to piss me off. why would you chose to work here while you know i already do?"
"woah, hang on there," chris says, looking a little offended, "i didn't chose to work here, evans, i was forced to."
he sets the remainder of the cupcake down, wiping his fingers on a napkin as he scoffs, "chose? seriously? who do you think i am? i have no single interest in this place."
"then why are you here?"
"well," he starts to explain, "my uncle found out about some... let's call them indiscretions of mine."
he flashes her a smile, like it's something to smile about, "he figured putting me to work here would teach me responsibility or something."
coraline's eyebrows shoot up in surprise. "indiscretions?" she echoes, "what the fuck is that supposed to mean?"
chris sighs, "you know, typical teenage stuff. staying out too late, bending a few rules here and there... nothing major, but my uncle's old-school, thinks a bit of hard work will set me straight."
the picture becomes clearer, and coraline finds herself caught between annoyance and a reluctant understanding. oscar's motivations for hiring chris make sense in a twisted sort of way, but chris has been a thorn in her side for as long as she can remember, with his arrogant demeanor and his knack for getting under her skin. the thought of working alongside him, relying on him during the busiest shifts, is almost too much to bear.
"great," coraline mutters sarcastically, "so now i'm stuck babysitting you?"
chris meets her gaze, a challenge in his eyes, "seems like you are, huh?" he says, shrugging, "but don't worry, i'm a fast learner, great with rules and stuff."
coraline snorts at that, unable to help the disbelief that paints her expression, "great with rules?" she repeats with a look, "this coming from the guy who made sneaking out and rule-breaking an olympic sport?"
chris' grin only widens at her jab, a gleam of mischief sparking in his eyes, "hey, i like to think of it as living life to the fullest. besides, girls love rebels," he retorts, leaning back slightly as if her words were nothing but a gentle breeze against his confidence.
"or they find them incredibly annoying." coraline mumbles to herself. she looks at chris, who meanwhile already had his cupcake in his hands again.
she doesn't think the boy has ever been put to work at all, since he probably has thousands of maids at home, doing everything for him. this will not be easy.
"alright, if you're so great with rules, let me give you your first one," she challenges, "no eating while working." she snatches his cupcake from his hands and throws it straight into the bin.
chris' face registers a flash of genuine surprise, his eyes following the trajectory of his cupcake as it lands unceremoniously in the bin. the smirk quickly returns to his face, but coraline can tell she's managed to get under his skin, even if just a little.
"harsh, evans," he says, the challenge in his eyes now mixed with a hint of amusement, "but fair enough i guess."
coraline crosses her arms, feeling a tiny bit of satisfaction at having wiped that smug look off his face, if only for a second. "exactly. and rule number two," she continues, finding some semblance of control in the situation, "is to actually work. you know, take orders, clean tables, that sort of thing. not just wandering around eating cupcakes."
chris raises an eyebrow, his posture relaxed, almost as if he's enjoying this back-and-forth more than he should, "you really think i can't handle a bit of honest work?"
she eyes him skeptically, "i think you're more used to commanding others than doing the dirty work yourself."
"well," chris says, pushing off from where he leans against the counter, "guess it's time to prove you wrong, evans." there's a new determination in his stance, maybe brought on by her challenge, or perhaps it's the need to uphold his reputation.
"alright, mr. rebel," coraline says, as she takes an apron and throws it at him, "let's see if you can keep up. first task: wipe down the tables. and after that, you can help restock the condiment station."
chris nods, a playful yet determined glint in his eye, "consider it done, boss," he says, and coraline can't help but roll her eyes at the nickname.
as chris grabs a cloth and heads towards the nearest table, coraline watches him, a mix of curiosity and wariness in her gaze. part of her wonders if this is some elaborate prank or if he's genuinely trying to make a good impression. either way, coraline realizes that chris' presence in the diner might not be as unbearable as she initially thought. if anything, it could be entertaining to see him try to navigate the basics of a job he clearly has no experience in.
as the morning rush begins to wane, coraline finds herself inadvertently checking on chris' progress more often than she cares to admit. surprisingly, or perhaps annoyingly, he doesn't seem to be doing too badly.
the boy is currently wiping down a table near the window, the morning sunlight catching in his hair, and for a moment ― just a moment ― coraline sees him in a different light. not as the arrogant, trouble-making jock she's known him to be, but just a guy trying to make the best out of a situation he didn't choose for himself.
her moment of reflection is interrupted by the chime of the door, signaling the entrance of a few more customers. coraline watches how chris immediately greets them with a smile and a menu. she has to admit, in her envy, that his charm evidently comes in handy. customers seem to enjoy his attention, his easy smiles and his stupid jokes about donuts and croissants.
the diner begins to settle into the peace that comes after the breakfast crowd, allowing coraline a moment to actually breathe. she takes out her phone and immediately sees a message from her mother appear on her screen.
mom
Are you sure your boyfriend is free Saturday?
Otherwise I'll talk to your father about it, I'm sure he'll also be okay with meeting him on another day.
she stares at the message, feeling how all the emotions and thoughts of this morning come back to the surface. she forgot, but she's still fucked, badly fucked.
she sighs as she puts her phone down, rubbing her eyes. of course, as if she doesn't have enough on her mind, chris has noticed her sudden mood change.
"trouble in paradise?" his voice carries a hint of amusement as he approaches the counter, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. coraline glares at him, wishing she could will him into disappearance.
"none of your fucking business," she snaps, hoping he'll leave her alone, but chris leans against the counter, completely unbothered.
"come on, i've seen that look before. what's up?" he urges, his tone now a mixture of teasing and genuine interest.
coraline shoots him a look that could sour milk, "don't you have a table to clean or something?"
chris raises his hands in a mock surrender but doesn't move away, "just asking, you've been staring at your phone like it's a death sentence."
"it's personal."
"great, i love personal stuff," he keeps trying, "tell me."
coraline hesitates, caught between the instinct to keep her personal life private and the overwhelming need to vent to someone, anyone, even if it's chris sturniolo.
well, it's not like he cares much, right? he'll have forgotten it by tomorrow.
"it's... my parents," she admits reluctantly, biting her lip as she stares at the window, "they were nagging my ass off about a wedding and a boy they had found for me and... well, i might have kind of lied and said i already had one."
chris listens, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise, but he doesn't interrupt.
"and now," she pauses and takes a breath, "now they expect me to bring a boyfriend to family dinner saturday, the same "boyfriend" that'll accompany me to the wedding."
chris raises an eyebrow, his interest clearly peaked. "and let me guess, you don't actually have one?"
coraline rolls her eyes at the amusement in his eyes and the stupid grimace on his face, "no, chris, i don't."
for a moment, there's silence between them, then chris lets out a low whistle, "wow, evans," he says, "you keep surprising me."
the silence stretches out, charged with an energy coraline can't quite define. she's half expecting chris to just burst out laughing in front of her, and to be honest, she wouldn't even blame him if he did.
"you're in serious shit," he mumbles.
she narrows her eyes at him, annoyed by his comment, "yeah chris, i figured," she says, her voice filled with sarcasm, "but what the hell was i supposed to do?"
chris scoffs in response, "well, have you tried being honest?"
coraline lets out a sarcastic laugh at chris' suggestion, feeling a surge of defensiveness rise within her. "oh, sure," she retorts, "because honesty has worked so well for me in the past. i'm sure my parents would love to hear that i've lied to them about having a boyfriend."
chris raises an eyebrow, unfazed by her sharp response, "yeah, making up a fake one isn't exactly a stroke of genius either, is it?"
coraline grits her teeth, irritation simmering beneath the surface, "thanks for the insight, captain obvious," she snaps, shooting him a glare.
chris chuckles, pushing himself off the counter with an ease that only fuels coraline's irritation further. he moves a bit closer, his smirk deepening, clearly amused by her predicament. "well, evans, since i'm so insightful," he begins, his voice laced with a mocking warmth, "how about i offer you a solution?"
coraline raises an eyebrow, "and what would that be? magic?" she retorts, her tone dripping with skepticism.
"better," chris says, his eyes glinting with a mix of mischief and confidence, "me."
coraline immediately scoffs, "you?" she exclaims, disbelief coloring her tone, "what? as my boyfriend?"
chris nods, his smirk still hasn't left his face.
"absolutely not."
"why not?" he asks indignantly, "i'm charming, good-looking, and ― according to you ― an excellent liar. what more could you want in a pretend boyfriend?"
coraline crosses her arms over her chest, meeting his smug gaze with a glare of her own. "i don't think you have room left for a fake girlfriend with that ego of yours." she says.
"let's be honest, evans," he continues, his voice taking on a slightly softer edge as he senses her hesitation, "you need a date, i'm available. it's like fate wanted it that way, what could be more perfect?"
"it's not only about dating, chris," coraline's tone holds a mix of exasperation and incredulity, her arms still crossed in a defensive posture, "it's about convincing my family that i'm in a committed, serious relationship. you acting like... well, you, won't exactly scream 'long-term material' to them."
but chris' confidence doesn't waver, and if anything, his smile widens at the challenge, "you underestimate my acting skills," he retorts, his voice tinged with amusement, "give me some credit, evans. i can be the most devoted, loving boyfriend your parents have ever seen. prince charming with a touch of bad boy just for kicks."
"that's exactly what worries me," coraline mumbles in response.
chris looks at her as silence of a few seconds falls in between them, then he shrugs, "there's more to me than just pranks and jokes, you know."
coraline stares at him, her mind racing with a thousand reasons why this is an absurdly bad idea.
the rational part of her brain screams that chris sturniolo, with his cocky grin and penchant for trouble, is the last person she should be considering as her fake boyfriend. he's a wildcard, unpredictable and unreliable. letting him into her personal life, even for a fake situation, feels like inviting chaos himself.
but then there's that nagging whisper of desperation, the part of her that's tired of fighting against her parents' expectations and tired of feeling like a failure. the part that longs for an exist from the constant pressure, even if it means resorting to absurd measures like enlisting chris as her fake boyfriend.
"what's in it for you?" she asks.
chris shrugs nonchalantly, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips, "the satisfaction of knowing i helped a lady in need, perhaps?" he suggests with a playful glint in his eyes.
"cut the bullshit, chris," coraline tells him straight in his face, "what do you want?"
chris leans back against the counter, a thoughtful expression crossing his features as he considers her question.
for a moment, just a moment, coraline thinks he's doing it purely out of sympathy. that was a really foolish thought, because it's still chris sturniolo.
"tutor me."
coraline's eyebrows shoot up in surprise at chris' unexpected response, "tutor you?" she repeats incredulously, unable to hide the disbelief in her voice, "i'm not a senior, chris."
"you're smart enough," he says with an serious expression, his gaze meeting hers steadily, "look, i might joke around a lot, but that doesn't mean i don't care about my future. i've been slacking off in school, and i need to get my grades up if i want to have any chance at a decent school."
he shrugs, a hint of self-awareness in his gaze, "you're smart, you're responsible and you actually give a damn about your future," he explains, "and apparently that's the kind of guidance i need or whatever."
coraline narrows her eyes, "that's everything?" she asks, "i tutor you, nothing more?"
"nothing more," chris confirms, "it's a win-win," he says, flashing her a cocky smile, "you get a fake boyfriend to appease your parents, and i get to improve my grades. seems like a pretty sweet deal to me."
"and how do i know that you won't just hook up with random girls like you always do?" she challenges, "because that's kinda what you're known for."
chris meets her gaze squarely, the playful light in his eyes giving way to a more serious intensity.
"because," he says, his voice firm, "i'm not just doing this for kicks, i'm doing this because i genuinely want to help you out. if i say i'm in, i'm in. you won't see me faltering or running off with someone else. you have my word."
there's a pause as coraline digests his words, searching his face for any sign of insincerity. finding none, she lets out a slow breath, "if you screw this up, i'm gonna make your life a living hell."
chris' grin widens, victory and anticipation shining in his eyes, "deal," he says, extending his hand for a shake, the embodiment of confidence and charm, "trust me, by the time i'm done, your parents will be planning our engagement party."
as he saunters away, coraline feels a nervous flutter in her stomach. she's just agreed to bring chris, of all people, to a family dinner as her boyfriend. she doesn't know she's solved a problem or just invited a dozen more. what she does know, is that she'll need to let kenji know that she can't meet him after work. if chris can't be seeing other girls, coraline can't be seeing other boys either.
ᵣₒₓ !!
YUPPPP chris and cora fake dating era GO.
grins and waves goodbye