──── ( chapter 008. ) imessage / instagram / real life.
✦ . ⸝⸝ ❝ DYING TO HAVE YOU ❞
bryce 🐆
can someone please enlighten me as to why celeste is smugly strutting around the place like a complete idiot
matt 🧛🏼
Here she goes
disliked by bryce 🐆
nick 💫
LMFAOOOO
Doesn't she always do that tho? (sorry)
bryce 🐆
yeah true she's always a fucking idiot
but rn the stupidity is to the point where it's unbearable
nate 🏒
well she's a bit brainless but i wouldn't call her unbearable
nick 💫
BRAINLESS 😭😭😭
I mean she did get with Chris so fair enough
chris 🖕
Excuse me?
Only people with really good taste wanna get w me 😜
nick 💫
Except Deniz apparently
matt 🧛🏼
Now why would you go there
harry 🥁
chris being a dick incoming!
bryce 🐆
chris being his usual self incoming!**
chris 🖕
I'm not a dick
And idc abt her
Her and fucking Tristan can go frolic off into the sunset for all I care
harry 🥁
ugh nick now he's gonna be moody all day 🙄🫤
matt 🧛🏼
Yeah nice going NICK
nick 💫
ALRRRRR !
Anyway...
Why is Celeste unbearable Bryce 😊
harry 🥁
awful diversion btw
disliked by nick 💫, laughed at by nate 🏒
bryce 🐆
like i said
she's strutting around swishing her hair about like she fucking owns the place
matt 🧛🏼
Maybe bc the person who ACTUALLY owns the place is the unbearable one 😆
bryce 🐆
literally nobody thinks ur funny matt
harry 🥁
not taking offense bc i know this isn't abt me 💖
loved by matt 🧛🏼, disliked by bryce 🐆
chris 🖕
Who cares what Cel's doing
nate 🏒
cel is crazy
deleted!
nick 💫
We all saw that Nate
nate 🏒
shhhhhhh 😇
bryce 🐆
i care bc she's getting on my fucking nerves
why is she even here
matt 🧛🏼
She's our friend?
bryce 🐆
well i hate her so she needs to leave and never come back ☺️
chris 🖕
Why do you guys even have beef
I'm not saying you need to be best friends w her but can't you just be... civil
bryce 🐆
i'd rather gouge my eyes out with forks than be "civil" with celeste maddison
nate 🏒
i'm surprised she's still civil with chris after he dumped her for deniz kaine
harry 🥁
NATEEEE 😧😧😧😧😧
ur so messy stop it 😭😭 (keep going)
chris 🖕
Why is she being brought up AGAIN
nick 💫
No let's discuss this actually bc you're actually like borderline obsessed with her and it's starting to scare me
chris 🖕
I'm not talking about this
But I'm not obsessed with her
She just gets on my nerves
harry 🥁
bro what 😭
she hasn't done anything
matt 🧛🏼
She was in his presence and that was enough to set him off
Probably lost us a bunch of costumers with all that glaring he was doing
nate 🏒
LMFAOOOOOO
harry 🥁
NAHHH
don't rob my dad chris what the fuck 😔
chris 🖕
Matt you're such a fucking hypocrite
But also I didn't gaf that she was there
I just don't like her
nick 💫
Now I get why Bryce and Chris are such good friends
They both hate people for literally no reason 😘
bryce 🐆
i hate celeste bc she's a fucking bitch
matt 🧛🏼
So are you?
nate 🏒
cleared her 😬
bryce 🐆
shut up matt
you all wouldn't get it 😓
she thinks she's "one of the boys🤪🥺🤣" so she's always really nice around you guys
but she switches up on me soooooo fast
chris 🖕
And we all hate Tristan so I'm valid
nick 💫
Yeah but Tristan's actually just a freak 😭
harry 🥁
maybe he can't help it 🫤
matt 🧛🏼
Harry bro 😭😭
nate 🏒
still doesn't explain why chris hates deniz
she's actually really nice
matt 🧛🏼
He thinks she's fine too 🤷
chris 🖕
MATT
harry 🥁
AYO???
nick 💫
Where's the explanation buddy 🤨
chris 🖕
Alr guys
Being hot doesn't change that she's weird asf
harry 🥁
how is she weird...
chris 🖕
Okay so like
She was at the sleepwalker the other night and makes this huge fucking deal about ordering a drink
bryce 🐆
i sense exagerration
loved by nick 💫
chris 🖕
And then she orders a pepsi
nate 🏒
is that it......
nick 💫
She ordered a pepsi?! 😨😨😨😨
harry 🥁
wow that's actually such big news that the world stopped spinning for a moment JUST so you could tell it
chris 🖕
No guys hear me out
It's WEIRD
Who the fuck orders pepsi at a bar
matt 🧛🏼
You
bryce 🐆
you
oh
matt 🧛🏼
Oh
Ew
But actually
Chris you do that every time we go out
nate 🏒
aw they both like pepsi 😍
soulmates 😊😊😊
harry 🥁
NAAAATE 😭😭😭😭 (i meant it when i said keep going)
chris 🖕
Also her name's weird
Deniz
Like who's called that
harry 🥁
you say that like my sister isn't called BRYCE.
and matt's middle name is literally bernard so
matt 🧛🏼
Alr now...
nate 🏒
LMFAOOO
plus you guys all have wack ass last names no one can pronounce
like okaaaay stir-knee-oh-low and don-a-hew !
bryce you really got fucked over with BOTH of your names 😬
bryce 🐆
ok deer kid
nick 💫
Chris you're awfully quiet...
harry 🥁
is he silent or was he SILENCED
chris 🖕
Wtv
Let's go out
bryce 🐆
looks around awkwardly
nate 🏒
scratches neck
nick 💫
Looks at Harry
harry 🥁
looks back and makes 😬 face
matt 🧛🏼
Chris did you seriously forget
chris 🖕
What
nick 💫
Tonight's the Maddison auction
chris 🖕
Oh for fuck's sake
And we ALL have to go?
harry 🥁
well bee & i have to go with dad to advertise cherub
cuz we're loooowk lacking in sponsors atm 🤣🤣
chris can you actually get with deniz so her dad finally agrees to sponsor a cherub 😁
chris 🖕
No wtf
Wait
Emir Kaine isn't a sponsor?
nate 🏒
a lightbulb definitely just appeared over his head
loved by chris 🖕
bryce 🐆
no he's not
which is why we have to go
chris 🖕
Okay
Nate Nick Matt let's go out then
nate 🏒
ummmmm
i can't 😅
chris 🖕
Bro why not
nate 🏒
i'm meeting with my lawyers at the auction
without my parents this time
harry 🥁
W
nick 💫
And I'm going bc I actually wanna bet on smth
Our dining table is one meal away from collapsing
chris 🖕
No offense but... we can't afford a new one?
harry 🥁
eyeeeeee
nick 💫
I actually got paid double what I expected for the photos I took for that fancy boarding school's lacrosse team so 🤑🤑
chris 🖕
Oh sick
typing. . .
Currently waiting for Matt's bullshit excuse for why he's going to this fuckass auction
matt 🧛🏼
Bro you're actually so stupid
We told Celeste (and Ralph) we would go like a month ago
chris 🖕
How am I supposed to remember something I agreed to a month ago
bryce 🐆
idk it's what us normal people with a brain do idk
maybe that's why you and "cel" got along so well!
chris 🖕
Stfu
What exactly are we doing at this thing anyway
matt 🧛🏼
Celeste asked if we could help out her family backstage
Lifting things and shit
chris 🖕
Why the fuck would I agree to that holy shit
My arms hurt so bad after my fight the other day
harry 🥁
you were prolly in her bed or smth idk...
chris 🖕
Fuck
She set me up
nick 💫
In her defense you were basically using her
So she can rightfully use you too
chris 🖕
Shut the fuck up Nick
bryce 🐆
oh chris btw you also agreed to be the designated driver
matt 🧛🏼
I thought I was driving
deleted!
bryce 🐆
matt learned to shut the fuck up look guys it's a christmas miracle!! 🥺
matt 🧛🏼
Kys Bryce
chris 🖕
No chance I'm driving while you guys are all getting wasted off cheap wine
harry 🥁
it's an open bar too! ❤️
nick 💫
Unlucky Chris 😬🤷
chris 🖕
The universe actually hates me istg
nate 🏒
womp womp
see you at 6 guys! 🔥🔥🔥🔥
chrissturni
liked by mattsturni, celmaddison, denizkaine and 2,048 others
chrissturni My day 1
tagged — nathandoe8
↓
user two pretty mfs
nathandoe8 locked in fr 🔐
user being 100% honest idek who this guy is.... i only follow him cuz he's hot 😭😭😭😭
↳ user GIRL WHAT (same)
↳ user BYEEEE what if he's like a drug dealer
↳ harry_donahue sorry to break it to you but chris is actually a clown at our local circus
↳ chrissturni What the fuck
celmaddison thank you for coming tn :)
liked by chrissturni
user heard they're from boston... booking a flight as we speak!
user i know i'm not the only one noticing that DENIZ KAINE liked this... 🤔🤔
↳ user deniz x mysterious hot (clown) guy when???
↳ nicksturni NOT THE CLOWN CATCHING ON @harry_donahue
↳ harrydonahue LMFAOOOOOO
mattsturni Can you guys stop taking photos and go get changed so we can finally leave thanks
↳ bryce_donahue not to agree with matt but... yes! we haven't even arrived yet and i alr wanna leave ☺️
↳ mattsturni ?
user came from deniz's following list and let me tell you i was NOT disappointed. my girl has TAAAAAAASTE!
load more comments. . .
"I FEEL LIKE A WAITER," nate complains, looking at himself in the mirror. chris nods in agreement, sighing at his own outfit. bryce had been insistent that they followed the dress code for this auction in order to make a good impression, which just so happened to be formal. though of course, none of them really own any good formal clothes because they can't afford them nor do they have any reason to wear them.
so, all of them except bryce are in their work uniforms: black pants and a white button-down shirt. nick has even gone as far as wearing a dark purple tie, meanwhile matt has switched out his white shirt for a black one for this particular occasion.
nate in particular is annoyed about wearing these dumb formal clothes because he works the least shifts so he isn't used to it. unlike the triplets, his financial situation isn't so dire that he needs to work every possible shift that he can, and the donahue siblings are used to being dressed like this because, well, their dad owns the sleepwalker and they have to run the place when he's not around.
unsurprisingly, chris is in a bad mood. he really can't be bothered to attend this stupid fucking event, especially because celeste's family is hosting it. the two of them have been on good terms since he broke it off with her, but he can tell that the girl is still searching for a chance to reconcile. a month ago, chris probably would have agreed to hook up with her again, but the thought of it now leaves a bad taste in his mouth. it's not like celeste has changed at all, leaving him wondering what's different now.
the fact that it's chris' turn to be the designated driver for the night has also contributed to his foul mood. the auction may have at least been bearable if they were all sober and miserable, but knowing that he's going to be the only one is getting on his last nerve.
the auction is located at somerville's town square, an open area that's often used for local concerts and other corny events that chris is never interested in attending.
luckily, it's only a 15-minute drive from harrison, bryce, and nate's apartment though, because the car is literally boiling hot due to the fact that bryce refuses to let them open the windows and the air conditioning in their old range rover has been broken for months.
"i'm actually fucking sweating," nate says from the very back of the car. "can't we open the windows for like, a second?"
"no, it'll ruin my hair," bryce replies from the passenger seat.
"your hair looks like shit anyway," matt says sourly from his seat next to nate, smirking as he presses the button to open the window. bryce yelps, immediately closing it again and smoothing out her black silk minidress. matt rolls his eyes — he's also currently in a bad mood, but that's literally just because bryce called shotgun before he got the chance to. he's always so petty when it comes to her, although chris swears he's seen his brother's gaze linger on the girl far too long considering he claims to 'hate' her.
chris tunes out his friends' conversation, which is mostly made up of bickering, for the remaining few minutes of the drive. it's only early spring but tonight seems to be warmer than usual, and chris sighs as he remembers he's going to have to carry heavy antiques around all night in this heat. the task would've been difficult enough without that, thanks to the persistent aching in his arms from his fight the other day.
he parks and all of the cherubs step out of the car, beginning to make their way towards the square. it's been lit up with lots of string lights hung around trees and street lamps, and several canopy tents have been set up to create different types of 'stations' — one for drinks, a few for food, and more.
they're immediately met at the entrance by ralph, who beams at the sight of them. as soon as he sees chris, his eyes light up even more, walking up to him and slinging an arm around his shoulders.
"you're fucking brilliant, christopher sturniolo," he grins, and chris' eye widen. after the constant lectures he's been receiving from his boss lately, he's surprised to hear that ralph is pleased with him.
"what?" he questions, and ralph's smile grows as he shakes his head.
"i'm tempted to swap you out with harry and have you with me tonight to advertise the club," ralph says. "peter kendrick has not stopped telling all those rich bastards he calls his friends how great you are."
"really?" chris says, raising his eyebrows. again, he's shocked to be hearing such things, especially when his sponsor always shows the littlest of emotions towards him.
"all of the other sponsors are dying to have you," ralph goes on, pride practically emanating off of him. "before you know it, we could even have kaine on board, sponsoring you."
all of a sudden, chris isn't sure how to feel about all this. he should be happy and proud of himself, since this is what he's been working towards since he was sixteen years old. he could be earning double or even triple as much money soon enough, especially if he manages to get emir kaine — deniz's dad — as his sponsor.
yet, he doesn't feel happy or proud. he almost feels disappointed at the prospect of being stuck boxing and fighting and injuring himself constantly for another god knows how many years. he doesn't know what else he would do, but deep down he knows that this is not what he wants to do for the rest of his life.
"cool," he says flatly, forcing a small smile. ralph doesn't even falter, just giving him another big smile before walking off to find bryce and harrison. as soon as chris is alone though, he's not given a moment of peace as he's immediately approached by nick.
"what was that all about?" his brother asks, concern laced in his eyes. chris shrugs.
"don't worry about it," he replies. nick nods silently, but chris can tell he isn't convinced. their conversation is brought to a halt however, since celeste rushes up to them.
"chris, you made it!" she exclaims excitedly, stopping next to him and beginning to walk alongside him. "oh, hey nick," she adds as she realizes he's there.
"hey, celeste," nick replies with a smile as he straightens out his tie.
"matt's already backstage helping my dad," celeste continues, pointing over in the direction of the square's main focus: the stage. it's been lit up with the same string lights as the rest of the place, with a few additional spotlights. chris spots matt talking to a middle-aged man who he assumes is celeste's dad, putting on his 'work smile'. it looks bright from over here, but chris knows that it doesn't quite reach matt's eyes.
chris zones out, celeste's chatter fading into the background of the hustle and bustle of the somerville square, everyone preparing themselves for the auction. he's honestly surprised at the range of different people here, since he never would've expected to see the people from the wealthier side of boston mingling with people like him and the rest of the cherubs.
he walks past his sponsor, purposely avoiding eye contact and pretending to be interested in whatever celeste is saying in order to escape being dragged into conversation. words can't explain how much he needs the two-week rest from boxing, and he's worried that if he talks to his sponsor, he's going to end up in another fight just so the man has an excuse to show off to his rivals, which chris now knows he particularly enjoys doing.
nick then mutters a short goodbye, breaking off from the two of them and walking in harrison's direction. his brother looks relieved to see harry, who hands him a glass of white wine, which only worsens chris' mood.
he tries to ignore the fact that all of his friends are getting drunk without him as he enters the backstage room with celeste. it's just the two of them, surrounded by piles and piles of antique furniture, home decor, clothes, and a load of other useless shit that chris would never even think of wasting his money on.
"i guess we can just wait here until the auction starts," celeste shrugs, sitting down on one of the couches for sale. chris furrows his eyebrows, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms.
"what about matt?" he asks, and the girl just shrugs playfully.
"he's busy," she answers.
they fall into an awkward silence, which clearly makes celeste uncomfortable because she begins to shift awkwardly in her seat. it's evident that she's trying to think of something else to say to keep their conversation going, meanwhile chris has absolutely no interest in speaking to her right now. he knows what she wants, but his mind is elsewhere.
"it sucks that you couldn't come out with us the other night," she sighs, purposely keeping her gaze off of him in order to seem uninterested.
"i was working," chris replies flatly, and celeste nods.
"i know, but it would've been better if you were there," she smiles, which fades as she notices chris' expression. "not like that," she clarifies. "i just mean— i know we're not like that anymore, chris, but we're still friends."
her words do nothing but confuse him, but chris fights to keep his face neutral.
"and you're okay with that?" he asks her. "just being friends?"
"we weren't ever anything more than that," she replies. "we were just two lonely people trying to hate ourselves a little less."
her words hit chris right in the heart, and he doesn't understand how she can say them with such ease. he's spent enough time with celeste to know that she's being completely transparent with him right now, and that she isn't hiding any sort of unresolved emotions from their relationship.
"yeah, i'm just—"
"you're only interested in a proper relationship now, i know," she cuts him off, looking regretful as she notices his expression. "i'm not offended that you ended things, since you know i don't want that."
chris nods, honestly surprised that she would bring that up. he'd told her that as a way to soften the blow when he ended things — but he was being honest, after all. from now on, he's looking for all or nothing, or he doesn't see the point. he thought celeste would be a good distraction, when in reality it only made him feel more empty.
"i'm sorry about tristan, though," she continues, and chris raises his eyebrows. noticing his confusion, celeste frowns.
"you know, that he's got something going on with deniz kaine even though you have a thing for her," she clarifies, and his mouth falls open a little in shock.
"what?" he says, both his heart and mind racing as to why she would bring up the girl he can't seem to escape after meeting her at the sleepwalker during his shift a few nights ago.
"oh, was i not supposed to know?" she asks innocently.
"no, it's just— i don't have a thing for her."
"tris seemed pretty insistent."
"tris is full of shit."
celeste's eyes widen at his sudden change in mood.
"sorry, i didn't know it was such a... tough subject," she says uncertainly. chris barely even hears her, his mind consumed with anger at tristan. he genuinely can't even breathe without the guy trying to mess with his life.
"don't worry about it," he says, trying his best to sound calm. he's not mad at celeste and feels a little bad about taking his anger out on her just now. "i'm gonna go find matt," he says, walking towards the door and leaving the room.
he feels shitty for leaving her like that, but he's still so pissed at tristan that he can't think of anything else. chris isn't sure why he's even surprised by the boy's behavior, since it's so unbelievably typical at this point. of course he would tell everyone that chris has a 'thing' for deniz when tristan was the one she spent her night out at the sleepwalker with.
chris continues storming out past backstage, back out into the main square. one drink won't hurt, right? because he really thinks he needs one right about now.
he slows to a halt, however, when his eyes fall onto the girl herself. clad in a silver glittery dress that hugs her curves and ends just above her knees, and her dark hair flowing behind her in silky waves, chris finds himself unable to avert his gaze.
she doesn't see him, deeply engrossed in conversation with the girl walking next to her. his eyes remain on her until she disappears into the crowd, and chris suddenly realizes that tristan isn't with her, nor is he here at all. so, unless she has a boyfriend he isn't aware of, deniz is here unaccompanied.
just like he thought at the sleepwalker, chris thinks that now more than ever, his buddy tristan could use some payback.
yeah, payback is the only reason chris will be approaching deniz tonight.
ⵌ ★ ⊹ ࣪ ˖ ♱ ‧₊˚𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
my girl has arrived ;)
also i apologize for the ending of this chapter my abilities to write genuinely just stopped existing
- ava <3