"I'll be out in a sec," mia said,rushing towards her bedroom. Chris settled comfortably on her plush sofa,looking around her 2 bedroom apartment. She'd told him to drop her off first and he did cause she wanted to change clothes.
Mia tossed out almost all the clothes she owned out of her closet, searching for the perfect outfit to wear. She sighed in frustration when she realised she'd been wasting his time.
It wasn't always like this,her being so determined to impress someone besides herself. She was rather a more preservative person.
"Grow up mia,its just a casual hang out not a date" she hissed at her reflection in the mirror.
She then decided to ask for his help. She put on her fluffy robe and went out to her living room where Chris was. She spotted him staring at her college graduation picture by the wall near the kitchen.
It was about 4 pictures framed in one. In the first,she was by herself in her graduation gown, in the second,it included her mom,the third ,her grandma and her,but the last was of her and Nate. Looking so comfortable and happy with each other.
Chris' expression changed when he saw Nate holding her in the picture. A part of him was angry at himself for missing such an important day in her life and thankful that she still had other people to cheer her up like Nate,but the other part felt betrayed,envious even.
"Chris?" Mia called out to him.
"Yea,are you ready to go?" He answered sounding a bit startled. He turned to face her and found her in a blue robe.
"Could you help me out with my outfit,I can't decide what to wear." She said awkwardly.
"Yea sure" he followed her into her bedroom. He looked around,her bedroom said a lot about her,it was so beautiful like her. Though a little small compared to his with a way smaller bed compared to his king sized one,but he loved it just like he did her.
"So here's what I thought would work out," she showed him like 5 outfits sprawled out on the bed. "But I can't decide,if they're too boring or ......you know,so...I'm gonna try each outfit,and you just pick one " she didn't even let him talk as she was already inside the closet changing to the first.
Chris sat down on her bed and he couldn't help but imagine how many times Nate had been on this same bed with her,cuddling or worse,making love. He clenched his fist just thinking about it.
The door to the Closet opened and mia hurried out smoothing the fabric as she walked. "One" She said as she faced him and then walked back in to change to the next in a flash. She did so till she had tried all the outfits she picked out.
It was so fast that Chris hadn't had any time to comment on each as she stepped out to show him. This was how nervous she was.
"So..?" She asked standing in front of him for the last time. He looked at her and she returned his stare but barely. "What outfit did you choose" she asked wanting to get rid of the awkward atmosphere.
He still continued to stare at her and she grew more self conscious, and nervous. Her fingers soon started twitching like they always do when she was nervous.
"This was a bad idea,..." She turned to leave since he didn't answer. He didn't know why his words were stuck in his throat but he found her so beautiful in all the outfits,he himself couldn't make a choice.
He stood up and grabbed her arm. "Its okay,you look gorgeous in all of them,I couldn't decide" he said rather lowly close to her ear.
"Really,?"
"Really" he confirmed. Her face turned scarlet and she looked away to hide it from him.
"Thanks,then I'll just go with this" she said as she moved away to grab her purse to match the soft orange summer dress she had on.
Few minutes later, they were on their way in Chris' expensive car. She couldn't help but wonder how their lives would be if Chris had accepted her feelings back then,would they be married?,with kids? Or ........she shook her head not wanting to have false hopes.
But somehow she also imagined how it would be if this was like a first date for them or something. Her thoughts were disrupted when he turned on the music.
"Oh my God, you still have this song!" Mia squealed in excitement.
"Yea of course,it's our favourite song" he replied glancing at her for a moment.
"We used to play this song like everyday in your truck" she giggled.
"Well you used to play it in the middle of the night in your bedroom remember,whenever you stayed up late watching horror movies you'd play it all night" he laughed.
"Not occasionally,but it was quite comforting."
"And loud, I can still hear your dad yelling your name to turn it off"he laughed more carelessly.
Mia's smile faded as she remembered her dad. "yea,I do miss him.....a lot actually"she chuckled sadly.
Chris glanced at her and found her head hanging low. He regretted not been there for her at such a drastic time in her life when she was there for him when his mom passed.
" mia,I'm so sorry about your dad,are you okay?" He asked softly as he scolded himself for bringing her dad up.
"Yea,I just.....he used to call me Serene" she flipped a loose strand of hair behind her ear as a tear fell down her face from her right eye. Serene was her middle name and her dad always called her that.
She wiped it off as soon as it fell. "Its alright to miss him cause I do too, honestly,he was more of a dad to me than my real dad." He tried to comfort her.
"Do you need a minute?" He asked when she inhaled a sob.
"Y-yes," she whispered. He parked the car and turned to hug her. She let out all her tears and pain as she cried into his chest. She snuggled closer to hide her face crying some more.
Chris was more than happy to be of help to her,he'd not been there for her for a long time now and he was happy she finally allowed him to console her after all these years.
She soon removed herself from his hold when she found her body loving the way he held and consoled her.
She wiped her tear stained face as she pulled away. "Are you okay?" He asked, his hands still holding onto her arms.
"Yea I'm fine,let's just go"
"Its okay if you don't wanna go out anymore,I'll just take you home" he stroked her hair.
"No,i.. I'm okay,I don't wanna go home yet,I'd rather be with you" she said softly and was surprised at her outburst. She clearly hadn't thought that through.
"Okay," he started up the car again. "Where are we going anyway"
"I was thinking about the carnival" he said knowing she loved it there. He turned to her with a smiling face.
"I haven't been there in a while" she admitted. She really hadn't been there since he left 8 years ago.
"You don't sound excited,you used to love it there" he said.
She did love it there but she has a lot of memories there with him and she didn't have the guts to go since he left and definitely not now that he was accompanying her.
"Things change,people change." She said.
"Yea I know that,but you didn't change, you're still my buddy and I ought to know when you seem different"
"How would you know if i changed or not,you left remember?" she said rather annoyingly. You're still my buddy! She hated that line.
"I'm sorry,I shouldn't have left,I know that...I" he was saying before she cut him off.
"You know what its alright,let's not talk about this right now okay?" She said.
"Sure"
Silence surrounded them throughout the remaining ride. "We're here".
The place looked crowded and busy as always ,the air filled with laughs,screams of excitement and terror,etc.
Mia and Chris walked side by side in slight awkwardness. Most people who were here tonight were couples and the love tunnel seemed awfully busy.
They decided to play some games first. They played a lot of games and the excitement was evident on both their faces. Mia had not been so happy like she was tonight. People kept calling them a couple and it made them feel weird.
Chris was happy he had asked her to come out tonight because it was just like old times,fun more fun and more more fun.
" wow,that was fun,I feel so alive" Chris smiled as he walked towards his car with mia walking beside him.
"Yea,me too,it feels nice to be here" mia added.
"You haven't had dinner, aren't you hungry" Chris asked.
"It feels like it"
"I know a place,we could have dinner before I drop you off"
"That would be nice"
***
They walked into the restaurant like a couple on their first date. Chris helped her with her seat like a boyfriend would. They giggled as they placed their orders and to them everything was perfect.
"This place seems expensive,we could have gone somewhere else, don't you think?" Mia inquired.
"Its fine,don't worry about the bills,I'll pay,dinner's on me" Chris said.
"No,I can't let you pay it all,at least let me pay half of it" she argued.
"Like I said. Its fine,I brought you here, so i should be the one paying"
"Come on wiles,its not a big deal,I can't just let you pay it all" she joked, knowing fully well that he couldn't beat her at this.
"Okay,no problem ,but You know I hate that name right" he frowned slightly, raising one of his eyebrows.
"Yea,that's why I love it so much, I remember when you almost beat up jack for spraying grumpy wiles on the sides of your truck" she giggled heartily, her Mind recalling the scene.
"Yea,I remember,I would have killed him if you didn't stop me" he smirked at her, realising just how beautiful she was when she smiled.
"Yea,do you remember that time,when.." She laughed "....when the substitute English teacher came,.." She laughed again "...his..his name was wiles Anders" she laughed more.
"Yea yea,I get it,you're making fun of me,I hated that man,he was always on my tail,we even had similar names"
"He was always asking about you when you missed his class" the waiter came with their food and placed it on the table.
"He did didn't he?,I'm not surprised, what a weirdo" Mia giggled, returning her focus to their meals.
They dug into their dinner as they occasionally spared a few smiles and giggles. Anyone looking at them would assume they were dating. They were such a perfect match.
"cheating already mia?,that's such a shame" a voice said behind Chris. Mia looked up to see who the voice belonged to but Chris didn't move.
Mia frowned, eyes locking with that of Sophia's who was standing behind Chris.
"What?,are you speechless,does your boyfriend know you're cheating on him" Sophia added.
Chris turned to see who had such a foul mouth to make such accusations. He couldn't seem to recognize her immediately but she did him.
"Chris?"
"Who..."
Stay tuned, more interesting chapters ahead.
Why does mia keep running into Sophia?
What do you think about Sophia's character?
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Till next time;
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