Hey, guys, I am changing Hunter Johansson actor. Instead of it being Colin Farrel it will now be Alex Pettyfer! Anyways enjoy the story!
They had left. They couldn't stand around with Robert's questioning look. Luckily for them, he didn't ask any questions. Not yet at least. But Scarlett knew that he knew. He knew something. And as much as Robert was their friend they knew he would want answers. And he would have no problem yelling it out to the world. But they were thankful that for now, he had chosen to drop the topic.
They arrived back at Scarlett's house and she had two outfits laid out on her couch for Ava and Nicole. They were told that they were going to dinner, and they didn't know why exactly. The outfits were nice and fancy so the girls knew it was serious.
Scarlett wanted it to be more of a private family matter but Ava and Nicole were basically one. Besides she has never actually been alone with Nicole for more than three hours.
Ava's outfit
Nicole's outfits
Scarlett's outfit
Chris's outfit
Scarlett was putting on her shoes and Chris watched her from her kitchen. She looked beautiful in his eyes. She has always looked so beautiful. She has this look in her eyes that makes him want to fall to his knees. Of course, this wasn't the first time he has noticed this.
The real reason he started making movies that she was doing was so he could see her. He was slowly falling in love with her which scared him for years. The moment when he took her out that night all the years ago he realized he was falling over the edge. Watching her loosen up and dance and be carefree was so entrancing.
But he couldn't be with her. She didn't care about him like that. She hasn't even spoken to him about anything but Nicole. He loved Nicole and everything but he was just so out of place that it was messing him up.
"Why are you staring at her?" A voice said startling Chris. Chris turned around to see Nicole staring confused at him. Chris could feel the heat radiating off of his cheeks. He was sure that his face was as red as a stop sign.
"Oh umm. Well I- I don't know." He said trying to find his words. However, nothing seemed to be coming out the way he wanted it too. Nicole didn't say anything to him she just stared at him. She was still very hurt by his words and didn't find a need to speak with him. She sighed and grabbed her phone that was charging on the counter.
She was walking away from Chris. He was silently cursing at himself. It was so wrong between Nicole and him. But what could he do? He didn't know how to be a proper father.
"Hey, are you ready to go? It's a ten-minute drive- hey are you okay?" Scarlett asked looking at the saddened look on Chris's face.
"Huh? Oh yeah, I am fine." He said faking a smile. Scarlett saw he was upset, but she also took note that he didn't want to speak about it. So she just nodded and mentally noted to bring it up later.
"Okay, well are you ready? We have to leave the girls are in the car." She said with her charming smile on her face.
" Oh yeah. I am so ready to be yelled at." He said sarcastically. Scarlett let out a soft chuckle and walked towards the door. Steve let out a small sigh and followed Scarlett over to the door. Time for the time of his life. -note the sarcasm-
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Chris and Scarlett were seated at the table at the restaurant with Nicole sitting beside Scarlett and Ava beside her. No one else had gotten there yet but the tension was already in the air. Scarlett and Chris were sending each other concerned looks that didn't go unseen by Nicole.
It was just about it a lot worse.
In the corner of her eye, Scarlett could see her parents, sister and brothers walk into the room. They had managed to rent out a small room at the restaurant due to the number of people they had coming. And it wasn't like they couldn't afford it.
"Ah, my baby girl!" Melanie smiled at her daughter. Scarlett stood up to greet her mother. She hugged her and saw her sister looking at Nicole. She sent her a look and Vanessa almost gasped. Scarlett violently shook her head. "Are you okay?" Her mother asked.
"Oh yes of course I have!" Smiled Scarlett. "Hello, Dad how are you?" Scarlett asked giving her father a big hug.
"Oh, I am so okay." He said smiling at his daughter. "Christopher, how are you?" Karsten asked shaking Chris's hand.
"I am good sir. How was your drive?" Chris asked politely. Chris and Karsten have always gotten along fairly well. Chris was enjoying what was last of it before the entire thing went south.
"As good as it can be with those three in the car." He said pointing at Vanessa, Hunter, and Chris.
"Oh come on pops. You know you love us." Hunter smiled wrapping his arms around his father. "How are you, Chris."
"The same hunt." He smiled. Hunter patted his back and went to take a sit.
"Oh, who do we have here?" Solan asked gesturing to Nicole and Ava. Nicole was finally realizing why she was here and her heart was racing, not as much as when she met Chris and Scarlett but faster than normal.
"Oh, mother." Scarlett smiled nervousness was evident on her face as well. "Well, I would love to tell you that but let's wait till Chris's family to come. Shall we? I would rather only say this once." She mumbled the last part. Only Chris was able to hear this and slightly hit Scarlett's thigh. She smiled. Her family nodded and all took their seats.
They all started a normal conversation, Hunter trying his best to get any information he could out of Chris and Scarlett about Avengers.
"Hunter I am not telling a damn thing so I suggest you stop asking," Scarlett said taking a sip of her drink.
"Oh dang it Scarls!" He said playfully. Vanessa rolled her eyes at her younger brother in annoyance.
"Come on hunter are you stupid? She has never told us anything about any of her movies. What makes you think is your chance?" Vanessa asked.
"That's because he is so gullible." Chris laughed at his sister. Hunter playfully hit his older brother's shoulder. "So." Chris said changing the topic. "young children things." He said and Scarlett sent him a questioning annoyed look. "Did my sister here kidnap you or something?"
"Chris!" Scarlett scorned.
"Chill Girl. I was kidding. Where did your sense of humor go?" He teased.
"Down the drain with your career." She smirked. Chris pretended to look offended and placed his hands over his heart.
"Rude." He muttered. " So kid-"
"Hey, would you look at that!" Scarlett smiled as she saw Scott, Carly, and Chris's parents walk into the room. "Chris your family is here." She smiled. Chris E immediately stood to greet them.
"Scott, Carls." He smiled hugging them.
"Scarlett!" Scott said ignoring his older brother. Chris just shook his head and turned to his parents.
"Mom." He smiled giving her a big hug.
"Chris! It's been a long time. The least you could do is call me once in a while." She joked around.
"Mother we spoke last night did we not?" Chris asked raising an eyebrow.
"Tooshay." She laughed. She turned to greet Scarlett with a hug while Chris greeted his father. "Scarlett look at you. You look amazing as always."
"Apparently not as well as you Lisa." She said smirking.
"You are too kind to me. Ahh, Solan how are you." Lisa asked sitting beside Scarlett's mother.
"Oh, you know. These two wanted us to meet up. I am a little on edge." She joked. Lisa nodded her head in agreement. Chris looked at Scarlett giving her a pitty filled look. They were both very nervous. But eating would have to come first or else no one would eat afterward.
"Oh, who is this?" Lisa asked repeating the same question as everyone else has when coming to the table.
"We have been asking them that all evening. They won't spill." Karsten laughed. Bob, Chris's father laughed and agreed with Karset.
"Well ever since they were kids they loved to keep things a secret from us." Bob laughed. Chris looked at his father questioningly.
"Dad we didn't know each other when we were kids. In fact, it wasn't until we were 17, 19 maybe. Around those ages." Chris said and Scarlett nodded. However, their parents ignore his comment and started a conversation about when their kids were young and small.
Vanessa was sending Scarlett and Chris looks as if they were having a conversation. Let's just say Vanessa was freaking out to finally see her niece and all she wanted to do was hug her. And when Nicole and Ava excused themselves to go to the restroom Vanessa brought up the conversation.
"So Scarlett, Are you going to tell us why you brought us all here? And why two teenagers are here joining us?" Vanessa said with a devious smirk on her face. Scarlett didn't fail to send the glare her sister's way.
"Oh yes dear why is it you called for us?" Solan asked her daughter. Scarlett looked and Chris and then down at her empty plate. She looked up at her family.
"You know. I can't seem to remember. I guess we will just have to do this another time. Thank you all for coming out tonight. My stupid mind can't think of a reason why. What a pure shame."She sighed shaking her head. She was about to stand up when Chris placed his hand on her thigh pushing her back down.
"Scarlett. We have to tell them." He said. Scarlett looked at him pleadingly. She really didn't want to. She sighed and nodded her head.
"So umm friends. Family." She said in a general sense. "As you know me and Chris have been friends for many years. We met each other when we were young and stupid. Now, remember that its a very big part of um this conversation. Anyways. we have something we need to tell you. Something that only one other person at this table right now this second knows about. And it was a total mistake and if we could have we would have told you all at the same time." Scarlett explained. "So we have an announcement to make I guess-"
"OH MY GOD!" Chris's brother Scott said with a huge smile on his face. "Are you too dating?!" He asked excitedly. Chris almost choked on the water he was drinking. Scarlett's brothers face turned to anger watching the two. Vanessa was busy holding her laugh down. The parents were just silent. "Oh my god. I knew this day would come. I was hoping it would and look it's here."
"Scott! We are not dating." Chris said. Carly, Chris's sister laughed.
"Chris it is okay. There is no need to hide it. We are proud of you. You know we all knew you too would get together." She smiled at her brother. Chris shook his head and looked at his siblings.
"Is this true Scarlett?" Chris, her brother, asked. He was sending a dirty look and Chris, while betrayed was written on it too.
"What? No of course not! Chris and I are not dating!" She said as a matter of factly. Chris could have sworn it stung his heart a little bit. They could have sworn that they heard a sigh of relief from their parents and groans from their siblings.
"So what was the news dear?" Karsten asked raising an eyebrow to encourage Scarlett to continue. She took another deep breath and felt Chris's hand on her thigh in support. It really meant a lot that he was here with her.
"Okay well as you know we have a visitor with us. two actually. And there is something about her that we have been keeping from you guys for a very long time. And now that we have been reunited for say with her, we found it was time to actually tell you guys about her."
"We have both talked about this." Chris said speaking up so Scarlett can find her words. "we do indeed regret not telling you guys about this when it first happened. It was a mistake that we are still paying for today and well after we realized how horrible it was of us to keep this from you guys we decided to take a step in the right direction and we are kinda hoping that you guys will be willing to join us in taking that big step in our lives. " He finished.
"You guys are scaring me. What's going on?" Lisa asked looking at her son and Scarlett. They both looked at each other before turning back to them all.
"Her name is Nicole Jones, She is thirteen years old. We officially met her around a week ago. Her best friend is Ava Garcia. They have been friends since they were kids. She is an amazing kid and I glad Nicole had someone like that in her life when we couldn't be there." Scarlett said.
"What do you mean when you couldn't be there?" Solan asked, her voice was on edge and you could hear the bitterness behind her tone.
"As I said mother, she is thirteen. She just turned thirteen. She was born roughly a year months after me and Chris met. She is thirteen. I met her when she was a few seconds old." She said.
"Just spit it out Scarlett Ingdrig Johansson." her father said. He used her full name which meant he was angry. That had messed Scarlett up a bit but she quickly recovered and looked unfazed by his comment.
"Her name is Nicole Jones. She is thirteen years old. And she is my daughter."
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"Can you remind me why we are in here again," Ava asked as she watched Nicole stare off into the mirror. She seemed to have been in deep thought and Ava was just saying random things hoping one of them would bring her friend back into reality.
"In all honesty, I kinda think they think we have a bathroom problem. I wouldn't be surprised if one of them came in here asking if we are okay. They seem like the kinda people that would do that don't you think."
Nicole seemed to be finally gaining her senses back, Ava could tell due to the way her fingers loosened on the counter that she was holding on to.
"Do you know who is out there Ava?" Nicole asked. Ava looked up at her confused and spoke the first thing that came to her mind.
"Well I am going to take a lucky guess and say Chris and Scarlett's family," She said. Although it came out as more of a question then a statement as if she was asking Nicole if her answer was correct.
"Ava let me ask you this. Who are Scarlett and Chris?" She asked turning to her friend.
"They are your parents- too," Ava said finally understanding what it was that her friend was alluring too.
"You see why I am all best up now?" Nicole asked sighing and turning back to the mirror.
"I get it. Well I mean I don't. But I understand that you are nervous. This is your family that you are meeting for the very first time. It must be so overwhelming. But let me tell you this." Nicole turned to her friend. "Don't worry about them like you or not. Because if they don't like you then they are just a bunch of idiots do you hear me? Idiots. Because you are the most amazing person I have ever come into contact with. You are my best friend. In fact, my only friend because people think I am kinda weird but you chose to love me and that's what makes you special."
"That I love you?" Nicole laughed. Ava smiled and nodded her head.
"You are one of a kind Nic. Don't let them bring you down. If they don't like you they can come right ahead and deal with me because there is nothing wrong with you." She said. Nicole smiled and gave her best friend a strong hug.
"Thank you so much, Ava. You are my best friend too you know that." Nic smiled.
"Yeah, of course, I know that. I am the coolest person you have ever met." Ava smirked.
"Oh yes definitely," Nicole said. She turned to look at the door. "Ready to go back out there?" She asked.
"Well, what else can possibly happen now? "
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The table was silent. No one spoke a single word. As if they had all just figured out they only had a little bit of time left on their hands. Scarlett's heart was pounding and their silence wasn't helping. In fact, it made it worse. If even possible.
Chris looked around at their families and saw the hurt and betrayed look on his parents face. But what hurt him the most was the look on Scarlett's face when her mother stood up. She didn't say a word, she just stood up and walked out of the room blankly ignoring Nicole who was walking in with Ava.
Kristen went after his wife not bothering to say anything to Scarlett. Her brothers were in too much of a shock to even more from their seats. Carly and Scott were paralyzed. While Chris's mom and dad were more calm and understanding.
Chris may have left fatherhood slip many times in the last thirteen years and since he was always so open and honest they figured that time would come. But they were still upset that he never told them.
"This is my granddaughter?" Lisa asked looking at Nicole who was standing there all awkwardly. Chris nodded his head lightly at his mother. She didn't want to make Nicole nervous so she just sent her a small smile, holding back the aching pain in her heart to run up to her and hug her. Bob, Chris's father didn't say a word but was not angry. He was trying to contain all his emotions.
"I'm an uncle?" Scott asked and then looked at Chris. "You're a father?" He asked almost hurt. Chris looked at his brother, and unlike the more positive looks of his sister and parents, Scott looked betrayed and angry. Chris couldn't even find himself to answer but he Scott didn't walk away in anger. He just sat there confused and angry with his older brother.
"How could you never tell us about this?" Chris asked his sister. She didn't know what to say so Vanessa spoke up for her younger sister.
"Hey, she had her reasons Chris leave her alone." She said and Chris looked at her surprised until reality hit him.
"You knew?"
"what?" Vanessa asked. Chris laughed in disbelieve before taking the napkin from his lap and walking to the door. Hunter looked at his twin sister.
"I am your brother Scarlett, and although I am not happy you lied to me, I am glad you told us. Takes a big person to do that."
"It takes an even bigger person to forgive them," Vanessa added.
"I am not angry. I just need to adjust. I should probably go check on Mom and Dad." Hunter said standing up He saw the look on his sister's face. "Hey, everything will turn out okay." He left the restaurant and before he left he took a look at Nicole and smiled very lightly before leaving the room.
Scarlett sat there consumed by thoughts. Her family hated her. She made a mistake that they don't understand. They didn't even let her explain. They just left.
And when she looked up meeting Chris's eyes full of sorrow and broken heartedness she knew. She knew what everyone else was thinking.
Nothing would ever be the same again.