Chapter Thirty Six: Truth
Honestly, Chris has been thinking about what Jason said to him at the parking lot.
"I think you like her," Jason had said.
Does he?
No. He doesn't.
Just as he said, Hazel isn't his type.
Or is she?
No. He's pretty sure she isn't.
He doesn't like her.
Or does he?
No, he doesn't.
He stops his contemplation as he hears his mum's car pull into the driveway. She's home and that means it's time to face the music. All he knows is that she won't be happy. Which mother would be happy that her kid got suspended? She'll be mad at him.
He walks to the door and opens it for them to enter. He grins on sighting Emily and she does too.
She hugs him. "Chris."
"How was school, Em?" He asks, ruffling her hair even though he knows she doesn't like when he does it.
She swats his hands away. "It was fun."
Chris then shifts his gaze to his mum who has a blank look on her face. She shuts the door.
"Emily baby, go drop your backpack in your room and wait for me," his mum tells her softly.
Emily heads for her room and Chris sighs, waiting for his mum's chastising.
"So you decided to get yourself suspended, huh?" His mum flares with anger the moment Emily's out of sight. She chucks her handbag on the couch.
Geez mum! The handbag did nothing to you, Chris thinks.
"That's not how it happened mum."
His mum glares at him. "Oh really? Then tell me how it happened, son."
"I didn't mean to cause any trouble," Chris says.
"Oh so trouble just decided to come your way?" She asks incredulously. "What's going on Chris? Are you moving with the wrong crowd or something? Why would you initiate a fight?"
"It wasn't a fight, mum. I just punched the guy twice." Chris says, resisting the urge to roll his eyes since it would only add fuel to the fire.
"Tell me what happened Christopher." His mum's stern voice sounds through the living room.
"Ivy did something bad to Hazel and I went to confront her and tell her to stay away from Hazel. Her boyfriend said something annoying so I punched him. Twice." Chris explains.
"Okay, I might have overreacted," he adds, looking anywhere but his mum's face.
"Oh really! You just realized that," his mum retorts, her anger dissipating. "I'm disappointed in you."
"I'm sorry mum. The last thing I wanted was for this to happen. I hate it when you're mad at me and I'm really sorry for disappointing you," he apologizes with a somber look on his face.
His mum sighs and settles down on a couch. "Is it the same Ivy I used to know?"
"Yes and no. It's her but she's a totally different person now. She does all sort of bad things to people."
"I wonder what went wrong."
Chris shrugs. "People change."
He knows he did after she broke his heart.
"Is she okay?" His mum asks, referring to Stephanie.
"Hazel? Yeah, she is." Chris smiles and his mum doesn't miss it.
"I know I said you and Stephanie would make a great couple but please, don't go around wrecking havoc because of her." His mum avers.
Chris groans. "I didn't do it because of her. Why does everyone think that?"
His mum smiles. "Okay fine."
She stands and picks her handbag before heading for the stairs.
"I'll be going out tonight to meet a client at 7."
"Uhm... Okay."
***
The next day, Brooke picks Stephanie up and they head for school.
"Turns out my parents got a call that I skipped school," Steph tells Brooke who's driving.
Brooke laughs. "You didn't know? The school calls the parents when a kid's absent."
"I didn't know. You should have told me so I'd have prepared myself for the questions," Steph huffs.
What she didn't expect yesterday was for her parents to arrive from work and the first thing they said to her when she had let them in was "Why did you skip school, young lady?"
She was taken aback for a few seconds before her mum explained that the school called.
"What did you tell them was the reason you skipped school?" Brooke asks.
"What I initially told you," Steph shrugs.
"Bad girl," Brooke smirks.
Brooke parks her car in a parking space when they arrive at school. They get out of the car and later end up at Steph's locker. Steph enters her locker combination and opens it. She shrugs her backpack off her shoulder and then pulls a jacket -- Chris' jacket -- after unzipping it.
"Is that his jacket?" Steph hears Brooke ask as she puts it into her locker.
"Yeah," she glances at Brooke to see a simper on her face which makes her to roll her eyes.
"You really should stop having all those crazy ideas in your head. Chris and I are just friends. I don't like him, B."
"But you still like Luke?" Brooke quirks an eyebrow.
"Unfortunately, yes." Steph continues to sort through her locker so her back is facing Brooke.
"I intend to avoid him throughout today."
Brooke purses her lips as she sights her boyfriend and Luke walking over. "Too late for that."
Steph realises what Brooke means just as the boys reach them.
Is the universe against me or something? Steph asks herself.
"Hey babe," she hears Cole say as he hugs Brooke.
"Sorry about yesterday, Luke." Brooke tells him.
Steph takes a deep breath. She can't pretend she doesn't know they're here. She shuts her locker and turns around to face them.
"Hey guys," Steph forces a smile with her gaze on Cole.
"I need to talk to you, Steph. In private." Luke announces, without preamble.
That's exactly what Ivy said yesterday and look what happened, Steph thinks.
"Okay. We'll leave you two to talk." Cole says.
"See you later, baby girl." Brooke smirks as Cole drags her away.
Steph watches them instead of facing Luke who wants to talk to her. When they're out of sight, she finally looks at Luke.
"Hi," he says now that he has her attention.
"Hey." She espies his face for any bruises but only sees a tiny cut on his lower lip. Luke notices her scanning his face.
"My face? Ivy used something to cover it up. Luckily, he didn't break my nose."
"I heard what happened. I'm sorry," Steph mutters.
Luke chuckles. "It's not your fault. I said something he didn't like."
Steph nods and looks away as silence ensures.
Okay, this is awkward, she concludes.
"You said you wanted to talk to me about something," she breaks the silence.
"Oh yeah, that's true." Luke scratches the back of his neck. "I need to ask you something and I need you to tell me the truth."
He has a serious look on his face and Steph braces herself for the question.
"Go ahead."
"What Chris said yesterday -- I know you weren't there but Brooke must have told you about it," he starts and she nods. "Is it true?"
Yup, that's the question she was expecting.
"You want the truth?" Steph asks monotone, meeting his eyes.
"Yes. Nothing but the truth."
"Have you talked to her? Asked her about it?" Steph questions.
"Yes, I have."
"And what did she say?" She prods, closing her eyes for a moment.
She lied. She lied. That's what she did. I'd be surprised if she told the truth. If she did, all hell will break loose. Come to think of it, if she told him the truth, he shouldn't be asking, Steph muses.
"She said it's a lie. She said everything Chris said was a lie. That I shouldn't believe him." Luke says with an expectant look, waiting for Steph to affirm it.
Steph lets out a breath. That's exactly what she thought Ivy would say.
"I'm sorry Luke but she lied," she confesses and sees Luke's face crumble.
"Really?"
"Yes. Really. That day we hung out at the park with Cole and Brooke, Ivy somehow found out about it and then threatened me on the following Monday. Yesterday she attacked me in the girls' bathroom with Aspen, just because I didn't heed her warning to stay away from you," Steph elaborates.
Luke feels a pang in his chest. He really doesn't wanna believe Stephanie but somehow, he knows it's the truth. Why would she even lie to him? Ivy has been the one lying to him. Who knows what else she's lied about?
"Do you know that Chris and Ivy dated before?" He decides to ask.
"Yes." She tucks her hands in the pockets of her blue hoodie.
"What made them separate?"
"Ivy cheated on Chris," Steph answers.
Luke let's out a humorless laugh and runs a hand through his black hair.
"I have to get to class," Steph says, figuring out he might need some time for the information to sink in.
She walks away without waiting for a reply from him.
***
After school closes, Brooke and Steph head to the parking lot with Cole who has his girlfriend's hand in his.
Brooke unlocks the car for Steph, she gets into the car and shuts the door. Steph checks inside her backpack to make sure Chris' jacket is in it. She's planning to go to his house before going home.
She watches Brooke and Cole, smiling at each other as they talk. They both look happy, really happy. Steph begins to wonder what it'd feel like to have a boyfriend who really likes her and that she likes also. She finds herself picturing the said imaginary boyfriend to be Luke. Both of them, holding hands and being happy together.
She looks away and shakes her head as if to scold herself. She shouldn't be thinking or wondering about that. All she should care about is her academics and getting into college. She'll have thoughts like this later. Thinking about Luke, she wonders what's going to happen between him and Ivy. He looked really hurt when she told him the truth in the morning and all the times she saw him throughout the day, he wasn't his usual self. She has a feeling that whatever would happen, Ivy won't like it.
The sound of the door to the driver's side opening jolts Steph out of her train of thoughts. Brooke occupies the driver's seat with a grin on her face. She turns on the ignition and winds down her window.
"Bye Steph," Cole hollers.
Steph looks through Brooke's window to see Cole still standing there.
"Bye," she smiles at him. She watches them blow each other kisses before Brooke drives away.
"So I heard people talking about what happened in the cafeteria yesterday," Brooke tells Steph.
"I heard it too, trust me."
"Some people are wondering who Hazel is and few others - Stephanie. Some believe Chris was talking about a junior," Brooke chuckles as she drives.
"I hope they continue to believe that. I don't want anymore drama," Steph comments.
"Some think Luke deserves it and others are supporting him. But the larger percentage supports Chris cause he's hotter and Luke is dating the bitch."
Steph shakes her head slowly. "High School."
"What do you think Luke's gonna do now that he knows the truth?" Brooke questions, glancing at Steph.
"Honestly, I think he's gonna break up with her unless he's too much in love with her to leave her."
"I hope he isn't in love with her at all. For his own sake."
"Are you still going to Chris' house?"
"Yeah, I am."
"But you're not babysitting today. Why are you going there?"
"Stop those stupid ideas in your head, B. I just want to talk to him about yesterday and return his jacket," Steph answers.
"Well, don't forget to tell him I admire what he did yesterday, too bad he got suspended."
Steph rolls her eyes. "Okay. I'll deliver your message."
Brooke chuckles and she turns on the radio.
Few minutes later, Brooke is parked in front of Chris' house and Steph gets out but leaves the door open.
"Do you want me to wait for you?" Brooke asks.
"No. There's no need for that," Steph shakes her head as she fixes a strap of her backpack on her shoulder.
Brooke grins. "Okay then, I'll see you tomorrow. Don't forget to deliver my message."
Brooke winks at Steph.
"You're not normal," Steph tells her, emphasizing on the last word before shutting the door. She watches Brooke drive away before taking a deep breath and heading for the front porch. She has no intention of staying too long here. She just wants to return his jacket and thank him for standing up for her at school. She knocks and after some agonizing seconds, the door opens to reveal Chris, wearing an apron.
Wait, what?
"Hazel?" Chris gapes as he stares at her. She's the last person he was expecting to be behind the door.
"What are you doing here?"
Instead of Steph replying, she rakes her eyes over his outfit and then smiles.
"Can I come in?" She asks.
"Um... Sure." He opens the door wider and steps aside to let her in. His hand moves to the back of his neck and he rubs it.
"Nice outfit," she tells him as she walks into the house.
Chris almost blushes in embarrassment as he shuts the door. She isn't supposed to see him like this.
"So what brings you here?" He inquires as he moves closer to where she's standing in the middle of the living room. "You're not babysitting today."
"I know. I came to return your jacket," Steph declares.
"Seriously? You came all the way here just to return my jacket?" Chris chuckles.
"Brooke drove me here from school," she informs him as she hands him his jacket. "Thanks."
He takes it with a smile and sniffs it. Steph stares at him weirdly, knowing that she did that too. "I washed it."
"You shouldn't have bothered," he asserts as he drops it on the arm of the couch.
"What's with the apron?" Steph raises a brow in question.
Chris shrugs like him wearing an apron is not a big deal. "My mum got it for me because she wants me to spend more time in the kitchen." He rolls his eyes. "I've never worn it so I decided to try it on today."
Steph laughs lightly. "Well it suits you."
Chris settles down on the three seater couch and Steph sits too, leaving enough space between them.
"I heard what happened."
"Of course you did. Word travels fast," Chris looks away.
Steph grins. "If I knew you'd get yourself in trouble, I wouldn't have told you."
Chris faces her and opens his mouth to say something but she lifts her index finger indicating that she's not done talking.
"But I'm grateful. Thank you for standing up for me, Christopher. I really appreciate it. You're the first person to do that -- apart from Brooke and my family. So thank you." Steph sincerely says.
Something about her tone and how she's looking at him makes him feel weird, so he looks away and shrugs.
"It's what friends do."
Steph smiles at his answer. "I'm sorry you got suspended."
"It's not your fault."
"But did you really have to punch him?"
"He called me a man whore and I snapped," Chris says in monotone.
"Oh," Steph mumbles, looking at her joined hands on her lap as if it's the most interesting thing in the room.
"I once called you that. I'm sorry."
Chris yet again shrugs. "It's kinda what I am," he pauses. "Or used to be."
Now that he thinks about it, the last time he kissed someone was at the party -- the one they played 'truth or dare'. And the last time he hooked up with someone was the time he was still trying to find Hazel.
Steph doesn't ask what he means by his last sentence. It's none of her business. It's his life. He can sleep around for all she cares. It's not like he's her boyfriend or anything.
A timer goes off in the kitchen, breaking the awkward silence.
"The cookies," Chris grins as he hurries to the kitchen.
Steph pulls out her phone to keep herself busy as she waits for him. When he's done in the kitchen, he returns to the living room, without his apron. Steph looks up from her phone when he returns. He's wearing basketball shorts and a T-shirt.
"I'll be back," he says and walks away.
Steph goes back to scrolling through her phone. He returns with a basketball in hand. She gives him a questioning look.
"Follow me," he instructs. She puts away her phone and follows him. He leads them through the front door to the driveway. She looks around and realises that the driveway is some kind of makeshift basketball court with a hoop attached to the top of the garage and chalk on the ground.
"You want me to watch you play?"
"No. We're going to play together," he smirks.
"No," she deadpans.
"Okay," Chris smiles. "How about this? Everytime you get the ball in, I'll tell you something I like about you."
Steph deliberates his offer for a few seconds. Chris is hard to read. She doesn't know what he's thinking most of the time.
"I'm in."
Chris grins as if he knew she'd agree.
"Where's Emily?" Steph asks. "And your mum?"
"I don't know. My mum picked her up from school. They're probably in a mall or an ice cream parlour or something." He answers, dribbling the ball swiftly like he has been doing it his whole life.
"Pass me the ball, let me blow your mind," Steph says, pulling the sleeves of her hoodie up.
"You have to get it yourself," Chris replies. He dribbles the ball through and around his legs, moving it from his right to left hand as he goes.
Steph watches him for a few seconds before huffing. She joins him and tries to get the ball from him but she isn't able to. Three minutes later, she still doesn't have the ball while Chris is enjoying messing with her. She throws her hands in the air.
"I give up. I can't do this anymore." Steph tells him, her voice breathless.
Chris laughs and passes the ball to her.
"Go ahead." He gestures towards the hoop.
Steph smiles and positions herself before aiming for the hoop. She misses. Five throws later, she still hasn't gotten it.
"I hate this."
Chris laughs. Watching her struggle to get the ball in has been fun.
"Aim for the hoop."
"That's what I've been doing," Steph whines, blowing a stray hair out of her face.
"Bend your knees," he instructs her. "And form a C shape with your shooting arm. Make sure your hand is under the ball."
Steph does as she's told.
"Aim higher." She does.
"Your eyes on the rim," Chris says, moving closer. He takes her arm and lifts it higher then adjusts her fingertips under the ball. He moves behind her and Steph feels his hands on her waist.
Her breath hitches and her eyes slightly widen but she does nothing to stop him.
He's just teaching you Stephanie. Relax. You need to get the ball in this time.
She feels him press down on her waist so that her legs will bend more.
He withdraws his hands but doesn't move away.
"Focus on the rim." She does.
"Go for it."
Everything seems to be in slow motion as they watch the ball go. It swishes smoothly through the net.
"Yes!" Steph yells in triumph, fist bumping the air. "I did it," she grins at him.
"With my help," Chris says with a teasing smile.
"Whatever," she rolls her eyes as she picks up the ball and walks back to him.
She traps the ball between her thigh and right hand.
"What's the first thing you like about me?"
Chris moves even closer to her.
"You really wanna know?" He smirks.
"Yes."
He smiles as he tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. His hand lingers there as he stares intensely at her. Steph feels weird with the way he's staring at her but she doesn't look away. Instead, she swallows the lump in her throat. His eyes darken as they move to her lips and he remembers how it felt like kissing her. He wants to feel like that again so he finds himself leaning in.
A/N: Yeah, cliffhanger....
I think we all know what's going to happen to our favourite couple. I'm talking about Luke and Ivy 😄.
Don't forget to vote and please drop your comments. This is the longest chapter so far. Hope you enjoyed it.
Thanks for reading.
One last thing: DO YOU WANT THEM TO KISS?