unedited. thanks for the motivation to keep going. I needed it.

Chris

After leaving the store, we headed back to my house.

"Chris we're gonna watch three hundred movies." Forest said laying on my floor.

"I'm not sure we'll get there. Maybe two hundred and ninety." I assured him.

I laid on my bed, with Bria laying on my shoulder.

For most of my life, I felt an emptiness. Staying with my mom, staying with my dad, there was always something missing. But lying here with Bria, I felt complete. Which was strange, considering I'd met her in biology class through a stupid project.

Words cannot describe the things I've been through since her and I met. From the first night I stayed at her house because my mom kicked me out, up to now, even with all of the emotional turmoil, she's had my back and I've had hers.

With us getting ready to graduate and her getting ready to move into her apartment with Forest, we'd been through more any high schoolers should have. But I feel like if none of this happened, I wouldn't be the person I am.

If I stayed with my mom I'd be in the place I always was, falling behind in school, only worrying about basketball, not one responsibility on my hands.

There's a lot I'd do to drop off some of the responsibilities Brianna and I currently have, but I know later in life..I'll be happy that I didn't.

-

After just one movie, Forest was asleep on the floor with blankets and pillows.

"Look who's the first one sleep." Bria laughed.

"I had a feeling he was gonna crash. He had like five sodas."

"I don't mind. Now we can watch the movies I wanna watch instead of Cars 1, 2, and 3."

"I like Cars." I shrugged. "You know Bria, you don't have to pretend you weren't bothered by seeing your mom at the store, I could tell you were."

"I wasn't."

"You were. I heard you mumbling on our way out, how you called her an old ass broke ass bitch?"

"She is a old ass broke ass bitch. There were no lies told."

"You were still upset. It's okay to be upset." I said, pulling my arm around her waist.

"Ew I know, don't be all mush mush."

"Then stop pretending. I know that made you feel some type of way."

"Fine, Chris. Obviously it did. Can you blame me? She ruined my life, she fucked up my brother's life."

"Look at the good things-"

"There are no-"

"There are. I'm without my mom, I fucked up my dad's marriage, but there are good things. You got accepted for an apartment, you got into a  school, and you have money to go! This night was one of blessings, Bria. So what if your mom had an attitude in the store? Fuck her."

She stayed quiet.

"Yeah that's what I thought. Chris is always right."

"Shut up, you're not."

"Think about it Bria, you going through this now is worth it so Forest won't have to later. Maybe by the time you're in school, I'll have a job, we can keep him in a stable household."

"That's a big dream Christopher."

"Who says we can't dream big? Sometimes we can use a little dreaming you know."

She rolled her eyes.

"I'm supposed to be the optimistic one, you keep me down to earth." She laughed.

"Well right now you need to be lifted up, right now we're in a better place than we have been. We have a plan. Not I, or you, we."

"Okay, motivational speaker. Thank you."

"That's what I'm here for."

"I have to say....this school year took a lot out of me." She sighed.

"You and me both..but it's only uphill from here. I can feel it. It's weird to think about, but in a few years..this'll just be a memory."

"I wish I could just skip to them, you know? I just want to see if..everything will actually get better."

"I know it will. We got too much going for us for it not to."

"..you think we'll be together?"

With all Bria and I had been through, I knew she'd always be apart of my life. No matter what exactly we were.

"I like to imagine that."

"Can you guys Shh? I'm sleeping Chris." Forest said out of nowhere.

"Boy- we can talk if we want to. Stay out of grown folks business."

"Yeah okay. Old man." He mumbled.

"Forest, get on the bed." Bria said smiling.

Forest grabbed his pillow and climbed on the bed, sitting at the foot.

"You wanna sleep in the guest room? Or you want us to go?" She asked.

"I'll sleep there! If I can watch-"

"You can watch Phineas and Ferb." She assured him.

"Okay." He smiled. "Bria..even though Chris makes me annoyed sometimes, I'm glad we are a family."

It was cute that Forest saw us as a family. A family is something both Bria and I lacked...the relationship that we share could be good for Forest too.

"I feel the same way. You annoy me too bud." I said to Forest.

"You both annoy me." Bria laughed.

"You love us Brianna. Especially me." Forest said.

"I do." Bria smiled. "Both of you."

•••
epilogue posted after this. Love y'all so much and I'm sorry for taking so long.