7. "Just for tonight."

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Bria

It's been about two weeks since me and Christopher began this fake dating thing, and honestly it's been exhausting. I can't wait until this is all over.

Christopher had no problem playing his role as a fake boyfriend, he went out of his way to call me nicknames around other people, kept his arm around me, overall phoniness.

School was hectic, but there was one part of the day I looked forward to. After school I was president of the prom committee, and it was always the most exciting part of each day. Today specifically, Christopher decided to stay after school also. He claims it's because he wants to help with prom set up..but I believe there's a different reason he didn't want to go home.

I get it. If it weren't for Forest I'd avoid home a lot too, maybe all this prom stuff is my escape from my real life.

"So what can I help with?" Christopher said standing around awkwardly.

"Why are you asking me?"

"Uhh because you're the president?"

"Just go lift something heavy, I don't know." I said shooing him away.

"That's no way to treat your boyfriend." Lincoln, Vice President of our committee said, with a smirk.

Since my sophomore year I had the biggest crush on him.

"I don't need advice from you Lincoln." I said trying to conceal my smile.

"Chris is really lucky to have a girl with such a beautiful smile." He said quietly so no one else in the gym would hear. Lord please let Christopher fake break up with me soon..

"Bria! I'm done lifting." Christopher said smiling , ruining the brief moment between Lincoln and I.

I sighed, walking over to him.

"Are you annoyed with me? Like am I doing something wrong to you-"

"Could you stop it Chris? You know why we're doing this, I know why we're doing thisโ€” so what's the point for all the theatrics? We aren't...friends.." I said, waning off at the end.

He looked away from me.

"Well maybe I thought we could try." He said in a tone I hadn't heard from him in weeks. He left the gym, letting the door slam causing everyone to stare at me.

"Yikes.." I heard one girl whisper.

My heart began to race. I hated having attention on me, I also hated that I'd hurt Christopher. He's just so..confusing. This is all confusing.

"You ok Bria?" I heard Lincoln say behind me.

"I'm fine." I said, turning to face him,

"I'm sorry about you and your boyfriend-"

"He's not my boyfriend!" I confessed to him in frustration.

"What? He's not?"

"Its a lie, Lincoln. It's all because of a stupid rumor about Christopher that I doubt is even true. And now he's acting...weird. I don't know how to feel."

"Maybe it's because of his mom." Lincoln said with a chuckle.

"His mom?"

"Devyn told me that his mom is all abusive and stuff, but Chris is a bitch for letting a woman abuse him." He said laughing some more.

The more he spoke, the more disgusted with him I was becoming.

"Watch over the rest of the committee for me. I'm going home." I said while walking away from him.

"Bria wait! What did I do?"

Christopher

When I got home, the house was spotless. No bottles or ash trays in sight. The carpet had been vacuumed, the shelves had been dusted, everything.

There must be an occasion.

My mother walked into the living room with her hair straightened, make up done, and wearing a floral printed dress.

"You look ni-"

"Your brother is home for dinner, so be on your best behavior."

My mom cared about Bryson more than anything. More than anyone. This hadn't been the first time she cleaned up everything (including herself) in order to impress my older brother. That's part of the reason he never believed me when I told him the things she did.

"What's up Chris?" He said, coming from the kitchen.

I didn't say anything, and headed straight to my room.

"Christopher we don't treat family like that." My mother said in her fake sweet voice she'd only use around company.

I tuned the memories out and shut my door. I pulled out my sketchbook that was hidden under my bed and began drawing.

Lately I'd been doing portraits. They take a long time, and usually block everything else out of my mind. I drew just about anyone who I came across in my lifeโ€” just when I feel like I've run out of people, I meet someone new.

"Chris! Mom said it's time for dinner." Bryson said barging into my room suddenly.

"Tell her I said I'm not hungry." I said closing my sketchbook.

"Heyyyy who's that girl you're drawing? She your girlfriend?" He asked grabbing my book.

"Yeah." I said, snatching it back from himโ€” avoiding further questioning.

"Aww you have a girlfriend. What's her name?"

"Please leave."

"Come on man. I haven't seen you in so long, why you being rude? Remember when we used to play hotwheels? Remember when Dad-"

"Yes, I remember. I remember all the happy times from when we were kids. But I actually try not to, so if you could please, leave me alone."

He sighed and left my room, closing the door behind him. I laid back down in my bed and my phone vibrated next to me.

Brianna:
Sorry for being rude today..I was already having a rough day.

I wasn't expecting an apology from her.

It's ok, I know you were trying to talk to Lincoln.

Which I did. When I saw her talking to Lincoln I dropped the box I was carrying and interrupted them, which I could tell pissed her off- but it was for the greater good. Lincoln isn't a great or good guy.

Brianna:
I'm not concerned with Lincoln anymore, he's not who I thought he was. Plus I already have a boyfriend, remember? ๐Ÿ˜‰

My fun texting Bria was interrupted by some banging on my door.

Bria

"Briaaaaa. I'm hungryyyy." Forest complained, dramatically clenching his stomach.

"Forest I already told you there's stuff to make sandwiches in there."

"I don't want thaaaat." He groaned. Usually I'd give the Mom answer "then you're not hungry" but I decided to finally get the kid what he wants.

"Fine. You're lucky I'm in a better mood. I'll order Chinese tonight, but it's not going to be an every night thing." I warned him, entering my room to grab some money from my stash.

As I was taking money out of the shoe box I heard Forest running to my room, I quickly closed the box and pushed it back under my bed.

"Your phone's ringing." He said tossing my phone to me.

The screen read, Dumbass ๐Ÿ™„

Christopher, why?

"Uh.....hello?"

"Brianna...can I ask you a favor?" He asked in a whisper tone.

"If it's what I think it is the answer is hell no-"

"No no it's not that. I..I need a place to stay." He says, mumbling that last part.

"What? How did- what did- I can't help you Christopher."

"Just for tonight! My mom kicked me out."

"What happened?!"

Christopher

-30 minutes before-

Bryson bursted in my room again, this time seeming more annoyed.

"Mom said you don't have a choice. You don't have to eat just come to the table-"

"Nigga just go away, you're used to doing that anyway."

"I leave in the morning, Chris. I just want to catch up with you..see how everything's going."

"Does your phone not work Bryson?"

"What?"

"Does your phone work? Because it seems like whenever I try to call you to catch up or tell you how everything's going it never seems to work. Isn't that funny Bryson? Or when I try to tell you how mom is? How she treats me? But now it's time to forget all of that and be together. You think that's fair?"

"I know you want mom to be the villain after everything with dad happened, but I wish you would stop with these little stories Chris. Just this once, be apart of the family-"

"This is not a family!"

"You know what? Fuck it. If you wanna sit up here and feel bad for yourself, do that. I don't believe that mom treats you any type of way, but if she didโ€” I'd probably understand why."

"Fuck you and her."

As soon as I said that, he charged toward me and began swinging. In efforts to fight back I pushed his into the wall and began throwing punches also, but just in time my mother heard the commotion and ran in.

"Christopher what the hell are you doing to him!? Get your shit and get out! Just get out, I don't care where you go! Don't beg him to be apart of the family anymore Bryson, he decided." She said leaving my room, Bryson following closely behind her.

I grabbed my book bag and a duffel bag and stuffed as many clothes as I could fit. My sketchbook couldn't fit in with all my clothes so I carried it in hand.

I have no idea where I'm going, but I'm happy to leave.

Bria

I felt horrible hearing the story Christopher told me. I guess the stuff about his mom is true. I know he could be an ass at times, but no one deserves to be thrown out of their home.

But, I still can't have him in mine.

"So..he hit you first?"

"Yeah."

"Where are you right now?"

"I'm at the bus stop trying to figure out where I can go." He said sighing.

"You don't have any family around? Friends?"

"Only my dad...and I can't tell my friends about this, you know how they are."

No, Bria.

Well?

No.

But maybe...?

My mom was almost never home, if Forest could keep his mouth shut...Christopher should be able to stay one night, right?

"I can't believe I'm saying this but, you can come here for tonight and that's it. I'll SEE if I can borrow Casey's car and get you."

"Thank you so much Brianna- I mean uh Bria. I'll repay you for this I promise."

"Yeah yeah." I said hanging up the phone.

I looked over at Forest who was sitting on my bed impatiently.

"Are you going to order it??" He said tapping his wrist like he had on a watch.

"Yeah..give me a second." I said, texting Casey to ask about using her car that she'd just gotten.

Me:
hey....

Go about this strategically.

Casey:
Wassup??

Me:
Can I borrow your car to go around the corner ? :)

Casey:
Hmmm for what?๐Ÿ˜

She already suspects it's about Christopher, rather than deflecting, I decided to play into it.

Me:
My boyfriend wants to stay over. You know how that goes.

Casey:
Girl say no more ! Anything for the dick ๐Ÿ˜› go get your man!

As uncomfortable as the assertion was, it was useful.

Me:
Thanks! Ill be upstairs to pick up the key.

"Alright Forest. Instead of ordering Chinese food we're gonna go to the restaurant to pick it up. We'll have to make another stop on the way there." I told him, slipping on my slides and throwing on a jacket.

"Can I go with no shoes on?" He asked wiggling his toes.

"No. Hurry up and get dressed while I go get Casey's car key."

//

After retrieving the car key we were on our way. Forest climbed into the backseat of the jeep as I got in to the driver's.

"What do you want to eat?" I asked him, looking at him through the rear view mirror.

"Chickens, egg rolls, and...umm rice."

"Alright." I said, starting the car.

"Bria."

"Yeah?"

"Why do we have to make another stop?"

"I have to pick up a friend." I said trying to avoid more questions.

"You mean..your BOYFRIEND??"

"He's a boy, yes."

He said nothing else, and eventually we finally arrived to the bus stop Christopher was at and I spotted him holding some bags and a notebook or something. He looked up at me and approached the car.

"Thanks for coming."

"No problem, I hope you don't mindโ€” I still have to buy dinner for my brother." I said as he got in the passenger seat.

"Hi!" Forest said loudly.

"Hi Forest." Christopher said smiling.

Christopher

Bria ended up driving to some Chinese food restaurant, her brother was asleep in the backseat.

"I'll be back." She said unlocking her door.

"Wait." I said to her, causing her to stop in her tracks.

I pulled out a twenty dollar bill and gave it to her.

"No no I can't-"

"I insist. Thanks for giving me a place to sleep tonight."

She sighed and put the money in her pocket.

"Do you want something?"

"A fortune cookie would be fine." I said, not really in the mood to eat.

//

After a while she came back with bags of food which she set in the backseat before restarting the car.

"What's that?" She said pointing to my sketchbook on my lap.

"My..uh sketchbook."

"You can draw?" She asked sounding astonished.

"Yeah I like to draw sometimes."

"Could you draw me?" She giggled.

"I have." I said before instantly regretting it.

Keep that to yourself Chris, it's weird.

"Hm?"

"What? Nothing. I didn't say anything."

The ride grew silent, not an awkward silence, just quiet. Bria interrupted that, though.

"You have to stay in my room just in case my mom comes home. You can sleep on the bed."

"Then where would you sleep?"

"I'll sleep on the couch or something I don't know."

"No I'm not taking your bed Bria, I'll sleep on the floor."

"Well...I'll make it nice for you then."

I stared at her drive. Her eyes were tired, and bored. I placed my hand on her thigh, causing her to jump.

"Christopher."

"Yeah?"

"Get your hand off of me."

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