𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩 » chris evans [✓]

𝐯𝐢𝐢.

"Wait—you're telling me that man invited you over for Thanksgiving dinner and you're going to say no? Are you insane?" Hope asked of her baby sister as they chatted over FaceTime for a bit before Faith had to take an Uber downtown for the Celtics game against the Sixers.

"Not insane, I just don't think I should bail on y'all. You know how Ma is about everyone spending Thanksgiving together..."

"Ma isn't going to let you hear the end of it if you turn him down. Screw us! It's Chris Evans!"

Faith chuckled, but there was something else that was still on her mind about the whole thing. And if there were anyone she could be honest with, it was Hope. "Ugh, I hate feeling like this."

"Like what?"

"Like I'm reading too much into his kindness. I mean, we're friends, yeah—but don't you think him inviting me to dinner on one of the biggest holidays is a more-than-friends situation?"

Hope thought about it for a second or two. "Only if you think it is. Let's look at this logically. Chris is a friendly guy, and it's obvious that he considers you an important person in his life. So, maybe this is his way of showing that. And I'm almost positive he doesn't invite all of his female friends over to meet his folks."

That was a good point. "Maybe you're right."

"I am, trust me."

"But then again..."

"If you finish that sentence, you're going to worry yourself to death. Whether you go or not—which I think you absolutely should—I'm thinking the only reason that you're stressing over this is because you're worried that it means he's crushing on you a little bit."

Leave it to Hope to get the truth out of her one way or another. "How do you always know?"

"I'm your sister, weirdo. It's my job. Come on, spill."

Faith wished it was easier for her to be upfront with her emotions instead of pretending like they weren't there. Thanks to one of her exes, it was still an ongoing battle. One day maybe she'd have the guts to unpack all that emotional turmoil, but today was not that day. "I don't know. We haven't hung out a ton just yet, but we text a good amount and it feels so natural. But at the same time, it's nerve wracking because I keep waiting for the rug to be pulled out from under me."

"What do you mean?" Hope responded, eyebrows furrowing. "You think he's just messing around with you?"

"No, not really..." Frustrated, she ran her fingers through her locs. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that everything feels too good to be true. And we haven't even gotten to the Oscars date yet."

Hope's expression sobered. "Listen to me. I know you like the back of my hand, so what you need to do right now is ground yourself. Don't think about anything except for the fact that you and Chris are friends, and he likes you enough to want you to meet his family and spend time with them. That's significant, even if it doesn't feel like it."

She was right, and Faith knew it. But her words failed to spark the determination that she was sure Hope was aiming for. "I think I'm still going to decline, though. But maybe–"

Hope groaned. "Have you not listened to a word I said?"

"I have, but you didn't even hear the rest of what I'm thinking about. What if we did something for Christmas?"

Hope raised her eyebrows in astonishment. "Hold up, yes. Do it. Get off the phone right now and call that man!"

Laughing at her sister's silliness—and simultaneously a little shocked by her own boldness—Faith ended the call and dialed Chris' number. It rang a few times before he picked up. "Hey hon, give me just a second."