MONEY TREES, gossip girl [DISCONTINUED]

10

tw! mentions of drug use, manic episode, sexual content

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CHAPTER TEN
A TO B
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WHEN CJ says parties are like an alternate universe, he doesn't mean like this.

House parties and clubs are one thing, charity events held at luxury convention buildings with high-status attendants are something else entirely. It's formal, established, constricting— all the things CJ would rather do without.

"How long do we have to stay?" CJ lowly asks his mom, adjusting the cuffs of his suit jacket. He feels like he's overheating, but CJ's pretty sure that's just him.

"However long it takes," Farah replies sternly, "Please be on your best behavior, Cristian."

"My best behavior isn't always up to your standards, but I'll try to meet them." CJ quips.

"If you could make it through the rehearsals for our wedding, you can make it through this," His step-pipes up from his standing beside Farah. CJ bites back a snarky remark, "Chandler, why don't you show him around? You've been to this before."

The middle-schooler rolls his eyes, but still walks ahead anyways. CJ glances upwards, says a quiet prayer to a god he's not sure he believes in, and follows his step-brother further into the hall.

"So," Chandler starts once they're clear of their parents, "We're on the same page that we are going to pretend the other doesn't exist, right?"

"Precisely," CJ nods, "See you whenever."

Chandler yet again rolls his eyes, his signature move, and parts ways. CJ doesn't care to look where his step-brother disappears to, but CJ knows exactly where he is taking himself: the bar.

CJ locates the bar with relative ease. He leans against the countertop, waiting for the bartender to finish up with their current customer, a woman around his mother's age. At first, CJ just loosens his bow tie to breathe easier. He thinks fuck it and yanks it off completely, and leaves the tie to drape over his shirt.

The bartender wanders over to him, and he immediately perks up, "Vodka tonic."

"Is that a joke?" The man snickers.

CJ clenches his jaw, "No."

"Well, it should be. You could hardly pass as 18," The bartender muses, "Water or soda are all you can get, kid."