Illicit Affairs ~ A Chris Motionless Love Story

Chapter Seven - Childish

SCARLETT'S POV
The split between Chris and me dampened my day, putting me in a terrible mood so I was relieved when I found out my last appointment for the day cancelled. I looked at the time and sighed. Though my last appointment canceled, it was still 12:00 AM and I was up here working on my designs for tomorrow. I went and made myself another mug of coffee and went right back to my drawing board. I kept my music going, choosing once again Taylor Swift. A long time favorite of mine, despite my main squeezes being rock music. My phone began to ring repeatedly as I got sucked into my sketch, so I declined it. It rang again. Declined. Rings again. Declined. FaceTime call. I groaned and finally accepted it.

"What could you possibly need right now, Jake?" I was agitated, and Jake was in a loud bar setting.

"Isn't this your boy toy?" He loudly asked as he turned the camera. It was a man with a woman sitting on his lap at a booth, their lips pressed together, so I couldn't see a face but I recognized the tattoos. For a second my heart sank, but I decided to let it go.

"He's not my boy toy, never was. He's just a friend. Is that all you needed?" Now I was even more agitated, and he wasn't answering fast enough so I hung up. I was already exasperated from today as it was, and then that. I shook my head as if I was trying to shake the memory, but it wouldn't go away, and now I was too upset to focus. I shut down the shop and wound up leaving, speeding down the street in the Hellcat. I hadn't craved a drink in so long, but fuck did I want one tonight. I stopped at the twenty-four hour market down the street from my house and grabbed two bottles of wine, then headed home. The moment I got home I kicked off my shoes and popped open the bottle. I contemplated a glass, but there was no need to be civilized if it was just me, so I drank from the bottle. By the end of the first one things got hazy, but that second one really did me in. Enough so that I dialed Chris.

"Scar, what are you doing up? It's late-"

"Don't lecture me!" I hiccuped. "I'm mature, I'm so fucking mature! You just ended it because you were scared of feelings and shit! Or maybe you think I'm hideous, I don't know which. But you have issue, Chris-"

"Scarlett, where are you?"

"Why do you wanna know? Did your fling from the bar not work out? Yeah," I hiccuped again, "bet you didn't know I knew about that!" I heard him let out an exasperated sigh, and suddenly all the contents of my stomach came traveling up my throat. I started to vomit right there, on the ground in front of my couch.

"I'm heading over there right now. Don't move." Chris hung up. He sounded angry, and frustrated. Maybe I hit a nerve? Either way, drunk me didn't care. She didn't give two fucks. But now that I was throwing up and getting it out of my system, I was realizing how bad I fucked up. I shouldn't have called him, I shouldn't have gotten drunk, I shouldn't have puked on my brand new rug. That was all childish. Within ten minutes Chris was barging into my house, and barreling down the hallway to me. At some point I had made it to the bathroom, but I couldn't tell you when. Everything was in flashes, nothing was a full memory.

"Fuck, Scar." Chris got down and pulled my hair back as I hung my head over the toilet. After I finished puking, Chris started a warm bath for me and helped me get out of my clothes. "Why? Why would you drink that much?" He questioned as he tossed my shirt to the side. I shrugged.

"Shitty day I guess," was all I had to say. "Why did you come? Why didn't you just let it be? Weren't you with another girl?"

"You're my friend, Scarlett, you're more important than some bimbo at a bar. Get in the bath, wash yourself off. I'll bring you some clean clothes." He wandered out of the bathroom, and I slid down into the warm bubble bath. The warm water and bubbles felt great against my skin, almost comforting, like a warm embrace. I shut my eyes softly, just for a moment, and Chris came back in with my silk pajama set in hand. He sat it on the counter, then sat down on the floor next to the tub leaned against the wall. He shut his eyes as if he were exhausted. Or maybe annoyed.

"You don't have to stay, Chris," I told him quietly. He shook his head.

"No," he said, "no, I don't. But I'm going to. I don't trust that you won't choke on your vomit." I rolled my eyes at him.

"I'm fine now, I promise. You can leave." I really didn't want his company at the moment. In fact, I resented him right now.

"I'm not leaving-"

"Why won't you just leave me alone!"

"Because I care about you, Scarlett! Jesus fucking Christ! Just because I don't want to fuck you anymore doesn't mean I don't care about you! Grow up..." His last two words stung. They stung worse than a wasp, worse than a yellow jacket, worse than a scorpion. They stung emotionally, and he could tell. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that," Chris said softly. I sighed and bit back a few tears.

"No, it's fine. Really. Would you mind giving me a few moments by myself?"

"Scarlett, really, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that-"

"Just give me a few minutes, please." Chris got up and walked out, but I knew he was still standing by the door. I sniffled a little and let a few tears fall, but knew I couldn't let the dam break so I splashed my face and rinsed my hair, then got out. I dried off my body, wrapped my hair in the towel, and then slipped into my silk shorts and tank top. When I stepped out Chris was slid down against the wall next to the door. "Thank you," I thanked him as I looked down. He stood up and surprised me when he took me into his arms, squeezing tightly. I was getting many mixed signals from him, but I wasn't going to fight the hug, I needed it.
Chris set up a spot on my couch after cleaning the rug, and then helped me get settled into bed. He turned off my light as I turned on my TV to watch whatever garbage was on for that night. When he walked out he shut the door, and I quickly dozed off.
"Scar," I heard him whisper, "I'm gonna lay down next to you." I felt the left side of my bed dip, and smelled Chris' cologne. I didn't think much of it, just figured the couch was uncomfortable, and I dozed back off.