Illicit Affairs ~ A Chris Motionless Love Story

Chapter Seventeen - Behind Closed Doors

SCARLETT'S POV
Chris and I sat in silence initially, not sure what to say to each other. For the past month and few weeks we went without even saying so much as a hello, and now we were supposed to spill out guts out for each other. I knew exactly what I wanted to say, what I wanted to do. I wanted to pour my heart out, and tell him every thought I ever had. I wanted to call him mine, and be his whole world. But yet, I wouldn't let myself spill. I'd never gut myself for someone else's warmth again.

"Scar," his voice cut through the silence like a freshly sharpened knife, "I know you don't have much faith in really any man right about now-"

"Specifically you, but go on." He let out a huff and shook his head.

"I am so god damn in love with you, I'd do anything. It's driving me crazy, Scarlett, it really is. I love that you think the funniest movie of all time is Rush Hour, I love that you think the best cure for heartbreak is to sing Taylor Swift until your voice is gone, I love watching as the sun hits your eyes just perfect in the passenger seat of my car. Scar, I love you." There he was, gutting himself on my bedroom floor. And what did I have to say? What about my words? They had seemed to flee my mind along with any bit of sanity I had left. I stared at him with wide eyes. Was he insane, absolutely mad, out of his mind? The man who never wanted a relationship is sitting before me, proclaiming his love for me? "But," oh, there it was, "I don't want to ruin what we have right now." I scoffed at his words, and stood up, crossing my arms in front of him.

"We have nothing! All we do is fuck, you don't even do much as offer a date or anything. I mean, fuck, you could at least buy me dinner once in a while!"

"I buy you lunch all the damn time!"

"Yeah, then you turn and say 'oh, this is my friend Scarlett' to everyone!"

"Well, saying someone is your fuck buddy is frowned upon, so there's that." Now I was fuming. I wanted to storm out, but there was no way out. Bryan was fixing the doorknob that Hailey had broke. So I did the next best thing, and locked myself in the bathroom that was connected. I heard footsteps leading up to the door as I tried to compose myself, slumped against the wall. "Scar," I heard Chris' muffled voice, "open the door. We need to talk about this-"

"There's nothing to talk about, we already talked. I'm just your fuck buddy, remember?" I heard him slide down against the other side of the door.

"Scarlett, please, open the door." He begged softly. I stayed quiet and seated. After a few seconds I heard more foot steps, and then the doorknob rattled, and the door popped open. "You should really start putting your bobby-pins up- oh my god," Chris knelt down in front of me, "are you crying?"

"No," I said as I wiped my face, "I'm not crying. I just have allergies. That's all." He wasn't buying it, as my eyes were red and my cheeks were puffy.

"What's going on, Scar? Tell me what really is happening," he pried. I sniffled, and he sat against the bathroom wall next to me. I leaned my head on his shoulder.

"Do you think Leo left because of my body?" My question caught him off guard, and I could tell by how wide his eyes went. Then he scoffed, got up, and pulled me up. Chris guided me to my full length mirror that hung on the wall and stood behind me with his hands resting softly on my shoulders.

"Scar, your body isn't what makes you who you are. It's a bonus, for sure, don't get me wrong, but if Leo couldn't see you for who you are that's his problem. Sure, I was attracted to you for the way your body curves, but when I got to know you is when I fell in love with you." There it was again. Love. "When I look at you I see the most confident, down to earth, talented woman I've ever met." Chris kissed the top of my head and we heard the bedroom door open.

"Hope I'm not interrupting anything, but we're hungry. Is anyone down for brunch?" Bryan's voice interrupted our small moment and Chris pulled himself away.

"Absolutely, I'm fucking starving and y'all owe us brunch for trapping us in there." I stayed standing where I was in front of the mirror, and listened as everyone wandered out. I continued to nitpick everything about myself, so much so that I never realized Chris had walked back in and was now leaned against the doorframe of the bathroom. "Scar-"

"I'll be out soon. Just give me a minute." He stepped in further. "Chris, really. I'll be out soon." Chris came up behind me and swooped me up bridal style, then carried me out. "Christopher! Put me down!" I protested. He smiled and shook his head. "I'm in sweatpants and my hair isn't done!"

"I think you look gorgeous just the way you are." He put me down the moment we got to the car, and opened the passenger door for me. I reluctantly got in, and he went to the drivers side.
When we pulled up to the restaurant Chris hesitated for a moment before turning the car off. He sighed, and hit the button, then sat there.

"Is something wrong?" I asked him, my brow furrowed. He shook his head as a smile appeared across his face.

"For the first time in a long time, no. Everything actually feels right. Now come on, I'm starving."
I laid in bed alone that night, puzzled by everything that had happened. Chris said he loved me, but didn't want to ruin things? It didn't make a lick of sense to me. My mind wouldn't stop racing, Chris was running through it, using my brain as a treadmill just about. I groaned and rolled to my side, then to the other side, then on my back. Eventually I found the sweet spot, and I was able to fall asleep.
My sleep was short lived when I heard a loud crash, and my alarm started to go off. I hastily grabbed my phone and called the first person I could think of, but it was also three in the morning, and the chances of him being awake were slim to none.

"Pick up, pick up, pick up," I whispered to myself as I searched for my handgun.

"You've reached Chris, leave me a message and I'll get back to you." Fuck. I dialed again, nothing. The footsteps got closer to the bedroom. Dial again, nothing. My doorknob started to turn. The alarm company had already alerted police, but they'd get here too late. The door started to crack open. I slid into the bathroom, and locked the door, then slipped down into my still wet bathtub from my shower. I listened as the foot steps went through my room, and then stopped at the bathroom door. The amount of times I had called Chris was ridiculous, did the man never keep his ringer on? The bathroom doorknob rattled, and then I heard clinking. The fucking bobby-pins. The knob clicked, signifying the lock had been released. My heart pounded out of my chest. The door creaked open, and I clasped my hand over my mouth as I shivered and shook.