opulent whispers

chapter 3

Chris

Chris left the campus after Oliver declined his invitation. His stomach was doing all sorts of familiar tricks. There weren't very many people that could make Chris feel bad, but those who did, really did. Oliver had just become one of those people, and Chris wasn't really sure what to do with that. Oliver was always snapish, but it was the way he looked at him and spoke like he was better that got to him. It got to him because Oliver could very well be better than Chris, but Chris doesn't have access to Oliver to know for sure. All Chris had was Oliver's weirdly quiet and boring demeanor, his life seemed boring so how did Oliver reason his superiority complex with himself? What was Chris missing?

He hated that feeling of dread– and dread it absolutely was– of knowing there was a part of him that was not enough for someone. Fortunately for Chris, he had had plenty of experience not being enough, and he knew how to take his mind off of the dread. Though Chris wouldn't admit his tactics were never effective in distracting him in the long run, the dread would creep up during the worst of times, like when he is laying alone in his bed and every other negative thought floats in the air suffocating him slowly and completely.

So, in his efforts to pull away from St. Eves for the night, he found himself calling one of his closest friends. Clementine was not someone he would text or call to chat, she was some he went to to make spontaneous plans and actually follow through. He stood on the sidewalk alone in the dark bouncing on the heels on his feet waiting for her to save him as she often did.

The white Mercedes that was essentially his getaway car, pulled up next to him, and there was no hesitation as he hopped in.

"Thanks, Emmy," He said, settling in the passenger's side and he reached over to place a kiss on her cheek.

Clementine had shoulder length strawberry blond hair that flipped out in a way that looked like a failed attempt at seventies hair because Clemetine's hair was rather– and unfortunately– thin.

She let out a noisey huff of air, "You know I really don't mind picking you up," her voice rested in a high octave, the type that seemed to always have a whine in it. Though it tethered to being annoying, there was a quality of youthness to it that drew in the crowd that she was looking for.

"What I do mind," she paused to glance over at Chris before quickly turning her eyes back to the road, "is you being so last minute with it. And you have no reason to be besides the fact that you just like to be difficult," she let out a second huff, "You know, I was in the middle of getting someone to get me laid."

"Were you now?" Chris called her knowing this was going to be their conversation during the drive to her house, but he didn't mind– though Clemetine did– he found it amusing, when she was upset like this it reminded him of when they were really little.

"Yes, and I don't think he's waiting for me to get back," Chris looked over at her to see the scowl that was on her face, well a scowl accompanied with a pout.

"Well I don't think you'll have much of an issue with finding a replacement," He leaned over the compartment and placed a kiss on her jaw. Clementine swatted him away.

"I hate when you flirt with me," she turned to give him a lopsided smile, "It'd be a different story if you were serious about it," She said, waving the hand she had off the wheel in the air.

Chris quickly grabbed onto her hand and enclosed it between both of his, "Now who said I wasn't serious?" he said with a mock pout.

She pulled away from his grasp, "Shut up. We're here" she said when her car pulled into the driveway of her home.