BREAK POINT - chris sturniolo

CHAPTER 13

"No! I grabbed the wrong hat! Fuck!" Nick yells, potentially shaking the whole house.

"Get ready to lose." Matt smirks.

A heated game of Dress to Impress was being carried out in Matt's bedroom. Nick was sprawled out on the floor and Matt and I were draped on opposite ends of his bed. 

Just outside, crickets droned on, mixing with the crashing of the waves to create a peaceful symphony—one that Nick seems intent on interrupting. I shiver when a cool breeze blows onto my legs through the open window and only Matt notices, tossing a throw blanket to me from his side of the bed. I smile to myself, appreciating the small gesture. 

"The theme was florals and this bitch has zebra print? Are you kidding me?" Nick shouts and is shushed by Matt, but he giggles to himself. 

"Oh, that's me. God, I look so good. Five stars." Matt insists, reaching over onto my screen to vote for himself. 

"Stop!" I swat his hand away, giving him a solid two stars. "You look a mess." 

My joke earned a cackle from Nick which Chris shushes as he enters to room.

"Don't shush me! Where did you even come from? Walking in here like you own the place." Nick shakes his head in disgust. 

"Nick this is my house." Chris rolls his eyes sassily. 

"My house?! Last time I checked we allllll lived here." Nick yelled.

"'My house' is insane." Matt agrees, but they weren't listening because Chris had already jumped onto Nick, wrestling him until he was flat on the floor.

"I hate your guts." Nick spits. 

"You love me, Nicholas." He coos. Matt turns to me and points out that it was Nick's turn on the runway. We laugh quietly as he directs me to give him one star.

"Gross, guys." Matt says. 

"Gross?" Nick and Chris turn their heads towards Matt, clearly offended by his comment.

"What's up, Matt? I can't love my brother?" Chris taunts him. 

"Whatever. By the way Nick, you got last." Matt says, holding up the leaderboard.

"What?" He screeches.

"Alright, I'm getting the fuck out of here. I hate when you play this game." Chris stands up, dusting himself off. 

"Why did you come in here in the first place, then?" Nick asks.

"I just wanted to know if you liked my outfit." Chris says softly. 

The two brothers immediately drop the fighting in response to their brother's sincerity, and pay him compliments. 

"Where are you going?" I ask. When he looks at me, my mind runs to that beautiful bouquet of flowers sitting on my bedside table. 

"Ah, no where." He says, avoiding my gaze.

"Well I know that isn't true." Matt says.

"What does he have to hide?" Nick asks, looking to Matt and I.

"A date?" Matt shrugs. 

"Guys." Chris warns. 

"It is a date!" Nick cheers.  

"It's not a date." He shakes his head, growing frustrated. "I'm hanging with a friend." 

"A friend that's a girl." Nick says.

"That cares about his outfit." Matt adds.

"Whatever. I'll see you guys later." Chris leaves without another word as the other two brothers exchange curious glances. I, on the other hand, am in pain at the thought of him going to see someone else. His grand gesture feels null and void, and for a minute I curse myself for ever reading into it.