Chris Evans: The Guy Next Door

Chapter 19

**Chris' POV

It had been two weeks since I had last seen Scott and over three years since I had seen Bella, so I was extremely glad that I was going home.

As we pulled into the driveway, we were greeted with friendly familiar faces and a large banister across the garage that said "WELCOME HOME!". Scott, Shana, Carly, Tracy, Bella and Mandy were all standing outside and engulfed me in a hug when I got out of them car.

"Hi everyone!" I exclaimed. "I love all this love you're giving me but I have to get mom out of the car."

I walked over to the passenger seat and helped my mom out of the car and into the house.

I was greeted with the familiar scent of pancakes and syrup. "Did someone make pancakes?" I said as I helped my mom into a chair.

As I turned around, Bella came around the corner with a plate of pancakes in hand. "Yup! I raided your house for your recipe. I doubt they're as good as yours." She beamed.

She hadn't changed one bit, except for the fact that she looked a little older and her hair was longer. She still had the same sparkle in her green eyes and gentle face that made me smile.

I engulfed her in a hug. "I missed you..." I said.

She broke away from the hug and pushed her hair behind her ear, like she always does when shes nervous.

Before she could reply, Mandy pushed Bella out of the way and threw her arms around my neck and smashed her lips against my check.

"Mandy!" I hugged her back and planted my lips on hers.

I heard a voice clear and broke away from the kiss to see everyone standing there staring.

"Oh, sorry." I could feel my face getting red.

I walked around the room and gave hugs to everyone, before we sat at the table to eat the pancakes Bella had made for us.

"Bella these are really good!"

Bella giggled. "Thanks Chris, but yours are way better."

"Yeah, I agree." Mandy sneered.

There was an awkward silence before I said, "The doctor said that we should be up and on our feet feeling better in a few months. We will have a nurse that comes over daily to take care of us, since both mom and I need to recover."

"Bro, were you even supposed to drive? I thought that was bad to do right after surgery." Scott said raising an eyebrow.

"I mean you're not supposed to but, eh, I feel fine." I said before shoveling pancakes in my mouth, getting syrup all over my face.

Bella snorted and I looked up at her to see her silently giggling to herself as she looked at my syrup covered face. She gave me a shy smile before continuing to eat her pancakes.

God I missed her smile...

After that, thoughts came racing back to my head. The flowers, the ring. I had forgotten that I was about to make a life changing decision right before I got in the accident.

~

That night I sat on the front porch, thinking about all that has happened. I felt different. I mean who wouldn't? I had been out cold for three years, and so much has changed. I mean Mandy and Bella had stayed pretty much the same, but the past seemed just like a distant memory. I wasn't sure if I should continue on like nothing every happened, and resume life right before the accident? Or rekindle my relationships, before making any rash decisions? Three years is a long time... who knows what might have happened.