✔️| Stand By Me: Imagines and Preferences ('86)

#2- Chris Chambers (pt. 2)

You walk over to take a seat next to him, not listening to the giggles and occasional whistles behind your back.

You turn to look at your best friend, Madison Clark, who stares at you with a I'll-be-at-your-funeral look, clearly not even trying to help you in this case.

You and Chris both sit in dead silence as you watch the other kids get their partners for the project.

He probably doesn't want to be here right now either.

When it's time to start working, you get up to grab the materials for the project, coming back with papers and pencils.

Come on you sissy, break this silence!

You start speaking, "So Chris, do you know anything about Lewis and Clark?"

He turns to look at you, smirking and his blue eyes sparkling.

"Not really, no," He says.

Okay, well that's just great. What do I do now?!

"That's okay!" You say, trying to cover up the silence, "I got a textbook for you so you can look up some facts for the project. Sounds good?"

His smirk fades a little as he nods his head up and down.

"I'll take that as a yes," You smile, hoping that this project will work out.

Time passes by, and you and Chris surprisingly get the majority of the project done. All you needed to do was write a few more facts, and then you would get an A.

"I'm sorry that you need to work with me," Chris says, a hint of regret in his voice.

His voice startled you. It was the second time he actually had spoken to you in your entire life.

"Chris, don't say that."

"But it's true, (Y/N)."

"I can't imagine working with anyone else right now."

He smirks at you again, eyes twinkling in amusement as you get up to get to my next class.

Who knows, maybe I actually like Chris Chambers.

*****

{Chris' POV} (Occasional curses )

I walk out of the house, tears falling down my face as I put my hands in my pockets, tired of the world and the people that reside in it. The cut on my eyebrow stings, and my lips taste of copper and blood. I hate the abuse, I hate my father, and above all, I hate my life.

"Chris."

I turn around, noticing my brother, Richard behind me. He's a great example of why people say I have nothing in my head. People call him "Eyeball" all the time, saying that the next Chambers kid would be the same as him, making out with every girl he sees, or breaking into stores.

It was just like my life was written out for me. Just like a big label was stuck to my forehead when I was born.
I didn't want to be known as a crybaby, so I got myself together.

"Get the fuck away from me, Richard."

He looks at me, eyes twitching in curiosity and annoyance.

"You can tell me what you're up to. I am your brother, after all, Christopher."

I smirk. Stealing each other's lines has always been the one thing that actually keeps us together. But not anymore.

You see Richard, maybe I can't.

"I'm not going home, that's for sure."

He shrugs and walks away. I watch him pass by a flickering lamppost and disappear into a nearby alley.

I walk past all different houses. Castle Rock is known to be a small town, and usually has all sorts of people living there.

The wind picks up a little, and I'm just wearing a short sleeved white shirt.

Great idea, Chris. Way to go. Way to go, you little fucker.

I try to get my father's words out of my head, but whatever I do, it doesn't work.

"Chris!"

I hear a girl's voice behind me, and then I see a shadow come towards me. Almost instantly I recognize the girl.

(Y/N).

"Oh my god, Chris, what happened to you?"

Tears start to well up in her eyes, and when she notices my streaked face, she starts crying even more.

"(Y/N), look it's okay, I'm fine-"

"Don't give me that bullshit when you know you're hurting. I'm going to help you, Chris. You don't need to doubt me."

Her tone scares me, but it makes me feel better. Safer in a way.

She takes me inside her house, which is empty. Leading me up the stairs, I see framed photos of her and her mother and father, all smiling with glee spread on all their faces.

She sits me down on a small stool in the bathroom as she cleans up my cuts, finishing in a very short amount of time.

I start thinking about how that family could have been my family, and I start thinking about the crush that I have been starting to have on (Y/N), ever since we started working on the project.

"I'm sorry that you need to go through this everyday," She says.

"It happens, but it's gone before you know it. You get used to it after a while."

She moves past me to get some band aids for the cuts, and envelopes me in silence.

I had to go for it.

"(Y/N)?"

"Hm?"

"I know this might not be the thing you want to hear right now, but..."

"But what?" Her head moves to one side, like a puppy in confusion.

"I...I really like you, and I wanted to thank you for helping me. You're really pretty."

She smiles, her teeth showing, and eyes glisten as she makes her way towards me, leading me towards the door, for me to go back.

"You're not so bad yourself."

I smirk at her words.

Before I can make my way out of the door, she walks up to me, and kisses me on the cheek.

Immediately, my face burns in bashfulness, and I smile.

"Good night, Chris."
"Good night."

She says good night to me, and as she closes the door, I chuckle quietly to myself.

This could work out, it really could.

That's all that matters, I suppose.

•••••

Inspired by sandlotters

- C.