𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐑 𝐄𝐗, 𝖼𝗁𝗋𝗂𝗌 𝗌𝗍𝗎𝗋𝗇𝗂𝗈𝗅𝗈 ✓

016, 𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐲

DEAR, EX

scarlett stands at chris' front door, absolutely soaked from the rain. he stares at her, dumbfounded. but also hurt. seeing her like this, it hurt him. so vulnerable, all the color in her eyes drained and replaced with pain.

"i—" she starts, her voice breaking a bit. she's been crying, he can tell by the redness of her nose. "can we talk?"

he almost gives in. almost grabs her arm, pulls her inside. gives her a towel, a drink, holds her close. tell her it's okay. tell her how much he missed her. how he secretly wished that chase would disappear, and all she would need is him.

but he tightens his jaw while looking down at her. "no." he firmly says before shutting the door.

but to his own surprise, she places a hand on the door and pushes back open. "we will talk."

"there's nothing to talk about."

"you know there is."

"what, that you lead me on, then got with chase?"

"i didn't get with chase, if you would just let me explain, i—"

"i don't wanna hear it."

"chris, just listen."

"no. you're gonna come up with some bullshit excuse as to why i should forgive you, then—"

"why you should forgive me?! you broke up with me. that's something we could've talked out instead of you throwing me out and making me walk home, losing my childhood best friend along the way." she scoffs. "i lost my friends because of you!"

"yeah, well you seem to be doing just fine with your lulu lemon and cropped tops and makeup and hair that everyone knows you spent way too long on. you have so many more friends now!" he feels his tone getting harsher.

"i'd rather have you guys over them!" scarlett exclaims. "i want five real friends who care, not half of the school who claims to love and adore me yet wouldn't even bother to attend my funeral."

"well, you're not gonna get these four real people." he says, not including liam since he's still friends with scar. "so go run crying to fenton."

"i ran crying to you!" she tells him. she gets closer to him. "i don't want chase, i want you—"

"stop lying to me." he shakes his head and breaks eye contact.

she gets closer and hesitantly presses her hand onto chris' arm. please please please forgive her.

he doesn't flinch at how cold her hand is. their eyes reunite as she slowly pushes his head to face her again. "go home, scarlett." his voice drops to a pitch she's never heard before as he shakes her hand off and goes back inside, slamming the door shut and locking it.

scarlett swallows the heavy, heavy lump in her throat and takes a step back.

she turns around. the same driveway, same time of night, same amount of rain.

except this time, she only has herself to run to.

when she gets home, it's past midnight. she goes in through the back door while muffling her sobs. she runs to her room and shuts the door, immediately pressing her back against it.

her body begins to go weak as she slides to the ground, her knees against her chest. both hands are pressed against her mouth, muffling the cries so her mom doesn't hear, and her eyes are squeezed as tightly shut as possible.

she always ruins everything for herself. ruins everything for chris.

at school chase was late, so it was just tess, alaina, and scar at the lunch table.

"choose chase," tessa shrugs, taking a bite of her food. she noticed how tired and dreary scarlett looked. her eyes were heavy and also red, her nose was red, her face was tear-stained. and of course, chris saw it too. he told himself it wasn't his fault, she's crying over something else. "chris broke your heart big-time."

scarlett sighs.

"chris is your ex! chase is the boy that likes you, and you like him!" tessa scolds her.

but she doesn't like chase. she never did. never will. the second love can't beat the first one. especially when that first love is chris sturniolo.

scarlett looks to alaina. "don't look at me," she shrugs. "tess got roped into your love life, and now she can't escape."

that earns yet another sigh from scarlett as she uses her fork to mess with her food. she wants chris. not chase. not chase not chase not chase not chase.

it's easy too chose which one she wants,

but she can't control which one likes her.

when chase walks in, it's a passing period.

he looks around for scar, squeezing through random students in the hallway.

but instead, bumps into somebody.

"a sturniolo." he groans, dramatically throwing his head back and rolling his eyes. "anthony, specifically."

"anthony?" nick quirks an eyebrow. "if you're gonna make fun of my middle name, say it right, asshole." nick grumbles, attempting to walk by chase.

but chase places an arm on nick's chest. god, why does he have to be such a petty dick all the time?!

"sorry, anthony." he smirks. "won't happen again."

"stop calling me anthony." nick rolls his eyes.

"or what?" he chuckles. "gonna beat me up like braxton did to scarlett?" his smile drops, expression immediately going serious.

"we had no part in that, we didn't know maia was gonna do that." nick replies truthfully.

"sure." chase nods, retorting sarcastically. "go to class, weirdo." he shoves nick, who doesn't react as he turns around and finally blends in with the crowd again, walking to his next class.