Sunflower //Chris Chambers

"Theres somthing i gotta tell you."

Chris' POV
I was sitting against the tree with the gun in my hand when I saw the fire going out. I got up and sat on my sleeping bag poking at the fire when I heard Jess start mumbling. I knew she had nightmares and I've seen it happen before but this one looked like she was really scared.

"No, no, no!" I heard her mumble.

"It's ok sunflower." I whispered in a calming voice as I pushed a piece of her hair behind her ear. As I sat there in front of the fire, playing with her hair. I felt wanted. I felt like for the first time in my life someone actually needed me and didn't just push me to the curb.

While I was playing with her hair she started mumbling again.

"Don't hurt him! Please. Don't hurt him!" She said. By that time I knew what nightmare it was. One time she told me about a reoccurring nightmare that she had at least twice a week. It would start with her tied to a chair in a dark room but when the lights came on I was sitting across from her tied up too. But I wasn't the only one. Ace was there and she told me that in the dream he had his pocket knife. And he killed me. In her nightmare Ace killed me right in front of her. She told me that that one happened a lot.

Jessica woke up abruptly.

"It's just a nightmare your okay." I said. Pushing her hair back.

Jessica's POV
I woke up tied to a chair. "Hello! Is anyone there?" I shout looking around the pitch black room. The lights turn on and flicker. "CHRIS! What's going on?" I shout trying to untie my hand to grab his but it's no use.

"It's okay sunflower, we're gonna be okay." He said calmly even though I could tell he was scared. I turn my head to the sound of a door opening.

"It's to late now little girl. Once I get this fag out of the way I can finally give you what you deserve!" A voice whispers into my ear. Ace!

"Ace! No please don't hurt him. He's all I have. Please don't kill the only person that's ever cared about me." I said with tears running down my face.

"Oh what.  You think because he is nice to you that he's not like everyone else in this town. Face the facts bitch everyone knows that your a whore. And even because he doesn't say it to your face doesn't mean he doesn't say it behind your back!" Ace says as he hold the blade up against Chris' Throat.

"Don't hurt him! Please. Don't hurt him!" As soon as I say that I see the knife slide into Chris' neck. As the blood pours out and his lifeless head falls down to his neck I sob at the sight.

"No.....Chris.....no!" I say as Ace walks over to me.

"Now it's your turn! But your not gonna get it like Chambers over there did-!"

Before ace could finish his sentence I woke up to Chris sitting next to me.

"It's just a nightmare your okay." He said pushing my hair behind my ear. All of the sudden I started crying.

"A-A-Ace killed y-you and you d-d-died. And I could stop it!" I said sobbing as Chris pulled me close to his chest.

He place his hand on both sides of my face and looked me in the eye. "Don't worry sunflower I'll protect you I'm right here." He said to me as I cried into his chest.

Chris' POV
*fuck it. I'm done waiting!*

And with that little thought I moved closer cupped her face with my hand and kissed her. It was a soft kiss but it was long. When we pulled apart she wrapped her her arms around my waist.

"Chris. I love you." She said as she looked up at me. I kissed her forehead.

"I love you too Jessica." I said brushing my hands through her hair. "Ok now go to bed, you need your beauty sleep." I said as I picked up the gun and walked back over to lean against the tree. After a few seconds of her staring at the fire she walked over to where I was and sat next to me.

She hesitated before talking "Maybe you could take the college courses with me and Gordie." She says as I turn my head to face her.

"That'll be the day." I say with a little chuckle at the end.

"Why not. Is it because you don't think you're smart because you are."

"No, they won't let me."

"What do you mean they won't let you?"

"It's the way people think of my family in this shit town. It's the way they think of me. Just one of those low-life Chambers kids." I say with a sigh at the end.

"Don't believe them Chris. That's not true anyway. People don't think that."

"Oh it is. No one even asked me if I took the milkmoney that time. I just got a three-day vacation."

"Did you take it." As soon as she said that I put my head down.

"I I took it. You knew it took it, Gordie and Teddy knew I took it, everyone knew. Even Vern I think."
I picked my head up and looked at her again. "But...what if I tried to give it back."

"You tried to give it back?" 

"Tried to give it back?

"Maybe, just maybe. And maybe I took it to Old Lady Simons and told her. And the money was all there. But I still got a three-day vacation because it never showed up. And maybe the next week Old lady Simons had that brand new skirt on when she came to school."

"Yeah, it was brown with dots on it."

"Yeah. So let's just say that I stole the milk money but Old Lady Simons stole it back from me. Just suppose that I told the story. Me, Chris Chambers, kid brother of the Eyeball Chambers. You think that
anybody would have believed it?" I said with a sigh at the end.

She looked down at the ground "No."

"And d'you think that that bitch would have dared try something like that if it would have been one of those doche bags from up on The View if they had taken the money?

"No way!"

"Oh no! But with me! I'm sure she had her eyes on that skirt for a long time. Anyway she saw her chance and she took it. I was the stupid one for even trying to give it back. I never thought - I never thought that a teacher-- Oh who gives a fuck anyway?" I started to cry. "I just wish that I could somewhere where no one knows who I am." My crying gets worse. " I guess that makes me pussy."

"What no! Chris, don't listen to what anyone says about you."She paused. "Hey! If your a low-life Chambers kid. Then I must be a whore." She said making me laugh.

"Your not. And don't you EVER let anyone tell you other wise." I said as she grabbed my hand. As we leaned into kiss I stopped. "Hey Jessica, there's something I gotta ask you."

"What is it?"

I hesitated and grabbed both her hands. "I've always loved you Jessica and I wanted to know....if maybe you would consider being my girl?"