The Artist

Chapter 15 (Blurb)

Grey clouds hung in the sky and drizzled rain over everything which Chris felt like was fitting as it matched his mood. The image of Mia showing him that ring on his finger haunted him and he felt like every single time he closed his eyes, he heard her words ringing in his mind.

"I just can't give you that."

Those words plagued his mood and suffocated his heart. He sat on his couch, stroking Dodger's fur as he watched a movie on TV, but he couldn't even say what he was watching. All he did was replay that conversation over and over in his head.

He saw Dodger's head lift and look at the door and sure enough, a moment later, his brother came walking inside. Scott gave him a sympathetic smile before walking over and sitting down on the couch with his brother. It was no secret to the Evans family how depressed Chris was. It had been three weeks since that conversation and Chris had barely left his house.

Soon he was going to have to leave to start the press circuit for Endgame and Scott was worried about how Chris would hold up. He felt helpless but wanted to try to cheer his brother up and asked him, "How are you doing?"

"Okay," Chris shrugged, keeping his eyes focused on playing with Dodger's ears.

"Have you talked to her?" Scott wanted to know.

A long breath came out of Chris before he answered, "We've texted back and forth just a little but not really. Things are weird between us now... I don't think they can go back."

There was a silence between the brothers as Scott tried to think of something to offer but eventually just told him, "I'm really sorry Chris."

Chris tipped his head back and rested it on the cushion of the couch, bringing his hands up to rub at his face and get rid of the tears that were threatening to fall. He took a few deep breaths before turning to Scott and said, "I think I really believed that when it came down to it, she would see how much I love her and feel the same. I thought she loved me too and it just hurts to realize that I was wrong."

"Well we all thought the same thing," Scott tried to ease the pain. "I think she does love you but she's just confused and is settling for security."

"The thing that I just don't understand is that he's such a dickhead. Like I could get it if it was a fine relationship, but god I hate that guy. I just think he's shit to her," Chris got upset just thinking about the fact that the asshole was the one who got to have Mia.

Scott rubbed his brother's shoulder, trying to soothe his pain while rationalizing, "To be fair, you do hate him more because he has what you want. But he certainly doesn't treat her like someone you love. I know it hurts, bro and I wish I could make it better for you."

"I know, thanks Scott," Chris offered a sad smile before a long sigh came out of him and he admitted;

"I think this one is just going to take a while to get over."