Crossing Boundaries [COMPLETE]

Lost And Drifting

It has been a week since Chris had to carry Tiffany away from the graveyard after her fainting spell. It has been seven days, since she retreated back to her pre-Thanksgiving self. She was like a boat at sea, lost and drifting.

The booze decreased and she did eat on a regular basis but she kept to herself most of the time. Conversations between the two friends were limited to greetings and how they were feeling for the day.

Nonetheless, Chris stuck to his statement of being her manny. He confined himself at the Fosters just like she did. His decision never sat well with Tiffany. If there was one thing she resented about their current arrangement, it was the lingering idea in her mind that she might be sucking him into her unfortunate situation.

She knew that every time Chris would come home, he'd be surrounding himself with the fun friends. Yes, Tiffany is a friend, but she was the exact opposite of fun and enjoyable company right now. Just because her life was on hold, it doesn't mean his should be as well.

In one of their brief dinner conversations, Tiffany encouraged him to go out with his buddies. She was also sure they had been waiting for him to call. After some convincing, Chris gave in to the suggestion.

That night, he had a chat with his mother before heading to Boston with his friends. "She's pushing me away," the worried tone in his voice was dripping.

Lisa laughed a little. "She isn't, son." Both of them sitting on the sofa at the Evanses. She thoughtfully brushed her son's hair with her fingers. "It only means that although she's going through something, she's still thinks about your well-being."

Chris's eyebrows furrowed. "Everyone knows that you're generally the life of the party. She knows that as well." Her mother leaned her back against the rest. "How many times have you bonded with your buddies since you came home?"

He shaped his hand into a '0'. "Exactly!" Her mother exclaimed. "You're her friend. But at the same time, she's yours. Just because her life is at a standstill, doesn't mean you have to lose your sense of normalcy... Perhaps it's exactly what's on her mind when she suggested you go have fun."

Chris, staring beyond a blank space, rested his chin on clasped hands. It had not even occurred to him that his lifestyle was completely making a 360. He was so occupied with making himself the lighthouse to her drifting boat that he completely forgot about the other people, who also mattered.

So, Chris drove off to Boston, met a few friends and tried to enjoy as he usually would when home for the winter. KEYWORD: tried.

The Grand was packed, as usual. His buddies ordered rounds and rounds of vodka. They would tease him about the women undressing him with their stares, but he just was not feeling any of it. Under the Natural Addiction cap, his mind drifted to what exactly he could do to help Tiffany out.

"Is this what they call an early midlife crisis?" Dave, one of Chris's buddies commented as he nudged the latter's arm.

"Huh?" was all Chris could mutter.

Dave drank the vodka shot straight up. "You haven't called us when you arrived, and when you finally set an invite for a night out, it's like you're not even here. What's up dude?"

Chris, who had shifted from vodka to Bud Light, placed down the bottle on the glass table. He wasn't sure if he wanted to talk about Tiffany's sitch with the others. "Yeah... Midlife crisis, maybe."

Dave clucked his tongue. "Whatever, dude... If you aren't going to dance with that blonde, I will."

He lifted the bottle again and motioned its nozzle to the lady in question. "Go right ahead, bro."

Chris continued to drown his scampering mind with the booze.

"I'm sure you've heard about Tiff," one of his closest friends stated in a matter of fact tone. Chris simply bobbed his head. It's a topic he was trying to evade. "Poor woman. Losing everything in a day," again, another matter of fact comment.

The particular statement made Chris jerk from his seat. Does Jake know something more than I do? He wanted to inquire about what folks from back home knew about the situation.

Chris cleared his throat, hiding the over-curiosity in his voice. "What exactly do you know, man?"

"Well, there's that accusation from school by one of the students. According to a relative, who works at L-S, there was a video of her hitting on the dude. Which I think is a total bull... I don't know what else they have but there's been talk that there's something else, another EVIDENCE that sealed her fate." Chris's friend paused. "Then there's that awful plight with her husband. Neighbors said he was shouting while dragging her out of their home."

He heard enough. Chris stood and left The Grand in mad dash ignoring the calls of his friends. He scrabbled to get a hold of his key but when he finally got a grip of it, he sprinted to his car.

"Man, you can't drive! At least let me take you home," Jake rushed after him.

Chris tossed him the keys. He's probably right. I'll die before I get to the bottom of this. He'll be of no help to Tiffany if he's dead. He opened the door to the passenger's side and lobbed himself down the seat, shutting the door rather aggressively.

"Boston or Sudbury?" Jake asked.

He silenced his brain for a second. He needs to be able to think clearly before he gets back. "The loft."

It wasn't a secret that Chris and Tiffany are as thick as thieves. There's his usual buddies, his best friend and Tiffany. Everyone used to wonder how or why both hit it off as friends when Chris is the life of the party and Tiffany keeps to herself. But only a few understood the unique friendship. This few included Jake.

"What's the plan, buddy?"

Chris toyed with the cap he had now taken off his head. "The plan... The plan... is to investigate. And make those fu? %@rs pay." His usual blues hinted the darkness of his eyebrows, which met just as lines appeared on his forehead.

"You think she would agree?" Jake inquired once more.

"She doesn't have to know." With that assertion, came a decision. If she wouldn't do anything about any of this, he would.