✓REPUTATION [CHRIS EVANS]¹

SIXTEEN

"We are so dead." Diane tells Chris after they knock on the door.

When Bambi didn't answer either of their calls or texts, they immediately packed clothes good for a few days and booked a plane ticket to Pennsylvania. Here, they were around 10 in the morning and waiting for Bambi's mother to come to the front porch and open the door.

"For caring about her?" Chris asks, taking off his NASA cap and running his hands through his brown hair. "Consider me happy to be murdered then."

"She doesn't like it if her friends worry too much." Diane informs him. She hears footsteps approaching and hopes that it's not Bambi since she would just shoo the two off back to New York. "Bambi thinks she can handle it all on her own and she can. It's just. . .she doesn't want to make a big fuss about her problems."

The door opened and they were greeted by Ylona Gray. One look at her daughter's best friend and rumored boyfriend, Ylona sighs and opens the door for them to come in nonetheless. "She's going to kill you."

"It's nice to see you too, Mrs. Gray." Diane greets her with a hug, "Happy birthday too."

Ylona smiles and Chris could see the resemblance between mother and daughter. They had the same honey-blonde hair and pale skin. Ylona and Bambi also shared the same blue eyes that seemed to sparkle when it hit the sunlight.

"You must be Christopher." Ylona says and approaches him with open arms. Chris shyly accepts the hug and, when they pull away, the older woman is smiling. "Bambi was right about your eyes. They are a different kind of blue." Diane is snickering beside him as they shuffle inside and to the kitchen.

"She's in her room. First door on the right." Ylona informs them and Diane practically bolts up the stairs. Bambi's mother takes out two mugs and pours hot chocolate into them.

There wasn't a moment of silence as Ylona asked Chris questions—about his family, his career, his dog. Bambi's mother was curious about the man her daughter was seeing. She was inquisitive without being prying. Conversation was easy between them.

Twenty-eight minutes had passed and Diane appeared by the kitchen doorway. "She's fine—a little teary-eyed—but okay, nonetheless." She makes a beeline for the hot chocolate and carefully takes a sip. "You should go see her, Chris."

Chris takes the stairs two at a time. As he makes his way up to her room, he notices picture frames of when Bambi was younger. He found one particularly cute: it was Bambi holding a rabbit in her hands as she gave a bright smile at the camera. She was missing her two-front teeth and her hair was in pigtails. Chris quickly got his phone out and opened his camera app.

He follows Ylona's instruction—first door on the right. It was half-way open so Chris just pushed it lightly. "Bambi?" He calls out. And, he sees her.

She's by her keyboard, hunched over some papers with lyrics to her next big hit. Her hair is tied into a low-bun and the sweater she wears almost covers her hands. When Bambi turns to look at him, he could see the sadness in her eyes; it was the same kind of sadness he saw at the ice cream parlor but intensified.

Bambi smiles but it doesn't reach her eyes, "Hey there, lover."

In the three months they spent together, she had grown accustomed to calling him that and Chris honestly liked the way it rolled off her tongue—sweet yet with a little hint of mystery. He takes a seat beside her and glances at the scattered papers. "Writing songs again, aye?" Chris inquires, doing his best impression of an English accent.

"Are you ashamed of me?" Bambi asks, her voice cracking and close to tears. "Because Nicole is and probably my Mom."

"Bambi, don't say that." Chris' warm hands are now rubbing her back as an effort to calm her down.

"Thank God I still have one of my real friends. But, I understand if you'd want to leave though. I won't hold it against you. I promise."

By now, hot tears were streaming down. Bambi's hands fly to her face to cover them up. Chris immediately brings her to his arms and kisses the top of her head. "You're stuck with me, Bambi Gray, 'cause I don't plan on deserting you." And, he meant it.