The start of a friendship

29. Poor Chris

A/N; What?? two updates within a week?!?!
Again, this is not at all what I thought was going to happen, it just happened and I think I like where it is going. Also, I can't believe i have more than 2000 views! You are all amazing! Please let me know what you think :)

The whole day, Chris was kept from too many prying questions, hanging mostly with Seb and me. It did not pass me that he seemed to stay away from Robert, which was the opposite behaviour from what I noticed any other day I'd seen them.

He showed his acting talent that morning; as soon as he entered the stage, his face was in his 'entertainment ready' face, he was joking around, even though I could see that his eyes just weren't there. There was as little contact between him and Robert as there could be without it being suspicious; more contact between him and Seb instead.

The atmosphere at the panel was almost the same as the days before luckily, even though it seemed a little faked to me.It wasn't until lunch that I managed to corner Robert, asking him about what had happened in the car when I left. He immediately gave me a guilty and insecure look, which didn't help my mood.

"I really tried to talk him up, but... I don't know what I said, he just broke, as he probably did with you, and... I just really don't know what I said, Ava, I just wanted to help!" His eyes turned from guilty to pleading, obviously not knowing what he should say, what he could do. "He is barely looking at me, just keeping up appearances when he has to, you have to help me! What did I do wrong?" The pleading travelled from his eyes into his voice as soon as he started talking.

"What did you say? Did you tell him something that you would want to hear in such a situation?" I asked him, looking him right in the eye, where I noticed the doubt set in."I just, I really don't know, I think I said what I would want to hear. I wanted to make him feel better, make sure I could help him." It did not pass my attention how often he said the word 'I', which kind of made sense, him being such an idol, legend, hero to so many people.

"Robert, I'm sure you mean well, but do you know how often you say 'I'? I completely understand your view on life. No, that's a lie, I don't understand at all, but I understand why you have a completely different view than most of us ordinary people do, and Chris is more in our view than yours. The things you would want to hear, are not necessarily what he would want to hear." I tried to make him understand that just because he would feel better if someone told him something, that wouldn't mean that it would help everyone that way.

His eyes went big with surprise, realisation and disappointment. "You're right, its crazy how quickly you see through all of us. Can you talk to him for me? Make sure he knows I meant well?" "I'm sure he knows that, but it doesn't change the impact your words made. You see that right?" It was clear to me that Robert had really tried to help Chris with the big bump in the road, but somehow managed to either make it about him, or just tell Chris what he thought he'd want to hear himself instead of thinking what to say to Chris as an individual.

"I know you love him, I know you would never say anything to hurt him, on purpose. But I do think that you messed up here, Rob." I thought it would be best to let him in on the doubt Chris had; the guy was like a second father to him!

"He told me earlier that he is scared he won't commit to someone in time for them to start a family of their own, let me finish," I added as Robert opened his mouth to, most likely, tell me he had all the time in the world for that.