unattainable (tony stonem/chris miles)

Episode 4.2

I'd tagged along with Chris to return one of his eccentric and useless purchases that he'd made with the grand his mum had left him now that he was in need of cash.

"You're not going to be able to return it like that." I tried to tell Chris.
He shook his head incessantly as we approached the counter. "It'll be fine."

***

We'd already been stood for five minutes at the counter and Chris was continuing to argue with the spotty faced, greasy cashier.
"Look, I bought it yesterday. And I remember you because -" Chris stopped as he analysed the pus-filled spots on his face, "because you have a very good face for memorising. And I bought it from you, and you were chuffed to sell it to me." Chris blagged.
The greasy guy pressed the 'eject' button on the CD drawer exposing leftover food.
"There's a pop tart in the CD drawer." He pointed out, bluntly.
"Take it out. Clean it. I'll pay for that bit. Just, sell it on." Chris attempted to reason with him, and I couldn't help but groan from where I stood a foot back at his awful attempts.
"We can't sell it on." The man told him.
"So, if you clean it..."
"We're not going to clean it."
"I'll clean it. And I'll bring it back tomorrow." Chris continued.
"It's unsellable. Whatever you do, we won't take it back." The man didn't back down.
"Well, I'll clean it, bring it back tomorrow, and give it one of the other people."
"No you won't, because I'll have told them not to take it back, because you've wrecked it." The weird guy hissed at Chris.

Chris paused for a moment before retaliating.
"I'll tell you how to get rid of your zits." He pointed at his face.
I let my face fall in my hands. "Christ sake." I muttered under my breath.
Before Chris could continue, I stepped forward and grabbed him. "Come on, Chris. Let's go." I pulled him towards the door.

***

Chris and I had stopped on a corner near my house.
"Thanks for coming with me, even if returning it didn't work out." Chris shrugged.
"I did tell you it wouldn't, but it's okay." I smiled.
"Smartass." Chris nudged me playfully before grinning at me.

I looked at Chris with a serious expression. "Go home, Chris. Don't take any drugs and don't get into trouble, just go home and get some sleep, okay?" I encouraged.
Chris nodded, although his expression didn't convince me. "Yeah, okay."
I stepped in and pulled him into a tight hug. "I'm here if you need me, Chris." I assured him.
"I know. Thanks, Cleo. For everything. All the time."
"You're lucky I'm your best friend." I teased him with a prod on the arm.
He looked deep in thought for a moment. "Yeah. I'm lucky."

I turned and walked towards my house, leaving Chris on the corner. I prayed that he'd be okay despite the hard time he was going through.

***

I woke up from a deep sleep to my phone ringing.
"Chris?" I murmured with a sleepy voice.
"Cleo? Cleo, can you open your front door?" He rushed his words.
"What? Why?"
"Just... just open the door, please." He sounded frantic.
"I'm coming." I pulled on my pyjama pants and rushed downstairs.

I opened my front door and audibly gasped as I revealed a stark naked Chris.
"Chris! What the fuck?"
"Can I come in?" He asked in a quiet and defeated voice.
"Yeah."

I led a naked Chris up to my bedroom and gave him a blanket to wrap round himself.
"I'll grab some of Sid's stuff in a second. What the hell happened?" I questioned Chris.

Chris explained to me about the squatter in his house and how he was now locked out.
"Christ." I muttered. "What are you going to do?"

Chris wasn't paying attention by this point. He looked drained and exhausted.
"There's only one thing you can't do, Chris, and that's stay like you are. You've got no money, no house now, you can't just -"
Chris stood up and cut me off, dropping the blanket as he did so. "I know, I've fucked up. I've fucked up."
I stood up and made eye contact with him. "No, you haven't." I assured him.
I picked the stranded blanket off the floor and wrapped it around him again.