➶ ｡˚ CHAPTER TEN !! ° ┊
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✧ ━━ ❛ not playing ❜

✧ °₊ ᴵᴹˢᴳ !

cheesy fries 👩‍❤‍💋‍👩

wh*re ❤ ; jasmin
ems 🦄💖 ; emilia
coraballs 🙊 ; coraline

wh*re ❤
coraline evans my heart is HURTING. 
how tf am i finding out abt this through instagram 💔

ems 🦄💖
no i refuse to believe this shit

wh*re ❤
girl wdym refuse
they both posted each other ON VALENTINE'S DAY.
there's nothing to refuse anymore 😔

ems 🦄💖
HE POSTED HER TOO??

wh*re ❤
YES 

ems 🦄💖
okay wtf
i literally thought me and cora would be val slanders 4L
i feel so betrayed

wh*re ❤
ur sick 

ems 🦄💖
shut up jasmin not everyone leads a happy whore life like you
WAIT
YOU FOLLOW HIM? 

wh*re ❤
what 

ems 🦄💖
THERE'S NO WAY 😭😭😭 
WHY DO YOU FOLLOW CHRIS STURNIOLO ON INSTAGRAM

wh*re ❤
because he's a friend of dave??

ems 🦄💖
LMAOAO THIS IS WAY TOO FUNNY 

wh*re ❤
SHUT UP
it's literally not that special 🙄

ems 🦄💖
sooo what about dave hm? 😏
YOU THINK HE'S HOT DO YOU???

wh*re ❤
CAN YOU NOT
that was before dave so don't make such a big deal abt this
also i do not think chr*s is hot...

ems 🦄💖
you don't have to censor his name anymore jas
they're like... a thing now

wh*re ❤
oh right

ems 🦄💖
it's okay jas i think if i was straight i'd think chris is hot too

wh*re ❤
em istg
i don't think he's hot i just followed him bc he's in dave's hockey team or whatever
laughed at by ems 🦄💖

i'll unfollow him right fucking now actually
hope ur annoying ass is happy
i hate you btw

coraballs 🙊
waves

ems 🦄💖
CORRRAAAA
JASMIN COMPLETELY LOST IT THIS IS THE FUNNIEST SHIT EVER
I'M LITERALLY PISSING MYSELF 

coraballs 🙊
what 🙂

ems 🦄💖
SHE FOLLOWS CHRIS ON INSTA
AND WATCHES HIS POSTS N SHIT 

coraballs 🙊
chris who?

ems 🦄💖
chris who 🤓
sturniolo dumbass
WAIT
THAT REMINDS ME

wh*re ❤
i unfollowed him 😇
HI CORA

coraballs 🙊
hey jassss ❤‍🔥❤‍🔥

ems 🦄💖
GUYSYSYSYYSS 
STOP THIS
let's come back to earth and remember sturnevans's sweet post abt each other bc i fear i lost a few brain cells 
@coraballs 🙊 pls tell us this is a prank

coraballs 🙊
wtf are you talking abt
what's a sturnevans

wh*re ❤
LMFAO THERE'S NO WAYYY
coraline bby...
she's talking abt you and chris sweetheart 😊

coraballs 🙊
oh
well...

ems 🦄💖
JESUS CHRIST
IT'S NOT A PRANK ?

coraballs 🙊
yeah i'm afraid it's not

ems 🦄💖
WHAT
CORA HOW TF
HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN GOING ON??

coraballs 🙊
idk

wh*re ❤
yk what they say
keep ur friends close but ur enemies closer 😜
disliked by ems 🦄💖

coraballs 🙊
yeah ig i just realized he's pretty cute 
and when i like started talking to him i noticed he can be sweet and stuff
so yeah

ems 🦄💖
i think i just threw up a little
i hate straight couples

wh*re ❤
you just hate couples
just bc you don't have a gf 😂😂😂

ems 🦄💖
dave isn't your bf yet so i would close ur mouth
don't cheer too early jasmin norris 💞

wh*re ❤
kys

coraballs 🙊
oh!! 

ems 🦄💖
oh?

wh*re ❤
me when i opened insta 😔😔

ems 🦄💖
EXACTLY.

coraballs 🙊
okay calm down
i was going to tell you guys i just kinda forgot
and then suddenly it was valentine's day and yeah
i needed to give him a little fame yk 

wh*re ❤
oh yeah WE KNOW 

ems 🦄💖
so that's why the whole world knew you guys where a thing before we did?
lame ass excuse

coraballs 🙊
GUYS I'M SORRY I SWEAR 😭😭
ig i was just a little caught up in the moment

wh*re ❤
you better make it up to us 
i demand a full explanation

ems 🦄💖
and a sushi dinner
on you
and a detailed timeline bc this whole thing is too surreal

coraballs 🙊
fine
but i can't today 🙂🙂🙂

wh*re ❤
OH MY GOD THEY'RE HANGING OUT 😭😭

ems 🦄💖
ew i hate this

wh*re ❤
his place? 

coraballs 🙊
mhm

wh*re ❤
is his house as cool as it looks from the outside?

coraballs 🙊
uhh idk

ems 🦄💖
i don't think she's seen much of his house jas
too busy hanging out in his room testing the sheets and stuff
yk the drill

wh*re ❤
BYYEEEE

coraballs 🙊
so funny emilia!!

ems 🦄💖
correct me if i'm lying dear ❤

coraballs 🙊
you are actually
we're taking things easy
and we're hanging out so i can tutor him today so ur deadass wrong

ems 🦄💖
tutor him in what 😏

wh*re ❤
LMAOOO EM STOP THIS 

ems 🦄💖
oh cmon jas aren't you curious?
are the cheer leaders lying or is he really that good hm 😏

wh*re ❤
THE EMOJI I'M SICKKK 

coraballs 🙊
i'm not going to have this conversation with you

ems 🦄💖
yeah that's okay i don't want to know actually
i already hear to much details in jas's stories

wh*re ❤
i smell jealousy... 😬

ems 🦄💖
babe i fear your sense of smell is broken... 😬

wh*re ❤
right
whatever makes you sleep at night 🥰

coraballs 🙊
guys 🙂
i'm so sorry to interrupt whatever this is but igtg

ems 🦄💖
why?
oh
nvm

wh*re ❤
dw queen go be a good tutor!!

coraballs 🙊
thanks jas ily !! ❤
loved by wh*re ❤

ems 🦄💖
what about me? 😇
there's NO WAY i've just been left on read by BOTH OF YOU.
laughed at by wh*re ❤ and coraballs 🙊

okay wtf??
fuck you guys

✧ °₊ ᴵᴿᴸ !

CORALINE TAKES A DEEP BREATH, adjusts the strap of her backpack, and crosses the street. the sun is setting, casting long shadows across the suburban road that separates her house from chris's. she can feel her stomach knotting with irritation and nerves as she thinks about the fact that she'll be sitting alone in a silent room with him, to tutor him — which he probably won't even take seriously, since he never does with those kind of things.

when she reaches his front porch, she hesitates for a moment, considering turning back. but a deal is a deal: he pretends to be her boyfriend until the wedding, she tutors him. so she rings the doorbell, hearing the chime echo inside. moments later, the door swings open, and chris stands there, leaning against the frame with that infuriating smirk. he's wearing a tight-fitting shirt that shows off his athletic build. his dark hair is tousled perfectly, even though it's still a little wet, which gives away that he probably just showered.

"hey, teach," he greets her, his voice dripping with his usual cocky charm. "ready to make me a genius?"

coraline rolls her eyes, trying to suppress the rising wave of annoyance. "let's just get this over with, okay?" she says, stepping past him into the house.

chris raises an eyebrow, clearly amused. "sure thing," he mumbles, closing the door behind her.

as she steps inside, her breath catches. the living room is massive, with vaulted ceilings, gleaming marble floors, and an enormous chandelier sparkling above. floor-to-ceiling windows offer a stunning view of the perfectly manicured backyard, complete with a swimming pool and a tennis court. the furniture is plush and expensive-looking, with leather sofas and polished wooden tables. a grand piano stands in one corner, and various pieces of modern art adorn the walls.

"wow," coraline mutters, unable to hide her amazement. "your house is massive."

"it's my dad's," chris replies casually.

"but you live in it."

"yeah," chris gestures towards the dining room, and coraline follows him, feeling slightly dazed by the grandeur of his home. she's seen his house a million times, as she literally lives across the street and can see it from her room, but she's never made it further than the driveway. she had no idea it was so impressive, but she has to admit it's beautiful.

they enter the dining room, where a large table is surprisingly cleared. the dining room is just as massive as the rest of the house, with a long mahogany table, high-backed chairs, and a crystal chandelier hanging above. large windows on one side offer a view of the garden, filled with blooming flowers and neatly trimmed hedges.

"so, are you ready to start?" coraline asks, regaining her focus.

"yes, ma'am," chris replies.

"great," she says, staring at the empty table. "where are your books?"

chris looks around, feigning confusion. "huh, i don't know."

coraline glares at him. "how am i supposed to tutor you without your books?"

"hm, guess you can't," chris mutters, sliding his hands into his pockets. "that's too bad. what now? movie?" he suggest, leaning back.

coraline narrows her eyes. "get your books, chris."

"the dog ate them."

"you don't have a dog."

"no, but the neighbors have."

she sighs, unable to hide her frustration. "get your books, or i'm going home."

she turns around, walking to the front door. just when she's about to push the latch down, chris's head pops around the corner.

"wait," he says, irritation clearly noticable in his voice. "i'll get them."

coraline feels a triumphant smile spread across her face as she turns back toward the dining room. she glances out of the window, noticing the tennis court in the backyard for the first time. she pauses, taking in the meticulously maintained lawn and the pristine white lines marking the court as she hears chris enter the room.

"you play tennis?" she asks.

"no, my mom used to," chris replies, putting his books on the table.

coraline turns around, genuinely feeling bad. "shit, i'm sorry," she says softly.

"it's fine," chris says while he shrugs, but coraline realizes all too well that she just touched a nerve, and she has no intention of doing it again.

she doesn't know exactly what happened with mrs. sturniolo — no one really does — but she does know that she suddenly disappeared a few years ago, and that mr. sturniolo left on a business trip shortly afterwards. since then, coraline hasn't really seen him again, except now and then once for a week and he's gone again. elijah says he has a company in germany, and he usually stays there to keep everything running smoothly.

coraline sits down and takes her stuff, while chris stumbles to the fridge, grabbing a pepsi.

"so, what's first on the agenda?" he asks, taking a sip and leaning against the counter.

coraline looks up from her notes, trying to maintain her composure. "we're starting with algebra. you have a test coming up, right?"

chris groans, rolling his eyes dramatically. "ugh, algebra. can't we start with something easier?"

coraline's patience is wearing thin. "no, chris. we start with algebra because that's what you need help with. now sit down and let's get to work."

chris holds up his hands in mock surrender and sat down across from her. "alright, alright, evans. you're the boss."

they work in relative silence for the next half hour, coraline explaining concepts and chris reluctantly following along. occasionally, he interjects with a question or a sarcastic comment, but for the most part, he seems more focused than she expected.

as they delve deeper into quadratic equations and factorization, she notices his occasional nods of understanding. it surprises her how quickly he grasps some of the concepts once he puts his mind to it. despite his initial reluctance, he starts to engage more actively in the discussion, even attempting a few practice problems on his own.

they're both working in silence, when coraline suddenly notices that chris's pen is lying flat on his page. she glances up at him to find him reclined in his chair, staring at her with a smirk and that typical look in his eyes. oh, coraline hates that look.

"what?" she asks, narrowing her eyes.

"you know," chris begins slowly. "for someone who claims to dislike me so much, you're awfully good at explaining this stuff."

coraline meets his gaze. "well, i have to be good at something, especially if i'm stuck tutoring you," she replies, her voice tinged with a mix of annoyance and something she can't quite name, caused by the way he's looking at her.

"stuck with me, huh?" he tilts his head at her, glancing over he face as he continues, "sounds like you're starting to enjoy it."

"really?" she tilts his head at him too, not allowing herself to find entegrity in his words. "what do i enjoy about it, then?" she retorts, trying to sound unaffected despite the heat rising in her cheeks.

chris pushes himself upright from the back of his chair and leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees with his fingers interlaced in front of him, making the space between them decrease. "maybe you secretly like being challenged by me," he suggests, voice teasing.

coraline's lips drop to a thin line, not wanting to show him how nervous he's making her feel right now. "please, chris," she says, her voice laced with sarcasm. "you're not that challenging."

"aren't i?" he responds, eyes trailing over her face. he dares to lean even closer to her, until she feels his breath on her skin. he keeps his voice low as he continues, "maybe i should try harder to impress you, then."

coraline's heart races as she looks at his face, her eyes tracing the sharp lines of his jaw, the curve of his lips, and the intensity in his gaze. she can see the faint stubble on his chin and the way his eyes darken with an emotion she can't quite name. her palms grow sweaty, and she swallows, trying to keep her composure.

she feels a fluttering in her stomach, a mix of nerves and something else she doesn't want to acknowledge. her mind races, desperately trying to find a retort that will break the tension between them. but the closeness of his face, the warmth of his breath, and the intensity of his gaze render her momentarily speechless.

"chris," she finally manages to say, her voice betraying a slight tremor. "this isn't a game."

he smirks, his eyes never leaving hers. "who says i'm playing?" he whispers, the challenge clear in his voice. "i'm not playing, evans."

his words cause her heart to speed in her chest, each beat a reminder of how wrong this is. how wrong he is.

she feels a mix of confusion and defiance, the intensity of his gaze making it hard to think straight.

"this isn't just—" she starts, but he cuts her off.

"what? this isn't just what, evans?" he asks, leaning in even closer. "this isn't just you getting flustered? this isn't just you enjoying this, just a little?"

her breath hitches as she meets his eyes, searching for any hint of sincerity, but all she sees is the familiar cockiness. her frustration boils over, fueled by the realization that he might actually believe his own words.

"i'm not one of your hoes, christopher," she says, her voice firmer now.

the words hang in the air between them, a stark contrast to the charged silence that preceded them. chris blinks, momentarily taken aback by her boldness. the smirk falters, replaced by a look of genuine surprise.

"is that what you think of me?" he asks, his voice quieter, the teasing edge gone.

"i think you're used to getting what you want," coraline stands her ground. "but you can't just..."

but coraline doesn't finish her sentence as she gets surprisingly stopped by someone slowly entering the kitchen. "so sorry to interrupt your studying," another persons voice echos in the kitchen, "but clementine's at the front door."

instantly, chris pulls back and spins around to face whoever's talking to them. "what the hell, nick," he clears his throat, "just tell her i'm not home, for god's sake."

"i already did, fuckass," nick snaps back, his frustration evident. "but she's persistent and she knows you're home."

coraline feels her anger rising, a sharp pang of betrayal cutting through her when she hears clementine's name. "don't worry about it," she says, her voice tight with barely contained rage. "i was leaving anyway."

chris turns back to her, eyes wide. "don't, we're not done yet."

"really?" coraline shoots back, her voice trembling with anger. "because it sure seems like you have other priorities."

chris grabs her wrist just as she's about to walk out of the room, shooting nick a glare that signals him to get out.

nick shrugs, looking completely unfazed. "whatever, chris. deal with the girl at the front door because i'm way too gay for this girl drama of yours." with that, he leaves the room, closing the door behind him.

chris opens his mouth to speak, but coraline cuts him off. "we made a deal, chris. a deal with simple rules. it shouldn't be that hard to see nobody else, should it?"

chris stares at her, unable to voice the words trapped in his throat.

coraline's voice is cold as she speaks right in his face. "god, i feel so foolish. i knew you couldn't do it, but i still let myself be part of your game," she says, her words making chris's jaw clench.

"this is exactly why i can't fucking stand you," she says as she yanks her wrist free from his grasp and storms out, not looking back.

ONCE HOME, CORALINE HEADS straight to her room, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. she drops her backpack by the door and walks over to the window, looking out at chris's house across the street. as she watches, she sees chris standing on the porch with clementine. they exchange a few words, and then, to her disappointment but not surprise, he lets her inside.

coraline's chest tightens, but it's not sadness she feels — it's a deep, gnawing sense of disappointment. she shouldn't have expected any different, after all, it's chris. she had hoped, against her better judgment, that he might take their deal seriously. she sighs, shaking her head at her own foolishness, and plops down on her bed.

she's staring at the ceiling as her thoughts race in anger. and then, with a deep breath, she reaches for her phone. the glow of the screen illuminates her face in the dim light of her room as she begins to type a message.

if chris can play games, so can she.

✧ °₊ ᴵᴳ !

are you still up to grab some food together?
seen

ᵣₒₓ !!

i literally have no idea what this chapter is i just started typing and it appeared so

go read my other matt fic if you haven't!! it's a silly one ❤