➶ ｡˚ CHAPTER THIRTEEN !! ° ┊
[ real life ]

✧ ━━ ❛ so let me do that, coraline ❜

✧ °₊ ᴵᴿᴸ !

"GOOD THING I'M NOT HERE FOR THE FOOD, THEN."

coraline's eyes narrow, a spark of irritation flaring in her chest. she tightens her grip on the edge of the counter, resisting the urge to snap back at him. "what do you want, chris?"

he shifts his attention to emilia, who's still sitting at the counter, pretending to be deeply interested in her now lukewarm coffee. his gaze flicks to her, indicating a clear message: he wants to talk to coraline in private. "can we talk?" he asks, though it's less of a request and more of a command.

emilia, starting to feel uncomfortable in the tension of the pair, starts to rise from her stool, clearly intent on giving them space. she gets abruptly stopped, though, when coraline shakes her head, her eyes still on chris as she speaks with a sharp voice. "stay, em. whatever he has to say, he can say it with you here."

chris's smirk falters, his expression darkening with a flicker of annoyance. he leans against the counter, inching closer, and his voice drops to a more intimate, conspiratorial tone. "this is between us, evans. we don't need an audience."

"i'm not in the mood for your games, chris," she retorts, her tone icy. "emilia stays."

a tense silence follows, thickening the air between them as their eyes are still locked on each other. there's a charged intensity in the stare they share, like a battle of wills, neither willing to back down. as the seconds tick by, coraline notices something she hadn't before — a faint shadow under his bright blue eyes, barely noticeable, but it's there. 

he looks tired... very tired, actually. but who is she to care, right? he has clementine laurier to ask him if he sleeps well lately, it's not coraline's job. she absolutely doesn't care about anything that has to do with chris ever. so why pretend she does now?

emilia, caught in the middle of the silent exchange, begins to shift uncomfortably. she clears her throat, glancing between them with a wary look. "okay, you two are staring at each other like you're about to throw down or... i don't know, kiss. either way, it's awkward."

"em," coraline says, her voice softening, though she keeps her eyes on the boy in front of her, watching for any sign of his next move. "it's okay, you can stay."

but emilia, realizing that sticking around might be more trouble than it's worth, raises her hands in a gesture of surrender as she throws her bag over her shoulder. "yeah, i think i'm gonna pass on this one, cors. no offense, but this is hurting my gay brain." she takes one last pointed look at chris, then backs away from the counter.

coraline's eyes finally flicker to emilia, but before she can say anything, her friend is already heading for the door. "good luck with... whatever this is," she lastly calls over her shoulder, her voice light but tinged with concern. with that, she's gone, leaving the door to swing shut behind her, the small bell above it chiming softly in the quiet that follows. traitor.

chris watches emilia leave, and as soon as the door swings shut, his attention snaps back to coraline, still looking at him with angry features. his eyes glint with that infuriating cockiness, and he tilts his head, a smirk already playing at his lips, as if this is funny. "so," he drawls, leaning casually against the counter as if he owns the place, "dinner with the parents tomorrow. i'll swing by around seven."

coraline's blood boils at his arrogance. the way he assumes he can just waltz back into her life, as if nothing's happened, it makes her want to rip her hair out. she crosses her arms tightly over her chest, her entire body radiating anger. "you're not coming," she says, her voice sharp enough to cut.

chris's smirk only deepens, his confidence unshaken. he takes a step closer, just enough to invade her personal space. "c'mon, evans. we both know you haven't found anyone else to do it yet."

her fists clench at her sides, nails digging into her palms as she fights the urge to slap that smug look off his face. the fact that he's right — that she hasn't found anyone else and that she's dreading the idea of facing her parents alone — only makes her angrier. "what if i have?" she snaps back, her chin lifting defiantly.

chris's eyes gleam with amusement, and he leans in, his voice dropping to a low, mocking whisper. "who? beckham?" and coraline shurgs to this. 

"why? jealous?" she asks, her voice almost a whisper.

the word hangs in the air between them, charged with tension. for a split second, the cocky smile on chris's face falters, but then it's back, more infuriating than ever. "jealous?" he repeats, a laugh bubbling up in his throat. "of beckham? please."

but she sees it, that brief flicker of something in his eyes. he can laugh it off all he wants, but she knows she hit a nerve. that thought alone brings a small, satisfied smile to her lips. "what? he's a good guy," she adds with a wide grin.

chris's eyes narrow, though his smirk remains as he straightens his back. "good guy, huh? sure, if you're looking for someone to knit scarves and make you tea—"

"don't be mean!" coraline snaps, her voice cutting through the space between them. but chris, unbothered by her sharp tone, just keeps on talking, the words rolling off his tongue with that familiar, infuriating confidence.

"come onnn," he drawls, leaning in slightly, as if sharing some inside joke. "you really think he can pull off pretending to be your boyfriend in front of your parents? in front of your family?" he scoffs, the sound dismissive. "he's too... nice."

the word drips with disdain, and coraline bristles at the implication. "so what if he's nice? at least he's not a complete asshole."

chris laughs, a low, mocking sound that makes her blood boil. "nice doesn't cut it in your world, evans. you and i both know that. nice gets eaten alive at your family dinners. you need someone who can hold their own, someone who won't buckle under the pressure. and beckham?" he shrugs, looking coraline straight in the eye as the next words leave his mouth. "he's just not that guy."

"you don't know anything," she snaps, though the sting of his words lingers. 

chris tilts his head, studying her with that infuriating smirk still playing on his lips. "oh, i know enough. enough to know you're still stuck with me tomorrow night." he leans back, casually, as if he's already won this round. "so, how about you stop being stubborn and just admit it, hm?"

coraline clenches her fists, every part of her wanting to fight back, to tell him he's wrong. but the truth is, she hasn't found anyone else to take his place. and he knows it as well as she does. so she grits her teeth, glaring at him with all the anger she can muster. "you're insufferable."

chris shrugs, unfazed. "yeah, but you wouldn't know what to do without me."

"don't flatter yourself," she shoots back, though the words feel hollow.

"i could never," chris chuckles, his tone dripping with amusement. 

the silence stretches between them, thick with unspoken tension. coraline glares at chris, hating the fact that he's right, hating him for being so smug about it. she's the one who should be in control of this situation, not him. but no matter how much she wishes it were different, she knows she's out of options.

with a frustrated sigh, she finally gives in, her voice laced with reluctant resignation. "fine. be there at seven. and don't be late."

chris's smirk widens, satisfied. "great."

coraline crosses her arms, glaring daggers at him. "and don't think this fixes anything, by the way. i'm still mad at you."

he raises his hands in mock surrender, that playful glint in his eyes never fading. "oh, i know that, don't worry."

without another word, he pushes himself off the counter and strides out, leaving coraline seething. she watches him go, torn between relief and anger, knowing full well that whatever's about to happen tomorrow evening, she's far from ready to face it.

CORALINE SITS ON THE BOTTEM STEP of the staircase, her fingers drumming anxiously on the wooden banister. the house is eerily quiet, with only the faint hum of the refrigerator breaking the silence. she checks her phone again — 6:57. her eyes flicker towards the front door, nerves gnawing at her. at least she's sitting right here now, ready to open the door before anyone else — like her brother — swings it open and finds chris standing there. besides, she needs to have a few words with him before he dives into the evans family.

she's still very pissed at him, by the way, more than she'd care to admit, and the fact that he was right about kenji only adds fuel to the fire. sure, kenji is a great guy, but he wouldn't have been able to lie to her parents, not like this. chris, though, is perfect for the role. and there's nothing she hates more than the fact that she needs him for this.

minutes crawl by, each second amplifying coraline's anxiety. she shifts on the step, her nerves winding tighter with every glance at the clock. it's almost 7:00, and she's convinced chris is going to be late. it would be just like him to show up five minutes late, all casual and unbothered, as if this dinner wasn't a big deal — while it is a big deal, a very big deal.

but just as the clock strikes 7:00, she catches a glimpse of a familiar figure crossing the street through the small window beside the door. chris is right on time, not a minute too early, not a second too late, of course.

she doesn't give him the satisfaction of ringing the bell, instead she stands up and pulls the door open just as he reaches for it. he stops short, a flicker of surprise in his eyes before that familiar smirk spreads across his face.

"eager, aren't we?" he teases, his tone dripping with that stupid attitude he carries everywhere. he's dressed perfectly — almost annoyingly so. his black blazer fits just right over a crisp white shirt, the sleeves rolled up just enough to reveal his watch. even his hair is tousled in that effortless way that makes coraline want to roll her eyes and maybe scream a little. he looks every bit the part of the perfect gentleman.

she forces herself to look away, focusing instead on the irritation simmering just below the surface. crossing her arms, she shoots him a pointed look. "i thought you were going to be late," she snaps, her tone sharp.

chris's grin widens, his eyes dancing with amusement as he raises an eyebrow. "me? late? come on, evans, i'm insulted you'd even think that."

she huffs, rolling her eyes as she steps aside, gesturing for him to come in. "just get inside," she speaks, rolling her eyes once again. but chris doesn't move forward, he stupidly watches her with a smirk on his face. so, coraline grabs his wrist and pulls him in the hallway, not saying another word. she closes the door as quiet as she can, and drops her voice to a whisper. "alright, listen to me," she commands.

chris blinks, momentarily surprised by the urgency in her tone, but he recovers quickly, the smirk never leaving his face. "so serious, evans. what, are we planning a heist or something?"

"shut up and listen," she snaps, her eyes flashing with irritation. "first off, don't talk about politics, okay? if my dad brings it up — and he probably will — just nod and smile. trust me, if you get him started, he won't stop, and we'll be stuck listening to his rant for the rest of the evening."

chris's smile widens, clearly enjoying her frantic attempts to control the situation. "yes, ma'am, anything else?"

"stop joking!" she hisses, her frustration growing. "and if they ask about your dad's company — which they also probably will — keep your answers short and vague, don't go into detail. my dad will start asking all these questions about the economy and mom will probably ramble something about designs, but it's none of their business, okay? so just... deflect."

chris opens his mouth, but coraline doesn't even give him one single second to speak as she barrels on. "and don't, under any circumstances, bring up the party from last month. i don't care how funny you think it is, it's off-limits— oh and, my mom cooked, so compliment her on that, she'll like that."

chris's eyes gleam with amusement as he listens to her rapid-fire instructions, his smirk never faltering. he tries to interject, but coraline cuts him off, again. "i'm not done yet."

"evans—"

"i said, i'm not done yet!" she insists, her voice low but firm. chris just stands there, watching her with an almost affectionate look that makes her even more irritated. "if my mom brings up the book club—"

"evans, seriously—" chris tries again, a hint of laughter in his voice, but coraline's too wound up to hear him.

"—just nod and pretend you're interested, but don't say anything too specific because she'll ask you for recommendations, and i suppose you don't have any. so trust me, you don't want to get caught up in that conversation—"

"yo, control freak, chill a little before you're gonna blow a fuse," chris jokes, even though his voice is laced with a little concern as he watches her pace around the hallway.

coraline still doesn't listen, completely caught up in her own world full of chaos. "and whatever you do, don't mention the fact that you used to date—"

chris cuts her off abruptly, his patience finally running thin. he reaches out, grabbing her shoulders with both hands, and turns her to face him fully. the suddenness of the gesture makes her go silent, her words dying on her lips as she feels his hands, warm and firm, grounding her. "coraline," he says, the sound of her name cutting through her frantic rambling like a blade through the tension.

she freezes mid-sentence, her breath catching as she looks up at him, her eyes locking onto his. they're closer than she expected, closer than they've ever been. his gaze is instense, making her feel like the ground beneath her has shifted. his eyes aren't just blue — they're a deep, mesmerizing shade that seems to pull her in, completely catches her off guard. the playful glint is still there, but there's something else too, something steadier and more reassuring that takes her by surprise.

his hands on her shoulders are strong, his grip steady but not forceful, as if he's holding her in place, anchoring her in the moment. the warmth of his touch seeps through the fabric of her shirt, making her acutely aware of the fact he's touching her.

his voice is low and steady when he speaks, every word deliberate. "you need to breathe, okay? we're a team tonight, i've got your back. you don't have to handle this on your own, i'm here, and i'm not going to let you down." he slowly pauses, his eyes searching hers as if to make sure she's really hearing him. 

coraline wants to interrupt, to remind him of all the ways he's screwed up before, but there's something in the way he's looking at her, something sincere and unwavering, that keeps her silent.

and for a brief second — she couldn't help it — her eyes flicker down to his lips, just for a few seconds, no big deal. then they wander right back up to his eyes, and she realizes she's been holding her breath. his gaze is unwavering, calm and reassuring, and it's like he's seeing right through her panic, straight to the core of her anxiety. she feels her guard slipping as she listens to him.

his hands give her shoulders a reassuring squeeze, and he adds, "your parents are going to love me, and they're going to be so impressed that they won't have anything to say except how lucky they are that you found someone like me. you don't have to carry this all by yourself, i've got your back, alright? so let me do that, coraline, trust me to do that."

the way he says her name, soft and almost tender, sends her mind into a spiral. she swallows hard, the knot in her stomach easing just a little. she's still mad at him, furious even, but the way he's speaking to her makes it hard to keep that anger burning as brightly as before. 

"what?" chris asks, noticing the shift in her expression.

"you... you said my name," she murmurs, her voice barely above a whisper, still caught off guard.

"huh?" chris raises an eyebrow, genuinely confused.

"you didn't say evans, you said my name" she repeats, as if trying to confirm it for herself.

chris's lips curl into a small, almost hesitant smile. "i know your name, coraline, and i've said it before."

"no, you haven't..." she insists, her voice trailing off. her heart is pounding, and she's suddenly hyper-aware of how close they are, of the way his hands still rest on her shoulders, solid and reassuring.

"yes, i have," he counters, his voice dropping a notch, making it even more intimate. "but you probably don't remember since you were wasted on the dance floor with beckham."

the mention of jake's party snaps her out of the daze he put her in. her eyes drop immediately to a narrow as tries to remember most of that night. "i wasn't wasted—" she begins, her tone defensive, but before she can finish, the door to the kitchen swings open.

her mom walks in, eyebrows raised as she takes in the scene. "coraline, what are you doing? don't be so rude and leave this young man standing in the hallway!"

both chris and coraline jerk away from each other, caught off guard by the interruption. coraline feels a rush of heat flood her cheeks as she realizes how it must've looked — with chris's hands on her shoulders and their faces mere inches apart. she quickly brushes a stray strand of hair behind her ear, trying to compose herself, but the pounding of her heart makes it difficult to appear nonchalant. for a brief moment, her eyes dart to chris, eyebrows raising when she also notices a light pink on his cheeks.

he's flushed too.

chris clears his throat softly, flashing coraline's mom a dazzling smile that could melt ice. stepping forward with effortless grace, he extends his hand in greeting. "mrs. evans, it's an absolute pleasure to meet you. i've heard so many wonderful things."

her mom's face lights up, clearly charmed by his easygoing manner. "oh, please," she laughs lightly, "call me lisa."

"lisa, then," chris corrects smoothly, the charm dialed up to eleven. "coraline's told me you're an absolutely amazing cook, and i have to say, i'm more than excited to taste your wonderful cooking skills."

coraline watches with a frown as her mom practically beams, clearly pleased. "oh, you're too sweet! well, i hope you're hungry because dinner's almost ready. come inside, we'll get you settled."

chris doesn't miss a beat, offering his arm with that same disarming smile. "lead the way," he says, his tone warm and sincere.

lisa takes his arm with a soft laugh, clearly delighted by his manners. they start down the hallway, their conversation flowing effortlessly as they ramble on about the food. chris asks about the dishes she's prepared, throwing in a few more compliments that make her practically glow with pride.

and meanwhile, coraline is left standing in the hallway, her feelings a tangled mess because what the fuck just happened to her.

ᵣₒₓ !!

sturnevans is back!!!!!!

i start school tmrw 💔💔 when i tell you i am about to burst into TEARS