[center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/200209/3aec4ba439c43fb20ffed92c17600611.png[/img]

[img]https://i.imgur.com/GSJxvYl.jpg[/img]
[sub][color=fffde7]Starring [color=#CCC6EA]Carter Newton[/color] and [color=76ff7a]Chrissie McCoy[/color]
Collab with [@Ejected][/color][/sub][/center]
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[indent][indent][color=fffde7]The moment Ariana Mossos sauntered away, hips swaying, with unassailable confidence, Chrissie’s smile vanished from her face. Her gaze fell to her lap, as she sat there, still and silent. No motivation whatsoever to go inside. To see [i]him[/i]. How awful would that be? Shaking her head, trying to get these disheartening thoughts out of her mind (she couldn’t let anyone see her like this), she patted her cheeks, allowing herself time for an internal pep talk. After a minute or two, she turned her attention towards the entrance, only to catch sight of a familiar, annoying face.

Carter. 

The boy that had her cousin’s heart. Just looking at him pissed her off. He was the pimple that wouldn’t go away, no matter how many times she tried to pop it. Gritting her teeth, she opened the passenger door, locked it, and gingerly closed it behind her. Putting on the most sugary-sweet smile, she pranced forward, taking fast steps to catch up with the boy. 

When she finally did so, she called out, [color=76ff7a]“Yo, CJ!”[/color] Keeping it ‘casual’, she threw her bag over her shoulder, approached him with conviction, and unrelenting force, before begrudgingly asking, [color=76ff7a]“Got any big plans for our last months here? Life changing and [i]actually[/i] going to make a difference?”[/color] Chris wasn’t here to make small talk, she never was, but she was here for [i]something[/i].

Suddenly hearing Chrissie’s voice pipe up from behind him was enough to make Carter roll his eyes in exasperation; he instantly found himself wishing that he’d followed Chanel’s lead and headed straight for his locker. For a brief moment, the young man even considered quickening his pace so that she wouldn’t be able to catch up, but he decided against it at the last moment. Instead, he slowed down so that she could fall into step beside him; the smile that was plastered across his face was nothing short of phony. [color=#CCC6EA]“Always nice to see you, Chrissie,”[/color] Carter said, his tone hinting at sarcasm. [color=#CCC6EA]“Of course I have a lot planned for this semester… you know, per usual. I’m actually helping a few people organize a climate change protest for next week. Maybe you’ll be able to take some time out of your [i]super busy[/i] theater schedule to attend and… what was it? [i]Actually make a difference[/i].”[/color]

Rolling her eyes in response to his retort, Chris chortled in irritation,  [color=76ff7a]“[i]Typical[/i] and [i]predictable[/i], I’ll pass.”[/color] She shook her head in disapproval, while acknowledging that was a strangely clever thing for him to say. [color=76ff7a]“Believe it or not, Carter, actors are agents of change and theater, like film, like a book — hell, even like a song — can make a difference. But you wouldn’t understand.”[/color] Her green gaze scrutinized him, as she smiled widely,  [color=76ff7a]“And that’s okay.”[/color] 

Dry and uncompromising, she studied him, while pushing a piece of hair behind her right ear. What did Stella see in him anyways? The only remarkable thing about him was his expensive taste and that wasn’t saying much. [color=76ff7a]“I get it. I really do.”[/color] She didn’t, really. Protests rarely resulted in anything but making noise. Protesting was an illusion that made common people think they had power. That someone with actual power could hear them. Reality was simple. This world was a selfish place and some people were given diamonds, and others got squat. That’s just how things were and Chris honestly did not see the point in ‘protesting’ to get your ‘mission’ across.  

[color=76ff7a]“But that’s neither here nor there. Did you know Stella came back from Paree this morning? Mm, I’m so jealous of her. You know what poets say—”[/color] She clasped her hands together, pretending to make a wish, and gave a theatrical, dreamy [url=https://i2.wp.com/www.modernmum.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/iStock-508702271-e1493115413460.jpg]pose[/url]. [color=76ff7a]“—Paris is the city for love!”[/color]

[color=#CCC6EA]“Oh sure, I couldn’t possibly understand,”[/color] Carter said with a roll of his eyes. Leave it to Chrissie McCoy and her patronizing attitude to swoop in and put a damper on what would’ve been a pretty great morning. In fact, Carter was just about to excuse himself from the conversation when the young woman mentioned the girl that he’d spent quite a bit of time thinking about over break; unfortunately enough for Carter, this person also happened to be Chrissie’s cousin. The young man couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at her final statement. [color=#CCC6EA]“And what exactly is [i]that[/i] supposed to mean?”[/color] he asked, feeling a slight twinge of jealousy as he spoke.

Treating him to a coy smile, not wanting to give too much away, just enough to play with the candlelight burning in his chest, Chrissie hinted matter-of-factly, [color=76ff7a]“Let’s just say... [i]something[/i] happened.”[/color] She looked into his eyes, determined not to falter. To show him how deadly serious she was when it came to anything revolving around Stella. If he was truly worth her cousin’s time, he would get over this obstacle, but it was her job to not make things easy. Love wasn’t easy and she didn’t think he was right for her. What did he have that Marcel didn’t? What made him so special, so unique, so… compatible? Falling in love was the easiest part, but nothing lasts forever, and she doubted Carter was any different. 

The warning bell went off, signaling them it was near time to head to homeroom, and as a way to assert her dominance, she giggled, which was like an auditory and unwarranted hug, and dismissed herself, [color=76ff7a]“Well look at the time, I’m so glad we had this chat.”[/color] Chris, who never used her fists in a confrontation, carefully threaded her words and spoke with an air of finality. She knew exactly what she was doing and had no ounce of regret. [color=76ff7a]“I do hope you enjoy the rest of your day.”[/color]

Striding forward, taking the lead, she gave distance between herself and Carter. With each stride, her mind became more resolute, more clear of what she wanted. Looking over her shoulder, back at the boy who admired her cousin, she drawled her goodbye, [color=76ff7a]“Until next time, [i]CJ[/i].”[/color]

[color=#CCC6EA]"Uh... okay..."[/color] Standing with his hands in his pockets and his mind whirling, Carter watched in stark silence as she hurried down the hall; it was rare for someone to leave him speechless, and the fact that it had been [i]Chrissie[/i] who'd done so made it even worse. Typically, Carter would've just shrugged off whatever it was that she'd said and continued on with his day; but as the young man began to make his way towards his locker, he couldn't help but replay her words over in his head. Stella was someone that he'd grown to care about, and whatever Chrissie had to say about it could never change how he felt about her. But it hadn't really dawned on him that maybe his feelings weren't reciprocated like he thought they were. Chrissie had been pretty vague about it all, but he couldn't help but wonder if Stella had found some [i]fairy-tale level[/i] romance while on her trip to Paris; he couldn't help but feel a little bit jealous. And [i]hurt[/i].

But then another thought popped into his head as he slammed his locker shut and tucked his books under his arm: what if Chrissie was just making it all up? It was no secret that the two of them had a pretty complicated relationship; perhaps she was just trying to get a rise out of him? She was an actress after all, and a pretty good one at that (not that Carter would [i]ever[/i] admit it), so of course her performance would've sounded convincing. [color=#CCC6EA]"Whatever..."[/color] Carter said under his breath as he let out a frustrated sigh and began his journey to class. He'd just have to figure it all out later, whenever he got the chance to see Stella.[/color]
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