beautifully broken(59)

chapter 15

Chris



This morning if you’d told me that my dad and Lauren would be able to talk without scowling at each other I wouldn’t have believed you. That Lauren actually agreed to stay until the end of the month in my parents' house, I would have laughed in your face. It’s funny how so much can change in the span of a few hours. I don’t know what prompted my dad's change of heart. I wonder if it was the threat of kicking him out of my life that did it. Who ever said you win more flies with honey never met my dad. I look forward to living in a house that isn’t a warzone. I’m glad to have him back to himself again and not this angry ticked off guy he’s become since Lauren arrived. At first I didn’t think she would accept his apology but she did and I know it was because of me. Because she thinks I needed her to. Maybe I did.

I just can’t help but want some things to be more familiar, like they were before all of this chaos happened. Getting things back on track is a huge step in the right direction. It reminds me that everything that’s gone wrong could possibly be fixed. Nothing is unfixable. That’s what makes me feel better as I walk to Lisa’s door. I don’t know what it is she has to tell me but whatever it is we can fix it. With Lisa you never know what the problem could be. We’ve been friends since elementary school. She’s always been the person I could talk to. She always has a way of making me feel better when some things seemed hopeless. That’s when I was young, now the things that seemed hopeless then would be a cake walk now.

I know she’s going to be happy to hear that Lauren and I are making it official. Well, I guess it doesn’t get any more official than getting married. I ring her doorbell and wait for her to answer. After a few minutes when she doesn’t, I ring it again and knock harder at the door. Her car’s outside so I know she’s home.

“Come on Lisa,” I mutter to myself. Before I start to knock on the door again she’s opened it.

“Hey Chris,” she says, her eyes locked on her feet.

“Hey. What’s going on with you?” I ask, walking past her into her house. I’m surprised it’s clean. Ridiculously clean. Lisa’s never been filthy but she always has stuff everywhere—clothes, old containers of food—but today it looks like my mom has been here and cleaned up for her.

“I’ve just been busy,” she says as she walks past me and sits on her sofa, her hands clasped together in front of her.

“How are you?” she asks dryly. I chuckle.

“I’m good and you ma'am?” I ask sarcastically. That causes her to smile a little.

“What’s up? What’s been going on with you?” I ask, sitting next to her on the couch. She sighs and runs her hands through her hair.

“I-I have a lot on my mind,” she chuckles.

“Did you get fired? Are you going to jail, what’s up?” I joke, nudging her and she stands up and crosses her arms.

“You changed your hair,” I say, surprised. I didn’t notice it until now but the red streak is gone and she’s back to her normal blonde color. Her nose ring is out too.

“Yeah. It’s time for a change,” she says quietly.

“So, you’re going to Chicago?”

“Eventually. Right now we decided to stay,” I tell her happily. Her eyebrows rise and a smile spreads across her own face.

“We?” she giggles. I nod.

“Me and Lauren and Caylen,” I tell her and her eyes widen and the dark cloud that’s been over her head since I walked in has disappeared briefly.

“So you guys are… Did you break things off with Jenna?” she asks excitedly.

“Yeah. We’re going to try to make this thing work,” I tell her and she runs over and gives me a big hug.

“That’s so great Chris. It’s about time you listened to me,” she says, patting me on the back.

“Thank you. For being there, and for listening. For being you, never judging. I don’t tell you enough, but you’re a great friend. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” I expect her to joke and give me one of her sloppy kisses on my forehead when she gets emotional but instead her whole body stiffens. I step back from her and I see tears in her eyes.

“Lisa what’s wrong?” I ask, starting to feel nervous. I’ve only seen Lisa cry once in my whole life and that was when her mother missed her graduation because she was too drunk to remember to show up.

“I’m so glad you’re happy Chris,” she says, her voice wavering as she turns away from me.

“Lisa, what is going on?” I ask, starting to become anxious.