Chapter 28: Chapter 28

: A Doubt for Love

Bree gave her a one piece bathing suit so she could join the others downstairs. Afterwards they headed to the swimming pool where a game of volley ball was on going.

"Yo, come and join us!" Beats called out as Britney got into the pool.

"Are you crazy?" Chris replied, from the others side, “she’s my girlfriend so she's on my team," he defended, wading to her and grabbing her hand.

She grinned joining Chris' team which consisted of Anna, Humphrey and Robin.

Opposite, Beats team included of Bree, Justin, Lucy and George. The game continued immersing all of them in rounds of fun as the ball was tossed to and fro.

It was admittedly a tight game, bit in the end Chris' team's won. After a great time at the pool they all relaxed.

Anna went inside the house to get some refreshments for all of them. Chris and Britney were inseparable but sadly the same could not be said for Lucy and Justin.

Robin was on a phone call, Bree sighed and just sun bathed with George.

Lucy was still by the pool chatting with Humphrey while Beats and Justin accompanied each other.

"Chris darling!" Bree called over to the two love birds who were sitting side by side laughing.

"I'll be back," he told Britney as he stood up. She nodded and watched Lucy and Humphrey play by the pool.

"Yeah?" Chris replied, as he arrived.

“Can you please check on Anna? She's taking forever with the refreshments, “she requested.

"Yeah, I can do that,”

"Thanks sweetie," she called out after him.

He motioned to Britney that he would be back only moving away when she nodded.

He entered the house and headed straight for the kitchen. He checked it, but to his surprise Anna wasn't there.

He decided to look around some more, checking the living and dining room, calling her name, but no answer came back.

He finally checked the upstairs lounge which had a balcony that outstretched just over the pool.

There he spotted her, seeming to have frozen in time watching as the people below and the grounds that passed.

"Hey," Chris said, nudging her. He was a little concerned. It seemed unlike her to be alone. From what he knew about her. She seemed like the outgoing adventurous type. Not much different from him.

Anna was a little startled at this motion, turning to glance at him, touching her heart in relief, before offering him a smile.

"Everyone’s wondering where you are, are you okay?" he asked, gently, leaning against the rail.

She glanced at him momentarily, but he didn't fail to catch the sad look in her eye.

"Is everything okay?" he asked, one more time, this time a little more concerned than before.

She smiled at him, "it's all good," she said turning back to the pool, her eyes skimming down on the figures below.

Chris joined her as they watched. Not really knowing what to say, but feeling like that's what she needed. Someone. A feeling which was not so foreign to him.

Humphrey had called Britney in and the three of them were now playing catch, Lucy was it.

"Everyone’s so happy," he began, trying to lighten the mood.

"Yeah, especially her. She's happy too,” Anna replied with a gentle chuckle, pulling a strand of her red fiery hair away from view.

"She?" Chris echoed.

"Britney, your girlfriend? That’s her name right,” Anna asked.

"Oh…yeah, "

"I can see you're happy too," Anna said turning around and looking at him, her back leaning against the rail.

Chris chuckled, "she makes me happy."

Anna sighed, "Oh you're lucky, "

"How can I not be?" Chris asked his eyes resting on Britney, "Anybody would be lucky to have her."

"So you love her?" Anna whispered lowly.

Chris paused gazing at her, "yes...i believe I do," Chris replied his face heating up. He didn't know why he was telling it Anna. Britney should have heard it first.

"So you don't have doubts?" Anna joked, with a slight giggle.

"Doubts? A healthy relationship cannot exist if there are doubts," he replied maintaining his grin as the wind glided over his face.

"Really?" Anna began, breaking into a wide grin, slightly impressed.it was obvious to her how mature Chris was. A definite appeal.

"Absolutely" Chris replied as confident as ever.

Anna chuckled, shaking her head slowly.

"What? Did I say something funny?" Chris asked

Anna pushed him playfully, causing him to chuckle, "you remember the reading I have you the other day," she began.

"Yes, “he replied wondering what he it had to do with this

"you remember what I said, "

"yeah, you said I’m in love," Chris responded.

"I also said you'll would find out that there’s someone else," she replied.

There was a short pause before Chris broke the silence,” what are you trying to tell me?" He asked focusing on her, his smile fading.

She shrugged, facing the pool again, "you should know that there isn't any happiness that lasts forever. Also don't you think your....young?" She trailed off glancing at him.

"Yeah, but that doesn't change how I feel," Chris argued, wondering where she was going with this. A feeling of impatience rattling within him.

"Don’t think I'm the enemy, I'm just saying you said anybody would be lucky to have her, "

"Yes, I did say that, "

"Well, what if you got it all wrong?"

"What do you mean?" Chris asked trying to figure out where exactly she was going with this.

"What if no one would be lucky to have her and rather it's you they would be Lucky to have?"

Chris paused for a moment, his eyebrows furrowing,

"What are you trying to tell me?" he asked suspiciously.

Anna smiled," I've studied you Chris, you’re a smart guy,”

"I know I am,” Chris chuckled out, a little nervously

"Then think, what if you’re the lucky one to have? I mean look at you, rich, young and handsome, truth be told there's a million other girls out there, probably a dozen other Britney's much like her, but you, you are the treasure to have. What if Britney could be replaced? What if she wasn't as special as you think she is?" Anna asked, watching him attentively.

"That’s a lot of what ifs," Chris replied grinning as he leaned back on the rails.

"There’s a lot of questions," Anna replied

"Britney and I are in love, "Chris replied finally, letting out a short breath, “it wouldn't really matter how many other Britney's they are, she’s the only one I want."

Anna shrugged as the wind lifted her hair up "so you say,”

"You don't sound very convinced," Chris argued, raising an eyebrow.

"Does it matter? It only matters how you feel for each other right?" Anna asked in trickery.

Chris nodded smiling, "but still I want to know why you are in doubt," he replied, watching her features.

"I don't want to sound like a hater," Anna responded knowing full well Chris was not going stop until he found out why.

"I'll be open minded," he replied.

She smiled, "okay, but just know that I'm speak from a thirds persons point of view, okay?" she ensured

"Alright, go ahead."

"I see a rich guy, quite handsome smart, fun and extremely talented. The oldest and the heir to his father’s estates, that's you right?" Chris nodded, not having had ever thought that far as owning his father’s estates when the time comes. Either way, he was sure Robin would divide it equally between him and Justin. However now was not the time to think of such things?

"Then I see Britney, " Anna continued, drawing him out of his thoughts, "a smart pretty middle class lady falling in love with an heir, classic fairytale, are you still following?" She asked.

"Yes, but I still don't see where you’re going with this, it doesn't matter what class you’re from," Chris replied, folding his arms. Not long ago he had been in the lowest class.

"No, it doesn't matter at all, but if you look closer you begin to see that not all fairy tales have a happy ending," she said still looking down at the pool.

Chris followed her gaze trailing it to Justin who had joined the game and was behind Britney teaching her how to throw the ball. Their hands touching and his other hand in her waist. Chris breathed out nervously as Cassie's face flashed into view.

One doubt was all it took.

What if this was all just a ploy?

"What if Cinderella had not married the prince? What if, one if the sisters had?"

Chris did not reply as he slowly watched Justin and Britney, intensively.

"She likes me not Justin," Chris replied, his gaze still focused on the two intently.

Anna scoffed, "not from where I'm standing, are you sure were seeing the same thing?" she asked waiting a bit then smiling.

"Your brothers good looking, I mean really good looking. His sexy and has an angels voice. Two years if not less," she said laughing a little,” he will be one of the biggest names in Hollywood. Very rich very successful, plus he is the ladies’ man," Anna said with a slight shrug, "if I were her, I would really want to get close to him, but I'm only in middle class, however, there's this great opportunity, his brother whose fallen madly for me, what should I do?" she asked putting one hand in her chin, "I would use him to get to the real gold mine. "

"Stop it," Chris said looking away, his jaw ticking. He hated this feeling that had taken root inside of him. Insecurity.

"I mean, it would be really easy."

Chris shook his head turning away, clenching his fists tightly.

"I don't want to hear anything else," he said gritting his teeth.

"I'd be so close, I'm evening winning their parents trust,"

"Stop it!" Chris roared.

Anna tilted her head to the side, "I'm so close to getting the prize, I made you fall in love with me and now you’re doing everything for me, we've only dated for a month and you bring me to your parents’ house, I got total control of you," she continued.

"That’s not how she is, stop trying to be her just stop it!" Chris yelled, turning around as he faced the scene before him. The wind tackling through his locks.

Anna stood facing Chris, face to face

"Which girl goes to see her boyfriend’s parents barely a month or even less after they started dating? You don't even know her, she wants something, and how much do you really know about her. Her friend used you and as the saying goes birds of the same feather flock together,” Anna continued.

"She would never do that to me!” Chris gritted out leaning closer to her.

"Really? How possible is that? You said yourself she's smart. She probably saw her friends plans weren't working and mistook your kindness for weakness,” Anna rolled her eyes.

"That’s not possible!" Chris replied, disgusted at the thought.

"Think about it, it could have been staged, professionals," Anna said with a slight shrug.

Chris' mind flashed back to the lunch they had with Cassie and Britney the first time they met.

It could have been possible. Britney and Cassie could have planned all this to get closer to him, after all she was smarter and prettier than Cassie.

They could have thought they had a better shot at Justin by using Britney to get to Chris then Justin.

He had been abandoned by his birth parent before, he couldn't take someone abandoning him all over, and it would be too much. He shook his head throwing that evil thought away, "she loves me!" Chris said angrily his hand swiping at the glass vase that was nearby him, shattering it to pieces.

Anna laughed, "You’re right,” she began folding her arms. She looked at Chris her smile fading, shaking her head. A look of disappointment crossing her features, "she does, she loves you with all her heart. We all can see that. That girl only has eyes for you and Justin isn't anything but her boyfriend’s brother in her eyes. She does love you," Anna replied.

Chris was breathing in and out heavily. What was this now? Didn't she just suggest that Britney had been using him to get to Justin?

"She loves me?" he asked, slowly dropping his hand shifting his eyes to her.

Anna smiled as she walked to him and tilted his chin up so his eyes stared into hers.

"You’re asking me? In five minutes you were able to doubt the love she had for you, even reached to the extent that she might love your brother and not you." Anna put to light.

She her hand in his, her eyes boring into his, "I asked you before, if you loved her, what did you tell me?" She asked softly.

"I said, I loved her," Chris whispered in a hoarse voice, trying to gulp down the lump that had formed his throat.

"What did I ask you after that?" Anna whispered back searching his eyes.

"You asked me if I had doubts,"

Anna smiled softly leaning in "and you said a relationship cannot exist with doubts," she replied, as she pulled away from him. She glanced at him one more time before walking away, leaving him standing alone surrounded by the broken pieces of the vase, feeling like he had betrayed Britney in both his thoughts and actions.

*****

Anna headed down stairs, stopping by the kitchen, grabbing the refreshments, before heading down to the pool.

"Well it's about time," Bree exclaimed as they all came closer huddling to get a cold drink.

"You took your sweet time," George complained, leaning against the refreshment table.

"Yeah, I sent Chris to fetch you a few minutes ago, where is he?" Bree asked as they opened there canned drinks.

"Oh I saw him going upstairs," Anna replied.

"Really and he isn't back by now?"

Anna shook her head.

"Well, I better go look for him," Bree said with a short sigh.

"It’s okay Bree, I'll do it," Britney offered, setting her drink on the table.

"Oh aren't you a sweetheart, I'll just be here relaxing" Bree said, putting her legs into the pool.

*****

Chris was still bewildered with what he had done. His mind swimming around with all sorts of doubts. He felt dirty and used in a way he couldn't quite describe.

He knelt down picking the pieces of the broken vase, his heart forgotten in a different place. Not even paying attention to what he was doing till he felt sting, resonate from his hand.

It was only then he realized he had been cut, but even then all he found himself doing was watching as the blood oozed out, not even bothering to touch it.

"Oh my god!" Britney exclaimed, her gaze steadfast on the blood dripping from Chris finger she rushed to him.

"Chris are you okay?" she asked, rushing toward him, bewildered at the fact that he was still picking the pieces up.

."Chris stop!" Britney sashayed as she tried to pull him away

"It’s broken, I can fix it,” he said softly, his eyes stuck to the vase.

Britney froze this time studying him attentively noticing how he seemed to want to fix it he was trying so hard to out together pieces that couldn't be mended.

"No it's shattered, it can't be fixed," Britney said pulling him to a nearby chair where she made him sit, she knelt before him watching him attentively.

"How did this happen?" she asked taking a cloth and trying very hard to stop the bleeding.

Chris looked at her, she was so perfect, loving, kind and thoughtful, but did he deserve her?

He asked himself. He whom his parents didn't even want. What made a girl like her like him?

"What’s happening here?" Bree said, walking in, a serious look in her eye.

Chris stared at her for a moment, still lost in thought, barely noticing her shocked expression as she saw his cut and the blood rushing from his hand,

"You're hurt!" She gasped out in realization stalking toward him and Britney.

Her voice pulled him out of his daze,” It’s just a small cut, nothing serious," he replied as Bree spotted the broken vase.

She sighed after examining it, thankful that it indeed wasn't anything serious "thanks dear, I'll take it from here," she said to Britney, helping Chris up.

She took him downstairs and washed his wound which was much deeper than expected and put a clean bandage on it, "it's actually deeper than I thought, how could you cut yourself like that?" she scolded, but no answer came,” don’t be careless you make me and Britney worry," she finished after wrapping his hand in bandages. Chris winced when she wanted it.

"I guess you'll have to use your left hand for dinner."

Chris nodded watching as Bree stood up, just as the others walked in. He sighed as the rained him down with question on how he had cut himself which he gave them a very vague explanation.

Justin told him to be more careful as he examined the extent if the wound which was so deep Chris could not bend his fingers without feeling an incredible amount of pain.

Robin told him he was lucky Bree was around to dress the wound because believe it or not she had studied to be a nurse.

Chris found himself grinning at his family's concern for him, but he was quiet for the rest of that day just thinking and rethinking all that Anna said him.

During dinner he didn't say a word or laugh no matter how funny a joke was. They all noticed his sudden change of attitude and George even joked about it.

To this he managed to give out a half smile and when Britney asked what was wrong with him he didn't even have the dignity to look into her eyes and tell her what was troubling him.

He would stare at her for minutes, studying how she laughed and answered questions. After dinner he was able to carry some played back to the kitchen. Anna followed so she could take back desert.

"Hey," she began

Chris looked up at her and nodded slowly.

"Look I'm sorry, I had no idea that what I said would affect you so much, I didn't mean to make you hurt yourself like that,” she began with earnest eyes.

Chris breathed out, after gulping down a glass of water, "its okay, you were only looking out for me, you opened my eyes a little, I owe you that," Chris replied softly meeting her eyes.

She studied them for a minutes as she studied hers, " Chris, if you love her like the way you say you do, you wouldn't be so affected, all those thing I said about her weren't true, not facts just possibilities you can't dwell on that," she responded softly.

"I know, I just have a lot to think about,” Chris replied, almost running a hand through his locks before wincing and instead cradling his arms.

Anna giggled at the action and Chris found himself chuckling alongside her.

"Just know that I'm here for you, I know Justin has problems of his own and Bree and Robin just got married so if you just need a friend to hear you out, I'm here, you can count on me," she said patting his arm.

"I can lean on you?" Chris asked smiling for the first time that night

"Well, there is the small worry that my shoulder can't sustain your big head but I guess," she replied causing his grin to widen.

"There’s the smile we've been looking for," Anna said still smiling as she watched Chris laugh out louder.

"But for real, if you ever just need a friend, a true friend, I got you," she said.

"thanks, thank you a lot," he replied as they headed back to the dining table, from then on he smiled and laughed during the conversations.

Lucy looked at Anna suspiciously. Anna winked at her and smiled at Chris who smiled back.

She watched as the houses and people passed by her slowly. They arrived at the villa in thirty minutes, mainly because of the traffic. Chris was their welcome her, offering her a hand out of the car.

"I believe Todd took good care of you," he said giving her his arm

"Oh he was fabulous, and very professional” Britney assured, with a soft chuckle taking his arm.

He smiled in response, "everyone's waiting for you."

"Me? I'm sorry, am I late."

Chris laughed a little, "No you're on time, they're just all pretty anxious to see you," he replied leading her towards the outdoor pool, "are you nervous?" He asked.

"Well I'm meeting the family to my boyfriend so I'm as nervous as they get," Britney replied, adjusting her purse strap.

Chris chuckled, patting her hand soothingly, "you don't have to be, you'll be surprised how nice they can be," he said as they arrived.

Everyone was scattered by the pool, some swimming others chatting etc.

Bree was the first one to greet them accompanied by Justin.

"Oh who is this pretty thing beside you Chris?" She asked after hugging her, "Well I hope its Britney," she answered her won question.

Chris grinned, "Britney, This is my mother and Mom this is my girlfriend Britney,” He introduced, a little nervous.

"Oh honey you can just call me Bree," she said as Britney hugged Justin. Britney smiled, "it's nice to meet you Bree, and Justin again," she added.

Justin smiled "Well, you can come and join us. As you can see we are just having some fun by the pool," he offered.

"Oh, I didn't know about that, I didn't come with my swimming costume," Britney replied looking at Chris in a ‘you could have told me’ way.

"Oh don't worry about sweetheart" Bree replied, "just come with me and we can sort that out," she said taking her hand and leading her into the house.

"You're in good hands!" Chris called out. Beats, Humphrey, George, Anna and Lucy had also been invited. They were in the pool playing volleyball.

Chris took off his shirt and dived into the pool. Showing off his perfect body, abs and all nevertheless impressing Anna, standing next to her with a grin. Justin followed closely begin.

"So is that Britney?" Beats asked holding the ball.

Chris nodded

"You lucky devil," George huffed, "she's hot!"

Humphrey laughed, "If George says she's hot, then it means she's hot," he added.

They broke out in gentle laughter as Anna and Lucy exchanged looks.

"Okay, so we have to divide into two teams equally seeing that this two suckers want to join," Beats announced.

***************

Meanwhile Britney and Bree where headed upstairs, "I see you make my son happy" Bree was telling her, with a grin.

"I do my best," she replied, hiding her blue.

"Well you do it well," Bree responded, "so anything you want dear, don't be afraid to tell me. If he acts like a jerk I'll spank him for you, he shouldn't ever hurt a nice girl like you."

Britney laughed, "thank you Bree, I might just take you up on that offer one day," she assured.

"And I'll be of service," Bree replied.

Mr Ryder came out of a nearby room bumping into them, "Hey baby," Bree said as he gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Who's this ray of sunshine?" Mr Ryder asked, looking at Britney who brushed in response.

"This is Britney, Britney this is my husband, Robin, Chris' father," she introduced.

"So this is the Britney," Mr Ryder said shaking her hand, thrilled to finally meet her.

"Yes sir, happy to meet your acquaintance” she said.

"Sir?" Robin echoed,” Just call me Robin, a friend if Chris is a friend of ours" he said smiling.

She nodded in reply.

"Okay babe, I'm just going to help her out with a swim suit, we’ll be down in a few minutes. Just make sure the boys are alright," she said as Robin nodded and went down the stairs.

They entered a room full of top brand clothes.