Chapter 35: Chapter 35

: Letting Go

Chris woke up early the next morning, not going anywhere in particular but just sitting on the bed.

He made breakfast for himself. He figured Bree slept late last night because his dad hadn't come home.

Justin was as usual, late for breakfast. By the time he came down Chris was already done.

They all had a lot of thinking to do and a lot of problems.

Justin and Mckayla had been right, Chris had been thinking, he had to talk things over with Britney.

To say the truth he was a hot mess.

He was dying inside every second he spent without her. If he didn't fix things soon, she was very much capable of replacing him he thought.

As he headed back upstairs he bumped into Justin who was heading down for breakfast, "morning bro, what's the rush?" Justin asked putting his arms out so he blocked Chris' way.

"Morning, I just have to fix things I guess,”

Justin raised one eyebrow, "you woke up on the right side of bed today," he said laughing, "Is Bree downstairs?"

"No, she's probably angry at dad,”

"Dad?"

"He didn't come home last night,”

"Oh," Justin replied shaking his head,

"I need to go bro, see ya later," Chris said giving Justin a pat on the back before running past him,

"Go get em cow boy!" Justin called out after him.

"Don't ever say that again!" Chris called back, gaging.

Justin chuckled.

Chris got his jacket and sun glasses then headed downstairs and called for Todd, who brought the car around immediately.

"Where to sir?" Todd asked as Chris climbed in

"the usual," Chris replied, with a cheerful grin

Todd smile widened, "I hoped so," he replied.

"What did you say?" Chris asked surprised

"I know I shouldn't intrude sir," Todd responded, "but I really liked you and the lady, you two suit well together,”

"You really think so?" Chris replied, a little bit surprised.

"I see the way you two act around each other, and when you fight you really get hurt, that's what true love is. Love is Love you like someone so much when there not around it hurts, when there far it's hard to breathe, when you hear their name, your heart starts to puns dramatically, "

Chris smiled still shocked, "you do know love, are you married?"

"Proudly, with two kids," Todd replied pulling out a photo from his pocket, showing it to Chris.

"A gorgeous family, I'd like to meet em one day," Chris replied

Todd grinned, "there the best thing that ever happened to me, and when you smile like that I know that girl is the best thing that ever happened to you, don't let her go"

Chris looked at the floor then back up at Todd smiling, "I'll keep that in mind, we should start off now."

Todd nodded, "yes sir," he replied with a huge smile on his face.

*****

Meanwhile.

Anna walked into Lucy's bedroom. Lucy was sitting up in bed on her laptop again.

"Hey," Anna confronted.

"Hey you," Lucy replied, her gaze still focused on her laptop.

"So you never told me how the thing with you and Justin went, your unusually happy, your scaring me, "

"I'm happy and it scared you?" Lucy asked, glancing at her friend with a short smirk.

Anna rolled her eyes with a playful chuckle, "well, I know he broke up with you and I know you might not be handling it well, I mean who expects smiles after a breakup?"

"Who said we broke up?" Lucy asked trying to hide her victorious smile.

"What are you trying to tell me?" Anna asked leaning in, in confusion.

"What do you think?" Lucy replied folding her arms still with a big grin on her face.

"So you and Justin are still together?"

Lucy nodded

"Like an item? A thing? A couple?"

"Yes! is it so hard to believe?" Lucy asked laughing.

"Are you sure you're not lying to me?"

"Oh girl, I'm telling you the truth, Justin and I couldn't be better,”

"What the hell are you talking about? So he didn't want to break up with you when he told you to come and see him at his house? I was a hundred percent sure you two were over, I mean no offense but when you sense it it's just there, I can't believe I was wrong,”

"Well there's a first time for everything," Lucy replied, a little disturbed her friend wasn't happy for her.

Anna looked at her suspiciously, "what really happened?"

"None of your business,”

"Oh don't hide anything from me," Anna pleaded.

Lucy looked into her puppy dog eyes, "fine, you were kind of right, he did want to end things but we talked it over and agreed to have another try,”

"But haven't you two tried already?" Anna asked.

"That’s why I said another," Lucy emphasized.

"I don't believe you,”

"What don't you believe?" Lucy, asked sitting up in bed.

"How could you guys just talk things over and everything's okay, sounds fishy to me, "

"Fishy?"

"Yes...oh god I hope you didn't do something stupid..." Anna continued, watching her friend attentively.

"What are you talking about?" Lucy said surprised.

Anna gave her the look. The one and only look.

"What? No! I wouldn't do that," Lucy said turning to face her.

"You wouldn't do what?" Anna asked suspiciously.

"I know what you’re thinking and the answer is no," Lucy fired back.

Anna paused, squinting her eyes, trying to read her, “are you sure??”

"Look you can either believe me or not, I don't care"

"Chill I believe you, so what did you say?" Anna asked, however that was far from the truth.

"nothing much actually," Lucy said standing up and walking to the bathroom,” just followed your advice," she said standing up and walking toward the door with a short huff.

"But I didn't give you any advice," Anna replied, a little confused.

"Not really, you just said we needed more love. And that's what we did,” Lucy said entering the shower and closing the door behind her

"More love?" Anna repeated to herself, she feared the worst.

********

Ted, Mckayla and Britney sat in their sitting room. Mckayla was screaming her lungs out the two. Her face was red and blotchy.

Truthfully, Ted hadn't thought Mckayla could get any madder, but she proved him wrong.

"What the hell were you two doing at the park yesterday?" Mckayla asked, her eyes like two heating coals as she inspected them.

"Is this why you called me over?" Ted asked calmly, a feeling of relief flooding through him.

"What did you think?" Mckayla snapped.

"Maybe you considered my proposal?" He joked, with a casual grin.

Mckayla smiled, then frowned "I'm not going to dinner with you Ted, you know how I feel about this, "

"Fine keep scolding us then, I'll wait for you,” Ted huffed out, sitting down on the couch.

Mckayla rolled her eyes, this was usual to them, how they related.

"I don't see what the big deal here is Couz," Britney began," Ted knew I was stuffed up inside because of you know who and so he offered a walk in the park, what's so wrong with that?"

"Well I'll tell you what's wrong with that, you know Chris is a jealous type and you can't go around in public with Ted, he didn't exactly make the best first impression,” Mckayla replied.

"I know that, but it's not like he saw us or something,” Britney retorted, rolling her eyes.

"Oh but he did, "

Britney's heart stopped for a second, "What do you mean? How do you know?"

Mckayla sighed, "Aunt and I invited him for lunch at the restaurant near the park, to try and clear things up with him. It was going great till he saw you two, “she finished glaring at Ted.

Ted lifted his hands up in mock surrender. He seriously could not do anything right in the eyes of her. Not even cheering up her watered down cousin.

"Oh god," Britney groaned sitting down in one slump, as she slapped her forehead, "stupid, stupid, stupid!"

Mckayla sat down beside her, "Chris has issues, he's insecure and the last thing he needs is to see the woman he loves happy with someone else,”

"But I don't have anyone else, just him,”

"I know that, but at that moment when I saw the two of you, I must admit it did look suspicious,”

Britney groaned again, "are we ever going fix this, fix us?" she asked. She felt depressed again.

"Oh Couz, he will come around," Mckayla said patting her back

"I just want all this to end, get back together, be the way it was when we first started this, " she replied her eyes trading the lines on her palms.

"It can and it will, you just got to be more careful," Mckayla eased patting her shoulder, she turned to Ted, "you've got to keep your distance for a while,”

"What?" Ted asked raising one eyebrow,

"look I know you two are close, hell, we've known each other for quite some time, but if you care about a friend as I think you do, you will stay away, at least until they mend this, because you being constantly there, it's just not going to work, " Mckayla explained.

Ted thought for a minute, then he shook his head, "no," he said.

"What?" Mckayla echoed, a little surprised.

"I said no, I will not distance myself from you two, you're the greatest friends I have. Not over some boy you met a few months ago," Ted explained.

"They’ve been together for a almost a year," Mckayla corrected.

"Whatever, look I like you Mckayla, I’ve always been clear about that,” he said turning to Mckayla, "but putting that aside I consider Britney to be one of my closest friends. If you ask me, this Chris fellow sounds like a jerk,”

"Ted!" Britney warned

"I'm sorry, but it's true. I've only met him like twice but I can see he is no good,”

"That’s true, you've only met him twice so you don't know enough about him to draw that sort of conclusion," Mckayla reprimanded.

"Probably, but don't actions speak louder than words? Look at him, he takes one look at us together and he loses it, “Ted explained a little frustrated.

"Wouldn't you?" Mckayla asked, though her voice was lower.

Ted ignored her, "he isn't just insecure, he has anger issues, and you saw that when he pushed you, he doesn't trust you, not at all. If he did he would have calmly asked you to explain and in private like a true gentleman," he said turning to

The girls were silent knowing that Ted was speaking the truth.

"Now because of this guy who doesn't return your calls or texts or even mind that his girlfriend is falling apart for him, you want me, the friend that's always been there for you, always having your back like a sounding board, give you some space? Why do I feel like the one whose suffering here when I just came to help like a good friend does? Who is more important to you Britney, your best friend or you’re on and off boyfriend?" he asked a little angry.

Britney looked up at him slowly, however understanding him fully.

"You can't make her choose between her boyfriend and her friend!" Mckayla pointed out, her voice rising higher.

"It’s okay Mckayla," Britney eased, "Teds right."

"What?" the both of them asked at the same time.

"Maybe I've been playing the victim for way too long, I didn't do anything wrong and Chris treats me like I'm the enemy.

All I did was hang out with a really good friend.

Ted has been there to support and help me. Chris knows how I feel about him and we all know where Ted and I's feelings are placed.

If Chris spent more time with me, he would know that and not just jump to conclusions with every rumor he hears,”

"I know what you’re saying Britney, but understand Chris, he is a celebrity really busy at times but he tries really hard to make you happy, even introduced you to his family which shows he is serious about you, yes he has his flaws but don't we all? Don't give up on him,”

"I tried," Britney said standing up, "but Teds right, how can I continue being depressed like this?"

"You think you're the only one who’s hurting?" Mckayla asked, thinking back to the conversation she had with Chris earlier, “Think about how he feels, put yourself in his shoes. I might not know Chris as well as I should, but from what he's shown me, he loves you a lot and I'm sure he wouldn't want you to let go."

Britney's eyes moved up and down for a moment and stood there a little wobbly, she turned to Ted who was still sitting on the couch, watching her attentively.

"I've put my all into this, “she began staring at him, she shook her head, " but I need a break, I need a friend right now, a true friend."

Mckayla looked up at her cousin dumbfounded, as a short silenced filled the air.

"Is that how you really feel about us?" a voice said from behind them.

The air was thick as they all turned behind them to see who it was.

Chris stood before them, an unrecognizable look in his eye. He had been knocking for a while and when he saw the door open he let himself in. Now they were all there.

Britney's heart burst at the sight of him. Seeming to be running 50 miles per hour.

He took a few steps closer to her, his eyes pleading, wishing, begging, hopping

"are you choosing him over me?" he asked. His voice dragging his throat dry his eyes shocked.

Britney clenched her fists slowly still surprised, but most importantly, still hurt.

"I do," she said finally, "maybe we need a time out, a break" she replied softly.

Chris felt as if someone had taken all the oxygen from the air and was still commanding him to breathe.

He felt so many emotions coming back up to him all at once. Anger, distraction, hatred, disgust, hurt, pain, regret, all at once like an unwanted storm that just filled him up.

He looked at Ted for a moment. Had Britney really chosen this bastard over him? How could a perfect day suddenly go so damn wrong?

Mckayla grabbed onto Britney's wrist tightly and whispered to her, "please think about this first," she pleaded.

"No" Britney said aloud,” we both need this," she said, she looked at Chris slowly making her way towards him.

He stood there seeming to have frozen in time as he watched her approach him

"You need some space and maybe I need some too. Maybe we're going to fast, let's live a little, because I'm done crying for you, I'm tired of feeling like this, like you don't care, like I don't matter.

You never should have hated Ted, he was just being a friend to me, and I'm sorry if that upset you but I will not suffer because you don't want to pick up my calls and constantly worried that maybe you've found someone better than me, that you've stopped caring," she said her voice shaking as if she was about to cry. Her nose getting redder and stuffier each second.

Chris grabbed both her hand, clutching onto them in desperation, his eyes searching hers “I do care, Bee. I care a lot, I just want to be with you, look past this.” he breathed out softly, " I love you," he said passionately praying that she would change her mind, "please, give us a chance, I'll try harder," he whispered.

Britney paused, she took a side look at Mckayla who was giving her encouraging eyes then Ted.

She let go of Chris hands and Chris watched in horror as she took off the necklace that Chris had bought her the day they first started dating,

"please don't," Chris pleaded sadly, hopefully.

Britney looked at it in her hand, "I've never taken it off since you gave it to me, when you’re not beside me I used it to think of you," she said smiling sadly. Then she got his hand and put the necklace in it. Ted got up startled, "Britney don't do that," he warned. He wasn't blind. He knew she loved him. He might be an ass but he knew love when he saw it.

She looked back at him, with a sad smile "I have to," she replied.

"I'm letting go. You should too," she said turning back to Chris.

Chris rubbed the necklace in his hand, "is this what you really want?” he asked, his tone a slight whimper...

Britney swallowed hard, staring at his closed hand, a lump forming inside her throat, “this is what I need."

Chris nodded slowly.

His eyes were red knowing he had just lost something very important because of his foolishness.

Chris shook his head slowly, "If you have really let go, then I have too. There's just nothing else to hold on to," he whispered in her ear as he hugged her tightly.

A tear fell from his eyes and he quickly wiped it away.

"I let go," he said as he broke away from her grasp. He left her standing there.

Britney kept staring at the space he had just occupied and closed her eyes as the sound of the front door clicked after Chris left.

"Britney, why did you do that? You know you love him, he loves you, do you know how many people would kill for the type of love you two have going on?" Mckayla scolded as she walked toward Britney horrified and touched by the scene she had just witnessed.

"I need to rest please," Britney said slowly as she walked up the stairs feeling empty inside.

Mckayla watched as the frail figure walked upstairs. She sighed slightly

"I think I better go to," Ted said getting up.

"Oh so this is when you want to leave?" Mckayla asked, folding her arms.

"I didn't...." he trailed off. Mckayla could see the shock in his eyes, her look softened.

"It’s not your fault, Ted. You were right. Maybe this is what they need," she said slowly.

Ted nodded, "yeah...uhmm I'll see you tomorrow," he said

"Okay, buddy I'll see you later," Mckayla replied giving him a warm hug as he also left.

Mckayla sighed as she sat down and got ready to watch a sad romantic movie.

********

Todd opened the car for Chris who looked sick, his whole demeanor had changed from the jolly guy that headed out of the car.

"Are you alright, sir?" Todd asked surprised at his sudden change of attitude.

"Take me away from here," Chris replied as he flipped the necklace in the palm of his hand, "really fast."

"Uh…Yes sir,”

Chris tossed the necklace around angry and disappointed at himself, mad at the world. He lost the love of his life, he could feel it.

Todd drove him to the beach, the one place he knew Chris adored. Something about the beach gave Chris piece.

A place of tranquility. Chris spent the whole day there watching the sun set, alone. He sat in his favorite spot wondering what had happened to them.

She wanted to let go. How could she? Just like that? Did he even mean anything to her? How did she have a right to just say goodbye so long as if she was the only one hurting?

He stood up and screamed so his voice got mixed up with the waves.

"I don't need you!" he called out to the wind.

"I don't!" he said kneeling down crying.

"I'll show you, you want to let go? Then let go! Go ahead! Just let go! That's what everyone does, let go!" he screamed out.

He stared at the tainting waves, ignoring the look of the man that passed him by.

"I'll show you," he whispered into the evening, he got his phone and dialed Anna's number.

"Hello?" Anna asked picking up the call.

"Will you be my date to the album launch on Saturday?" Chris blurted out. A feeling of triumph flooding his every nerve. She thought she was in control? No. He damn well wouldn't get left behind.

Not at all.

Not again.

Anna paused surprised at how Frank he was, she glanced back, wondering if she had heard right

"are you okay Chris?" she asked a little worried.

"I need to too hold on," he said his voice shaking, "can't let go," he replied.

Her heart stopped, as she heard the hurt in his voice, she smiled softly into the phone, "I'll help you," Anna responded

"I'll be your date, you don't need to let go,”