Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

in which chris starts a fake relationship with his archenemy

or where a boy and a girl think it's easier to hate than love

PROLOGUE

(junior year, 4th period, Mr. Chapman)

He opened his backpack. Unprepared for the foul smell that wafted out of it.

"Holy shit!" He dropped it, the stench getting out and drowning the classroom.

"You know, Chris. The bathroom is just down the hall." Cruz turned her whole body to face him. There was a wicked smile on her face. "If you had to go that badly, you just had to say." Her head tilted to the side.

"You four-eyed idiot. Did you put dog shit in my bag?" He stalked across the room all the way to her desk, he towered her and pushed and accusatory finger in her shoulder while the rest of the class snickered and gagged behind his back.

"Four-eyes? Really?" She pushed her tick purple rimmed glasses up her nose. "That's childish, even for you." "I didn't ask what you thought." "Dogs don't ask, Chris. They listen. And you will do as I say and leave me the fuck alone." She stood up, now they were eye to eye. "I had to cut my hair Chris!" She grabbed a fistful, it was choppy and a grin spread across his lips before he could stop it.

"Sturniolo! Cruz! To the principal's office! And get that bag out of here!" Their English teacher yelled, fuming as he pointed the exit. Next thing they know. They had a three-day suspension written down on their school file.

"Sir, the lacrosse final is this Friday. I-"

"You should've thought about the consequences, then. You can't go on sticking gum up girl's hair."

"Thank you!" Piper nodded. Her mother smacked the back of her head and ordered her to shut up.

"And you, oh don't even get me started. Where did you even find that much... waste?"

"Créame. You don't want to know." Her body slumped against the chair, looking defeated.

"I'm really sorry about my kid." Chris' mom said to Piper's.

"I'm sorry about mine." Mrs. Cruz's hand fell on Piper's shoulder and squeezed it. Chris missed the way Piper's body tensed. But Mary Lou didn't and a concerned look grazed over her face momentarily.

"I'm sorry about your hair." Chris' said through gritted teeth.

"'M sorry about your bag. I'll get you a new one." With that, they left the office. And blue met brown briefly, anger shining in one pair of eyes while the other shined with fear.

some days you're
the best thing in
my life

it's soul-crushing, really.

sometimes when i
look at you, i see
my wife

that the one he loves is the one he can't have.

then you turn into
somebody i don't
know

chris hates piper

and you push me
away

(no, he doesn't)

Chapter Text

Chris looked at the clock that hung above the door. He just wanted the class to be over so he could be at the field. They were announcing him as captain of the lacrosse team that afternoon.

"Sturniolo." The teacher voiced, his blue eyes dragged back with boredom to the woman calling his name.

"Which one?" Asked a voice a few rows away from him. Nick's head tilted to the side.

"Christopher." Mrs. Webb clarified. "You're with Cruz." Chris' slouched back straightened. Matt shot him a concerned look and Nick turned his whole body with a wide gaze and an opened mouth. 

"Mrs. Webb, I don't think-"

"Matt, if Chris has a problem with whom I assigned him to be with. Then he can stay behind after class and say it to me."

"Yeah... right. Sorry." His brother mumbled with embarrassment. Piper Cruz, who was exactly two lab tables up from him was sitting up straight. Shoulders squared with tension. Her position remained locked even as the bell rang and everyone except them and Chris' brothers left the room.

"We'll wait for you outside." Nick said from the door. Matt shot him a warning look and Chris just gave them a clipped nod. Then, Cruz stood up and walked to Mrs. Webb's desk.

"Can I trade partners with Lila? She got Nick." Her quiet voice asked and Chris' blood boiled, he forcefully pushed his chair back causing a loud screeching noise, and walked to stand besides the girl without sparing a single look her way.

"Piper, I know-"

"I don't want to be with her either. I refuse to spend, what, nine months, with Cruz." He said. "I'd rather work alone."

"Guys." The woman sighed. "I've been here for twenty years. Not once have I had two people who act towards each other the way you do."

"Because-"

"I wasn't done talking, Piper." She warned the girl. "You're going to college next year. There's no way I'm letting you go off to the real world thinking you can behave the way you've been doing and ignore the consequences." Chris wanted to point out exactly how his school record proved he and Cruz weren't able to ignore it. Weeks and weeks of detention and suspensions spoke for themselves. But he chose to stay quiet instead. "So we're hashing this out. Now."

"But— you can't make us!" Cruz finally raised her voice, just a little, but Chris' eyebrows still shot up and an amused grin formed on his lips. Composed little Miss Perfect was breaking.

"What are you laughing at?" She squinted her eyes at him and Chris' heart skipped a beat because summer break had been very, very good to the blonde girl. He couldn't help the way his eyes lingered on her face, studying her freckles and plump pink lips. Long lashes batted his way waiting for a response.

"You're all worked up." She backed a few steps.

"I'm not!" Her ears burned red, the color started creeping from her cheeks all the way to- Nope. He was not going there. His eyes snapped back up to her face. Cruz didn't seemed to know he had been checking her out (though it pained him to admit that was what he just did).

"Last time we got paired up we lost a championship." He said to the teacher. "I was supposed to be on the field that day, but guess what, Mrs. Webb? I was suspended." He clenched his jaw, remembering the look on Coach Sanders face when he had told him Principal Ramirez refused to let him play. The Principal would never allow this. Surely he'd know it was a recipe for disaster.

"I know, Chris. I was in the council meeting where they discussed how you stuck gum in her hair, and how you" she pointed her finger at Piper. "filled his backpack with dog shit."

"Are you allowed to say shit?" Chris wondered out loud.

"No. But no one's going to stop me. Just like no one's stopping me from pairing you up." She smiled. "This school has let you two get away with too much, for too long." Cruz' frowned deepened. "This is a decision Mr. Ramirez and I have agreed on." Just liked that, Chris' smirk got wiped off his face. He was counting on the Principal to turn the idea down.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that, instead of keeping you as far as possible from each other, we're putting you together for everything."

"Every... thing?"

"Yes, Ms. Cruz. You share four out of seven classes. You will be together for every project you have in those." Then she stood up and clapped her hands together. "Now that that's cleared up. Run along, I'm sure you have better things to do than chat with this old woman." They left the lab without even a glance in each other's direction.

"Fuck." Chris said when he reached the parking lot. His brothers were leaning on their car. "Fuck."

"What happened?"

"They're pairing me up with Cruz for the rest of the school year. In every class we share." He groaned.

"The rest of the year? Chris, this is the second week of school!" Nick yelled.

"At least you got partnered with a pretty girl. I'm stuck with Joel." Matt said. "And he breathes through his mouth."

"A pretty girl?" Chris jaw went slack.

"Have you seen Piper Cruz?"

"Yes." Matt answered with a bored look.

"Have you?" Chris opened his mouth to answer but nothing came out.

"You think she's pretty?" Was all he could manage to get out.

"We've already stablished that, Chris. She's hot, whatever, can you just grab your stuff already? Coach wants us to be there at 4."

"Now she's hot?" He asked, outrage and confusion etched on his voice.

"Okay, no. Shes ugly and— whatever the opposite of hot is." Matt opened the trunk of pulled put two Nike duffel bags.

"Can we go now?"

"I— I can't believe you said that shit about her. She's not hot and I hate her. You can't say she's pretty."

"Oh my God! Just shut the fuck up and walk! Stop thinking about Piper." His brother handed him his bag along with his lacrosse stick.

"You don't have to yell." He mumbled.

"I'll catch a ride with Sarah, don't worry about me." Nick chimed in, half of his body was already inside the girl's car. "Bye!"

"Seriously, man, get a grip and stop being so childish. One of these days, Mr. Ramirez is going to get tired of your shit and kick you out of the team." Matt started walking back towards the field. "I honestly don't know why you hate Piper so much."

"She was the reason we lost last year."

"No. You could have ignored her that day and wouldn't have gotten suspended."

"You weren't there when I opened my fucking backpack and found literal dog shit in it. The smell was-"

"Chris, you decided to stick a whole pack of gum in her hair." Matt was reprimanding him but he had a smile. It was a funny sight, Chris and Piper sitting outside the Principal's office with a foul smelling bag and clumps of hair. "Although, thanks to that, she went blonde, that must be hard on you."

"What? Why?" He asked as they finally reached the dressing rooms and entered.

"You have a thing for blondes." Chris blinked a few times, rooted in his place. His brain was already scheming a way to turn her shiny blonde hair to black. Or red.

"You're not dyeing her hair." His brother said.

"Don't even think going there."

"Who's hair are we dyeing?" Nate, their best friend, walked in with a smile. He set his things down and started undressing.

"Cruz's."

"Oh." The smile disappeared.

"Are we sure? She looks pretty hot."

"Who's hot?" A new guy appeared. Jackson Lynch.

"Piper." Nate answered.

"Ah... Yeah, what's that about? She didn't looked like that last year. She had the braces and the horrible glasses. When did she grow b-"

"Alright, alright. Stop with the locker room talk. Be out of here and in the field in five minutes." Coach ordered, startling Chris and his group. Before he left, he turned and smiled.

"Oh, and congratulate Christopher. He's your new captain." With that, every notion of Piper Cruz got shoved in the back of Chris' brain.

Chapter Text

It was already the first week of September. Being stuck with Chris hadn't been that bad so far (they didn't even took a breath in each other's direction) and Jackson Lynch was talking to her.

Life was good.

"So... what do you say? Are you free this Friday?" He was leaning on a random locker, maybe he thought he was being charming.

He was not.

"Why do you ask?" She closed her locker, Spanish notebook in hand.

"Well, I don't know if you know this. But you're a pretty girl. And I like taking out pretty girls and kiss them goodnight."

"You're funny." She started walking, the blonde boy trailed her. "Friday's good."

"Yeah?" A smile lit up his whole face.

"Cruz." Someone called from behind them.

"I'll give you my number so you can pick me up." Piper grinned and opened her notebook to write something down.

"Jackson what are you doing? She's the enemy." Chris voice seemed close.

Actually, he was standing to close for Piper's taste. She could almost feel the heat from his body.

"Nah, she's your enemy. She's my date." He shrugged.

"Didn't know you liked dumb shallow blondes." He said to his friend, completely ignoring the girl between them.

Jackson smiled and checked Piper out. She was wearing a pleated khaki skirt and a white baby tee. How she hadn't been dress coded yet was beyond her.

"I think you're projecting, dude."

Piper giggled at that.

"I'll see you around, Piper." With that, he turned and walked to his class.

"You look stupid." Chris said when they entered the room

"Okay? I didn't dress for you." She took a seat by his side. "Or anyone, for that matter."

"Whatever. Nice legs, though."

"Huh?"

"Shut up, class is starting." He made a point not to look at her.

Piper stared at him.

"Buenos días, clase. Today we're going to work on Friday's presentation." A collective groan took over the room. "Silencio. Silencio . It wasn't a question. You'll be doing it with whoever's sitting next to you." Mrs. López turned to write something in the blackboard.

Mi pareja es... / My partner is...

"You'll have to describe your partner, physically and personality wise. I want you to make a description in English and hand it in, I'll revise it and then you can start working on the Spanish translation. Am I clear? ¿Entendieron? "

Affirmative sounds were heard around the room and the teacher nodded with satisfaction.

"Remember to roll your r's!"

Piper sighed. She absolutely hated this class, she already knew the damn language! Still, she turned to face her partner and immediately got mad at the sight.

He was asleep. Half of his face was hidden by his arms (which he was using as pillows). He almost looked cute like this. Not moving and in silence, that is. Without really thinking, she grabbed her water bottle and dumped a little bit on his head. Instantly, his eyes opened and his head shot up.

"What the fuck?" He blinked slowly a few times before settling his cold eyes on the girl. "The fuck was that for?"

"We have work to do." She answered. "Make a physical description of me, it's due by the end of this class."

"How do you say ugly and stupid in Spanish?"

Piper rolled her eyes and stayed quiet. Principal Ramirez threat about another suspension hung above their heads.

"My hair isn't brown, Chris." She looked over his paper.

"Mind your business."

"I can't mind my business when you're doing it all wrong." She moved her chair closer. "Dirt specks on face?" She snatched his paper. "Are you talking about my freckles?"

"Remember that one time I cared about what you said? Me neither, leave me alone." He grabbed it right back.

"Did you came up with that one by yourself?"

"I'm just funny like that." He faked a smile.

"Where's all this hostility coming from?" She got closer and Chris frowned when Piper grinned. "What happened to 'nice legs'?"

"I like you legs, not your face, go away." He pushed her chair with his hands, brushing her thigh slightly. "I'm hostile because your face annoys me."

"Eres un imbécil, espero que-"

"Ms. Cruz! ¿Hay algún problema? " The teacher approach their desks with a tight smile.

"No." Chris answered without taking his eyes off of Piper. "We're good."

"Todo está bien . We were just... trying to agree on a time to meet up today." The blonde was quick to say. "Right?" Chris didn't knew until it was too late and had an elbow to his ribs, that Piper had returned to his side.

"Yeah, uh, we're meeting at my house. After practice."

"Oh I love how much effort you're putting in this project! I'll see you guys this afternoon then!" She resume her walking.

"This afternoon?" Piper asked

"I live a few houses down the Sturniolo's. I always see them on their way home." She smiled but it didn't reached her eyes and the girl knew the woman was aware of their lie. Mrs. López resumed her walk.

"Fuck. Now what?" Chris whispered/yelled

"What do you mean, 'now what'? I'm going to your house, obviously. We can't backtrack now." She sighed.

"We? " He asked incredulously, still half whispering. "You lied to her!"

"And you went along with it!"

"You are so annoying. And I'm not taking you to my house." He started writing again on his paper.

"She will know we lied to her." Chris ignored her. "Okay, listen, we're already on thin ice with the Principal and every teacher has their eyes on us. We can't—I can't fuck up anymore."

He didn't say anything.

"Chris?"

Nothing.

He ignored her the rest of the day. Up until The last class they shared: Chemistry with Mrs. Webb. When the bell rang, he turned to face her.

"Are you walking to my house?"

"Huh?" She looked up from where she was shoving everything inside her pink backpack.

Chris was staring at her, irritated.

"How are you getting to my house? It's an hour long walk from here."

"Just DM me your address. I can walk." She stood up and regretted it immediately when her chest almost bumped with Chris'.

"Can't someone drop you off?" He asked, a weird tone on his voice

Piper shook her head.

"I'll walk."

"What if you wait for me until I'm done with practice?" He allowed himself to look at her.

He found big brown eyes and dark curled lashes staring back. Her nose and cheeks full of freckles and her lips were glossy.

"I'd rather take my chances walking."

"I'm not driving. Matt is." He took a step back, his brain was getting foggy from being too close to the girl

"I'm only going to agree because these aren't walking shoes."

Against his better judgment. His eyes trailed her legs, slowly and agonizing. On her feet were chunky loafers, paired with white ruffle socks.

"Are you done?" Pipers arms were crossed in front of her, her face wore an unamused look.

He finally remembered where they were. He scanned the room only to find his brothers waiting for him and three other students, gaping at them.

"Are you guys actually having a civil conversation?" Nicks arm draped around him.

"Shut up."

"Come and find me in the library when you're done." She brushed past him, intentionally grazing her arm against his.

"Stop bossing me around." He grunted

"You're the one who begged me to come home with you." She said innocently

There was a gasp somewhere.

"No, I didn't! It wasn't— you're making it sound weird!" He walked towards her and pulled her backpack towards him. "Also, you're the one who agreed to come back to my house." Chris said through his teeth in a low voice, people around them were still watching

"People will get the wrong idea." She tried to shuffle out of his grasp. "Let go."

"Chris, that's enough man." Matt pulled him off.

"Now you don't want people getting any ideas?" Chris laughed. "Please, ten minutes ago you were all over me trying to 'help' me out."

"Because you're too dumb and my grade depends on you!" Her face started to turn red, a hand was on his chest, dragging the boy somewhere. "You think I want you? Because I don't, and I never will!"

"Guess what, Cruz! I wouldn't even touch you with a stick! Feeling's mutual!"

She glared at him.

"I'm still coming over to work on the Spanish thing."

"Fine."

"Fine!" She turned around and Chris laughed at the way she stomped out.

"How does the day always end up like this?" Matt complained out loud, Nick was nowhere to be seen but he would have a field day when he heard of this

"She just—she always gets under my skin, man!"

"Yeah, only because you let her."

"Matt, you don't get it because she literally doesn't spare a glance your way but she's evil." He was so busy protesting, he hadn't realized they were walking to the dressing rooms and Matt had his duffel bag already.

"She doesn't spare a glance my way because you've made the last three years of her life hell. She hates me by association." They opened the door, still deep in conversation.

"You don't want to associate with her. She's evil." Matt set their things down. "Trust me, you're better off without."

Chapter Text

"Why are you going to the library?" Nate asked while putting deodorant on, then he tossed it to Chris. "We've been here for years, I don't think I've ever seen you step foot in it." 

"I'm going to get Cruz. She's coming over." 

"Piper... Cruz?" Nate's eyes widened.

"I hear my woman's name!" Jackson yelled from one of the showers. 

"I'm out of here, I'll meet you in the car." He told Matt and proceded to grab his bags and got out of the locker room before Jackson started asking too many questions he didn't has the answer for. 

When he got inside, the woman on the front shot him a weird look. Probably thought he was new. 

Chris looked around until his eyes caught a brunette. 

"Yo." 

The girl looked at him. 

"Matt's waiting, hurry up." 

"Ask nicely." She crossed her legs and Chris got distracted by the action.

"Uh... please?" He was feeling funny.

He blamed what he did next on the weird pressure on his chest, his brain was not functioning properly (since when were legs such a mesmerizing concept to him? How old was he? 13?). Her backpack was slung back on his shoulder before he knew and Piper was visibly confused.

"Uhm, thanks." 

They walked in silence and when they reached the triplet's car, Chris shot his brother a warning look when the other boy's eyebrow shot up at the pink backpack. Chris threw his duffel bag and both backpacks on the trunk. 

"Where's Nick?" She asked

"It's none of your business." Chris replied at the same as Matt said: "Home."

"Okay, fuck you, Chris. Thank you, Matt."

[...]

It all went to shit went Piper got frustrated and kneeled in front of him. 

"Look at my mouth." She grabbed his shoulders to ground him in his place on the floor. "See the way my tongue hits the roof of my mouth? Rr. Did you see that? Rosa, rojo." 

"I didn't catch that." 

Okay, so maybe he did actually know how to roll his r's and was just messing with Piper. It did not have anything to do with the fact that the brunette was way too fucking close and he wasn't hating it.

"Rosa, rojo, carro, ropa." 

Or the fact that she was kind of cute when she was mad at him.

"You're not even paying attention." She sat back on her heels. 

"Since when do you wear skirts and makeup?" He blurted out, uncomfortable being alone with her. Clearly, it was not okay to ask that, Piper glared at him.

"I like looking good. Why do you care?" She asked.

"What, you got a boyfriend? Who would date you?" He laughed.

"I don't dress for anyone other than myself." She rolled her eyes. "Seriously, why do you care? This is the second time you've said something about my outfit. You into me now?" She teased him with a devilish smile. 

Since when did they teased each other? 

"What makes you think I could ever be into you?" He tried to put on a disgusted face, but he wasn't really sure he managed. "You're not my type. I don't think you are anyone's type." Shut up. Shut up. Shut up.

Chris somehow managed to struck a nerve, because suddenly Piper was cold again, mischievous glint gone. 

"Write your list as a paragraph. Complete, full sentences, you're not in fourth grade anymore to be writing in bullets." She grabbed her notebook again and started writing.

"Piper..." 

"Don't." She pretended to still be writing. "You and I? We. Don't. Do. This." She motioned the space between them. "We don't talk, we don't get along. So please, do your part of the project." 

He nodded and got to work. 

Five minutes later he sighed. Even though he could understand it, writing in Spanish was a whole different thing. It pained him to put his notebook down and tap lightly on Piper's shoulder.

"What." She snapped her head towards him. 

"I-" He swallowed his pride. "I need your help." 

Piper shifted closer to him, her back against Chris' bed, shoulder to shoulder with him.

"Tener is the infinitive form. When you're talking about someone it's supposed to be tiene. You're not conjugating." 

Chris faced her to say something. But instead bumped noses. Her eyes widened and the question died in his throat, his eyes quickly glanced her lips, still shiny and pink from her gloss. 

Piper seemed frozen in her place when he leaned in and their lips grazed each other.

"Thought you could never be into me, Chris." She said in a tone that indicated him she was trying to sound brave, her voice was barely above a whisper. 

"We don't do this." He repeated her words. 

"This is nothing." She replied firmer, but didn't move. 

"I don't like you." He snaked a hand on the back of her neck.

"I despise you." 

"I hate you." Chris finally pulled her in. A little rough, a little too charged. 

Their lips crashed, pent up emotions finally getting the better of them. 

"This" kiss, "means" pause "nothing" another kiss.

"What the fuck?" 

The blonde girl shoved him back. A panicked look crossed her face as she turned to face whoever interrupted them. 

Chris couldn't manage to get his eyes off of her. His chest rising up and down, wild eyes trying to find an explanation for what just happened. 

"What the fuck?" Matt, Chris finally registered, asked again. 

"We were working on our project." She said. 

"Working?" His brother was shocked, to say the least. Meanwhile, Chris could not even muster up one word. 

"Doing field work, whatever." She flicked her wrist. "Findings were found." 

What was she even saying.

"Findings were— actually, I'm leaving. I don't want to know. I wish I could unsee that." He closed the door again. 

"Well, that sucked. You should practice." She stood up and walked to where her bag was. 

"What?" 

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone you're a bad kisser." She smiled innocently but Chris was so focused on the fact that 1) he just fucking kissed his sworn enemy, and 2) her lips were still swollen.

"Why'd you kissed me back, then."

"I pitied you." She answered with a pout as she slung her backpack on her shoulder. 

Aaand he was back to hating her.

Chapter Text

"I need to ask." Matt gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white

"Don't." Chris groaned and turned to the window

"Ask what?" Nick's voice cut through the air

"I caught them kissing." Matt blurted out.

"Who? Chris and Bella? I mean it's disgusting, don't get me wrong, but theres nothing new about that." 

Bella Atwood was Chris' on and off girlfriend. Or something like that. She was a strawberry blonde girl with blue eyes, which, now that he thought about it, there seemed to be a pattern between blondes and his latests... conquests. 

"What? No." Matt snorted, like the idea was ridiculous, which, it was not. Bella had been blowing up his phone since yesterday. "Chris and Piper."

Matt turned on a street and their high school came in view. 

"What does he mean?" 

Chris stayed silent. 

"What does he mean?" 

"Nothing. It was nothing." He finally answered. "We kissed, whatever. It's not a big deal." 

"Not a big deal?!" Nick was yelling. "Was she not like, your archenemy?!" 

"So, are you guys like a thing now?" Matt asked as he parked. 

"Nothing's changed, okay?" He grabbed his backpack. "I don't see her that way, or any way. So please, stop talking about this." 

"You're being weird." Nick squinted his eyes at him. 

"I'm not. Kissing her was a mistake, one I will never make again. And one you will never speak of. To anyone." He got out and walked inside without waiting for his brothers. 

What was he thinking? 

"Hey, man. What's up?" Jackson greeted him with a big smile. "Listen, do you, uh, know somewhere I could take Piper? Where do you take Bella when you want some... privacy? I was thinking about the fair, but that's my last resort." 

Chris blinked in response. 

"You think I can convince her to wear one of those little skirts she's taken up to wear?" 

"I don't want to talk about Cruz." He said through gritted teeth. 

"Oh my God. Look at Piper, Chris. She's perfect." Jackson put an arm around him. 

Against his better judgment, his eyes found her. She was wearing dark low waisted cargo pants and a strapless top and her hair was in a tight, slicked back ponytail. Beside him, Jackson sighed. 

"Why are you so suddenly into her?" Chris asked, genuinely confused

"She's hot now." Jackson shrugged

"Lynch, that's... very controversial." 

"Well, that's rich coming from you." His friend scoffed. "You've been basically bullying the girl since we were freshmen." 

"Well, yeah. But it has nothing to do with how she looks." Was that any better? "And she's not exactly an angel, you know? It's not like she's just been standing there and taking it." 

"I mean, I've always thought it was kind of hot when she got back at you, and now she got the looks to compliment the attitude. That's like... double hot." They started walking towards their lockers. 

"I don't know what you see in her." He shook his head. 

"Did you know she's never kissed anyone before?" Jackson said and Chris froze. "I heard her talking with Gabby about it, like, two days ago." 

"What?" He chuckled, which Jackson interpreted as if he was making fun of Piper. 

"Yeah, I walked over their table on lunch and overheard them." Then he smiled, not so innocently. "We have a bet going on who gets to kiss her first." 

"That's pathetic, Lynch." Chris averted his eyes. 

"Whoever wins gets three thousand dollars." Jackson added proudly. 

"Is that why you asked her out?" They finally got to their lockers. "That's pretty fucked up." 

"Yeah, well."

"I know I'm the last person who should be saying this, considering I put roaches in her locker last year, but... you shouldn't do this." 

"Why? It's not like she's ever going to find out." 

Chris closed his eyes for a few seconds and sighed. He was unnecessary annoyed by this whole thing. Why did he cared about Piper's feelings? 

"Just call it off." 

"Nah, I'm going out with her tonight and I'm winning that bet." His friend grinned, then he paused and frowned. "Why are you so weird about this? I thought you hated her." 

"I do. But even I am not cruel enough to play with her like that. Or any girl." 

"What about Bella? You know she's in love with you and you still haven't asked her to be your girlfriend." Jackson pointed out

"I don't do girlfriends. Commitment is boring and pointless. Bella knows what I can give her, and she's okay with it." He slammed his locker shut. 

"Hi, Piper." Jackson said to someone behind Chris. 

"Hey." Her voice filtered through his ears, making his body tense up. 

"Are you ready for tonight? I was hoping-"

"Cruz." Chris acknowledged her with a nod. "Looking annoying, as usual."

"Chris. Looking dumber than yesterday." She said flatly. "I'll see you later" She said directly to Jackson and kept walking.

"Call the bet off, Lynch. I'm not fucking playing." Chris said once Piper was out of earshot 

"Or what?" He smiled. "Stop trying to play the white knight in shining armor, don't be a hypocrite. By tonight I'll be 300 dollars richer and there's nothing you can do about it." 

Jackson still thought Chris wasn't being serious. It was all a game to him. 

The brunette simply rolled his eyes and left a confused Jackson back. 

"What?" He had the nerve to ask

Later, he found his brothers in the cafeteria and told them about his conversation with Jackson. Matt furrowed his brows together and Nick's face scrunched up in utter disgust.

"I mean, that's a shitty thing to do. But why are yo so... concerned about it?" One of his brothers asked

"I'm not concerned." 

"Guys, we should tell Piper." Nick said. 

"And you think she will believe any of us?" Matt sneered. "She'll probably think it's one of Chris' pranks." 

"And I don't care enough about her to tell her." Chris said nonchalantly 

"But you care enough to try and stop Lynch?" Matt asked with a raised eyebrow. "Honestly, if you had a crush on her, you could've gone about it in a very different way. One that didn't involve almost four years of non-stop bickering and suspensions." 

"I don't have a crush on her. And i don't care about her at all." He crossed his arms. "I just have human decency and I know that's a very low blow." 

"What if we tell Lila?" Nick asked. "I mean, I know Piper's not our friend but... we should do something." 

"Like what?" Matt rolled his eyes. "Crash their date and pass it off as one of Chris' annoying pranks?" 

The three of them stared at each other in silence. 

"It might work." Nick whispered

"Ruining their date comes too close to caring about Piper. Which I don't." Chris said, but internally, the idead didn't seemed so crazy. 

"I guess we got ourselves some Friday-night plan." Matt noted

"This doesn't mean I feel anything towards Piper that isn't utter disgust, okay?" Chris whispered. "I'm just not that big of a piece of shit." 

"Of course." His brothers agreed at the same time with a knowing smile.

Chapter Text

Friday morning started off normal for Piper. It was when she got to school that every single thing she did felt... off.

Gabby was waiting for her in the entrance and Piper could already tell her best friend had been up late watching a TV show or reading fanfiction. She was about to yell her name when someone blocked her path, stopping her to a halt. 

"Hey." 

Piper frowned. Who was this boy? Why has he speaking to her? What made him even think she wanted to talk?

"My name's Paul." 

"Nice to meet you? I'm actually kind of late for my class, so... bye." She tried to walk around the black haired boy, but he stepped in front of her once again with a smile.

"I've... I've noticed you for a while, Piper." He knew her name. What. "And I was wondering if you would like to grab a coffee or something after school. With me?" 

"Oh, um... I don't— no?" She pushed past him, but another boy stopped her. "I'm sorry, I'm late for class." 

"Take this." He handed her a Hershey's Kisses and a little post-it. 

It read 'Dinner at 8?' And two little checkbox with a 'yes' and a 'no' scribbled along. 

Piper resumed her walk and finally reached her brunette friend. 

"Dude, two guys just asked me out and I just got here. What the fuck? Is this a prank?" They walked inside and stop a little further after the entrance in Gabby's locker. 

"I saw. They're on the lacrosse team." The girl paused. "Do you think Chris has anything to do with this?" 

Piper thought about it for a second before shaking her head. 

"No. It's not on-brand with him." 

"Aw. Look at you defending him." Gabby teased her. 

"Ugh. Not even." Piper looked around the hall until her eyes found a blond boy and a brunette. "I'll see you at lunch, save me a seat, okay? Love ya'" Piper quickly kissed her friend's cheek and walked towards Jackson who was waving at her. 

"Hi, Piper." Jackson said with a dimpled smile.

"Hey" She answered. 

"Are you ready for tonight? I was hoping-"

"Cruz." Chris interrupted. "Looking annoying, as usual."

"Chris. Looking dumber than yesterday." Piper raised an eyebrow at him before ignoring the boy and focusing on the blonde one. "I'll see you later" She said directly to Jackson and kept walking.

No other boys really physically approached her after that, but she could feel their stares when she walked or stood anywhere. It was starting to get uncomfortable and creepy. Specially since some of them had knowing smiles (what for?). By the end of the day, there was another note in her locker (an ice cream date) and two DM request's on Instagram. 

[...]

Every year, when school started, there was a fair which most of the town attended. If Piper was lucky and her mom was too busy to notice where she was off to, she would go. This year, it seemed everything was going her way. 

Dear old Elizabeth Cruz, also known as mom, was MIA. Which actually was very comforting.

That was how she found herself in Jackson Lynch's truck on a Friday evening. Parked in front of the loud and colorful fair.

"I'm so excited about this." She said as she unbuckled her seatbelt. 

"Is this your first time?" He asked with a weird smile 

"Uh, no. Well, I came once with my mom when I was six years old, but I don't think it counts." 

"Cool." 

Something about his response told her he wasn't actually listening and Piper almost immediately regretted accepting his invitation; or maybe, she was just imagining things. Either way, Piper was already there, she would make the most out of it. An hour later, the blonde was painfully bored, the boy had tried to kiss her twice and didn't offered to pay for the $1 water bottle she had purchased earlier, which, okay, he didn't have to, but he was the one who invited her out. So far, she had spent forty bucks on rides and games. It was money she needed.  

"Do you want to go on the ferris wheel?" Jackson asked 

Before she could answer, the boy grabbed her hand and practically dragged her to the waiting line. 

"I'm really glad you said y-"

"What's up, Lynch?" Someone said, and it took a moment for Piper to realize the words hadn't come out of Jackson's mouth. It sounded like Christopher Sturniolo. "Hey, Piper." Okay, not Chris. 

"Hi, Matt." She said politely. 

Her mood soured a little when two other figures came up to them. Almost the same face, different outfits on the three boys.

"Are we interrupting?" Chris asked innocently while Nick waved at them. 

"Can we go on another ride?" Piper asked her date

"But I want to go on this one." He pointed at the machine behind them. "You choose after." 

The blonde girl shut her eyes and exhaled slowly. This was going terribly wrong. 

"I'm—I'll be back." No, she wouldn't. "See you guys." She said to Matt and Nick, then she walked away quickly. 

"Cruz." Please, God, stop with the torture.

She ignored the brunette boy and headed straight for the exit. 

"Cruz."

"What do you want? Why are you following me?”

"Cruz, just fucking stop!"

"What?!" She turned around. "What do you want?!" 

He rolled her eyes and closed the few steps between them. Suddenly he was way too close, a common occurrence those days, it seemed. 

"Jackson overheard you and your friend talking about your first kiss." He eyed her. "And then made a bet with the guys that he would be the one to kiss you first." 

Piper's angered expression melted down, her frown relaxed and her lips formed a slight pout. 

"Are you fucking joking?" She pointed an accusatory finger at his chest. 

"No." He answered, very annoyed by the finger poking his chest. So he grabbed her wrist to pull it down put didn't let go. "I like to mess with you, Cruz. But that’s fucked up." 

"I don't believe you." Piper said.

"Why would I lie?"

There was a very awkward silence between them, where Chris realized he was still holding her hand. Weirdly enough, he didn't let go. Piper turn her face to the side, but the boy caught a glimpse of watery eyes. 

"Why are you telling me? Thought you'd be the first to support and laugh about this?" 

"Dunno." He shrugged, hoping to shake off the uncomfortable feeling in his chest. "Besides," he smirked "not that anyone will ever know, but your first kiss is mine." 

She snapped her head back towards him so fast he thought she'd get whiplash. 

"Are you in?"

"In?" 

"On the bet." She clarified, anger already flaring up. She tugged her hand back to her, almost like just then she realized he's been holding it. 

"No." He scoffed. "I enjoy making you mad not sad, Cruz." 

She looked around before grabbing his arm and dragging him towards a very sketchy and dark area. 

"Who knows about this?" She pushed him against a very hard and cold metal, which Chris assumed was a poor attempt of a light post, since the actual lightning was so dim, he could barely see Piper in front of him. 

"Half of the lacrosse team. And Nick." He tried to get away from her, but only made her press against him to keep him in place. "What the fuck, Piper?" 

"I have a deal for you." 

"No" He said automatically.

"Shut up and listen. You don't even know what I'm going to say" She smoothed her palms on his chest. 

"It's going to be bad and stupid. Like everything that comes out of that dumb little mouth of yours" He paused, conscious of her touch. "Get off."

"How are people going to believe we're dating if you don't let me touch you?" She asked innocently, batting her long dark eyelashes at him. 

"What? Huh? No." 

"Hear me out. It's a win-win. I get the lacrosse team off my back and you win the money off that stupid bet." 

"No."

Chapter Text

"It would get the principal off our backs." 

He was already walking away from her when she yelled that, causing him to stop in his tracks and walk back to her. His body then shielded her from anyone coming in from the parking lot. 

"Why would I even do this?" 

"For one, the money I'm guessing your dumb little jock friends betted. Second, Principal Ramirez will leave us alone if he thinks we're dating, no more fighting and ruining school equipment." She listed off with her fingers. 

"What do you get out of this?" He frowned, confused and very much (not) opposed to her idea. 

"I told you, I want Principal-"

"That's not the only reason. There has to be something more." He took a step closer. 

Piper crossed her arms in front of her chest, like she always did when she was getting defensive. 

"My reasons aren't your business." 

"If you want me to agree, then fuck yeah, they are." He ran a hand through his hair. 

She glared at him for a few seconds, no doubt cursing him out in her mind. 

"Fine. The lacrosse team has been weird as fuck the past two days, I'm guessing they've been trying to get me to go out with them or something." She rolled her eyes, but her cheeks were pink with embarrassment. "I thought that— fuck. I think that if you and I were dating or something, they will respect bro code or whatever you guys call it, and leave me alone." 

Actually, as cliché and mortifying her idea was. There was some logic behind it. 

"And you're their captain, so... They wouldn't want to, you know, chapulinearte." 

"The fuck is that?" 

"It's when a friend dates someone you dated." She explained easily.  "It's basically homie-hopping."

"Oh" Chris didn't know what to say. 

"So?" 

"I mean... Do I have to—like, kiss you and be loyal and shit?" 

"I don't care. I just want the boys at school to back off. More like the boys at the lacrosse team, but you know what I mean. Now answer: will you do it or not?" 

"You haven't even kissed anyone other than me, are you sure you want to do this? People won't buy it unless they see us together, as in, being all touchy-feely." He tried to reason with her. 

"It's a yes or no question. Whatever we have to do to make them believe it I'll do it. We just need to go out for a few weeks to make everyone back off." 

"Do you honestly think people will buy it?" 

She shrugged.

"Are you seeing anyone right now?" 

"Um, no. Well, sort of? I wouldn't... no, I'm not." He tried to answer thinking about Bella.

She raised an unimpressed eyebrow at him.

"I'm not." He finally settled. 

"Okay, then Monday morning we start." 

"What makes you think this will work out? We've been fighting for years, Cruz." 

"You know what they say about those who fight." She dismissed the idea with her hand, but at Chris' confused looked she elaborated "Don't worry about it, it doesn't even translate well in English. Anyways, I'm an incredible actress and you could just stand there and look pretty while I do the work!"

If Chris had to give anything to Piper, it would be that. She was an amazing performer, the blonde girl had been in every single play their high school drama department has put on and nailed it every single time. 

"Look. I don't care what you do with other girls while we do this, that would mean I actually give a fuck about you and I honestly don't. But you're the most convenient person to do this with." 

"I haven't agreed." He smiled triumphantly

"You haven't said no either." She stared at her nails. "So I'm guessing you're just messing with me and will say yes." Piper looked back at him. "Chris, we both need our teacher's recommendations to get into college, no one will write us a letter if they think we haven't gotten past our... thing." 

Chris thought about his mom and how disappointed she looked the last time she'd been called up into the Principal's office and his stomach twisted. Academically, he was above average, athletic-wise, lacrosse wasn't something top-tier schools were giving out scholarships for. He needed a letter of recommendation. 

Nick and Matt had good grades and would probably get easily into any college, Chris on the other hand, had a history of bad behavior and needed someone to vouch for him.

"Okay." 

Piper looked taken aback, like she didn't actually believed he'd say yes. 

"Okay" she looked past him, towards the fair's entrance, "then I probably shouldn't have gone out with your teammate." 

"We'll just make everyone believe you were getting back at me because we're toxic" he said. "So... what's our story? Everyone will want to know how we happened."

"Hm... we could say we realized our feelings for each other when we were working on our project. And we've been getting back at each other since freshman year, so no one will think it was weird I went out with Jackson to spite you." 

"What about my brothers?" 

"Do you honestly want to tell them we're fake dating?" She questioned a little ashamed. 

He thought about it for a moment. 

"Fuck no." At that, Piper seemed relieved. "We should probably follow each other on Insta and get our numbers." 

"Oh, good idea. Who would know you actually have a functioning brain?" She handed him his phone, while he did the same with hers. 

Chris typed out 'pretty boy' and smiled when Piper scrunched up her nose when she read it. She had saved herself as 'p'. 

"Just for the record, this doesn't change anything between us. I still hate your guts" Piper said as she walked away. 

"I'm glad, you're not really my type" he answered in that same childish tone. 

Of course, she was oh so wrong. 

Everything would change.

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Picture of Piper in a fair. She’s smiling in front of the ferris wheel.

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↳pipermcruz: bitch no (yes) 

christophersturniolo: ur hot

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✩◦♡♥︎ imessage

"3 stooges"

matt

nick

chris

nick: okay wtf chris

explain

chris: what

matt: whats up

nick: "ur hot"???

u commented on piper's las ig post

hello?????

chris: ooh

that

yeah

what abt it

nick: YOU LITERALLY SAID THIS MORNING YOU HATED HER

matt: wait chris u commented on piper's post? 

since when do u even follow her

chris: i said that?

i couldve sworn i said we're dating??

matt: you're what

nick: YOURE WHAT

chris: dating? 

matt literally told u he caught us in my room? 

im confused why is this a surprise 

nick: u are so gaslighting us

chris: don't even know wtf that is

nick: why are u acting like this isn't the biggest news since

oh idk

EVER

chris: wow now that's just depressing 

if me having a gf is the most excitement youve gotten in a while

i feel bad for you

nick: WHY ARE U GASLIGHTING ME 

STOP IT

STOP ITTTTTT

chris: lmao ur crazyyy

nick: CHRIS!!!!!

matt say something 

matt: im in shock 

dont talk to me

Chapter Text

Piper was running late. 

Quite literally. 

As she sprinted across the long hallway and tried to keep her skirt from accidentally flashing the few students that weren't yet inside a classroom, she cursed her mother out in her head. To say she had a bad weekend was an understatement. Elizabeth had entered the Cruz' household one late Saturday evening and drank herself to sleep, of course, Piper was worried about the older woman for the rest of the day because she wouldn't wake up, so the girl ended up not sleeping at all. The next day, her mother opened her eyes and immediately got mad at the sight of her daughter looking after her. Her cheek stung a little from the stupid fight they had over her mom's boyfriend, whose name was Oliver and he was a junky.

"I'm so sorry, can I come in?" Piper said from the entrance, out of breath and probably looking like she ran a marathon. She definitely wasn't an athlete. "I missed the bus." She explained further, shifting the weight on her feet. 

Her algebra teacher shook her head in disapproval but still waved for her to come in. 

"Don't let it happen again, Mrs. Cruz. This is unlike you." 

She nodded and looked around the room, the seats weren't assigned but everyone sort of just had picked their spot at the beginning of the year and it stuck. Except of course, the one day she doesn't get in the classroom on time, the only available seat is next to Bella Atwood. Piper walked over, avoiding everyone's eyes on her. She wasn't oblivious to the fact that her classmates were looking at her because of what the tea page of Las Cañadas had posted Friday night. 

Some Instagram page ran by Las Cañadas High School had screenshotted Chris’ comments on her last post and captioned it “they were screaming at each other across the hallways just last week, what even happened? weren't they on some sort of school probation???”. Piper had simply ignored it.

"Hi." He whispered as she quickly sat down besides the strawberry blonde girl. 

Bella ignored her but had the audacity to copy every single thing she wrote down on her notebook.

When the bell rang, Piper ran to her next class when she noticed Bella was about to open her mouth to say something to her. Obviously she was the first one, but as the room started to fill, she dreaded one person walking in. She hadn't thought about her proposal to Chris very thoroughly. Piper wasn't even sure she could muster up enough energy to pretend to like him, after all those years of screaming back and forth, her feelings were conflicted. That could almost count as acting experience, right? As long as she saw their little ruse as that, it would be fine. Mushy feelings wouldn't be involved and Piper would come out of this unscathed and a better actress. 

Deep in thought, she didn't noticed Chris sitting next to her. It was when he leaned in and pressed a kiss to her cheek that her bubble popped,

"Hi" He said, voice barely above a whisper.

"Hi." 

"Everyone's staring." Chris whispered. She glanced at their teacher's desk, his eyes were wide, though the expression didn't last long because he turned around and began writing something on the whiteboard.

"Well, you don't look hideous today." She smiled sickeningly sweet

He returned the gesture and lowered his voice so only she could hear. Surely to any outsider it would look like they were flirting.

"Too bad I can't say the same thing for you." He looked her up and down.

"Dick."

He laughed it off. But Piper knew him well enough to know he was annoyed at her, probably because she was the one that came up with the whole dating idea. 

"Do you know what the domain for that function is?" Chris pointed at the exercise the teacher had written.

"Minus four comma three. In brackets, because it includes them" 

"Really? I got minus 4 and 2" He frowned and looked over at her paper. "Fuck, you're right. I hate you."

"How did you even get two? The graph is literally there, you can see it's minus four and three." Piper stared at him dumbfounded "Are you blind?" 

"Maybe my eyes are watering from your musty ass perfume and I can't see." 

"Oh my God! You are so childish!" 

"You are."

"No, you are!"

"No! You-"

"Is there a problem here?" Their Calculus teacher approached them with concern written in his eyes

"I was just explaining him how to graph a function" Piper quickly said. 

"Sorry, I was just confused and my amazing girlfriend here was nice enough to help me." Chris added with a touch of sarcasm that went undetected by the teacher

"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow. The older man almost seemed amused. "Girlfriend? I don't think anyone saw that coming." 

"I don't think we saw it coming either." He shrugged

"I know this is highly inappropriate, but I truly can't wrap my head around the fact that you two are in a relationship" He shook his head in disbelief. "Normally when students get together, us teachers don't care, but you two? This is going to have people talking for weeks." 

"Glad we could give you something to talk about in the teacher's lounge then, Mr. Healy." 

"Oh, you two have given us something to talk about since you first sat foot in this school. But again, both of you have been a recurring topic in the teacher's lounge for a while now. Mainly discussions about wether or not to finally expel you were being held, but this is good too. I'm happy for you guys." He smiled sincerely and walked back to his desk. 

"That was weird." 

"Yeah..." Chris realized he'd agreed with Piper and quickly cleared his throat. "Whatever, stop talking to me." 

"Me? Talking to you?" She pointed at herself.

"Like you're doing now." He continued working on his paper with a triumphant smile.

And the offended look on her face just made his smile smugger. 

[...]

Gabby and Lila we nowhere to be seen by lunchtime, the blonde figured they were probably smoking under the bleachers. So Piper headed into the lousy cafeteria alone. As she entered, she could hear the whispering that had been following her ever since that morning. Didn't students had anything better to do than gossip about her "relationship"?

"Piper!" The blonde turned her head towards the voice. Nick Sturniolo was smiling and waving at her. "Sit with us!" 

The girl analyzed the table. Bella Atwood, Jackson Lynch, Nathan Doe, Paul (the guy that asked her out on Friday), Hershey's Kisses dude and of course, the triplets. The only girl at the table was shooting daggers at her and Chris seemed incredibly uncomfortable (which actually made Piper really happy), so she started walking towards them and stood between Chris and Bella.

"What are they serving today? This place is packed" She asked, trying to look like she wasn't so out of her element there. 

"It's spaghetti Monday" Matt answered.

"Makes sense" She nodded. 

"So, uh, Piper" Jackson said to her. "Chrissy here has refused to tell us anything about you. And we're all wondering how did you guys even happened? Because last I recall, Friday night you were with me." 

The girl noticed the people near them were attentive to the answer and Piper just knew whatever she said, it would end up posted on lchs-tea. 

"Fuck off, Lynch" Chris answered for her and grabbed her hand tugging it. "C'mere."

Piper let the boy guide her down on his lap, earning surprised looks from everyone. Then, Chris wrapped one arm around her middle. 

"I don't think I'll ever get used to that" Nick pointed out. 

"Me neither" Matt said. 

"It's so... jarring, but in a good way" Nate added. 

The conversation returned to whatever they were saying before her arrival. But Piper couldn't relax and Chris could tell by the stiffness in her body. 

"Some actress you are" He whispered only to her. 

Piper blinked and then slowly melted into his embrace. She grabbed his hand and placed it on top of her knee. Then, she kissed his cheek. 

"If your hand goes any higher I'll chop your fingers off." 

"I'm doing this against my goodwill."

"Doesn't really look like it" Her eyes briefly glanced at his hand doing circles on her knee. 

"Told ya' I liked your legs" He shrugged it off.

"Pig." 

"Horseface."

"Oh my God" she threw her head back laughing. "You’re an idiot!" 

"You know what?" Nate's voice broke their little moment "You two are disgustingly cute." 

Jackson made throwing up nooses and gestures. 

"Do you have a problem?" Piper asked sharply 

"No. I just feel bad for you, but I'll put an offer down for you, blondie." He leaned in. "When Chris gets bored with you, I'll be nice enough to take you."

"Is that a threat?" She mocked him. "See, you're funny, I knew there was a reason why I even agreed to go out with you." 

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Jackson rolled his eyes. "Now that we're on that topic..."

"Why did you go out with him if you were already dating Chris?" Hershey's Kisses boy asked, speaking for the first time. 

"We got into a fight and I wanted to get back at him. I don't know if you guys know this about your friend here, but he's very possessive and basically forbid me from even breathing near the lacrosse team."

"Chris? Possessive?" Bella scoffed. "Please, that man couldn't get attached to a rock even if he tried."

"Um, excuse me? I'm right here" Chris popped his head out from behind Piper. 

"Well, maybe he just felt like certain people weren't worth getting attached to." 

"He's probably just playing with certain people" Bella shot back. 

Piper tilted her head to the side. 

"Are you implying he's playing with me?" Piper asked. Chris squeezed her knee lightly, a warning.

"If the shoe fits..." Bella retorted 

"It doesn't. The only thing I'm hearing coming out of your mouth is that you're jealous he made it official with me after a week and he's had you in the shadows for years." 

That was a low blow and Piper cringed internally right after she said that. Sometimes she forgot not everyone knew how to take a punch like Chris did. Everyone at the table were eyes wide opened and dropped jaws. While Bella was fuming, face red and squinted eyes. 

"You boyfriend-stealer, slut!" 

"Okay, that's-"

"I wouldn't bet one dollar into you and Chris lasting more than a month! Because guess what, Piper! You are not worth staying for! Everyone knows not even your dad stuck around for you!" 

Piper could've sworn there was a collective gasp. But it probably was her melodramatic  mind. 

"Bella, that's enough" Chris said when he realized the girl was about to go off again and Piper had frozen in her place. 

"She started it!" 

"Yes, and you went along."

The strawberry blonde girl narrowed her eyes at him and left the cafeteria shortly after, stomping on her way out and visibly fuming.

"Well, that was entertaining" Nick broke the uncomfortable silence. 

Piper got up. 

"Piper," Chris stood up too and she backed away from him, ready to bolt "wait." She didn't.

Chapter Text

Piper skipped the rest of the day and it wasn't until Chris was in the changing room putting on his workout clothes that he found out about her whereabouts.

"Didn't realized you had a personal cheerleader, Chris" Paul Gray said as he entered.

"What are you talking about?" He frowned

"Piper is sitting on the bleachers" He answered with a smirk. "You son of a bitch, you won three hundred dollars and the girl."

"Really? I'll go check on her."

"What would Piper think of the reason you got with her?" Jackson asked

Chris rolled his eyes internally and got up.

"Piper and me getting together has nothing to do with the bet. It was... a coincidence" He walked past his brother eyeing him suspiciously on his way out to find Piper.

She was sitting on the first row and had a book in her hands. The girl didn't even noticed when he sat next to her.

"Why are you here?"

"I'm reading."

"I can see that. But why are you here? In this place" He tried not to sound as annoyed as he felt by her presence. But sometimes he truly couldn't stand her. "Leave." He could already hear the rest of the team getting out to the field.

"I'm waiting out here" She closed the book and turned to face him. "Am I too distracting for you?" She batted her eyelashes at him.

"Pff" She crossed one leg over the other, making her skirt hitch up a little, just enough for the movement to catch his eyes. "You'll distract the others. Half of the team already wants to..." He trailed off, not wanting to finish that sentence. "Leave, I'm not asking again."

"If legs and boobs are enough to distract your team, then you guys fucking suck" She scoffed. "What are you? Twelve?"

He stood up abruptly and grabbed her pink backpack and shot his hand out in front of her.

"Get up."

"No, what the fuck."

"It wasn't a question, Cruz. I don't want you here."

"Ask nicely."

"No. Get up, Cruz, I'm walking you over to drama club."

"How do you know I have drama club?" She asked.

"I just know."

She glanced to the boys in the field then back to his hand before taking it and standing up.

"Did you see what LCHS Tea posted?" She asked while they headed inside the school once again.

"Yeah."

"It's weird isn't it? Being on their radar." Piper didn't know why she was making small talk with a boy she'd spent the last of her teenage years hating.

"It is. It's like having stalkers" He answered flatly.

"This little deal we made got me some... unwanted attention" She pressed her body against his arm when they passed by some teachers. "Do you know Tommy Baker?"

"Uh... yes. Sort of. He's the captain of the football team, why?"

"Oh. So you're not friends?"

Something in her tone set an alarm off in his head.

"Why do you ask?"

She didn't answered.

"Why?" He asked again

"He just... said some stuff."

"About?" He was starting to get annoyed by her hesitancy

"Me" Piper finally said when they where standing outside the rehearsal room. "My body and like, gross stuff he'd like to do with me."

Chris frowned and turned his body to face her.

"Did he do anything to you?"

"No. He just scared me. That's why... that's why I didn't came back to class" She started playing with the bottom of his shirt. "After that thing on the cafeteria I ran into him on my way out and he said some weird shit and offered a ride home."

"Is that why you ended up on the field? You were hiding from him?"

"Yes and no. I thought maybe he wouldn't come near the lacrosse field because of you. You know, since you're my boyfriend and all" She looked up and smiled. "It's lame, I know. And I will appreciate if you never use this against me when we're fighting."

"Cruz, I know this is something we don't do. So I'm only going to offer it once... do you want me to do something about it?"  He stepped closer to her, getting out of the way of people trying to go into the room.

"Something like what? Beat him up?" She laughed it up, but noticed he was being serious and her smile disappeared. "Oh shit, you're serious. Okay. Uhm. No, thank you?"

"Okay" He nodded and stepped back. "Just stay away from him."

"And from the lacrosse field?" She teased him.

He hesitated.

"That too."

"What if Tommy follows me again?"

"Then you call me, and I'll deal with him. But you stay away from my field, that's my safe haven from you Cruz. Don't ruin it for me" He watched Mrs. Webb walking out of the corner of his eye and he immediately tugged Piper closer. "I'm going to kiss you."

"What?" Her eyes opened with surprise and confusion.

But Chris didn't really let her say anything else and quickly covered her mouth with his. His hand found the small of her back and pulled her against him. There was a nagging voice deep in his brain reminding him they were at school (in the middle of a hallway) but he chose to ignore it and told himself it was all for show. How he leaned it for a second time and how his shoulder felt on fire when he felt her hand on it.

He opened one eye and Mrs. Webb was gone. Chris put some distance between them and cleared his throat.

"Bye" And he ran out after tossing her backpack to the floor.

Weird feelings, weird feelings.

Chris stopped running when he reached his teammates, who were talking and joking between them. His brother stopped his conversation with Nate and laughed at him.

"Was everything fine?"

"By the looks of it," Jackson looked him up and down "it was more than fine."

"Don't be stupid. I just walked her to that club thing." Chris plopped himself down in the grass and started stretching

"Christopher Sturniolo going out of his way for a girl!"

"It's literally the bare minimum" He mumbled.

"Still. It's not like you" Matt finally said. "You never even bothered to walk Bella out of your room."

Chris cringed and turned red at the loud cheers behind him.

"Bella was never my girlfriend."

"Meh, you were shitty" Matt shrugged. "Guess Piper is different for you."

The boy wanted to scream at his brother and tell everyone he didn't feel what they thought he felt. But he realized he couldn't.

At that moment it became clear to him how thoughtless it was agreeing to have a fake relationship with Piper. He realized the consequences didn't even crossed his mind for a second which was

1. dumb as fuck and 2. very concerning

He immediately started reeling. A wave of emotions struck him and almost knocked the breath out of him as he became aware of the new surge of suffocating feelings.

Did he actually liked her?

Fuck his life.

He did.

Chapter Text

Chris rubbed his eyes twice to make sure he wasn't imagining Piper Cruz sitting on a stool in his kitchen. What was worse, Matt was standing right next to her with that dumbass smirk he used on girls. His brother looked up briefly and met his gaze with a devilish smile.

"What are you doing here?"

"I slept over at Gabby's— she lives a few houses down. But she's not going to school today and I needed a ride." She explained. "Matt was actually nice enough to answer his DM’s and let me in."

"The fuck are you doing texting my brother?"

Matt raised an amused eyebrow. And, okay, he knew he looked like he was jealous of his brother, but Chris was just pissed at Piper for showing her face on his house so early in the morning (considering his latest realization, he wanted more to time to prepare himself to face her).

"Ugh, I definitely chose the wrong brother" She dramatically sighed. "But the heart wants what it wants, am I right?"

"Piper" He warned her. The blonde girl finally turned around and Chris' stomach dropped. She had a busted lip.

"What happened?" He unconsciously walked closer.

"I fell" She answered. He waited for her to elaborate. Chris could see Piper not wanting to share, but he didn't care. He was never one to respect boundaries.

"I was wearing my loafers and that denim skirt you like so much and I ate shit trying to keep the wind from flashing everyone while I ran to the bus stop."

"I do not have a favorite skirt" was all he managed to say. It was a lie, his brain was already conjuring up images of the blonde wearing that stupid little denim skirt.

Matt snorted.

"What?" Chris asked

"You absolutely do. The other day you were talking about Piper's—oof! Ouch, you motherfucker!"

His brain must've been still slow, because the next thing he knew, Piper was beside him and her hand was on his cheek.

"Good morning, Christopher."

He turned his head to her. Two braids fell on her shoulders and before he could really think about it, he tugged on one.

"Did you really fell?" He asked in a quiet voice, inching closer to the girl.

"Yes" She put his arms around his neck. "Now kiss it better." His heart skipped a beat.

He was just starting to lean in when Nick's voice cut through the air.

"Get a room you two!"

Piper gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and went back to the stool she was sitting on before.

"Are you going to Grace's pool party?"

"Meh" Piper shrugged.

"You guys would look so cute in matching swimsuits" Nick continued.

Chris' brother was talking about the weird tradition to match with someone for the pool party. The event was held every year after the Homecoming football game in whoever's house had a pool.

"Are we going to that shit?" Chris stood behind the blonde. "Piper?" 

"Um, I don't know. If my mom lets me, yes" She looked odd at the mention of her mother.

Matt seemed to pick up on that and shot him a concerned look. Chris frowned.

"We'll wait for you in the car." Matt said and grabbed Nick on his way out.

"Cruz" He lowered himself so his chin was resting on her shoulder. When she didn't acknowledged him, he tried again. "What's wrong?"

She straightened her back. Whether it was because of his closeness or her reluctance to give him an honest answer, Chris didn't know.

"Nothing" She turned around and the boy braced himself on the counter, trapping the girl between his body and the cold surface.

"Who did this to you?" His eyes flickered to her busted lip.

"No one. I fell."

They stayed like that for a few seconds before her lips parted and let out a shaky breath.

"This wasn't part of our agreement" She reminds him. "You're not really my boyfriend Chris, you don't have to protect me."

"Then stop coming to me full of bruises and bloodied lips" He didn't meant to sound as harsh as he did. But he was already recalling last Monday, a dark bruise almost concealed by makeup marked her pretty face.

He didn't want to admit it. But over the years he'd noticed bruising along her arms, shaped as if someone had grabbed her forcefully. Of course, no one said anything, small towns tended to ignore that sort of things. Chris saying something meant he'd been watching her with more intent than someone who often claimed to hate her should.

"I'm not coming to you like some little child that needs to be saved or whatever it is you're picturing. I did not choose you, you were just there that night."

He clenched his jaw remembering that Friday night at the fair where she told him about the deal.

"You were convenient. That's it."

"You're deflecting" He stood straight and smirked. "I won't push you, this time," he added "but by the end of this little game of ours, I'm not going to be the one that comes running."

"And I will?"

She hopped off the stool and grabbed her pink backpack.

"Yes" he answered.

"You're delusional."

"I'm charming."

"No, you're fucking crazy if you think I will end up in love with you" She laughs. "If anything, it'll be the other way around."

"I guess we'll see" He shrugged.

"You can't have me. You never will."

"I always get what I want" He walked to the door and opened it for her. "I can be quite persistent."

"You're annoying" She walks past him.

"I'm cute" He smiled brightly, trying to light the mood and shake off the tension from their previous conversation off his shoulders.

"So what, making each other fall for the other is now a little side quest on our very real relationship?" She asked him in a whisper.

"I figured we're already in this mess together, why not have a little fun while we're at it."

"This sounds like a losing game, Chris."

"Deadline to give me an answer is the day after Homecoming." He proposed.

She stared at him for a moment before walking towards the car.

"You're delusional" She repeated with a little smile forming on her lips.

✩◦♡♥︎imessage

iMessage

"pretty boy"

9:01 a.m

p: i thought about what you said this morning

9:11 a.m

pretty boy: and?

p: why would u say something like that 😭😭

pretty boy: i mean

why not?

p: i could tell you several reasons why it's a bad idea

pretty boy: enlighten me

p: 1. we dont like each other like that

2. hand holding and pecks is one thing, full makeout does not fall under the fake dating

umbrella

3. you basically want to be friends with benefits when we're not even friends

pretty boy: okay

1. true, but we're in this mess exactly bc we dont like each other

in fact, hating each other is what got us in trouble with the school in the first place

so maybe we should not hate each other?

2. there shouldn't even be an "umbrella" bc what we're doing is ridiculous

so whatever rules you think exist under it, don't fucking apply

3. we don't have to be friends to enjoy the privileges lmao

p: you are such a boy

pretty boy: idk what that means

p: exactly

pretty boy: so what i'm hearing is

you're chicken

p: im not

pretty boy: i was joking it was just an idea

i'll just text bella

p: oh wow

so i don't immediately agree to fuck u and u go find someone else

pretty boy: lol no i f you dont want to

im not going to force u

its okay i just wanted to see if you were down

you're not, so we'll stick to whatever ur comfortable with

p: k

pretty boy: see ya

and piper

p: ?

pretty boy: i don't hate u

Chapter Text

Piper stood in front of her house with only one thing in mind.

Trouble.

Her front door was wide open. That wasn't weird, she was used to her mom or Oliver leaving it like that. Piper didn't have, let's say, sober neighbors; so it wasn't like anyone would actually notice and do the neighborly thing and close it.

Trouble was actually sprawled on the front lawn.

"M-Mom?" The blonde girl rushed to her mom's side. Piper rubbed a spot in the center of the woman's chest, but there wasn't a reaction.

The brunette woman's eyes were rolled to the back of her head, it seemed like her tongue was rolled back too. Her breathing was erratic and impossibly slow.

"Fuck."

Piper dragged her mom back inside and into the bathroom.

"Mom, please, please don't do this to me" Piper laid her mom on her side. "Mamá, por favor" Her tears were blurring her vision already. But as she scrambled for the first aid kit under the sink, she ordered herself to calm down.

The little metal box (the "first-aid kit") was full of oxys, percs and a orangey-black looking coal (heroine). The box labeled Narcan Nasal Spay looked like it was mocking her when Piper finally spotted the crumpled white container. It was ironic, really; the overdose remedy mixed with the opioids. With shaky hands, she stuck the tube up her mom's nostril and pushed to release the entire dose. She counted in her head 120 seconds.

"Fuck it" Piper grabbed another nasal spray and pushed it up her mom's nose once again.

It took the older woman 146 seconds to somewhat stabilize her breath. After a few minutes, her mom threw up a dark colored substance. And Piper, once again, rushed to her side amidst mental breakdown.

"I can't... Mom I can't do this anymore" She said sobbing. "Mami?"

"Mmmm" was all she got.

The girl cleaned her mom and helped her get in the bathtub, then she got some pillows from the living room and put them behind her mothers body so she would stay on her side. Piper sat down on the cold floor, her knees pressed against her chest with tears flowing freely down her cheeks.

"Marie?" A man slurred out the words.

No, no, no.

"Elizabeth Marie!"

"Mmm" her mother groaned. "'M 'ere"

It must've been hours since Piper had found her mother, because when she stood up to close the bathroom door, she could see it was dark out already.

"Marcus sold me one ounce for $50, come on woman, let's have fun" Oliver pushed opened the bathroom door.

Piper froze.

"What are you doing here?" The man frowned, his white shirt was stained with something brown and his jeans looked like he'd been wearing them for months.

Oliver was a 30-year old man, with scruffy ginger beard and a receding hairline.

"Marie, what's your bitch daughter doing here?" Oliver closed the space between them with a furious glint. "I told you, stay in your room! You always ruin everything!"

His hand closed around her throat and the blonde widened her gaze.

"I'll leave. I'll come back next week when you're gone, I swear" She choked out. "Oliver" she pleaded.

"Let the her go... she's... she won't bother us" Her mom sat up. "Right, baby?" Elizabeth was slurring out her words and her eyes were a little dazed. But there were pleading too, maybe even sorry.

Oliver loosened his hold, his hand grazed her chest and Piper straightened her back.

"Get out of my sight."

The girl nodded and quickly shot one last look at her mother. Piper remembered what the woman in front of her used to look like. Beautiful shiny chocolate hair, pretty green eyes, high cheekbones and plump pink lips. The Marie in the bathtub had dark circles, fragile brittle hair and acne marks all over her once smooth skin.

That thing in front of her wasn't the same person that held her until she fell asleep.

So Piper ran to her room and put together a bag of clothes, she shoved her books in her pink backpack and stuffed it with makeup and other items. Where was she supposed to go?

She wiped the tears (fuck, why couldn't they stop coming out?) off and zipped her bag. Piper stepped out of her room and locked it with key. Before leaving she placed 3 boxes of Naxolone and quickly left the house. She let out a deep breath and started walking.

"Are you home?" She sniffled and clutched the phone in her hand.

The two-story house was dark except for what she knew was his room.

"Uh... yes. Why?"

"I need..." the image of her mom throwing up her insides assaulted her. Fuck, her mother was on overdose #2 and just like last time, Piper was there to witness the whole thing.

"What's wrong?" The boy sounded alert.

"Can I crash with you tonight?" She said through quiet sobs.

"Where are you?" It was more of a demand than a question.

"Um. Outside?"

"Of my house?!" He almost yelled. "Cruz it's 60 degrees out!"

"I know, I'm cold."

"Fuck, hold on" He hung up and a moment later, Chris opened the door for her. "Be quiet."

She nodded and followed him up to his room.

"What are you doing here?" He whispered as soon as he closed his door.

"I didn't have anywhere else to go." Piper's lower lip trembled again and Chris panicked immediately.

"Oh, fuck" He went to her side and hurried her to sit in the bed beside him. "Cruz."

She shook her head.

"Hey. Can you breath for me, please?"

She shut her eyes tightly and lunged herself at the boy. Her arms closed around his neck as her chest collided against him. It took a few seconds for Chris to realize she was shaking and was using his neck to stifle her crying. He hugged her back tightly.

"Something bad had to happen for you to willingly come here" He said after a while, she chuckled. "Do you, uh, want to talk about it?"

"No" She let go of him and she realized Chris was looking at her very intensely. "What?"

"Nothing" He was lying.

"Are you... are you checking for bruises?" Piper gulped. Fuck, why did her throat felt so tight?

He didn't say anything, but Piper didn't need the confirmation, she knew he was.

"You're an ugly crier" Chris said instead.

"I'm aware" She smiled. "Unlike you, I don't think I'm the most beautiful human being to ever set foot on this Earth."

"I can't help that I am" He said.

"You're ego is so big, it's actually a turn off."

"Not as big as m- mph!" Piper threw herself at him in an attempt to cover his mouth.

"Shut up, shut up! That's disgusting, Christopher!" She whispered-yelled.

It was barely lit, but the boy could still make out the faint blush on her cheeks.

"Don't say shit like that, like, ever."

"At least I got you to stop crying" He smiled.

Her stomach grumbled at that moment and Piper looked at him in embarrassment.

"When was the last time you ate?"

"This morning, I think" she admitted.

"You think?" He raised an eyebrow. "Wait for me here, I'll be back in 10."

"I'm not hungry, you don't have to-"

"I'm not doing it for you," lie "I was already going to eat something anyways" Another lie.

✩ ◦♡ ♥︎imessage

iMessage

" 3 stooges "

nick changed the groupchat name to

" who is making that noise "

matt has changed the groupchat name to

”i think its chris”

chris changed the groupchat name to 

”3 stooges”

matt

nick

chris

10:21 p.m

nick: who tf is in the kitchen making all that noise 😡😡😡

chris: me

nick: can you not

chris: no

nick: 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬

butch

BITCH***

matt: chris

is piper here?

chris: .......maybe

nick: WHAT

matt: mom is not going to like that

you need to tell her before she finds out

nick: wait she's sleeping over???

chris: i'll tell her tmrw

matt: how long has she been here

and since when do you sneak girls in

chris: she just got here 10 min ago

and since like sophomore yr lmao

matt: whaaaat

thats crazy

who

chris: julia

then it was kylie

then bella

nick: ughhhh

i hate when you guys act like men

chris: we are men

nick: ik it's disgusting

matt: so

piper huh

chris: yes?

nick: chris are u making grilled cheese?

can you make me some?

chris: no

piper hasn't eaten anything since breakfast

i need to give this to her asap

matt: aawww

look at you being a doting bf

🥺🥺❤️❤️🫶🫶🤭🤭

chris: ew wtf

im not being anything

shut up

Chapter Text

"You said you were making something for yourself" Piper said as soon as he entered the room.

"I lied." 

He locked the door behind him and closed the distance between them. 

"Eat" He put a plate and a bowl down in the bed. "I wasn't sure what you liked to drink so I got you water."

"Thanks. Did you make me a grilled cheese sandwich and... tomato soup?" She looked at the food in front of her. "That's... very nice of you."

"It's literally cheese on bread." He rolled his eyes trying to not look as embarrassed as he felt. 

"It's still very nice of you, considering... you know, we're not that... friendly with each other." 

He ignored her, cheeks aflame. 

"So... about that thing you mentioned the other day" Piper started and Chris frowned. "Why would you want that with me?"

"The bet within our ruse." He said in a weird British accent that he immediately regretted. 

"Ruse."

"Did you not watchm Bridgerton?" Chris tilted his head.

"No, I did. I just wasn't expecting you to reference it."

"Bella made me watch it" he admitted. "I slept through most of the show." Piper chuckled and the sight of her smile made Chris' heart beat harder. "I, uh, I have a game this week." She waited for him to continue. "You kinda need to be there."

"I do?" She asked. "Why?" 

"We're in love with each other" He said and she scoffed. "And you're a very supportive fake girlfriend."

"Bella's going to kill me" Piper groaned, but then her face brightened. "Oh my God, I have an idea! I'll wear one of your jerseys!" 

His teenage brain wandered off to a land where Piper Cruz stood in the bleachers, his jersey on and that short jean skirt he absolutely didn't love on her. Her smile was big and her cheers where loud and clear. Maybe she even held up a sign with his number in something glittery and so obviously made by her.

"Wearing my number is going to put a target on your back" He said, shaking his head.

"Then you fend your groupies off of me" She rolled her eyes. "By the way, some girls have been DM'ing me. Death threats, praises, prayers, you name it." 

"You should see Matt's little fan club" He laughed. "They bring him lunch to school." 

"What?" She widened her eyes. "Does your fan club bring you lunch?" 

"Just soda. Pepsi." 

"That's boring, everyone knows that's your favorite."

"How would you know?" He smirked. 

"I did my homework in order to get under your skin" She confessed. "I also didn't want to accidentally poison you." 

He knew she was allergic to nuts. That's why he had stopped eating peanut butter in case kissing her caused a reaction. His mind told him he could have just stopped kissing her altogether. 

"Me too." He said in a soft voice. Piper cleared her plate and had put the dishes away by that point. She pointed at his bathroom and he nodded.

"Though knowing little things like that made it that much easier to make you mad." Piper came back after a moment with her toothbrush in hand.

"So there's actually thought behind those pretty eyes of yours?" He mocked her. "Who knew." The mattress sank beneath her weight. One leg was hanging from the bed and the other was tucked under her, her knee was touching his thigh.

"I hate you" She shoved him jokingly. 

"Yeah? Well hate me closer" He said as he grabbed the back of her knees and pulled her legs on his lap with a teasing smile.

Since realizing he actually hated that she hated him (confusing, Chris knows). And coming to the conclusion that his heart threatening to beat out of his chest every time she looked at him (annoyed, amused, confused, mad, it didn't matter), wasn't normal and he indeed liked her. Chris had come to terms with the fact that their situation was tremendously screwed up and  coming back from it and actually win her over was going to take some groveling. Also, he had kinda messed it up further when he suggested being friends (or whatever the fuck they were) with benefits. So really, he didn't actually loose anything by flirting with her. Instead of kicking him, which Chris would've understood, Piper leaned in and smirked. 

"Is this close enough?" 

It wasn't the closeness (maybe a little), that had him a little dazed, but the fact that she smelled like the organic toothpaste and that mouthwash his mom bought them. She smelled like him.

"You are ridiculous" She moved her legs off. "How do you even come up with half the stuff you say? Where did you read that?" 

"I'm a hopeless romantic." 

"Yeah, right..." 

"I read it on Tiktok."

She cleared her throat.

"So? Why would you want to start a little side quest with me?" 

"You're hot" He said without thinking. His shoulders tensed up and Chris immediately looked up to see Piper's reaction. 

"I'm— what?" 

"Nothing. Forget about it" He threw a pillow on the floor and rolled himself out of the bed and to the ground. "Pretend I didn't just said that. I hate you, remember?" He laid down and stared at the ceiling. 

The blonde girl took a peek at him. "I thought you said you didn't hate me anymore" She said in the most vulnerable tone of voice Chris had ever heard from her. 

"I lied."

"Did you?" 

"Yes."

Piper was still staring at him. "Then you don't care about me, right?" He nodded. "Okay, then you don't give a shit about what happens to me?"

He wanted to say he cared. He wanted to shake her and scream that he was worried sick about the blonde girl from the moment she called him. 

"Nah."

"Cool. Then you won't do anything if I tell you that my mom's boyfriend choked me and the reason I haven't taken off my hoodie is because his fingers are marked on my skin?" 

Chris' breath got stuck in his throat. 

What. The. Fuck. 

After a few beats, he dared to look at her. 

"I won't do anything you don't want me to" He answered. 

Chris wasn't dumb. He knew the morally correct thing to do was report her mom's boyfriend to the police. But was it truly what Piper wanted? Would that be the best option for her? Going into the system or waiting a few months to get into college and move out? 

"Thank you" She whispered. 

"Cruz" He called her. "Why haven't you done anything about that?" He heard her sigh. Then the shuffling of something (most likely his covers). 

"Get up here."

"No, what the fuck, we're not sleeping in the same bed."

"Don't be a baby" She tried to sound annoyed, but there was a slight tremble in her voice. 

"You just want to cuddle" He laughed. But when she didn't answer, he sat up. "Wait—are you for real?" 

"Don't make me ask again."

"Are you aware" He climbed on his bed right next to her under the covers, after turning the lights off "that this is extremely weird?" 

"Yes. Shut up." 

"Okay, but I won't shut up" He put an arm around her and pulled her against his chest. "Does this fall under your 'fake dating umbrella'?" 

"You said that wasn't a thing" She snuggled closer. 

"Now that it's convenient for you it’s not a thing?" 

"You are so fucking annoying."

"And you're a hypocrite."

"Me? What about you? You literally backtracked from what you said the other day." She said

"What did I said?" He asked feeling ridiculous because the position was extremely weird (though he didn't want to move, and was in fact, falling asleep)

"You said you didn't hate me."

Damn. He did say that. 

"Just go to fucking sleep, Cruz."

Chapter Text

iMessage

"unknown "

6:09 a.m

unknown: yo

piper

piper: who is this

unknown: matt

sturniolo

matthew

chris' brother?

one of the triplets?

we have lab together

Create New Contact

Save as : matt

piper: i know

matt: cool

so

youre here?

like at the house

piper: ... yes

matt: cool

do you want breakfast?

piper: sure

matt: u like pancakes?

piper: yes

who doesn't

matt: chris is not a fan

piper: chris is an idiot

matt: real

chocolate chips?

piper: yes please

matt: is he up yet

do u want to come down?

piper: i'm not supposed to be here

matt: mom wont notice

we can just pretend you came in from the front door and not her son’s room :)

piper: are u teasing me?

matt: maybe

piper: 🧐

k

ill be down in 10

[…]

Chris wasn't a jealous guy. He wasn't territorial or possessive of his things, as a matter of fact, out of his brothers, he was the one that cared the least about sharing. But Tom Prescott, most likely their would-be-valedictorian, talking to Piper with that stupid smirk, was making his blood boil. He felt his insides churning as the curly haired boy made the blonde girl laugh. Why were they talking? Why was Piper smiling at him like that? Specially since that morning he'd woken up spooning her, his hand inside (yes, inside) her shirt and covering half her ribcage. Worst part of it, Piper was awake and her hand was on top of his, keeping it in place drawing small circles on his hand from time to time.

"You up?" Her voice startled him.

"Mhm" He pulled her closer, his thumb brush against the swell of her breast. "I don't wanna go to school."

She giggled. Piper-fucking-Cruz had giggled.

That cute little sound was ingrained on his brain and the feeling of her body snuggled against his made his stomach flip. Something had changed in their fake relationship. Because, no, Christopher Sturniolo didn't get jealous. But watching Piper bat her lashes at some guy had him wanting to punch someone. Preferably, Tom Prescott. 

"Yo" Someone put his arm around his shoulders in a half hug.

He couldn't take his eyes off her. She was wearing black sweats (his) and a hoodie (also his). Matt had raised an eyebrow when he saw her outfit that morning, he’d recognized every piece and smirked.

"Isn't that your girl?" Nate asked. "What's that douche doing?"

"I don't know."

"Are you okay?" Nate looked at him with concern.

"I don't know" He answered truthfully. "I want to go over there, pick her up and take her somewhere no one can look at her but me."

"That's... very caveman-y." His friend chuckled.

"Not a fucking word, Doe" He said through gritted teeth. That stupid guy's hand was on Piper's shoulder. "Fuck." He was walking to them before realizing what he was doing. Chris stopped behind the blonde girl and wrapped his arms around her middle.

"Hey" He kissed her cheek. Her hand unconsciously tangled itself in his hair.

"Hi" She answered back in that breathy tone of hers she used whenever they were too close to the other. "What's up?"

"Nothing. I just missed you."

"So, the rumors are true" Tom Prescott's annoying voice interrupted. He sounded amused.

"What rumors?" Piper asked

"That you have Chris wrapped around your finger" He said. "I didn't think so until now."

"That's not true!" Piper squealed. "He's— I'm not— We're not like that" She assured him in a way that made Chris frown.

She was nervous around Tom.

Fuck, did she liked him?

"I have practice. I'll see you later" He unwrapped his arms and was starting to leave when Piper suddenly stopped him.

"I have theater today."

He blinked at her "Um..."

She looked back at Tom and rushed out a goodbye. Then she grabbed his hand and intertwined their fingers.

"I meant I will be done around the same time as you, dumbass."

He still didn't get it.

"Oh my God, you would be a terrible real boyfriend. I want you to pick me up, Christopher."

"Oh" Why? "You could've just said so."

"Boyfriends are supposed to read their girlfriends' minds, duh" She said rolling her eyes. "If you don't guess what I'm thinking, what's your purpose?"

"You literally have a functioning mouth and a sorta-working brain. You can just say: 'Chris, I want you to do this and that'."

"Hm. So you want me to boss you around? Noted."

"I didn't say that. You always twist my words, Cruz" He said. "Literally most of our fights have been your fault."

"That's so not true!" She knitted her brows together. Their hands still clasped together and dangling between them as they walked inside the school once again. "You're the instigator."

"I'm a contributor, at best" He smiled. "You always start shit. And complain when I retaliate."

"I— well, at least I have initiative." She paused for a second. "I've always been more of a leader anyway, not a follower."

"God you're annoying..."

"Speaking of annoying. What was that out there with Tom? You were acting weird."

"We're supposed to be dating" He said. "I was just playing a part."

"He was about to ask me out" Piper pouted.

Chris tightened his jaw. "Oh, really?"

"Yeah, I've had a crush on him since forever."

"Well, too bad you already have a boyfriend."

"Wait, but— I thought we said we could, you know, see other people" She slowed down and tugged at his hand. "Chris?"

"I don't want to hear about your stupid crush."

"Okay... are you mad or something? Because if I remember correctly, you seemed ecstatic we weren't doing the whole exclusivity thing."

"I remember" He tightened his hold on her hand. "I just wasn't aware we were going to cheat on each other so publicly."

Realization dawned on Piper's face. "Oh. It did looked like that... I'm sorry." She squeezed his hand lightly. "I wouldn't go out with him while our deal is on anyway. I don't want to look like a cheater."

"I don't think I will see anyone other than you while we do this" He admitted. "It's too much trouble."

"That's good, I guess. But I won't do the things you do with your groupies."

He snorted. "I didn't expect it, Cruz. Not from you."

"But you do expect that kind of stuff from other girls?" She asked right as they reached the classroom Theater club was held in.

"Not really. I expect to have a good time only if they want to."

Piper blinked at him.

"You're a better person than I thought you were" She blurted out.

"Did you thought I was a piece of shit?"

"Yeah, basically. Its not like you were… the nicest to me… I assumed you were a terrible guy."

"Nah, you're special to me. Only you could get me to be a piece of shit" He said as if that was the most romantic thing ever. Piper laughed and rolled her eyes. "I don't know what it was about you that made me mad on sight."

"Gee, that's what every girl wants to hear."

"Shut up, you were two times worse than me. Putting dog shit in my backpack? Filling my locker with fucking slime? Who thinks of that?"

"Okay, but you literally cut my hair. That was unnecessary" She smiled despite the sour memory.

"Remember sophomore year?" He stepped closer, one eyebrow raised.

Piper could never forget it. It was the year everything escalated, and simple teasing and name-calling turned into full on pranks. She somehow managed to put some kind of hair removing powder in his helmet. And even though it didn't fully made him bald, he had to cut his hair very short (almost a buzzcut) in order to even out his choppy head. She laughed loudly as she recalled him walking in school the next day, red as a tomato and freshly cut hair.

"That was terrible, I'll admit it" She bit her bottom lip, Chris followed the movement. His mouth parted.

"Are you..." His eyes snapped back to her face reluctantly. "Are you sleeping over tonight?"

"Can I?"

"Sure. But if you hog the covers again I will push you off the bed."

"Thank you" Piper stepped into the room before going back to him. She hesitated, then something settled within her that made her push up into her tiptoes. She pressed her lips quickly on his. Shortly after, she ran inside.

He was so fucked.

Chapter Text

She stared at herself in the mirror in Gabby's room and sighed. Why had she wore that damn denim skirt? She knew. Of course she knew. It had nothing to do with her and everything to do with a certain boy named Chris. Piper then eyed the red and gold jersey on her best friend's bed and sighed audibly again.

"What?" Gabby snapped.

"I can't wear his jersey" She said. "Bella will actually kill me."

The brunette rolled her eyes. "Don't be a wuss." She paused. "Plus, it's not like you're actually dating, it's not a big deal."

"Yes, but— wait! What?!" The blonde turned to face the girl. Her friend smirked knowingly.

"I knew there was no way you would suddenly be dating Chris Sturniolo!" She pointed an accusatory finger at her. "And I've read enough romance books to know what fake-dating looks like."

Oh. My. God.

Mortified, Piper opened her mouth. "What!"

"You hate him for years and now suddenly you're dating him? Right after the Principal threatened you with expulsion if you didn't get along? That's suspicious."

Piper blinked.

"Am I wrong?"

"No" She answered truthfully. "Fuck" She fell beside her friend and covered her eyes with the inside of her arm. "It was awful, Gabby. Random boys started following me around. asking me out and being creepy and—and Chris was just there." She groaned. "It was the day I went on a day with Jackson." She started telling her everything while Gabby listened nodding occasionally.

"Damn" The brunette said when the blonde was done talking. "You are so gonna end up falling in love."

"He said the same thing." She sat up, removing her arm from her face and looked at her friend. "He's been acting so weird since that day I had to catch a ride from them."

"And that was...?"

"A week ago, I think. He's just... He almost seems..."

"Into you?" Gabby laughed. "I'm 90% sure he is. And I don't think he meant to actually like you when he agreed to help you."

Piper stayed silent.

"What about you?" Gabby asked.

"I don't want to even go there" Piper stood up and grabbed Chris' jersey.

"Okay" Gabby rolled her eyes. "So we're going to feign ignorance, got it."

"Yup" Piper said then proceeded to slid the jersey on.

"Well, at least you look hot" Her friend looked at her through a mirror with an approving nod. "He can't keep his eyes off of you when you wear this skirt."

"I know, Matt told me it's his favorite" She deadpanned. "He likes my legs."

"How do you know that?" Gabby tucked a little bit of the jersey on her friend's skirt and hummed. Then she grabbed their purses and headed out.

"He said 'nice legs' one day. Literally sat down beside me in class, glanced at me and dropped that bomb." She followed her friend out of the house and into the car.

"Maybe all these years he's liked you and just didn't know how to deal with those feelings so he picked fights with you."

Piper stared at Gabby. "Don't say dumb shit."

[…]

As soon as she stepped foot in the field, everyone stared at her. Their eyes zeroing on the number on her (Chris') jersey.

"She's just one of his hoes."

"She's the girl of the month."

Piper tried not to laugh when people gossiped behind her back, but ultimately failed and chuckled whenever one of the girls of Chris' fan club said something under their breaths. It was kind of cute honestly.

"Hey!" Piper and Gabby quickly turned their heads at the voice. Nick was waving them and signaling them to sit with him.

"Hi, how are you?" The blonde asked as soon as she reached the boy.

"I'm great, thanks. You guys?"

"We're good, just a little overwhelmed. We didn't think lacrosse had this big of a... following" Piper said looking around.

"Ugh, it's because of my brothers. As much as it hurts me to admit it, I don't think half of these people would be here if it weren't for them."

"Really?" Gabby asked. "That's... so sad, actually."

"Right? And those idiots know it's because of them and it gets to their heads! And don't even get me started on hockey season. That's literally ten times worse!"

"I literally don't know a single thing about hockey" Piper said. "I just know hockey boys are hot as fuck."

"Oh my God, yes! There's this guy on my brothers' team that's literally the most incredible boy I've ever seen" Nick said to them in a rush, his cheeks slightly pink.

"Piper how could you not know anything about hockey? You're literally a puck bunny" Gabby teased Piper.

"I don't even want to know what that means" Piper frowned. "It sounds like a weird thing."

Gabby then went on to explain what it meant, Nick's face scrunched up in disgust while Piper's slowly turned red. The brunette then procedure to talk about every book that reminded her of a "hockey-romance" and spoiled every single one of them until the final whistle blew.

"What the fuck, it's already over?" Nick's eyes widened

"Who won?" Gabby looked around but everyone was just screaming

"I think we did?" Piper said. "Our side looks happy."

"You should go congratulate your boyfriend Piper, give him a big ol' kiss!" Gabby said teasing her as the three of them stepped off the bleachers.

Piper shot her a warning look.

"I'm sure he's busy celebrating with his friends"

"Hey."

Piper blinked at the boy in front of her. His blue eyes stared back at her with a weird shine on them, his smile was soft and his face was red from warming-up.

"Oh, hi" She said, noticing the way his eyes were trailing her body. She tilted her head to the side as she stepped closer. "My eyes are up here" She grabbed his chin and forced him to look at her eyes.

He licked his lips and slowly smiled "I know."

"Ugh" She scoffed. "You are disgusting."

"Everyone is looking at us" He whispered as he got closer to her.

"The fuck you want me to do?"

"Cruz, this whole dating thing was your idea it's not my job to make it look believable" His lips grazed her jaw. "Plus, I won, don't I get some kind of reward?"

"If you want me to kiss you just gotta ask, Chris" She smirked but the expression quickly got wiped off her face when she noticed the intense look in his eyes.

"Girls usually beg me to kiss them."

"Okay? That's cool, I guess." She pressed her lips to his cheek and waited for the distinguishable flash of a camera to go off to separate. "But I don't beg, that's your job."

Then she stepped back, Chris was looking at her like he didn't know if he wanted to yell or kiss her.

"Are you serious?" He asked like he couldn't believe her.

"I am."

He stared at her for a few seconds before looking around the crowded field, his eyes lit up when he found something. Or rather someone.

"What are you...?" Chris took off in Bella Atwood's direction.

"Fuck this" Piper turned around and found Gabby and Nick were staring at her with a questioning look in their eyes. "What?"

"Is everything okay?" Nick asked when Piper approached them.

"Yes" She felt her face burning up. Was it shame or something else?

"Why is he with Bella?" Gabby frowned.

"He's probably trying to get back at me. I honestly couldn't care less."

"What happened?" Her friend was genuinely confused. Why did it looked like they were having actual couple problems when they weren't even really dating?

"Nothing."

"Was it something he did?" Nick's gaze turned annoyed

"Not really" Piper shook her head. "But don't even worry about it, it's-"

Her phone dinged loudly making the blonde girl frown. The only person she texted was standing right in front of her, no phone on sight. Her breath hitched at the thought of a blue-eyed boy texting her.

NEW MESSAGE FROM : pretty boy

"u got somewhere to sleep tn?"

iMessage

" pretty boy "

7:56 pm

pretty boy: u got somewhere to sleep tn?

p: why do you care

so u can invite bella over?

pretty boy: yea

p: go ahead

ill stay w gabs

pretty boy: it was a joke

stay w me

p: no

ill pick my stuff tn

pretty boy: are u mad

i just went over to bella to mess with u

i wasnt going to do anything

but if you're going to act like this i might as well do whatever you thought i was going to

p: k

pretty boy: cruz

it was a joke

i told you yesterday i wasn't going to see anyone while i was w you

p: do whatever you want chris

idc

ill see you tmrw

10:34 p.m

chris: cruz

Change contact name to:

chris

p: what

chris: are u mad

p: no

chris: u sound mad

p: it aggravates me when you talk to me

chris: cruz i already said it was a joke

i didn't think u would care

p: i don't care

chris: it doesn't look like it

p: what do you want me to say?

chris: idk

the truth

p: okay

it pissed me off

i fucking hate bella

chris: okay

wow

well

what do you want me to do

p: nothing

leave me alone

chris: cruz are u on drugs or something

why do you even care

p: you are such a hypocrite

the other day u got mad about tom

and today u fucking went to bella and made me look like a dumbass in the middle of that stupid field

chris: im sorry okay

i was just messing with you

p: whatever chris

ill see you tomorrow

chris: cruz

come onnnn

cruz

cruzzzzz

Chapter Text

Chris couldn't do anything but watch. He stood frozen on the entrance of Grace's backyard, watching Piper as she danced with Gabby.

"Oh, wow, Piper looks great!" Nick said from behind him. 

He heard other people greet him but his sight was fixed on the blonde girl with the red bikini. Someone even put a beer in his hand (he didn't even drink, he just wanted to hold something). Piper jumped excitedly about something her friend said, making everything bounce and causing Chris’ brain to stop working for a good minute; worriedly, he mused in the back of his mind, what if her tits just… spill out? Even though the mere thought caused his shorts to tighten, it annoyed the fuck out of him too, which coincidentally brought him back to the present, and he was reminded that everyone could just look at Piper and her glorious ass, perfect tits and long legs in that stupid bikini. 

"Dude!" Someone slapped his shoulder. The weight making him notice how short he suddenly was in comparison to the others. 

When did he sat down?

"Chris."

"Huh?" Piper was talking with Tom Prescott and he couldn’t tear his eyes off them. Again.

"I'm talking to you!" Nate sat down beside him and followed Chris' eyes. "Oh... I'm guessing she's still mad."

"She blocked my number."

"Damn. Why don't you just go up to her and apologize? Girls love that" Nate took a sip out of his Corona. "Why is she mad anyway?"

"You're going to make fun of me" He groaned, finally taking his eyes off the girl and facing his best friend. “It’s so dumb”

"I always make fun of you. Don't take it personal."

"Oh, wow, thanks" He said with sarcasm. "Okay, yesterday I wanted to kiss her and she made me... um... begforit."

Nate blinked and grabbed a bottle of Absolut, he drank from it and made a face.

"I’m sorry, I don’t think I heard you— she what?"

"I'm not repeating that, fuck off" He checked on Piper again briefly. "Whatever, of course I didn't do it. It pissed me off so I went with Bella instead."

Nate chuckled. "Were you mad because she didn't give you a kiss? What are you? 5?"

"I just— What the fuck? Where's Piper?" He stood up quickly.

"She went inside." A girl said from behind him. Chris frowned at the voice he recognized, it annoyed him.

"Alone?" He felt his throat tighten. Bella smiled. 

Piper was already there drinking when the triplets got there. And that was a while ago. What if someone took advantage of that?

"Tommy Parker was with her, I think. They've been joined by the hip since that b— since Piper got here" Bella rolled her eyes as she continued to talk to a concerned Chris.

She said something else but Chris didn't heard it. He went inside, scanning the room. After opening the bathroom and checking the kitchen, realization dawned on him and his eyes went to the staircase leading up to the rooms.

"Fuck." Chris went up and opened the first door he encountered.

"Get off me!" Piper yelled just as she tried to push someone off of her.

"You fucking cock-"

Chris pulled the boy away from Piper and stood in front of the girl, shielding her.

"She was flirting with me, man! I swear!" Tommy raised his hands in surrender

He looked at Piper over his shoulder. She just blinked in response, the girl was already clutching his arm tightly.

"Get the fuck out" He said, looking back at the other boy. "Don't even think about going near her ever again, I don't even want you to look at her, got it?"

Tom locked his jaw, but nodded and stormed out of the room, closing the door loudly behind him. Chris stared at the place where Tom stood moments earlier, he sucked in a breath and turned around. Immediately, he felt arms wrap around his neck in a tight embrace. He circled her waist with his arms and pulled her against him.

"He followed me upstairs" She confessed, her mouth brushing his neck, sending shivers down his spine. "Grace said I could borrow a shirt from her room, so I came up. I... I didn't realized he was behind me."

He let out a long sigh of relief.

"He almost-" He started, but Piper leaned back and looked at him.

"He didn't. I was going to knee him when you walked in" She reassured him. Which was insane, since Chris wasn't the victim in the situation.

"Did he do anything else?" He asked quietly, fearing the answer.

Piper didn't answered right away and Chris' heart sank.

"He stole a kiss from me" Piper admitted.

"Do you want me to do something about it?"

Piper stayed silent for a while before erupting in a loud fit of laughter. She sat in the corner of Grace’s bed. 

"We've been here before, you know?" She threw her head back and chuckled. "When we first started this thing, Tommy Baker was stalking me and you offered the same thing that you did now."

The corners of her eyes crinkled and Chris thought it was the cutest thing ever.

"What is it with you and assholes named Tom?" He asked as he sat next to the girl and placed a reassuring hand on her knee.

"I think having a boyfriend made me hot in their eyes or something."

"It's the chase, Cruz." His thumbs traced little circles on her skin.

"That's idiotic."

"It is" He agreed. Chris paused and hesitated before saying "Are you actually okay?"

"I am," Chris felt her finger twirling around a piece of his hair, suddenly, one of her legs was on the bed, bent with her foot tucked under her, the other dangled above the ground, she was facing him "it was scary, sure. But I'm okay, nothing happened to me."

The magnetic pull he felt that first day in his room when she was tutoring him, reappeared, making Chris wonder if it ever left or he just hadn't noticed it. This time the desire seemed louder, heavier and thicker. Chris swallowed, his eyes going briefly to her lips before settling on her brown doe eyes.

"I forgot I was mad at you" She whispered.

"It's impossible to stay mad at me when I'm this good-looking" He joked.

"We should go downstairs" She rolled her eyes.

"We should" He agreed but couldn't bring himself to let go of her and Piper hadn't moved either. 

He moved slowly at first, shortening the distance between them. His hands went to her hips to pull her towards him, one of her legs went over him to properly straddle his waist. Piper whimpered against him and it was all he needed to feel like his body was lit on fire. Chris’ hands went to her ass, covered only by a flimsy piece of red fabric and he gripped her tightly, causing Piper to rock forward and create friction that had them both panting. 

“Fuck” He muttered under his breath as he roll them over so her back was against the mattress, he hovered above her. Chris trailed her neck with his lips, kissing and sucking lightly. When his mouth met the beginning of two mounts his eyes leveled with hers. “Can I…?” 

“Yes” She answered breathlessly. 

Chris simply pushed the fabric up, her breasts finally free from the small bikini top. He licked his lips and covered one round mount with one hand at the same time as he leaned down and flicked his tongue over a pink bud. Piper’s back arched and let out a gasp, Chris chuckled before completely covering her nipple with his mouth. He was in heaven, or at least it felt like it as he switched from one breast to the other. He felt something brush against his clothed crotch and when he looked down, he had to contain the groan that threaten to spill out of his lips.

”Hey” He grabbed her hand to stop the circling movements that disappeared under her bikini. Piper blushed, “thats my job.”

He leaned back down to connect their lips at the same time as he dragged his fingers under her bikini bottom. He touched her entrance lightly, earning a gasp from the girl underneath him. 

“Chris.”

”What?” He asked as he touched her clit and Piper moaned. “Sh… someone might hear you.” Chris smiled mid-kiss. After teasing her for a few moments and using her own wetness as lube, he finally slipped a finger inside. “You’re— so wet.”

“S-sorry.”

”No, that’s good. Really good.” His other hand went to play with her boobs. “You’re so fucking hot, Cruz.” He said. “Does this feel good?” 

“Mhm” she nodded with her eyes closed. 

“How ‘bout this?” He added a second finger and Piper’s eyes snapped open as he went just a little bit faster. He studied her reactions, deciding to press on her inner walls causing her to draw out a pleasured cry. 

“Oh fuck, Chris I-I’m gonna…”

“I got you, Cruz.” Chris said to her, pressing again on that spot that had her moaning loudly. He kissed her as he slowed his movements, drawing out her orgasm. 

The blonde girl closed her eyes shut as she tried to even her breathing. She felt dazed, barely registering the emptiness she suddenly felt.

“We should go back to the party before someone comes looking for us” Chris’ voice broke the silence. 

“What about you? Do you want me to…?” She asked getting out of the bed, briefly glancing at his bathing suit. 

“Oh, you don’t have to do anything, it’ll go down eventually.” He shrugged and approached her. “I don’t expect anything in return, I’m more than happy to do what I just did whenever you want me to.” 

She stared at him while he fixed her bikini. 

“I could help you with… that.” 

“It’s okay, Cruz” He smiled. “Just put some shorts on, I doubt you can hide that” He pointedly stared at the wet spot in her crotch. “While you do that, I’ll just…” he pointed at Grace’s bathroom. 

“Sure,” She turned red “I’ll see you in a few?”

“Yeah”

Piper nodded and turned around to find her bag and searched for her shorts, which rested atop the mess of stuff she’d brought. The bathroom door closing behind her had the girl letting out a breath of air she didn’t know she was containing. Quickly, she pulled the jean shorts up and exited Grace’s room, when she got to the bottom of the stairs, first she washed her hands in the kitchen, then went to sit at the stairs and waited for Chris to finish whatever it was he was doing. 

“Hey” She quickly stood up, startled by the voice. “Were you waiting for me?” Chris asked as he reached her, Piper nodded. 

"Come on" She intertwined their fingers and pulled him after her. "I'll get us something to drink, go outside with your friends, I'll be out in a minute." She let go of him

"But-" He wanted to be with her. Just her.

"Go" She kissed his cheek and pointed with her head to the door.

He started walking out towards Nate and his brothers, who were sitting on some couches and had red cups in their hands. He dropped down beside his best friend.

"What'd I missed?"

”You were gone for a while Chris…” Matt noted with a devilish grin “And you’re suspiciously red. Were you doing some cardio? You look sweaty”

"Ugh! Matt made out with Grace" Nick blurted out earning a punch in the arm from Matt.

"What?!" Chris opened his eyes. "When? How? Why? What the fuck? Matt?!"

"Don't look at me like that! Nate disappeared like 20 minutes with Gabby!" Matt pointed his finger at their friend, his whole face beet red.

"What?! Cruz' friend?!"

"Okay but Nick was flirting with Leo in the pool, why don't we talk about that?" Nate suggested with a smirk.

"Leo Ramirez?" Chris asked. "Is he even gay?"

"Apparently" Matt said

Chris looked in Nick's direction for answers but all he got was a shrug.

"I left for 30 minutes, how did all of this happened and I wasn't here to witness it?" He groaned.

"Hey guys!" Piper said, she had a bright smile, though her hair was a little messy and her cheeks were as flushed as Chris’.

The boys all greeted her with a smile. His brothers and Nate subtly (not) looked back and forth between the couple with knowing smiles.

"I was just bringing Chris a drink, I'll go so you can keep talking."

That's when he noticed the blue can in her hand. A Pepsi.

"Wait" He grabbed her elbow. "Stay?" Piper looked at him for a few seconds before nodding. Chris smiled brightly and pulled her onto his lap.

"Here" She opened the soda for him and gave it to him.

"Thanks" He briefly pressed his lips to her shoulder.

The three boys watched the whole interaction with bewildered expressions. Of course they had seen them on school, being overly touchy and overall disgusting. But this was new. Something was different. Chris eyes looked at the girl like no one else was there. Nick, Matt and Nate suddenly realized he'd always looked at her like that. Even when they were fighting, Chris would have tunnel vision and it seemed like he could only concentrate on Piper.

"So, are you guys having fun?" Piper asked them, startling the boys.

"Uh... yeah, yes! We don't—well, Matt and I, don't go out that much. Chris and Nate on the other hand..." Nick said. "Mom has trouble keeping him in the house on weekends. Well obviously, that was before you started dating."

"Really?" She smiled with a bottle of Corona pressed to her mouth. Chris followed the movement, concentrating on a single drop that fell from her lips. "I would've thought you all went out every weekend."

Nate threw his head back in laughter. "These two? They're the most boring people ever."

"Just because we'd rather do literally anything else than be surrounded by drunks and make out with randoms, doesn't mean we're boring" Matt scoffed.

Chris moved the girl sideways, that way both of her legs hung over just one side. His right arm went to her hip, while his left hand rested on the inside of her thigh. One of her arms went around his shoulders, causing her to lean into his body, half of hers pressed against him.

"I agree with Matt. I mean, drinking is fun but I wouldn't want to do this every weekend" Piper said.

"And it's even worse this year, everyone panics because we're seniors now and they just... start hooking up with anyone." Nick said eyeing Matt, who blushed a little in response.

They talked for a little while before Matt said he wanted a soda and the other two boys followed suit behind him, leaving the couple alone.

"You don't have to stay here, you could go with your friends, have fun..." She said to him.

"I'm good here." He squeezed her leg and Piper's cheeks turned pink.

His eyes kept drifting to her lips, but with what happened to her earlier, he couldn't bring himself to act on his impulses. After he left Grace’s bathroom, he’d realized the line they crossed and wasn’t sure how to move forward. She definitely noticed his hesitance, a smirk played on her lips.

"Your hand is on my ass." She said barely containing a laugh. His eyes widened and took his hand off her like she was on fire.

His breath got stuck in his throat when she put his hand back where it was with a soft smile.

"It's okay. I like it when you touch me. It's... comforting." The hand not playing with his hair went to his chest.

Chris was afraid she would notice how fast his heart was beating.

"I was thinking about that deal you offered me the other day..." She looked down where her fingers drew little invisible figures on him.

"And?" He asked breathless

"I accept."

”Why the change of heart?”

”I was… recently swayed.” She pressed her lips together. 

“It was that good?” He teased. 

“It made me take you up on your offer. Imagine that.”

“Imagine that…” He echoed.

✩◦♡♥︎ imessage

iMessage 

"gabs🩵"

9:51 pm.

gabs🩵: i understand this is some cliche ass plot to get the school off your backs 

but i dont see any teachers here? 

so what the fuck are you doing sitting on chris' lap???????????

is that not insane?

am i tripping?!?! 

he's trying so hard not to stare at your boobs lmao😭😭😭😭

10:00 pm

gabs🩵: AYO 

HAND PLACEMENT

HELLO????

girl 

10:05 pm

piper🩵: hi? 

im cold

gabs🩵: put on some clothes then

piper🩵: then chris wouldnt have anything to look at

OMG 

IDK WHERE THAT CAME FROM 

holy shit that was wild

gabs🩵: PIPER

WTF

Chapter Text

iMessage

"christopher" 

9:51 am.

christopher: gm

12:03 pm.

wife: yo 

why were u up so early 

christopher: i had practice 

have u guys had breakfast already?

wife: nope

christopher: wanna go to mcdonalds? 

wife: chris i got kicked out of my house

what makes u think i have that kind of money to spend 

thanks tho

christopher: im invitingu cruz, that means im paying

wife: you cant

christopher: is that one of your dumbass rules? 

im vetoing it

also

we'll be at gabbys house in like

5

wife: what

12:11 pm.

christopher: here

wife: im still in pjs

christopher: idc

i bet youre still cute

wife: shut up 

[…]

"Hi" Gabby greeted the triplets first with glee. Piper didn't actually remembered any interaction between these four people. She shifted uncomfortably on her feet.

"Hey guys! How are you?" Nick said happily from the front seat. Matt said a quiet hello to them from behind the wheel. 

"We're good. A little hungover maybe" Gabby admitted. Piper saw Matt smile at that. 

"Hi... Where's Chris?" The blonde asked.

"Behind us. He said he wanted to drive with you alone" Matt answered. "Something about red lights."

Piper nodded, tension accumulating on her shoulders. Just yesterday she'd agreed with Chris to be more than whatever they were, while still being less than an actual couple. So, yes, she dreaded looking at him. 

"Hey, you guys look more alive than I thought you would" Chris said mockingly from a few feet away. 

"That's the power of hydrating through the night, Chris" Gabby answered. "No hangover."

"I don't drink but thanks for the tip" He was beside her in a moment. "Cruz."

She looked at him. 

Her mouth went dry. 

Why did he looked so good if they were just going to sit in a McDonald's parking lot? He was wearing lose denim jeans, a black fitted tee and a black backwards Dodgers cap. A shiny silver chain rested on his neck. Piper did a mental outfit check. She wore plaid pajama bottoms and a small tank top. She noticed Chris' eyes roaming her body and her face lit up on fire at the thought that he might find her somewhat hot even in her pajamas. The corner of his mouth lifted up. 

"We'll be right behind ya" He said to his brothers. "Do you want to ride with us?" He asked Gabby.

Her best friend look between the couple and a smile formed on her face. 

"Nah" She said. "I want to ask Matt a few questions regarding yesterday's party."

Matt's face reddened. 

"Okay, cool, then we'll meet you guys there" Chris hand pressed on the small of her back. "Bye!" 

The boy opened the car door for Gabby and closed it when she was inside. Piper's heart summersaulted in her chest. 

"Come on." He guided her to his car and she tried to keep the surprise for showing on her face. A BMW M8 was not the car she would picture him driving. "Do you like it?" He asked as he opened the door for her just like he did for her friend. 

"You don't look like the type of guy who would drive a sports car" She touched the top of the car. "You give off SUV vibes." 

"What does that even mean?" 

"This is... douchey." 

He smiled. "Are you calling me a douche?"

"No, just that you look like one" Her finger hooked on his chain. "It's the haircut and the dead eyes I think." 

"Dead eyes?" 

"Yeah" she contained a laugh, "like there isn't one single thought behind them." 

He rolled his eyes at her.

"So" she cleared her throat, "why are we going in different cars?" She quickly looked at the spot the triplets' mini van used to be. Piper felt Chris close the distance between them and suddenly she was trapped between the car and his body. 

"Because I wanted to kiss you at every red light" He said, his lips scraping hers.

His hands settle at her hips, his thumbs grazed the sliver of skin exposed from how low her pants hung. He squeezed lightly and Piper gasped, which in turn made Chris smirk.

"I'm sorry about game night" He whispered. 

"It's okay, I probably overreacted anyways... I'm sorry about Tom, I was trying to— I don't know... get back at you?"

"Well it worked because it pissed me the fuck off" He admitted. 

His eyes flickered to her mouth. 

"So, are you going to let me do it?" 

"Do what?" She asked breathless

"Kiss you. At every red light." 

"Oh" She blinks. "You were serious?" 

"Of course" He smiled brightly and Piper was momentarily stunned.

He looked so pretty.

"Okay, yes, but let's get going already" She quickly got in the car to avoid staring at him for longer. When he closed the door for her she let out a shaky breath. She was nervous. She didn't dare to open her mouth until the car started and they got going. "I have an audition tomorrow" She said just barely over the rap song Chris had put on. "Well, actually it's a callback." 

"What?" He almost slammed the brakes "That's incredible, what is it for?" 

"Some book adaptation Prime Video is doing. If I get it, which I don't think I will, I'll be playing the younger version of the main character." She said looking straight ahead 

"That's amazing!" He said genuinely happy "How did you even found out about it? Do you have an agent or something?" 

"I was getting my hair done and a woman heard me talking in Spanish and just walked up to me, said I would be a good fit." 

"So you got discovered?" 

"Something like that" Piper nodded. 

"Wow... Don't forget me when you're famous." He joked

"I probably won't get the part. It's supposed to be a latina. And I look like I believe salt is the epitome of seasoning."

Chris snorted “You are latina.”

"Whatever, I don't wanna jinx it. Let's talk about something else" She turned to look at him. "How was practice?" 

"Boring" His eyes went from her to the road. "Red light." 

And just like that, his lips were on her. She gasped mid kiss and felt him chuckle against her. 

"Relax" He mumbles. "I got you."

She relaxed and something just clicked inside her. His mouth guides her through the motions and he's so gentle and soft that it tugs at her heart. Chris kissed her as if just a few months ago they hadn't found themselves in the Principal's office on the brink of expulsion because they couldn't stand being in the same room.

"Hmm. You taste like cake" He hummed against her. "We should ditch them."

"No. That's rude and I'm starving" She said. 

"What chapstick are you wearing?" He asked as he drove

"Vanilla cupcake, why?" 

"So I can buy a you a fuckton of those."

She turned her head away to keep him from seeing her blush. 

“So,” he started “about yesterday.”

“I had a good time” she said quietly. “I’ve never… Well I guess it’s pretty obvious since you were my first kiss but, um, I’ve never done anything like that.” 

Something primal roared inside Chris at that statement. Her moans, gasps and bucking hip movements were ingrained in his brain. He vowed to himself he would be her first everything. 

“I had a good time, too” he said, reaching over to place a hand on her thigh.

“But I didn’t…”

“I don’t mind, I told you. It’s actually super fucking hot just making you come with-“

“Oh my God, shut up! Don’t say stuff like that out loud!” She covered her face.

“If we’re old enough to hook up, you should be able to hear me talking about my tongue inside your-“

“Please, stop!” She screeched, the sound muffled my her hands. He laugh loudly, earning a smack in the chest from Piper “it’s not funny, shut up, you are mortifying.” 

Chris didn’t say anything the rest of the short trip, only turning to face her to quickly peck Piper when they ran into stop lights. Later, as the triplets dropped them off at Gabby's house again. Piper felt the sudden drain of blood from her body as she saw an old blue Nissan Sentra parked in front of them.

"Chris" Her voice trembled. "My mom's here." 

But it wasn't her mother who left the car. Oliver exited the Nissan and headed straight to the passenger seat of Chris' car with anger distorting his features. 

Fuck. 

Chapter Text

By the time Chris realized what was happening. Piper was already on the pavement, being dragged back by the hair, an extended arm reached out to him as she yelled for him.

"Chris!"

The boy fumbled with his seatbelt, scared and confused and so, so angry.

"Chris!" She screamed again. Terrified.

He stumbled out of the car, running to her.

"Let go of her, asshole!"

"Who the fuck are you? Are you her man ?" Oliver taunted.

"Oliver!" A woman screamed and Chris, although startled, recognized her as Piper's mother. She had brown, brittle hair and green eyes, a lighter shade than his fake-girlfriend's, yet somehow duller.

Chris tried to push him off the girl, but only managed to shove him a little. In retaliation, Oliver grabbed a fistful of Piper's hair and forced her to look at him.

"I told you not to whore around," He said through gritted teeth, then, he slapped her.

Almost immediately, the skin on her pretty pink lips broke and blood poured out.

"Hey!" Chris heard one of his brothers yell behind him.

But the boy was already pushing forward, knocking the grown man on the ground.

"What-" Oliver couldn't finish whatever he was going to say because Chris pinned him down with all of his body weight and punched him right in the nose.

"Do not," He grabbed the nose-bleeding man by the collar of his ratty t-shirt and threw another punch, "fucking touch her again."

"Get the fuck off me!" Oliver toppled Chris over. Making him land hard on the ground with a grunt. "You little shit!"

Just as he was about to hit Chris, Matt and Nick tackled him.

"No! Don't hurt him!"

"Piper!" Gabby yelled

Chris stood up quickly, fully intent on punching the gross old man some more, but he froze when he met Piper's face. She was not looking at him. Instead, her watery eyes watched her mother. Who had just screamed for Oliver, not her own daughter.

"Mom, he hit me" She said. "What the fuck!"

"Don't report him, please" The woman pleaded.

Chris glanced at the man in the ground, somehow his brothers had knocked him out. His nose was bleeding freely and Chris felt a pang of satisfaction at that.

"Baby, please don't report him, you know he didn't mean that..." Chris' head snapped back to Piper's mom. He walked over to the girl and helped her off the ground.

He stood in front of her.

Her mother looked horrified.

"What are you...? I would never hurt my daughter" She said. "You dare...?

"You would defend that—that scumbag over her?" Chris asked her, bending an arm back to curl around Piper's waist.

He felt her cling to him.

"Just go" Piper said in a small voice. "Please, mom."

"Piper..." Her mother looked so hurt, it angered Chris.

"Ple-ase" The blonde's voice broke.

Her mom's eyes swelled with tears, yet none of them fell down. The woman pressed her lips together and gave a clipped nod.

"You can come back whenever you want," she paused "I'm still your mother."

Piper didn't answer.

"You won't press charges, right baby?" She asked, not trying to catch her daughter's eyes anymore

"No."

Chris saw, out of the corner of his eye, how his brothers tensed.

"And you will be staying here... yes?" She crouched then to check on Oliver, his brothers were by his side at that point, surrounding Gabby and Piper. "You will take care of yourself?"

"I'll take care of her" Chris found himself saying.

The woman turned, craning her neck to look back at Chris.

That's when he saw how similar Piper and her mother were, at the same time though, they were different in many ways. He saw how Piper was probably the spitting image of her mother in her more younger, healthier days. But her face had dark spots, acne caused by opioids, where Piper's was unmarked, untainted and so perfect.

"I'm sorry" She said.

He felt Piper slipping out of his grasp, which made him turn around to find her sitting back in the front passenger seat.

He moved around Gabby and leaned down to talk to the girl.

"What do you need?"

"I need to get out of here" She said, facing forward.

"My house?"

"Anywhere."

"Okay, yes, okay."

He threw a look at his brothers who immediately understood and nodded. They would meet back at the Sturniolo's place.

"Hey..." He said once they were alone in his car on the drive to his house. He reached out to grab her hand. "Are you okay?"

"I'm more ashamed than anything" She said, her fingers playing with his. "I just... your brothers must think I'm an idiot. You must think I'm an idiot."

"I don't."

They didn't talk the rest of the way. When they parked outside of his house, Chris opened the door for her.

"My parents are not here" He said before she could ask about them. "They went to San Francisco to visit my older brother."

She didn't say anything.

"Do you want to go lie down?"

"Yes" She answered quietly, then followed him up to his room.

"Come on" He said. "Make yourself comfortable, I'll be right back, okay?"

"Where are you going?" She grabbed his wrist.

"To get the first aid kit" His eyes flicked to her busted lip. "I've always wanted to play doctor" He added with a smile.

"I bet you're a lousy one" She said, smiling back.

"I guess we'll just have to see."

Chris came back after five minutes with a small plastic box in his hands, he closed the door behind him and sat down beside the girl.

"I'll just clean you with alcohol, okay? I don't know what I'm supposed to do after that."

"I can do it."

"Sh. I'm the doctor here" He said, pouring a strong smelling liquid onto a cotton ball.

"What's the diagnosis, Dr. Sturniolo?" She asked when he was done.

"You will live, Ms. Cruz" He said throwing the cotton in the bin and putting the first aid kit on the ground. "Does it hurt?" He grabbed her gently by the chin with his thumb and index finger

She blinked "Yes."

"It's already bruising" He said softly. "Your callback..."

"It doesn't matter anymore" She moved her head harshly out of his grasp. "Dreams won't feed me."

"But-"

"It's okay" Her lip wobbled.

He sighed. "We don't have to talk about this right now."

"It's just..." Her voice trembled. "Why did this happened to me?"

She covered her eyes with her hands, her shoulders shook.

"C'mere" He said softly as he pulled her into him. Piper climbed on his lap and hid her face on his neck. "I hate seeing you like this."

She held him tighter.

"I hate the fact that he's out there somewhere."

"I won't report him." Piper said, leaning back a little bit to look at him.

The sight of her tear stricken face almost broke Chris' heart.

"I know" He whispered. "I wish you would."

"I can't..."

"Why?"

"I don't want to go into the system."

Chris lied back bringing Piper down with him. Half of her was on top of him while the other half was on the mattress.

"I went into it once" She admitted. "When I was 6."

He rubbed her back reassuringly.

"My mom— she gave me up. I mean, she got me back just before my 7th birthday. But, um, my foster family was... worse."

She left it at that and Chris didn't press further.

"When my mom was able to take me back home with her I realized being with her was the lesser evil." Piper said.

"I'm sorry" He said after a while.

Piper looked up at him through her lashes.

"Me too" She paused. "I just— I want someone to care."

His heart picked up its pace.

"Piper" He said. Her name rolling out of his tongue for the first time.

"Yes?" She sounded breathless.

"I care. I care so fucking much."

Chapter Text

Piper sat up on her elbow and turned to look at him. A small playful smile extended on her lips.

"You said Piper." She said, choosing to ignore the fact that he had just told her he cared about her.

His face turned pink.

"That's your name."

"I don't think I've ever heard you call me by my name" She said and then bit her bottom lip.

He reached out to free her lip from where she had trapped it between her teeth. The action caused the girl to suck in a breath.

"You're going to hurt yourself."

"Why didn't you— forget it."

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Piper."

The girl blushed.

Chris stared at her blankly. Why had she turned red? Did Piper liked when he called her by her name? If so, why? It was such a mundane thing.

"Why are you blushing?" He called her out with a smirk.

"I'm not blushing!" She said as she sat up and faced him.

"Yes you are" He tugged at her arm. "You look so cute." He said as he watched Piper sit on top of him. She settled on his thighs and his hands went to her knees.

His eyes traveled from her cheeks all the way down to her neck. He licked his lips before continuing his journey.

"You are disgusting" She said but made no effort to cover herself or stop him.

"Mhm" He agreed.

"And a pig” she moved her hips slowly.

"Tell me more" He said, sliding his hands up her legs and squeezing lightly. Chris chuckled, ignoring the churning in his stomach at the sight of her bruised lip. He looked at her in the eyes instead.

"Do you have a degradation kink or something?" She laughed nervously

"Maybe. But it's your fault. All those years of insulting me..."

She hit him in the chest "Shut up."

His eyes drifted to her busted lip and all notions of kissing her were gone.

She noticed. Which was weird because Piper had the emotional intelligence of a rock. But something— pity, hurt, anger— had shined on his eyes.

Chris remembered just a few months earlier at the beginning of the school year, how on the first day, Piper walked through the doors of La Cañada High School with her head held high, bright pink backpack on her shoulder and that damn denim skirt.

The softness around her face had sharpened, her stomach had flattened and her hips had filled out. Plus, she had dyed her hair blonde and lost the thick rimmed glasses.

And then, she stopped by Gabby's locker and her friend had said something that made Piper laugh out loud.

It felt as if the wind had been knocked out of him.

The sight of her dimples and the wrinkles in the corners of her eyes was ingrained on his brain forever. Then, she'd turned to him and her laughter died in her throat. Piper glared at him, unaware of the very evident gooey-eyes Chris had. Even Nick, who normally ignored anything girl related had pointed it out how weird he was acting.

Piper's weight on his lap brought him back to reality. He cleared his throat and tightened his grip on her legs to keep her from scrambling off him.

"Um, what were you... what were you going to say before?" He asked

"Oh..." She avoided his eyes briefly. "I was just wondering why you never call me by my name."

Chris frowned.

"I just did" He pointed out.

"I mean before" Before their deal, she meant.

"I guess... I guess I wanted to keep you at arm's length" He said.

He prayed Piper wouldn't press him on the subject. If she asked him why, what would he tell her?

Because I think I've been scared of what I feel for you since the day we met? Would he be able to confess?

Luckily, Piper simply nodded.

"I understand. I used to avoid getting close to people. Too much of a hassle" She paused. "That's why I like our arrangement, we're sort of friends with the fun part of a relationship" She said happily.

No, he wouldn't be able to confess his feelings. He'd much rather avoid getting rejected and have his heart broken.

"Sort of friends?" He raised and eyebrow. "You wound me."

"Friends don't make out with each other, you know what I meat." She rolled her eyes and finally climbed off him. She laid down beside him again. "Were you scared?"

The question caught him off guard. "Huh?"

"Were you scared?" She simply echoed her words.

He turned his head to look at her but she was staring at the ceiling, just like that night she'd called him crying. Piper was avoiding his eyes, which meant there were most likely tears in her's.

"Yes" The truth, at last.

He reached down for her hand.

"I'm sorry you were exposed to that kind of violence" She said squeezing his hand. "It's... it's weird, right? Seeing it in real life? Happening to someone you know?"

She apologized.

What about her? Who asked for her forgiveness? But she was right. It was extremely disturbing seeing someone you know— someone you care about, get abused like that.

"Has it always been like that?" He asked instead of answering her.

"No" She said. "It began when I started high school. My dad's hospital bill left us practically broke; my mom... she sold what she had left so we wouldn't loose the house."

Her body.

Chris had heard people talking about Piper's mom.

"And she turned to drugs to ignore the fact that she was selling herself" She continued. "Then she met Oliver two years ago and the prostitution stopped but that's when the beatings started."

Piper let out a laugh.

"Sorry, I'm trauma dumping on you" She wiped her eyes. "I didn't mean for all of that to just... come out."

"It's okay" He said as he cupped her jaw with a hand and turned her head to meet his eyes. "Ten minutes ago I said I care about you. And it's true," he swiped his fingers over her bottom lip "it'll still be true in an hour," he leaned in "tomorrow, the day after..." He grazed her lips. "I will care about you every time I'm with you" he kissed her shortly, "and even when I'm not."

"Chris..." She swallowed thickly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"It's okay" he said again. "I'm here."

A thought occurred to him right there. He needed to come clean if he wanted his mom to take Piper in.

With a pang on his chest, he realized, their little game would come to an end a week from then.

Chris kissed her slowly, fearing that he might open the little wound on her lip, but Piper had none of it and quickened the pace of everything. She hitched her leg to rest on top of him and buckled her hips.

“Piper…” He mumbled. His brain already turning to mush at the feeling of the blonde girl undulating her hips against his.

“Sorry. I don’t know what I’m doing…” she stopped, embarrassed, and tried to back away from him but Chris quickly put a hand on her lower back and pulled her flush to him.

“Keep doing that. If you want.”

She nodded.

“Could we… can we do that in our underwear?”

The request surprised him. He felt himself hardening under his pants and nodded with a gulp.

“Yeah, sure. Yes.”

He scrambled to take everything but his boxers off and watched as she threw her pajama pants somewhere across his room. Piper waited for him to lay back down to climb on top of him again.

“This is cute” he hooked his finger on the side of her panties. Pink cotton fabric with a small bow. Her face reddened and he laughed. “What about this?” He played with the hem of her little top.

“Take it off.”

She didn’t have to ask twice. Quickly, her shirt was on the floor and his eyes were glued to her breasts.

“Tell me what to do” She pleaded, her voice small.

Chris nodded and swallowed the knot in his throat. “Put your hands here so you can support yourself” he guided her hands to his chest. Then he moved further down and rested his hands on her hips. “Now just move, back and forth, side to side… whatever feels good.”

“Okay…”

She started moving slowly.

“How does that feel? Do you like being on top?” He asked her, there were already drops of precum darkening his underwear.

“I like it, I just… It’s intimidating” she admitted. But Chris could feel she was getting wet.

“Let’s switch.”

She nodded and hurried to lay in the bed while he positioned himself above her. He continued trailing kissed down her neck, while one of his hands fondled her breasts. Seconds later, his mouth was on her boobs, sucking and grazing his teeth over the little nub while Piper tried her hardest not to moan too loud.

“Oh” she moaned when she felt his fingers teasing her over her underwear.

“Shh, Nick and Matt will hear you.”

“Mhm, so-rry.”

He kept rubbing circles, spreading the wetness and making sure she was ready for him to slip a finger in, when he did, Piper gasped and grabbed a fistful of his hair.

“What? Did it hurt?”

“No, keep doing that, just kiss me.”

He hummed happily and complied. Swallowing her moans as he picked up the pace and added a second finger.

“I want to go down on you.”

“What does—what does that mean?” She asked between kisses, her lips were swollen and pink and so, so perfect it made Chris’ dick twitch.

He stepped out of the bed and walked to the edge of it.

“I’ll show you. If you don’t like it, let me know.”

“Why are you—oh!” She widened her eyes when Chris dragged her to the edge and abruptly pulled down her panties. “Chris?” She tried to shut her legs, but the boy stopped her and pushed them apart.

He kneeled, blushing as he realized he had no idea what to do next.

“I’ve actually never done this before.”

Chris looked up and found Piper staring down at him with a curious expression. Her blush, just like the day Mrs. Webb had announced to them they were going to be partnered up for the rest of the year, ran all the way down to her chest. Difference was, this time he knew where it ended.

“Chris” She said in a needy voice. “Please, just… do something.”

He nodded, shaking off the nervousness and leaning in to kiss her inner thigh. Chris knew he needed to pay attention to the sounds she was making, or at least thats what Nate told him. So he continued doing that, switching sides whenever he got too close to her entrance.

Then, he gently put his mouth on her and experimentally, flattened his tongue against her.

Holy shit.

He wrapped his arms underneath her thighs to keep her spread apart while he traced around her clit with his tongue, her breathing becoming more erratic as he found a rhythm.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck” she whimpered. He finally dared to move on to her clit, but apparently she was too sensitive, because Piper winced and said “slow, go slower.”

He nodded, eager to please her. He followed her instructions and quickly found a pressure level and rhythm that had Piper panting and moaning quietly.

Would a finger be too much?

Tentatively he grazed her with his index finger and watched as she arched her back. Slowly he introduced it, hoping she wouldn’t climax just yet.

“Hmpf” she slapped a hand over her mouth.

Her legs clamped shut around his head and the thought that he would happily die in this position briefly crossed his mind. Finally, he crooked his finger inside her and the moans she stopped biting down let him know she was close.

“Oh my God, oh my God!” Piper repeated like a mantra as her hips buckled.

Chris didn’t really care anymore that Matt was just at the end of the hall and Nick could probably hear from downstairs. Piper having an orgasm while his face was buried between her legs, was all that mattered to him in that moment.

“Chris?” she called him, arm thrown over her eyes as she tried to regain her breath.

“Yeah?” he got up and watched her as the girl pushed herself up on her elbows.

“Fuck me, please.”

Chapter Text

“What?” he asked, his lips were glossy.

“I want to have sex. With you” the last part sent his brain into overdrive, the distinction that she wanted to do it specifically with him. His dick twitched in his underwear.

“Why?”

She looked self-conscious all of the sudden.

“I mean” he corrected, “why now?”

“Do you not want to?” she closed her legs and covered her chest.

Chris scrambled to get close to her, sitting beside her and putting a hand on her knee.

“I do” he groaned. “Piper, you really have no idea how many times I’ve thought about fucking you senseless” her eyes widened. “But I think your first time should be special.”

“Fuck that. If you don’t want to I’ll find someone who-“

“No, wait. I just said I want to. I just… I don’t understand why you would want it to be with me.”

She frowned. “What do you mean? I trust you, is that not enough reason?”

He smiled and bit his bottom to stop himself from spilling out his feelings right there.

“It is.”

The corner of her lips turned upwards. And she slowly got to her knees, kneeling beside him, he had to crane his neck to look at her. She leaned down and pressed their lips together, his hand snaked its way up to her neck at the same time he pushed her back to the bed without breaking the kiss.

“You are so fucking beautiful, Piper” he kissed her jaw. “Sometimes I can’t believe you’re real.”

She touched his abdomen, the muscles flexed under her hand. Her fingers hooked on the elastic of his underwear, tugging it down with desperation.

“Chris” she whispered. “Take them off, please?”

“Hm” he moved his head down to her chest, where his teeth grazed her hardened nipple. “You’re so nice when you want something” he chuckled against her.

She blushed, but said nothing. Chris backed away enough from her to take his boxers off and throw them somewhere on the floor. Eagerly, he took the spot on the edge of the bed where her feet met the end of the mattress and he nudged them apart.

“Spread your legs” he told her. The view was so glorious he had to swallow hard. He climbed the bed to the space between her legs, her attention to his cock filled him with pride. “Fuck” he muttered, her cunt glistening with the aftermath of their previous encounter. “You look so good, Piper.”

He leaned down to kiss her, holding his weight above her with an arm braced to the side while he fondled her breast with the other hand.

“I know” he lowered his head to suck on her neck, “people say it hurts, but it isn’t supposed to, okay” she nodded, taking in the information, her heart swelling at the thought of Chris trying to make her as comfortable as possible. ”Uncomfortable, yes” his voice was rough, which for some reason, made everything so much hotter for Piper and her hips buckled up. “But I swear it will feel so good after.”

He groaned when their lower bodies connected for a second, her eyes widened at the jolt of pleasure the movement sent her, so she did it again, studying his reaction. Marveling at the knowledge that she could make him feel as good as he did to her.

A thought occurred to her amidst the grinding of her pelvis.

“Do you have to wear one?” she asked shakily, as one hand reached between their bodies to touch him, curiosity getting the best of her.

“Wear what?” he took a sharp breath when her fingers wrapped around him, swore under his breath and his lips once again found hers. “A condom?”

They were talking too much, Piper wanted him inside her. Now.

“Yes, can you… can we do it without it?” She pulled  on his dick, the movement causing the head to graze at her lower lips. “I want to—need to feel you. I need you close to me, Chris.”

“Whatever you want, Piper. Fuck, I’d give you the moon and the stars if you asked me” he said a little breathless. His mind was foggy.

She could feel the head of his member on her entrance, with the hand still holding him, she dragged it up until the tip rested on her clitoris. She moaned loudly, momentarily forgetting his triplet brothers downstairs, but at that point, they probably knew what they had been up to. She did it again, rubbing herself with his tip.

“Holy shit” he kissed her roughly, the cut on her lip reopened, making the kiss taste metallic. “I’ll pull out, okay? I’ll finish outside” he said more to himself, really.

She mumbled her acknowledgment.

“Do you always get this wet?” he asked.

“Just when I’m with you” she admitted, thinking back to the times they had made out and it resulted in her underwear with an embarrassing wet patch.

“Fuck” he lowered one hand where their bodies barely connected and placed it on top of hers, “fuck. Okay, tell me to stop and I will” he said hoarsely.

“Mhm” she swallowed. “I wi—oh my God” she squeezed her eyes shut when he pushed himself in a few inches.

“Sh” he soothed her, massaging her inner thighs. “Touch yourself for me, Piper.”

She heard him shuffle, then, just as she started rubbing the bundle of nerves, her hips went up and something soft was underneath her.

“This will make it better” he promised, kissing her gently. “Can you take more?”

“More?” she opened her eyes to find his, darkened and filled with a mix of worry and lust. “Fuck, okay, yes.”

He went slow, easing the girl into his size with smooth touches and soothing words. He struggled to keep still, the urge to move and slam his hips against her was almost impossible to ignore.

“How… how do you feel? Does it hurt?”

“No” she answered in a choked voice. “I feel so…”

“So…?” He ground his hips against her, just a little, enough to relieve himself a little and not hurt her.

“Full” she finished with a moan. “Kiss me please.”

He started to lean down.

“Chris!” Nick yelled behind the door “Mom wants to talk to you! Now!”

Chris and Piper looked between them, then to each other. The blonde slapped a hand over her mouth when Chris moved an inch out.

“Okay!” he yelled back through gritted teeth “I’ll call her later!”

“I want to talk to you now, Christopher!”

Their eyes widened, reality sank in at the sound of Chris’ mom on speaker.

“Go!” the blonde hissed as she slapped his shoulder.

“I’m so sorry” he whispered, slowly getting out of the girl and wincing when her face scrunched up in pain. “Fuck, I’m so sorry, Piper.”

“Just go, please” her voice trembled.

He got up and put his underwear back on, before opening the door he looked back to his bed, but Piper wasn’t looking at him, she was staring at the smudge of blood between her legs. He groaned internally, feeling guilty.

…

“She says you weren’t answering your phone” was the first thing Nick said when Chris shut the door behind him. His cheeks were red, tinged with embarrassment.

“I was sleeping” he told him, his voice still rough.

Nick glanced at him, then at his phone.

"Hi mom” Chris grabbed the device and walked down the stairs with his brother behind.

"Hi baby! How are you?"

"I'm okay, you guys?"

"Great, we're great, this place is beautiful! We need to take a family trip here." His mom said.

"Sounds cool."

"You sound funny."

He sighed.

"Something happened."

Mary Lou stayed silent.

"Do you remember Piper Cruz?" He opened the front door, ignoring Matt’s questioning eyes as he walked by the kitchen and sat on the steps of his front porch.

"Um, yes? Blonde, pretty."

"Yeah..." He shut his eyes. "You probably know" everyone does, "that her mom is..."

"Yes."

"Well, uh, yesterday we went out and... when we got to Gabby's house her mom and her boyfriend were there. And he-he dragged her out of my car and hit her."

"What?" The woman asked alarmed. "What do you mean? What were they doing at the house? Are you guys okay?"

"Nothing happened to us, mom. Matt and Nick knocked him out and Piper and I took off." He swallowed, nervous about his next words. "She's staying here."

"Wha—Chris. Is she—You can't... Fuck."

"I didn't know what to do. I was afraid that if she went back to Gabby's house they would find her and something horrible would happen to Piper." His voice shook.

"Oh, honey... Is she okay?"

"She's a little bruised. Mom, she has nowhere to go."

His mother took a deep breath and let out a long exhale.

"We'll be home as soon as we can."

"You don't have to-"

"Chris. No, let me talk" she said just as he was opening his mouth. "While I think taking her in was sweet of you, it's... it doesn't work like that. Honey we cant just adopt her!"

"Why not? I mean, not actually adopt her but—we have a free room! Justin's out of the house I don't see the issue!"

"Because! She's not my responsibility!" His mom almost yelled, she calmed down and continued. "And she's not yours either."

Then why did he feel like it was? He felt as though Piper's well being was for him to ensure. He just wanted to give her a roof and food and treat her like a human being and not a punching bag.

"Okay” he said just for his mom’s sake. “I understand” that, however, did not meant he agreed.

“We love you boys,” his mother said “be careful.” With that, she hung up.

He sighed as he stood up and walked inside the house once again. Obviously he knew his parents would have to know about Piper’s situation someday if he wanted to help her, it just— it seemed like time was running out from some reason.

But running out for what? He asked himself.

“Is everything okay?” Nick asked him when he handed his phone back.

“Yeah” he lied. “Peachy” he said walking up the stairs again and going inside his room once again.

He heard the water running in his shower, and knocked twice on the door.

“Piper?”

“Yes?”

“Are you okay?” He pressed his forehead to the door. “I’m really sorry about that.”

“Come in, I can’t hear you!”

He’s not sure why the sight of the girl actually showering surprised him, but once he was inside the bathroom, with his back to the door, he couldn’t actually look at her. That felt extremely intimate for some reason.

“I asked if you were okay.”

“I am” she said in an even voice. “I’m sorry about… I shouldn’t have asked you to not wear a…”

“What?” his eyes snapped up to meet hers, though she wasn’t looking at him “No, Piper, don’t apologize for that. I agreed to it. Actually, it was fucking mind blowing and if we ever do it again-“

“You want to?” she asked him shyly. Her hair was all lathered in shampoo, soapy water was running down her body and she just looked so cute it tugged at his heart.

“Yes” he simply said.

“Oh” after a moment, she added. “Me too.”

Chris heart raced in his chest, he fought the blush creeping up on his cheeks. But to no avail, it appeared, making it obvious he was flustered.

Why the fuck was a girl making him blush?

Chapter Text

“I had sex with Chris” she paused. “Well, sort of.”

Gabby’s eyes widened. Her friend looked around, making sure no one was listening before dragging her chair closer to the blonde.

“What?!” she whispered-yelled. “What do you mean sort of?!”

“We got interrupted” her face burned. “His mom called him and he had to go… I guess Chris hadn’t been answering her calls because she was very insistent.”

“While he was inside you?”

Piper groaned and nodded.

“And?”

“Fuck, Gabby, everything was so perfect and so good and— then it ended before we could actually do much.”

“How did you even looked at him after? What happened when he came back?”

“We talked a little, he apologized for the interruption. It was so fucking uncomfortable at first, I couldn’t look at him” Piper dropped her lunch, giving up on trying to eat something. She couldn’t, not when her stomach was in knots.

“At least that dumbass wore a condom, right?

“I… we…” Gabby’s face fell. “I asked him not to.”

Her friend slapped a hand on her forehead.

“Why?!”

“I don’t know” she confessed. “I don’t know what I was thinking, okay?! I just— I wanted to— I don’t know.”

“Piper, you can’t do that. You don’t know who he’s been with, it’s… It doesn’t matter how much you trust him, you could end up pregnant or with a fucking STD and then what?“ She grabbed her hand and squeezed it. “Please, don’t loose your head like that again. I’m happy for you, this is new and exciting and—“ she stopped herself when Piper’s eyes swelled up with tears. “I’m sorry. I’m not… it isn’t my place.”

“It’s okay” she snuffled. “It was stupid.”

“It was” she agreed. “We can talk about that later, though” she smiled again. “How was it?”

Piper peered up at her through wet lashes, biting back a smile.

…

Chris sighed "I need to tell you guys something."

Nate, Matt and Nick looked up at him from where they were sitting on the bench. Matt's chest rose up and down.

"What's up?" Nate drank from one of their water bottles.

"I need mom to take Piper in."

Need. Not want. Big difference.

Chris didn't think he could live with himself if the blonde had to go back to her mom's place.

"Your mom will never let you two stay in the same house. Not when you can't fucking keep your hands to yourself" Nate said with a teasing smile.

"Ugh, Nate, it's so disgusting. Piper will just be there hanging out in the living room and Chris will find the dumbest excuse to touch her" Nick scrunched nose.

Chris didn't said anything. His eyes found Matt's, who was already watching him with a blank expression.

"We're not... really dating."

Nick laughed "What do you mean?"

"It's fake. We're not actually together. She's not... " mine. "We wanted to get the Principal off our backs."

"What?!" Nick yelled.

"She wanted to keep the lacrosse team away and I wanted the fucking teachers to quit bitchin' about us not behaving— what?"

"What?" Nick echoed. "Is this a fucking joke? What-what were you thinking?" His brother stood up

"I wasn't" he admitted through gritted teeth. He met Matt's eyes once again. "It was that day at the fair" he started. "I followed her to the parking lot, I don't even know why, and she looked so sad about the bet, I... Look, I know it was stupid, okay? I wasn't counting on..."

"On what?" Matt finally spoke.

"On actually liking her" he said with a low voice.

"But you just don't like her now, do you?" Nate asked softly

"No" he shook his head. "I don't just like her and that's fucking why I can't let her go back to her house."

"Are you saying you-"

"Do you love her?" Matt interrupted Nick.

Chris hesitated. He'd never said those words to anyone other than his family and his best friend. And even then, it was something he didn't tell them often.

"That's not important" he finally said. "What matters right now is keeping her safe."

"That's not your responsibility" Matt said sighing. "She's not your responsibility."

"She is. In the same way mom is dad's."

Matt opened his mouth to say something but his gaze flickered back to something behind Chris.

"Piper's coming."

"Chris!" She yelled.

"Don't be mad, please" He said.

"Chris! Holy shit! They called me!" She kept yelling even when she stood just a few steps away from him. "I just got off Zoom and they said they wanted me!"

"What?!" His mouth dropped open.

"The casting director said the author of the book looked at my tapes and said I was it!" She threw her arms around him "I just need to go down to L.A next month to meet the producers and all that stuff."

"That's—"

"Why did you lie to us?" Matt's voice broke through Piper's excitement

The pair turned to face him, remembering there were three other people with them. The blonde's face fell and Chris' hardened.

Matt stood up, followed by a worried Nate and a confused Nick.

"What the fuck were you thinking?" He asked Piper, his tone rough. "This is not some fucking movie, Piper, this is real life. And what you—what you both did was incredibly stupid."

"Matt-"

"Let him talk" Piper cut Chris off as she put herself between the two brothers.

"You've always hated him, why did you have to pick him for your stupid little game? All that high GPA for absolutely nothing. I honestly cannot comprehend how you could even have the fucking balls to ask something like that!"

Piper blinked "Are you done?"

"No. What were you thinking?"

"I wasn’t" she shrugged her shoulders. "Obviously."

Matt squinted his eyes at her and took a step forward.

"Obviously" he repeated.

Piper smiled "You're cute."

"You're impossible to hate" Matt said after some awkward seconds. "Fuck you, Cruz."

"Likewise."

Chris' shoulders sagged with relief.

"What the fuck was that?" Nick asked. "Matt?"

"I just said what everyone was thinking" he half turned to speak to his brother. "Plus," Matt said looking straight at Piper "if she's going to be living with us we needed to get that out of the way."

"Living with you?" she asked. "Who—what? Me being there is just temporary, until I can sort something out with Gabby..."

"Guys can you... go? I need to talk to Cruz" Chris said as he rested his hand on Piper's lower back. She turned to face him and his hand hung in the air before dropping by his side. His brothers and Nate grabbed their things and took off. "Come on."

He grabbed her hand and guided her down to the bleachers where they sat down.

"Do you want to stay with us?"

"I-no... why? It was just temporary, I-"

"Piper. Honestly, where would you even go?"

She opened her mouth but nothing came out.

"Don't fight me on this. Please, let me help you."

She stared at him.

“Is this because we had sex?”

“What? No” he frowned.

"What about your parents?" she retracted her hand. "I was fine staying with you for now because they weren't there but... I can't just—actually stay with you."

"They already know" he told her in a quiet voice. "They'll be here tomorrow."

Her eyes snapped back to him.

"Why?"

"I told them."

"Why?" she stood up, looking betrayed and hurt. "I don't— it's bad enough that your brothers and Gabby know about it! Why would you go around telling people?!" Piper started walking away from him at the same time as other students exited school.

"I didn't go around telling 'people', you stubborn fuck!" Chris got up and yelled after her, weeks of pretending and swallowing down his pride for this fake-dating thing catching up to him. "Piper!" He ran and stopped to a halt in front of her, causing the girl to bump into him. She glared at him. "Unless you want to go into the system, my parents are the only choice you have."

She was avoiding his eyes. "I know." She said after a beat.

"Then why are you fighting me on this?" His voice softened, he already regretted cussing at her.

"Because..." She fiddled with the hem of his shirt. "Accepting help means I needed it in the first place. It makes everything real"

"Everything will be okay, I'll be here. Whenever you need me."

Piper looked up.

"What?" He asked, her intense gaze was on him making him nervous.

"I just... I really want to kiss you right now."

"Oh."

Next thing he knew, Piper's lips were on his. Their teeth knocking each other's, her body was pressed up against him so tightly Chris thought for a moment they would fuse together.

"Hey! You two! Break it up!" Fuck his life.

Chris hands shot up immediately from Piper's bottom and stepped away as quickly as he could. The girl's eyes were wide, her lips swollen and her chest was going up and down in an attempt to catch her breath.

"This is so inappropriate! And on school grounds!" A woman walked up to them, Chris recognized her as Mrs. Abbey, the cheer squad coach. "I'm writing you two up for detention."

"But-"

"But nothing, Mr. Sturniolo. You've given me enough problems already" the brunette woman told him as she wrote something in a piece of paper.

"Me? What did I do?"

"Julia, Kylie and Bella have been fighting since last year because of you."

Piper turned to look at him, squinting her eyes at him.

"Did you date all of them?" She asked.

"I don't date, they knew that" he answered. Piper raised and eyebrow at him and he sighed. "You don't count, obviously."

"So, is this a new victim?" Coach Abbey handed them the paper. "Piece of advice, don't fall for him. I got three girls crying because he broke their hearts."

"Well, then I'll break his heart first" she grabbed his hand. "Thank you for the unsolicited advice." Piper started walking away from the woman.

"I wasn't dating the three of them at the same time" he felt the need to explain once they were out of earshot.

"Just Kylie and Bella, right?" Piper dropped his hand when they reached Mr. Ramirez office. His secretary watched as the girl slapped the slip of paper in her table. "I know, I told them."

"That was you?!"

"Yes. And it had nothing to do with our little rivalry, I just hated what you were doing to them."

"Detention starts in 30 minutes, guys." Mrs. Clark said to them. "Library with Mr. Gómez."

Chris smiled at the woman. "Thanks." He turned to Piper and thrusted his hand out "Come on.”

She didn’t grabbed his hand, instead chose to silently walk beside him and say nothing throughout all of detention.

Matt was waiting for them when Piper and Chris walked out an hour later. She realized right then that the next day, the triplets' parents would probably kick her out.

Who wouldn't? She was practically a stranger, a classmate whose only relationship to the triplets was getting Chris in trouble at school. She swallowed hard and stayed quiet the whole ride.

Chris was silent too, what was he thinking?

Her stomach was in knots, her mind scrambled to find an answer to the soul-crushing feeling that pressed her chest.

Back when they were in detention, Mr. Gómez had left them alone for the whole hour. Leaving Chris, Piper and two other boys to simply sit in silence. So when the teacher was gone, Chris turned to her and started talking in a hurried tone.

"I was dumb. Nate and I were... fuck, this sounds so bad— we were trying to see how long we could play two girls before either of them found out" he explained, looking embarrassed at least. "He won, by the way. It was stupid and I felt bad, I tried to apologize... Kylie actually slapped me and told me to fuck off but, um, Bella thought it was romantic that I apologized or some shit."

"Why are you telling me this? I didn't ask for an explanation."

"I could tell you were still mad at me" he told her. "I just don't understand why."

She was about to tell him off but paused instead. Piper asked herself the same question. Why was she mad? Was she angry for them? Or jealous that there were other girls before her?

Her brain fixated on the "other girls before her". How many? She knew about Julia, Kylie and Bella, but what about girls from other schools? Girls he could have met on away games? Tournaments?

Girls with mothers who weren't junkies whose boyfriends beat their daughters. Have those girls ever had to remove a needle from someone's forearm? Have they ever spent nights making sure their mothers didn't choke on their vomit?

Piper didn't think so. And if one of them related to her in the slightest, then her heart went out to them.

"Cruz?"

"Stop calling me that" she said harshly. Her tone so cold the two other boys looked up from their notebooks. "Mind your business" she spat.

"Hey" Chris frowned. "What the fuck crawled up your ass?"

She took a deep breath and ignored him.

"Cruz."

Nothing.

"Piper?" He scooted closer to her and spoke in a soft voice. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know" she admitted.

Chris wasn't expecting that because he didn't said anything after that. Lost in thought, or mad, Piper didn't know, he leaned back and ignored her for the rest of detention.

Time went by quickly after that, and before she knew, they were at the triplets' front lawn, walking up the steps to the door.

"Lover's quarrel I assume?" Matt asked in a mocking tone as he opened the door.

Chris slapped him in the back of the head.

"Want me to play Doctora Corazón?" He said in a horrible accent. "How's my Spanish?"

"You know Matt, I can tutor you if you want" She said with a teasing smile, walking behind them.

"I might take you up on that" the boy dropped his keys on the kitchen island. Then he turned around with a smirk. "Just not the kind of lessons you give Chris, I couldn't do that to my brother."

The girl's jaw dropped. Matt started heading towards his room.

"You wish!" She yelled at his back.

He laughed and flipped her off as he disappeared into his room.

"Matt's so... Matt with you." Chris said to her. So, he wasn't mad, she thought.

"What?" She turned around to face Chris who was sitting on a stool, both feet firmly planted on the floor. Piper walked and stood in the space between his legs.

"He doesn't really have girl friends, you know? I think he hates that most of them come up to him to either fuck him or me" He said bluntly, looking up at her. "When they realize he's not easy they get bored."

"And go to you?" She hadn't meant to day that, but it slipped out before she could catch herself.

He smiled.

"Yeah" he shrugged. "Then they come to me."

She feels like the air has been knocked out of her lungs.

"I don't like all of them, though" Chris said. "Just the blondes with nice legs and brown eyes."

"What are you doing?" She asked, her heart racing.

"Chatting."

"It's a weird topic to be chatting about, don't you think? Do you want me to talk about the kind of boys I like?" She poked his shoulder.

"No" he rolled his eyes. "I couldn't care less about that. I'm the only one here and that's what counts."

"Yes, you are" she leaned down to kiss him lightly.

"I feel like we need to talk about my parents" he told her after a few beats of silence. "They can't know about... this."

"I know."

He sighed. "We need to move your stuff to Justin's room. If my mom finds out you've been sleeping with me she will kill me."

"I didn't even know there was another room until recently" she raised an eyebrow.

"You didn't ask" he said innocently, his eyes were sad despite the playful tone and it tugged at Piper's heart. "Um... do you... do you want to hang out in my room until my parents get here? We can watch a movie or something."

"Won't your brothers think it's weird? Now that they know...?"

"I honestly don't give a fuck" he said.

"I care. They will think I'm one of your..."

"My what?" His eyebrows shot up, expectantly. "You think I'm some sort of manwhore, don't you?"

"No. I just-"

"I mean, I am. But I don't see how that concerns you."

She's reminded of what happened earlier, when Coach Abbey caught them kissing in the Lacrosse field, the pressing feeling on her chest was back. Why was she all of the sudden so hung up on Chris' dating history? Piper felt like she had more pressing matters— like her addiction mother, to think about.

"I don't want to talk about this" she stepped back from him and he stood up.

"You did this before" he said accusingly. "You got mad about something and then just pretended nothing happened."

"I said I don't want to talk about this. Can you drop it?"

He stared at her.

"Just drop it, okay?" she asked. "Your parents are getting here tomorrow and you want to ask them to take me in, this is too complicated already, I don't need to throw whatever this is to the mix."

"They wouldn't say no..."

"You don't know that" Piper couldn't stand to stare at him anymore.

His eyes had always been the same shade of blue, but why was it so hard to look at them lately?

"Okay" he surrendered. "Okay, you win. But we'll have to talk about this eventually.”

Piper hoped 'eventually' would never come.

Chapter Text

Chris was having trouble paying attention to the movie playing in front of them on his TV. He had one arm around Piper, his hand firmly on her hip while the other rested behind his head. She laid sideways, one leg propped up on him, one arm under herself and the other on his chest.

His pinky brushed the inside of her pants. She shifted under him, accidentally grinding on him. He sneaked his whole hand in, playing with the fabric of her underwear.

“You’re not watching the movie” Piper told him.

“I am” he lied, waiting for her to tell him to take his hand out. She didn’t, so he slipped it under her panties and left it there for the rest of the movie. Simply enjoying the feeling of her bare skin against his palm.

Mary Lou and Jim would get there somewhere around 8 pm. And it was already 7, he didn’t want a repeat of Sunday. Chris pressed a kiss on the top of her head and continued watching the movie.

When their parents arrived, the triplets and Piper were all waiting for them in the kitchen. They were nervous and jittery, fearing their reactions for taking in a girl while they were gone. But after their mother had greeted her boys, she'd turn to Piper.

"Hello" Mary Lou said. Her eyes immediately zeroed in on her busted lip.

"Hi" she'd responded.

"What happened to you there?" the woman dropped her things on the floor and walked towards the girl.

Piper let out a shaky breath. "My mom's boyfriend hit me."

"Okay, that's it. You three are grounded, four weeks." She pointed at her sons. "That also means no Nate."

"What?!"

"Mom, that's outlandish!" Matt said.

"Outlandish?! Oh, no, young man. Outlandish is housing a girl without my permission! Outlandish is lying through your fucking teeth every time I asked if you guys were okay! That's outlandish!"

"Mom-"

"You shut up, Chris. Now you three go up to your room and don't come out until I tell you too!"

"But-"

"Chris, just listen to your mother, please?" their father asked tiredly.

"I'll go" Piper said awkwardly. "I didn't mean to cause any trouble..."

"No" Mary Lou said harshly, making the girl flinch. "I'm sorry. No, sweetie, you don't need to go. Just them. We have to talk."

Piper nodded. The triplets all looked at each other before turning around and heading up to Chris' room.

"Jim? Would you make me a cup of tea?" She asked her husband who simply nodded. "Do you want one, Piper?"

"No, I'm okay. Thank you" she played with her fingers.

"Okay, let's sit down then."

They both pulled a stool and sat.

"My dad died of cancer when I was little, we never had a lot of money to begin with, so my mom and I practically ended up homeless trying to pay the bills. Which she's still paying now." She said, avoiding the older woman's eyes. "I think—I think pretty much everyone knows what my mom did for a living." she let out a bitter laugh. "She started using when I was six and... and I ended up in the system."

Mary Lou took a sharp breath that got Piper's attention and made her look at the woman.

"My foster family was awful. The mom was never around and the dad was creepy, but, um, the son was creepier" she gulped down the lump in her throat. "Chris doesn't know this and I don't want him to, but my foster brother used to play... house with me. He was fourteen, he obviously knew a lot more than six-year-old me and he took advantage of that."

"Oh, honey..."

"I don't really remember much about my time there, to be honest and I don't want to. But I know enough" she added quickly. "My mom got me back sometime after and she stayed clean for a while but I guess she— well, she called it mother's intuition, but she just knew what happened to me, even though I never told her. And she lost it."

Elizabeth Marie couldn't bear the guilt and found comfort in drugs and alcohol. So Piper grew up with a junkie mother, by the time she was 13, she already knew from whom she could buy the 'good pills' from.

Turns out, the dealer was a balding ginger. He had money, he convinced Marie to stop 'working' in exchange of dating him. And so the nightmare started.

She told the older couple all that.

"Mom was barely ever sober, but on the rare occasion, she would beg me to lock my door or find somewhere else to stay. Sometimes when I came back from a friend's house," Gabby's "her face would be all swollen and she had bruises all over her."

"So she was protecting you, in her own way?"

"I think so" she nodded, sniffing. "Then on the days where my mom would be too high to function, Oliver turned to me. And I felt like... I felt like if he started hitting me it at least meant my mom was safe. It wasn't that bad, maybe a slap or hair-pulling at most."

"Oh my God..." The woman covered her mouth and blinked the tears away.

"A few weeks ago..." she sighed. Chris will get in so much trouble for this, she thought. "I was helping my mom come down from an overdose when Oliver walked in. He was on something new, because the sight of me just... made him snap" her hand went automatically to her neck. "He started choking me and I thought I was going to die."

"What the fuck?" Jim whispered.

"I didn't, don't worry" she tried to joke, but neither of the adults were having it. "Sorry. Um, anyway, I... I wasn't even friends with Chris at that point, but he was the first person that came to mind so I called him and I slept here."

She told them about what had happened at Gabby's house, watching as the couple were trying to hide their horrified faces but failing miserably.

"So... now I'm here. Chris wouldn't let me go anywhere else" she said pathetically.

"We need to report this!" the man said, angry.

"No. Piper will end up in the system again..." Mary Lous said under her breath, then more clearly: "Fucking America."

"Shit" her husband replied. All fight drained from his body.

"Look, Piper..." Mary Lou started and the girl visibly deflated. She was about to get kicked out, and with good reason. "I won't tell you I wasn't mad when Chris first told me you were staying here. But I'm glad you are" she put a hand on her knee and squeezed reassuringly. "You can stay here however long you need, we have a room you can use and food you can eat" she smiled.

"What?" Piper blinked.

"I'm not mad at you. I promise. I hate the fact that you were put in a situation in which you had leave your home" the woman said.

"So I can stay?" Piper's eyes swelled up with tears.

"Of course."

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" She leaped out of her chair and hugged Mary Lou tightly, letting the tears fall freely.

"Jim, get the boys and meet us at the living room."

"Okay."

"I'm sorry, I feel like I forced your hand..." Piper said to both of them. Jim turned around and frowned. "I honestly can find somewhere else, there's probably shelters where I can stay, right? If you're uncomfortable I can-"

"Stop, kid, just stop" the older man raised a hand. "My wife and I talked about this on the way here, we wouldn't take you in if we didn't want to. We want to help."

"Thank you, seriously, I don't— thank you."

The man nodded and went up the stairs.

"Holy shit" she whispered.

"Come on, let's go to the living room" Mary Lou's hand was on her shoulder, guiding her. "Sit down" the woman ordered once the triplets where there.

The four of them sat down, nervous.

"There will be rules you all have to follow, okay?" she said sternly. They all nodded. "Number one: I won't accept anything less than a B."

Nick groaned. "Mom!"

"Chris and Piper are practically geniuses, thats not fair!" Matt said.

"Well, then study harder. Number two: if Piper's hanging out at any of your room's the door stays open" she looked at Chris pointedly. "Same goes for Piper, if any of them are in your room, the door stays open."

"I'm gay, mom" Nick deadpanned.

"I'm aware, Nicolas. Number three: you will start doing your own laundry."

"But-"

"No but's!"

"Okay..." the triplets said at the same time.

"That's it. You can go now, just remember you're grounded for two weeks and Nate can't come over."

"Why is Nate getting punished too?" Matt whispered

"I heard that" his mom raised an eyebrow. "And he's getting grounded because I bet he knew about this little arrangement."

He did.

"Don't ever lie to me again." With that, their mother walked out.

….

Chris rolled around in his bed once again, his pillow was warm.

"Fuck me" he groaned tossing and turning. "Fuck this" he reached put into his nightstand and grabbed his phone. He checked the hour, 1:23 am. Piper was probably asleep by then, it would be useless to text her.

So he laid in his bed, arm thrown over his eyes and took deep breaths trying to induce himself to sleep.

This is bad, he thought. I can't fucking sleep without her.

He pulled his pillow from under his head and placed it beside him, tossing one arm around it and hugging it tight. Embarrassingly, after a while he started drifting off, his brain painted a pretty picture for him.

In his dreams, Chris and Piper were on the beach, their friends were there too. The couple shared a towel, laid on top of hot sand and serving as a barrier between their laid bodies and the ground. Their shoulders were touching and they were looking at each other.

Piper's face was makeup free. Her cheeks and nose a little sunburnt, her freckled rested atop, sprinkled sparsely over her face. Her lashes were long, and had little sand (or salt?) grains making Chris think that she had just come from the ocean.

"You're staring" she said, whispering even though no one was near them. His brothers and her friends were far, laughing, playing with each other, Chris didn't care. How could he pay attention to anything else when the most beautiful human was in front of him? He wouldn't dare take his eyes off.

"Am I?"

"Yes."

He sighed.

"I don't know how I'll make it out alive. Of this."

"This? You mean me?" Her voice was soft, like she always spoke to him whenever it was only just the two of them.

"Yes. I'm already in too fucking deep. I'm scared" he admitted. "I don't want to loose you."

She smiled tenderly. Suddenly his dream changed, they were back at his room, his bed wasn't there for some reason, Piper was on the floor, rocking herself as she hugged herself.

"Piper?" he called out. "What's wrong?"

The girl looked up then and extended her arm, turning it over so he could see. Needles, bruises and blood. Syringes stuck up from the inside of her arm.

"I went back to my house" was all she said.

His eyes shot open, his phone alarm going off breaking the deathly quiet. He turned it off and sat on the edge of his bed.

He blinked the sleep away, confused and disturbed, Chris stood up feeling the need, the urge to check on Piper.

His heart sank when he opened the door to her new room and she wasn't there, the bed was made, he noticed. Then the bathroom door opened and Piper came out, wrapped in a light gray towel, water dripping from her hair onto the floor.

"Chris! What the fuck?" She almost yelled, clutching the towel closer to her.

"Sorry" he said. There must've been something in his eyes, because Piper softened and approached him slowly. "I had a nightmare."

"About...?"

"I don't remember" he lied.

"Oh" she simply said. "If it makes you feel better, I slept like shit too. I didn't know where the blankets were and I almost froze to death."

"You could’ve asked me."

"It's okay" she shrugged.

"Mom likes the house to be cold, it's that menopause thing" he tried to explained.

"O-kay" she said, putting a hand on his chest to push him out of the room. "I need to get ready."

"Sure, yeah, sorry."

"Bye, Chris."

"See ya."

But she didn't move. And neither did he, her hand felt like it was burning his skin. Piper’s eyes flickered to his lips.

"What will happen at school?" she asked

Immediately, that weird nauseous feeling from when he first woke up came back. He realized it was dread, the thrumming of his heart reverberating loudly in his ears, the shortness of breath. He was scared shitless.

"I don't know" he answered honestly, glancing at his parent’s door.

"So... we're over" she said, eyes glued to the ground. "Just friends, right?"

Chris discovered two things right there:

One, whoever said heartbreak felt like the world was ending was so right, and so wrong at the same time. He was just one wrong move from exploding.

Two he was so in-fucking love with Piper Cruz.

"I guess we are."

His eyes darted over a few boxes by her new bed. Chris tilted his head, grateful for the distraction.

“What’s that?” He pointed at the objects.

“Oh” She half turned to them, her hand fell limp beside her body. “Your mom’s old clothes. She wanted me to go through them and see if I liked anything.”

He loved her.

“Really?”

It didn’t surprise him as much as it tugged at his heart. Chris remembered the night she ran from home with all her clothes packed in a single bag.

“Have you picked anything out? I didn’t even know my mom kept all of that shit. It looks like a lot of work” He smiled, and she returned it making his heart jump. Fuck she was so pretty.

He loved her.

“Nick’s going to help me go through them when we get back from school today. I’m-”

“What?”

“Is it lame I’m excited about hanging out with him?” She blushed. “It’s just—I think he’s so funny and cool and…”

“Yeah, yeah…” he rolled his eyes with a teasing smile. “You do know he’s gay right?”

“It’s a friendship crush, shut up.”

“That’s not a thing, Cruz.”

“It is.”

“It’s not.”

“Ugh. Leave. You’re so annoying today” She pushed him completely out of the room with a twinkle in her eyes. “You should start getting ready, I know it takes a lot of time making you look somewhat acceptable.”

“Haha, really funny” he told the girl with sarcasm, just as she closed the door. When Chris started walking towards his room he froze, his dad was staring at him with a knowing expression.

“Good morning.”

“Sup.”

“Anything you want to tell me?”

He loved her.

“Nope.”