Chapter 30
Claire Redfield
"Piers has been really depressed recently, you see that too right," Chris asks as we walk down Raccoon Street. "Yeah, I don't know what I can do. I'm trying but... he's just so done with everything. And he doesn't want to do anything anymore." I hate seeing him like this, I just want him to be happy and everything I try just seems to have no effect. "What if you do something with him," I ask. "Me?" Chris raises an eyebrow. "Yeah, I don't know. Take him out shooting or something he'd like! I'm sure spending time with his best friend would be helpful." "Best friend? I think that's Jill." "Yeah, but she's a girl. He needs guy time!" "And how did you come to this conclusion?" "I need girl time sometimes, and I mean, guys work the same way right?" "No, Claire. They don't." "Well just fucking do it Chris!" "Fine, I will. But shooting is my thing with Jill, I guess I could take Piers on a run or to the gym." "But I thought you replaced your gym visits with bench pressing Jill?" "Shut up," he shoves me playfully, "I'll take him to the gym and I'm sure he'll be happy with it." "But Chris, he's not like you. He's not into working out." "But he'll be with me, he enjoys my company. And if anything, he can just talk it out as I work out." I shake my head, "I hope this works."
Chris Redfield
"Yo Piers," I say as he picks up his phone. "Yo," he asks back. "Shh, you wanna go for a run?" "A run? Really?" "Yeah, why not? Clear your head." He's quiet for a minute before replying, "Yeah. I'd like that." "Okay, I'll meet you in front of your house in five." "Okay cool, see you then." I hang up and throw on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. It was still kind of cold here. I meet Piers in front of his house like I'd said and he's in shorts and a tank top. Does he realize he's still in Colorado? "Ready to go," he asks. I nod and we walk over to the park. "Didn't you say a run," he asked. "Yes Piers, but we walk to the park," I said slowly. "Fine."
We start of with a slow job, well kind of slow. We're going pretty fast, but we can still talk without having to breath extremely heavy. "So, how've you been feeling Piers?" He shrugs. "I don't know. Okay, I guess." "We've been noticing you're kind of down recently." "Yeah, so. It'll be fine. I'm just in one of those moods. It'll pass." "Piers." "Just leave it be." "Okay." We continue running until I interrupt us again. "Alright, let's make this a little more exciting." Piers looks at me with a confused expression. "We jog like this for five minutes, then at the five minute mark we sprint for ten seconds, sounds easy right?" "Okay." He replies suspiciously. So five minutes came and we sprinted for the ten seconds. "So, not so bad right?" "I guess not," he says balancing his breathing. "So, what's up?" "Chris." "Come on. Talk to me." "Ugh, I don't know." "Is it Claire?" "No, she's great. Too great, I just..." "Just what." "Dave." Five minutes and we ran again. "What about Dave? You're not seriously thinking about him are you?!" "No! Of course not! It's just what he said to me... about my arm." "Piers, your arm isn't your fault... If anything it's mine." "No, I mean he said that Claire was only going out with me because she feels sorry for me and I think... I think he's right." "Piers, you're an idiot." "Excuse me?" "Claire loves you because you're you! That psycho doesn't know Claire, he has no say in your relationship." He sighs, he knows I'm right. We run again. "So you think this should be a normal thing," I ask. "Running? Yeah... I think its good, we get to talk and I'm staying in shape." I laugh, "So how about Tuesday's and Thursdays?" "Sure." Yes, now I can still exercise when Jill won't let me bench press her! Ha ha!
So two days later Claire came up to me to brag about how her plan to cheer up Piers had worked. She's such a show off sometimes! Well I guess he was more invested in the relationship again because Claire seemed to be happier too. That was a short easily solved problem, why can't everything be that simple? As we walk down the street we see Jill and some girl talking in front of her house. Is that Jessica? Oh shit, I better go stop them from ripping each other's throats out. I run over and to my surprise they're yelling at each other like civilized people and not beating the shit out of each other.
"You can't keep coming back to me everytime Excella and Ashley leave you! You know about all the shitty things you do to me right?" "But Jill..." "Shut up, I don't feel bad for you." Claire and I kind of stay back to listen, Jill knows we're there but Jessica has no idea. "Look I'm sorry for all the things I said I just, I need help with this!" "Jessica, no. It was your decision." "But..." "No buts, leave Jessica." "Jill, how could you do this to me?" Is she serious. "I didn't fuck a gay guy, without protection, and then expect him to stay when I was pregnant. Especially after what he did to... Nevermind. Just go Jessica." She turns to leave and see's me and Claire. She looks terrified that I heard that and then runs to her car crying. "She's pregnant!?" Jill shakes her head, "With Dave." "Dave!? What the fuck!?" Jill shrugs. "I can't let her back in... Everytime I do it bites me in the ass." "Wait, but Dave slept with her?" "Yes, I said that already. Aren't you listening?" "Yes Jill, she betrayed your trust because she told me you had a crush on me. Big whoop. She's pregnant!" "Ugh." She goes inside. I look back at Claire and she shrugs. She then just turns around and heads to Piers' house. Okay Claire.
I head inside and Jill's standing with her back toward me and her arms crossed. "Hey, I'm sorry," I place a hand on her shoulder. She shakes it off. "Come on Babe." "Just leave me alone." "I'm sorry I defended Jessica, it's just that..." She storms up to her room. I let her go, taking a seat on the couch. "Sounded bad," her mom comes in. I shrug. "What happened?" She takes a seat next to me on the couch. "Jessica's pregnant and Jill's still mad at her for everything. All I said was that being pregnant is a big deal and that she should just be nice to Jessica. She came here trying to make things right, but Jill said she's done that before and it wasn't true that time." "Eh, it's a bump. Every relationship has it, and I'm sure you'll get through it." "Thanks Mrs. Valentine." She smiles before heading back toward the kitchen. "Need any help," I offer. "Sure!" So I follow her into the kitchen.
I head upstairs that night and see Jill's already asleep, I smile at her and quietly close the door. I climb over her, trying my best to make sure the bed didn't move and slip behind her under the covers. I slide my arm under her and then rest my chin in her hair, my other arm draped around her. She moves in closer and sighs. She then rolls over so her chest is facing mine, "I'm sorry." I smile, I'm not even sure if she can see it though. "I love you." I think she smiles back, but I'm going to pretend it was definitely a smile.
Piers Nivans
We sat in school once again, it's a Tuesday so tonight I'd be running or going to the gym with Chris again. It really is relaxing, well what I'm doing is relaxing. Chris on the other hand is going crazy to maintain his weight / become the hulk. I think he really wants to be muscular, even though he's already the most fit person I know. And fit might be understating it, he's the biggest motherfucker I know. Oh, I have A.P. Lit now! With him, Jill, Finn and Richard. We just changed seats, so I sit next to Chris now. Richard, Jill and Finn all seat next to each other too, Chris and I were the only two in a group of two but I don't mind. So the teacher starts doing her job, taking attendance and such. Then we have five minutes to prep for the test we had on chapter 3 of The Great Gatsby. We just started the book and Jill seemed really into it, I expected more from an A.P. class but whatever, it was interesting enough.
Chris could care less, he hadn't read any of it. So the test consisted of me sliding my test a little too much to my left so he could copy the answers. I didn't care, I was getting 100 on this quiz. She collected the quizzes and the rest of the class was just analysing the different characters that were introduced. "So, you and Claire doing good," Chris asks as the teacher asks several students how they feel about Jordan Baker. "Yeah, we're doing great, thanks to your intervention." "Intervention?" "Yeah, I feel a lot better now that I'm working out with you. It releases all that stress from school and whatever else." He raises an eyebrow seductively. "Shut the fuck up. Let's just get back to the work." "Fuck work." "Chris, I don't want to fail A.P. like you obviously will." "I'm a good test taker, I can pass any test you give me. I just don't like to do homework... or class work." "And you still pass?" "Most of the time, and obviously enough to get into the Air Force Academy." I roll my eyes, I guess he's right.
A/N
Short chapters recently but I can say for a fact that 31 is longer and more interesting stay with me.