Page 76 of Unspoken Rules

We hold each other’s gaze for a few seconds before he finally says, “Hey.”

“Hi.”

He drops on the couch beside me, resting his head on my shoulder. A moment later, Cole comes in, but doesn’t say anything. He stands there, watching us with a frown. He looks like he wants to say something, but his face softens, and he goes back the way he came without a word.

“I’m sorry,” Chris mutters after a long time. “I know I was a dick, and I know you didn’t take my shit. I don’t even know why I said that. I’ve been so stressed out, and tired, and drinking too much.”

“So you admit it?”

He groans. “Yes.” He rolls his head off my shoulder and rests it against the couch. “The fight we had really made me realize it. And that's why I’m done.”

“Done with…”

He looks at me. “I’m done drinking. For now. At least until I can figure out when I’ll be able to drink casually and not rely on it, which I know may be never.” He puts his arm around me and pulls me into a hug. “You’re my best friend, Bryson, and I don’t ever want to lose that. I’m so sorry.”

I hug him back, but I’m thrown off guard. This isn’t like him. At all.

“Did you visit Tibetan Monks while you were away?”

He huffs out a laugh, letting me go. “You are such a nerd.”

“That’s why you love me.” I grin at him.

“Ew, it is not.”

He gets up, running his hand through his hair, and glancing down the hall.

“You going to talk to him?” I ask.

“No,” he answers way too quickly. “Not there yet.”

“Thank you for apologizing.”

“Thank you for not killing me.” He smiles.

I get up and stop in front of him, putting my hands on his shoulders. “I need you to do me a favor.”

“Fuck, I hate when you’re serious.”

“I know you don’t want to talk to your dad, and that’s fine. I won’t push it. Do it on your time. It’s your business. But Chris, you cannot blow off breakfast again. I’ve never seen him look so torn up over something before.” I gesture down the hall to where his father is.

Chris grits his teeth, looking away for a long moment before nodding. “Fine. But I need you to do me a favor.”

“Anything.”

He shifts on his feet, bringing his gaze to mine. “I need you to let him know that I need space, and that I’ll do Sunday breakfasts, but if he pushes me too hard, I’m going to snap.”

Fuck.

“You can’t tell him that yourself?” I ask carefully.

“I don’t want to talk to him. This is his fault.”

I don’t argue with him about that because I don’t want to push him away. None of this is Cole’s fault. The way Chris reacts to something isn’t anyone’s fault. It’s just who he is as a person. If he needs to blame Cole for this for now, fine. Maybe once he gets his shit figured out, he’ll see more clearly and realize Cole isn’t in the wrong here. The last thing I want is for Chris to think I’m against him, but I won’t agree with him if he’s wrong. I’ll just support him as best I can.

So I relent and say, “Fine.”

He wraps me in a hug. “I love you, bro. Seriously, best friend ever.”

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