Why Chuck?

"Love is like a friendship caught on fire. In the beginning a flame, very pretty, often ... deep-burning and unquenchable." 

-Bruce Lee 

-

"This is going to be a fucking shit show," Kayresia said, as we sat in the back of the event. I had chosen a black a-line dress with floral print on top, and a sweetheart neckline that made my boobs look spectacular. Of course, I had on my signature black as fuck cat eye liner and mauve lipstick (Benefit's They're Real! Eyeliner and NYX's Matte Lipstick in Whipped Caviar). Kayresia and I had ended up being each other's plus ones for the work events, after my not-so-lovely experience bringing Romney, and the tragic fact that everyone thought Chuck was going to be my permanent plus one at work events. The two of us decided to sit in the back for this event.

"Oh, come on, it can't be that bad," I said, as Zayn appeared out of no where, looking at me the whole time he "coincidentally" walked past us. He made sure that I saw that he was looking at me.

Kayresia turned to look at me, and started laughing uncontrollably. "I forgot that was your own personal shit show," she said, laughing.

And as soon as she said that, Chuck emerged, from the doors. And I felt like the world stopped for a brief moment, and I felt my left hand curling up into a fist.

"I'm just going to smile, flip my hair, and pretend like I don't have a care in the world and that everything is okay." Chuck had on possibly my favorite outfit of his, when it comes to "businessy,' he had these grey pants that made his ass look spectacular (that I had to tell him to start wearing, FYI), this black button down (that I bought him, FYI), this silver tie that perfectly pulled the outfit together, and of course he always wore these brown shoes that never matched any of the cool toned outfits that I picked out for him. His hair was done, and until I saw him, I had forgotten how well he cleaned up.

I don't know why I thought he'd wear one of his basic ass v-necks and his Asics. He looked good, and me, being petty, I didn't want him to look good. Because I was the one who was supposed to look good. The fact that the two of us matched perfectly annoyed me even more.

Blair: Matthew, my ex is at this event and he's dressed well right now. FUCK.

Physically, I was um, really attracted to him, but emotionally I wanted to punch his sorry ass in his face.

I turned to Kayresia, "This is my own personal shit show. Especially since Chuck looks really hot."

Kayresia looked at me, in disgust.

"But he's still scrawny and skinny and greasy!" Shane had told me, later that night.

Something that people never really understand is, "WHY CHUCK?"

When we broke up, my friends admitted that they thought he was exceptionally scrawny and not that attractive, that had deemed him a four to my ten. Whenever I tell people we dated, their minds are always blown as to why I dated Chuck Cuevas. When we were dating, guys still wanted to tap me, because they didn't see my boyfriend Chuck as a threat. Yael once told me that I was a sex symbol and that Chuck was just, "Ew, Chuck," and that it didn't make sense. But I don't believe in leagues and when we dated I genuinely thought that Chuck Cuevas was a complete and utter fucking hottie. And it always surprises people when they find out that he broke up with me. 

But that's what happened, and now, I'm going to answer the question, "Why Chuck?"

-

There were always sparks between Chuck and I, not when we first met, but once we became friends. There was always this little force between us, and twinkles between the two of us. I was attracted to Chuck, I had liked him for a bunch of different reasons, even though I never thought that in a million years that I would like him. He was completely unlike any guy that I had ever dated before, and even though we were just friends, my heart always beat a little bit faster around him and he was the only person I ever clicked with, right off the bat.

But it wasn't Chuck, and it wasn't a full blown blazing fire, a huge major force that could tear Chicago apart, until the moment that it ignited, until the moment that I knew.

And I'll never forget the moment that I, myself, learned the answer to, "Why Chuck?"

I had been stressed from finals, stressed about school, and I had been doubting myself a lot. And I really wanted a fucking cupcake. After joking about wanting a cupcake, Chuck and I planned to get a late night cupcake from the Sprinkles Cupcake ATM, I had gone earlier that day to get a blow out, because of the stress and everything that was going on, and as I sat on my bed, there was a knock on the door. I had on a chunky knit dark teal sweater from H&M, leggings, and brown riding boots. I threw on my red peacoat, and grabbed my bag to open the door. And there he was.

Grey GUESS leather jacket, dark wash jeans, perfect v-neck.

He looked at me, silently.

"Hey," I said.

"Hey."

I had never seen him outside of a basic cotton v-neck and his Asics before, Chuck dressed pretty simply and pretty basically- a typical nerdy guy combo. He had looked good.

The two of us left the building, and that was the beginning of one of the most unforgettable nights in my entire life. We walked around downtown, to the lake and all around. Laughing, talking, as if it was just the two of us in this sleepless city. As the city lights shone, we walked all around, talking all night, and honestly, falling in love. My heart had never beat faster, and I knew, that I had really, really liked Chuck.

But I wouldn't know that I was falling in love with Chuck, until later that night.

“Do you have any idea where we’re going?” I laughed, as I played with the white flower that I held in my hand. As we walked along the lake, I had picked off a white hortensia off a bush. They were my favorite flowers, and this one was immaculate.

“Not really, but we’ll figure it out!” Chuck said, giving me a mischievous smile. He led the way, as we wandered the city- lost, but still found. As he led me up the stairs, I finally reached the top, only to see the glittering sky shining right back at me. It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen in my life, I looked over at Chuck, only to see the moonlight shining on him, as he smiled right back at me.

“This way?” I said, pointing to the path in front of us. He nodded, as we walked.

“I love this spot, actually, I think it’s one of the coolest things ever- how the road divides into two paths, and one is above and one’s below. I’ve only been here once before.”

“The last time I was here was when I went with Perrie and Rhett to go to the theaters last year,” Chuck admitted, as we walked forward. Our hands brushed against each other, for a brief second, as Chuck turned to look at me.

We kept walking, and somehow, magically, what is now my favorite spot in the entire city appeared. It was a circular plaza, with four benches arranged around in a circle. There was a single, lone spot in the center, which was missing something. I walked over, and placed my flower right in the center. What was empty before, was now complete.

I looked back, to see Chuck smiling back at me. Walking over, I sat down, as the two of us looked up at the sky in front of us. The stars glistened brightly, as the city lights illuminated the stage for the sky. He pointed at the buildings in front of us, pointing out little details as we sat.

We sat, and we talked. We laughed, and smiled. And as we sat there, everything was perfect.

“I didn’t get my first kiss until college,” I admitted. Chuck stared back at me, blankly.

“It was with Haz, and it’s one of the few things I don’t regret that he did.”

“That surprised me, actually. I thought it would have been sooner. And you know that I haven’t been with anyone,” he said, looking at me. I knew Chuck Cuevas was a virgin before I had even spoken to him, it was glaringly obvious and very clear.

“A lot of guys think girls are sluts if they’re not virgins, and if they’ve been with guys before them,” I said, quietly. A lot of guys, as in Chuck's friends. After a terrible experience with James, he and JD had taken it upon themselves to tell everyone in our building freshman year, that I, Elizabeth Bui, was a slut. And I secretly worried that Chuck thought that too.

And in moment, as he was about to answer, Chuck looked at me, like no guy ever had, in my entire life. He didn’t look at me like I was some hot piece of ass, or just some other girl, he looked at me like I mattered, and like I was an actual person.

“Yeah, um, some guys are like that, but, uh, I don’t really care.” He said awkwardly, but very sweetly. Chuck looked at me, giving me a smile, and awkwardly brushing his hair. We looked at each other, and in that moment, I thought he was going to kiss me, as we sat underneath the stars, and the wind gently blew my hair to the side. It would have been the perfect moment.

But this is not only real life, but Blair's life, so he responded, “It’s like on the Cleveland show, where Cleveland tells his son it’s like drinking a coke after some guy’s put his dick in it, instead of having a new coke.”

I SHIT YOU NOT- HE SAID THAT TO ME.

IN THE MOST ROMANTIC MOMENT. IN THE MOST ROMANTIC PLACE CHUCK CUEVAS SAID THAT SHIT TO ME.

And honestly, I thought it was pretty cute. I started laughing, and he did too.

“But it’s not like that,” I responded. “Yeah, it’s not.”

And in that moment, as he looked at me, all awkward and nervous, that's when those sparks turned into a raging fire, and when I knew that I was falling in love with Chuck. Chuck was the one for me (you know, until he threw me in a ditch)