I shivered in anticipation. Christmas break couldn’t come quick enough for me.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

My mom came home a month later, in time for the Thanksgiving holiday. However, when the bell rang on that last day and I knew I had four days of freedom, I wasn’t thrilled. Everyone else was giddy. They loved the days away from school. They loved being able to sleep in and they loved all the food and family time.

Not me.

School was my retreat from the house. And sleep still escaped me most nights. As for the food and family time, I overheard my dad on the phone in his office one night. He was booking two plane tickets for the Caribbean. I knew I wasn’t included with those tickets. He was planning a weekend getaway for him and my mother. The two of them could heal together and escape another Thanksgiving without Ethan.

The one thing I looked forward to was Jesse’s basketball game. It was going to be televised on Friday. I had the whole day planned. I was going to sleep as long as I could, I was going to get coffee, maybe some popcorn, and then I was going to take my blankets to the couch. I would wait for his game for the entire day if I had to.

As I headed to my car on Wednesday, Marissa bounded up to me and hooked her elbow through mine. She panted and gave me a silly smile while she smoothed some of her sleek black hair down from the wind. “Whatcha doing, buddy?”

I hid my grin. She’d been cautious with me since she had started dating Eric. The two of them had been enjoyable to watch at bowling that night. She’d been flirty and seductive while he had stumbled over his feet more than a few times. It was a month into their relationship. She seemed happier than I’d ever seen her.

“Not much.”

Her smile kicked up a notch. “Okay, can I ask you a favor?”

When wouldn’t she? I shrugged. “Sure. Why not?”

“Are you doing anything tomorrow?”

“Besides eating turkey with my parents?” I had to fake it. No one knew how pathetic my family life had become this year. “Not much. Why?”

“Can I tell my parents that I’m going to have Thanksgiving at your house? I know it’s a lot to ask, but I got two tickets on discount for Vegas. It’s not Hawaii or anything, but it’s something special. I really, really like Eric. He’s going to tell his parents that he’ll have his meal at your place, too. It’ll be like a friends thing with your folks. Can we do that? Can we use your place as an excuse? You’ll cover for us if they call?”

Sometimes I had to shake my head at my own stupidity, but I nodded. “Sure.”

“Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you, Alex!” She bounced up and gave me a tight hug. “This means the world. You don’t even know it. Both of us have alibis for Wednesday night and we’ll spend the night at your place on Thursday. Then I’ll tell them that I’m going to stay another night at your place and Eric’s going to stay at Justin’s. We won’t even have to come back until Saturday, maybe even Sunday if my parents buy another lie.”

The glow on her face was unmistakable. I couldn’t help myself from asking, “Do you have something special planned for the trip?”

Her mouth clamped shut and her cheeks reddened. But her eyes sparkled. They seemed so alive, unlike the time when Cord had shattered her. They had lost some of their spark that day. I was glad to see it back.

“Well?”

She giggled and leaned close. “We’re going to do it.”

“It?” I frowned. I thought Marissa would’ve had sex with him by now. I loved my friend and all, but she wasn’t known for taking a month to get underneath the covers. “You haven’t had sex yet?”

She bit her lip as she shook her head. “I know. I know. But after Cord, I wanted to take my time and make sure this was the right guy.”

“And is he?”

Her head bobbed up and down. “I think so. I really do. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think I might be in love with him. Can you believe it?”

My grin faltered. She had been in love with Cord, too. But then a little hope lit inside of me. Did it change so quickly? Could I feel the same for someone else after my last time with Jesse? Maybe things weren’t so depressing for me. I could fall in love again…but as I considered that, I knew I wasn’t wired the same as her. It wouldn’t be that easy for me and I really didn’t know if I could fall in love with someone else, especially that quick. It’d only been a month for her.

“Okay. I’ll see you later!” She gave me another cheerful wave before she skipped away. I was sure she was going to find Eric and share the good news of their lie.

“Ugh,” Angie groaned as she sidled up next to me. Her eyes were locked in an intense stare as she watched Marissa disappear around a corner. “Why am I friends with her? Seriously. I have no idea. She has no idea of what loyalty means. I don’t think she’s capable of empathy. Why are we both friends with her?”

I shrugged. “Because she’s got our backs at times and because we both love her, faults and all.”

She tipped her head back and let loose a loud growl. “I have no idea how you can stand her. She craps on you more than anyone else, I swear. And she’d crap on me if I wasn’t with Justin. Did I ever tell you that she tried to steal him away from me for the first two years? She still flirts with him. I’m going to drop kick her head one of these days and finally score that goal the football team should’ve got our last game.” She patted her chest. “Me. I’ll do that. And I’ll enjoy it.”

“Stop.” I nudged her with my elbow. “If I really liked Eric, she—”

“She would’ve still gone after him.”

That stopped me, but I wasn’t going to let it depress me. There was already a list she had no idea about, Marissa wasn’t anywhere on it.

I hooked my elbow through hers and dragged her to my car. “Can we talk about something else? Marissa’s love life can be tiring at times.”

“I know. I’m sorry. You’re a better friend than me.”

“Not really. I’m just not that mad because she helped me out without realizing it.”

“She did?” Angie’s eyebrow arched high. Her hand found her hip. “How so?”

I shrugged. Did I really want to get into this? “I was avoiding Eric. I’m not ready for a relationship.”