Escape || Cole Walter

Eighteen

•••thanksgiving•••

Thanksgiving rolls around with almost a flash before my eyes. I wake up to an alarm with the words: turkey day written across my phone.

Honestly, I don't understand the hype about Thanksgiving. A lot of the time, the food is shit, and Americans are celebrating stolen land and tons of death. Besides, people should be grateful every day of the year.

Jackie, who is already up and ready meets my eyes as I watch her perfect her outfit and small amount of makeup. "What are your plans today?" She asks me, putting in an earring.

I shrug. "Bed rotting."

She rolls her eyes at me and stands at the end of my bed. "You could always come and help Erin and I deliver food."

I give her an appalled look as I shake my head vigorously. "Girl you know how much I don't like Erin."

"Okay, I don't like her that much either, but I think she really wants to distract herself just like us this Thanksgiving. It might be good for you."

She would say it's good for me. But the second I would suggest it to her she would reject me.

"I guess Ill go with you then." I say, uncovering and sitting on the edge of my bed. The only reason I do this is because I know the only other option is being stuck in this house where this happy family is able to spend time together.

"Yay! Ill be waiting downstairs." She says, leaving me to get ready by myself. I sit there for a couple more seconds just thinking about Jackie and I. I wish there wasnt this award tension between us. I wish she was like a best friend to me. I also wish she had stayed in here and we could have gossiped or something stupid like other sisters do. I suppose we dont exactly have the same family dynamic as others though.

I stand up and throw on some jeans and a white long sleeve with an orange fleece zip up over it. All I do to get ready other than that is brush my teeth, wash my face, and throw on some mascara. Then I bound downstairs, putting on a black beanie at the same time. "Morning everyone!" I say, walking into the busy kitchen where Jackie waits at the counter.

"Hey Elle!" Katherine says first. I smile, leaning against the counter next to my sister.

"Morning New York." Cole smirks next to the island.

"Good morning Elle." Alex says, turning around from the coffee pot. "Also mom, Nathan and I are going to the Summerhills."

"You ready to go?" Jackie whispers over to me. I nod with a small hum.

"Are you guys going too?" Katherine asks.

"We cant, we are doing food drive deliveries." She answers in a monotone voice.

"Well Im gonna need yall home by two."

"Im not sure how long deliveries will take." Jackie answers. I share a glance over at her. She is suddenly clearly super uncomfortable. "So dont wait for me, I can just grab leftovers when I get home." She pivots and walks away from the kitchen. I give an awkward smile to a confused Katherine before following her.

After almost three completely silent houses with the three of us girls, we get in the car again and Erin suddenly has questions for us. Well, mostly me. "So um, whats the deal with you and Cole?" She asks.

Shaking my head I give her a cocky grin. "Erin really?" My sister asks for me from the back seat.

Erin gets defensive, shaking her head quickly. "Its nothing, I just thought that at the cabin I thought-"