Uncharmed

Chapter 12: Friends

           Tossing her bags into the corner, Tania threw herself onto her bed and spread out, luxuriating in not having her arms fall over the side. Can’t wait until I get my own place, she thought as she buried her face into a pillow. I’m totally going to have a double if not queen sized bed. Single beds suck.

            Rolling over onto her back gave Tania a view of her star-bedecked ceiling, making her smile. It’s been what? Five years since we redid this room. And still the stars and the moon are there. Glancing about the rest of her dark blue and purple room, Tania couldn’t help but feel nostalgic. Away for four months and I’m already getting nostalgic. That’s just sad, she thought, laughing at herself. Stretching the girl decided to get unpacked, knowing if she didn’t do it now she’d never do it.

            Once she’d finished folding and hanging up her clothes, Tania dug out the Christmas presents she’d gotten for her family and hid them under the bed to be wrapped later. It was as she lifted out the bag that contained her brother’s present that she came across the small red-wrapped box that Alex had given her. “You’re not to open this until Christmas,” He’d ordered. “Christmas presents, when they’re not animals, aren’t to be opened until Christmas, understood?”

            As curious as she was about its contents, Tania resisted her urge to open it and instead carried it downstairs and put it under the tree. There, she thought triumphantly. Temptation successfully removed.

            “Tania sweetie,” Her mom called from the kitchen. “What do you want for dinner?”

            Smiling at the thought of being able to eat home-cooking and not cafeteria food, Tania headed to the kitchen.

            Laughing, Tania collapsed into her chair. “I honestly can’t believe someone could do that for that long.”

            The brown-haired Megan made a face. “You’re telling me. It got to the point I was wondering if I should have it out with him but luckily Amy got a hold of him and told him I wasn’t interested.”

            Lisa stretched herself out on the blue couch before replying “Come on, you’re forgetting one of the basic tenets of life. Boys are stupid.”

            All six girls laughed and agreed. “So Tania,” Vanessa said. “You have to tell us about your boyfriend.”

            “Well he’s my ex now though we weren’t ever really officially a couple.”

            “Whatever. Just tell us.”

            Tania shrugged. “Not that much to tell. Bredon’s a nice guy but neither of us went into the relationship seriously so we decided to just call it off and be friends. It works better this way.”

            “Well that’s no fun,” Jackie pouted.

            “Gah. You sound like my brother.”

            “How is your brother? Still as good-looking as ever?” Megan asked, grinning wickedly.

            Tania shuddered and said “I’m going to pretend you didn’t just say that.”

            “Well what about at school? Any hot friends you can bring back for us?”

            “Hmmm… Well I guess the boys are all pretty good looking. Though I pity any girl who dates Alexander, he’s such a big-headed jackass.”