𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞, 𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐝𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬

𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐭𝐰𝐨

THANKSGIVING WAS the first time Sophia returned to her hometown for the school year—a reunion with her parents, her dog Georgie, and Lillian's family. Since the age of thirteen, Sophia and Lillian's families had celebrated Thanksgiving together, a tradition involving a delightful exchange of dishes between the households. This year, however, carried a unique weight—it was the first time Sophia was away from Ethan, separated by a thousand miles as he returned to Canada. The distance felt odd, considering the closeness they had developed over the past few months.

In the car with Mark and Lillian on the journey home, Mark's refusal to share the aux cord led the girls to retreat into their musical worlds with AirPods. As "Stockholm Syndrome" by One Direction resonated in Sophia's ears, she watched the transition from cityscape to a scenic forest, witnessing the leaves, once vibrant, gracefully falling—a visual reminder that winter was on its way.

Mark pulled into a nearby gas station and turned off the car. Sophia, removing her AirPods, turned towards him. "I need gas. You guys can go grab something if you want," Mark announced.

"Wow, thanks for your permission that we definitely needed," Lillian sarcastically said. Mark sighed and exited the car. "I can't win with you," he mumbled. The girls stepped out and headed into the gas station.

"I thought your mom didn't like it when we ate the day before. What does she call it? Starving ourselves," Lillian teased, prompting Sophia to chuckle. "I just want a drink. Just thinking about tomorrow makes me wanna throw up. I'm gonna be so full," Sophia confessed, making her way to the back of the store to grab a drink from the fridge.

"Is your mom making her famous mashed potatoes?" Sophia asked. "Of course. It's not Thanksgiving without Laura's mashed potatoes," Lillian said. With their desired items in hand, the two girls checked out. Meanwhile, Mark leaned against the car, patiently waiting for the gas to fill up.

The girls settled back into the car, with Lillian leaning up front. "Are you gonna tell your parents about...you know who?" Lillian asked. Sophia sighed, "I haven't decided yet."

"Well, it's not like they care, unlike some other people," Lillian remarked, glancing out the window at Mark. "I know, but I don't know how they'll react," Sophia confessed. Lillian shrugged, leaning back. "They'll probably be happy."

"Happy that I'm lying to my brother?" Sophia asked. "Happy that you're happy. Trust me, all they want is for you to be happy," Lillian reassured. "Plus, won't it be great to finally get that secret off your chest? You'll be able to breathe a little," she added.

As soon as Mark finished refueling the car, he got back inside and resumed driving. When Mark pulled into the driveway about ten minutes later, Sophia quickly opened her door and grabbed her suitcase from the trunk. Standing in the driveway, she gazed at the house, flooded with memories. It was a place where she took her first steps, said her first words, and had her first kiss right outside the front door.

While the others grabbed their luggage from the trunk, the front door swung open, revealing Sophia's German shepherd, Georgie, running toward them. "Hey, Georgie," Sophia bent down to pet him. "I missed you." Georgie, a pet purchased by Sophia and Mark for their parents the year before heading off to college, wagged his tail in joy.

Sophia's attention shifted towards the door as her parents and Lillian's parents walked outside. "Mom!" Sophia exclaimed, rushing to embrace her. "I missed you," she smiled. "I missed you too, pumpkin," her mom replied. Her dad joined in for a hug. "Hey, honey," he said. Mark wasn't forgotten, and Sophia's mom walked over to hug him. "How's that girlfriend of yours? What did you say her name was again?" she asked. "Jasmyne and she's good," Mark replied.