Crash and Burn

t w e n t y s e v e n: Let Me Down

Despite being back from school for a whole week after Thanksgiving break, life was good. My teachers were taking it easy on us for the time being, my training for the county race three weeks from now was going great, and best of all Roman told me that he had hired someone. He had called me on Wednesday after my cross country practice to tell me he had everything set up. He had found someone who would bring the drugs to Snake Saturday night for a decent price, and he had notified Snake. Everything was finally starting to look up. 

So here I was on a Saturday night spending some quality time with Darren and Gemma. We all had barely seen each other over the break. We were seated in the town's ice cream parlor called 'Scoops', all enjoying our various flavors. I had gotten my favorite, mint chocolate chip, Gemma had gotten rocky road, and Darren got double chocolate fudge. There were only a couple other people in here, one couple with their young daughter, and another elderly couple in the corner sharing a sundae. Most people our age were at some party at some person's house; something we obviously weren't interested in. 

"So Tess how did your Thanksgiving go?" Gemma asks me. Every time there's a holiday Gemma always asks me how it went because she knows not having my dad on holidays is difficult for me. 

"Actually my mom, Casey, and I had some guests this year..." I say, not sure if I should reveal who because I knew it would cause an uproar from her and Darren. 

"Oh, who?" Darren asks with a bit of fudge on the corner of his mouth. 

"Well, I invited Roman and his little brother Brody over because-"

"What?! OMG that is totally something girlfriends do!" Gemma interrupts to accuse me. 

"No, Gem. That is something that friends do for other friends when they have nowhere else to go," I pointedly correct her. 

"Tess, I kind of have to agree with Gemma on this one. My sister invited her boyfriend over for Thanksgiving dinner this year, but over the years she's had plenty of guy friends she could have invited but never did," Darren admits nervously, not wanting to take sides. 

"No guys, you don't understand. Roman's...family," I improvise, even though I know that Roman doesn't consider Rick and his adoptive mom his family. "They don't celebrate any holiday. What would you do if your friend told you that they never in their lives have eaten a Thanksgiving dinner?" I question them, trying to get them to put themselves into my shoes. 

"Ehhhh, I guess that makes sense but still..." Darren thinks it over. 

"I predict that within the next month you two will be dating," Gemma says in all seriousness. I gape at her. Was she messing with me?

"I mean think about it," she continues, "You two are always together, you're constantly talking about him, and Roman hasn't been seen hooking up with any girls in months, or even attending any parties for that matter," Gemma reasons.

"Wait, Roman hasn't been hooking up with girls?" I ask, really not believing that one bit. 

"You didn't know?" Darren asks, who apparently knows about Roman's sexual life as well for some reason. 

"Guys I really don't think you know what you're talking about here," I chuckle. I really don't think that Roman would ever give up his precious partying and hookups.

"It's True! I was eavesdropping on a bunch of girls in my anatomy class who go to every party thrown on the weekends. They started talking about how Roman hasn't been to any parties in almost three months. Then I started doing the math in my head and I realized that you two started becoming friends almost three months ago," Gemma says matter of factly.