To This Day

Chapter Five: One Minor Slip Up

Figuring that Carter wasn't likely to be drunk dialling me at one o'clock in the afternoon, I answered, "Hello?"

"Sydney!" Carter's voice, slightly muffled through my phone speakers, exclaimed. He sounded almost surprised I'd picked up.

"What's up, Carter?" I asked, absentmindedly spinning back and forth in my desk chair. The book I'd been reading was all but forgotten.

There was a pause, in which all I could hear was some muted background noise, before he spoke again, clearer this time. "Not much, just thought I'd check in. How have you been?"

"Good. Busy."

"Midterms? How'd they go?" Carter asked. His interest made my lips curve into a faint smile.

"Good, I think. What about you?"

"Meh, who knows," he replied. I could picture him waving his hand dismissively as he spoke. "Listen, I was wondering, what are you doing for Thanksgiving?"

I stopped spinning my chair abruptly. "Well, since I'm English and don't celebrate it, I'm doing nothing."

"What? You can't spend your first Thanksgiving in America doing nothing!" Carter said, apparently outraged at my lack of plans.

"I don't mind," I said. "I'll probably watch a bit of TV, get a little work done."

"Are you going to be alone?" he persisted.

"Yeah, the girls are both going home."

"I can't let you be alone on Thanksgiving! I'll come over and we can spend it together," Carter announced, evidently not giving me a say in the matter.

I hesitated. "Aren't you going home for it?"

"No," he replied instantly, with the kind of bluntness that suggested I shouldn't ask further questions. "I'll be here, and you'll be here, so why not be here together?"

Admittedly, the offer was tempting. I didn't really want to spend it alone, and a part of me was still holding onto the idea that we could slip back into the people we used to be around each other. Plus, something told me that Carter didn't want to be alone either. I knew he had plenty of friends here but they must have all been leaving if he was led to call me instead.

"Okay, sure," I conceded. "But you better bring some good snacks."

"Great! I'll see you Thursday morning?" Carter sounded more excited, hopeful even, than I was used to. This gave me a little hope myself, for our friendship. Maybe he would drop this cooler-than-you persona he'd acquired since I used to know him.

"See you then."

***

Both my roommates left early on Wednesday. Neither had a particularly long way to go and were both due back by Friday night. So, as far as they were concerned, I would be alone for less than three whole days. I'd decided it was best not to mention the visitor I was due to have over; I didn't want either of them getting any ideas. Plus, now I knew that Maya and Carter were friends, it felt a little weird to talk to her about him. Alice hugged me before she left, instructing me to text her if I needed her, whereas Maya gave me a small nod and smiled, which I'd come to learn was pretty much her equivalent.

The rest of my day was quiet, peaceful, and I fell asleep early after a Netflix binge. As it turned out, it was a good thing I got an early night, because I was awoken suddenly by the sound of my phone buzzing against my bedside table, an unfamiliar melody blaring from its speakers.