How To Be The Best Third Wheel

Original Edition - Tip 45: Communicate Your Thoughts

"James?" I finally break the silence.

"Yeah?"

"Why did you-" I start, but he cuts me off.

"I thought that it's been a while since I kissed you like that." he answers, not needing to hear the full question. (Well, that's what I was going to ask anyways). When I don't respond to that he adds, "Lara, please don't be mad at me."

"I'm not angry at you. Plus, if I was, a measly kiss wouldn't solve the problem. I guess I was just a bit...a bit..." I start, but I can't possibly say the next word.

"A bit?"

"Please don't make me say it." I whine, slapping him on the arm. I can tell by his amused grin that he already knows what I meant to say.

"I really do not know what you're talking about, Sweetheart." he replies, almost laughing.

I roll my eyes. The nerve of this guy! I breathe in deeply. Okay, I'm just going to say it. It's just a word.

"Fine. I was jealous. I was jealous of you and Eliza." I finally get the words to come out. It feels like a weight coming off of my chest.

"Jealous? Of what? We're just friends." he almost laughs, making me feel a bit concerned.

I huff. "You're just friends, now. It doesn't change the fact that you guys were together before." I explain.

This time, he actually does laugh. "We were thirteen! What we had was a mere infatuation. It's barely significant, to be honest."

Barely significant my ass, I think in my head.

From what I recall, the James and Eliza days were filled with swooning, non-stop talking about her, non-stop dates with her, and non-stop third wheeling (well, in my shoes that is).

"Well that's not what Eliza thinks." I mutter.

"Since when do you care what she thinks?" he asks.

"I don't."

"Good because you're mine and nobody could ever change that." he tells me, putting both his hands on my shoulders and giving me an assuring gaze.

I finally smile, letting go of any anxiety that I held for Eliza and James. Although I trusted him from the start, it feels good to have some kind of reassurance.

"Sweetheart, if you don't want me to go with Eliza on Friday, just say the word and I'm out." he says.

Knowing that he doesn't have eyes for anybody else, the thought of him going to that game doesn't make me feel anything. I don't feel worried that Eliza's going to snatch him away anymore. If she tried, she surely wouldn't succeed.

Now it's my turn to put a hand on his shoulder. "Thanks for the offer, it means a lot to me. But you go and have fun! You love watching people almost die on ice, so you have to go."

"Really?" he questions, almost surprised.

"Yes, really." I confirm, this time actually being okay with it.

He gives me one of those undeniably cute grins and pulls me in for a hug. "Thanks. Well, I guess I should be on my way then?"

Letting go, I give him a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow."

***

Friday arrives with a tumbling series of school events. Among various Christmas festivities are mountain loads of holiday school work. For the holiday season which is supposed to be about friends and family, it's quite ironic that I've barely had time to greet any of the people around me.

If anything, I'm even crankier during the holiday season.

However, the challenges seem to come to an end in the afternoon (well, except for the Functions exam review that Ms. K seemed so excited to give out). At least she gave candy canes along with them.

I get home at about 3:30 with Eliza, after stopping by at Starbucks for her afternoon coffee run. I myself, ended up getting a super overpriced peppermint latté under her influence. I also ended up enjoying it way too much.

I also passed by a shop for James' Christmas present, but Eliza was too busy to notice me doing anything.

As we enter the house, the family is crazy once again. Several other cousins are over, and 25% of the children are crying and throwing tantrums. At least Maya is sitting peacefully at the table with a picture book in her hands.

"Ninang Kath! Ninang Kath!" I call out. If Maya is reading here, and Maggie is wailing, Ninang must be somewhere in the house.

"Ara, I'm in the kitchen!" she shouts back.

Eliza and I walk over to the kitchen, where I see my wonderful multi-tasking Godmother, whipping up something strange on the stovetop. Meanwhile, she's also going, "Yes...50 of them...yes..." on her cellphone.

From the look on Eliza's face, she seems to be questioning this entire situation. Unfamiliar with my Godmother's tendency to randomly come into our house and cook stuff, she's probably in shock.

"It's almost Christmas, so she's doing Christmas baking." I explain.

Her mouth forms an "O" shape and she nods. "Anyways, I'm just gonna get ready for the hockey game." she says, before heading upstairs.

Ninang Kath ends her call and I go up beside her to examine the bowl of brown goop in the pot.

"Chocolate." she states immediately, before I have a chance to mention anything else.

"So what was the call about?" I ask curiously, taking a seat on the countertop.

"I'm ordering Christmas macarons." she replies and my eyes immediately light up. 1 word, macarons. French macarons are probably my most favourite expensive dessert. Although they can range from two bucks to anything higher, I can't help myself to just one.

So when I get to eat them and not pay...that's my kind of holiday.

"Have I told you that you're the best Godmother?"

"You don't need to, I already know." she says with a sassy hairlip. "Do you mind watching the girls while I bake?"

"I'm all on it."

I pick up a crying Maggie from her position in her high chair and miraculously, she cries even louder. Well, what can you do about that?

A lot of minutes later, Maggie finally stops crying and finds herself asleep in my arms. Maya on the other hand, switches from trying to self-interpret her picture book, to making me read it to her. To make things even better, she has a whole stack of picture books that she wants me to read and act out.

Suddenly, Eliza rushes back downstairs and our jaws drop in shock.

ANOTHER UPDATE? WHO IS SHE?

Hey Guys, currently writing from yet another airplane. With my lack of updates, it seems like only a few chapters ago, I was also on vacation. Well, I'm on my way back to the Dominican Republic and there's some annoying kid behind me who keeps kicking my seat.

Gugh. What luck.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter and stay tuned to what shock Eliza has put-upon the people. Also, I just want you guys to know that I'm also working on a prequel for this novel (I just do it when I have writer's block for this) and I'll be dropping some stuff when I finish this up.

Anyways, I'll leave y'all with another fact about my eternal singleness. So, I'm gonna be a Godmother and of course the Godfather whom my cousin picked for her child is not from this country. Basically I've upgraded and will be the only single Godparent, without a partner, during the baptism...

Wonderful.

Ciao my friends! Summer :)