they were just having fun

the one on Christmas

    "you promise you won't tell anyone?" Andi asked on the car ride back to her house.

"Andi, don't you think it's better if they know in advance that you're-"

"promise me you won't tell anyone." She begged.

Mush sighed. "I promise."

"good." Mush pulled over and as soon as Andi hopped out of the car, her parents ran out of the house to her.

"mom, dad, I'm okay." She reassured.

"you told us you wouldn't run away for the whole night like this anymore!" Andi's father started.

"I know, I just-"

"we called Elmer's parents, Race's parents, Albert's parents and Finch's parents." Andi's mother listed. "we even called Katherine's parents and she's not even allowed to have friends over." She added.

"I'm sorry, I was just-"

"do you have any idea how much you scared us?" Andi's mother asked.

"yes I do, and I'm sorry. I went to-"

"where were you-"

"if you let me talk, I'll explain where I went!" Andi yelled, fed up with her parents interrupting her. "I went to Mush's house."

"why?"

"I needed to talk to him." Andi sighed. "you have no idea how important these people are to me, and I've never imagined that I- I'd have to leave them." She explained sadly. Andi's mother then walked up to her and gave her a hug.

"you really love them, huh?" She asked.

Andi scoffed quietly. "how can I not?" She answered. "an- and what about Elmer? He's been around for most of my life, I don't think I could do life without him." She added. Andi's then father walked up to them.

"this is when your relationship will really be tested. Not just with Elmer, with all of your friends." He replied.

"I believe that no matter how far apart you are from them, your relationship with them will stay as strong as it is now." Andi's mother smiled.

"how?"

"because in your growing up, I've seen every single one of them go out of their way to protect you and make you happy. And you've done the same to them. You guys didn't build this wonderful relationship only for it to break one day, they will make an effort to keep that relationship with you and so will you." Andi's mother explained, making Andi tear up. She then smiled and pulled her mother in for a hug.

"can you do me a favour?" She asked.

"anything." Her parents said in unison.

"please don't tell any of my friends." She pleaded. "you could tell their parents, but you have to make sure they don't tell their kid." She added. Andi's parents exchanged looks.

"okay."

Andi was sitting on her bed and fidgeting with the necklace, that Elmer gave her, when she heard the window open.

She then looked up. "hey Dallas." She greeted quietly.

Elmer sat beside her. " hi Sunshine." He smiled. "I was worried about you."

"I'm sorry." She replied, looking down at her hands.

"hey no, it's okay." He reassured. "I just- uh where were you anyways?" He wondered.

"I was at Mush's."

"why?"

"needed to talk." She didn't take her eyes off of her hands. Elmer knew right away that Andi was unhappy, but he didn't know why. He placed a finger under her chin and lifted her head up.

"hey, you okay?" He asked softly.

"uh yeah. I'm just tired." She lied and faked a smile.

Lies. Elmer thought to himself. He decided not to push her to talk. "we don't have any plans 'till tonight. You wanna come into my room and watch some movies? We can even go to the store and get snacks." He offered. This time, Andi smiled for real.

"yeah, sure." She replied. Andi told her parents where she was going before leaving the house and they made their way to the nearest grocery store.

"hey catch!" Andi called and threw a bag of gummy bears to Elmer, who didn't notice it on time, so the bag hit his head.

"ow, not nice!" He complained. Andi then walked up to him, went on her tippy toes and kissed his forehead.

"better?"

"way better." He blushed. After buying snacks, the two made their way back to Elmer's. They spent their Christmas in Elmer's room watching movies. Soon, Andi fell asleep on Elmer's shoulder, so he turned off the TV and laid her down on his bed. She quickly wrapped her arms around him, so he did the same, pulled her close and kissed her forehead. Five minutes later, he too fell asleep.