*time skip to the day before thanksgiving*
"So, my parents are going out of town this weekend," I said casually as Phil, Cat, and I walked down the hall, glad to be leaving. We had the next two days off for thanksgiving weekend, so everyone had been more cheerful than usual today.
"Really?" Cat shouted. "We should all three have a sleepover!"
"Cat, we aren't twelve," I mused.
"Come on Dan," she pleaded. "We haven't had a sleepover in forever."
I sighed in defeat. "Fine. Phil?" I asked.
"Oh, yeah, sounds fun!" He exclaimed.
We all made plans to meet at my house Friday evening at 5:30, which is two hours after my parents are supposed to leave.
"Okay, bye!" Cat turned to walk away.
"Wait, where are you going?" Phil asked before I could.
"I'm going out with Zoe," she answered and ran off in the other direction. I shuttered at the thought of Zoe.
"I'm not interested in you like that," I mumbled awkwardly. It was a few days after the party, and I had been avoiding her. Phil pointed out that it would be much easier if I just confronted her with how I felt.
"It's okay, I understand." Zoe replied sadly. "But thanks for the kiss anyways."
Phil smirked and looked away from us, and I had to keep myself from glaring at him.
"Do you think I could have one more?" Zoe asked innocently, looking up at me through her eyelashes.
"Actually, we gotta go. Come on," Phil said harshly. He grabbed my arm and pulled me away from a depleted-looking Zoe. I gave her an apologetic smile as we rounded the corner.
Phil watched as Cat walked off, then turned around and continued in the same direction that we were going with a shrug. "Do you want me to drive you home?" Phil asked.
"What? Oh, no, you don't have to do that," I responded.
"Dan, it's below freezing out there," he commented, his voice coming out a little more assertive than usual. "Let me drive you home."
I nodded, and he smiled triumphantly.
He was right about the temperature. I only brought one flimsy jacket to school because I forgot to bring my heavier one. I hugged it tightly to my body when we walked outside, but it didn't help much. Three steps out and I was already shivering.
"Are you cold?" Phil asked.
I shook my head, afraid that if I spoke he would hear the chattering of my teeth.
He peeled off one of his coats and put it over my shoulder, making me warm up instantly. "I don't want you to be cold," I murmured.
"Oh, I'm fine," he dismissed. "I've got two other coats on."
We arrived at his car, and I hopped in quickly, hoping that the inside would be warmer. It was slightly, but not enough to help at all. Phil put the key in the engine, and the car sputtered to life, filling the car with warm air.
I wrapped the borrowed jacket around me, and snuggled into it. It smelled like the warm vanilla and cinnamon cologne that he uses. I breathed it in happily, feeling warmer with every passing second.
I glanced over to see Phil hunched over the heater happily, letting the warm air cover his body. I snickered at the tall boy crouching over, looking like a troll. He peered up at me with a smile. "What?"
I shook my head, laughing. He straightened up and started driving away from the school, down the road I usually walk.
Sitting in the familiar seat reminded me of Halloween night, when Phil had attempted to kiss me. My heart beat faster at the thought of him trying to do it again. If he tries again, I won't run away. I will let him kiss me. And I will kiss back.
He pulled into my driveway and put the car in park.
"Thanks," I said, my mouth covered by the jackets I was wearing.
"Yeah, no problem. I'll see you Friday?"
"I hope so," I smirked.
We grew quiet, just watching each other. After a couple of seconds, o couldn't take it anymore.
"Bye," I muttered.
"Bye," he returned quietly.
I waited a couple more seconds, then opened the door, hopping out into the freezing air. I closed the door behind me and ran inside, taking shelter before I got frostbite.
I don't know why I got my hopes up. He's probably not going to try to kiss me again.
---
"Dan, come say hi to your grandma," my mom called up the stairs. I groaned and put my laptop on the floor. I pushed myself off the bed and shuffled down the stairs. My grandma is a pleasant person, but she has Alzheimer's disease. Every time she comes over, she calls me Gregory and tries to hug me; apparently Gregory was her brother, who died when he was eighteen in a drunk driving accident.
I entered the living room and was greeted by my eighty year old grandmother ambling about, talking about the paintings on the wall.
"This looks like a painting I did when I was a young girl," she said, pointing at a Vincent Van Gogh piece.
"Interesting," my dad mumbled as he took a sip of wine. He must be on babysitting duty while my aunt Rebecca, the one who brought her over, helped my mom finish up dinner.
"Oh, hello, Gregory!" She exclaimed. "How is that girlfriend of yours doing?"
"I don't have a girlfriend, grandma," I responded.
"Oh, did you break up with her? What a shame, she was so pretty," she remarked sadly.
I left as soon as she was distracted again, making my way into the kitchen where I knew my mom was.
"Did you say hi to grandma?" She asked as soon as I walked in.
"Yes, she asked me about my girlfriend," I responded, taking a carrot off the vegetable plate sitting on the counter.
"Mm, maybe she was talking about Cat?" She guessed.
"No, she called me Gregory," I replied, taking another carrot.
"Stop eating all the carrots!" She yelled. She went to slap my hand away, but I pulled back just in time. Her eyes widened and she looked embarrassed. "I'm so sorry, I forgot, I've been up since four this morning and-"
"It's fine," I interrupted. I wasn't hurt by the gesture but she looked sheepish.
"Well, dinner is ready, go tell everyone," she said timidly.
I poked my head into the living room to find my dad holding onto my grandma, because she's attempting to break down the front door. "Dinner."
My grandma stops and looks up at me. "Oh thank you, Gregory."
She hobbled into the kitchen with my dad close behind. "Thanks," he whispered.
I followed them both and sat down in between my mom and dad at the table. We do this every year, so when we say grace, I don't have to hold anyone's hand. They just pretend by putting our hands under the table.
"Thank you, lord, for blessing us this year with good health and bountiful food," my aunt said, then motioned the cross across her chest. She was really the only one who was religious in our family, but we respect it and pray with her.
We dug into the food happily, some of us letting a few moans slip as we chew. "This is delicious, honey," my dad marveled.
"Thank you," she responded, too interested in her food to reply anything else.
Once everyone started to fill up, we all slowed down, and began chatting. I didn't really listen until my aunt asked me a question.
"Dan, do you have a girlfriend yet?"
"Oh, uh, no I don't," I responded.
"What about that Cat girl? She's very beautiful," she added.
"She is, but we're just friends," I chuckled, trying to hide my awkwardness.
"They've known each other for years," my mom interjected. "Cat is a family friend."
"But there's no reason that can't change," she dismissed. "You guys would be great together."
"I'm not really--"
"It's a shame. Such a beautiful girl and you waste her," she lamented.
I could feel my heart pumping faster with the anger that started to overtake me. I wasn't wasting her, and no girl should be referred to as "wasted" if someone isn't interested in her. Cat was beautiful inside and out, and anyone would be lucky to have her. I'm just... occupied with other people.
"She's not being 'wasted', I can assure you," my mom insisted, her tone growing slightly harsher. I could tell she was getting agitated as well.
She shrugged her shoulders. "I'm just saying, if you don't snatch her up, she's just going to be tainted by others."
I glared at her, my blood boiling. How dare she think that about Cat. She can't be tainted. No girl can be tainted. Cat is pure and she will be pure forever, no matter how much she annoys me.
"Gregory, why so mad?" My grandma asked. I looked over to see her staring at me with concern.
I flashed a forced smile. "I'm not, just thoroughly enjoying the food."
She nodded, and zoned out again as if we weren't having a conversation.
"So, what colleges are you looking into?" Aunt Rebecca asked.
"Well, I applied to Tulane a couple of weeks ago with my friend, Phil," I answered, trying to calm the raging bull inside me. She must know she hit a nerve with me because she changed subjects so quickly.
"Oh really?" She inquired curiously. "Who is Phil?"
My dad answer before I could. "Oh, he's a great boy that Dan's been hanging out with."
"How lovely," she replied simply, going back to pick at her food mindlessly. I glanced over at my mom, who was glaring at my aunt. She must've hit a nerve with her, too. My mom and aunt never really got along, but it's her only family left. We always spend thanksgiving with my moms family and Christmas with my dads family, except the only person living from my dads family is my uncle, but he's in jail currently for theft.
We all finished dinner and my aunt and grandmother left, thanking us for the food. I ducked out of the room before either of the could request a hug.
I walked into my room and pulled my laptop back onto my lap and started scrolling through tumblr mindlessly, occasionally laughing at a gif or a text post. I didn't look up from my laptop until my phone started blaring "Sugar, we're going down," loudly next to my ear.
"Hello?" I answered, my ear ringing slightly.
"Hello," Phil whispered.
"Why are you whispering?"
Phil giggled. "Well, I'm in the bathroom currently, hiding from family members."
A smile made its way onto my face. "You're an idiot."
"How was your thanksgiving?" He asked quietly, ignoring my insult.
"My grandmother called me Gregory, and my aunt insisted that if I didn't date Cat then she was going to be tainted by other men," I responded, letting him form his own opinion.
"That sounds way worse than mine," Phil spoke. "Now I feel lucky."
I sniggered. "Why are you hiding?"
"My grandma keeps kissing me on the forehead and my aunt keeps asking me about college."
"When are they supposed to leave?"
"They've been saying goodbye for like ten minutes now," he groaned. I heard the sound of feet shuffling, then he added, "I think they left."
I heard Phil's mom call, "are you hiding in there?"
"Shit," phil whispered. "No, I'm using the restroom," he called back.
I laughed as I listened to his conversation with his mom, as if it was a normal occurrence to talk to someone while they were on the toilet.
"Mom, can I please take a shit in peace?"
"Language!" She yelled, making me roar with laughter.
"Dear god," Phil muttered into the receiver. "She doesn't know how to take a hint."
"Well, everyone left now, right?" I reminded him. "You're free of the confines of the bathroom."
Phil giggled softly. "Yeah, I know. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"
"Mmhmm, bye Phil," I replied.
"Bye."
I kept the phone to my ear, waiting until he hung up. I didn't hear the tell-tale click though.
"Why are you still here?" Phil spoke, scaring me.
"Why are you?" I retorted.
He was quiet. "Okay, fine. But now we're going to hang up."
"Okay, goodbye."
"Bye."
Again, I waited. There was no click.
"Dan, you have to hang up eventually."
"No I don't," I replied.
"We can't talk forever."
"Yes we can," I returned quietly. We both grew quiet.
"I'm going to bed," Phil whispered.
"Goodnight."
"You too," he replied.
Silence ensued once again.
"Are you gonna hang up?" He inquired.
"Are you?" I returned.
Quiet again.
I heard the rustling of blankets and then a mattress squeaking.
"Goodnight," he murmured once again.
"Goodnight."
And we stayed on the phone for four more hours, not speaking, but not sleeping either.
(I was just editing somethings, sorry)