Monday and Tuesday go by quickly. All of the teachers give busy work because no one wants to assign anything major before Thanksgiving. Probably out of fear of student mutiny.
Tuesday evening, Garrett and I spend two hours at Spoiler Alert putting up all of the sale signs we set up on Sunday. The conversation flows superficially. It feels like my first week here all over again, before Garrett and I knew each other. We would work together but it was like we weren't sure how to do it. After a couple of weeks, we developed a rhythm. We started talking about everything and anything. It got so easy I would forget that we were working because it felt like we were just existing.
But not Wednesday.
Wednesday was like we went back in time. Like we didn't know what to say to each other or how to say it. And I don't know why.
That day at school, I sat with Garrett at lunch because Niyata left for Puerto Rico early that morning and I didn't want to sit by myself. I have other friends at school, but none that I would volunteer to sit with for thirty minutes.
Of course, sitting with Garrett meant sitting with Thompson. And the more I talked to Thompson, the more tense things got with Garrett. I don't understand! He has no reason to be upset, unless maybe he and Thompson got into a fight or something.
Now I want to fix things. I won't survive black Friday if Garrett can barely look at me.
I find Garrett at his locker after school and wait until he looks at me. I know he knows I'm here. I also know he's pretending he doesn't.
He finally sighs and closes the door. "What's up?"
"You tell me."
Another sigh. "I don't know."
"Yes you do. You just won't tell me."
"You're right."
"You're crazy if you think I'm going to let this stand."
One more sigh. If he does it again, I might punch him. "I just... you and Thompson seem to have really hit it off the other night. I hadn't realized..."
"Oh," I say. "I'm sorry. I didn't think it'd be weird. I should have figured it would be."
"Why? It shouldn't be weird."
"I went on a date with your best friend," I say. "And you and I are friends. It's weird."
"So you get it?"
"Yeah. I mean, if you dated Niyata it would be weird for me. I should have thought about that before I sat with you guys."
He shakes his head. "No, I shouldn't be so awkward about it. You guys went on a date. You're going on another date. It's fine. I just have to get used to it."
"Can you try to get used to it without freezing me out. Last night was miserable. I miss us."
He smiles a small, sad looking smile. 'Yeah, me too. I'll try to be... not awkward."
"And I'll try not to make situations awkward."
"Deal," he says, holding his arms out for a hug. I walk towards his chest and wrap my arms around his waist.
"I'm gonna miss you this week."
He laughs. "You could always text me."
"It's not the same."
"It's only a few days."
I step out of the hug. "Yeah."
"Hey," he says, tapping my chin. "You okay?"
I nod. "Yeah, fine. Just already lonely I guess. Niyata left for Puerto Rico yesterday and she'll be gone until Sunday. You're leaving. My sister is spending Thanksgiving with her fiance's family."
"I'll be back Friday," he says.
"I know. Thank goodness."
He pulls me in for another hug. "Are you sure you're okay?"
I nod into his chest, only this time I really mean it. Who wouldn't be okay in a warm hug? "Yeah. I think I'm just tired. I guess the dating break was a good idea after all."
"Finally admitting we were right? I should call Niyata and share the news."
"Ha. Shut up."
He hugs me tighter and then releases me. "I should get going. Do you want a ride home?"
"Oh, no, it's okay..."
Garrett rolls his eyes. "Let's go."
I look over my shoulder, for what, I don't know. "No, really. You have to get home and I live on the other side of town."
He laughs. "An extra five minutes won't make us late to my aunt's house. Besides, I guarantee my sister hasn't packed yet. Even though it's only two nights, she needs like eighteen outfits. It's fine."
"Why don't you drive Kat to school?" I ask as we go towards his car. I still feel guilty making him drive me home, but he offered. And I think he would have picked me up and thrown me into the front seat if I continued to say no.
"I do sometimes," he says. "But she prefers to get a ride with her friend from down the street."
"Oh that makes sense." We reach his car and I climb in. I think I spend more time in this car than I do my mother's, which is saying a lot. The front seat seems to be molded to fit me perfectly. "Thanks for giving me a ride."
"You know I don't mind," he says. "I wish you'd let me do it more often."
I shake my head. "Not a chance. You can't always go out of your way for me."
"I like to," he says in the nonchalant way I've grown to hate.
"Well I appreciate it, but Niyata usually takes me home anyway. She lives a couple streets over from me."
He fiddles with the radio, settling on a classic rock station rather than the Christmas one we listened to the other day. "Makes sense. But if she ever can't, just let me know. You look good in my front seat."
I blush and bite my tongue before I can say something I regret like, I'd look good in your back seat too. That wouldn't be a good thing to say.
Though Garrett would probably just laugh it off like some big joke. But it would have been kind of serious. His backseat is very roomy...
"Is Thanksgiving at your aunt's house fabulous?"
He laughs. "Why do you ask?"
"Just wondering what you'll be doing Thursday."
"What will you be doing Thursday?"
"I asked first!"
He taps his fingers on the steering wheel, keeping time with the song playing on the radio. "My aunt spends like all day Wednesday preparing everything. And then she gets up at like four in the morning to get dinner started cooking. But it's so worth it because the food is the most amazing food I've ever had in my life. She's an amazing cook."
"Does your whole family go?"
"Most of them. My dad's got three sisters and a brother. One sister hosts at her house and another brings her family. But the third lives in California so she only comes every couple of years with her kids. And my uncle comes if he can get off work."
"Sounds amazing," I say.
"What do you guys do?"
"It depends. Sometimes Magenta and I spend Thanksgiving with our dad but this year, she's going to her fiance's family's Thanksgiving. My mom is still cooking a turkey, but just a small one for the two of us. I'll probably bring leftovers to my dad's house after my mom and I finish dessert."
"That sounds relaxing," he says.
"It is," I say. "But I would rather have the hectic, huge family atmosphere. We've never really had that. I mean, last year we went down to my grandmother's house in Connecticut but even then it was just her, my grandpa, one spinster aunt, my mom, my sister, and me. And we only did it because my grandparents sold their house and wanted to have one last big family meal there before it was someone else's."
I can feel Garrett glancing at me. "Maybe sometime you can come up to New Hampshire with me. Get a feel for Thanksgiving. You'll never want to go a second time."
I blush and smile. "I'd like that. Maybe next year..."
"Anytime you want," he says. "I'd invite you up with us this week but it sounds like your mom needs you to stay. Or she'll be alone."
"True. I wouldn't do that to her. But if I know in advance next year then she can make other plans. Maybe with my grandparents or something..."
I know I'm getting ahead of myself. The idea of a real Thanksgiving with a real family is too amazing for me to talk myself out of making the plans.
"So you think we'll still be friends next year? Even with college staring us in the face?"
He laughs. "We won't be that far apart. Who knows, maybe we'll end up at the same school. Or close by each other. We'll still be friends, for sure. Who else will talk books with me?"
"I'm sure college is full of girls who would love to talk books with you. Maybe even a few who would be willing to talk about history books."
"But none of them would be you," he says.
My heart and stomach flutter in time to the drums on the radio. Luckily we reach my house before the song ends and Garrett can hear how he affects me.
I guess I should just accept it.
I like Garrett. I have a stupid, stupid crush on him.
But it doesn't matter. If he felt the same, he would have said something by now. He had plenty of chances. He makes comments so easily that there's no way he could mean them. I just really, really wish he would mean them.
All the more reason for it to work out with someone on my list. The top three are great guys. Any of them would make a great boyfriend beyond Christmas. Next week, I'll go on my second dates. Then third. Then I'll have a guy and I'll ask him to be official. It'll be perfect.
I'll forget all about Garrett.
"Whoa, you in there?" Garrett asks.
It'd be easier to forget him if we didn't hang out so much.
"Yeah, sorry. Just thinking."
"About?"
"My dates next week," I say. It's not a lie. "I'm just really hoping one of them works out. Any of my top three would be a perfect BBC."
Garrett swallows so hard I can see his adam's apple move. "Good," he says. "You deserve it."
I smile at him and pretend he doesn't have the ability to break my heart even though he isn't on my list. It's not fair that he has any form of power over me.
"Thanks, Garrett," I say, climbing out of his car. "Have fun at your aunt's. I'll see you Friday."
"See you!"
I don't expect anyone to be around when I walk inside the house. Magenta should be on her way to wherever Colton's family lives, but she's sitting on the couch.
"What are you doing here?"
She jumps like she didn't expect anyone to walk in. "What? I still live here," she laughs.
"I thought you were going to Colton's parents' for Thanksgiving."
"I am," she says. "But we're leaving a little later. Colton had to go into work."
"That sucks. Where do they live again?"
"North Carolina," she yawns. "It's going to be a long night. We have to drive straight there as soon as he's done whatever he's doing."
I shudder. "That sounds terrible. I don't envy you a bit."
"You sure you're going to be okay here alone?"
"I'll have Mom."
My sister shakes her head. "Mom is coming to NC with Colton and me. She wants to talk wedding stuff with Colton's parents."
"What? Why didn't you guys tell me?"
"She just decided today, I swear. I thought she mentioned it to you!"
"She didn't," I say. "This sucks."
"Come with us!"
I bite my lip. "I can't! I have work Friday."
"Oh, right. There's no way we can be back before then."
I sigh. "It's fine. I'll just make a turkey for myself. It'll be great."
She thinks for a second. "What about Dad?"
"He's working all day. He figured he should get the extra hours since he didn't have any plans."
"Oh yeah, I forgot. Don't you have a friend you can visit?"
I start to tell her no when I remember Garrett's invitation. I wonder...
"Actually. I might. Give me a second."
I pull my phone from my pocket and dial Garrett's number. He picks up on the second ring. "Hey, what's up?" I can tell he has me on speaker.
"Um, I, uh. This is random. And weird. But um. Have you left for New Hampshire yet?"
"Nope. I'm pretty sure Kat hasn't even started packing yet. Why?"
"Well, the thing is, my mom is actually going to North Carolina with Mags and her fiancé, so I'm going to be home alone. I can't go because they're not coming back until Sunday and I'd miss work and I don't even really want to go there anyway and I was wondering if you were serious about that offer to maybe come with you to your family's Thanksgiving if it wouldn't be too weird. Oh, God. What am I even saying? It would be totally weird. I'm just here, inviting myself to your family's holiday. I don't even know your aunt. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have called."
"Whoa, wait a second Cassidy," he says before I hang up. I feel so embarrassed. Why did I just do that? Sure, Garrett and I are friends, but are we close enough to spend a holiday together? He's going to tell me to screw off. And probably disown me as a friend. "Of course you can come. I wouldn't let you spend Thanksgiving by yourself."
"No, Garrett, it's fine. I'm sure your aunt has enough on her plate without an added guest."
Garrett chuckles. "Relax. She'll be thrilled to have an unrelated guest. Maybe the rest of the family will behave with you there."
I bite my lip. "Are you sure it's okay? I feel bad asking. I just, I don't want to be here alone, you know?"
"I know," he says softly. "Gather up some clothes. You'll need something to wear to dinner tomorrow and something to wear to work Friday because you probably won't have time to go home. Plus something to sleep in. And something comfortable to wear before dinner. Not that dinner is fancy, but like it's not a jeans and t-shirt affair either."
"Okay. Would a dress be too formal?"
I look at my closet. I have a couple of decent dresses I could wear. "No, that'd be perfect."
"Okay. Why do I need something comfortable?"
"Football!" he says. I hear the smile in his voice. "It's a tradition. Everyone has to play."
"I'm terrible at football," I admit. "I'll be picked last."
"You're novel. You'll probably be picked first."
"Okay. Thank you for this. I can't wait to see what Thanksgiving is like for real people."
"I'm glad I can be the one to show you," he says. "Do you think you'll be ready in twenty minutes? I can run by and pick you up."
I shake my head even though he can't see me. "You already dropped me off. I'll take my mom's car to your house. She won't be needing it until she gets back Sunday anyway."
"You sure? I don't mind coming to get you."
"Seriously, Garrett. You're taking me to New Hampshire. The absolute least I can do is get myself to your house."
"Okay. Do you have my address?"
I've been to Garrett's house exactly once to bring him homework he missed when he was sick a few months ago. But I still remember how to get there. "Yep. I'll be there in a bit."
"See you soon! I'm excited."
"Me, too."
We hang up and I start throwing clothes in my backpack. What does one wear to play football? I decide on a pair of sweats and a t-shirt. I almost grab long sleeves but I figure if we're running around a lot I'll probably get sweaty. Plus, it's going to be mid 40's in NH tomorrow according to my weather app. That's like summer weather.
It doesn't take me more than ten minutes to pack so I hoist my backpack over my shoulder and search for my mom. She's in her room doing her own packing.
"Hey Mom," I say. "Anything you want to tell me?"
She rolls her eyes. "Magenta told me she mentioned I'm going to North Carolina. I was going to tell you, I swear. I even wrote up the text but I guess I never hit send. I'm sorry. I'll stay if you want me to. Just say the word."
"No, you should go. It's been forever since you saw Colton's parents. It'll be nice for you to see them."
"What will you do, though? Come with?"
"I can't, I have to work all weekend and I can't just leave them shorthanded on black Friday. It's going to be insane as is with the four of us working..."
"So you'll stay here and be alone? I don't like the sound of that."
"No, actually. I'm going to go to New Hampshire with Garrett's family."
She widens her eyes. "Really? I didn't realize you were seeing him."
I blush. "I'm not. But he invited me. As a friend. I figured it would be nice. They have a huge family dinner and they even play football before they eat. It's like the movies!"
My mom smiles. "I know we've never been traditional when it comes to Thanksgiving, but I think we've had some good years. Remember when I burnt the turkey?"
I laugh. "We had to find some place that was open and get takeout. I remember you tipped all of the workers because you felt bad they had to work."
"They deserved it."
"I know they did," I say. My mom has always been a Good Person. She tips well, she donates food to the poor, she volunteers all over the place. I try to be as Good as she is but it's hard to find the time. Still, I know better than to leave anything less than a good tip, even if the waiter sucks. You never know what that person is going through in their life.
"Are you sure you're going to be okay going to dinner with another family? I can just stay home..."
I roll my eyes. Clearly I am my mother's daughter. "No, you should go. It'll be great. I'll be back here Friday morning in time for work. Since Garrett's dad is the owner and everything." I laugh. "Can I borrow your car though? I need to get over to Garrett's..."
She hesitates before handing over her keys. "Drive carefully!"
"It's like five minutes away, Mom," I say. "But I will."
I give her a hug and she kisses the top of my head before I leave her room. It's weird, knowing I'm spending Thanksgiving with someone other than my mother. In all of my seventeen years of life I've never been anywhere but home for Thanksgiving.
I'm excited to give this whole travel thing a try.