Permanent in the Stars

12: Oliver

I played her Cupid De Locke by the Smashing Pumpkins. It's the evening before Thanksgiving and she said she was thankful that I had good taste in music. So, I played her another song I thought she'd like. When she put it onto her monthly playlist, I felt proud.

We've been sharing music a lot lately. This whole week we've been texting each other links to songs. Our taste in music is so similar, it's nice to have someone who appreciates the same things.

I had gotten a text earlier from the Bakker parents asking if I planned on leaving campus for Thanksgiving break. I've gone to Asher's for the last 3 years, but this year his dad is going on a trip with his girlfriend so we're on our own this year.

Since I wasn't doing anything, they said they'd pay me $500 to spend the day with her as long as I spent some of the money on a Thanksgiving meal. I told them that they didn't need to pay me anymore and that I would drag her out of the house if I had to, but she was going to spend Thanksgiving with me. They sent me $100 for groceries. And now Rory and I are on our way to the grocery store to get what we need for tomorrow night's dinner.

She had earlier told me her plans to barricade herself in the house for Thanksgiving break to rot. I told her she was invited to my makeshift dinner. "This is cool," she says as the song approaches the end. "The store is going to be batshit," she adds.

"Or maybe everyone thought it was going to be batshit today, so they went yesterday, making yesterday batshit and today fine."

She laughs at me and I briefly take my eyes off the road to look at her. "I think you're wrong," she challenges. "Trust me, it's going to be batshit."

~

She was right. The chaos as we walk down the aisle is stressing me out. Just next to us, an old woman is fighting over a box of mashed potatoes with a young man.

"Why on Earth would they fight over that, it tastes like absolute ass, " Rory says when we finally squeeze our way through the aisle.

Then she swiftly turns to face me and says with seriousness, "You make homemade mashed potatoes right? If you don't, I'm more than happy to make them."

"Oh, trust me Rory, I'm putting you to work. You have to come help Asher and I cook tomorrow. That's like the best part about Thanksgiving- cooking."

"Perfect! What time should I get there?"

"Just come over whenever." I want to tell her to come over as soon as she wakes up; that she can spend the night and not even have to leave if she wants. But that might push it, so I play it cool.

"Aurora!" I hear someone shout from across the produce area. She looks up from the potatoes and I notice the pink sporting her cheeks. Her eyes widen and she puts on an awkward smile as a guy our age walks up to us. "Looks like we both left Thanksgiving shopping for the last minute."

She giggles, "Yeah." She has trouble keeping eye contact. "You didn't go home for break?"

"I actually live with my parents. They're like a 10 minute drive from campus."

"That's right," she says. When she holds his eyes, I'm not listening to their conversation anymore. I am looking at the way she's looking at him. Like she has a schoolgirl crush. My heart is beating faster than usual and there's an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of my stomach.

"Oliver," Rory is trying to get my attention.

"Hm?" I tilt my head at her.

"This is Leo. He's the president of the gardening club." Fuck. Of course Aurora Bakker has a crush on the gardening club president.