TANGLED PLANS

42

"It's sad that Parker and you are no longer together," Maria says to me later that week. The girls had come over to my house after school to do homework together, but we have been sitting at the kitchen table talking instead. Our math textbooks were pushed beside us—completely forgotten—as the three of us eat the quick snack my dad made for us.

Dad was home today, and he had left the three of us to ourselves. I could hear the soft hum of the television in the living room and knew that he was probably watching an old favorite movie of my mom's. If I were to go through the history on television, I would find that there were repeats of my mom's movies all over. Whenever my dad had the time, he would be watching something of mom's.

When Brayden asked him about it last year, my dad replied, "It makes me feel close to her. When I'm watching her favorite character on the screen, I can feel her sitting next to me. It's almost like she's here with me." His response silenced both of us, and we left him. I still think that it's quite sad what my dad does, but if this is offering him comfort, then so be it. I wasn't one to judge, as I still dreamed of her every night.

I grab a chip from the plate and rearrange the toppings so it's sitting perfectly. Before I pop it in my mouth, I say, "Not really; we just didn't want the same thing." That much was true. After having the realization that I was overthinking the situation with Parker, even though I had an answer in my head with Max, I had gone to Parker. When I found him, I told him that I wasn't interested in the predicament.

A part of me hoped that he would offer for the both of us to actually date instead, but it seemed he didn't like me enough to say that. I tried not to get sad about it. I mean, boys come and go, and it wasn't like he was my soulmate. He was very funny and attentive to me, which was about it. I could deal with it.

"Eh, I always thought he was too touchy," Keilly says, and Maria's eyes widen with the realization as well. She slaps a hand on Keilly's arm that Keilly picks up and runs with it, and she says, "I know, oh my God. I thought I was imagining him going all over you in school."

"The assembly day?" I ask as my mind registers how someone else has commented on it.

Maria nods and says, "Yeah. I knew there was something off about that."

I grab another chip and say, "He thought I wanted to be friends with him. That was a no for me."

The girls nod in agreement. Both of them were set on finding the perfect guy who would sweep them off their feet. We all know that it's just a fantasy, but the three of us share that dream.

Maria grabs her phone on the table, and I watch her eyes widen. Keilly watches it as well and turns her head to me. "Oh no, she has found something!"

"What could it be this time?" I ask with the same smile, and the two of us share laughter.

"Funny," Maria deadpans. She then holds up her phone and says, "What does this tell you?"

Keilly squints at the phone screen and says, "That you're obsessed with Dylan O'Brien?" I giggle at the statement, but my eyes zero in on the actor on her phone screen as well. I would, too, agree that he looked good.

Maria shakes her head with a large smile on her face. "Look at the date!"

I look at the date and then cringe. "Wait, no, is it almost your birthday?"

Kielly puts a hand on my arm and then says, "Wait, no, I got it."

"Holden Vera's parents have gone on their first weekend away!" Maria shouts out loud to her friend. I squint at her and say, "Okay?"

"Okay?" Maria says with a look pointed at me. "No, it's his parents wedding anniversary, so they always leave for a weekend getaway, so you know what that means?"