Learning to Love Christmas

Chapter 10

X: Once Bitten and Twice Shy

December 10, 2013

I was freaking exhausted from last night.

I almost feel asleep twice today. Twice. That’s two times more than I usual do. I didn’t take notes in history for the big quiz on Friday and I didn’t hear what our English teacher said about the project we were supposed to submit before break. Not to sound like Hermione or anything, but I take school very seriously.

To top it all off, Mr. Vasquez kept shooting me these looks when Oliver sat down next to me in biology. But that was only because it was the only free seat in the class. How embarrassing is that?

I was sleeping soundly on my couch when Carol dropped by my house to check on me and saw I wasn’t ready for tonight’s festivities. I was half asleep when she threw a tank top, a sweater and a pair of jeans at me and pushed me into the bathroom to get dressed. I was almost fully awake when we trudged out into the cold to walk to town square.

“I mean, Flynn’s super gorgeous and all but he was so needy and you know me, I don’t do needy. Elle he was like – Elle? Earth to Noelle, come in please.” Carol said.

“What?” I looked up from the sidewalk.

“Weren’t you even listening to me?”

“Sorry, C.” I smiled bashfully. I couldn’t say I was practically sleeping with my eyes open. So I just settled for the right answer. “What were you saying about, uh…?”

“Flynn.” She gave me a look before continuing. “He was whipped, Elle. I’m telling you. You should’ve seen him last night. He threatened to pummel all the guys who dared to stand within ten metres of me. He was crazy jealous so I dumped him.”

Carol goes through boys like little kids change moods. She flirts with them, dates them and when she gets bored, she dumps them just like that. She breaks their hearts without a care. She’s like the girl version of Oliver.

It’s harsh, I know.

I rolled my eyes like this was a regular topic of ours. It was. “Someday, you’re gonna break a good guy’s heart.”

“As if any of the guys I date are remotely “good”.” She scoffed. “Anyway, I met this guy at the park the other day – definitely hotter than Flynn – and…”

I got my phone from my bag when it pinged, making me lose my concentration on what she was saying. It was a picture message from Oliver with a text that said, “We would make a cute couple, wouldn’t we?”

It was the photo of us on the sleigh last night which was a bit grainy but it’ll pass. I rolled my eyes but I smiled nevertheless texting back, “In your dreams.” Well, I didn’t know what else to say to that. And Oliver being Oliver, we turned out exchanging multiple text messages. Most of which were his normal, corny, pick up lines.

“Elle!” I almost dropped my phone in shock when Carol yelled.

“Carol, I’m so sorry.” I apologized. “I was just uh…”

With one quick movement, she swiped my phone from my hands and read the messages. I didn’t complain, knowing she would question me harder if I do. “Is this you and Oliver? In Mr. Vasquez’s yard? What the hell, Elle!”

“Hey that rhymed.” I joked lightly.

“Elle!” She yelled again. “I don’t remember you going out these past few nights when we did homework together so how could you possibly go out with Oliver at the same time?”