Boyfriend by Christmas

Chapter 1

Oh, ho, the mistletoe, hung where you can see. Somebody waits for you, kiss her once for me...

"Turn it off," I groan, reaching for the volume. My best friend Niyata pushes my hand away before I can get to the knob. The impressive part is that she does it without taking her eyes off the road.

"You're the one who usually listens to Christmas music in like, July. Why the sudden scrooge act?"

I lean my head against the window. It isn't snowing outside but the gray sky says it's going to start any minute. If I'm not home before the first flake, Mom will freak out and give me yet another lecture about the dangers of driving in the snow. Even though I'm not even driving since I don't have a car of my own. Whatever.

"It's painfully obvious this year that I am destined to be single forever. So forgive me for not wanting to listen to music that reminds me of my 17th year without a guy to kiss under the mistletoe."

Niyata sighs. "You're being dramatic as usual, Cass."

"You don't understand. You've got Ryan."

"And Ryan has tons of friends. If you would just let me..."

"No."

"Just think about it..."

"No."

"I think you'd really..."

"Niyata. No."

She sighs. We ride in silence until we pull up in front of my house, no snowflakes in sight. Safe from another lecture. I don't make any moves to get out of the car. Our rides never end without at least 10 minutes of car talk, even when I'm annoyed.

"I have a plan," I tell her. "One that doesn't involve Ryan's friends."

I have her full attention. "What? What plan? Why am I just now hearing about it?"

"Because I only came up with it last night. After Mags' big announcement. Engagement news kind of fuels the brain when it comes to making plans. Or so I found out."

"Okay. What's the plan?"

I adjust myself so I'm facing Niyata as best I can in her tiny car. "Well, I'm sick of being single for the holidays. Everyone has someone except me. You have Ryan, my sister has her brand new fiancé. Hell, even my parents are dating people. It's annoying."

"Okay, I'm with you so far."

"So I decided I'm going to get a boyfriend by Christmas."

Niyata laughs. Not at me, but at the fact that I don't continue. "That's it? Please tell me you have a paper and not just a thesis."

"Of course I have the whole paper. Who do I look like? You?"

She laughs at my jab, unaffected. "Seriously, Christmas is going to be over before you tell me about your plan."

"Shut up," I say, shoving her arm. "My plan is this: I have a list of eight guys. I'm going to go on five dates next week, one with each of five guys."

"You said you had a list of eight."

"That's just in case I get shut down. I need backups."

"Smart. Keep going."

"So after the initial five dates, I'm going to pick the three with the most potential and ask them out on a second date for the following week. The two best candidates will get a third date. And the best of the two will become my boyfriend. Simple!"