Boyfriend by Christmas

Chapter 9

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?"