Boyfriend by Christmas

Chapter 15

Magenta groans from her couch cocoon as I grab my coat from by the door. Taylor should be here to pick me up any second.

"It's not fair that you get to go out and have a life while I'm stuck here."

"It's one week max and you're on a huge comfortable couch with cable and HBO and Netflix. I was in the hospital for weeks after my surgery, remember? Terrible bed, terrible cable, terrible roommate. Count your blessings, sis!"

She groans again and I laugh. "This is torture. And my stomach hurts."

Mags has only been out of the hospital a day and she's already driving mom and me crazy. The doctor said her surgery went well and she can go about her normal routine, but she shouldn't go back to work just yet. So she's been sitting on our couch instead, alternating between Say Yes to the Dress and the "wedding" tumblr tag.

"Shouldn't you be like, up and about? The doctor said you're not on bedrest."

She sighs. "Where am I supposed to go? I'm not allowed to work, so that's out. Doc said to avoid strenuous activities, which means I probably shouldn't do any wedding location scouting. And I have no one to hang out with because you're going on another date!"

"Surgery made you grumpy."

"I'm sorry. I just hate being stuck here. I want to go out and do something but when I gave the doctor a list of things I wanted to do, he said I should wait a week to do all of them."

"I could skip my date tonight," I say. "We can go to the mall instead. Just window shop, walk around a bit. I need to get some Christmas shopping done anyway..."

"Not a chance!" Magenta says. "You need to go out. I don't want you dateless at my wedding."

"No offense to Taylor, but I doubt he'll be my date to the wedding."

Magenta raises a brow at me. "Does that mean you know who will be your date?"

Garrett, I want to say, but that's just wishful thinking. "No."

She's not convinced. "Let me guess, he wasn't on the list?" I don't answer, which is enough of an answer for her. "I knew it! I told you not to overlook the guys you didn't include!"

"He isn't on the list but it doesn't matter. It won't work out between us. We're friends. So if anything, he'll be my date to your wedding as a friend, if I can't find anyone else."

Magenta deflates. "Don't give up on someone just because they're not what you think you need. If I did that, I wouldn't be engaged to Colton."

I remember their first date. My sister said it was one of the worst dates of her life because he wasn't grand and romantic like she wanted him to be. But when he sent her flowers the next day with a note asking for another date, she said yes even though she thought the first date sucked. Apparently the next few dates were better because now they're getting married.

"I'm not giving up because of that," I assure Mags. "We're just not compatible. Besides, I think he's seeing someone."

After the doctor came to the waiting room to let us know Magenta's surgery went well, Garrett took me home. The drive was quiet but not in an awkward way. We were both just tired.

I didn't go to school yesterday because I was too exhausted, but I did go to work last night. Garrett was in, too, as usual but something was weird. He kept looking at his phone and sighing or smiling. When I asked him who he was talking to he said it was just a friend. He said the same thing a couple weeks ago, and now I'm almost certain that friend is a girl and she isn't just a friend. Or at least she won't be much longer.