(✓) 𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐢𝐝𝐞 • [𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒆𝒍 𝒔𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒚]

nine.

After I became Daniel's girlfriend, we were inseparable—kinda. With finals around the corner for both of us, we barely got to see each other. Daniel made it a point, though, to call every night. We would talk for hours until my mom forced me to go to sleep.

Things were finally getting to a good place. Harlow and I were back to normal after the Corbyn situation. I was super social at school—I even almost got a detention for paying more attention to Hanna's story about a Friday night rager than I was to the physics lesson. And Dad was calling us at least once a week now, sometimes more.

Now, finals are over, and winter break is here. I set up my laptop in the kitchen for Dad's second call of the week. Rory and Mom squeeze close to me, trying to fit us all in view of the camera. Rory and I push and shove to get the better view. Mom shushes us, rolling her eyes at our typical antics.

After staring at the screen quietly for a few minutes, the computer begins to ring. I click on a button to pick up the video call. My dad's face appears on the screen, teeth shining bright. I can never tell who's happier: me or him.

"Hey there, baby girls. How are you?" Dad asks excitedly, wanting to hear every boring detail of our days.

"Dad!" Rory and I cheer at the same time. We simultaneously start spilling out everything about the past few days. "Whoa, whoa. One at a time," my dad chuckles.

"Hi, honey. I miss you," my mom says sweetly over the noise.

"I miss you, too, my love," Dad replies. My parents' relationship has always seemed so sweet, so easy. I've always wanted what they have.

"Okay, me first," I command, pushing Rory to the side. I tell an unnecessarily long story about the hell of studying for finals, Hanna's annual Christmas vacation, and Harlow's early return home for the break.

"Wow, busy girl," Dad replies, still smiling. "And how's my son?"

Dad has always liked Daniel, and he basically jumped for joy when he found out we were a couple. Daniel's even come over to talk to my dad a few times. Now, he calls Daniel his "son," which is obviously uncomfortable for so many reasons.

I face palm. "Daniel is not your son, Dad. That would be weird."

"Yeah, yeah. Tell my son I said 'Merry Christmas,'" Dad laughs. I roll my eyes and laugh, promising to tell Daniel.

"Anyway..." Rory interrupts, pushing me out of the way now.

For the next hour, I listen to Rory's talk about her dreamy biology teacher, Mom's stories about her wine-obsessed friends, and Dad's antics with his bunk mates. We laugh until we cry. It feels so good to be together as a family, if one of us is just a computer screen.

"All right, I've got to go, but remember. I love you to Pluto and back," Dad tells us. The moon isn't far enough for his love.

"To Pluto and back," we reply.

We all blow kisses at the camera before Dad logs off. I hug my sister and my mom.

Then, I pull out my phone and text Harlow. Winter break has just begun.

•••

Harlow and I pull up to a tiny Mexican restaurant halfway between home and LAU. We're meeting Corbyn & Daniel for one last double date before they go back home for the break.

We walk into the restaurant, and I spot Daniel and Corbyn in a booth near the door. They're sitting on the same side facing the door, but they don't notice us. Their hands are flying around in the air like they're arguing.