Learning to Love Christmas

Chapter 21

XXI: Oliver

December 24, 2013

 

It was the afternoon of Christmas Eve and I wanted to be anywhere but home. Kelsey was finishing something at work and Julie was having an afternoon off. I was left at the house in deafening silence. Not only do the Christmas decorations remind me of her, but everything about home does. I’ve gotten too accustomed to her being around that I wasn’t used to being alone anymore. She was constantly there when no one else was. I couldn’t stand it knowing what I did to ruin everything, knowing that she probably isn’t going to come back anymore.

I went out and spent most of my day at a café, careful to pick somewhere we haven’t been before. I was reading a magazine - or trying to, anyway; I couldn’t concentrate on anything – and minding my own business, when somebody smacked me upside my head.

 “You bloody idiot!”

 “Ow! What the hell?!” I looked up, rubbing the back of my skull, and saw Paige – arms crossed, tapping her foot, glaring at me. Leo was standing beside her with an unimpressed look.

“You totally deserved that. Leo told me he saw Elle crying last night. ” Paige plopped down on the plush brown couch across from me with her arms still crossed. Leo followed, sitting a few meters away from her. I would’ve laughed but I wasn’t stupid enough to get hit again. “She was good for you! I thought you guys would end up together and we could go on double dates. But nooo! What did you to mess up this time?”

“You didn’t know what happened yet you still smacked me? Who’s to say I even did it?!” I said. Faster than I could say another word, Paige snatched the newspaper from my hand, rolled it, and hit my head.

“Fine!” I said, rubbing the top of my head. I shifted me gaze to Leo and pleaded, “Can you please get your girlfriend in check?”

She swung the newspaper roll at me again but this time, I saw it coming and ducked. “Paige!”

My best friend shot me a pitiful look while Paige rolled her eyes at me. “What did you do?”

“Put down the weapon and I’ll tell you!”

She placed it on the coffee table between us and sat back, looking at me expectantly. I took a deep breath and rehashed that night’s events after the whole Chloe-Carol showdown. “I was at the back of the whole crowd and when everyone else finally dispersed, Elle was talking to Gavin and Carol. I was about to go over when chatty Cathy stopped and verbosely started going on and on about what just happened. “

“I told her I’d talk to her later and when I turned around, Elle was gone.” I told them I saw her go out the back door and followed her. I told them I stormed out of there when they were about to kiss and how Elle told me later on that they didn’t even kiss at all. “But I didn’t know that. So I went back in and I was going to ditch the dance, I swear, but a girl from my History class threw herself at me before I could. At that time, I was thinking Elle was with Patterson so I – ”

“Don’t tell me you did what I think you did.” Paige groaned, slapping her forehead with a hand.

“I, um…” I sheepishly rubbed the back of my neck as I trained my eyes on the floor. “I went for it.”

Leo had his lips pursed. “Then?”

“Elle saw us and when I saw her, I kind of, sort of, glared at her…”

“Knobhead.” Paige muttered.

“I thought she liked someone else. I was mad at her, thinking she was just leading me on.” I defended myself.  The moment I said it, I knew just how pathetic of an excuse that was.