Unwanted Holiday Plans

The Thanksgiving break in our hometown went very well after all. I spent some time with my parents. My mom tried to interrogate me, asking me where I had stayed the other night, but I gently brushed her off.

I didn’t want to worry her. Then we had a movie night with wine and some snacks at Kate’s house with our parents altogether. My mind cleared up.

I was coming to my senses, and I was genuinely happy about that.

We returned to the dorm late in the evening on Sunday. Kate left to find Tim as I busied myself with stuff I had brought from home.

Lily also already arrived, but she was with her brother, as per her text to me. They were having a family dinner with their parents.

When I got to the part where Drew’s name appeared in the text from Lily, I closed her messages and didn’t read further. After I finished unpacking, I went to see Nina. She had returned that morning and was free, so I asked her to keep me company.

I walked with her to the nearest coffee shop and spent some time there, drinking coffee and talking. I was very fond of this girl.

She was my sunshine right now; she was not obsessed with boys, and she had a very observant mind.

So, eventually, I spent most of December with Nina. We hung out together, studied in the library, and went for hikes and runs.

Kate was starting to get annoyed with me because I didn't have any free time for her. She guilt-tripped me into promising to go with her for winter break to Lily's hometown.

As if it was an apology for my lack of time for her. I should have told her off, but I didn't. I loved that girl a little too much.

Lily and Rob were dating and happy together. So, most of the time, she was with him. As we were roommates, she always had the opportunity to talk to me. We discussed our studies and her relationship with Rob.

I was still in contact with Chase. We just texted and spoke when he had time for it. It was only friendship, but he had been giving me the support I needed, and I was grateful to him for that.

The only thing that was bothering me was the approaching Christmas holidays.

Logan and Melanie were a couple, and that wasn't surprising. The most shocking thing for everyone at the college was that Drew Milton had been staying with Phoebe Douglas for a whole month already.

Whenever I heard people talking about him, I tried my best to space out. I thought about my studies or my grades. Each time I passed them in the hallways, I held my head high and wouldn't look at them at all.

I overheard conversations on campus that they were perfect together. People were saying that Drew had never looked happier than when he was with her.

They were inseparable, and he wasn’t afraid or ashamed to be seen with her. That hurt me the most.

I knew that I wasn’t blind, and he cared about me, but I guess Phoebe was better than me if he decided to date her instead.

As much as I tried not to care, I noticed that I still clenched my fists whenever I heard about their relationship or saw them making out. I started to hate him.

As it was almost time for us to leave for the winter break, I was freaking out. I passed my first exams, and I did well, even, but I wasn’t nervous about that.

I didn’t want to go to Lily’s hometown for the whole time. I wanted to run away. Nina tried reasoning with me. She told me that it was up to me to spend as much time as I could outside the house.

I googled Lily’s hometown in Nina’s room, and I found out that there was a public pool. This information made me relax a little, until Kate and Lily burst in.

They were looking for me, and both were very excited.

“I told you that we would find her here,” Lily exclaimed.

“Yeah. My best friend is cheating on me with my roommate, unbelievable.” Kate was exaggerating as always.

“To what do I owe this pleasure?” I said.

“Well... we’re leaving tomorrow if you already forgot,” Kate said.

“Like I could do that…”

“Stop it, Becca! It will be fun!” Lily exclaimed. “We will be staying at my parents’ home for Christmas, and after that, we will leave to spend some time in a close circle of friends at Drew’s parents’ house at the lake.”

“Are you fucking kidding me? I don’t want to spend any time near Drew if I could avoid it. Maybe I could ask Chase and he will come and get me. I could stay with him or at my parents’ house until it’s time to come back to college.”

“Hell no! I have already spoken to our parents.” Kate folded her arms over her chest. “We’re going together, and we’re coming back together.”

“God, why are you tormenting me so much?”

“Girl, it will be okay. I believe in you.” Nina laughed and hugged me. Kate’s eyes narrowed. She was jealous; she didn’t like to share me with other people. It was always like that.

The next morning, I gathered my things and left the room with Lily. Kate was already waiting for us near my car. She was beaming and ridiculously cheerful.

~Please, kill me, someone!~

“Good morning, Kate. Are we ready to leave?” I asked, turning to Lily. She was on her phone.

“Yeah... Logan, we'll be okay... Yes, I'm sure... We'll use some apps if we get lost... I'm kidding! I know the way home! Oh, God!... Fine!” She ended the call and looked at Kate and me. She was frowning.

“We need to wait. Logan will come for us in ten minutes, and you'll follow him.”

“Excuse me?!”

“I'm sorry, Becca... He can be annoying sometimes and overprotective... He just worries about us.”

I walked to my car without saying anything. I tossed my travel bag into the trunk, waited for Kate and Lily to do the same, and then sat in the driver's seat. I turned on the music. For now, it was Rihanna.

Kate and Lily both stayed outside. Soon, I saw Logan's car pulling into our parking lot. Much to my dismay, I saw Drew's car following too. Breathe, Becca!

Logan hopped out of his car, and Drew did the same. Soon after, Tim climbed out of Logan’s car. The three of them walked over to Lily and Kate and started talking. I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate on the sounds of “Diamonds.” I began to sing along.

“You have a beautiful voice.”

I opened my eyes and saw Drew. He opened the door to the front passenger seat of my car and popped his head inside. It was the first time since the night at the bonfire that I had seen him that close.

He was gorgeous as always, but this time the close-up view of him brought me only sadness. I closed my mouth and returned my gaze to the front of my car.

Lily was gesturing with her hands, telling Logan something. He looked irritated. Tim and Kate stood a little to the side and were engaged in deep conversation.

“Look at me, Becca.” I flinched almost instinctively. “Fuck!” He cursed when he saw how defensively I had reacted.

I ignored him and tried hard to stay focused on the scene before my eyes. I was praying inside that soon Lily and Kate would come to my car, and we could finally take off.

I placed my hands on the steering wheel. I was so ready to leave this place. I could feel Drew trying to read me with his eyes, and I did my best not to reveal any emotion. My phone buzzed. I was surprised when I saw who was calling me.

“Hey, Chase. How are you? Yeah? For real?

“Oh, my God! I am so happy for you! It’s wonderful news… Don’t be. No, of course not. How long will you be staying in our hometown?… Till the end of January? Yeah, I think I could… Certainly! Thank you for checking in on me! Have a good time today! Me too.”

As I was talking to Chase, I was hoping that Drew would get the hint and leave, but nope. He listened to my whole conversation.

I ended the call and sighed in relief as I saw Lily and Kate finally walking back to my car. Lily hopped in the back seat.

Kate walked to the front door and stood near Drew, who had been staring at me this whole time in close proximity.

“Drew, move! I need to sit in my place. We’re ready to leave. Finally!” I was afraid to look at them, but soon, she hopped inside.

“Becca, relax. Your knuckles have turned white…” She placed her hand on my thigh and squeezed.

We took off. Drew left first, Logan was following him, and I was last. Lily was telling us about her hometown, about her parents, and their plans for this winter break.

I was mechanically following the car in front of me. I hardly listened to anything she said. Why did he need to come to my vehicle? Why didn’t he stay away from me? Was he that cruel?

“Becca?” Lily called out, and I looked at her through the rearview mirror. “I have bad and good news... Which do you prefer to hear first?”

“Bad. The good news will be for dessert.”

“Phoebe and Melanie will be with us for Christmas…”

“What is the good news then?”

“Well, they will leave after that, and when we go to the lake house, they won’t be in the picture. Besides, Rob won’t be there, so I can keep you company…”

“Yay! Must be my lucky day!”

“Rebecca, stop it! It’s not our fault that Logan and Drew wanted to spend the holidays with their girlfriends! We’re trying! We want you to start enjoying your time at college.

“Because right now, you’re acting like a jealous bitch! You overthink and care too much! One-night stands are not supposed to last long!” Kate blurted out angrily.

Lily gasped and clasped her hand to her mouth. Silence filled the car. I turned up the volume of the music. Rihanna’s voice rang in my head.

I didn’t want to think, and most importantly, I didn’t want to feel pain anymore. They both were oblivious to how I really felt, so why was I so surprised?

I had been keeping secrets about Logan and me, about Drew and me. They couldn’t understand my feelings and why I would be that hurt.

The ride to Lil’s hometown went just like that: We stayed silent while Rihanna’s singing blared in the car. I concentrated on the road, and Kate stared out of the window. Lily read some magazine.

Thank goodness, Lil’s hometown wasn’t that far.

Twenty minutes after our argument, I pulled my car into the driveway of the big and beautiful house. Logan was already on the front lawn with Melanie beside him.

Phoebe and she were there from the very beginning, I guessed. They had just stayed in the parked cars near our dorm while the guys had come out to talk with us. Now, Phoebe continued to stay in Drew’s car, and almost immediately after I parked, they left for his house. I was thankful at least for that.

I just couldn’t even imagine what more of a mess our first night would be.