AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chase: Yes. Please change your mind and come save me from the two of them.
Blake: You are coming back tonight? Right?
Blake: GINNNNNNYYYYY!!!!! Where are you?
Chase: Man, you’re going to scare her away.
Carter: Forget the two of them. I can come to you. Who cares if it isn’t our night.
It goes on and on like that. I made a promise to stay off my phone earlier today, but clearly they did not. The message thread continues on with much of the same, the occasional pictures thrown in, showing me how their day went.
I can’t help but let out a few laughs and I can feel Melina’s eyes on me, but I don’t care.
Me: Yeah, I’m watching a movie with Melly and then I’ll be there. I will be with her Christmas Eve, but I can come over later in the afternoon on Christmas.
Blake: Boo!! We wanted to go to bed in matching jammies.
Me: We can wear them on Christmas.
I switch from their message thread to the one that I’d been dreading.
Dad: Call me now!
God, I’ve been dreading this. But today has been perfect and I don’t want to ruin it. My dad is persistent though and if I don’t call him back, then he won’t stop messaging and calling and it will only infuriate him more.
Me: I’ll call after Christmas.
Dad: Now!!
Me: Please Dad, just give me Christmas. Then I’ll do whatever you want.
Dad: I expect a call by noon on the 26th.
Me: Fine.
All my happiness is gone. I make the decision in haste, but I know it’s what I was going to do to begin with. I’m going to be the perfect daughter my father wants me to be. The dutiful partner to Antony. Who cares if my life sucks.
I feel a tear hit my cheek, the coolness of it as it slides down. There’s no energy in me to brush it away. Instead, I try to stop any more from falling. I can do this. I’ll have a few more fun days with the guys, tell them I need to go, and that it’s been fun. Easy-peasy. Just like the four of us said, just a holiday fling with no strings.
“You okay, Gin?” Melina asks me as she shifts on the couch, sliding closer to me and pulling me into her arms.
“No, I’m not. You’re right, I’m getting attached and my father is never going to let me be free.” The floodgates open; my ability to hold them back disappears and I cry my heart out. Her warm embrace is the only thing giving me comfort.
“I’m sorry, babe. I know this sucks. But just remember, you’ll only be the hot thing for a few more years. Right? I mean, really, how many older people do you see skating? You can always do what we talked about.”
“An injury?” I ask, remembering a conversation we had about a year ago.
“Yeah. I mean nothing horrible, but enough you wouldn’t be able to perform for a while. It could earn you some freedom. Time to talk to your father and help him to understand you’re no longer happy.”
I pull away and look up at her. Maybe this is the answer. But I have to time it right. It has to be perfect.
“Maybe. It could work. He wants me to come live with him in January, along with Antony, and train in his rink. Dear ol’ Dad thinks he needs to become more active in my training. I could do it there. That way, he’s witness to it.” The wheels in my brain begin to spin about what the perfect accident could be and how I can make my fall look believable.
“We’ll figure something out together. Now come over here and let's watch part two before you scurry off to be with those men. Let’s save our planning when you’ve said your goodbyes to them.”
“I love you, Melina. Too bad I’m not into pussies or I’d be all over you,” I tease.
“Bitch, you never know. You might be, but I’m firmly a dick girl. Especially silver fox dick. Speaking of, when I get his attention at this party, maybe he’s got some friends. I have a vivid image of him fucking me over his desk while someone watches.”
