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Chapter SIX
Carina
Days later and the insistent boulder of disappointment is still firmly lodged in my tummy, flatly refusing to budge despite the festivities. I'm trudging around the house in full-on mope mode because Jared Helmsley declined the dinner invite.
I was sure he'd be here the first opportunity, bashing down my parents' door for one sight of me again. Instead, he leaves Mellie a clandestine voicemail during the night. Almost as though he's avoiding a potential rain check.
He clearly is not interested.
I eat leftovers straight from the refrigerator and eggnog that I spice heavily with rum, imagining Jared out clubbing with supermodels. Even Dad notices my sulk when he comes home from the office and finds me still in PJ bottoms and cozy socks.
“Carina, aren't you going to take the chance to hang with your friends while you're home?”
“I don't know. They can be kind of childish.”
“Says the wise old woman of Denver. It's the holidays, sweetie. Time to have fun. Socialize.”
I call Allie and we agree to meet the next afternoon at the mall. She says she's bringing her cousin, Rachel, a digital artist from Florida who's staying for the holidays. I wanted my bestie Britnee along, but she's the all-American Colorado snow bunny and us mall rats never see her sporty ass during the season.
Daddy tried to teach me to ski when his girls were little, but feeling awkward and having my skis cross tips so I ended up in a tangled up mess, frozen and soaked through was enough to keep me off the slopes for good.
How is it even possible that the stores are more rammed full of shoppers than before Christmas? It's like a merry-go-round where everything flies off the shelves on the 23rd only to be put back on the 27th.
Thinking about my last shopping expedition reminds me of Jared Helmsley. Not that I've forgotten him for one second. He's filled every sleepy thought and most of the waking ones too. My chest is tied up in a knot with the thought of running into him again.
Completely ridiculous because although we're in the same mall, at the last sighting he was in the Department store designer section, not the cheap fashion emporiums featuring everything made in China.
“Squee, this dress is perfect for your mom's New Year party,” Allie squeals, grabbing a sparkle-dusted strapless mini tube from the rack.
“You're coming to that?” I say.
“A deal with my parents. They want to show off their college grad daughter to their friends.”
Allie's a year ahead of me but I've known her since kindergarten through our parents. She graduated and started as an associate in a fancy law firm.
“College grad daughter dressed like a Hollywood hooker,” Rachel snips.
I've noticed she comes out with regular coarse jokes.
“Cute. We should all get one and go dressed the same,” Allie adds
“Like triplets.”
“Or a girl group.”
“What are we five years old?” I moan.
“It'll be fun.”
I agree to spend forty dollars on an outfit I'll never wear again, just for the sake of girl power, or the sisterhood.
Whatever. At least it's only forty bucks.
All the clothes in my favorite stores look so cheaply made and slutty all of a sudden. I can't imagine dating a man like Jared wearing any of this stuff. The things I actually want, in better stores, are way out of my price range, even on sale.
We do have fun decorating our faces in Victoria's Secret and I pick up some cute lacy thongs in the sale that cheer me up. It's fun to be out with the girls.
“At least we've got matching underwear,” I say. “Because in those dresses, it's going to be on full show.”
