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“Please don’t do this. Can you at least tell me what happened? I’m so confused.”
Her arms cross against her chest. “This—you and me—I never should’ve allowed to happen, that’s all. We can befriends, just like you wanted, remember?”
“You know that’s not what I meant. Things have changed between us . . . or so I thought. I don’t understand,” I say.
“It’s fine, Zayn. It’s just I realized I can’t do this anymore.” I watch as she quickly wipes away a tear from her eye.Why is she doing this?
I decide to ask her the same question she asked me years ago. “So, we’re just over, then?”
Autumn nods her head in response. She walks to the door and holds it open with her foot while her hands pointedly show me the way out.
I hang my head and make my way to the door. I stuff my hand in my pocket to retrieve the note I wrote her at Eats & Sweets and place it in her hand. “Here, please read it,” I beg.
“Fine,” she says tossing it on her front entryway table before closing the door behind me. I stand there with my phone in my hand and lean my head against the door.What the fuck just happened?
* * *
I can’t believeit’s already Christmas Eve. I haven’t been this down around Christmas since the first one when my dad started taking too many pills and drinking his life away. I remember waking up that Christmas morning to find no presents under the tree—the tree I put up with Ryker’s help. When I asked my dad where the presents were, he tried to convince me Christmas was next week. A week later, still no gifts.
I still can’t believe he’s staying at my place right now. He swears his been sober for almost a year, and I think this time it’s for real. He’s honestly been great with Riley, too.
“Dad, can we do that many lights on our house next year?” Riley asks me, interrupting my thought. We’re watchingNational Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, one of my all-time favorites.
“I don’t know about that, bug. Look at all the trouble he’s going through with that many.”
She laughs. I flash her a big smile. It’s so good to have Riley home with me this week for her winter break. I’ve missed out on spending the past two Christmases with her since I was scheduled to work, but it’s finally worked out this year that I’m off on both Christmas Eve and Day. We spent last night decorating the tree with my dad, and I have to admit, it does feel like things are finally coming together. Except I still haven’t heard from or seen Autumn since our breakup. If you can even call it that.
The front door swings open and dad enters carrying a few grocery bags.
“Oh dad, let me help you bring some stuff in,” I offer.
My dad gives me a smirk and says, “It ain’t much, but thanks. You might want to grab the heavier ones I left out in the car.”
Grabbing two bags from him, I ask, “Did you get stuff for dinner?”
“Nope, didn’t have to. We’ve got dinner plans elsewhere.”
“We do? Where?” Riley asks right as I’m about to.
“At your teacher’s house.”
A lump rises in my throat. “Wait, what?” I ask.
Dad nods. “Her mother was at the supermarket and invited us all over for Christmas Eve dinner. Cathy was always such a peach. I couldn’t help but say yes. Hope that’s alright with you two.” He places the bags he’s holding onto the kitchen counter.
Riley looks at me with beaming eyes. “Dad, did you hear that? We’re having dinner with Ms. Parker!”
“Yeah, that’ll be great, but I think it’s best we stay in tonight,” I say, hoping to hide my hesitation.Does Autumn know we’re coming? How do I get out of this?
“Dad, no! I want to go,” Riley says giving me puppy dog eyes. “Please?”
“Fine.” I can never say no to her when she says please.
“Cathy said six o’clock. I bought a couple bottles of wine.” He throws his hands up in the air. “Not for me, of course, but for the hosts. Oh, and some cheese dip. Looked pretty good.”
The excitement from the two of them make me feel more at ease. I still fear Autumn’s going to be not so thrilled that I’m showing up to her family’s Christmas Eve dinner. I haven’t told my dad, or well . . . anyone about our split. Shit. I guess now there’s nothing more to do but show up and hope that myfriendis excited to see me.
“Sounds great,” I say as I’m about to walk out the door. “I’ll go grab the rest of the groceries and then we can start getting ready.”
