Page 120 of How My Neighbour Stole Christmas
Some might say he struck out, fell short of love, a total and utter miss.
“You know, you don’t haveto be a dick about it.”
Narrator: I’m just telling it like I see it.
“Yeah, well…there weren’t any chocolate-covered chips. Everyone can see right through you and your inability to be clever and find a rhyme for lips.”
Narrator: Watch yourself, Snow Daddy. I control this story, and if you want any shot at locking lips, then check the attitude.
“Who says I even want another kiss?”
Narrator: Oh, Cole, all the readers and listeners can smell the desperation. Cute that you think otherwise. Now on with the story…
Sitting on my porch, the starry night sky above me, I drape a blanket overmy lap as I breathe in the wintry night air. Fuck, that conversation did not go the way I wanted it to, but what was I even expecting the outcome to be?
That she wanted to set everything aside and go on another date?
That she wanted to tell everyone that we solved our differences and that we were friends, that maybe there was more to our relationship than some friendly smiles and touches?
Nitwit.
That’s what I am. An absolute nitwit.
She’s always been better, brighter, bigger than me.
That’s how it will always be.
Stupid of me to think otherwise.
My phone buzzes in my hand and I see that it’s a text from Max.
Max:How did it go? Going to fill me in? Taran was surprised that I delivered her car. I need all the details. Wait…is Storee still alive, or did you kill her?
Rolling my eyes, I text my idiot of a best friend back.
Cole:It was fine. We made candy canes, and we drove back together. She went to her house, I went to mine.
He texts back immediately.
Max:Okay, why did you mention which way you two went when you returned? Were you hoping she’d come back to your place?
Cole:No.
Max:I can smell you lying from here. If we can’t be honest with each other, then who can we really be honest with?
Cole:Jesus, you’re annoying.
Max:No, I’m your best friend, and given our conversations since Storee has arrived, I would have assumed you’d have messaged me by now, letting me know what kind of wench she was. But I didn’t get the wench text, which means something happened, so spill.
This is why you shouldn’t have best friends, because they know too much about you.
Cole:Fine, we talked. I told her about my parents, she apologized, kind of aired everything out, and then we made candy canes together and I liked every second of it. Every goddamn second.
Max:Whoa, okay, was not expecting that. Um, so if I were to say the crush is in full force, would I be right?
Cole:You would be very right, but it doesn’t matter because she doesn’t feel the same way. We’re just friends, so we’re going to keep it like that, plus she lives in California and she has a whole other life there. It would be stupid to get attached.
Max:I can feel how sad you are through your text messages. Did you tell her how you feel?
