"You really have no idea what you're wearing for Halloween?" It was Monday afternoon, and I was sprawled out on my bed trying to focus on my math homework, but was on the phone with Tessa instead. We'd been scheming - honestly, not much more than giggling about Danny's face on Friday - and the topic of Halloween came up. Normally, Danny and I would come up with something together, but this year we hadn't even discussed our plan. It had been such a busy fall with college prep and everything, that I hadn't even thought about it. Which, I was currently being ridiculed by Tessa for. "No, I don't. Normally we do a couples thing, but obviously I'm not really in the whole romantic kind of mood." I said the last bit flatly. "Yeah, but you still have to do something." I pictured her rolling her eyes and rummaging through her closet for her own costume. "I've had mine picked since Valentine's Day. I'm going to be the Scarlet Witch, but make it hot." I could hear the smile in her voice, she w
I'd never tried on so many different lip colors in my life. Tessa had forced me to try a multitude of lip products, from nude to fuchsia, and only let me settle for a nude gloss when I begged and pleaded to leave with my sanity. It was just past eight in the evening, and I had just pulled into the driveway, ready to go inside and collapse in my bed. My dad's car was here, which thankfully meant my mom had cooked a full, fancy dinner. I could smell the aroma of something Italian wafting towards me as I unlocked the front door, proving my assumption. When I walked in, I heard my name spoken in a hushed tone, followed shortly by Danny's. The voices were coming from the kitchen, and I could only assume they belonged to my mom and dad. If it weren't for Tony's shrill 'yip' when he heard the door latch, they would've continued. "Abby?" My mom's voice was curious. "Hi, I'm home!" I called out, and reached down to scratch Tony behind the ears when he skidded to a stop at my feet. "Hi, swe
"Abigail, it's so lovely to see you!" Liz Schwinn wrapped me in a suffocating hug. It was Saturday evening, and I was at Danny's house for family dinner. Normally, we would do it the last Saturday of the month, but that fell on Trick-or-Treat (and also the night of the party) this year. "Honey, we haven't seen you in weeks!" She exclaimed, and I saw the worry patterned across her face as she pulled back from me. Danny's mom had to be one of my favorite people on the planet. She'd been a Broadway actress early on in her teens and twenties, until she moved out west to Hollywood with an old boyfriend, who she dumped as soon as she saw Danny's dad while on vacation one weekend. She knew what she wanted, and she didn't let anyone stop her. She ran her hands down my arms and grabbed my hands in hers, squeezing lightly as she smiled warmly at me, silently asking if I was alright. I'd always been so jealous of Danny, because he had Liz and Aly both in one household. His mom, despite their p
I stayed at Tessa's house for another hour or so, and as soon as we walked back into her room, all her friends got quiet. I knew my lips were swollen and flushed, and Tessa had a sly grin stuck on her face. Her friends resumed their conversation, but I couldn't focus on anything they were saying. A part of me was in shock, but the other part of me could not wait to kiss her again. I sat down on the end of her bed, and felt the mattress dip as she sat beside me. I wanted to reach out and grab her hand, her pull was so intoxicating. I turned my head to look at her, and she was watching me curiously. "What are you thinking about?" She asked quietly. Was it cliche of me to say I was thinking about her? "You." She smiled at me, and her fingers grazed the top of my wrist and trailed down my fingers so quickly I thought I'd imagined it. I was disappointed when she didn't keep her hand there, when her delicate fingers didn't wrap around my own, and her palm didn't rest against the top of
Being at the coffee shop on Sundays was becoming a quick trend, and I wasn't sure how I felt about it. Partly, I wasn't sure how my light allowance felt about being drained, but mostly I was beginning to think I'd have all of my life-changing revelations at Brew Brothers. The shop was oddly busy this afternoon, and I was sitting in the parking lot waiting for Tessa to text me that she'd gotten here. It was just past four in the afternoon, and I had told my mom I was going to a cheer practice for the start of the competition season. I was getting awfully good at lying, and I wasn't sure how I felt about that, either. "Is she there yet?" Stacy's voice came through the car speakers. I'd been sitting in the car, letting it idle while I talked on the phone with Stacy. "No." I said simply, barely taking my thumb nail out of my mouth. I'd bitten it down to the bed, and it was going to bleed if I didn't move onto the next nail.Stacy could hear the anxiety in my voice, and I heard her sigh
All too soon, I had to return to my miserably false reality.The moment I stepped out of the shower on Monday morning, I wished with every fiber of my being that I could go back to being inside of her car. I could hear Danny's voice wafting up from the kitchen, and it made me sick to my stomach. My insides churned at the idea of having to play pretend with Danny, especially after spending yesterday with Tessa so authentically ourselves."Why did you kiss me back?" She had asked me after we'd resumed the movie. "You make my life interesting." I'd told her truthfully.I groaned as I closed my bedroom door behind me, knowing Danny had heard the water of the shower shut off. I didn't know how much longer I'd be able to do this with him, it wasn't fair to my feelings at all. Or Tessa's, for that matter."You already are interesting." I unwrapped the damp towel from my body and grabbed for my phone that was on the charger, hoping another notification had come through while I got showered
It was almost five when I got home that afternoon. We didn't have practice today, and I'd bummed a ride off Stacy, like I was told to do. And Stacy, of course, hadn't shied away from any questions. Not only did I have to fill her in on Sunday, but I had to update her on the details of the morning, as well. So, making a pit stop for milkshakes was a given. When I'd walked in the door, my mom was doing her best to make it look like she hadn't been waiting for me for ten hours. I knew she was in her favorite spot in the house, lounging in the hand-me-down recliner she'd gotten from some estranged aunt when she and dad bought the house that she'd now worn a groove into by using daily, binge-watching more episodes of Lucifer - her newest obsession. She followed the actors on all social media, and even kept tabs on updates about the next season that was set to air in the spring. I attempted to quietly set my keys down on the counter, hoping she'd give me a few moments to collect myself be
Halloween. My favorite day of the year since I could form real, cognitive thoughts. There was nothing like being a kid and dressing up in a costume to go trick-or-treating with your best friends, or curl up with your same friends as a teenager and marathon every witchy movie known to man. Even though I wouldn't be doing either of those things today, I was just ready for it to be here."It's cold as balls out here." Stacy and I were camped in the same place we'd been in since we got to the party five minutes ago, standing in the damp grass waiting on one of the guys to light the brush pile for a bonfire. There were three of them huddled around a large pile of newspaper and kindle, trying to start what would be a decent sized fire in half an hour or so. "I told you to wear tights." I laughed, my teeth chattering slightly. The sun had gone down over an hour ago, and I was desperate to get my hands on a drink to warm up my body. Stacy must've had the same thought, because she was alrea