Page 43 of F Buddy

Scarlett

I was resting at home when out of nowhere, my phone started ringing. Today of all days, I didn’t want any interruptions, so I wasn’t particularly happy when I picked up my phone to see Sasha’s name on caller ID. I rolled my eyes, knowing what she wanted but answered anyway.

“Hello?”

“Scarlett!”

I winced and pulled the phone slightly away from my ear. I was not in the mood for Sasha’s enthusiasm, though considering what day it was, it was certainly expected.

“Are you busy right now?”

“Not particularly,” I answered reluctantly.

“And how are you feeling today? Do you think you could be up for coming out tonight?”

There it was. “I’m doing fine, but I’m not sure about leaving the apartment...”

“Aww. I wanted to ask you to come out with us, you know, for the usual Christmas tradition. Everyone is going to be at the meet this year, and I didn’t want you to miss out.”

I flinched a little when she said ‘everyone,’ and was glad she couldn’t see my reaction. Olivia had messaged me earlier to warn me. But even with a warning, I wasn’t sure how to take the news. Zach was back, and he’d be going to the Christmas party.

“I wanted to check in and see if you’d be able to stop by. We’d all love to see you before the New Year!”

Not everyone, not the one person I still hadn’t been able to talk to.

But that was hardly my fault. I’d tried to contact him for a few weeks after he’d stopped trying to contact me, and I’d gotten nothing back. Eventually, I’d given up, and I was currently moping about it. If he was going to be at the party, I’d rather not go, but I couldn’t tell Sasha without making her a little suspicious.

“I just want to stay inside this year,” I told her honestly. “I wasn’t planning on leaving my apartment until after New Year’s Eve, maybe.”

Sasha made a disappointed sound. “Well, that’s fine I guess. But if you change your mind, come out and have fun with your friends, all right?”

Even in the middle of my bad mood, I managed a smile for her, though she couldn’t see it.

“I promise I’ll think about it,” I told her, then hung up.

Of course, I had no intention of doing such a thing. But I should have known I wouldn't be let off the hook that easily. A few hours later when the day was moving into early evening, I heard a knock on my door. I sighed, knowing who it was before she let herself in with the key I’d given her some months ago so that she could help me in case of an emergency.

She looked surprised to see me lying back on my couch, and I gave Olivia an unimpressed look.

“Why aren’t you ready, yet? We’re going out, aren’t we?”

I rolled my eyes. “At least greet me properly before making ridiculous assumptions like that, Olivia. And what made you think I’d be going anyway?”

She pursed her lips as she considered me with her dark eyes. “I’m going to have to insist you go to this one, Scarlett.”

“You know why I don’t want to go!”

“Yes. It’s also exactly why you should go.”

I grimaced and didn’t move. What I said to Sasha was just to placate her. Olivia of all people should have known why I didn’t want to go out, so I was confused as to why she was insisting on this. She’d probably come over to my apartment knowing I wouldn’t move on my own and that she’d have to try and convince me.

But there was nothing to say. I already knew it would be a bad idea, so why do it?

“Would you come on already?” she whined. “Going out and having fun for the day would be good for you, Scarlett! It’s Christmas after all. You can’t just spend it on your own. Your parents won’t be able to make it until after New Year’s, right?”

I sat stubbornly on my couch, legs stretched out, arms folded awkwardly under my breasts, but above my building stomach, and looked away from her.

“I don’t want to,” I muttered.