Page 27 of Unwritten Rules

?Chapter 8

Fallon

Brent was quiet afterour excursion. I mean, I didn’t expect him to come running back the day after looking for me or his jacket. Everyone knew what kind of guy he was–and I didn’t exactly put out for him. Maybe he called it a loss with his jacket. Whatever the case, it sat on a hanger in my room the past few days waiting to be picked up by its rightful owner.

This wretched jacket was part of my daily routine for a few days. I’d take a shower and come out to stare at it. The first two days I thought it would disappear from existence as if we never went out together, but it was still there. Staring back at me.

Kelly burst into my room to see me staring at the jacket.What’s privacy? “Are you still looking at that thing like it’s an alien invader?”

I sighed. “Yes, I am.”

“It’s not going anywhere, you know. Also, those stupid sorority plans you had...”

I stood straight up. “Yep! We’re going. Fuck that jacket and it’s owner.”

“I don’t know why I even came in here to remind you.” she huffed.

“Because you love me and feel bad for me.”

With one last glance at the leather jacket, we were off to Greek Row.

“What do you want to do for Thanksgiving this year?” Kelly asked while she drove us out of the neighborhood to look for the right sorority house on campus.

“We could take a trip somewhere? A beach?”

Her eyes lit up. “What about Greece? I hear the men there are hot. Oh! Italy?”

Last year Kelly and I went to her aunt’s house to forgo seeing her dad, but the family drama followed us there–it was cataclysmic drama with her parents. I didn’t have anyone I wanted to visit since my mom was gone–my family all wanted a piece of the Montgomery Group pie. It seemed that my mom was prudent in keeping her distance from them.

And since she left me with everything, I did the same.

“Are you sure you don’t want to spend the holidays with your new boy toy?” I poked fun at her, knowing she probably didn’t want to put a label on anything.

“Uh, no. We aren’t that serious and, bitch, I amnotleaving you alone for the holidays. Out of the question.”

I laughed at her faux stern look. “What if I gave you permission?”

“I said no.” She whacked my shoulder. “Anyone who comes into my life knows thatyouare my family and come first in all things.”

Trying to imagine her telling that to a husband, I couldn’t help but laugh more. “If you get married, you can’t put me above your husband, Kel.”

She furrowed her eyebrows and stuck her tongue out at me. “Watch me! Our podcast will live on even when we are old and gray!”

There was humor there, but also space to mourn for our future selves. Not being roommates–doing everything together–would eventually end. Everything came to an end at some point in time.

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