Page 16 of How He Got the Girl
My friends hesitantly load their mugs high with whipped cream and mini marshmallows while shooting each other glances and then looking at me.
I’m fine. I’llbefine.
I just never want hot chocolate again.
ThreeYearsLater
I hate winter.
I hate the bitter chill that leaves me wondering if spring will ever come. I hate having to fake smiles around my extended relatives on holidays who repeatedly ask when I’m getting married and having kids, even though I don’t have a boyfriend. I hate the shorter days and lack of sunlight. I hate flu season and ice on the roads.
But, most of all, I hate winter because it reminds me of Griffin.
“All right, besties. It’s time for happies and crappies.” Alyssa runs a hand through her blonde hair.
It’s nine at night, but she looks like she just got ready for the day, not a curl out of place. Meanwhile, I’m sure my naturally wavy hair looks more like a bird’s nest after a full day of teaching.
I settle on the couch between Shayna and Alyssa while Kelsey sits in the armchair beside us. I’m so thankful we all kept our promise to come back to Louisville and live together after our college years. I’m not sure what I’d do without mybesties-turned-roommates.
Every Friday night, we have girls’ night. Typically, we watch a movie or do something fun in town if the weather allows, and we always try to do a weekly check-in with our happies and crappies.
“I’ll go first,” Kelsey volunteers. “My happy is that Tyler took me on another date to the local animal rescue, and I’mthis closeto persuading him to adopt one of the dogs.” She holds her thumb and pointer finger just a few centimeters apart.
Kelsey thought love was a sham until she started dating our neighbor, Tyler, a few months ago. They’ve been inseparable ever since. It fills my heart to see her this happy, even if it makes me feel a little sick.
I used to believe love existed…until Hot Cocoa Man.
“I don’t have a crappy this week.” Kelsey sighs dreamily. “I’m just really, really happy.”
“She’s been bitten by the love bug,” Shayna squeals, dancing next to me on the sofa.
“Before you break into song, I’ll go.” I pull a fuzzy pink blanket onto my lap. “My happy is that it’s finally winter break.” My friends all let out a little cheer for me, knowing I’ve been counting down the days until my three-week break. I love my students, but everyone starts getting a little stir-crazy as the holidays approach. “And my crappy is that Linda has been acting up again.”
Myrealcrappy is that winter reminds me of Griffin, but I don’t want to burden my friends with that thought. Not when I’ve done my best to convince them—and myself—that I’m over him.
“Oh, Linda. Poor thing hates the cold.” Kelsey shakes her head.
“She really does.” I turn to Alyssa. “What about you, Lyss?”
“I’ve been waiting to tell y’all.” Alyssa leans forward. “I have enough clients now that they offered me a full-time chair in the salon.”
I reach over and hug her. “Congrats, Lyss.”
“That’s amazing.” Kelsey gives her a high five.
Shayna reaches across me to squeeze Alyssa’s arm. “We always knew you could do it.”
She pulls out four Kizito cookies—a staple dessert in Louisville and our celebration treat of choice for special occasions—and my mouth instantly waters. Alyssa hands each of us our favorite flavor, mine being white chocolate chip. My favorite used to be snickerdoodle, but that changed three years ago, and I have no plans of ever going back.
“To you being the best hairdresser there ever was,” I say, and my other friends nod in agreement. As I bite into my cookie, I can’t help but smile. It’s delicious, and just what I needed to start my winter break on a good note.
“I can’t focus on any crappies this week when I just feel like celebrating,” Alyssa says around a mouthful of her cookie.
“Not even the fact that I saw on social media today that Austin is dating a supermodel?” Kelsey raises an eyebrow over the cookie. It looks even more ridiculous since the cookie is pretty much the size of her head.
All of us have been waiting years for Alyssa to admit that she’s in love with her best guy friend, Austin Bradford—the star shortstop for the Louisville Mustangs. She swears they’re only friends, but we’re not convinced.
I don’t have social media, so I have no clue what she's referring to, but the blush on Alyssa’s cheeks tells me she knows exactly what Kels is talking about.
