Page 80 of In Your Wildest Dreams
“Yeah…” I trail off as I try to figure out how to explain my relationship with my parents. “We’ve done all the obligatory family activities. I played racquetball with my dad yesterday and helped my mom make sugar cookies.”
“So you are close with them?”
“Yes.” I sigh. “Things have been a little weird over the last year.”
She waits for me to say more. I’m not sure how to put it all in words.
“Has anyone ever told you that you’re incredibly hard to get to know?”
“Yeah.” My shoulders slump.
Ev laughs and hugs me with one arm. “Why are things weird with your parents?”
“Because they keep asking about Gabe.Where is he? What happened? He seemed like such a nice, young man.” I roll my eyes. “They really liked him, and they can’t understand why I’d break up with him.”
“Ugh. That’s the worst. Why’d they like him so much? Everything I’ve heard about the guy is less than flattering.”
“I think it’s because before I started dating Gabe, I was going out and partying a lot and my grades had started to slide. I’ve always had to work hard at school, and my friends at the time either didn’t need to study to keep up or didn’t care as long as they squeaked by with a passing grade.”
“I feel that. Grace is so smart that I want to strangle her sometimes.”
I smile. It’s true. Out of the three of us, she spends the least amount of time on homework and studying and is still getting straight As.
“Then I met Gabe and things were different. He was older and already had a job. Before the Wildcats, he was a scout for a junior hockey team. Anyway, my lifestyle changed when we got serious. We went out some, but during the week he was pretty strict about his routine. I stopped going out too. At first it was because I just didn’t want to, I wanted to spend my time with him. Then it was because he didn’t really like it when I went out with my friends without him. In hindsight, that should have been the first red flag.”
Ev squeezes my hand, and I summon the courage to continue.
“However shitty the circumstances, the result was that I went out less and studied more. My parents were thrilled that I was settling down and taking things more seriously. They credited it all to Gabe, who they loved. He has a way of charming people.”
“The biggest assholes always do.”
“Anyway, since we’ve broken up, my parents just keep asking about him.” I scrunch up my face in disgust. “When my dad found out that he was working with the Wildcats, he called Gabe to congratulate him.”
Ev offers me a sympathetic smile.
“I know they mean well, but I can tell they’re so bummed that we broke up and hoping we’ll get back together. Three times already they’ve managed to drop his name into conversation.” I lower my voice to mimic my dad. “‘Remember last year when Gabe got us all those matching Christmas pajamas?’”
“He bought your family matching pajamas?” She snorts a short laugh.
“I can’t even blame them for wishing I was still with him because as far as they know, he was the perfect boyfriend.” Guilt washes over me. “I let everyone think that and now…”
Now I can’t tell them how truly awful he was to me. They’d never believe it.
“Can I ask you something?”
I nod, then take a sip of wine.
“What really happened with you and Gabe?”
My heart beats rapidly and I let out a slow breath as I decide how much to share. I trust Everly, but what if she thinks I’m being dramatic or making too big of a deal out of what happened?
“At first, he was great. I’d been hanging out and hooking up with guys from school and you know how romantic and considerate they can be.”
She snorts again.
“So, when Gabe planned actual dates and bought me presents, I thought it meant he really liked me. Maybe he did, I don’t know. I’ve had a lot of time to think about it and I still don’t truly understand what happened and what part I played in it.”
“Whatever happened, it wasn’t your fault.”
