“Tracy?” Iask.
“You know I will. I’m sorry. I’m just worried aboutyou.”
“But don’t you want to see your best friendhappy?”
“Yeah, and lord only knows why she’s so in love with you. I don’t get it,” sheteases.
“Tracy, stop,” Mom chastises. “Your brother is acatch.”
“Ew, no. He’s not a catch.” I can hear the playfulness in her voice. Even though we act like we don't like each other, I love her, and I know she feels the same about me. “What’s the plan? How can wehelp?”
* * *
Mackenzie
“Why haven’t you left yet?”Tracy asks over the phone while I run around my apartment, looking for my birth controlpills.
“I’m trying to get out of here, but for the life of me, I can’t find my pills.” I hold the phone with my shoulder while I go through my otherpurse.
“Did you leave them at my brother’s place? Oh god, never mind, don’t answerthat.”
“I’m going to talk to you at some point about sex with Connor. You need to get over it.” I hear fake hurling noises and laugh harder. “Oh stop. But no, I couldn’t find them yesterday either when I was at hisplace.”
“Do you have a backuppack?”
“No, that was my last one. I have no clue what happened to them. I’ll have to call on Monday and just make Connor weara—”
“Lalalala,” Tracysings.
“I give up. I’m on my way.” I gather my things and get ready to head out. I’m having a girl’s night back home with friends so I’ll be sex-freeanyway.
“Good! I’m dying for this shindig to get started. I haven’t had a girl’s night in way too long. Now get your butt here, but drivecarefully.”
“See you in anhour.”
I call Connor as I walk to mycar.
“Hey, babe,” he answers. Poor guy has been working late these past few nights on acase.
“I’m leaving. Just wanted to say bye since you’re not home yet. I hope you don’t have to work toolate.”
“I won’t. I hope to get out of here in the next few hours. Did you find yourpills?”
“No. I don’t understand where they could havegone.”
“They’ll turn up. I’ll look around again tonight. Drive carefully and don’t have too much fun,” hetaunts.
“I won’t. Loveyou.”
“Love you too,baby.”
It takes me a little over an hour to get home, and by the time I arrive, it’s dark. Thankfully, the front porch light on her parents’ house was left on for me. I reach for my phone, realizing I have a missed text from her, saying she left the door unlocked, to let myself in, and they're in thebackyard.
I reply withI’m hereand open the car door. Walking up to their house, I let myself in without knocking. Only a light in the kitchen is on. I’m not sure if her parents are asleep or in their bedroom, so I quietly shut the door behindme.
Through the kitchen windows, I notice lights in the backyard I’ve never seen before. When I slide the glass door open, I see thousands of white fairy lights strung through the yard, lighting it just enough to reveal Connor standing in themiddle.
The way his black slacks and fitted white dress shirt with a slim black tie show off his body makes my heart race. We’re completely alone, and I’mconfused.
