Page 61 of Praising the Pitcher

Well, I’d like to hook up with the one in my arms, but that’s not really allowed.

She almost giggles, telling me I did my job before she steps back and nods. “I’ll keep that in mind, thanks.” She glances beside her. “Guess I better get back to shopping before your sister makes it into this store.” She chews her bottom lip, shifting around shyly on her feet. “I’ve never done a Yankee Swap. Can you … help me out?”

Standing tall, I lift my head dramatically. “You’ve asked the right person,” I say, like I’m some sort of god. “Because I am the best gift giver ever.” I grab her hand in mine, heading toward the back of the store. “Let’s do this.”

GIGI

Half an hour later, Noah and I have gone into a few different stores, each getting our Yankee Swap gifts. We had them wrapped at checkout and promised we wouldn’t choose each other’s since we obviously know what they are. Is it cheating? I guess. But I feel better about my gift knowing I had his help and I know what his is too.

There’s a certain calmness when he’s near. It’s like my soul can finally relax after so long of not being able to. He doesn’t know how much I needed that hug in the store, because as silly as it is, seeing those snow globes … hurt.

In my closet at The Nest, I have so many of them. I display them at Christmas every year, and I guess because my mom picked them out, they don’t hurt me to look at. Seeing the ones in the store, knowing she’ll never get to walk through and carefully choose one for me—well, that was just a type of ache in my chest I didn’t expect, I guess.

“I kind of want to choose my own gift,” Noah says, and I can’t tell if he’s serious or not. “Would you tell on me if I did?”

“Yes,” I say instantly, laughing. “Yes, I would. Don’t be that guy.”

He pretends to pout, when suddenly, someone behind us says his name, and right away, he stiffens.

“Noah?” a soft voice calls, and even though I turn to look who it is, he doesn’t. Well, not right away.

A beautiful girl with dark hair, porcelain skin, and model-like features steps toward us. Her eyes move from the back of Noah’s head to me. I don’t know who she is, but the fact he isn’t turning to face her right away tells me it’s the ghost of Christmas past.

What if it’s her? The one who ruined him, cheating on him with his best friend?

My heart begins to pound harder, and I wonder if he’s going to acknowledge her at all, but when she stops just behind him, saying his name once more, he finally turns to face her.

Noah’s expression turns into something I’ve never seen, and his eyes seemingly lose their usual glimmer.

“Natalie,” he says flatly, and right away, I know this is, in fact, his ex-girlfriend.

I try to study her face without her noticing—not wanting to come off as a jealous stalker, especially seeing as Noah and I are only friends.

She’s the opposite of me. Where her skin is porcelain like that of a doll, I have freckles sprinkled across my nose and cheeks. Her hair is sleek, cut into a shoulder-length bob, while my blonde hair is halfway down my back. She’s a little shorter than I am too, though only by an inch or two. I’m long and lean, and she’s got curves that are visible even through her jeans and leather jacket.

Natalie’s eyes float to me, raking me up and down like she’s trying to figure out who the hell I am before she looks away. Both of us stare at the man in front of us, and a foreign feeling begins to stir inside my stomach when Noah seems to stiffen.

“How have you been?” she asks him in a concerned tone. “How’s NEU?”

“I’ve been good,” he says, his tone cold. “NEU is great.”

“That’s awesome,” she says, her voice almost a squeak.

Noah’s eyes lift higher as he watches something—or someone—behind her. I turn slightly, seeing a guy about his age walking toward us.

“King!” he shouts, and when my head snaps back to look at Noah, he’s instantly tense.

The mystery guy walks beside Natalie, throwing an arm around her. “I’ve been looking for you, babe.”

This can’t be his best friend … there’s no way.

“Olly,” he utters coldly, though I can tell he’s shocked this is happening.

He’s told me their names before, the two people who betrayed him more than anyone else in the world. I know this is them, and instantly, that makes me hate them.

But I also hate how haunted Noah’s expression is.

Does he still love her? And why does that make me so irked?