Facade (2 page)

CHAPTER TWO

Kylee

The day before Christmas Eve, I wake up to Danny cooing at me to rise and shine and spend the morning with them after a
hellacious
night of drinking.  Mira’s wish of all of us together, like it was before the whole Danny/Skylar/Mira fiasco, has been granted.  We’re all one big happy family—a dysfunctional one, but family, nonetheless.  I pass back out in the recliner and wake up as the ending credits of
It’s A Wonderful Life
are rolling on the screen.

“Okay, guys.  What’s the plan for today?”

“I’m finished shopping and wouldn’t mind vegging out today,” Mira responds, and the boys just stare at each other sinisterly.

“Skylar and I have some things to take care of before we head out.”  Mira and I both turn to look at Danny, confused.

“I thought everything was done.  What is there left to take care of?”  In true Mira fashion, she’s bucking being left in the dark about plans that obviously don’t involve her.

“Just some stuff, Sweets.  We’ll be back soon.  You hang out with Kylee and nurse those hangovers.”  Skylar says to a pouting Mira.  He blows an air kiss in her direction and goes into the bedroom to change.  Moments later, he’s dressed and walking out the door with Danny.

“What do you think those two have up their sleeves?”  Mira stares at the door for a few minutes with her “I’m going to find out what he’s up to” face donned.

“If I knew, Mi, I would tell you.  I need food
, though.”  My hangover isn’t going to cure itself.  I need fluids and something greasy in my belly if I’m going to be able to even
think
of functioning today.

Mira and I look at each other and smile, “Cheese fries,” we say in unison.  Not giving a shit about my appearance, since I know no matter what I do I’m going to look like hell froze over, I throw a hoodie over my tee shirt and do nothing about the frog pajama pants I’m sporting.  I slip on a pair of Mira’s sneakers, since my thigh high boots won’t really go with this ensemble
, and head out into the day.  I absolutely feel like a vampire, attempting to hide from the sun’s rays and cower in the shadows. 

There’s a small diner on the corner of Mira’s block
, and I’m praying that their fries are greasy and they have the liquid cheese.  There’s nothing worse than ordering cheese fries and having shredded cheese put on top.  It’s a total let down in the world of hangover cures. 

Thanking sweet baby Jesus, we arrive at the diner and find the perfect booth in the back where we don’t have to worry about turning to dusk when the sun hits our skin.  Probably a little too ecstatic, the waitress tells us about the liquid cheese the diner carries.
  Placing our order for cheese fries and peach iced tea, we impatiently wait.

“When we get back, will you help me wrap Skylar’s present?  He barely ever leaves anymore and I haven’t had time.  Do you know how hard it is to hide a helmet, jacket and gloves from a super spy?”

“Yeah, that’s cool.  I’ll keep a look out.  I thought you guys exchanged gifts already, though.”

“We gave each other a few small things, but we’re keeping the big stuff until Christmas Day.
” Mira looks lost in thought and a hint of fear creeps up behind her eyes.  “Ky, it’s gonna be really weird being with the McBride’s and not being with Danny.  I think I might have misjudged this situation.  Maybe I should tell Skylar we need to stay home this year.”

“Dude, no.  You made these plans
, and every Christmas for the last four years you’ve gone to South Lyon with them.  You can’t just change it now.  You and Skylar are
finally
together and you can’t let something that’s probably just in your head hold you back.  Gotta enjoy your life, babe.  You found your one and only, don’t run away from it.” 

“Speaking of one and only
s, how about Jacoby?  You guys are still seeing each other, is it getting serious?” 
Well shit, how do I tell my best friend that yes, in fact, it’s getting serious and I don’t want it to?
  Jacoby took a huge gamble by telling me he wants more.  He has to know that I’m not like the others.  Most girls in this day and age find a guy, latch on and expect something shiny, more than a carat and fits around a certain little finger after a few months.  I haven’t even hinted to wanting to share a
pop
, let alone get more serious.

“We’re still screwing, if that’s what you’re asking. 
Nothing more though, Mira.” 

Mira blanches, turning red and shaking her head in disapproval. 
“You’re gonna get over this one day, right?”

“Get over what?”  I have a funny feeling in the pit of my stomach that the one person who can see through me is about to call me out on my bullshit.

“This whole ‘you’re good enough to fuck but not to date’ shit you’ve been running since freshman year.”

“It’s not that
they’re
not good enough to date.”  I have to stop myself before I say too much.  There’s a reason why I don’t get too close or let anyone get closer, I just don’t share it.  It’s my business and mine alone.

“I worry for you,
Ky.  Jacoby’s a good man.  I’ve worked for him a while now and he really does care for you.  Seriously, he’s given me three weeks off with pay until he closes his next deal.  He’s not just good, he’s great.  I just wish you would let him in.”

“Maybe
someday,” I lie to shut her up.  This conversation is
way
too heavy to have with a killer headache.

“I know you’re shutting me up and I’ll allow it. 
For now.”  Mira sticks out her tongue, knowing she’s called me out and I’m going to simmer on this for days.

“You’re a bitch, but I love you
,” I joke as the waitress sets down our order. 

Neither one of us waste
s any time digging into our plates.  You would think that we haven’t eaten in weeks by the way we’re tearing apart our dishes.  I mean, isn’t it sexy when you see two girls in a restaurant with liquid cheese on the corner of their mouths?  No? 
Well, shit. 

“Really
? He gave you three weeks off and is
paying
you for that time?  You couldn’t have been there long enough to have that many vacation days.”  Talking with food in my mouth is sexy, though, right?

“I know, that’s what
I
said, but he insisted.  Said that I deserved some time to enjoy life, especially after my accident and the Danny stuff.” 

“Hmmm.”
  The thought passes as the grease hits my stomach, giving me some energy to get the rest of the day started.

Leaving more than enough to cover our tab on the table, we begin the short walk back to Mira’s apartment.  Now that I have some sort of sustenance in my stomach, the sunlight doesn’t seem to affect me like it did earlier. 
Sparkly vampire syndrome, I’ve beat you yet again.  Kylee – 1 Hangover – 0.

As promised, I keep a look out for Mira while she finishes wrapping Skylar’s gifts. 
She’s fucking hilarious.  Not only did she get boxes that would disguise the type of present inside, but she wrapped them in the paper she had picked out for Skylar—skulls wearing Santa hats—but
then
wrapped them again in
Hello Kitty
wrapping paper to disguise who they were for.  The girl is a paranoid freak, but she’s in love, so it’s more adorable than pathological. 

Mira and I spend the rest of the afternoon lying in her bed watching Christmas movies.  She got to watch her favorite this morning so she doesn’t mind that I want to watch
A Christmas Story
.  Every time I watch this movie, I end up searching online for a leg lamp and vow to buy it; but I never do.  I really
do
want that fucking lamp, though.

The boys come home around dinner time, complete with pizza and beer.  My hangover is just about gone
, and the thought of drinking again tonight scares the living shit out of me.  I opt for a few slices of pizza and helping Mira pack up for the few days she’ll spend with Skylar at his parents’ house.  We’re all sitting in the living room eating our dinner when I realize I didn’t see the guys bring anything back with them.

“So, what did you guys do?” 
I corner Danny in the kitchen on the way for another slice.

“I don’t know.  He went in the mall when I was stuck on the phone
with Melissa.  He came out before I could track him down.”

“Sky, what did you buy?” I yell.  Tact is for pussies.  I want to know what it is since it’s some kind of huge secret.

“Nothing, I couldn’t find what I was looking for,” Skylar says, obviously lying.

“You found it, whatever it is
,”  I smirk, sitting on the couch, turning my head to the TV. 

Mira climbs in
to Skylar’s lap, pouting her lips and making puppy dog eyes.  She’s whispering in his ear and he shifts underneath her.  Danny pays no attention since he’s fully engrossed in the TV show. 

“I’m not telling you
,” Skylar whispers, but loud enough for us to hear.

“Ugh, you’re impossible.”  Now I
know
he found whatever he was looking for; Mira’s far too pouty for him to have said he couldn’t find it.  He’s teasing her and it’s funny as hell.  Our poor Mira hates surprises.

“
Well, I’ve gotta meet Melissa and get home.  I’ll see you guys tomorrow.  Dinner’s at five.”  Danny stands, hugging everyone on his way out.

Well, he’s my ride.  Looks like my time’s up
.  I thought Mira and Skylar were leaving tonight, but both of them look too comfortable to go anywhere.  I thought about leaving tonight and avoiding the date with Jacoby tomorrow, but that would be cruel.  It’s Christmas and all that good will toward man shit, right?

“
Danny, wait.  I don’t have my car, you’re gonna drive me back with you, okay?” 

“Yeah, hurry up.”

I hug Mira and Skylar, grabbing my purse and boots as I none too gracefully wrestle into Mira’s shoes.  She can have these suckers back when she gets home.  Mira’s wrapping herself around Skylar’s midsection like a snake.  Skylar catches my eye, pulls his hands from her waist and points to his ring finger.

“OMG,” I silently mouth.  He winks, letting me know I’ve guessed right. 
Wowza, he’s going to propose. 

Walking into my apartment
after Danny drops me at the door, I realize how alone I actually am.  Since Mira moved out, everything seems so different.  I have this apartment, just for me, and I kind of hate being here alone.  I’m not scared or anything, but it went from being so full of life and love to being empty. 

I think about calling Jacoby to come over, or even Marisol, but decide against it quickly.  I have a few presents to wrap before I go home
, and this place could use a decent cleaning.  At a quarter after eight I take a sleeping pill, so I’m not stuck wide awake watching infomercials at three am, and start on my tasks.  I get the presents situated and ready to go, the living room picked up, a load of laundry put in the dryer and half of the dishes done before my eyelids are too heavy to hold open. 

I wake up early the next day, unhappy that I wasn’t able to sleep longer
, and not wanting to do much of anything.  I guess that’s what happens when you pass out before ten.  I know Jacoby’s going to call me later to tell me our plans for the evening, so I have a few hours to kill before having to shower to get ready. 

Deciding to stay in bed until he calls, I grab my Kindle.  I start scrolling through my library, bored out of my mind with the choices I have.  Every book I have has been read more than once.  They’re all good, but not what I’m looking for today.  I want something to drag me out of my world and put me somewhere else. 

As I continue searching, I have a bright idea.  My life and the lives of my friends are certainly filled with enough angst to tell a good story.  I can’t keep a job because I get bored and feel undervalued.  I want to live in yoga pants and tank tops.  I can totally be an author, or at least give it a try.

I grab a notepad from my nightstand and a pen from the drawer.  I start writing out an outline of the story that’s playing in my mind.  I can see it clear as day, like a movie, rolling through the opening of the characters meeting at college and then following them through their life.  Knowing that I’m never going to be able to write it down and then go back to it and see the same things again, I forgo the notepad and pen and run into the living room to get my laptop.

I grab a cup of coffee and get to work.  Before I know it, my phone is ringing off the hook in my bedroom and my bladder is about to burst.  I use the restroom as quick as I possibly can then seek out my phone.  Seeing seven missed calls and three texts from Jacoby, I return his call and hope that I’m not too late for our date.  Not that I would mind, seeing as I’m on a roll and finally feel like I’m accomplishing something in my life. If I’m being completely honest, I can’t wait to tell someone about my decision.

“Hey, is everything okay?” Jacoby asks, answering his phone, worried.