The familiar morning sounds of Christmas aren't here anymore. I can't hear my mom in the kitchen making us all some hot cocoa. My dad isn't organizing everyone's gifts and shaking his to see if he can guess what it is before he opens it. No. I wake up in the spare bedroom of my grandparent's house to silent moving and shuffling. No chatter from my parents blesses my ears and I desperately wish I could hear them. When it comes time to open presents, I wait for everyone else to open theirs. My aunt Jade receives a pretty sweater and some jewelry from my grandparents. Her and I got them a new kitchenware set and some candles. Everyone urges me to open my presents, so I open my grandparents first. Inside the small bag is an even smaller box. Inside the box is a necklace which has a small dainty golden ring with a rose-gold butterfly in the middle. "It was your moms when she was younger. We thought you should have it," my grandma says. I hold back my tears and hug them to make sure they know how much I love it. My aunt holds out a card and I look at her quizzically. I didn't ask for anything from her, so I assume she's giving me money or something. When I open the card, my heart stops. She smiles. "I know how much you're dying to get out of here and college is only taking you a couple hours away. I thought you could use some adventure." I stare down at the plane ticket that will take me to New York City and my hand trembles. Going to a big city has always been on my bucket list, but I never thought I'd be going this soon. It'll take me out of this town and I can't be any more grateful for it. James shows up for our Christmas dinner, where my grandpa has made enough food to feed the entire neighborhood. James, pretty much doing anything to make my aunt happy, gives me five hundred dollars to help fund my end of the school year trip. After dinner I sit near the Christmas tree that stands tall and is decorated in the same red and gold ornaments they've used since I started high school. It's fine, but it would be better with my parents around. When I tell my aunt about Jacob's mom inviting us for dinner, she lets out a laugh then says there's no way in hell we'd go, which is the response I was expecting. I text Jacob to tell him we won't make it to their dinner he doesn't seem to mind. It probably would've been too awkward for him anyway. It's strange. In the past week I've become closer to Lauren and Jacob, even to the point where all of us plus Casey have hung out at school, and outside of school since the semester ended. It's like waking up and realizing that everything has been a dream, where Jacob never cheated on me with Lauren, I never met Dylan and the guys, and Xavier and Kay are ghosts. Of course, it isn't all just a dream. It's the second week of my last semester of high school when it hits me that I'll be graduating and moving on to college in a few months. A certain excitement comes from deep within. I haven't felt excited about something in a long time and it feels great. At lunch, I sit next to Jacob while Casey and Lauren sit in front of us. Lauren has made no efforts to get back together with Jacob. As far as I know, she's talking to another guy from another school and is planning to go out with him tonight. Jacob's still focused on his job and his mom, which has matured him a bit. Casey cut off contact with Xavier and Kay over the break. I know Xavier is dying to talk to her, and his silence doesn't settle well with me. Either he has something planned, or he's truly done with her. "You're coming over tonight, right?" Lauren asks Casey. "I can't decide what to wear." "I already have something planned out," Casey assures her. Per usual, she's the stylist for everyone. She's even given Jacob a lesson on what colors look better to bring his eyes out. While they discuss Lauren's date, I glance over at Jacob who's been silent. "Why so serious?" I ask. "Just tired." He pokes at his food as he says it. He's lying, but I don't want to push him too much. After school I walk with Jacob to the parking lot. "I think me and Casey are going to catch a movie tonight. You want to come?" I ask him. "I gotta work tonight," he says, not looking at me. "You don't work Friday's." I nudge his shoulder. "What's wrong?" "My dad is supposed to come over later," he finally says. "Him and my mom are having their lawyers meet again." Jacob's parents almost settled their divorce, but Jacob's mom had a sudden burst of confidence and is determined to get more out of the divorce than originally planned. "Well, that's more of a reason to go out with us." "I don't want my dad and his stupid lawyer to bully my mom." "I think your mom can handle herself. She's made it this far." We approach his truck and he unlocks the door, opens it, and tosses his backpack inside. "I guess." "It'll be fun," I tell him. "We're going to see that new scary movie that's out. We might even grab some ice cream afterward." He leans against the truck. "We'll see." He crosses his arms and scans the parking lot, like he usually does. It's his way of getting himself out of the conversation. He'll find someone to talk about when it comes to talking about his home life, or any other aspect about him. His eyes zero in on something and I steal a glance at what he's looking at. Dylan is leaning against his car and talking to a blonde girl. His fingers are twirled around her hair and he's looking at her the way he used to look at Kay before we admitted our feelings to each other. The more I look at her the more I recognize her. She was the girl he talked to at the football game after Anthony's party at Raven's. I've only seen him with Anthony around school. Reece and Carlos are never around. I haven't even seen Kay around, and it makes me wonder if they're still together. By his body language, I have a feeling Kay is out of the picture. My breath catches not because he's talking to someone else, but because I desperately want to know his situation with Xavier. If Kay isn't around, wouldn't Xavier be going after him for not keeping her happy? And here he is shamelessly flirting with someone else. "Let's get out of here," Jacob says. I know he saw me watching Dylan. His protective side comes out as he shields me from Dylan and opens the passenger door for me. On the drive to the apartment, Jacob says, "You don't need that guy." I scoff at the irony. That's something Dylan would've told me about Jacob last semester. How the roles have reversed. "Right." "I'll go to the movies with you and Casey," he nods. "I don't want to be home when everyone is over." "Good," I say, my mind still stuck on Dylan and that girl. My aunt Jade isn't home yet when I walk into the apartment after Jacob drops me off. She doesn't like that Jacob gives me a ride to and from school, but I assure her that it's fine. I don't think she'll ever forgive him, but that's understandable. After my aunt is settled in the living room and I'm finished with my homework I get a call from Casey. "We have a code blue," she says immediately. "Which is?" "Lauren's prince charming canceled last minute." I'm beginning to hate all guys. "I'm guessing it'll be an ice cream night only?" "Probably. She was literally heading out the door when he texted her and canceled. Douchebag if you ask me." I can practically see her rolling her eyes. "Anyway, we're heading to the ice cream shop." "I'll call Jacob and see if he wants to go." "See you there," she says before hanging up. Jacob is down for ice cream so I pick him up and just in time before the lawyers show up. When we get to the ice cream shop, Lauren is already burying herself in mint-chocolate ice cream. "It's bad," Jacob says immediately. "She did this when we broke up." "Don't be a jerk," I shove him.