Page 34 of Old Acquaintances

“I’ll get Ella some pepper spray,” Jake laughed.

Gavin said, “We’ll keep a baby monitor around his neck.”

“Hold on,” Tucker interjected. He scooted to the edge of our couch. “We are not doing anything. Why does everyone think Iwant to do stuff to her?”

“Toher?” Gavin threw his head back. “We thought we thought you wanted to do stuffwithher, now I’m actually afraid for her safety!”

I covered my ears and repeated, “Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod.”

This was the last conversation I wanted to have with my family at Christmas. That’s when I noticed Tucker breathing beside me. Of course they would think we were a secret couple, he was always sitting next to me, always finding ways to touch me.

I was wearing a short, plaid, long-sleeved dress and the fabric of his pants pressed into my bare knees. I chopped the space between us, pushing him away, insisting, “Move! Get away from me!”

He jumped up. “What?” He stepped to the outside of our circle, nearly bumping into the Christmas tree and eyed me sternly, “Ella,stop it.”

Christian leaned back in his chair with a cup of decaf coffee resting on his stomach. “Okay, okay, no one thinks anything’s going on between you two.”

“Speak for yourself,” Jake grumbled.

I noticed our mothers exchange a look.

“We just want to nip it in the bud before it does,” Christian finished.

I sunk into myself, absently tugging on the bottom of my dress, wishing I could also be half-drunk on eggnog and unaware of this conversation. Hattie was asleep by the fireplace. My dad was busy pouring himself another drink.

“It’s notinevitable,” I argued.

“I have a girlfriend,” Tucker added.

Gracie chimed in, “Then go sit beside Ella if it’s no big deal.”

His eyes narrowed. “These two.” He gestured between herand Steven. “These two are actually dating! Why aren’t you worried about them?”

Steven snorted. “Because I can keep it in my pants.”

I pressed my face in my hands. “Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod.”

Somewhere in the room, Lori exhaled. “I think we’re all a little too comfortable with each other…”

Tucker’s crisp button-down shirt ruffled. I looked back up to find him looking at me, frowning. He was the most popular boy in school for this exact reason: his bronze skin, his alert green eyes, the large hands resting on his hips. He had gelled his hair back, his face was clean. He had a small mysterious bruise under his left eye. I vaguely remembered elbowing him in the school parking lot when he pretended to kiss me in front of our friends.

He huffed, “You guys just don’t understand our relationship.”

“That’s the point,” Gavin answered. “No one understands.”

“She’s my best friend’s friend.” Tucker pursed his lips.

I straightened up, staring at him. “Yeah, he’s my friend’s friend. We’re friends of friends.”

“You guys don’t get it.”

“You’ll never get it.”

“Come on, Ella.” Tucker nodded his head toward the other room. “We don’t have to sit here and take this.”

I lifted my chin and stood up, smoothing down my dress. Tucker held his hand out for me, and I took it, walking with him out of the warm, Christmassy living room into the den. As we walked out, I heard Gavin yell, “You’re not helping your case!”

Our parents did book the adjoining rooms for the six-night cruise. The girls in one room, the boys right next door. I slept on the pull-out couch, as did Tucker and Steven in their room.We had balconies that connected. During the day, we kept our shared door propped open, so Steven and Gracie could sit on her bed and watch TV in the morning, so the boys could also use our bathroom, so Hattie, Jake and Gavin could share the beer and wine they brought.

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