Page 33 of Scrooged for the Holidays
Greer looks around before she nods. “This is where I went to school. We’re in the University’s library.”
I nod and point to where a college-aged Greer is sitting. She’s got her hair up in a bun and is sitting at a table, furiously typing on her laptop. Present Greer lets go of my hand and walks closer, stopping a foot away from her younger self and waving her hand in front of her face.
Greer looks up at me with a sheepish smile. “Just checking.”
I smirk back at her, glad to see she’s not as angry as she was before. But I know that might change quickly, so I enjoy the reprieve.
Greer looks at the papers on the table then to me. “I’m applying for the paid internship at Northlight Capital,” she says.
I nod in confirmation as a young Avery walks through the library door with a man on her arm. “There you are, Greer!”
Both College Greer and Present Greer look up. It’s kind of trippy to watch how their faces transform into the same exact look. Their lips press together, and their shoulders roll back as their eyes flick to Avery, then to the attractive man on her arm, then back to Avery.
“Here I am,” Past Greer answers.
“Josh and I have been looking for you. There’s a campus Christmas party—a last-minute thing for seniors before break. You should come with us.”
“I’m in the middle of something.”
“It’s going to be fun, and Josh’s brother is here. He’s single—”
Greer’s cheeks flush. “No, thank you. I’m busy.”
“Come on! Once upon a time, you loved Christmas parties.”
Present Greer snorts at the same time Past Greer does.
“You did! When we were little, you used to beg our parents to let us have our friends over. Not to mention, you loved going to the mall to meet Santa.”
“I don’t remember that.”
Avery crosses her arms over her chest. “Oh, please, you do, too. You may have been the first one to tell me Santa wasn’t real, but before that, you’d talk about Christmas nearly all year long.”
College Greer clears her throat and looks down at her computer before she starts typing again. “I said I’m busy.”
Avery walks to her and places her hands on Greer’s shoulders, gently shaking her. “Come on!”
She looks at the computer to see what she’s doing.
“You don’t need to get this application in now! It can wait! Come have some fun at the party. Meet a guy.” She waggles her eyebrows.
Greer stops her typing and glances up, a cool look on her features. “Some of us don’t have trust funds or savings to fall back on. Some of us need to figure out their jobs before they leave college.”
The library that was already quiet is deafening now. Avery’s hands pull back from Greer’s shoulders, and her boyfriend snags her hand, pulling Avery into his side for comfort.
“Let’s go, Avery. Yourfriendis clearly in a mood.”
Tears fill Avery’s eyes before she walks away while Greer clenches her hands at her sides, not saying anything.
Present-Day Greer follows Avery and Josh out of the room before I say anything, and I trail behind her. She stops when the couple does, just past the library doors.
Josh hugs his sullen girlfriend and rubs her back. “She’s not your friend, Aves. Friends don’t say stuff like that to friends.”
“She didn’t mean it. She’s just worried about the future. I found out from my parents that her parents couldn’t help her pay for school. It’s why she works so much and has no life outside of here and her job at the cafe. I’m sure she’s just overtired and stressed.”
“You’re too nice. To put it kindly, your friend is awful.”
Avery sighs and looks toward the library as if she can see Greer through the wall. “I just wish she’d let me in, you know? We used to tell each other everything.”
