Page 39 of The Santa Rules
Bella
I look up at Isaac, but he’s already emptied out the bags onto the table and pulled out several paper plates.
“You’ve done this before?” I ask, amazed at his efficiency.
“We do movie nights all the time. Though I’m still trying to get her to let me watch some rated-R movies.”
“Sounds about right.” I run a hand along my jaw. “Think we can get all this set up in an hour?”
“Easily. Do you have a laptop? Or an HDMI cord?”
“Laptop, yes. Not sure about that other thing,” I say, walking over to my work bag to pull out my computer.
“It’s cool, I brought an extra just in case,” he says, digging through his backpack. He scans the room. “Can I hook into those speakers?” he asks, pointing at my surround sound setup. I remember having to bribe Mike to come over and set it up for me right after I moved in.
“Yep. I’m not sure what all the cords go to though, so I don’t think I’ll be able to reconnect everything when we’re done.”
“I can swing by and reset it for you, or I can text you a video with instructions.”
“That would be great. Your mom has my number so whatever works, as long as you dumb it down for me. No naming HQBI cords, just say the red cord plugs into this spot.”
I watch as he sits on the couch, boots everything up, and has an image projected on my empty wall in minutes. “You’re really good at all that computer stuff, huh?”
He shrugs as he continues tapping the keys. “I got into it because of my dad.”
“Is he in the tech field?”
“No? Kinda. He runs his own company. When he and my mom were together, he was always at work, and I’d hear him complain about the guys running his app and how they ‘didn’t know what they’re doing.’ I figured if I could learn about it and fix it for him, he’d be home more.”
This poor kid just wanted his father’s attention, and it reminds me of my own failures with Avery. I’ve got to do better. I don’t want her starting fires in hopes that I’ll show up and be around more. I doubt she’d go that far, but given our past and her grief, anything is possible when I’m all she has left.
Isaac huffs, his breath blowing the strands of his floppy, dirty-blond hair out of his face. “Don’t tell my mom, but my dad’s kind of a dick. All he cares about is work, and he’s never around on his weekends. I mean, he buys me stuff and that’s cool, but it’s so boring at his place. And he’s dating this new chick, so when he is around, he’s spending time with her.”
“He leaves you alone at his house?”
“No, there’s usually staff there, or he just shoves an iPad at me, and they go hang out in another wing of the house. I might as well be home alone.”
And here I am taking up all his mom’s time and attention. “I’m sorry, man,” I start, but trail off, not sure what I’m apologizing for. His shitty situation with his dad, or the fact that I’m stealing his mom’s focus from him.
“It’s not your fault.” He shrugs again as he plugs in the last cord, and the opening song toThe Grinchfilters through the speakers.
“Did your mom tell you to pick that one?” I try to hide the smile on my face.
“Yeah, she said it was important that you ‘watch the movie of your people?’ I dunno. She’s weird.”
“That sounds like her,” I say.
“Are you guys dating?” he asks, abruptly changing the subject.
I open and shut my mouth several times, unsure how to answer his question. Bella and I haven’t discussed what we are. I would love to date her, but I don’t know if the school would allow it. But we’ve already violated any rules that may exist after the other night. And I haven’t talked to Avery about it yet either.
“It’s okay if you are. You don’t have to hide it,” he says.
“It’s not that we’re hiding anything, we just haven’t discussed it yet.”
“But it’s more than just a school project?”
“It is. I think? I want it to be, but it’s complicated.”
