Tear Best Friends Apart

Christmas is fast approaching. I’ve been hectically searching for the perfect Secret Santa gift for our Christmas tradition, not to mention everyone else’s presents. Hence mine and Marla’s weekly girl time-which had commenced the week before when we ‘made-up’-being moved to the mall.

We walked from store to store not finding much. So far I had only picked out a few knickknacks for Jack and a necklace I caught Marla staring at. Marla, on the other hand, had purchased gifts for almost everyone. The only person she was missing was my brother, and she wouldn’t shut up about it. I’ve already thrown out a dozen or so ideas, none of which appealing to her. She didn’t understand that Jack was very simple to shop for; he was very easily amused and entertained. Nevertheless, she was freaking out.

“Elena! It needs to be perfect. This is our first Christmas since we started dating. This year is special. Please, please, please help me.” Marla’s voice took on a pleading tone similar to that of a five-year-old girl begging her parents for the Barbie doll she had her eye on.

“Mar. I already gave you a bunch of ideas. Jack won't really care what you get him. As long as it’s from you he will love it,” I said very slowly, as if I were the parent negotiating with the five-year-old girl. “Especially if it’s shiny,” I added on trying not to smile.

I received a small smile from my best friend before her whole face lit up. “Oh! I know what I’m going to get him! It’s perfect.”

She raced down the mall dragging me behind her while we received disapproving looks from elderly couples and a security guard. It only took Marla twenty more minutes to find what she was looking for and for us to make it to the food court where we sat down after our shopping filled day.

“Anything new with Alex?” she asked before bringing her Starbucks cup to her mouth.

I shook my head. I was beginning to think Alex was a lost cause. “He wont even be in the same room alone with me. I don’t know what else I can do.” I really had tried everything. I had even gone as far as stealing Jack’s phone to text Alex, asking him to metJack me at the park. But, as soon as he realized it was just little old me, he found an excuse to leave.

“I think it’s time for Plan B,” Marla stated with a devilish grin.

Skeptically, I questioned her motives. “And what exactly is Plan B?”

“You’ll see. First we need to do some more shopping!” I groaned very loudly. I in now way wanted to do more shopping today, but if it would help me talk to Alex, it was worth a shot. Right?

Two hours later we were in my room getting ready to go to this weekend’s party. It was the biggest party of the year. Every winter Scott Campbell through a huge party to celebrate winter break, the whole school and their brothers were invited. While I tried on endless amounts of clothes for Marla to approve, she had told me the inner workings of her Plan B.

The idea was that I would dress up in the clothes she had picked out for me earlier, which were pretty slutty if you ask me, and show Alex what he was missing. Personally I saw a few flaws in her plan. Mainly the burning question in the back of my mind, the one I wanted answered ever so badly, what if he didn’t really like me.

Marla shot down all my protests, every concern I threw out about this plan of hers. “Don’t worry, E. I’ve been watching him closely. He definitely likes you; more than anything. This is going to work perfectly! Now, sit still.”

I obeyed. I sat still while she did my makeup. I put on the clothes she designated. I even role played, with her pretending to be Alex, because she wanted to be sure I knew what I was supposed to do.

I was supposed to ignore him. I was supposed to look at every guy but him. I was supposed to tease him.