GLITCH

I was trying my hardest not to slip on the icy pavement in the high-heeled boots Catherine made me wear when my phone rang and made me stumble.

“Shit, shit, shit,” Cat hissed and grabbed my forearm, steadying me. “Tell me who’s calling and I’ll break their neck.”

“Shhh,” I hissed right back and put my phone on silent, briefly noticing Ben’s name on the display, “If my parents see me, they’ll figure out I’m not going to a sleepover at your place.”

“What?” She pushed her long brown bangs off her face, “I’ll tell them I moved my bedroom to Old Joe’s.”

“No talking. Walking.” I moved toward the street, leaving my house behind.

Catherine followed me, and the two of us managed to walk down the middle of the street, where the salt prevented asphalt from freezing. Snow and ice covered the town of Esterford, Michigan. The colourful, and excessive, Christmas lights added a fairy-tale-like touch to the town, and I could only dream of what it looked like from inside a house, where it wasn’t this damn cold.Last I checked on my phone, it was 14 degrees or lower. My parka wasn’t enough to keep my teeth from chattering, especially when Catherine convinced me to wear a dress. Christmas Eve, she said, time to be jolly.

As we were approaching the town square, the town came alive with people. They began gathering in front of St. Paul’s Church for the midnight mass, even though it wasn’t even close to midnight yet. One came early to the birth of Christ, and the hottest new gossip.

“I can’t believe I’m going to Old Joe’s on Christmas Eve.” I pulled the fluffy hood over my head, caring less about my hair than the potential of someone recognising me and snitching to my parents.

“Lila, we’ve talked about this already.” Cat looked much steadier in her heels than me, and I wished I had that much confidence in my balance. “You’re doing everything they tell you. Hell, you haven’t gone to a single party with me this year, and there were plenty! And I know it’s probably because your mom thinks I’m a whore-”

“Cat,” I grunted, “That’s not true. And – you know I can’t party this year that much, I’m barely getting enough sleep as is, especially now that I’ve joined the debate team, too.”

“Yeah, because your parents want you to go to Princeton.” She stuck out her tongue. “Because your dad went to Princeton.”

I laughed, “Okay, I get it. We’re out, aren’t we? I even lied to my parents. Are you proud?”

Cat raised her sleek eyebrow at me, “You sure your mom isn’t scared I’ll turn you into a little slut?”

I gasped, “Oh, my God, she doesn’t think you’re like that.”

“Oh, she does.” Cat clung to my arm, her laughter in my ears. “And she’s not totally wrong.”

I joined her laughter, and the night suddenly didn’t seem so cold. Old Joe’s came into view half a minute later, and I once again couldn’t believe I was here.

“Emma would kill me if she knew I came here with you,” I said. “And so would Ben.”

“Ugh, he was the one calling you earlier, wasn’t he? That’s the only reason why he’d be on your mind, I hope.”

“He’s on my mind because he’s been calling me every day for the past three weeks.” I stopped in front of the three steps leading to the entrance to Old Joe’s; a muffled sound of music coming from inside.

“Honestly, that just proves my point, you were with him only because your parents liked him.” Cat grabbed the copper-coloured handle, “By the way, where’s Emma this lovely evening?”

“Your point is null because I broke up with him, remember?” I cocked my head to the side, “And Emma’s with Timothy, and I hope they don’t find out I’m here because they’ll kill me.”

“Ugh.” Cat made a face before opening the door to the bar, music and chatter turning louder, “You’re lucky I’m your friend.”

Catherine walked through the wooden door with ease, while I had to take in a sharp breath. God, what in the world made me go to Old Joe’s on Christmas Eve? I even lied to my parents, which I was sure would come back later to bite me on the ass.

I walked in anyway, the wooden walls of the hallway leading to the bar itself swallowed me in their warm embrace, and the sound of Johnny Cash made me forget I was freezing for a second. I followed Cat to the heart of the bar, where the local band was playing slightly off-tune. The leather booths filled the area around the podium, and stools lined the bar where younger Joe served drinks. His father, the current Old Joe, sat on the stool next to the bar, smoking a cigar and eyeing the situation.

Old Joe’s was the only place in town where they served booze to minors, because- well, because it was better to try it at home than somewhere else. Plus, Old Joe was a responsible man, and he kicked out anyone who made too much mess.

“Come on, we have a table.” Catherine grabbed my hand and pulled me through the bar.

The bar wasn’t full, but it was crowded. All seats were taken, and a few even stood next to the tables, but one bar table with two stools awaited empty. It was right next to the farthest booth where people who waved at Cat sat. My heart skipped a beat. I didn’t know these people well enough to hang out with them.

“Hey, Cat!” A red-headed girl with quite a few piercings on her face shouted, “Over here!”

“Come on.” Cat’s grip on my wrist tightened.

I noticed Cat’s ex-situationship, a lanky tall guitarist by the name of Taylor, sitting next to the redhead, Natalie, Cat’s older cousin. One girl and two guys were in the booth as well, and although familiar, I couldn’t place them. Fortunately, Cat didn’t bother me with introductions, she simply sat on the stool closer to them, and I joined on the other side. So far so good.

While she chatted with the crew, I took in my surroundings. I’ve seen all of these people before, and I knew them from stories, either by name or face. There was a group of middle-aged men in the corner opposite of us, and I recognized one of them as my dad’s mechanic. I swallowed, hoping he didn’t know what I looked like, or that he wouldn’t tell. A group of kids from our high school occupied the largest booth, nearest to the band, and they had the largest amount of booze in front of them, too. I noticed the older girls, too, who graduated a few years back, and the way they sat like they wanted to belong somewhere else, like this was an obligation. I felt them, I was here out of obligation, too, towards Cat.

There were a few people I knew better. Sophie, the cheerleader who dated my brother Kyle for a second, her friend who slept with half the guys in the bar and whose name I couldn’t remember for the life of me, and Stoner Stanley, who kept laughing at Jake Miller’s jokes.

My gaze cut through Cat. “So, that’s why we’re here.”

She stopped chatting with Natalie and looked at me, “What?”

“Jake Miller? Aren’t you done chasing him?”

Cat now fully turned to me, her cheeks flushed, and red lips pursed, “Quiet. And to answer your question, it’s going to happen eventually, I know it. We’re meant to be.”

I laughed out loud. “Isn’t he dating that model who left for Detroit a year ago?”

“Simone Parker,” Cat said her name with disgust. “Apparently, they broke up a month ago.”

“Good for you,” I snickered.

“It’s going to happen.” Cat shook off her jacket and reminded me to do the same. “Just you wait.”

“I’ll let you enjoy your delusions,” I took off my parka and put it on the backseat, trying not to feel too uncomfortable in my clothes.

Cat said I had to wear a dress, so I chose a knee-length, long-sleeved lacy red one for the Christmas season.

My best friend eyed me, “Oh, no, you should have chosen something more modest.”

“Ha, ha.” I squinted, “What do you want? It emphasizes my figure, and I happen to like turtleneck collars.”

“Someone with boobs like yours should never cover them,” Cat pointed at her cleavage, “I’m trying my hardest to show these tiny berries, and you’ve hiding yours.”

Cat was quite flat, but it suited her, especially because the dresses she wore would look way too vulgar on someone with boobs.

“Whatever, I’m showing my waist, be happy.”

“Whatever, I’m just trying to get you someone other than Ben.”

“I don’t need help in that regard, thank you.”

“I seriously doubt that.” Cat squinted, and her gold eyeshadow sparked.

Catherine was insanely sexy; she knew how to handle herself, knew the right way to flip her brown hair and bat her dark eyelashes to appear sensual, but not too intense. She went for the worst guys, too, like Jake Miller, the former football star of Esterford High before he busted his knee, which he took as an excuse to drop his entire future, so he flunked 11th grade. Not that he wasn’t an asshole before.

“Hey.” Cat leaned forward, and her sparkling eyeshadow looked really good against her chocolate-coloured eyes. “Tell me if Jake’s watching me.”

I rolled my eyes and glanced in Jake’s direction on impulse, but I caught someone else looking right at me, eyeing my dress.

Cole Harrison.

I immediately looked away, and since Cat was already on her phone, I grabbed mine, too, my heart pitter-pattering in my chest. He didn’t just glance my way, he was looking at me. I looked back up, and there his dark eyes were again. He offered a crooked smile, then turned to Jake and focused on what the football player was telling him.

My gaze dropped to my phone, but we were close enough to spy on him through the lock of my blonde hair falling over my eyes.

Cole Harrison looked like a bad decision incarnate. Wearing jeans and a white shirt with rolled-up sleeves, with the few stands of his dark pushed-back hair falling over his equally dark eyes, he was irresistibly sexy. A crooked smile played on his lips, adding a touch of roguish charm, and the short stubble covering his sharp jaw suggested he hadn’t shaved today, which made him look so effortlessly cool.

I met Cole Harrison once two years ago, when I cried to our school counsellor about not having enough volunteering work on my resume, and she tried to get me to tutor him chemistry. I accepted, thinking how I’d turn him into an honour student by the end of school year, and he picked me up at my house for our first lesson. Then, he promptly drove me around town for twenty minutes, claiming he had to pick something up, before I realised he was dealing weed to college kids that were back for Christmas break.

Needless to say, I refused to tutor him ever again. He graduated then, though, so maybe he found someone else.

“So, is he looking?” Cat hissed.

“Since when is he hanging out with Cole Harrison?” I kept my gaze locked on Cat, too acutely aware of Cole’s presence and afraid I’d accidentally look again, and he’d think I was a creep.

“Since he started smoking weed in Cole’s basement.” Cat shrugged, “I mean, all of his friends moved after high school.”

“I can’t believe they did nothing with their lives,” I murmured.

“Hey, don’t be so judgemental.” Cat frowned, and for once, I could see real annoyance in her eyes. “Just because they didn’t go to a fancy college, doesn’t mean their lives suck.”

“Come on, you know what I meant.” I cocked my head, “Jake could have gone somewhere.”

“Lila,” Cat warned, “Not everyone has the brain capacity or desire to study non-stop.”

I opened my mouth, but stopped myself. Neither the time nor place.

“I should have known you wanted to come here because of Jake,” I said instead, still feeling quite uncomfortable in the bar.

“Yeah, so? You agreed to come here because you can’t hang out with Ben’s friends anymore.” Cat arched her eyebrow. “We both have our reasons, let’s just enjoy the night, alright? At least none of the people you hang out with are here. We’re the untouchables.”

The underhanded insult didn’t miss me, but I decided to let it slide tonight. Cat and I had been best friends since first grade, when we were still blind to the differences in our upbringing. I, for example, was blind to the dissatisfaction my mother emitted each time I told her I was going to hang out with Cat, and she was blind to the privilege and wealth my parents had compared to hers. We didn’t let it destroy us, but I was afraid that would change once I went to college.

“How about you go get us something to drink and I’ll stay here alone, so maybe he comes to talk to me, okay?” Cat grabbed my forearm, and I let out a long sigh.

“Fine, but only the first round.” I hopped off the stool and wanted to tell her to guard my phone, but it was ringing again, displaying Ben’s name.

“Oh, my God, let me answer, please.” Cat reached for my phone, but I snatched it away.

“I’m not answering,” I said, anger pulsating in my veins, “I told him it was over ten times, he obviously can’t take a hint, so I’m not talking to him anymore.”

“Good for you.”

I remembered the real reason why I let Cat drag me out of my house and to Old Joe’s on Christmas Eve. I couldn’t listen to another minute of my mother pestering me about why I broke up with Ben. Because he kissed like a fish and talked about Yale all the goddamn time. I needed to get away for a second, from everyone telling me how to live my life.

“Yeah, let’s get a drink.” I dropped my phone into my purse and closed it.

If someone called me in the middle of the night, I’d just tell them I fell asleep come morning.

Tonight, I was unreachable.