Our ballroom, decorated in a White Christmas theme, rivaled New York City’s Rockefeller Plaza. The tree, the ornaments, and decorations perfectly displayed the Christmas spirit.
“Emily!” shouted all my college friends whom I had avoided since the breakup, “it’s so good to see you. Where have you been? You’ve lost so much weight,” they all said at once as they veered me away from my date.
“Who is that gorgeous man you are with?” They all whispered not only to me, but also among themselves.
“Jake,” I called, pulling him back to my side, “this is Becca, Lizzy, and Christie. We have all been roommates at some point throughout my four years in undergrad.”
“Ladies, this is Jake.”
“Hello, Jake!” they all sang out at once.
“Hi.” He grinned his irresistible smile. Jake was always good at conversation and my college friends looked more than happy to converse.
“Jake, I’m going to go see Sarah and Charlie and get us checked in. Hang here with all the gals, will you?” I walked away amused, knowing Jake was in for a long talk with the girls.
While walking toward my best friend and her boyfriend of almost nine years, I nervously scanned the room for Max and his date. Relief washed over me. Perhaps they would be absent tonight? I could only hope.
“Hey,” I called out to the lovebirds. “Where are we sitting?”
“Um…”
Their answer, filled with enough hesitation, made my nerves rattle again. This was not going to be an answer I would like to hear.
“You’re with Peter, Will, James, Christie, me, Charlie and Max and Jennifer.” Sarah spoke so quickly I had to repeat all the names in my head before everything clicked.
“What?” I bellowed. I could see a few heads turning my way. Anger boiled inside me to a point where I wanted to disown my best friend. “Why, Sarah? Why did you do this to me?”
Sarah looked scared. She could tell by my voice that she and Charlie had just ruined the whole night for me. “I thought you were OK with seeing him again. I also thought it would be sweet revenge for Max to see you with Jake.”
“Aw, Sarah…I only came here because of you and Charlie. You know I didn’t want to be here.” As soon as I finished saying these words, a familiar presence stood close behind me. Even in a crowded room I could pick out his footsteps or the sound of his breath. How much of our conversation had he heard? My body turned in fear and anticipation, and he looked at me surprised, almost shocked. His boyish good looks still moved my heart. I hoped he couldn’t read the combined joy and sadness in my eyes. I had missed him.
“Em…ily,” Max stuttered. Em was what he called me during our four years of courtship. Em was what he breathed every time we kissed. Nobody dared to call me Em, because it was exclusively his. It was a jolt through my system to hear my nickname again.
“Hi.” I managed a whisper.
Right at this moment, almost as though it were timed, Jake walked over, put his arms around me, and forced his lips on mine. My cheeks grew hotter by the length of his kiss. I heard Sarah make some saucy comment about our public display of affection.
“What was that?” I whispered when he finally let go.
“Payback.” Minus the smile, it sounded like a threat. “Why did you run away and leave me with those women?”
After the shock of the embrace wore off, I started to laugh. Even with Max and Jennifer standing two footsteps away, my only thoughts were on Jake and the awkward situation I had created for him with my former roommates.
“You didn’t like my friends? I’m sure they liked you.” I laughed at him.
“I missed you. Don’t leave my side tonight. I don’t want to be apart from you, OK?”
I agreed to his request by nodding my head yes.
“I’m sorry,” Jake spoke, glancing at our broken conversation. “Was I interrupting something?”
“No…um, this is Max. Max, this is Jake. As I introduced the past to the present, I saw Max’s disconcerted face as he greeted Jake. Obviously, none of our friends had mentioned to him I was seeing someone. Funny. No one had any difficulties telling me about Max and Jennifer.
“Hi. It’s nice to meet you, Max.” As Jake greeted Max, my eyes darted back and forth, stealing glances at both men. I didn’t know who I was more nervous for—me, Jake, or Max. Nor, could I figure out what gave away my anxiety more—my twitching body or the hitched breath.
“Nice meeting you too,” Max stammered to let out the rest of his sentence. “And this is my girlfriend, Jennifer.”