Fall from Love

word. “Cool. I guess Jenna didn’t have a meltdown after all?” I ask, handing her a beer.
    “Yeah, she wasn’t too happy about it at first, but I think she may have enjoyed it more than I did.” She smiles so big it causes her eyes to crease. It’s the largest smile I’ve seen from her and it almost takes my breath away. Then her smile fades and she scrunches her nose. “It smells like something’s burning.”
    “Shit.” I run past her and down the hall. When I open the oven, smoke escapes and I can see that the bread is torched.
     
    HOLLY
    Jenna and I help clear the table when we finish with dinner.
    “The food was awesome; where did you guys learn to cook like this?” I ask, piling the plates neatly and sitting them next to the sink.
    “I’m not the cook.” Carter laughs. “Betty Crocker over there is the chef. I’m just his assistant, helping him out with whatever he tells me to do.”
    “That’s right,” Josh agrees. “And it would’ve been even better if you listened and hadn’t burnt the bread, dumbass.”
    Carter laughs and shakes his head, holding out his hands to take the second round of dishes I have in my hand. “Here, let me take those.”
    “No, you guys cooked; Holly and I will clean.” Jenna approaches the sink and looks over at me.
    “Yeah, it’s only fair,” I agree.
    “Hey, no arguments here. I love to cook, but cleaning sucks,” Josh says, leaning back in his chair. “Well, what do you two ladies want to do for the rest of the evening? We could go to Sterling’s? I hear that they have a pretty good band tonight?”
    “Yeah, speaking of Sterling’s,” Jenna begins and I glance at her, giving her my best pleading look, hoping she won’t say what I think she’s about to. “We could go and Holly over here could keep her end of a deal.”
    My stomach twists and I glare over at her.
    “What deal?” Carter asks.
    “Oh, Holly and I made a deal today. I, being the bestest best friend in history would agree to jump out of a perfectly good airplane, if she would sing at open mic night again at Sterling’s.”
    “We agreed before senior year ends,” I say through gritted teeth. “Plus, it’s not open mic night tonight. It’s battle of the bands.”
    “Oh, whatever. I’m sure Joe would make an exception for you.”
    I shake my head and scrub the pan I’m holding even harder. “Not tonight.”
    “Oh, yeah, that’s right; you have to finish writing the song first.” She nudges me and gives me a smile. I want to be mad at her, but I can’t. I want to tell her to drop it, but I won’t. This is how she would’ve treated me a few months ago and it’s me that asked her to be normal. This playful banter between us, this is our normal.
    “Damn, you sing and write your own shit, too?” Josh asks, slamming his hand down on the table, bringing the attention back to him, which I’m thankful for.
    I can’t help laughing at how he just described my songwriting as shit. “Yeah,” I answer. “I’m trying, but we’ll see how it goes.”
    Jenna rolls her eyes at me. “Whatever, Holly is being way too modest. She’s a brilliant songwriter and has an awesome voice to match. You guys should totally come when she does sing.”
    This time I don’t even try to hide it; I aim a pointed glare right at her.
     
    ❧
     
    After all the dishes are clean and dry, we pile on the couch.
    “Okay, so coin toss to see who gets to pick the movie,” Josh says, flipping a coin up in the air and catching it.
    Jenna sighs and sinks back into the couch even farther. “I think you should let the girls choose, it’s the gentlemanly thing to do.”
    “Yeah, well, you know that’s not happening. How about I’ll let you call it?” Josh counters. “What’s it gonna be? Heads or tails?”
    “I think you should let Holly and I choose,” Carter speaks up and I turn to look at him. “It’s not like the two of you will be watching it anyways.”
    Jenna playfully glares over at him and I look over to her with a questioning expression.
    “Heads or tails?” Josh asks again.
    “Tails!” Jenna yells out and Josh flips the coin up in the air.
    He catches it and slaps it down on the back of his hand. Smiling, he looks to Jenna and I laugh at the fallen expression on her face. “Sorry, babe, Zombie Apocalypse it is. I guess the chick flick will just have to wait for another night.”
    Josh puts the movie in and hops onto the couch next to Jenna. Adjusting the pillow behind me,