Fall from Love

happened after the kiss?” she asks, never skipping a beat.
    I think back to what happened, shaking my head. “I told her to think about what she wants, what she really wants and make sure she wants me before we go any further. I told her that we’d talk when the break was over.”
    “And what happens when she tells you she wants to be with you? ‘Cause you know that’s what she’ll say.”
    I shake my head. “I’m not so sure. I told her to think about the risk we’d be taking. You know, if we tried this relationship thing and it didn’t work out, then we may not be able to go back to being friends.”
    She stops scrubbing the dish in her hands and looks over at me. “Carter, you’re such a guy. Over the years and after all the sisterly advice I’ve given you, have you not listened to anything that I’ve told you? You’ve probably just shattered the poor girl’s heart. She put herself out there and you shot her down.”
    “What are you talking about? I kissed her.”
    “Yeah, and then you took it back. I was wrong in what I said before, you are an idiot.”
    She shakes her head and starts scrubbing again. “Love’s a risk. Period. No matter if it’s with Holly or not. I know you care about her and I know you’re scared to tell her the truth about what happened that night, but she’ll understand, Carter. Everyone understands what happened that night… everyone expect for you.”
     
    ❧
     
    It’s Thanksgiving and my family and I are over at the Abbott’s. I’m half sitting, half lying on the couch, hoping my stomach will digest soon. I’m so stuffed that I feel like if I have another bite of anything, or even look at another piece of food, I’ll explode.
    The last few days have gone by miserably slow. Over the past couple months I’ve gotten used to talking to Holly pretty much every night, even if it is just to say goodnight to each other. Now, it’s been four days since I’ve heard her voice. Four days since I’ve heard her laugh. I’ve picked up the phone probably a hundred times, only to put it back down. I’m hoping to give her some space to think and let her figure out what she really wants.
    “Ugh,” I moan, grabbing my stomach where Josh just punched me. He’s standing in front of me with a football in his hands, laughing. “Asshole,” I mutter under my breath so my mom doesn’t hear.
    “C’mon, let’s go play ball. I’m in desperate need for a little air. If my mom tries to get me to eat another bite, I may start looking as miserable as you do right now.”
    “Nah, man. I’m so full; give me some time to digest first.”
    “Get your ass off the couch or I’m gonna punch you again and this time it’ll hurt.”
    I glower over at him. If I wasn’t so full and miserable, I’d kick his ass. The only reason he’s talking to me like this is because he knows that I can barely move.
    “C’mon, it will make you feel better,” he says, throwing the football up in the air.
    “Fine,” I moan, sitting up straight and following him outside.
    “So, have you talked to Holly today?” he asks, catching the ball and throwing it back to me.
    Now it becomes clear, his ulterior motive for bringing me out here. I shake my head. “No. I haven’t talked to her since the night before we left.”
    He nods once. “Jenna says she’s been in a weird mood all week, even today. Is she not a big fan of birthdays or something?”
    “What?” I catch the football and grip it tight. “What did you just say about birthdays?”
    “It’s her birthday today,” he says, acting as if it were public knowledge.
    I didn’t know it was her birthday.
    “And you didn’t tell me?” I ask him.
    “Dude, she’s your girlfriend, not mine.”
    “She’s not—we’re not like that.” I grit through my teeth and chuck the football at him, harder than before.
    He groans when he catches it. “Damn, dude, go easy.”
    I storm off and head back to the house without looking back or answering Josh when he calls out for me.
     
    HOLLY
    Being at Jenna’s family’s house has been nice, but I’m looking forward to going back home to our apartment tomorrow. There’s a part of me that is excited to see Carter again and another part that’s scared out of my mind. I haven’t gotten as much as a phone call or text from him since I’ve been here, but I haven’t tried to call or text him, either.
    After we kissed, he asked me to think about what I wanted. At first, it felt like the biggest