Fall from Love

leave? It feels like we just got you back.” My mom frowns at me.
    I pick apart my bacon and throw it back on the plate. “Yeah, like I told you last night, I’d like to get back a little early before school starts again. Just to get back into the routine, you know?” It is a terrible excuse, but she seems to be buying it.
    From the moment I decide that I’m going home early, I can’t stop thinking about Carter and all the things I want to say to him when I see him again. There are so many things we need to talk about, especially what happened to us over the last few weeks. I’m not sure how many times I pick up the phone to call him, only to feel like a pathetic loser when I chicken out at the last second.
    “Have you started to look at jobs yet?” my dad asks, folding the newspaper he is reading and laying it on the table, dissolving my thoughts in the process.
    “Yeah, I’ve looked a little. I’m really trying to focus on spring semester, though. I’ve got a pretty tough schedule coming up.”
    “Well, my offer still stands you now. Just say the word and I’ll call my friend at The New Yorker, I’m sure he can get you in for an interview.”
    The New Yorker should be a dream job for most journalism majors, but not me.
    “I’ll let you know,” I say. What my dad doesn’t know is that there is no part of me that wants to return to New York when I graduate. I’m not sure where I want to go, but it definitely isn’t back here.
    As I’m helping my mom clear the table, I hear my phone chime.
    Jenna: Do you ever wonder how you come from the 2 people that created you? Seriously, I’m really curious sometimes.
    Me: LOL. All the time! BTW, coming home early... maybe in a couple days.
    Jenna: Really?! So ur gonna be here 4 NYE??!!
    Me: Yeah, looks like it.
    Jenna: Perfect! OMG! This is going to be so great!
    Me: See you soon. :)
    Two days later, I’m on a flight back to Colorado. Jenna picks me up from the airport and I can’t help noticing her strange behavior the entire way home. The first few minutes we fill each other in on our Christmas’s away at home, but when I try to ask her what else she has been up to and how Josh is doing, she seemingly doesn’t want to talk about it.
    “Spill it, Jenna,” I say, throwing my suitcases and purse down on the living room floor.
    “What are you talking about?” she asks. For a minute, her innocent expression almost works, but I know better. It’s clear that she wants to tell me something, but she doesn’t know if she should or not.
    “Damn, nothing gets past you, does it?”
    “Nope. What is it?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest.
    “I can’t say. I’m sworn to secrecy.”
    As I stand there, I roll my eyes and try to read her features. Oh yeah, she’ll be easy to break.
    “Who has sworn you to secrecy?” I ask, deciding to play along with the game I know she wants to play. She tries to avoid me by going into her room, but I follow her, determined to find out what she’s hiding.
    “Josh,” she says finally, turning on the lamp on her nightstand. I bite the inside of my cheek, trying not to smile, knowing that I didn’t even have to persuade her. Oh, this is going to be so easy.
    “Stop looking at me like that.” She laughs. “You’re beginning to creep me out. It’s like you’re trying to scan my brain or something.”
    “We know how this is gonna end. You may as well just tell me.” I smile.
    “ Hello. What part about I’ve been sworn to secrecy do you not understand?”
    “You’re right. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pressure you. It’s been a long day, I’m just gonna go unpack.” Turning around, I head for the door.
    “Fine, I’ll tell you. I wasn’t going to, but I know you’ll just bug me all night if I don’t. ”
    I try to hide my smile before I turn around to face her again.
    She sits on the end of her bed and leans back on her hands. “Carter’s miserable, Holly. Josh said that he’s been a wreck ever since Thanksgiving. Over Christmas break, he hardly left his house and barely talked with anyone. We’re starting to get worried about him.”
    My heart squeezes. “I had no idea,” I say, shaking my head.
    “Yeah, I assumed you didn’t. I’m not sure what’s going on, but maybe you should see if you can get through to him. I know things have been weird between you two the last few weeks, but he needs someone, even if it’s just a friend.”
    I nod. “Yeah, I’ll call him.”
    “What about