Chapter 9
As it turned out she wasn’t the only liar.
Chris didn’t call.
Megan told herself she wasn’t waiting for him though she jumped every time the phone rang. And things just got worse. She and Leslie braved the mall on the Monday after Christmas because Leslie wanted something new for her upcoming date with Ken. “I’ve got to get something cooler, you know, sexier,” Leslie confided as they walked into the third boutique. “I know it sounds dumb, but Ken and I aren’t going on this sledding thing alone. Guess who’s coming along?”
Oh. God. Chris. And another girl. Megan’s heart did a nosedive, and she realized how much the thought of Chris with someone else hurt.
“Claire and Brad,” Leslie said, and Megan didn’t know whether to be happy or disgusted. As Leslie picked up a sweater and set it back, she said, “I know, it’s kind of weird. Brad’s car is in the shop or something and he can’t get his dad’s, so anyway Ken’s driving up to Mohawk Mountain for New Year’s Eve.”
Megan continued to browse through the sale racks, pushing the hangers a little too quickly as Leslie rattled on about the proposed trip. Somehow, she felt betrayed that Leslie was going to be on a double date with Claire Wakefield. It wasn’t Leslie’s fault—or Ken’s for that matter—but still it was painful.
“Meg, have you been listening to what I’ve said?”
“Oh, yes, I’m just a little surprised, that’s all.”
“I thought that maybe you knew all about it,” Leslie apologized. “Didn’t Chris tell you?”
“I haven’t seen Chris for a while,” Megan admitted, and was surprised at how sad that made her. When had she become dependent on a boy to make her happy?
“Why not?”
“Well, thanks to you, Chris figured out that I thought I was in love with Adam.”
“Ouch,” Leslie said, then said, “ ‘Thought’ you were. As in no more? Come on!”
“I just don’t know.” That was the truth of it.
“Why didn’t you just lie?”
“I didn’t want to start out lying, you know. Seemed like a bad idea.”
“A bad idea was admitting that you had a thing for Adam.”
“Maybe.”
“You need to fix that.”
“I think it’s okay.”
“You’d better make sure. Or someone should.” Leslie sent her a disbelieving glare, and Megan caught her drift. She skirted the sale rack and saw a sales person eyeing her, as if she expected her to shoplift. Pulling Leslie out of the store, Megan said, “Don’t get any ideas. I’ll handle this.”
“Okay, okay,” Leslie said, palms up, and they started shopping in earnest. By the time Megan got home, she was tired. The house was empty, her parents having gone out, no messages on the phone. “What did you expect?” she muttered, noticing that some of the Christmas decorations had begun to lose their luster; unlit red candles sat on the table with half-burned bits of blackened wick visible. Even the bright red holly berries on the mantel had started to wither and darken as if in anticipation of the season’s end.
And how about you, Megan Simmons? she asked herself as she waited for Madonna to shoot into her room before shutting the door. What will you do when vacation’s over and the sparkle of Christmas is gone? Will Chris ever call you again, or was your relationship with him just a holiday fantasy?
She flopped onto the bed and remembered when all of her unhappiness had begun, two years earlier when Adam had come into her life. No. That wasn’t quite right, she reminded herself. He had come into Natalie’s life.
Tired, Megan let her heavy lids drop over her eyes as she conjured up Adam’s handsome face: olive skin with a nobility and a slight arrogance; his dark green eyes were nearly liquid. How could he unwittingly have caused her so many heartaches? Then Adam’s image shifted, and she found herself looking into the blue eyes of Chris Johnson. He seemed amused, a dimple twitching in his cheek.
In her fantasy, they were beneath some sort of arbor, which was covered with mistletoe. Hundreds of people were watching them, and from the corner of her eye, she could see Natalie dancing with Adam. Natalie was wearing her wedding gown while Megan saw herself in faded jeans and an old sweatshirt with CENTRAL HIGH DEBATING TEAM on its front. Embarrassed and feeling out of place, she wanted to run and hide, or at least change into something more appropriate. She couldn’t! Chris refused to let her go, his bright eyes twinkling with mischief.
From far away, she heard a ringing, and her eyes flew open. She ran to her parents’ room and picked up the phone.
“Hey!” Chris said, and her knees actually buckled. She sat on the edge of her parents’ bed. “How would you like to go sledding tomorrow?”
“I’d love it!” she said, and, at least for the moment, the spirit of Christmas began to glimmer again, if only in her heart.