It turned out I was the one who owed him one, after how he defended me at lunch time, but I was still glad I’d gone with Annie’s suggestion.
“Is this for me? What did I do to deserve a gift from you?” Jack asked me, eying the package.
“Well, you’re my brother, and so I figured even though I don’t like you, I should still buy you something for Christmas.”
“You don’t like me, do you?” He lowered his voice, even though none of the others in the room were paying us any attention. “You sure do like what I do to you.”
My face went crimson and I looked around to make sure no one had been listening. At the same time, I felt a tug in the bottom of my stomach, towards my nether regions, and I knew I wanted more of the same. I wanted him again, I wanted him to make me feel the way he had a few weeks earlier in that library.
“Well, maybe if you weren’t a total asshole basically all the time, I’d be more inclined to like you. Though I did appreciate what you did for me at lunch with Amy. Thanks for defending me.”
“I didn’t do it for you. That stuck up bitch needed to be brought down a peg.”
“See, you say things like that, then you wonder why I don’t like you.”
“I don’t wonder why you don’t like me. I know why. I just think you’re wrong.”
“How am I wrong?”
“You’re wrong because you don’t know me, really.”
“Oh, don’t I?”
“Not at all.”
“Well, I can only make my decisions based on the person I see in front of me.”
“You don’t understand anything, and you never will. I don’t care whether you like me or not. I just don’t.”
“Fine. Well lucky for you, I don’t care what you think of me, either.”
“Good. It’s better that way. Thanks for the drinks.”
And with that Jack turned around and walked off, leaving me more confused about him than ever.
Chapter Twelve
Pretty soon Christmas became no more than a memory as the New Year came along. Annie and I decided to go into the city to hang out. I’d spent every single one of the last four New Year’s Eves at Times Square, but Annie assured me that the fireworks in London were going to be at least as good.
The train was packed, but by the time we got into the city I was thinking she might be right. The mood was jubilant, thousands of people packed the streets. We grabbed some drinks, since no one seemed to really care that there was drinking in public unless they got out of hand, and started to party with some random strangers in a park along the side of the Thames until the party really got going.
Eventually, after a few drinks, Annie and I sat down and started chatting.
“So any big new resolutions?” I asked Annie as she nursed a beer.
“Definitely. Same as always. Lose some weight, go to the gym, finally get a boyfriend. You?”
“Nah. Nothing for me. I’m not really the resolution type.”
“That’s good. I always make them, but I never keep them. Still, you should try and find a guy here. I know you want to go back to New York when you’re finished studying, but that’s years away. Have some fun until then!”
“I’m not opposed to guys, Annie. I just… haven’t found the right one.”
“Come on, when was the last time you had sex?”
“Uh, like a month ago?”
“Seriously? And you didn’t tell me? Who was it?”
My face immediately went beet red. Ugh, why did you have to tell her that?
“Just some guy. I don’t even remember his name.”
Annie howled with laughter. “Amazing! I didn’t think you had it in you. I’m so proud of you, Julianne Reeves.”
I couldn’t help but smile back. Thank God she’d believed the lie. I didn’t want to tell her it was with Jack, since I had no idea how she’d react. It was so taboo, having sex with your brother! Even I wasn’t sure I was ok with what I’d done.
“Anyway, you don’t need to lose weight, or get a boyfriend, but if you need a gym buddy I should probably start going with you too.”
“Deal, we should go after class if we have any of the same ones next semester. Then that way we can’t get out of it.”
“For sure. My mom will be so proud. She always tells me I can stand to lose a few pounds.”
“Oh, mine’s the opposite. She’s all like “you’re gorgeous the way you are.””
Annie waved away my compliment.
“Still, I always feel like a giant fatty, especially just after Christmas. I’m going to have the best beach body this summer.”
“Good plan,” I replied, and we clinked beers in a toast.
Suddenly, a single firework went off in the sky. Ten minute warning!
Annie and I got up and made our way through the crowd to where we could get a better view. Directly across the water from us was the London Eye and Big Ben, where Annie said most of the action was going to be.