Better Off Friends

“Yeah, and from there we just kinda clicked. She’s really

the only person who’s gone out of her way to make me feel at

home. So thank you, Mrs. Dietz, for raising your daughter

the way you did. She’s awesome and I know that’s because of

you. I wish I could’ve met you, but I guess I have in a way.

Because of Macallan. And just so you know, I’ll do my best to

protect her. And be there for her. Even if she does have the

worst taste in football teams.”

“Hey!” I swatted at him. “Mom’s a huge Packers fan. He’s only teasing, Mom.”

He wrapped his gloved hand around mine. “It’s okay that

I joked?”

“Yes, she always jokes around.”

66

“What else does she like?”

And that was all it took. For the next hour, I told Levi all

about my mom. All I could remember. I laughed at so many

of the memories. And not once did another tear fall. I still

ached for her, but talking about her was keeping her alive

inside of me.

I had no doubt that Mom was looking down at us and

smiling.

Everything changed after that.

Maybe change wasn’t the best word. But Levi and I were closer than ever.

Between my breakdown at the mall and the visit with

Mom, Levi went above and beyond to make sure we spent

time together.

It wasn’t as if Levi put Emily aside for me. He knew he

didn’t have to make that kind of choice. He became more

aware of how he was acting. The decisions he made. Whom he

chose to spend time with.

Even though we constantly texted, he would call me at least

once a day while he was in California during the holidays.

“I know how happy this is going to make you,” Levi said

during his call on New Year’s Eve. “Everybody here is complaining about how much I’m talking about back home.”

“Do we think you have a case of the grass is always

greener?” I asked.

He laughed. “Probably. But mostly the guys want to see

more pictures of the coolest chick alive.”

“You better be talking about me.”

67

“Clearly. Even if said chick is having a rockin’ party without me.”

“Hey, I’m not the one who decided to spend the holidays

two thousand miles away. And the party isn’t going to be

rockin’ with everybody’s parents there.”

My dad had thought it would be fun to host a New Year’s

Eve party. So he invited some of his friends and their kids,

and I got to invite my friends and their parents. At first I didn’t think anybody would want to come to a party with their parents, but I guess it was the only way any of us would’ve been

able to properly celebrate the ringing in of the New Year.

I had to hang up on Levi to get ready for our guests. Emily

and Danielle came early to help me with the food. I made

baked ziti, fettuccine Alfredo with chicken, spaghetti with

turkey meatballs, garlic bread, and chopped salad.

Thankfully, the kids were relegated to the basement, so

we got to have some privacy. I felt a little bad for Trisha and Ian, who were the kids of my dad’s friends, since they didn’t

really know us. Trisha had moved from Minneapolis, and Ian

was a year older than us. When I’d heard he was coming, I

immediately thought he’d be upset being stuck with young

kids, but he came downstairs with a smile on his face and

introduced himself to everybody. Trisha stayed in the corner

watching TV with Emily’s younger sister and Danielle’s

brother for the first hour or so.

“I wish Levi was here.” Emily sulked. “Now who am I going

to kiss at midnight?”

“Don’t look at me,” Danielle teased. “I’m going to try to

work my magic on that freshman. He’s a hottie. Off to show

68

him my winning personality.” Danielle went over and sat

down next to Ian.

“You don’t think Levi’s going to be with a girl tonight?”

Emily asked me.

“No, he’s hanging with his bros,” I reassured her. I’d had to

do that every day since Levi had left. I knew he could be

trusted. He wasn’t the cheating kind.

“What’s up, guys?” Troy came over with a plate full of

chips. “Are we going to break open any of these games

or what?”

Emily smiled at him. “Good idea! Games!”

She guided Troy over to the table where we had some old—

school board games set out.

Emily’s sister grabbed checkers and brought them over to

Danielle’s brother on the other side of the room, where they

set up shop.

“Oh, they’re too cool to hang out with their older siblings.”

Emily laughed. “I remember being in fifth grade and thinking I was da bomb.”

Troy looked up from the game of Monopoly he was examin—

ing. “I don’t know — I think you’re da bomb now.”

Emily threw her head back and let out that exaggerated

giggle she did around guys.

Troy scratched his head, leaving his wavy brown hair

sticking up in places. His smile was so big, I noticed for the

first time that he had a dimple in his right cheek.