First and Last (Love and Hate Book 1)

Chapter 25

I was beginning to think Beth was obsessed. She's acting like every choice relating to Christmas is life or death. She asked me if I thought we should have a color scheme or just get a bunch of stuff regardless of the color.

I said we didn't need a color scheme and picked up a sparkly pink ornament. Apparently, that was the wrong thing to say because she slapped the ornament out of my hand and told me we were having a white color scheme.

We ended up spending two hours arguing about ornaments. Ornaments! Things that only matter until New Year's.

I eventually threw my hands in the air and went to the camping section and sat in a camping chair on display.

Beth has always been a control freak, but lately, she's been worse. Almost like she's the queen of the world and we all have to follow her.

I don't know what her deal is, but I really hope she pulls the stick out of her ass before I go full girl fight on her.

I sat on the camping chair comfortably scrolling through Instagram for half an hour when my phone started ringing. It was Landon and I was bored, so I answered.

"How's tree shopping?" I asked in a bored tone.

"We've been home for almost two hours. I finally called Beth to ask where the hell you two were and she answered in tears. Tears Kallie. She's crying and it's your fault." I rolled my eyes.

"How is it my fault?" I could practically feel him ripping his hair out.

"She's crying because apparently you ditched her in the middle of shopping and she can't find you." I frowned, feeling slightly bad. I mean I definitely needed to get away from her before I shanked her with one of the many sharp objects around. I, however, didn't mean to make her cry.

"I'll go find her, but if she isn't done, I'm waiting in the car. She's being an overbearing monster." Landon sighed.

"Just cut her some slack, Kal, this Christmas is important to her and she wants everything to be perfect." Wow, cryptic much?

"What makes this one so important?" I asked feeling more and more irritating.

"Things will be different next year." I groaned.

"Stop being so damn cryptic and tell me what the hell you mean. The world isn't going to do a 180 by next year." (A/N: Except if there's suddenly a worldwide pandemic and the world does do a 180)

"Just, things change. Hayden, Leo, Bridget, and I are all graduating. That alone will be a big change. Beth just wants to make Christmas in Apartment 2A special. It will be our last." My eyes widened.

"What do you mean last?"

"Kal, did you think we were all going to live in an off-campus three-bedroom forever?" I furrowed my brows.

"Well, no, but are you saying we're going to move?"

"Yeah, that's how life works. You go to high school, then college, and then you're in the real world. That apartment was always temporary." I bit my lip to stop myself from crying. I don't know why, but the thought of not being in that apartment with my best friend, my brother, and my boyfriend, is devastating.

"Where am I supposed to go without you guys? You pay my rent!" I know, what you're going to say. Kallie, just get a job and I was planning on spending freshman year getting used to being away from home and then getting a part-time job starting sophomore year, but if I'm going to be living in an off-campus apartment and pay rent, that won't cut it.

I sound like a spoiled rich kid, which I'm not, but I worked my ass off so I could get a scholarship and be able to live off my college fund and not have to work and go to school.