The Virginity Pact

14 - what a tangled web we weave

Another Thanksgiving has come and gone. And what am I most thankful for? The truth. Sometimes it's the truth you've been trying not to face. Or the truth that will change your life. Sometimes it's the truth that's a long time coming. Or the truth you prayed would never see the light of day. Some truths may not be heard the way we hoped they would. But they linger long after they've been said. But the kind of truth I'm most thankful for? The one you never see coming. That falls right into your lap.

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"Harper!" Holden shouts. I sigh but stop and turn around, allowing him to catch up with me.

"You haven't returned any of my calls since--"

"I know," I say. "Let's just not talk about it?"

I keep walking into the school building, Holden by my side.

"Not talk about it? Which part? How you got drunk and stripped at the club? About how you slept in my bed then snuck out early the next morning without saying anything? Or about how you've skipped the last 2 days of school?"

I glance at Holden with a pointed look as we continue down the hallway.

"Or about Grant?" He asks softly.

I abruptly stop walking, suddenly angry. Holden stops, too, looking at me with furrowed brows.

"All of it," I snap. I've been dreading attending school knowing that Grant will be here, and in one of my classes.  I skipped both Monday and Tuesday this week just to avoid him.

And Holden.

But mostly Grant.

Today was the last day before the start of thanksgiving break. We'd have the rest of the week off.

Holden stares at me quietly for a few seconds, studying me. I sigh.

"The pictures--"

"I took care of it," he interrupts sternly.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

I take a deep breath and smile a little. "Thanks," I say and he nods in response.

He stares at me, lips pursed and eyes narrowed like he has something to say.

"What?" I ask.

"Were you going to tell me that you're dating my cousin now?"

I inhale and bite my lip, staying silent. He wasn't jealous of course, since we're just friends, but there was hurt in his tone.

For whatever reason, he hates Tyler, thus hating that his friend was constantly seeing him.

"That's where you went right? When you got up early in the morning and silently snuck out? To meet him?"

"Holden," I sigh. "I wasn't sneaking."

"Then what would you call it?" He asks and I can tell he's getting angry.

I stay silent not really knowing how to answer him. I had totally snuck out. I slept in Holden's bed that night and woke up to a much needed glass of water and advil on the nightstand.

After taking the pill I grabbed my heels and tiptoed out of Holden's room, through the hall, past where he lay alseep on the couch and out the door.

Then I proceeded to go home and prepare for my IHOP breakfast with Tyler.

"We're not dating. We're just...occasionally seeing each other. And texting."

"So you're not dating you're just going on dates?" He asks looking at me like I'm an idiot.