Say You Won't Let Go

17

Alexa

IT was the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the kitchen was littered with plastic bags containing a plethora of ingredients, one of them being a massive turkey.

"Oh, you're up!" My mother smiles in surprise as she walks into the kitchen, her hands holding up a bundle of aluminum trays.

"I'm feeling a lot better," I reply. "What's all this for?" I ask referring to the grocery store that was sitting on our counters.

"It's for the party silly," she chuckles, reminding me of tomorrow.

Thanksgiving was the day when families reunited. The day where you had to sit down and act as if everything was perfect in life. The day when you had to suck up your hatred towards the world and everyone you disliked and be thankful. Well, I wish it could be different for my family.

Thanksgiving for my family meant a huge get together where all their coworkers and friends flooded our house bringing store-bought pumpkin pies and fruitcakes. Oh, and let's not forget the endless bottles of cheap wine.

Ever since Cam's death I've had very little to be grateful for. Call me over dramatic, but the world took the one person I trusted and I'm supposed to say thank you? I don't think so. Therefore this year meant that I'd spend the whole night locked away in my comfortable room instead of being forced to interact with all these fake strangers and distant relatives.

"Oh, right," I reply to my mother who now had her whole forearm deep inside the turkey. I cringe at the deceased bird as I make to exit the kitchen before being stopped by my mother.

"Have you invited your friends for tomorrow?"

"Mom they have families you know," I roll my eyes standing with my back towards her.

"I'm glad you said that," she giggles. "Because I ran into Alison and Madison's mother at the store and invited her whole family," she announced.

"You what?" My eyes widen as I turn to face her.

Alison and Madison weren't the only children in that family. The Harpers being invited meant there was a chance Blake would show up as well. I suddenly felt a peculiar feeling in my stomach at the thought of Blake being here. Me and parties are not a good mix and the last thing I need was him seeing a possible breakdown of mine, and this time in front of a large audience.

"Oh please relax Alexa, we'll get to fully meet your new friends!" She shrieks excitedly. I didn't reply and instead groaned as I stomped to my room making my annoyance even more explicit.

The doorbell rang and my mother screams as friends and family begin to step into the house. I took that as my cue to go upstairs and avoid greeting any of those people.

I look in the mirror making some last minute fixes to my makeup and outfit. The Harpers would be here soon and my heart was beating faster by the minute. All I had to do was go through tonight without making a fool of myself. I paced across my room inhaling and exhaling deeply until I was interrupted by yelling downstairs.