16:58

Chapter Seventeen

"You guys each get fifteen dollars," Dad tells Colton and I. It's Christmas Eve and Colton and I are supposed to get gifts for each other.

"Okay," Colton says. We look at each other and then look away. After my breakdown, Colton drove me home and we didn't say anything the entire car ride.

"We'll be back in twenty minutes," Alex says. "Have fun."

Colton and I get out of the car. Alex starts driving away. "So, how are you doing?" Colton asks as we walk into Target.

"Fine." I look at him. "What do you want?"

He shrugs. "I don't know. What do you want?"

"I don't know," I say. "Which way are you going?"

Colton points left. "I'll see you later."

"See you," I mutter. I walk around aimlessly. I don't know what to get Colton. I also didn't get much sleep last night, so I really have no idea.

I sigh as I keep walking around. I start trying to think about Colton. If we were in high school, I would have gotten him condoms and a smug card. But we're not in high school. And Colton and I aren't quite buddies.

I sigh as I start browsing through cards. What the fuck am I supposed to get Colton?

"Shit, what are you doing here?" Colton asks. I turn around and frown at him.

"The fuck are you doing here?" I mumble as I wipe my nose on my sleeve.

Colton looks at me. "Are you getting sick?"

"The fuck? No," I say as I sniffle.

"Your voice sounds stuffy," Colton tells me. He's hiding something behind his back.

I look at him. "What are you hiding?"

Colton shrugs. "Why aren't you hiding anything?" He leans casually against the display shelf holding all of the cards.

"You probably don't want to do that," I tell Colton. I sniffle and rub my nose again. Damn, maybe I am getting sick?

"Oh, yeah? Why?" he asks, raising his eyebrows in a smug way.

"Cuz your fatass is going to knock the display over." My eyes close as I sneeze rather violently. There's a loud crash. As I open my eyes, Colton's pulling me away. "Did you knock it over?" I ask as I look behind us.

"No," Colton says quickly. "It fell over."

I look back again. The display is toppled over, cards are everywhere and there's a very angry looking employee. "You knocked it over," I tell him. Colton sets something down and we walk out of Target. "And you ran away like a bitch?"

Colton looks at me. "Alright, fine. I ran away," he says. "Come on. There's a drugstore a block away. We can get you some cold medicine."

"Could've gotten that at Target," I mutter. "And hey! How the fuck do you know I have a cold, when I'm the one in Med school?"

Colton looks at me. "I don't know. Your voice is stuffy, you sound congested, your nose is red and you seem overly tired. Plus you keep rubbing your nose."

I sniffle and stare warily at Colton. "Damn," I mutter as I sigh. I think he's right. "So, what were you gonna get me?"

"I can't tell you," Colton says. We round the corner and I see the drugstore. "You're seriously getting a nasty cold."

"Whatever," I say as we walk in. "I'm gonna get your gift here, so don't follow me." I look at him. "And don't knock any more displays over either."