Amelia:Myra, cancel whatever plans you have going on and make it a point to be here! I WILL drag your ass here if I have to!
Myra:Okay, okay, calm your tits. I’ll be there.
I chuckle at Myra’s response as I rummage through my fridge and cabinets to see what food and drink offerings I can provide tonight. I grab two bags of chips and decide to take the bottle of wine I was about to open. Setting them aside, I change into my favoriteHocus Pocussweatpants and black hoodie. I could live in hoodies. After locking up, I walk the ten feet to Norah’s house and knock once before stepping inside.
“Hey, it’s me,” I call out, not wanting to scare Norie.
“Coming!” I hear her call from the enclosed patio where she keeps all of her sewing stuff. Norah is the costume designer for the UNCW Drama Department and is insanely talented. The play they’re currently working on is a modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Norah’s designs are brilliant. She’s been begging me to join the makeup team for ages, but I always find a reason not to do it. Honestly, I’d love to join. That’s what I want to do with my future—be a makeup artist—and stage makeup is a ton of fun to do. But in the back of my mind, all I hear is my mother telling me how it’s not a realistic or lucrative career choice.
“Hey, sorry,” Norah says, walking into the room while putting her auburncurls in a messy bun on top of her head. “I was just putting the last of my supplies away.”
“You’re good,” I tell her, giving her a quick hug. “I brought wine and chips!”
“Yay! Please tell me the chips are jalapeño Cheetos.”
Laughing, I pull one of the bags out, revealing that I did, in fact, bring the goods. The two of us could put away a family-sized bag of jalapeño Cheetos in one sitting if we put our minds to it.
“You’re so good to me.” Norah beams. “I’m so glad you’re off work tonight!”
“You and me both, sister. This week has been brutal. Apparently, old people like to stock up for the holidays starting in October. My manager has already set up a Christmas display. What is it with America and starting the Christmas frenzy so early?” I ask, scrunching my nose in disgust.
“Right?” Norah says, turning to pull random items out of her fridge. “Mom and I always gave Halloween and Thanksgiving their due diligence before bringing out the Christmas tree. Don’t get me wrong, IloveChristmas, but I love the others just as much. Speaking of, are you going home for the holidays?”
“Ugh, I guess.” I sigh heavily. “My parents asked me to come home forbothholidays this year, which is ridiculous. I’ve been begging them to come here, and they won’t do it.”
Norah scoffs. “Thatisridiculous. I don’t understand why they do that. You’d think they would want to come and see how you’ve settled in and stuff.”
“Exactly,” I say, pointing a finger at Norah. “But their excuse is always that it’s easier for one person to travel than six of them. Which is true, but it’s not like the twins are babies anymore. They’re teenagers.”
“Well, if you do end up here alone for the holidays, you know I’m free!”
“I know. And I love that,” I tell her sincerely. “I’ll probably go home for Christmas so I can stay longer. They did offer to buy my plane ticket, though, so that’s a plus! And of course, my mother started asking if I was bringing anyone with me.”
Norah cringes. “I’m sorry, Lay. Maybe you should find some random guyto go with you just to keep the conversation from constantly falling back on you.”
“Ha!” I bark a laugh. “Tempting.”
We chat until the rest of our friends arrive. There’s an overabundance of junk food ranging from chips to charcuterie, soda to wine. Norah pushed all of the furniture back against the walls so we could all sit on the floor, surrounded by pillows and blankets.
“It was the worst dayever!” Amelia exclaims, recounting her day at work as she deftly winds her long, blonde hair into a bun on the top of her head. “Not only were we slammed but also short-staffed. I’m so glad I have the next few days off.”
Myra has been uncharacteristically quiet, perched beside Amelia. I know there’s been tension between her and Norah, but it isn’t like her at all to not be a part of the conversation at all. She’s been nursing a bottle of water and occasionally nibbling on a cracker. Out of everyone in the group, Myra is the one I spend the least amount of time with. Our personalities are just so different, and we have nothing in common other than being in the same friend group.
“Norah,” Amelia continues, a sly grin spreading across her face, “has something she’d like to share with the class.”
Norah throws her a glare and blushes so violently, her face is almost as red as her hair.
“I hate you,” she says playfully before taking a deep breath. “So…Eamon might have spent the night last night.”
The room goes silent for about half a second as we let that sink in, before everyone explodes into gasps and cheers.
“Our little Norah is all grown up now!” Charlie cheers, raising her glass of wine in a toast before downing it.
“Shut up,” Norah says, burying her face in her hands. “I’m still me!”
“Of course you are, honey,” Amelia cuts in. “But now you have a fine piece of man warming your bed!”
“Where is the man in question tonight?” I ask around a mouth full of chips.
