I'm wearing a short sleeved velvet dress with sheer black tights and black boots.

I'm wearing the snowflake necklace from earlier.


Carolina loosely curled my hair and parted it in the middle.

As we walk downstairs my breath gets caught in my throat as I see all the people that are casually conversing in the living room.

How many people live in this house?!


When we reach the bottom of the stairs some peoples attention switches to us which causes me to blush as I look down at the wooden floor.

"Aspen?" I hear a familiar voice call out in disbelief


I smile and turn around to meet Charlotte's wide green eyes.

She, not-so-subtly, checks me out which causes me to blush as her eyes land on my thighs and she licks her lips.

While she's distracted I decide to check out her outfit.

She's wearing a black tank top covered by a black and white flannel. She paired that with black skinny jeans and white and black converse.

She finished the look with a beanie that perfectly covers her wavy blonde hair.

"You're still checking each other out?" Carolina asks with a smirk as she hands each of us a glass of warm apple cider

"Thanks" I tell her as I accept the glass. I blush when I notice Charlotte still checking me out.

"Charlotte" Carolina says as she snaps her fingers in front of her face which causes Charlotte to snap out of her daze

"Here" Carolina says with a chuckle as she hands Charlotte the glass of cider

Charlotte takes the glass and immediately chugs it.

"Charlotte, Aspen come quick. It's important" the boy from earlier says with a panicked expression

What the hell could I do?!

I'm in a freaking cast!

Charlotte's facial features harden as she pushes her way through the crowd of people. I follow closely behind.

Once we reach the middle of the living room we're met with the sight of everyone crowding around us.

What's happening?

"What's the emergency, Collin?" Charlotte asks the smirking boy three feet away from us

Oh, so that's his name.

"There's no emergency. I just knew that would get you here quicker" he says which causes Charlotte to glare at him

"Why did you need us to stand here?" I ask with a confused tone

He points up above Charlotte and I's head.

Charlotte and I look up and are met with the sight of a mistletoe.

Seriously?!

A freaking mistletoe?!

Why would you need a mistletoe?!

"Im going to get you back for this" Charlotte says to Collin which causes his eyes to widen as Charlotte continues to glare at him

I place my hands on Charlotte's cheeks before turning her face to look at me.

"Listen, you don't have to do this if you don't want to" I say which causes her to look at me in confusion

"What?" She asks

"If you're not comfortable with kissing your best friend, you don't have to. I'll understand completely" I say with a serious tone

I don't want to force her into something she doesn't want to do.

Realization flashes in her eyes before she smirks and grabs my hips. She pulls me towards her by my hips which causes me to gasp.

"You won't be my best friend for much longer" she says with a hidden meaning

What is she trying to say?

Before I can ask what she means she leans down and gently connects our lips.

My lips tingle as she gently glides our lips against each other. I reach up and tangle my fingers in her hair which makes her tighten her grip on my hips and pull me impossibly closer to her.

My body feels like it's tingling while my thoughts cloud over and fade into oblivion.

We pull apart when we hear someone loudly clear their throat.

We don't let go of each other instead we stare into each other's eyes.

I can't believe it.

I just kissed my best friend.

More like made out with her.

And I didn't hate it.

I thought I was straight.

After that kiss I'm definitely not.

I'm about to say something when my phone rings loudly from my boot.

I squat down and grab my phone from my boot only for my entire body to go ridged when I see the caller ID.

"Who is it?" Charlotte asks with a worried tone

"M-my dad" I stutter out which causes her to freeze

I walk out the front door, away from the confused stares, as I answer the call.

"What the hell do you want?" I viciously spit out

My shock is now replaced by anger.

"Is that any way to greet the man that made you?" He asks with a teasing tone

Of course.

Typical Henry, never taking anything serious.

"Ha ha, hilarious" I say sarcastically as I roll my eyes

"So, how's life?" He asks

Really?!

Ten years later he randomly calls me to ask me how I'm doing?!

Unbelievable.

"Get to the point, Henry" I say, calling my father by his first name

"Stern, just like your mother" he says which causes me to slap my forehead with my hand

"I swear to fucking god, Henry" I say in an annoyed tone

"Fine, I need you to meet me on Monday" he says with a serious tone which causes me to laugh out loud

Like stomach aching laughter.

"That's the best joke that I've heard all day" I say as I calm my laughter

"Monday. Eight in the morning. Be there or you'll regret it" he says before he hangs up

"Un-fucking-believable" I yell as I kick a small rock away from me

"Do you want to talk about it?" Charlotte asks as she shuts the door behind her which causes me to spin around so that I'm facing her

"He's back and he wants to meet me" I say in an emotionless tone as she walks up to me and wraps her arms around my waist

"Why does my dad have to ruin everything?!" I groan out as I pull my hair

"Calm down, you shouldn't be so worked up about this" she says which causes me to glare at her

"You don't have a fucking gang leader as a father, Charlotte" I say with an incredulous tone. It's as if I flipped a switch in her. She removes her hands from me and steps back.

"At least your father wants to see you" she says with a hard tone before she walks back inside and slams the door in my face.

Shit.

I messed up.

I sit on the step and place my head in my hands.

"Trouble in paradise, already?" Hayden says with an amused expression

He would be the only one that finds humor in this situation.

"What do you want, Hayden?" I ask in an emotionless

"I want you to stay away from Charlotte" he says with a confident tone as he sits beside me on the step

I turn my head and look at him with an 'are you serious' face.

"Please, tell me that you're joking" I say

"Why would I joke, Aspen?" He spits my name with such hatred

"Hayden, I don't know how to tell you this" I say as I look at him with pity

"Charlotte is a lesbian, she came out to me in middle school" I say which causes him to roll his eyes

"I know that. I'm planning on turning her straight" he says as if he's been planning this out for years

"That's not how it works" I say in a 'duh' tone

"How would you know? You've been straight all your life." He says in an interrogation tone

I look down at my hands before I stand up and walk up the steps.

"Aspen" He says when I have my hand on the door knob

"Don't fall for her, if you do I'll make sure you regret it" he says in a threatening tone

"Are you seriously threatening me right now?" I ask as I turn to look at him

"It seems that I am" he says with a smirk before he walks off

I massage my temples since I feel a migraine coming on.

There's been more drama in the past ten minutes than my entire life.

I open the door and avoid some guests questioning stares as I make my way towards the stairs.

As soon as I'm about to climb up he stairs I get stopped by a hand on my elbow. I turn around only to be faced with Carolina's confused face.

"Where are you going?" She asks

"I'm going to change so that I can go home" I say as if it obvious

"Why? Charlotte would be sad if you left without telling her" she says with a sad expression

"Thanks, but I'm pretty sure she doesn't care what I'm doing right now" I say with a small smile so that she doesn't worry

"Don't worry, I'll be fine" I tell her before I climb up the stairs