Chapter 20 The Recipe for Awkward

There was no work on Monday. In fact, Diamond Media was closed for the entire week around Christmas and New Year's. It was one of the small things that called into question the authenticity of such a giant news media company, that they could close for a whole week as though there would be no news, or no news so important that it couldn't wait until the executives finished their holidays in various locations in the southern hemisphere.

As just a lowly researcher at Club Business, Leah didn't have any qualms about ignoring the news for a week. Companies that went bankrupt would still be bankrupt in the new year. She did, however, have one qualm about no work for a week: Alex. Actually, maybe it wasn't a qualm. In young adult time, a week was plenty to get over any awkward feelings or misunderstandings or whatever else was possibly waiting for her when she'd see him again.

Over peppermint cocktails at Hamlin's after Diamond Media's holiday party, Leah had successfully convinced herself that the kiss hadn't happened. There was just no way. She and Alex were friends. Good friends who talked about dating and shared details of each other's lives that would never be shared with someone they had a romantic interest in. It must have been a figment of her imagination. A result of middle-grade champagne and the inferiority she felt after meeting the new researcher at Teen Club.

She had told Gabe about Brittany and by her third peppermint cocktail, she had decided that the day she went back to work, she'd march into the head of HR's office and demand her position back. Only, of course, if she still had the confidence and the will that were so potent in the cocktails.

But before then, she'd be celebrating her first real Christmas. She'd never decorated a tree, never stuffed a stocking, never opened presents on Christmas morning. For her family, Christmas had always been anti-climactic. Sure, Jews still love enjoying the Christmas lights and attending holiday parties, but for Christmas-celebrators, these things are all just a build-up for the main event. For non-celebrators, as Leah's family starkly were, these all led up to an uneventful day where everything was closed and there was nothing to do. Except order Chinese food.

This year, though, Leah would get to attend the main event. She'd sing carols, hide presents under the tree, and maybe even taste the Christmas ham. She'd prepared for meeting Gabe's family by buying as many presents as her researcher salary could afford. For Gabe's dad, she'd bought a bottle of scotch that Malcolm had recommended to her while scrunching his nose after she told him her budget. For Gabe's mom, she'd bought a silk scarf that she hoped didn't look like it came from a New York street vendor. She'd also bought a box of chocolates, each chocolate shaped like one of New York's monuments, and magnets that she bought specially because they were advertised as "perfect stocking stuffers" and she was desperately excited to stuff a stocking. For Gabe, she'd bought something special: a cocktail shaker set so he could make all the fancy cocktails he enjoyed right at home. His stocking she would stuff with running socks with Santa on them.

She slept at Gabe's apartment after peppermint cocktails and in the morning hurried home to pack her bag for the trip to meet Gabe's family. They'd be staying in his parent's home for a few nights and then come back to New York.

She packed quickly, almost forgetting the magnets, but grabbed them last minute before opening the front door of her apartment. She wondered if there was some roommate protocol about leaving for a few days. Was she supposed to tell Marissa? Would Marissa be worried if she didn't sleep at home for a few nights? Would Marissa notice? She hesitated in her open doorway, staring at Marissa's closed door .

Maybe she should leave a note. Did they have a notepad somewhere? Leah picked up her purse to rummage through. She always had papers and pens floating around in there. She dug deep and pulled out a torn shred of paper that had probably been in there for months. Perfect, she thought, as she fished out a pen. She uncrumpled the paper and was about to start writing when she read the note that was already written. I'd be careful if I were you.

Leah remembered finding the note balanced on the door handle. She remembered not knowing what it meant or who it was from and deciding to ignore it. Now, a couple months later, she knew it wasn't Gabe's handwriting. Which meant it could only be Marissa's.

She looked at Marissa's closed door and took a deep breath. She had to know. She dropped her bag and closed the front door before marching to Marissa's bedroom and knocking with the type of confidence she didn't know she had.

"What!?" Marissa mumbled in a tone reserved for too-early wake-ups.

"Marissa? We have to talk. I'm going to Gabe's for Christmas."

"Have fun." Marissa's tone still had the same indignation.

"Is that all you want to tell me?"

Silence. Then a noise like an anvil falling on the floor. Then the stomp stomp stomp. And the door opened. Marissa stood in front of her as though she had been waiting for this all along. But she didn't speak.

"Well? You wrote me this note, right? Explain." She held up the note in front of Marissa's face. Marissa scrunched her eyes to read it as though she didn't remember what it was. As if that crumpled, ripped piece of paper didn't hold the same significance to her as it did to Leah. "What did Gabe ever do to you?"

"To me? Nothing." Marissa looked angry and annoyed, like she pitied Leah at the same time. "But you should know, Emily is still not over him. They're going to get back together one way or another and you're just going to make it awkward."

Leah scoffed. She had been afraid that Marissa would say he was a cheater, or used to be fat, or maybe was even a werewolf, but a warning that her friend still liked him? As if that was her problem! "They aren't dating anymore," Leah reminded Marissa. "He is dating me now."

"You're just a rebound," Marissa responded. "He and Emily have been on and off for ages. You'll see and then you'll be the one making everyone uncomfortable." The condescension in her voice made Leah want to scream.

But instead, she just rolled her eyes. She'd had enough of this conversation. She was now more sure than ever that Marissa was dramatic and simply trying to sabotage her relationship.

"All right. Have a merry Christmas." Leah said and turned to grab her bags. She might need to find herself a new apartment, she thought as she walked back to Gabe's place. She couldn't keep living there, especially when Marissa said such ridiculous things about her boyfriend.

Gabe was waiting outside when she arrived. He kissed her frozen lips in the nicest way possible and together they walked to the Subway.