Page 80 of Capturing Love

I giggled.

Me: I’d like that.

Grayson: Me too.

As much as I was envious of everyone’s plans, I was relieved. I hated Thanksgiving. I didn’t dread the holiday itself, just what came with it. While everyone was catching up with loved ones and ‘being thankful’, it was a time of year I wasn’t thankful for anything.

I locked myself in my apartment, turned off my phone, ate and drank myself into a stupor, listened to music at full blast—because no one was there to complain—and wallowed in the misery that was the anniversary of my parents’ untimely death.

Seven years prior, my parents and I planned to have a traditional American Thanksgiving with Lenny’s family in New Jersey, except we never even made it to the airport. A driver lost control of their car and veered onto the wrong side of the road, ploughing through ours. I somehow managed to survive with minor injuries, but my mum died on impact, and I watched my dad slip away days later in hospital.

* * *

The faint ringing was driving me mad. I’d passed out on the floor, again, and was rummaging through my scattered records, searching for my phone. Remembering I had switched it off and hidden it in my nightstand, I curiously looked around the room trying to figure out what the time was…or day for that matter.

The ringing sounded again, but it wasn’t my phone, it was the doorbell.

“Who the fuck…” I stumbled over to receiver, clearly still drunk. “Wrong number, buddy!” I yelled into the mouthpiece. There was no one left in my little building except me and my best mate, Luci.

“Josie, let me in.”

I froze. “Grayson? What are you doing here?”

“Just let me in, Josie.”

“You really need to work on your manners,” I mumbled as I pressed the buzzer.

I tried to flatten my hair and straighten up my clothes, but it was useless. I wasn’t expecting to see anyone, so all I had on were my sweatpants, Dad’s old Creedence t-shirt, and my sheepskin slippers.

I almost pulled the door off its hinges when I opened it, welcoming Grayson after he jogged up the stairs. “Happy Thanksgivvving!” I cheered and giggled to myself.

Grayson’s scrutinising gaze tapered. “You lied to me,” he said, nudging me aside as he entered my apartment.

“Come on in!”

His eyes burned into mine. “You’re drunk.”

“It’s Thanksgiving! You’re supposed to get drunk.”

“You’re supposed to be with family and friends, not...” He panned his gaze around the room at the empty takeaway containers, bottles, records and Luci who was fast asleep in the middle of it all. “Jesus, Josie.”

“Luci’s my family,” I muttered, crossing my arms.

His jaw twitched. “You said you were going to Lenny’s.”

I lifted one finger and shook my head. “No, no I did not. I said I was invited to Lenny’s.”

He pursed his lips and ran his hands through his hair. “Well, I called Lenny…”

“What?!” My eyes widened. “Why? Why did you do that?!”

“You weren’t answering your phone!”

I growled. “I just want to be left alone, Gray! I just want everyone to leave me the fuck alone for a few days.”

“He told me what happened.”

Fear surged through my body. “I want you to leave.”