Page 134 of Save You

Ember nods and laughs.“And at midnight, the dancing starts—unless we’re all in a food coma.”

“One or the other, definitely,” says Lydia, taking a handful of popcorn.She flicks the first piece into her mouth, and a slight smile plays around her lips.“Sounds like a nice plan, doesn’t it, Ruby?”

“Nice?It’s the best plan I’ve heard in ages.Thanks, everyone.”

After that, we settle down on the floor around the coffee table.Lin smuggled out of school a couple of the huge sheets of paper we normally use for brainstorming at committee meetings and we spread them out in front of us, a Keaton Henson playlist playing in the background.

“OK.”Ember starts things off.“One of my biggest highlights of the year was my work on my blog and getting so many new readers.”She jots that all down on her paper.

“So, a high point for me was my mum’s gallery finally breaking even.We’re doing really well at the moment and I hope it’ll be the same next year,” Lin says, her attention focused not on us but on the pen in her hand.I’m surprised that she’s shared something that personal.

She and Lydia don’t know each other all that well, and I could understand them finding the situation awkward.But neither of them seems to, and that’s really nice.

“I went to your gallery once,” Lydia says suddenly.“With my mum.”

Lin looks up in surprise.“Really?”

Lydia nods.“It’s lovely, so stylish.I’ll cross my fingers for youfor things to go better still next year.I know how tough it can be, especially when you’re starting from scratch.”

The two of them smile at each other, then Lydia clears her throat.“I had a mini-break in the Alps with Mum in January.We went to a spa hotel and really spoiled ourselves—just the two of us.It was the first time in ages we’d done anything like that.I think that’s my nicest memory from the year.”

“It sounds gorgeous,” I say quietly, resting my hand on her knee for a moment.I don’t know what else to say, but want to show her how much I appreciate her honesty.

“How about you, Ruby?”Lin asks.

For a second, my mind’s a complete blank and I have no idea what I could write on my paper.But then I scan through the year, a month at a time, and realize that overall, it was good.Despite how sad I’ve been since the thing with James, so much has happened, just since September, that I can be grateful for.

I’m events team leader, my grades are good, and I got an interview at Oxford.I’ve got to know Lin better, got closer to Ember, and I’ve even made a new friend.And, for the first time in my life, I’ve fallen in love.

However badly it ended for James and me…when I think back over our conversations, our phone calls, and our shared memories, I regret nothing.On the contrary, even that experience is one of the highlights of my year.Even if it’s all over.

I gulp hard and stare at the white paper on the table in front of me.

“I don’t even know where to start.I think the Oxford visit was the best.I’ve spent so long dreaming of strolling around there with my family.And actually being there…I’ll remember it forever,” I say hoarsely, forcing myself to smile.

“It looked like something out of a fairy tale,” says Ember.

I nod, draw a little bubble, and writeOxford tripinside it.

That seems to have broken the ice.We share even our tiniest and weirdest memories of this year.Like the time Lin won a bouquet of flowers in a supermarket for being their thousandth customer, or the time an old lady slipped Lydia a pound coin and told her to buy herself a treat.

Soon, the mood is much more cheerful than when we started out.We laugh together, and it feels like the four of us have been friends for ages.Around eight, Mum and Dad say goodbye and drive round to some friends.I can see how relieved they are that I’ve ventured out of my room this evening and I’m spending the night with friends.

After that, we watchHow to Be Single, which was one of Ember’s Christmas presents—she loves Rebel Wilson—and two hours later, when the credits start to roll, I get why.Even Lydia laughs out loud in some places, although every time that happens, she looks like she can hardly believe it’s her making that noise.

Before the end of the credits, we launch into Dad’s quiche.

“You’re so lucky, Ruby.”Lin’s holding up a forkful of quiche and studying it closely.“To have a baker for a mum and a chef for a dad.If it were me, I’d be in seventh heaven.I miss our cook at home.”

“You used to have a cook?”Ember asks, wide-eyed.

“Yeah,” says Lin, shrugging her shoulders as if it was the most natural thing in the world.“But then everything changed at home and I had to learn all the basics.Mum’s cooking skills were kind of rusty too, but she’s taught me lots of great Chinese recipes that she got from her gran.These days, we really enjoy cooking together.”

I take a bite of quiche and let it melt on my tongue.

“The only thing I can cook is scrambled eggs,” Lydia says pensively.“That must have been such a drastic shock to you and your mum.”

For a moment, Lin seems surprised by Lydia’s words, but then she smiles slightly.“I’ve learned never to look back, only forward.”She puts her fork down on her empty plate and wipes up the last crumbs with her finger.Then she picks up one of the bags.“We should do these now.It’s almost ten.”