"How about we don't do that," Caitlyn argued, trying to block Logan's path as he was in the process of dragging my nightstand away from my bed. He gave her an incredulous look and used his hip to push her away. "Come on you guys, it's Thanksgiving," she said with a wry smile. "We should be stuffing our faces, not doing home renovations!"

We ignored her and continued moving the remaining furniture out of the way. We had already painted one half of the room and were on to the next side. I stared at the mess that we had created in the process and nodded in silent approval.

"When are you going to just shut up?" Casey asked, rolling her eyes at her friend. "Give it a rest, Cait."

"I won't rest until I've complained about everything," Caitlyn said in response, sitting on my bed. "And as long as you fools are still going through with this ridiculous idea, I'll be here...complaining." She was teasing now.

I caught Aiden's eye and he made his way over. "Hey," he said with a crooked smile that went straight to my heart. I don't know how I was surviving working so close to him. It was like he was on a mission to distract me. And that boy sure was one hell of a distraction.

"Hey, yourself," I grinned, holding out one end of the huge plastic tarp that was being used to cover my furniture. He took it and we gently laid it over my bed frame. Earlier on I'd taken the initiative to put the mattress and pillows in Caitlyn's room for the time being and all my photographs and other knickknacks that were lying around in my closet, just in case of a disaster such as the one that was unfolding.

"Watch it!" Logan yelled, almost tripping over Casey as she filled a balloon with paint.

"You watch it," she muttered, turning back to the task at hand.

"It would've been easier if I'd just done this on my own," I said with a teasing smile. "It's always a madhouse when we're all together."

He smiled. "So I was thinking about last Sunday."

After a full minute had passed, I poked him in the stomach with my finger. "And?"

He laughed and rubbed the spot where I'd poked. "And I was wondering if you'd like to go out with me again sometime."

I shrugged, pretending to be busy knotting the ends of the tarp. "I'll have to cancel on my other boyfriend for that."

He rolled his eyes, stilling my hands with his. "I'm totally worth it."

I looked down at his hand resting on mine and felt my face flush. "You are so full of yourself." I coughed to cover up my blush and turned away. I was about to walk away to put a safe distance between us when he reached for my hand once more. "Dude, you've gotta let me go," I teased.

He smiled, his gaze holding mine. "I couldn't even if I wanted to."

"Away, you three inch fool!" a voice screeched from somewhere in the background, ending our moment. Stifling a groan, it took everything in me to turn around. I clamped my hand to my mouth, suppressing a laugh. Logan was advancing towards Caitlyn with a balloon that was filled to the brim with what looked like yellow paint—sunshine yellow, to be exact. "Don't you dare!" she said trying to sound threatening but it sounded more like a plea.

"Knock it off you two," Carter said appearing in the doorway. "Mom's calling you guys down for lunch." He ventured further into the room, coming to a stop beside me. "Hang back. I need to talk to you."

I nodded and rolled my eyes at Aiden as he backed out of the room, a goofy grin on his face. That boy was too cute for his own good. I looked around for a place to sit that wasn't covered in plastic or paint and finding none, I fixed my stare on Carter who was leaning against my dresser, a frown on his face. "Something wrong?"

He shook his head. "Nah. Cait told me that you and Mom made up. I just wanted to check and see how you were doing. You good?"

I sighed. Carter was the only person in this house that I felt completely at ease with, like I could tell him anything and he wouldn't say that I was being ridiculous or childish. He'd understand or at least try to. "It's weird," I admitted, staring at my sock-clad feet. I could barely make out Mickey Mouse's face amidst all the paint spots. "Its uncharted territory, this whole forgiveness thing."

"Why? Feeling like you wanna take it back?"

"Sometimes. I mean, I still get angry and stuff whenever I think about her and what my life would've been like if I'd had a mom growing up, it just gets wild in my mind and I see red." I looked up, gauging his reaction, searching for signs of disappointment or even anger but he simply nodded, his expression neutral.

"That's standard behavior, kiddo," he said with a gentle smile. "I still wrestle with my anger when it comes to dealing with my biological mother but I've learnt that it's completely normal. At least that's what my therapist said."

I kicked the carpet that we'd idiotically forgotten to get rid off and was now horribly spotted. "I didn't know that you were seeing a shrink." I knew it was ridiculous but I felt left out for some stupid reason.

"On and off since I was thirteen." He shrugged like it was no big deal. "Let's just say that I had some major anger issues and Dad thought that I needed a better outlet that didn't involve getting into fights at school."

"Ah, you were a troublemaker I see," I stroked my chin, a smile playing at my lips.

"Think that might be something you'd be interested in? It helped me, maybe it can help you, too."

I shrugged. "I think I'm good, but should I feel the need to punch someone in the throat, you'll be the first person that I'll call. My anger is pretty much contained to this house, you know?"

"Don't get smart with me," he said playfully, reaching out to hug me.

I sank into his embrace, wondering how I'd survived for the past sixteen years without this boy who was quickly becoming my closest confidant and friend. "I'll think about it."

***

“I don’t want you to feel lonely.”

I froze as the words left Logan’s mouth. He was huddled in a corner of the kitchen with Casey. Besides me, there was no one else there. I raised my brow when she sighed. “I’m not lonely, Logan. I’ve got you.”

What the hell did I walk into?

“I think that you forget that sometimes,” he said softly, so low that I almost missed it.

He placed a gentle kiss on her lips and when I gasped, Casey looked up, her brown eyes connecting with mine. “Cam—”

“Nope,” I said, throwing my hands in the air. “I’m just here for some water, I do not need to know.”

“Wait a minute,” Logan called, rushing to my side.

I bristled, leaning against the island. “What?”

“Please don’t say anything to anyone about this,” he pleaded, his eyes darting to Casey and then back to me.

I pursed my lips. “About what?”

“We’ll explain everything to you, I promise,” Casey said from the other side of the island. “We just need some time to sort it all out.”

I scoffed at her statement. “I don’t want to know.” I left the kitchen before anything else could be said, clenching my fist in anger. I hated that the little peace that had been created would now be ruined by their “relationship”. I frowned. If they even had one.

“There you are,” Aiden said as I rounded the turn leading to the dining room. He took my hand in his. “Have you seen Casey or Logan, by chance? We’re about to eat.” Instead of answering, I placed my head on his shoulder and he squeezed my hand. “Long day, huh?”

“And it’s only three.”

“Can you help set the table?” Tori asked when we entered the room.

“What’s all this?” I asked as I took the stack of plates from her outstretched hand and passed them to Aiden.

“It’s the last family meal that we’ll have before we leave for Orlando,” Blaine explained, placing the eating utensils beside each plate as Aiden set them.

“You guys are leaving tonight?” I’d honestly forgotten that they were travelling for the Thanksgiving break and Cait and I were to stay behind with Carter as our punishment.

“I thought you knew that,” Caitlyn murmured, nudging me. “Everyone’s all packed, except for us.”

I sighed and took my seat at the dining table beside her and Aiden as Casey and Logan walked in. “Where have you guys been?” Carter asked, setting a bowl of salad in the centre of the table.

“This all smells delicious, Mrs. P,” Casey said, smiling at Tori and successfully deflecting the question.

I narrowed my eyes at her, wondering exactly how long their little relationship had been going on and why I didn’t notice it before today. Also, why didn’t they tell me? I thought that we were all friends. My butt vibrated and I reached for my phone, scowling at the screen when I saw Logan’s text. Don’t be mad, we were going to tell you guys.

I looked up, narrowing my eyes at him. Yeah, right. If I hadn’t walked in on their conversation, I wouldn’t have even suspected a thing, so there was no way that they were about to fess up without a confrontation.

I had so many questions, the main one being, what about Blake? What about the heartbreak that Casey was dealing with? Or was that all just for show?

“Camille, would you like to say grace?” Blaine asked when the last platter of food was placed on the table.

I shook my head. “Maybe next time.” I had a lot to say to the man upstairs before I even thought about giving thanks for anything. It was selfish, but so what?

“I will,” Bailey piped up from beside her mother.

I tuned her out when she started and stared at my empty plate. I knew that I was frowning because Caitlyn patted my hand and when I looked at her, she gave me a sad smile. “What?” I whispered.

“It’s your first Thanksgiving without your dad,” she whispered back. “I’m sorry.”

I sucked in a breath at her words and a pang of guilt hit me. I wasn’t even thinking about him, I was too busy with my thoughts of Logan and his non-girlfriend. “Right,” I said softly, eyeing the mountain of mashed potatoes that Aiden had scooped onto my plate before adding a spoonful of vegetables. I thanked him and chose the smallest piece of chicken to add to the collection of food that I wouldn’t be eating. Now that Caitlyn had put the thought of my father in my head, my appetite had left.

“Don’t worry, they gave me a list a mile long to keep us busy while they’re gone.” She said this with a frown. “We won’t even have any time to sleep, much less be sad.”

I gave her a tight smile as other conversations around the table picked up. Bailey was going on and on about how excited she was about their road trip and Tori sighed, patting her husband’s hand. I smiled at the sight. Regardless of what had transpired between her and my dad, she’d found love again and I was happy for her. I wasn’t when I first got there, but it was a learning process and the more anger that I let go of, the more room that I had for other things. Such as being happy for Tori and her family which I was now part of.

“It’s a lot easier than it looks,” Aiden was saying to someone.

“I don’t know, man, it looks pretty grueling to me,” Carter said, shaking his head at Aiden. “Track will never be my thing.”

“You’re an athlete, Carter,” Casey said rolling her eyes. “Five miles should be nothing to you.”

“Says the cheerleader,” Logan cut in with a laugh.

“Shut up! That doesn’t even make any sense,” she replied, thumping him on the arm.

I picked at my food as they chatted. I felt guilty for enjoying their banter when I should’ve been sad, thinking about my dad. I groaned softly. I was so tired of being sad and feeling guilty for being happy and the thought crossed my mind that Carter’s suggestion of therapy might not be such a bad idea.

I reached for my phone when it vibrated, smiling when I saw April’s face on the screen. “Happy Thanksgiving!” she squealed when I accepted her video chat request.

“Happy Thanksgiving!” Aiden and Caitlyn said in unison, peering into the phone.

“Hey, handsome,” she cooed at Aiden. “Hi, Caitlyn,” she said dryly.

Caitlyn rolled her eyes before she took the phone from me and passed it around the table as the others echoed their greetings. Tori was too amused to be upset about the fact that we were on the phone during our meal.

“How was your day?” I asked when it was my turn to speak to her.

She blew out an exasperated breath and switched to the back camera. I saw her mother in the background lip locked with a guy and a girl our age was glaring at the phone that was now in her face. “Get that thing away from me!” she screeched.

“She’s such a drama queen,” April said switching the camera back to the front one. “It’s not like anyone wants to see her sour face anyway,” she added loudly.

“You’re a drama queen, too,” Logan supplied. “You’re just less annoying about it.”

“I’ll call you later,” I said, stifling my laugh. “I don’t need ya’ll fighting right now.”

“Wait,” April called before I hung up. “Can you talk to Jason for me?”

I nodded. “Of course.”

“Thanks!” She blew me a kiss and the chat ended.

“Well, that was interesting,” Blaine piped up. “Is that your friend from back home?”

I nodded. “My one and only.” Literally.