Chapter 2: The Perfect Match
Christmas Eve came the next day, and as usual, my family went to Jake’s house for
dinner.
Our families were close–especially my mom and Jake’s mom, who had been best friends since middle school. Since both sets of grandparents had passed away, our families always spent Christmas together.
When I walked in, I stopped dead in my tracks.
At the dinner table, next to Jake, sat a girl in a white cashmere turtleneck. Her long, glossy black hair fell perfectly down her back, not a strand out of place. She was so naturally gorgeous she could have walked straight off a magazine cover. “Who’s this?” my mom asked, surprised.
“This is Olivia. Olivia Bennett, Jake’s girlfriend,” his mother introduced with a beaming smile.
“After years of me nagging him, he finally brings a girl home! Thank God. I was
starting to think this stubborn son of mine would die alone!”
Jake smiled at me like nothing had changed. “Come sit. Mom made your favorite
honey–glazed chicken wings. No one’s going to fight you for them this time–you can have the whole plate if you want.”
I hesitated, then walked to the seat furthest from him.
Jake’s smile faltered.
I barely spoke during dinner, the atmosphere lacking its usual warmth. Jake’s mother, probably sensing the awkwardness, started praising Olivia: “Olivia graduated from Yale too–she and Jake were classmates. She won scholarships
every year, and her parents are both university professors. Right after graduation,
she got an offer from The New Yorker! Now she’s one of their editors.”
My mother looked impressed. “So accomplished and beautiful too! What a perfect
couple you make. Not like our Autumn…”
She looked at me, and for the thousandth time, the familiar criticism followed:
“Graduated years ago and still hasn’t made anything of herself. Wouldn’t apply to that stable government position when I suggested it, couldn’t even pass the basic
1/3
assessment for the postal service, claims she’s writing but hasn’t published
anything worthwhile. Stays home all day, never goes out, and hasn’t even had a proper boyfriend.”
“She’s twenty–six this year! It gets harder and harder for girls to find someone at this age. All the good men are taken by now. It keeps me up at night…”
I gripped my fork so hard my knuckles turned white. My mom had criticized me like this before, but doing it in front of Jake and his girlfriend made me feel like I was being skinned alive. I couldn’t breathe.
“Autumn is talented too,” Jake’s mom said kindly. “She might become a famous writer someday, and then you’ll be bragging about her.”
My mom scoffed. “I’m not holding my breath. I just want to see her bring a decent guy home and get married. That’s all I’m asking for at this point.”
Suddenly Olivia spoke up: “I know quite a few eligible guys. Autumn, why don’t we connect on Instagram? I could introduce you to someone.”
I glanced at her and forced a smile. “Thanks, but that won’t be necessary.” Olivia smiled, linking her arm intimately with Jake’s. “Don’t be so formal! You and Jake grew up together, right? He says you’re his best friend.”
“Actually, I’ve seen you before. You two were always together. I used to think you were dating.”
“That’s impossible,” Jake said, wrapping his arm around her shoulders, his eyes crinkling with his smile. “We’ve known each other since we were in diapers–we’re way too familiar to have those kinds of feelings. If we were going to get together, it would have happened ages ago, and where would that leave you?”
“We’re just friends. Best friends. Right, Autumn?”
I looked up, meeting Jake’s warning gaze.
In that moment, I probably looked terrible, but I was using every ounce of acting
skill I had.
“Right,” I repeated.
“Best friends.”
2/3
I tried to smile, but suddenly everything felt absurd, laughably so.
Best friends? The kind who’d had each other’s clothes off just yesterday? The kind where I could still feel the marks his affection he had shown me?
“That makes me your best friend too,” Olivia said, resting her chin on her hand.
“Don’t be shy with me. Tell me what kind of guys you like.”
“Yeah,” Jake’s eyes fixed on me. “Autumn, you really should find someone.”
“…Sure,” I replied, looking down, expecting tears to come.
But they didn’t.
My eyes remained dry, still stinging from the night before.
The dinner table was lively, everyone smiling except me. My mother continued praising Jake and Olivia’s perfect match.
And they were perfect together–both in looks and accomplishments, they seemed made for each other.
I tortured myself by watching them, my nails digging into my palms under the table, until my mother tapped my hand with hers.
“I’m talking to you! When are you going to bring someone home to make me happy? I don’t expect you to find someone as perfect as Jake, but at least find someone decent!”
I couldn’t take it anymore. I stood up, pushing my plate away, trying to maintain a last shred of politeness.
“I’m sorry, I just remembered I have something to take care of. I need to go. Merry Christmas.”
