Thanksgiving came quickly, and neither of Mal or Ben talked about celebrating it together, sure they discussed it months before when he visited her in New York, but from months now, it is evident that those plans were not going to work. So Mal stayed in the city and celebrated the day with the rest of the group of friends that also decided to stay in New York, and if she was honest, she had a great time with them. When she found herself back in her apartment the next day, Mal realized that her life had changed a lot in a short period of time; a year ago, she had a boyfriend of several years and a best friend since childhood. Now she was single, and her best friend was someone that she met a few months before; sure, her life sounded like it went south. However, Mal felt like she had a second chance to make it what she wanted to be, for example, her neighbors were horrible, so with the help of Ryder, she was looking into getting out of her lease and moving with the guy.
Ryder's lease was ending next month, and he asked Mal if she wanted to look for an apartment to live together, it sounded logical for both of them to share a place to help each other with the rent and also they did spend a lot of time with the other and knew that they were compatible. Her phone beep making her paid attention to it, and she saw that Ben sent her a text asking her how she was doing, they hadn't talked for over a week and even the day before Mal was the one sending a quick text wishing him Happy Thanksgiving.
Ignoring the text, Mal went on to take a shower and change ready to go to bed exhausted from the day before and the shopping in the early morning of that day. However, before going to sleep, she sent Ben an audio narrating her day and telling the boy that she was about to go to sleep wishing him a good day.
In Seattle, Ben listened to Mal's sleepy voice; a sad smile appeared on his face; he missed talking to her more as time passed by, and he found himself unable to see the girl. Ben knew that he was so invested in making his relationship with Veronica worked that he ignore Mal for a while, so he was the only one to blame for the situation. After so many failed relationships Ben wanted to make sure to give this one a real chance, Veronica was especial she reminded of Mal sometimes, and that's what made him decide that he was going to try his hardest this time. Sadly, he focused so much on taking care of his relationship and neglected his friendship with Mal to the point that he didn't know if they were ever going to be able to go back to how things used to be. When he texted her, Ben hoped to be able to call her and talk to her, taking advantage that Veronica was taking a shower and then was going to get ready so they could visit her parents that flew in to spent the holidays in Seattle with them. His parents were arriving a week before Christmas, so Ben knew that time wasn't going to be on his side from that point on, still he understood that Mal didn't need to be available whenever he had a minute to give her.
Ben went on to checked her Instagram and spent a couple of minutes looking through her stories and some of the other people of the group she usually hung out with, but in the end, the majority of time was looking at Ryder's Instagram. There he found several videos of their thanksgiving celebration and how closer Mal and the boy were getting, by the end of the stories, Ben felt sad. In the last story, he could see a reposted video taken by another friend of them where Ryder was giving Mal a piggyback ride while she laughed.
Without thinking, he went on and texted Mal until Veronica came out to the living room ready to have fun with her parents; reluctantly, Ben put a smile on her face and got up. The rest of the day, he was in the worst mood; he sent several texts to Mal, hoping that the girl would wake up so they could talk. Of course, that didn't happen; Mal told him that she was going to sleep for the first time in almost 30 hours. When Veronica asked him why he was looking so down, Ben told her that there were some issues at work but promised to be in a better mood. The next morning when Mal woke up, she found dozens of texts from Ben and called him asking him if he was ok, but the boy didn't answer.
She went on to checked her Instagram and noticed that he was out with Veronica and her parents so she sent him a quick text telling him that they would talk next week and wishing him a good day,
Watching him spent time with his girlfriend, and her parents made Mal sad; she was happy for him, but there was a part of Mal that wanted to be the one in the photos. Not that she would make Ben go out with her mother, she would never, but she wouldn't mind going out with his parents. Belle and Adam like her, and she was sure that they wouldn't oppose them dating, then her mind started to wonder what the couple thought of Veronica. Maybe they liked the girl better than Mal that made her feel worst; they were so kind to her while she was growing up, and she always thought Belle hoped Ben and her would end up together; of course, Mal ruined that now.
Before she could get deeper into this line of thought, her phone rang, and Evie's face appeared on the screen, giving Mal a reason to smile. The friends talk for a while, but Mal noticed that her friend wasn't in the best state of mind. Mal asked Evie what was going on, just for Evie to tell her that Doug asked her to spend Christmas with him and Harry back at their hometown. Mal understood her friend's dilemma instantly; they had talked about spending Christmas together because Doug always went back home, and Evie ended up spending it with Mal. "Hey Evie, I think you should go; it is a big step for your relationship. Don't worry about me."
The conversation went on for a while with Evie, trying to convince Mal that she could come and just not spent time with Harry or just as little as possible. In the end, Mal promised her friend that if she found herself with no plans, she would be joining her although, in reality, there was no way Mal was going to agree to that. When Mal saw Ryder that afternoon, she told him about Evie's plans, and he invited her to spend it with him, his parents weren't big on Christmas and would take trips on those dates, so he wasn't planning to go home. She agreed immediately and sent a text to Evie telling her about her plans and once again that she didn't need to worry.
The week ended with Mal not being able to talk to Ben; the boy still busy with the visitors, so she wasn't able to tell him about her Christmas plans. Soon they went back to just texting, and even though they both tried, conversations were short and vague. Again Mal's life took another huge turn; Ryder introduced her to his friend Benny, who had just ended a long relationship and needed to move out asap. So, after talking a little Beny offered to take over Mal's lease; when she asked him why wouldn't he moved in with Ryder, instead, Benny told her that he needed to have his own space for a while. Two weeks before Christmas, Benny moved into Mal's place and help the friends move her personal stuff and some appliances. Mal's place with Ryder was already furniture with things from the boy's old home.
Mal's and Ryder's place was perfect; it wasn't too small; each of them had a medium room; it had an opened concept, so they managed to make it work with both of their styles. It wasn't super expensive because it was a sublet from a guy that after renovating got a big offered from his office to work outside the country. They celebrated their first night there making dinner together, Mal told him about Ben and how this time without talking to him was helping her put things into perspective. "Ben looks so happy with her, and if I'm genuinely her friend, I need to get over it."
Ben, on the other hand, was finding his vague conversations with Mal infuriating, so the moment his parents arrived, he used them as a distraction and made an excuse to go shopping for his parent's favorite desserts. The second he was out, Ben sent a quick text to Mal asking the girl if she was free to facetime and proceeded to scream of joy when she sent yes. A second later, he was looking at the girl smiling while holding a wooden spoon; he couldn't stop and stared at her for a few seconds until Mal asked if he was frozen, making him laughed. Then the boy asked her where she was.
"Oh, I forgot to tell you that I already move to the new apartment. Let me tell Ben I love it; the cutest elderly couple lives downstairs, and when they saw us moving in, they came and said hello. The next day they brought us cookies, and this morning it was pie; I swear if there is a way I can adopt them, I will do it, Ben. This is the best pie I have ever eat in my life!. I'm hoping Evelyn shares her recipe with me." Ben smiled at how excited Mal was about the pie, but he felt sad that this was the first time he heard about her moving.
He was about to ask her when she moved in when the doorbell alerted her that there was someone at the door, so Mal excused herself and went on to open. Suddenly Ryder's voice could be heard at the same time Mal's laughed got closer; it was a second later that the boy crossed in front of the screen walking to what Ben assumed was the refrigerator. Then the boy walked in front of the screen and waved hi to Ben while Mal came back into view eating a package of chips. After taking a few chips from the girl, Ryder excused himself and went into his room so that they continue to talk in private.
"I thought you weren't sure about moving in with Ryder." Mal seemed taken aback by Ben's comment and went on to tell him that the only unsure thing was when they were going to move together. So she went on to tell him how they managed to do it in such a short time-lapse, and then how much she liked the new place and her neighbors. In the middle of her story, she noticed how sad Ben was, so she asked him what was happening. "I miss you. We have lived in different states for years now, but this is the first time I feel like we are drifting apart and I hate it. I know that I haven't put enough effort because I am focusing on my relationship with Veronica, but I don't want to lose you. You are so important to me, Mal I can't lose you." Mal felt her eyes fill with tears and was quick to clean them away, assuring Ben that they were not going to drift apart they were just busy lately.
Suddenly the boy told her to please hold because there was an incoming call from Veronica. A few minutes later, he apologized to Mal and told her that he needed to end the call but that he would be speaking to her on Christmas day. On the days ahead he would send her texts, and occasionally checked her Instagram, one day he saw a few stories of how the girl and Ryder were decorating their tree when Belle came and looked at his phone over his shoulder.
"Who is that guy with Mal? He is handsome, are they dating?" Ben rolled his eyes at the comment, although he found them annoying. He went on to explain to his mom who Ryder was and how he was just a friend of Mal. "Oh, but they live together then? I know you didn't like it when I use to tell you that I wish Mal and you got together, and I understand now. Seeing you with Veronica, I realized that you are ready to get into a more serious relationship, and I'm happy for you. I hope Mal found herself someone to do that too, and maybe Ryder can be that person for her."
After saying that, Belle left Ben alone, and the boy couldn't help but pick his phone up and called Mal; it took him three calls for her to answer, but once he heard her voice, he felt better. Mal asked him if everything was ok; he didn't usually call her during the week or so late. It was three hours more in NY, and Mal was already sleeping. Ben apologized and went to tell her that he was just talking to Belle and thinking about her, so he needed to see how she was doing. Mal smiled and started telling him how everything was ready for her first Christmas in her new apartment; in the middle of the conversation, Belle knocked on the door, telling Ben that everyone was already at the table ready for dinner. Instantly he put the call on mute and went on to tell his mom that he wasn't feeling good and to please excuse him with Veronica and her parents; while he went on to sleep. After his mom said sure, Ben unmute the call and continue to talk to Mal; he didn't know that his mom was still standing at the door about to get in to see if he wanted to eat something. Belle couldn't help the smile that came to her face, maybe her dreams of Mal and Ben being together weren't over. Although she felt sad for Veronica, Belle always hoped for Mal and Ben to realize that they care for each other more than just friends.
Although Mal was tired she couldn't stop herself and talk with Ben for hours, she ended up falling asleep to him singing her a lullaby they usually sang to one another when they were kids. Ben stayed on the line for a while after Mal was asleep listening to her breathing after he hung up for the first time he thought how she had lied to everyone just to talk to Mal.
"You can't do this to yourself, Ben, you have a girlfriend now." A little frustrated with himself, he went to plug his phone and noticed a pic of Mal's Instagram where Ryder, and she was holding a couple of decorated cookies, one had a #B and the other one FF. That was it; Ryder was not going to take his friend away, Ben was not going to let anyone take Mal from him.