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"Okay, truth or dare."

I look over at Craig, trying to make it very clear to him that I think he's lost his mind. "No."

"Ah, come on El. I'm seriously bored here." He throws a piece of popcorn at the window and we both watch as it bounces into the pencil cup on Anne's desk.

I steal a handful of popcorn from the bowl."Tough. This isn't third grade and I'm not Marco. Think of something else."

Craig is sitting on the floor, leaning back against m bed and I'm stretched out on it. The whole mall drama really took it's toll on our day, and we've just been lounging around in couch potato heaven ever since. Molly Ringwald is crying over Jake Ryan on the screen, but neither of us have been paying attention.

"Hm, strip poker?" he tries.

I whack the back of his head playfully. "Try again."

"Hot oil massage?"

"Is everything about sex with you?" I demand.

"Pretty much."

I laugh. This is exactly what I needed the week before finals. To destress and forget about everything. That's one thing Craig is good for. He always manges to make me forget about the horrible, crappy things going on in my life at the moment and just ... get away.

"So what do you want to do?" he asks absently, picking at the carpet.

"Body shots?" I say sweetly.

"Now there's an idea."

"Dream on." I say.

"Oh I will."

With a blush I'm thrilled he can't see, I hit him again.

"What? You suggested it." he said defensively.

As if on cue, the phone starts to ring. Since it's laying on the floor by Craig's feet, he picks it up and answers it without hesitation. "Ellie's phone." He pauses, brow wrinkling in confusion. "Hello?"

I satch it out of his hand. "Hello?"

"Who was that?" Jesse's voice is low and gruff and the tone is one that I've never heard him use before.

"Jesse, hey." Craig's head shoots up and he gives me this sheepish, apologetic look. Aw. Hard to be mad at him when he looks so cute.

"I reapeat, who was that?"

I sigh. Jealous boyfriend are so cliche and overrated. "That was a friend of mine. Craig. I've told you about him." I say, trying to keep my voice calm and sound rational.

Craig's phone begins to ring then and he motions that he's gonna take it out in the hallway. Once the door shuts, I turn my attention back to Jesse who has been talking the whole time while I neglected to listen.

"Jesse," I say, hoping he won't notice my lack of attention, "Craig is just a friend."

"You know what I've noticed?" he says. "Whenever people are really friends, they say they're friends. Adding the just means they're either in denial or lying."

Wow. That is so ... acurate.

"Judging from your silece, I'd say I'm right." he says slowly.

"What do you want me to say Jesse? That nothing has ever happened with Craig? It hasn't. Just because I had a little thing for him in high school doesn't mean anything."

"If that were true you wouldn't have blown off work for the last three days."

"I'll talk to you after you've cooled down." I tell him abruptly and hang up. Immature I know, but I could just feel that he was about to ask the question. Whether the thing as I so eloquently put it was gone.

And I don't want to lie to him.

Craig comes back in, looking slightly apprehensive.

"What is it?"

"That was Joey. He's home." he states simply.

"Oh."

What am I suppossed to say to that? It means he's leaving. No more playing house or whatever the hell we're doing could be called. And you know what? It sucks.

"Yeah." Craig says. "I told him I'd be home tomorrow."

Tomorrow. Meaning we still have tonight to be goofy and pretend that nothing is wrong.

Yay.

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"Craig, be still."

I swear I'd hit him if I could. But from this angle, my hand would land in a very delicate location.

"I can't sleep." he whines.

"So that means I can't either?"

"Do you want me to suffer alone? Or would you rather help me through it?"

"Alone is sounding pretty good to me right now."

"Nice." he says sarcastically.

"Well what can I do, sing you a lullaby?"

"Please don't. I've heard you sing." he quips.

"Then I'm open to suggestions. Unlike you, some of us actually need our beauty sleep."

"Are you saying I'm ugly or hot?" he asks in disbelief.

"I plead the fifth."

"Well then, I know one way you could put me to sleep." he says, a mischevious edge coming to his voice and once more I'm glad for the cover of night so he won't see my scarlet cheeks.

"Put you to sleep? I didn't know that was an option." I joke.

He fake laughs loudly. "Funny El."

"I know what you're implying, and no. There are plenty of horny sorority girls on campus. Go bug one of them." I roll over, facing the wall and turning my back on him. I need to sleep.

"But you're so much fun. None of them could insult me so cleaverly." He begins to tickle the back of my knees where my pajama bottoms have riden up slightly.

I squeal. Yes, squeal. No judging. Rolling back over quickly, I whack him wherever I can reach. "Stop it or it's the floor for you Manning."

"Are you gonna push me off the bed? I'd like to see you try." he says smugly.

Hey, I may be small, but I'm strong. So I do the only thing I can do. I push him. Hard.

He lands on the floor with a satisfying thump and a very loud grunt.

"That was a rhentorical question." he snaps as he crawls back onto the bed. "And that really hurt."

"Ah, poor baby."

"Anybody ever tell you you're slightly evil?" he asks, burrowing back into his spot on the bed.

"Once or twice." I tell him. "I'm sorry."

"Me too." he says. Good. At least he acknowledges that the whole thing wasn't my fault.

"Go to sleep."

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Craig insists I go with him to Joey's the next morning. Not really my idea of fun. Yeah, Joey's okay and Angie's a sweetie, but it means that Craig's leaving. Yeah, I'm sulking. Do you blame me?

"Ho ho ho." Craig calls, shutting the oor behind us.

"Craig!" Angie screams. She rushes into the living room and jumps on her big brother. I can't help but smile. They're so cute together.

Joey and Diane come out, taking turns hugging Craig hello. Needless to say, I'm more than a little suprised when Diane also hugs me.

"Hey Ellie. Long time no see." Joey says. He doesn't hug me though. That would be way too weird. Angie does. Quickly though and then runs back to Craig, who wraps his arms around her protectively. They're just looking at each other and you can see the love and similarities in that gaze.

I feel myself getting all sappy again and I hear a slight giggle. I glance over at Diane to see her looking at me with a knowing smile as I stare at Craig and Angie. I school my features quickly, and she smirks at me. I can feel the heat creeping up my face.

"You alright Ellie? You look a bit flushed." Joey says.

"Y-yeah." My voice cracks a bit, so I clear my throat. "I'm fine."

It's obvious that he doesn't believe me, and Craig is looking at me like I'm insane, but I just smile like everything's okay.

"Ellie, would you like to help me and Angie make cookies?" Diane asks.

I am so getting her a present. "I'd love to."

"Great." Joey says. "Then Craig can help me get the tree inside."

"Ah, Joey ..." he whines.

The rest of the day is more of the same. We cover Joey's kitchen in flour and Craig gets a splintre fromt he massive tree Joey bought, but it seems so much like one of those annoying Christmas specials that I would gag if it weren't absouletly perfect. It' night before I know it and raig walks me out to my car while Joey tucks Angie in.

"Today was fun. Almost like high school again." he says offhandedly.

"Yeah."

"Hey," Craig's voice is full of concern and it just makes everything harder, "what's wrong?"

"Nothing. It's just gonna seem kind of lonely at the dorm now."

"You wanna stay here tonight?" he offeres. "Joey wouldn't mind and Anige would love it."

"Thanks, but no. I'll just go crash at Marco's or something." I tell him.

With a small wave, I get into my car before he can try to talk me out of it. I watch him grow smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror. I meant what I said, it will be lonely without him there tonight. I've gotten used to him being there. Just like school sucked pretty hard for a few weeks after he left for Vancouver. But I'll see him at Joey's party tomorow. Then I have to spend three days with my parents and he goes back to the other side of the country. Joy.

Is it any wonder I hate Christmas?