My Boyfriend Carved Jack-o’-Lanterns For All Five. Except Me Chapter 01

My Boyfriend Carved Jack-o’-Lanterns For All Five. Except Me Chapter 01

The last Halloween before graduation.

My boyfriend Caleb carved jack-o’-lanterns for our group of five.

Four pumpkins in the bag. Each carved with a name.

My brother Leo. My childhood friend Julian. My sisiter Daisy.And Caleb.

Four names. Neatly lined up. Mine was missing.

Everyone looked at Caleb. He scratched his head. Casual.

“Only four pumpkins left at home. No time to buy more.”

“It’s just a jack-o’-lantern. You’ve never cared about this stuff.”

Leo ruffled my hair. Covering for his friend.

“You two have been together three years. What’s his is yours.”

I swallowed it. Like always. Said okay.

I thought at the party, they wouldn’t leave me out again.

But when I waited in the living room for half an hour, I learned they’d already gone.

I walked the crowded street alone.

Everyone in costume. I got scared more than once.

Then I saw them. Holding their pumpkins. Dressed as The Simpsons.

Nobody told me.

I stood at the end of the street. Alone.

And remembered.

Five of us at the movies. My seat was always in the back corner.

Five of us at the amusement park. I never got on the same roller coaster.

It wasn’t that one seat was always missing.

It was that when someone had to step out, they always thought of me first.

Four hearts had already divided. No need to force a fifth.

—

I didn’t walk toward them.

When I turned, Daisy’s laugh came from behind.

“Caleb, you blinked. Let’s take another.”

Caleb laughed with her.

No one noticed I was gone.

Before heading back, Julian led us into a gift shop.

The owner saw him. Pulled a velvet box from under the counter.

“Your custom bookmarks are in.”

Four clover bookmarks. Each with a name and a blessing.

Not mine.

The owner counted twice. Awkward.

“Missing one?”

Julian paused. Pushed up his glasses.

“When I ordered, Daisy was sitting next to me.”

“Lyra’s. I’ll add it next time.”

Daisy held hers. Quiet.

“Lyra, you can have mine?”

She held it out. Leo stopped her hand.

“Your name’s on it. She can’t use it.”

Caleb patted her head.

“She doesn’t like this stuff. Keep it.”

I used to not like it.

But the tickets in my yearbook. The paper airplane he folded for me.

I kept every one.

I didn’t dislike them.

It’s just that every time they didn’t prepare one for me, they said I didn’t like it.

—

Out the door. The night wind turned cold.

Leo opened the trunk. Four identical jackets.

His internship souvenir. Different colored badges on each chest.

He handed one to Julian. Tossed one to Caleb. Put one on Daisy himself.

The last one. He wore.

I stood by the car. Waited.

Leo zipped up. Then, like he just remembered me.

“You’re not afraid of cold, right?”

“In winter, you used to run outside in pajamas.”

Caleb touched my hand.

“A little cold.”

He said it. But didn’t take off his jacket. Just held my hand.

“Hang in there. We’ll be back at school soon.”

His hand was warm.

But for the first time, I wasn’t moved by that warmth.

So caring could be this effortless.

Say one thing. Call it done.

—

Back at the dorm. Daisy pulled out fresh Polaroids.

Excited. Handed them out.

“Best four from tonight. One each.”

Leo got the funny faces.

Julian’s was the two of them holding pumpkins.

Caleb’s was him standing quietly behind her.

Daisy’s photo—the other three looking at her.

They huddled together. Discussed whose expression was best.

I stood under the streetlight. Empty-handed.

Only after they finished did Daisy look at me.

“Caleb. We ran out of film tonight.”

“Next time I’ll bring extra. I’ll take yours.”

I nodded.

“Okay.”

Caleb seemed to think I was too quiet. Reached for me.

“Upset again?”

“A few photos. Is it that serious?”

I pulled my hand back.

“No. I’m tired.”

Upstairs, I stood by the window.

The four of them were still there.

They put the four bookmarks together. Took a photo. Posted it.

Caption: Graduation, no separation. Together forever.

I didn’t like it.

I opened the job offer I’d gotten that afternoon.

The New York company had asked three times.

If I wanted to join the core team early.

Twice I said no. Because graduation was busy.

Because Caleb said he couldn’t do long distance.

Leo said family should stay in the same city.

Julian analyzed it for me.

New York’s opportunities couldn’t beat having people nearby.

But now. In the reply box.

[I’m willing to start early.]

Soon after, the confirmation.

[Dorm arranged. Arrive in New York in three days.]

Three days.

Just enough to pack myself out of their lives.