Even the black puffer jacket he wore was a gift from me.
Since he couldn't spend Christmas with me, I had given him the present early.
Yes, the boyfriend I had kept hidden from everyone was my best friend's older brother.
But why was he here?
As I puzzled over it, the sound of fireworks erupted.
Sparks cascaded across the night sky like a blanket of twinkling stars.
Couples around us hugged and kissed.
They wanted to freeze the romance in that fleeting moment.
Jayden was no exception.
He turned his head, gently cupped the face of the girl beside him, and kissed her.
A jolt like electricity shot through my body.
He hadn't come alone.
He had turned down my Christmas invitation, claiming he was swamped with work, just to watch fireworks with another girl.
Time seemed to freeze.
I couldn't hear the noise or see the fireworks.
The cold wind stung my eyes, and the image of the two kissing blurred in my vision.
Kaitlin pounded my arm. "Oh my God! That girl is Isabel! My brother finally got his dream girl. Look at him go!"
I stared at the dazzling sky, fighting to keep the tears welling in my eyes from falling.
I wanted to run away.
But Kaitlin grabbed me and pushed through the crowd. "No way! Since we ran into him, he's gotta treat us to some late-night food."
As we reached Jayden, the fireworks ended.
The night sky grew quiet, and the two pulled apart, though their hands stayed clasped.
Kaitlin slapped his shoulder. "Caught you red-handed! Aren't you gonna introduce us to your girlfriend?"
Jayden turned around and froze when he saw me.
He rubbed his nose and blurted out, "What are you guys doing here?"
Kaitlin yelled at him. "What, single people can't watch fireworks on Christmas? Quit dodging and spill the beans!"
Jayden shifted his gaze from me and looked tenderly at the blushing girl beside him. "This is my girlfriend," he said.
He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and added softly, "This is my sister, and the one next to her..."
Their eyes fixed on me, and my vision blurred with tears. I quickly looked down.
Jayden's voice reached my ears. "She's my sister's friend. Practically my little sister too."
The girl shyly greeted us. "Hi, I'm Isabel."
Kaitlin grinned. "Oh, I know! My brother's been into you forever. He showed me your picture and talks about you all the time."
To avoid slipping up, I rarely hung out when both siblings were around.
Even when chatting with Kaitlin, I steered clear of mentioning Jayden.
So, Jayden had been into Isabel for a long time, huh?
What did that make the six months we had carefully hidden?
I took a deep breath and forced a smile. "Jayden, Isabel, I hope you both have a merry Christmas."
My voice trembled as I spoke.
Ten minutes earlier, I had received a text from Jayden. "Sorry, babe, I'm swamped this year and can't hang out. Still grinding on reports. Hope you have an awesome, unforgettable holiday!"
He had certainly made this Christmas unforgettable.
In this awkward moment, I was just practically his "sister".