No Parents Allowed [COMPLETED]

27: Christ, it's Christmas

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 25:

There was once a time when every day I would try to figure out a way to complete the tree houses in the woods behind my house. Those days are NO MORE!

As of today, the tree houses are--ehem, drum roles please....

FINISHED!!!!!

Last week my parents actually helped me install the solar panels with the solar panel guys from some weird solar company that #savestheworld (their words, not mine). It's finally working, along with a generator that's hidden by a small shack behind the ladder leading to the left tree house.

The week before that was spent painting the tree houses. I refused to meet with anyone, even Jace, in order to paint the remainder of the tree houses. Each one was a little different, and each one looked amazing in the end.

This week was spent furnishing the tree house. It was really hard to get everything into the tree houses. I had to hire some guy with a machine that basically pulled everything up on a rope so that his other workers and I could pull them in and set them up. And I must say, it looks really good. Like really good.

I mean, after all the time I spent actually renovating the fucking thing, it took only two and a half weeks to actually complete it.

The door to my room opened and I nearly shit my pants, I swear.

But it was only Jace.

Which doesn't settle me.

"Merry Christmas," he said. I looked him up and down (how can I not?) before I smiled. Only he managed to look even remotely serious and hot in an ugly Christmas sweater and a Santa hat.

"Merry Christmas," I replied. I stood to take the cups of hot chocolate and eggnog from his hands.

Once I took the mugs from his hands, he whipped out another Santa hat and placed it on my head with a sly smile spread on his face. "All you need is a beard now."

"Ha-ha," I said and took a sip from the mug of hot chocolate.

Jace and I talked a little while we sipped the eggnog and hot chocolate and watched some movies on the TV in my room.

About two and a half movies later, Jace rolled off the bed and pulled me up. "Get dressed, put on some makeup or whatever. I have a surprise for you," he said.

A surprise? For me? Oh, you shouldn't have! But no way I was going to say that. If I'm lucky, it's Jace in a full Santa suit (if you catch my drift). And if I'm not, well, it's still a surprise from Jace. It has to be good.

I walked to my closet and took out a pair of dark skinny jeans with two slits at the knees and an off-white Christmas sweater. And while Jace watched some more Home Alone, I got dressed. I changed into a pair of matching white underwear (that's when I felt Jace's eyes on my back) and slowly got dressed.

If you have a boyfriend/girlfriend you'll know why.

Once I finished getting dressed, I did my hair and makeup. You know, the usual. Foundation, concealer, winged liquid eyeliner, mascara, and some tinted chapstick. I didn't want to go all out--I was in a hurry to see the surprise Jace had prepared for me. So I quickly twisted my hair into two French braids and grabbed my grey cashmere scarf so we could head out.

"Ready?" Jace asked.

I had just finished zipping my brown booties up. "Ready."

He grabbed my hand and began leading me towards the back door of my house. I furrowed my brows as we walked into the woods. Why were we going in the direction of the tree house? What could possibly be there? I had literally just finished it and I hadn't even told anyone. There was no way Jace would have known, either. I didn't contact him all week.

Once we got there, he climbed up the ladder first which was totally unlike him. Usually he would let me climb up first and follow behind me. Whatever. Maybe it was payback for not talking to him for a week. Or two. I can't keep track with what's been going on in my life right now. Back to the business at hand. I followed him up the ladder and brushed my knees off when I reached the landing.

"What are we doing--oh my God," I breathed out.

It was beautiful. There were Christmas decorations everywhere--even a fake Christmas tree with tinsel and shit--and pictures nailed onto the wall. Pictures of our childhood club. Pictures of Jace and I alone. Lights were strung up along the walls, there was a gingerbread smell in the air, music playing from the speaker connected to Jace's phone in the corner, and other decorations hanging from the ceiling.

And underneath the tree there were presents.

"Jace," I said. I turned around and almost tripped when I saw who stood behind me.

My old group of friends stood behind me. Friends I stopped speaking to a while ago. Synthia, Jake, Tyler--they were all there wearing Santa hats and/or fake beards.

"Merry Christmas," each one called out in turn.

We all piled into the tree house, sitting on the floor in the center of the tree house just like we used to when we were kids. And we talked, almost all at once, but somehow it worked out. We spent the entire day there and then the entire night, pouring each other choice drinks and laughing like we used to.

My phone buzzed halfway through opening the presents they had all bought each other. (I bought them later bc I didn't even know this was happening.)

Will: I gotta talk to you. Call me

What I did next surprised me. I pressed the button on the side of my phone and slid the power button to the right.

I'll deal with him later, I decided. Right now Jace's surprise was most important to me.

So I leapt back into the conversation and laughed along with my friend group. The conversation flowed almost as if we had not separated. We got along perfectly; Jake and Tyler still argued a lot but managed to show their friendly love for each other through their arm punches, Synthia rolled her eyes at them every two seconds, I mingled with all of them in turn, and Jace remained slightly more quiet than us and only added a few sentences here and there.

The only difference was that this time I had my hand placed firmly in Jace's and my head on his shoulder.

I think this is the end of my story. There's no point in writing any more. I've completed what I wanted to do--sort of. It was more Jace than me. But that's not the point. The point is I got what I was wanting (plus a few perks, a.k.a. my friends besides these guys).

So that's it. Continuing would be fruitless.

Thank you for allowing me to spill my secrets and my thoughts onto you. I'll see you soon, but you might not feel the tip of my pen brush against you for a long time.

Love,

Hailey

:):):):):):):):):):):):):):)

[A/N]: DONE. THE END. HAHAHAHAHA

I FINISHED A BOOK, FINALLY.

If you guys could comment questions you have about the book or me, I'll have a Q&A session.

And I'll also tell you guys about a possible SEQUEL TO THE BOOK!!!