With You┃Dylan O'Brien ⓵

Chapter Twenty-Eight : Hearts & Numbers

"ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAAASS, IS YOOOOUU!"

"Naomi, seriously, shut up!"

"You're just jealous you can't sing as well as me, Anita."

"I highly doubt that's the problem here."

We've been driving for just ten minutes, during which Naomi takes it upon herself to sing obnoxiously loudly to every song she decides to play. She has mostly been playing Mariah Carey and Michael Buble Christmas tracks.

I enjoy the song choices, and to a certain extent her obnoxious vocal accompaniment, but again, only to a certain extent. Eventually, I have to resort to revoking her DJ privileges and pass them on to Adrian, who is much more responsible.

"Next time, Naomi doesn't get this many cups of hot chocolate," I decree.

"I second that motion," her boyfriend agrees.

"Hey, I only had four! If I shouldn't have so many then maybe their refills shouldn't be free!"

"You know that saying, 'less is more'?", I ask my best friend with a humorous smile.

"Silly Anita, that saying does not apply to food at all," with that, she pats my head condescendingly.

I love my friends.

Adrian and Naomi get dropped off at Adrian's house around eleven at night. What can I say, we always spend a longer time at Chick-a-dee's than we expect. It kind of just happens. Good thing it's open twenty-four/seven! I kind of force Dylan to come back with me to my house, but it's not like he doesn't want to. In fact, he seems quite happy to be with me on the drive back to my house.

When we arrive to my house, little Ophelia is at the door to greet us, and it becomes evident how badly she wants to go outside. My lovely boyfriend offers to walk her with me, and obviously I don't refuse.

There are gray clouds in the dark sky that allow steady rain to fall from them, but luckily there isn't any wind. And I know I complain about being cold often, but seriously, it is really cold. As Dylan, Ophelia, and I walk, we don't stroll through the fields of grapes. Instead we walk out towards the main roads where we would head to exit our property.

I find it hard not to be smiling right now. In one hand I hold the leash of my adorable little puppy, and in the other hand I'm holding Dylan's. Hand, that is, not his leash. Point is, I realize the fact that I've got in my life at least two people who I love very much and they love me back. Even if one of them is a dog. Eventually, Dylan brings up something I completely forgot about...

"So," he begins after we've been walking in silence for a few minutes. "About your other Christmas present..."

I turn towards him sharply, "You mean the one that shouldn't exist?"

"Why shouldn't it exist, exactly?", he asks with a hint of humor in his voice.

"Dylan, you're a genius but you can't realize the fact that you've gotten me too much already. I mean, you took me to Disneyland and got me Chanel perfume and now there's something else?"

"If it's any consolation, I stopped myself from getting you something else, too."

"You're crazy, really."

"Okay well since I already bought this, can I give it to you?"

"Fine."

With a wide grin, he quickly produces from his coat pocket a small, square box wrapped perfectly in shiny, silver wrapping paper. I stop walking and carefully take the box from him.